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11 Best Sites for Effective Business English Listening Exercises

Having good listening skills is important for any business environment.

If you’ve been struggling with your listening abilities in English, then business English listening exercises can be a great way to improve your comprehension.

In this guide, I’ll share 10 of the best websites that you can use for listening exercises that will help you level up your business English skills!

Sites for Business English Listening Exercises

1. business english site, 3. english media lab, 4. english conversation lessons online, 5. esl lounge, 6. macmillan business, 7. business english pod, 8. british council, 9. talkenglish.com, 10. anglo-link, 11. randall’s esl cyber listening lab, why is listening so important for business english, how to be an efficient listener.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

I’ve sourced some of the best online resources suited to all levels of language learning. Here are my top 10 picks.

This website includes options for vocabulary training, grammar quizzes and listening and reading comprehension questions.

Their listening section has both audio and video-based exercises. Intermediate and advanced learners can check out the activities that accompany the videos, where you watch a short video clip and answer the questions that follow. The videos vary in content from business commercials to interviews to tips for those trying to get a foot in the business world.

Meanwhile, beginners might start with the audio-based exercises, which are designed for all levels and will specifically help you improve your pronunciation.

FluentU-logo

FluentU is an immersive language learning program that uses native English videos to teach the language naturally.

This program has a wide variety of videos for all learners, like movie clips and music videos. It also has an entire category for “business,” where you can find hundreds of videos on various industries, tips for business owners, inspirational talks from well-known CEOs, insider reports from popular companies and much more.

business planning exercise listening answers

FluentU’s videos are meant for native English speakers, but they come with learning tools to make it possible for you to follow along, no matter what level you are.

English Media Lab

A fun, interactive website, English Media Lab caters to learners of all ages and skill levels.

They have a comprehensive listening section  that includes vocabulary-based memory games, communicative expressions, crossword puzzles and others.

Our pick is the section that lists a number of exercises for “ESL Business and Survival English,” since they’re designed with the needs of non-native speakers who are keen to master business English in mind.

However, you need to have Adobe or Macromedia Flash Player already installed to access the exercises.

This is a go-to website for all your conversation queries, be it talking to a friend in everyday English or your boss in business English.

The site is designed for those wishing to go deeper in their studies by taking personalized lessons. They’re conducted on a one-to-one basis and are about 50 minutes long. They’ll take you through possible scenarios in the business world that you might find yourself in like telephone skills, negotiations and presentations.

However, the site does have a couple of  listening comprehension activities (scroll to the bottom of the page) for those wanting to test their skills.

ESL lounge logo

As well as having exercises for beginner, intermediate and advanced students, ESL Lounge also has learning activities specifically to help you improve your business English listening skills.

Each lesson features a short mp3 file, followed by listening quizzes in which you check your comprehension of the audio file.

Once you’ve answered all the questions, you can click “mark answers” to find out how well you did. Quizzes feature topics like “Scenes from an Office” and “Seeking Capital,” so will help you prepare for a range of scenarios that will feature business English.

Macmillan Business

Macmillan is a trusted name when it comes to learning, and they’ve published an excellent range of business English books. For example, their text “In Company” provides a student workbook and audio for students to work on listening exercises offline.

Through their skills-based units, you’ll get exposure to grammar in a business context and lots of new business vocabulary terms.

Also, their website even has a “Business Podcast” section. Each episode features business-related interviews or articles that you can listen to and answer questions about. Some of them also have group activities, so if you have a study group or wish to learn with friends, this is an ideal resource for you.

Business English Pod

If you swear by audio-based learning and enjoy listening to podcasts and audiobooks , why not combine the two for effective practice in business English?

Business English Pod is the best audio-based resource out there and covers almost every aspect of business English in an easy-to-understand manner.

Each episode or lesson comes with a MP3 audio file, PDF transcript, a lesson module and a quiz to test your learning. Check out their listening quizzes in the  “learning section,”  where you listen to a conversation and answer three questions. You can subscribe to them for free via Apple Podcasts or even via email.

British Council

British Council is a great source of learning materials for English learners, and also features a section dedicated to B2 or intermediate learners who want to improve their business English listening skills.

The aim of the activities is to help you understand extended speech about business related topics, featuring lessons such as “A Business Interview” and “A Lecture About and Experiment”.

In each lesson there is a preparation task, followed by the audio recording about a business situation. There are then two tasks you can do to help ensure that you understood everything in the lesson.

Talk English

Another great resource, TalkEnglish.com is packed with free listening and speaking exercises, a business English section, grammar information and idioms and phrases. It makes for ideal self-study material.

They have a number of listening exercises , categorized under “basic,” “intermediate” and “advanced” levels. There are over 30 exercises for each one, and you even have the option of downloading conversations for later listening as well.

Anglo Link

Anglo-Link is a brilliant self-study resource that comes with a free trial. It includes written and oral exercises, video lessons and interactive, one-on-one sessions with specialists.

Their video lessons are carefully curated and cover pronunciation, conversations and grammar, which are often animated. In case you choose not to sign up for their language teaching services, you can access their videos for free via their YouTube channel .

Randall's ESL Cyber Listening Lab

ESL Lab has a huge list of activities that include listening exercises for English for academic purposes and a variety of other topics like daily activities and vocabulary lessons.

Moreover, unlike other websites, their listening exercises come with fact files, helpful tips, vocabulary and grammar activities. They even have questions you can think about or debate with a friend and online activities which you can do. For starters, check out the activities to help you prepare for a job interview  and job hunting .

In short, these will improve your listening skills and general knowledge. They will also help you develop your critical thinking skills and make you a proactive and self-reliant business associate.

Due to the structure of the English language, pronunciation can be tricky.

Until you hear a word spoken many times, you’ll be left unsure of how it should sound. And when you get into a specific field, like business English, you’ll want to have these terms down before your first business meeting!

Here are some reasons why being an efficient listener is crucial to success:

  • Listening can teach you a lot about different accents, correct pronunciation and it can dramatically improve your vocabulary .
  • It can help you understand tone of voice and speech patterns, so that you can imitate these features in your own speech.
  • It also gives you information about the person speaking it. This is very important when dealing with customers and clients. Are they into small talk? Do they get right to the point? Are they extraordinarily polite? A good salesperson picks up on these cues.
  • Only careful listening will help you appreciate what the speaker is trying to say, which is crucial for successful business negotiations .
  • Efficient communication is only possible when both the speaker and the listener are completely involved in the present moment.  Dialogues are always two-way processes.

Listening (as opposed to mere hearing) is a skill like any other, and can be mastered if you’re prepared to work for it. These quick tips will show you how to get there.

  • Don’t interrupt when someone is speaking. Not only is it very rude, but you also interrupt the speaker’s line of thought and can possibly derail an entire conversation.
  • Think about what you’re listening to.  Don’t just passively listen to your colleagues. If someone is talking about changes in a business framework, think about whether these changes are plausible and effective in the current situation.
  • Ask for clarification politely.  If you’re genuinely confused about something the speaker said, ask for clarification in a polite and diplomatic way.
  • Make eye contact with the speaker. Don’t look distracted. Let the person know they’ve got your full attention and that they’re important.
  • Pay attention to body language.  This is for both you and the speaker. Make sure you’re not in an awkward or slouching position. Hand movements emphasize what the speaker is trying to say. Nod to show that you’re following the thread of the conversation.

Finally, always remember that practice makes perfect.

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business planning exercise listening answers

25 Brilliant Business English Speaking and Listening Skills Worksheets

Business English listening/speaking skills exercises  can include:

basic socializing activities telephoning practice common office exchanges short role plays with colleagues, customers and clients practice asking, requesting and providing information

November 14th, 2023

1 New boss meeting

This is an exercise that explores common company office topics and language through the first meeting with a new boss. The worksheet includes vocabulary and speaking exercises. An excerpt from the worksheet is below. The full worksheet can be downloaded by subscribers at Substack (see below).

business planning exercise listening answers

See the YouTube video

Download lesson extract PDF

Subscribe to Eslflow

Subscribe to get full access to the latest and best resources from eslflow.com . There are no ads in the newsletter and you will receive entertaining, high quality, and up-to-date teaching resources regularly.  And, if you subscribe, you will get access to the latest advancements in artificial intelligence and prompt engineering, that will enable you become a master of the English as a second language universe! In addition, you will get access to the complete sets of exercises, with a wider variety of exercises and activities. Also, if you take out a paid subscription, you can download large collections of PDF, audio and video materials in zip files.

2 Conversational practice – present perfect and basic future tense for business

These conversational practice exercises contain sets of  conversational questions, along with multiple potential responses and a follow-up question for each. The questions aim to help ESL (English as a Second Language) students improve their understanding and usage of specific aspects of grammar in English. In my experience, these kinds of exercise are really useful teaching one-on-one online, but they also work really well as pair work activities in the classroom.

Future tense conversational practice

Present perfect conversational practice

If you like these activities, be sure to check out the Substack post:

“Cost of living” and “New boss meeting”

3 Quantifiers for colleagues

This is a Business English vocabulary and listening/speaking exercise exploring some common Business English vocabulary. It also focuses on the use of quantifiers (all, most, some, a few, none etc.).

(download PDF)

4 The Intern

This is a reading/listening comprehension exercise about a day in the life of an intern and contrasts it with university life. Students need to watch the video and then complete the sentences with the the vocabulary they hear. The pictures match the chronological order of the video.

business planning exercise listening answers

(download listening/speaking PDF)

(see the video on YouTube)

 5 Calling to Complain (gap fill and answers)

       This is a “calling to complain”telephoning language exercise  to help English language learners practice expressions and phrases used in everyday phone conversations. Students can try and complete the dialogues and then listen to the audio to check/compare their answers.

(Calling to complain YouTube video)

6 Financial crisis vocabulary

These days, you hear and see words such as “inflation” and “bear market” everywhere. So this is a lesson about financial crisis vocabulary.

(lesson extract download PDF)

(see the YouTube video)

7 Business skills

It’s easy for students to talk about business skills as it relates to their personal preferences and abilities.  Students can listen to the audio or watch the video and complete the worksheet. The video adds more images illustrating the vocabulary related to this topic. The speaking section can also be expanded to include all the skills shown in the pictures.

Business Skills (PDF)

(See the YouTube video)

8 Create a conversation: starting a business

This is a listening/speaking lesson about starting a business. This is  a surefire topic for classroom discussion and dialogues. Use the worksheet below to brainstorm ideas about starting a business. Then get students to listen to the dialogues and try to complete the gap fill worksheet. Finally, students write a conversation using their own ideas.

Starting a business  (PDF)

9 Ideas for starting a business brainstorming

This is a good topic for business English students. And millennials in general are really sharp on the nuances of strategies for starting a business. Good fun!

Ideas for starting a business (PDF)

10 Asking for information : business English dialogues gap fill (with audio and answers)

Students need to be versatile and flexible when they speak English. This gap fill exercise provides a number of everyday conversations and situations .  It challenges students to complete the short dialogues with the appropriate vocabulary. Or students can listen to the audio and complete the conversations.

Asking for information business English gap fill (PDF)

(see as Youtube mp4 video)

Related Resources:

9 import/export, logistics and supply chain exercises

4 online shopping and delivery services listening/speaking and vocabulary exercises

8 Business English vocabulary exercises

5 cool advertising & branding vocabulary & language exercises

 8 describing graphs  language exercises

5 intercultural body language, gestures and etiquette language exercises

11   Making requests exercise (with audio and answers)

           This is a  Business English  ESL exercise to help students learn how to make polite requests in English. Students can try to complete the speech bubbles. Then they can listen to the audio and compare their answers. Or it can be used as a stand alone listening exercise.

Business English making requests (PDF)

(see as Youtube video)

 12 Business problems and solutions (with audio and answers)

Problems and solutions exercises make for good speaking and discussion classes. Here, students match the problems to the pictures and give solutions in answer to the questions. as above, the solutions exercise could be expanded to include all the problems shown in the pictures.

Business problems and solutions (PDF)

13 Telephone conversation speaking and listening about a delivery (with audio and answers)

This is a telephoning exercise for English language learners to practice using  the language necessary for making business phone calls. Students listen to the audio and complete the conversation. There are 2 worksheets One is easy and one is more difficult.

Telephone delivery conversation (PDF)

14  Office conversations (with audio and  answers)

This is a business English ESL exercise to help students practice common office conversations. First, brainstorm ideas for the conversations. Then students can listen to to the audio and complete the speech bubbles.

Office conversations  (PDF)

15 Elementary business socializing (listening with answers)

This is an elementary business English ESL listening exercise exploring the language and vocabulary used to make short conversations in various business and social situations. Student listen and  complete the short conversations for each situation. Then they can compare answers.

Business socializing language worksheet

Business socializing (PDF)

 16 Business socializing and phoning (with  answers and audio)

       This is similar to the above but more general.  It helps students   become familiar with common office conversational exchanges. 

Business socializing and  telephoning (PDF)

 17 The gig economy: good or bad?

This is a great contemporary topic for university students. There is no more contemporary business English topic then the “gig economy”. It’s an excellent discussion/debate topic.

Gig economy (PDF)

 18 Company activities: What do they do?

The words  create, produce, develop, design, invent, build, sell, provide  and  manufacture  are often used interchangeably to describe company activities. This activity focuses on these and related words and the subtle differences between their usage.

What do companies do?(PDF)

 19  Problems and solutions: write a conversation

This is a more personalized and fun exercise in which students write a conversation talking about 2 problems in their lives.

Problems and solution conversation writing (PDF)

Related Resources

4 Working from Home exercises incl. parts of speech and vocabulary

ESL Listening Activities Guide

8 Business English Vocabulary Exercises

10 Super Essential Academic Vocabulary Lessons

5 Kinds of Collocation and Phrasal Verb Exercises

10 Jobs and Careers Vocabulary  and Speaking exercises

4 Money and Finance Worksheets

10 Computing and  Internet Vocabulary and Speaking Activities

20 Talking about office problems

This is an elementary ESL speaking exercise for talking about problems in the office. First, students try to match the vocabulary at the bottom of the page to the pictures. They can then use that vocabulary to answer questions about the pictures.

Talking about office problems (PDF)

Related Resource:

4 Tantalizing Telephone Dialogue Exercises for Business English

5 Cracking Complaints and Annoyances Language and Speaking Exercises

21  Discussing business activities speaking lesson

    This is an ESL   speaking and writing lesson  for talking about common business activities and tasks.. First, students match the expressions to the pictures. Then, they can have short conversations discussing the business activities they like and dislike.

Discussing business activities (PDF)

22 Team building

his is a business English ESL exercise exploring the language and vocabulary of team building. First, students match the vocabulary to the pictures. When it is clear they understand the words, they can write questions  about team building. Finally, students can ask each other questions.

23 Elements of common work conversations (with answers)

        This is an ESL exercise  for teaching common English  expressions in an office setting. Students match the words to the pictures and the sentences. 

Elements of common work conversations (PDF)

10 Role Play Speaking Activities

11 Classroom Debate and Discussion Language Activities

5 First Day of Class Activities

3 Great Icebreakers to Start a Class

8 Invitation and Request Dialogues for Everyday Scenarios

24 Business woman: what is she saying ? (with answers)

This is a business English ESL exercise introducing some common expressions and sentences. Students need to interpret the meanings of the woman’s gestures and match the vocabulary to the pictures.

Business woman: what is she saying (PDF)

 25  Telephoning speaking skills

    This is a  telephoning language exercise  for English language learners to practice the English expressions and phrases used in everyday phone calls.

Telephoning speaking skills  (PDF)

business planning exercise listening answers

21 Replies to “Business English Speaking Skills Exercises”

Thanks for making this very useful teaching material available to all. Grateful me !

No worries. It’s great to get a good response.

What you do is EXCELLENT. Thank you for being here for us!

Thank you for your comments ! Much appreciated !

Thank you for this awesome material. I’m sure my class will enjoy it.

This is relevant especially for esl teachers who are looking for business english materials

Thank you, this is a very useful collection!

Wonderful , amazing work , Thank you so much.

Hey! Thanks for the comments. Really appreciated! It’s been a long road to get some of this stuff done.

Thank You so help me! https://bit.ly/2JKwCx7

Thank you! These sheets are great!

Thank you so much, I appreciate your work!!! It’s so useful!

The article seems like a gift for those who want to know about business English. I am extremely impressed and motivated on the same. Keep writing!

It’s my pleasure! Great to get some feedback.

Special thanks @eslfliw.com. Your free downloadable business English exercises have helped me a lot as an ESP instructor.

Thank you for making free and downloadable. It is a big help for my business English class. Grateful to @eslfliw.com.

Thanks again so much for the comments!!

Wow, so many useful resources that I was missing ! I especially like the listening activities. Thank you so much

Hi, Yes, I just posted a Business English collection on Substack:

https://eslflow.substack.com/

with 70 worksheets/53 audio files/ 22 videos downloadable as zip files. Some of the downloads are free, but if you want access to the whole collection, you need to take out a paid subscription.

Thank you for your help and fabulous materaills !!!!

Hello, I like to speak professionally and I want improve my listing and speaking for my real estate business which I’m going to start soon.

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RECENT ESL EXERCISES

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Business English Pod – English Training for the Workplace

Online learning with business english pod – the business english podcast for esl workplace english training., listening quiz.

Click on a question to see the answer.

BEP 122 ADV – Negotiations: Overcoming Blockage

1) How does Peter suggest restarting talks with Maxine?

He says he has been “thinking about” their companies, and if she is still open to the idea he “was wondering” if they could “get together to talk briefly about some other possibilities.” Overall, the tone of Peter’s suggestion is positive and the content is not too specific. At this point, he is just trying to get Maxine interested.

2) What does Peter identifying as the main stumbling block to a deal?

Peter identifies price as the main stumbling block to a deal.

3) What does Peter mean when he says, “It’s not a question of growth for us, it’s a question of survival.”

Peter describes how the overall market tendency is towards increasing consolidation of companies. He is saying that small companies like his and Maxine’s must merge to have a chance to survive in the new market.

4) What is Peter’s key insight that enables Maxine and him to overcome their blockage?

Peter’s key insight is that if Maxine values her own company so highly, she will probably value his company highly as well. Since his ultimate goal is to sell out his business for a handsome profit, he may be able to achieve that goal now by selling his company to Maxine. In other words, he thinks outside the box to reverse the roles of buyer and seller in the negotiation.

————————————————————————————————

BEP 121 ADV – Negotiations: Bargaining

1) What does Paul mean when he says he’ll be “throwing more business your way?”

Paul means that he will probably be able to give Tony more business in the future. He is using this as a negotiating tactic to get a better discount.

2) Tony suggests a way of helping Paul get a higher discount. What is it?

Tony suggests Paul combine his current order with an order for a future project. This will increase the overall quantity of Tony’s order, and thus will allow Tony to increase Tony’s quantity discount.

3) When Tony says to Paul, “You drive a hard bargain!” what does he mean?

When Tony says to Tony, “You drive a hard bargain!” he means that Paul is a tough negotiator – for example, Paul has not only asked for a large quantity discount, but also for a prompt payment discount. (Tony also perhaps intends to signal to Paul that he is getting a good deal.)

BEP 120 INT – Telephoning: Checking on an Order

1) How does Catherine let Bill know she’s looking for information about his order?

Catherine says, “Just bear with me a sec while I pull that up on my screen” to let Bill know she’s searching for information on his order.

2) Where is the second part of the shipment?

We do not know the actual location of the second part of the shipment except that it is “in transit,” that is, the goods are still being transported to Bancroft’s distribution hub in Phoenix.

3) What does Catherine offer to do to avoid separate deliveries in future?

Catherine suggests to Bill that future shipments could be “consolidated”, or combined, at Foxtrots warehouse in Oklahoma before being shipped on to Bancroft’s. This will help avoid the problem of separate deliveries if orders have to be made in different locations.

BEP 119 INT – Telephoning: Making an Appointment

1) Where and when does Gordon say he met Penny?

Gordon says he met Penny last week at the “Inter-Asian Connections Conference” in Dubai.

2) When does Gordon suggest meeting with Penny?

Gordon suggests meeting on Tuesday or Wednesday.

3) Why does he want to meet with Penny?

Gordon wants to meet with Penny to discuss possibilities for investment and to visit a couple factories, if possible.

4) What time do they finally agree on?

The arrange to meet on Wednesday, in the afternoon.

BVP 04 Vocabulary – Discussing a Project

1) What does Kerri want Martina to do for the company?

Kerri wants Martina to “head up”, or be in charge of, setting up a new processing facility in Omaha.

2) How much time will Martina have to complete this project?

Martina has “just over five-months” to finish the project so the new facility can “start handling orders by October 1st.”

3) What does Kerri promise to do to make Martina’s work easier?

Kerrie says she will “be supporting you in every way possible”, by helping to “manage expectations” and by telling the support staff to “pitch in”, or help out, Martina if she needs extra staff.

BEP 118 ADV – Negotiations: Declining an Offer whilst Maintaining Goodwill

1) What are Maxine’s reasons for staying firm on price?

Maxine is not willing to come down on her price because the market is “going nowhere but up,” that is, it is expanding, and because she believes she has got “tremendous value,” with “good people, good products, and a solid business plan.”

2) What does Peter say to justify not being able to pay more?

Peter says he must take into account “redundancies” in their business operations and factor in the “volatility” in the market. Redundancies refers to repetition or overlap. Volatility is a measure of quick or unexpected change in price, for example in a company’s stock price or in a market or industry. High volatility can make it difficult and risky to put a value on a company.

3) How does Maxine leave open the possibility for future cooperation?

Near the end of the conversation, Maxine says, “Yes, but, anyhow, I think we should explore other possibilities for working together.” Though they did not reach an agreement about a merger today, she is keeping the door open for further discussions about other possibilities and topics.

BEP 117 ADV – Negotiations: Clarifying and Evaluating Positions

1) What is the basic source of disagreement between Maxine and Peter?

The basic source of disagreement between Maxine and Peter is price – Maxine will not sell business for less than 15 million; Peter “can’t do better than,” that is, can’t offer more than 11 million.

2) What are Maxine’s reasons for insisting on her price?

Maxine says that the market is going nowhere but up – that is, continuing to expand – and she says that she’s got “tremendous value here – good people, good products, and a solid business plan.”

3) What does Peter mean when he says he has done “months of due diligence?”

Due diligence refers to doing careful research before a big purchase or major decision.

BEP 116 ADV – Presentations: Analyzing Trends

1) What is the main focus of this part of Pat’s presentation?

At the beginning of this part of Pat’s presentation he says his main message is to “to share our success in meeting ? our targets ? for revenue per unit or RPU.”

2) What happened in 2005 that caused the trend in RPU to “break out” of “existing trend lines?”

Pat says the RPU trend broke out, or started to increase rapidly, after “the first mass market WAP phones hit the stores in the 2005 holiday season.”

3) What is Pat’s prediction for Ambient’s RPU in 2007?

Ambient has set a target of increasing RPU by 10% from 2006 – 2011. Pat says they have met this target for 2006 “And now we are on track to continue strong growth in 2007.”

BEP 115 ADV – Presentations: Describing Trends

1) Which company has the largest share of the market at the beginning of 2006?

Pat says “Sirus has the biggest slices of the pie.” This is an idiomatic expressions meaning Sirus has the largest share of the market.

2) How does Pat describe his own company’s performance in 2006?

Pat says Ambient was “struggling,” or trying hard, to “catch,” or equal, CallTell. Despite added competition from CallTell’s new budget models, Ambient was able to “hold its ground,” or maintain its share of the market.

3) How big is the “others” group share of the market in Spring 2007?

The combined “others” group had grown to over 25% of the European market by Spring 2007.

BVP 03 Business Vocabulary – Office Manager

1) How does Thomas summarize his role as Office Manager?

Thomas says that his job is to keep the office “operating efficiently”, which means that he has to handle a wide range of tasks related to the office’s day-to-day activities.

2) What characteristics does Thomas list as important qualities of an office manager?

Thomas says that “above all”, or most importantly, office managers should exercise sound judgment and perform their jobs reliably. He also suggests that some personality traits, like common sense and the ability to work well with others, are keys to success in this job.

3) According to Thomas, what is a common misunderstanding about the best way for an office manager to do his job?

Many people believe that an office manager should always try to make a good impression on the boss, by keeping him or her happy whenever possible. But Thomas thinks it’s more important to keep the office running smoothly and effectively, even when that means putting pressure on other employees.

BEP 114 ADV – Job Interviews: Comparing Candidates

1) Which candidate do they prefer and why?

Ted talks about how Yala has better soft skills than Ronaldo and, importantly, how her dynamic style will be a better fit with their organization. George agrees.

2) What are the relative strengths and weaknesses of the two main candidates, Ronaldo and Yala?

Ronaldo has better technical qualifications whereas Yala has better soft skills. In addition, Yala has a more dynamic style, which would be a better fit with their organization.

3) What are the main reservations about Yala?

George has a concern about whether Yala will be ready to adapt from the manufacturing business to the fast-paced, market-oriented environment in a fast moving consumer goods company. Ted is worried that Yala’s salary requirements may be too high.

BEP 113 ADV – Job Interviews: Second Round

1) George describes GK as both “high-pressure” and “tremendously rewarding,” but he is concerned about whether or not Sherry is ready to “take the plunge.” What does he mean by that?

Plunge literally means “to dive into (water).” To take the plunge is an idiom that refers to bravely entering a new situation. George is concerned about whether or not Sherry is prepared mentally and emotionally “to dive into” GK’s high-pressure work environment.

2) What does Sherry say is one of the things that most attracts her to GK?

Sherry says she is most attracted to GK’s “work culture.”

3) What is George’s major concern about Sherry’s work experience?

Sherry is interviewing for a management trainee position. If offered the job, she will have significant direct customer contact. George is thus concerned about Sherry’s “client-facing” experience, that is, what kind of skills and experience she can “bring to the table” or offer the company in terms of direct face-to-face interaction with customers.

BEP 112 ADV – Negotiations: Getting Started

1) How does Tony begin off the phone call to establish goodwill?

To establish goodwill, Tony starts by thanking Paul for his time.

2) How long does Paul say he has available for the phone call?

Thirty minutes. Paul says, “Personally, I’ve only got about a half hour available.”

3) Paul asks Tony how he will be using the bolts. How does Tony respond?

The bolts will be used in structural steel columns. As discussed earlier, they are for a harbor project.

4) What other option does Paul want to explore with Tony?

Paul asks Tony if he has considered using “resin-coated” bolts instead of stainless steel bolts. Resin is a clear coating on the steel that makes it resistant to the elements, that is, water and air.

BEP 111 ADV – Negotiations: Relationship Building

1) Have Peter and Maxine met before?

No, Peter and Maxine have not Met before. Peter says, “It’s great to finally have the opportunity to meet you.”

2) What does Peter say is his and Maxine’s “biggest overlapping concern?”

When Maxine mentions that she and Peter have some overlapping concerns, Peter replies, “Yes, big one is how to remain competitive in the face of pan-European providers.” “Pan” means “all,” so Peter is concerned about how to compete with larger companies that have all of Europe as their market.

3) How does Peter bring up the subject of a possible merger between his and Maxine’s company?

Peter is careful about how he approaches the subject of a merger between his and Maxine’s company: He indirectly brings up the topic near the end of the dialog when he asks Maxine, “We’re wondering whether you’ve ever considered joining forces with another regional provider?” He has not at this point clearly indicated that he wishes to buy Maxines company, Gamester.

BEP 110 ADV – Job Interviews: Stress Questions

1) What is the interviewer’s “stress question?”

The interviewer asks a behavioral question – i.e. a question meant to help them understand how you react to a particular kind of situation – about how Yala deals with conflict.

2) What does Yala do to give herself some thinking time?

To give herself some thinking time, Yala both clarifies the question and uses a phrase – “Well, just give me a moment to think about that.”

3) How does Yala answer the question?

She says that she was “proactive” in getting the two sides of the dispute to communicate with each other and, as the interviewer follows up on the question, she describes in a logical way the two key actions her company took to prevent future conflict of this kind.

BEP 100 ADV – Job Interviews: Salary Negotiation

1) Why does Ted say he needs Yala to begin work by the suggested start date?

Fall recruitment season, when new candidates from university are recruited and hired, is “coming up quick,” that is, very soon. Ted says they “could really use” or need Yala’s help with this.

2) How does Yala broach the subject of compensation?

Yala broaches the subject by saying that she can definitely make the requested start date “as soon as compensation is agreed.” Later, she asks Ted how he reached the offer.

3) How much over the median or average market rate does Ted say Fun Beverages offered Yala in recognition of her skills and experience?

In recognition of her skills and experience, Ted says Fun Beverages offered Yala 10% over the market rate.

4) What is the final compromise they discuss?

Yala wants 20% over the base or market rate. Ted says that 10% increases can be negotiated each year with good performance. At the end of the discussion, Yala suggests 15% over the market rate and 10% annual performance increases. Ted says they can definitely consider this proposal.

BEP 99 ADV – Negotiating: Negotiation Strategy (Part 2)

1) What is the interviewer talking about when he refers to a “trap?”

The interviewer uses “trap” to refer to the situation Bryan describes in which the person sitting across from you in a negotiation is not the actual party or decision maker you should be negotiating with.

2) How does Bryan say we should think about interests?

Bryan says we should think creatively about interests: We should think of the real goals of our opposite number – the person with whom we are negotiating – and use this creative thinking to find new ways to create value for all sides.

3) In the interview, we learn that overcoming blockage – that is, getting past problems – is not just about reaching the agreement but also about maximizing what?

As Bryan and the interviewer discuss, we shouldn’t just think of blockage as obstacles to reaching an agreement but also as impediments to maximizing shared value. That is, overcoming blockage is also about increasing value.

BEP 98 ADV – Negotiation Strategy (Part 1)

1) What are the top mistakes people make in a negotiation?

Brian says that a top mistake people make is to overemphasize price. More generally, he says they focus too much on tactical questions without first developing a coherent strategy.

2) What is a BATNA, or “best alternative to a negotiated agreement?”

Your best alternative to a negotiated agreement (BATNA) is what you will do if you don’t reach an agreement during the negotiation. Your BATNA is what is already available, so your bottom line should be better than your BATNA.

3) What does Brian think about the idea of “win-win” negotiations?

Brian says that win-win has become a bit of a cliché. However, the basic meaning of the word is that, under normal circumstances, both parties must benefit in order to come to a deal. In this sense, all successful negotiations are “win-win.”

BEP 97 ADV – Talking about the Economy

1) Why has Martin come to China?

From the dialog, it sounds like one of his main goals is to visit second-tier or smaller cities in order to assess Kendal Marcus China’s strategy of expanding their operations into these secondary markets.

2) Is Tony optimistic about the economic outlook, that is the future, in China?

Yes, Tony is optimistic about the Chinese economy. Despite inflation and some potential problems (work for farmers, rich-poor gap, creating enough work for the masses), China continues, in Tony’s view, to have a growing middle class that can buy Kendal Marcus’s products.

3) What kind of concerns does Martin have?

Since the growth in China’s middle class is key to Kendal Marcus’s strategy of expanding into second-tier or smaller cities, Martin is concerned about the accuracy of published figures.

4) How does Tony reassure him?

Tony mentions that they are conducting their own surveys. On a more subtle level, he mixes negative information with positive information to create the impression of objectivity in his assessment that the long-term prospect for Kendal Marcus’s business in China is quite good.

BEP 96 INT – Socializing: Business Meals & Dining Out

1) Why doesn’t Francesca want to try the “steak tartare?”

Francesca says that she would prefer to try something “lighter” than the steak tartare, which is a heavy, rich meat dish.

2) How does Francesca signal that she’s ready to go back to the hotel?

When Bill offers Francesca more wine, she says, “Thanks, I’d better not. I’m still jet-lagged.” This starts a ‘leaving dialog’, in which Adriana says, “We’d better let you get back to the hotel.”

3) Who pays for the meal?

Adriana and Bill want to pay for dinner, but Mario protests because he had offered to pay earlier (in BEP 89 – Arranging a Visit). However, he and Francesca agree to let Adriana and Bill pick up the tab (that is, pay for dinner) as long as they get to pay for the next one.

BEP 95 ADV – Communication: Resolving Conflict (Part 2)

1) What solution does Ben propose?

Ben suggests getting the sales team to help out with the sales trainings. Gerry agrees, and says that perhaps the IT team could participate more actively.

2) In which area does Ben feel he could make a real contribution?

Ben wants to do more work in course planning, which, until now, he has been to busy to do because of his other work commitments. (Also, he feels that Gerry isn’t giving him enough of a “free reign,” i.e. freedom, to do the course planning work independently.)

3) What action do Ben and Gerry agree on?

Gerry asks Ben to conduct a needs analysis on the IT department, and Gerry agrees to try to get the sales and IT departments to take over some of the work course administration to free Ben’s time up a little.

BEP 94 ADV – Communication: Resolving Conflict (Part 1)

1) Gerry says he wants to “sit down informally and thrash things out a little.” What do you think this means?

“To thrash things out” is an idiom that means to discuss things. It often carries the specific meaning of discussing things when there may be some sort of disagreement or difference of opinion.

2) A strain is something that is tiring and, perhaps, irritating. What does Gerry say is “getting to be kind of a strain?”

Gerry says it’s “getting to be kind of a strain” that he is “the last one out of here almost every night,” that is, the last person to leave the office.

3) What solution does Gerry propose?

Gerry proposes passing on to the trainers as much of the admin, that is the administration work, as possible.

BEP 93 INT: Sales: Taking an Order

1) When he says, “We operate on a narrow window for deliveries,” what does Bill mean?

By “we operate on a narrow window for deliveries,” Bill means that deliveries must be made on time: There is a narrow window, i.e. a short range of time in which deliveries can be made. This means goods should not be delivered too early or too late.

2) The term chargeback refers to all or part of a fee being refunded, or returned, to the buyer. For what situation is Bill quite “strict on chargebacks?”

Bill says his company is quite strict on chargebacks for late deliveries, which means he expects a partial refund if the goods are delivered late.

3) When would Bill like the first delivery to be made, and why?

Bill is “shooting for,” that is he is hoping for or would like a delivery by June 15, which is a little earlier than the usual delivery for a fall clothing line. Bill says his company will want to get the product “out on the floor” – that is, in the shop – a little early since it’s new and customers are unfamiliar with it.

BEP 92 INT – Sales: Features, Advantages, Benefits (or FAB Presentation)

1) What is the key feature of Viva’s fall colors this year? Can you name some of the colours?

Viva’s fall colors are very “warm” this year, and include such hues as “ginger,” “apple red,” “ivory,” and “French roast.”

2) Why is the Viva Professional line more expensive?

One reason the Viva professional line is more expensive consists in the material: It is made of special washable wool that is sourced from an Australian manufacturer.

3) As described in the dialog, what are the main benefits of Viva’s clothing line?

Francesca talks about how the features and advantages of Viva’s clothing – such as washable, wearable, durable, etc. – would “fit the lifestyle” of the “Bancroft woman,” who is typically a busy professional. Such lifestyle fit, of course, would translate into good sales and thus profits for Bancroft.

BEP 91 ADV – Job Interviews: Asking the Interviewer Questions

1) What is Yala’s first question for the interviewer?

Yala asks what the best thing is about working at Fun Beverages.

2) How does the interviewer respond?

The interviewer says that there is “a strong dedication here to helping people reach their full potential.”

3) Yala’s second question is a little tougher – what does she ask?

She asks about whether HR gets “adequate budgetary and leadership support” from upper management.

BEP 90 ADV – Job Interviews: Greatest Weakness

1) What does Sherry identify as her greatest weakness?

Sherry says she comes from a “non-traditional” background as she is a single mother.

2) Did this weakness affect her GPA (exam scores)? How?

Yes. For example, while doing my Master’s, she had to work part-time, which meant that she’s done part of her degree during night school. Being so busy has also had some impact on my GPA.

3) Does Sherry explain the positive aspects of the weakness she describes?

Yes. Being a single mother has taught her maturity and how to manage her time.

BVP 02 – Human Resources: Training Manager

1) What kind of training programs does Andrea run?

As Andrea says, they “run the full gamut,” that is, span the full range from quality control and work measurement to manufacturing methods and development of supervisors.

2) Does Andrea work with vendors? What for?

Yes, she does. Andrea says she evaluates and recommends outside vendors to supply training programs.

3) What do the five letters in SMART stand for?

The five letters in SMART stand for the following five criteria for designing an effective training: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely.

BVP 01 – Human Resources: HR Manager

1) What type of employment programs does Greg develop and manage?

Greg manages a wide variety of employment programs. Some that he mentions are job evaluations, benefits, promotions, equal opportunity initiatives, and filling job openings.

2) Are there several HR managers or only one in Greg’s company?

Because Greg works in a mid-sized company, he is the only HR manager. (Larger companies usually have many HR managers responsible for different areas of managing employee needs.)

3) Greg says that HR managers play a special role in companies that are unionized. What is this role?

He deals with relations between labor and upper management, examines worker grievances, and settles disagreements.

BEP 89 INT – Telephoning: Arranging a Visit

1) What information does Adriana get from Marco?

She gets his flight information so that she can pick him up at the airport.

2) What does Marco need help with?

Marco has already booked his and Francesca’s flight, but he accepts her offer to help with booking a hotel and making a restaurant reservation.

3) Does Marco have any special requirements for the hotel?

Marco doesn’t really have any special requirements for the hotel, but he does want to make sure that it has internet access and a business center and that it’s close to the exhibition center where the expo will be held.

4) Does Marco have any special requirements for the hotel?

He jokingly says he’d like Italian, but then he indicates that he’s very flexible and that it doesn’t matter to him: He says he and Francesca are “up for anything.”

BEP 88 INT – Telephoning: Booking a Travel Ticket

1) When does Marco want to leave and when does he want to return? Will he and Francesca be flying first class, business class or economy?

Marco wants to leave on March 8 and return on March 14. He wishes to fly economy class.

2) Does Marco ask the travel agent to “hold the fare” or does he pay for it immediately?

After asking whether the travel agent can hold the fare, Marco decides to pay for the ticket immediately anyway.

3) Does Marco need to pick up his and Francesca’s tickets at the travel agent’s office?

No, he doesn’t. Marco and Francesco’s tickets are “e-tickets” or paperless tickets. That means they can just go directly to the airport.

BEP 87 ADV – Job Interviews: Talking about Accomplishments 2

1) What was the project Yala was working on?

Yala was working on the launch of a global, harmonized performance management system that would provide a single, interlinked on employee performance for human resources worldwide.

2) What was her role in it?

Yala worked on localization and documentation for her business unit.

3) What did she do?

She coordinated with the sales team to provide them with pre-training on the system and to ensure that they could set all their targets.

4) What was the outcome?

The launch was successful. Yala’s efforts helped ensure that the launch of the new system had no negative effect on the bottom line (profit) of the company because of the seamless (smooth) transition into using the harmonized database.

BEP 86 ADV – Job Interviews: Talking about Accomplishments 1

1) Does Alex put his success into an organized, articulate story?

Not realy. He focuses on details that are irrelevant to his interviewer rather than on those that draw attention to his positive personal attributes.

2) Does he present his accomplishment in a way that provides examples of skills and qualities that will be useful at his new job?

He has done a poor job of providing examples of how his experience demonstrates relevant skills and characteristics. For instance, he has not discussed how completing his Master’s thesis demonstrates qualities or personal characteristics that would be useful to his employer.

BEP 85 INT – Sales: Informal Product Presentation

1) Were Matt and Paula able to go to the tunnel face, that is, the end of the tunnel?

Yes. The tunnel had been filled with groundwater, but the water got pumped out the day before Matt and Paula’s visit.

2) What is the main point of interest that Matt and Paula pursue in the discussion?

Matt and Paula are interested in groundwater because this seems to be a problem in Stanley and Bill’s tunnel and because their device, the Vision Wireless Sensor, is excellent at detecting groundwater.

3) What are the advantages that Matt and Paula’s device have over traditional surveying methods?

Traditional surveying methods require a lot of cables, which get in the way; Matt and Paula’s device is wireless. Also, traditional methods usually require the use of high explosives (such as dynamite) and a large piece of a equipment, called a seismograph; Matt and Paula’s device is easy to use. Finally, the survey using Matt and Paula’s equipment can be conducted quite quickly, as opposed to older methods which take a long time and disrupt construction work.

BEP 84 INT – Sales: Site Visit

1) What does Stanley point out in the tunnel? What language does he use to draw everyone’s attention to it?

Stanley points out the new Aliva shotcrete concrete (UK grout) sprayer. Stanley says, “and do you see that over there?”

2) What are the advantages of the machine that Stanley describes?

“It gets the job done in half the time”; also, “flow control” (the rate and density the concrete is applied) is really what “sets it apart,” that is, distinguishes it from the competitor’s products.

3) Stanley mentions two safety hazards. What are they?

Unstable rock and groundwater are the two hazards Stanely mentions. He points out the scaffolding (supporting framework) at the end of the tunnel. This is supporting newly exposed rock which is unstable and may fall. The second and most important hazard is groundwater. This is water contained within the ground (i.e., the soil or rock). At greater depths the water pressure increases and there is a danger water could flood the tunnel.

4) What is the question that Paula asks Stanley about the hazards?

Paula is interested in the stability of the rock and groundwater. As we will see in BEP 85, the follow-on episode to this show, Paula is interested in these aspects of tunnel because of the product he and Matt are selling.

BEP 83 ADV – Job Interviews: Previous Experience (Part 2)

1) Does Sherry let her guard down, or does she answer briefly and to-the-point with an appropriate level of formality?

Sherry always answers briefly and to-the-point. For example, she doesn’t take the opening small talk as an invitation to be informal; nor does she seem unfriendly.

2) Does Sherry seem well-prepared to talk about her experience?

Yes, obviously Sherry has carefully prepared for the interview, not just by being able to talk about her successes but also about her potential weaknesses.

3) 3) How does Sherry account for the gap in her resume?

She turns a weakness into a strength by talking about how mothering a child has taught her time management and how to deal with life responsibilities

BEP 82 ADV – Job Interviews: Previous Experience (Part 1)

1) Is everything Alex says clear and to the point?

No, it isn’t. He responds inappropriately to Michael’s greeting “How are you doing?” with a serious response we might only expect from a good friend. He also seems to mistake the interview for an academic discussion by discussing his Master’s thesis in too much detail.

2) Does he seem overly friendly or informal at times?

Yes, as already indicated, Michael seems to be overly informal, or at least overly talkative. The jokes he makes do not present his skills or personality in the best light. He seems to say anything that comes into his head, which detracts from his professional image.

3) How does Alex account for the gap in his resume?

2) He maintains that his Master’s thesis was the most important thing in the world to him, which may raise his potential employer’s doubts about his dedication to any future job.

BEP 81 INT – Meetings: Finishing Up and Action Points

1) When will Lisa’s team have their next round of meetings?

Lisa isn’t sure exactly – she wants to play it by ear, that is, improvise. She’ll wait to analyze the results as they come in, then plan the next meetings.

2) What duties does Lisa assign during the meeting, and to whom?

Bryan’s team is going to conduct risk analysis on the new revolving credit products. Cecilia and Charles are meeting with Telos to discuss possibilities for cooperation. And James’ team is going to look into the issue of non-performing loans.

BEP 80 INT – Travel: Checking In to a Hotel

1) When she reserved the room, Sarah asked for a dinner reservation. What is the name of the hotel’s restaurant? Which floor is it on?

When she reserved the room, Sarah asked for a dinner reservation. The name of the hotel’s restaurant is “Sky View”. It’s on the fifth floor.

2) What do guests need to bring with them to the fitness center?

They need to bring their room key in order to get in the fitness center.

3) How does Sarah pay for her room deposit?

Sarah pays for her deposit, as is usual, with a credit card.

BEP 79 INT – Travel: Making a Hotel Reservation

1) What kind of room does Sarah want?

Sarah wants a double-room with a balcony facing the courtyard, non-smoking if possible.

2) What extra request does Sarah have?

She asks the front desk attendant to book them a table in the hotel’s restaurant for 8 p.m.

3) Tony makes a mistake while taking Sarah’s reservation. What is it?

When Tony summarizes Sarah’s information at the end of the call, he says she will be staying from “Thursday, January 10th, to Sunday, January 13th.” From the way Tony has worded this sentence, however, it’s impossible to know whether he means that she will be staying 3 nights, and checking out on Sunday 13th, or staying 4 nights, including Sunday 13th, and checking out on Monday.

BEP 78 INT – Socializing: Discussing Politics

1) Ricardo says he has heard that the Danish government is pretty far “right,” that is, conservative. But Lars seems to think that this has a good side. What is it?

About the Danish government, Lars says, “at least they’re trying to reduce taxes.”

2) Lars mentions that Brazil has won its bid to host the World Cup. Ricardo says that Brazil has a lot of work to do in which areas?

Ricardo says that Brazil has a lot of preparation work to do in infrastructure and security.

3) Lars talks about a certain kind of problem that has “cropped up,” that is, appeared or occurred during Brazilian President Lula’s presidency. What is it?

The problems that are cropping up, according to Lars and Ricardo, are “corruption scandals,” though, as Ricardo points out, Lula’s social policies are popular with the majority, that is, most of the people.

BEP 77 INT – Happy Hour: After-Work Socializing

1) Who is paying for the first round of drinks? How can you tell?

At the beginning of the dialog, Greg signals he’s paying for the first round of drinks by saying “This one’s on me.”

2) Who is the person who doesn’t drink?

Joanna doesn’t drink. She says though she likes a drink once in a while, tonight she is meeting friends, so she’d better not.

3) When it’s time for her to go, what excuse does Joanna make?

Joanna’s excuse has a four-part structure: 1. Interrupt if necessary; 2. Polite comment; 3. Excuse; 4. Say thank you. In Joanna’s case, her excuse is that she has to meet with friends, which she was careful to mention at the beginning so that no one would be caught by surprise.

Listening Questions: BEP 76 ADV – Performance Appraisals 2: Setting Goals

1) What are the two important productivity measurements that Derrick discusses with Wendy?

The first is the number of meetings that Wendy handles per day, that is, the number of customers she helps. The second is the average amount of time she spends on each meeting.

2) How does Derrick feel about Wendy making one-off (or special) solutions for each customer?

Derrick discourages Wendy from making one-off solutions because doing so causes efficiency to go down. He would much rather she be “steady and consistent” than spend a lot of time on any particular meeting.

3) What does Derrick advise Wendy to tell a customer who has not booked enough bandwidth?

Derrick tells her to be “polite but firm.” He encourages her to give the customer an option – either rebook or hold the meeting now with less bandwidth.

Listening Questions: BEP 75 ADV – Performance Appraisals 1: Giving Feedback

1) How many meetings is Wendy handling per day at the moment?

She is handling 11 meetings per day. The original goal was eight, but she’s already up to 11.

2) What’s the main issue that Derrick wants to give Wendy feedback on?

As Wendy says herself, sometimes she “flies off the handle” a little when the pressure is heavy, that is, she loses her temper.

3) What advice does Derrick give Wendy to help her correct the problem?

Derrick says Wendy should take 10 deep breaths, try to put the situation into perspective, and ask her team leader for help.

Listening Questions: BEP 74 ADV – Idioms: Business is War (Part 2)

1) What does Jane mean when she says their competitor, Meyers, is its own worst enemy?

With the economy worsening, Jane feels that Meyers will not be able to continue or sustain its aggressive strategy of both releasing mid-range products to compete with Luminex and maintaining a leading position in the premium market. Meyers’ strategy will defeat itself, so Meyers is “its own worst enemy.”

2) The speakers describe their new strategy as an “ambush” that will “surround” Meyers. Why do they say this? What is the strategy?

They mean that when the economy starts to improve (consumer spending picks up) they can both refresh, that is re-release or re-advertise, their mid-range products as well as release a premium product to attack Meyers’ traditionally strong position in the high end of the market. Since this is attacking Meyers from both sides, it “surrounds” Meyers. Also, it will be unexpected, so it is an “ambush.”

BEP 73 ADV – Idioms: Business is War (Part 1)

1) The first two speakers talk about “always being on the defensive” and “taking way too much flak.” What do they mean and what do they propose doing?

The first two speakers feel that while their main competitor, Meyers, has been attacking their market position and giving them fierce competition, they have been doing little to respond. They propose “setting their sights on” or targeting Meyers’ premium market position in order to fight back.

2) How does Jane’s point of view differ from the first two speakers?

Jane along with the other speaker note that because American consumer spending is going down, it is not a good time to move into the premium market. Jane believes it is wiser to “lay low” or to wait until spending improves to fight back.

BEP 72 INT – Telephoning: Leaving a Voicemail Message

1) What is Mark Rand hoping to talk to Sylvie about?

Generally, he wishes to talk with her about the construction plan for 2008. Specifically, he would like to discuss “possible areas of cooperation.”

2) When will he be available to take Sylvie’s call?

“Tomorrow” any time between 8:30 and noon. She can also call him in the evening or on Wednesday.

3) How does Mark put a positive finish on the message?

He says, “Look forward to talking to you.”

BEP 71 ADV – Mergers: Office Gossip & Reported Speech

1) What did Frances hear from Joanna?

Frances heard from Joanna that there is a rumor that management thinks Jack is spending too much money on salaries.

2) Who did Michelle take off with?

Michelle took off with, or dated, Tony, who apparently was one of France’s ex-boyfriends.

3) Where does Frances tell Jack she has to go?

She says she has to go to the “logistics meeting” but it sounds like she is really going to spread the rumor.

BEP 70 ADV – Mergers: Breaking Bad News

1) Who will Jack be meeting with after his chat with Jim?

Jack will be meeting with the U.S. production team.

2) What city might the Costa Rican plant move to?

3) Why do the new owners want to move the factory out of Costa Rica?

The new owners want to move the factory to lower production costs.

BEP 69 INT – Telephoning: Leaving a Message

Bad Example 1) Does Amy answer the phone professionally?

No, she just says “hello.” She doesn’t say her name or her company’s name, nor does she ask how she can help.

2) Is Justin prepared?

No, he isn’t. He doesn’t seem to remember who he is calling, nor does he have his telephone number handy.

Good Example 1) How does Amy answer the phone?

Answering the phone professionally has four parts: 1. Greeting; 2. Company name; 3. Answerer’s name; and 4. Offer to help.

2) What is Mark calling about?

Mark is calling to discuss the construction schedule for 2008.

3) How does Amy make sure that she has got Mark’s correct phone number?

She checks back and confirms: “So that’s?. Is that right?”

BEP 68 INT – Meetings: Interrupting and Resisting Interruptions

1) What does Bill mean when he says they’re facing a “bottleneck?” What is the bottleneck?

A bottleneck is the narrow part of the bottle under the mouth. Idiomatically, it refers to the part of a process which limits the speed or the point in a procedure that slows everything down. In this case, the bottleneck that Bill is facing is a lack of qualified engineers. That is, Bill urgently needs more engineers with special experience in order to meet production targets.

2) Why can’t Bill just retrain the engineers he has?

He’s going into production soon, but the case for the new product uses a completely different technology (stamped aluminum as opposed to plastic). He needs engineers who understand this material very quickly, otherwise the result is going to seem unprofessional, or, as he puts it (in slang) “half-assed.”

3) What is Mei Lin’s suggestion to speed up the recruitment process?

Mei Lin’s point is that her department is preparing for the fall recruitment drive, when the company recruits new hires from universities. So they are overworked and understaffed. Since Bill understands exactly what he needs, it would help speed up the recruitment of engineers qualified in the new technology if Bill’s team would help “drive” the process, that is, help out with the work in the recruitment effort by providing guidance and planning.

BEP 67 INT – Travel: Morning Greeting and Chat

1) What does Brenda mean when she says “veg out”?

This is a slang expression. “Veg” is short for vegetable. As Brenda says, “to veg out” means to relax. It usually refers to doing something that requires no mental effort, like watching TV. Imagine yourself sitting on the couch like a vegetable.

2) What are critics and what did they think about Rush Hour 3?

“Critics” are professional film watchers (journalists) who write reviews for magazines or newspapers. As Brenda explains, they didn’t pan it – that is say it was really bad – but they didn’t rave either – that is say it was really good.

3) How does Brenda like her coffee?

Brenda drinks coffee with no cream and sugar, but she likes Equal, which is a sugar substitute with no calories.

BEP 66 INT – Travel: Hot Desking and Making Requests

1) What kind of expressions do Honesto and Megan use to make polite requests?

They use all kinds of expressions ranging from slightly formal to slightly informal, more and less indirect, including I was wondering if?, Do you mind me asking?, Would you?, You wouldn’t mind?, would you? and so on.

2) What type of training is Honesto taking part in?

Six Sigma, which is a method for increasing quality in any process.

3) Where is Megan from?

Atlanta, although she says has been working in South America for the last five years.

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BEP 65 ADV – Advanced Questioning Techniques (Part 2)

1) LCD TVs produce a lot of heat. Why is this important to Brad’s sales pitch?

Forrest and Brown produces a line of conformal coatings which are highly resistant to heat, but safer and more environmentally friendly to use.

2) What are Andy’s main priorities in selecting conformal coatings to protect the circuit boards Stratos produces?

Brad identifies durability as one of Andy’s main concerns. Andy also mentions environmental and worker safety.

3) What are the main good points of the coating that Brad wishes to sell to Andy?

It uses a room temperature cure, that is, it does not require the use of extra heat in the application process. Also, there is little or no outgassing, that is the creation of harmful gases during application. Thus, it is safer to use.

BEP 64 ADV – Advanced Questioning Techniques (Part 1)

1) What does Brad think of the Stratos’ facility?

Apparently he hasn’t had time yet to visit the production line, but he says the people he’s met are “great.”

2) How long has Stratos been located in its current location?

About three years.

3) How long has Stratos been located in its current location?

All sorts of home appliances and consumer electronics, including everything from TVs and coffee machines to ac/dc converters and power supplies.

BEP 62 ADV – Persuasion 3

1) How long will it take Swift to get back the investment in air conditioning?

Steve says Swift can get its investment back in under three years.

2) How much extra profit can Swift make per year by adopting Nick’s proposal?

Nick anticipates that Swift can make at least an extra $200,000 per year after the air conditioning system and insulation have been paid for in the first three years.

3) What specific action does Steve ask his manager’s to take?

Nick asks his managers to “authorize the purchasing department to request bids for the system.”

BEP 60 ADV – Persuasion 2: Establishing the Need

1) What’s the highest temperature in the welding room?

On six days last summer, it hit 41°C.

2) What does Steve present first – the problem or the solution?

Following an indirect approach, Steve first presents the problem then the solution. By first making a convincing statement of an urgent need, Steve is preparing his audience to accept his solution.

3) What kind of strategies does Steve use to paint a vivid picture of the need for his solution?

Steve uses a number of strategies to make a convincing statement of the turnover problem. He starts with the origin of issue. Describing how the welding room gradually heats up during the day, he paints a vivid picture of the background to the problem. Then he uses a number of figures to show a real business need for addressing the problem because of its impact on the “bottom line” or profit of the company.

BEP 59 ADV – Persuasion 1: Getting Attention

Bad example 1) Whose needs does Franz focus on? That is, whose needs is he taking into consideration when he makes the proposal?

Franz is viewing the problem from the workers’ perspective. Of course there is nothing wrong with this, but from the management’s point of view, it is not very persuasive.

2) Why is Franz’s proposal so ineffective?

Franz is talking to his manager, so he should discuss the issue in terms of the management’s needs. He should explain the benefits of his proposal from the company’s point of view and talk about how they can save money and reduce staff turnover.

Good example 1) What does Steve do at the beginning of his presentation?

Steve starts by getting the attention of his audience, which is the first step in the Monroe Sequence for persuasive speaking. Steve combines two popular methods for getting attention: Making a startling statement and posing a problem.

2) Whose needs does Steve focus on – the workers’ or the management’s?

In his open attention-getting statement, it is already clear that Steve is focusing on making a clear business case for his proposal, which means explaining the benefit to management of accepting his proposal. In this case it is a win-win situation – what is good for management (saving money) is good for workers (better working conditions). But Steve is aware of his audience, so he focuses on the business need to be more persuasive.

BEP 58 – Water Cooler Chitchat: Sports Idioms 2

1) Who is McConnel and what do Jan and Jen think of him?

McConnel is the new CEO of Accent. They use three idioms two describe him: He has “stepped up to the plate,” “made a great pitch” and “keeps his eyes on the ball.” Discussed in detail in the debrief, these three idioms all have a positive meaning. We get the feeling that McConnel is energetic, dynamic, and has taken the initiative.

2) What do Jen and Jan say about Accent’s future in American market?

They have a little bit of a disagreement. Jen thinks Accent might “strike out,” that is fail, while Jan believes that McConnel is very aware and smart – “has his eye on the ball”.

BEP 57 – Water Cooler Chitchat: Sports Idioms 1

1) Do Jan and Jen think Accent’s takeover of TelStar was a good idea?

They seem to have a little disagreement on this issue. Jan says Accent “hit a home run,” that is scored a big success. Jen thinks the deal was “overpriced,” or too expensive.

2) Why was there a delay in the takeover?

Apparently the shareholders were “stalling for time,” that is, using delaying tactics to get a better deal.

BEP 56 INT – Business Travel: Customs and Immigration

1) What is an I-94 form?

This is a landing card or a kind of record of your entry into the USA. It gets stapled (attached) to the inside of your passport and tells you how long you can stay.

2) What should passengers turn off before the plane takes off?

As is standard practice, in her pre-flight announcement the flight attendant requests all passengers to turn off electronic products because they might interfere with the plane’s operation.

3) Where does Alan want to go sightseeing?

Alan says he is going to take a weekend trip down to Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon, which is near Las Vegas.

4) What does Alan mean by “just pulling your leg?”

“To pull somebody’s leg” is an idiom that means to joke with someone or tease them. “I’m just pulling your leg” is a common expression that means “I’m just joking.”

BEP 55 INT – Business Travel: Airport Departure and Take Off

1) What row are Alan and Honesto sitting in?

Actually, they never say, but it must be somewhere between rows 43 to 60 : When the loudspeaker calls these rows, that’s when they board the plane.

3) What does Alan mean by “murder a scotch.”

When Alan says he could, “murder a scotch” he is using an idiomatic expression to state a strong preference. He means he wants a drink of scotch whiskey.

BEP 54 ADV – Customer Service: Handling Complaints (Part 2: Resolving the Complaint)

1) How does Sandy show that he is actively listening to Steve?

1) In addition to the active listening strategies we reviewed in BEP 53, throughout today’s part of the dialogue Sandy actively clarifies Steve’s complaint. Through his high level of sincerity and attention, he gives him the impression that he really cares. This is also a kind of active listening.

2) What does Steve need?

Steve’s ultimate need is for a warm room so that he can get his work done. But it’s important to emphasize that Steve also has an immediate emotional need, which Sandy likewise does a good job of addressing: Steve needs to have his anger acknowledged, which Sandy does by empathizing, listening and clarifying.

3) What steps does Sandy take to ensure that Steve is satisfied with the outcome of the call?

At the end of today’s dialog, Sandy checks to make sure that Steve is satisfied with the solution, then proposes follow-up action: He’ll call back in 30 minutes to make sure everything is OK.

BEP 53 ADV – Customer Service: Handling Complaints (Part 1: Empathizing)

Bad Example: (You should also listen to the beginning of the debrief for a detailed explanation of the answers to these questions). 1) How does the customer, Steve, learn the service associate’s name?

Steve has to specifically ask the service associate, Jenna, for her name. This is not good customer service.

2) What is Steve’s problem?

Steve says his room is “freezing,” meaning very cold, and he can’t concentrate on his work.

3) How could Jenna have handled the complaint better?

First, Jenna should have empathized better with Steve’s problem and then should have shown interest and concern by using active listening techniques. Good Example: 1) When Steve says, “I’m at the end of my rope,” what does he mean?

As mentioned in the debrief, this means you’ve used up all of your emotional energy or patience. If you are very tired or very angry, you can say “I’m at the end of my rope.”

2) What does Sandy do to calm Steve down?

To calm Steve down, Sandy uses a variety of techniques that we’re studying during these two episodes on complaints: He has an empathetic response to Steve’s pain – that is, He shows his sympathy for him. Also, he shows his professionalism and sincerity by accurately identifying the complaint and he listens actively to Steve, giving him the impression that he really cares.

BEP 52 INT – Strategically Using Vague Language (Part 2)

1) Why doesn’t Mike want to come to the party if Tracy is there?

It’s hard to say. Mike is very vague about this, perhaps because he thinks it’s inappropriate or embarrassing to talk about. Jen gives us a hint—she says “You two kind of had a thing, didn’t you?” Again, she is very vague, probably to be polite (she doesn’t want to probe too much), but it sounds like some sort of romantic involvement, doesn’t it?

2) When should Mike show up at the party?

About 4ish, which means around 4 o’clock.

BEP 51 – Strategically Using Vague Language (Part 1)

1) What do you think Jen means by “ulterior motive”?

“Ulterior” literally means outside and “motive” is a reason, so Jen has kind of an outside or extra reason for inviting Mike to the party. Usually an “ulterior motive” is a selfish reason that you try to keep hidden from someone. By joking directly about her ulterior motive, Jen probably intends to avoid Mike feeling that her computer problem is the only reason she wants to invite him.

2) Is Mike a computer expert?

Mike says he “knows a thing or two about computers,” which doesn’t make it sound like he is a expert. But as we learned in this show, this is a kind of polite formula Mike is using because he is in a situation where it is socially appropriate to be modest, that is, not to brag about his ability.

BEP 50 INT – Softening Negative Replies (Part 2)

1) Why is the GM of Avitek unable to meet with Nick on Thursday?

He’s tied up – that is busy with – some government visitors until Friday.

2) How is the weather in Kiev?

Nick thinks it’s kind of chilly, but Oksana says it’s a warm spring.

BEP 49 INT – Softening Negative Replies (Part 1)

1) Has Nick been to the Ukraine before?

Yes, he has. He says he was in the Ukraine a two years ago, for business.

2) What day of the week is it?

Wednesday. Nick asks Oksana if she has the meeting schedule worked out for “tomorrow,” but Oksana has to inform Nick that the Avitek GM can’t meet until Friday. Then Nick asks if it’s really not possible to move the meeting “back up to Thursday.” So tomorrow is Thursday, which means today is Wednesday.

BEP 48 ADV – Cold Calling: Dealing with Objections and Closing the Call

1) When Steve asks for an appointment, what is Linda’s first response?

“Maybe just send me a brochure.” Instead of meeting with Steve, she just wants to see some promotional material.

2) What is Linda’s second objection?

She says she is very busy; she doesn’t have time. This is a very common objection, so you should be ready for this one.

3) How does Steve deal with Linda’s objections?

Obviously each objection requires a slightly different approach, but you notice that Steve deals with each objection briefly and respectfully. He acknowledges Linda’s concern, then turns around and asks for an appointment again. To use a tennis analogy that is common in business, this is “leaving the ball in Linda’s court.”

BEP 47 ADV – Cold Calling: Clarifying Benefits and Making a Pitch

1) What’s the main issue or problem that Linda sees with her current system?

Linda says that it’s “unwieldy,” which means it’s difficult to use or handle. This is the main issue. As Steve says, Linda’s current service is not centralized and it’s too complex. Also, Linda mentions that there are frequent technical problems.

2) What does Steve mean by a “one-stop” service?

Steve is selling one centralized service that handles all conferencing needs, including booking meeting rooms and audio, video and web conferencing. It’s a “one-stop” service because the customer only needs to use one supplier—one “stop”—to satisfy all its needs.

3) What does Linda suggest instead of meeting with Steve?

She wants him just to send her a brochure. But he successfully turns around this negative response in order to schedule a meeting with her.

BEP 46 ADV – Cold Calling: Getting off to a Good Start

1) Does Linda’s company use audio and video conferencing?

Yes. In reply to this question, Linda says, “A lot.” This is a strong sign to Steve that he has reached a good prospect, or potential customer.

2) What is the benefit of the service that Steve is selling?

Steve says that using his service means “you can save money while dramatically increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of conferencing.”

3) How does Linda describe the current system?

Linda says that it’s “unwieldy,” which means it’s difficult to use or handle.

BEP 45 INT – Socializing: Keeping a Conversation Going

1) Near the beginning of the dialogue, Penny changes the subject. What was the old subject and what is the new subject?

The old subject was “the speech” – probably a speech that they had just seen at the conference. The new subject is “the talent showcase,” where Penny has seen that George ran a marathon in his spare time.

2) Where has Penny seen George before?

Perhaps many places, but we can at least be sure that she has seen him in “the talent showcase.”

3) What is George’s hobby?

One of George’s hobbies is running. He has run a marathon.

4) What does George mean when he says “It’s not really such a big deal.”?

“Not a big deal” means it’s not very extraordinary. George uses this idiom to describe his participation in the marathon. This is a way showing modesty.

5) Is Penny going to join George in next year’s event?

Maybe. She says she is interested in giving it a try. And who knows? This could be the beginning of a romance.

BEP 44 INT – Socializing: Striking up a Converstaion

1) What office is Penny from?

The Kuala Lumpur office.

2) What does Penny think about the speech?

She says it’s “interesting,” though this may just be a way of starting a conversation with George.

3) Have Pat and George already met?

Yes. They met each other last year in Australia, though George doesn’t seem to remember Pat so well.

4) Does George have time to talk to Pat?

Apparently not. He has to make a phone call, though this may likely just be a polite excuse to end the conversation.

BEP 43 INT – Opening and Managing Meetings (Part 2)

1) How much money can Daneline Singapore save by outsourcing cleaning?

2) Does Sam like pizza?

Apparently not. He says it’s “unhealthy.”

3) Does Dave agree with the strategy of outsourcing cleaning?

No, he thinks it’s “harsh,” that is not nice, to get rid of staff that have been working together with them for years. He also worries about what it will do to morale.

4) How does Dave suggest dealing with the brochure redesign?

Dave suggests a compromise: limited redesign. We can assume that this strategy will both save some money and keep some of the redesign benefits.

BEP 42 INT – Opening and Managing Meetings (Part 1)

1) What is the amount of the budget shortfall?

2) Why doesn’t Sandra have a copy of the Agenda?

She has some IT problems and didn’t receive her email. She thinks the email server might be down.

3) How many possible cuts are under discussion?

10 areas have been identified for potential cuts.

4) What is the first item on the agenda?

Outsourcing cleaning of the office.

BEP 41 ADV – Job Interviews: First Round Interview (Part 2)

1) What is William’s proudest achievement?

After being promoted to assistant manager, he reduced the non-performing rate of loans and revolving credit under his responsibility from 5% to .3%.

2) What is William’s greatest strength?

According to William, his greatest strength is his flexibility in perspective – his ability to analyze new ideas and concepts and to adapt to new circumstances.

3) What does William say is his greatest weakness?

William says his greatest weakness is his tendency to work too hard – he loves his job; however, he is learning to get his tendency to overwork under control.

4) Is William happy at his current job?

Earlier he says he loves his job; however, he also says that he does not feel that he has enough room for advancement at his current position.

5) Is William very concerned about compensation?

Apparently not. He says he trusts Mike to give him an offer that would be a fair amount for a person with his qualifications. Could this be a mistake?

BEP 40 ADV – Job Interviews: First Round Interview

1) How is the traffic today?

It’s atrocious, which means very, very bad. Mikes says he is impressed that William made it on time.

2) How long has William been working at his current job?

For 10 years, first as a loan officer and for the past three years as a branch assistant manager.

3) What kind of business does he mainly handle?

Revolving credit and new and short- and long-term fixed asset loans.

4) How does William describe his personality?

He says he “thrives on challenge,” “works well under pressure” and would describe himself as “detail oriented” and “proactive.”

5) What does William mean by a participatory and situational leadership style?

Participatory and situational leadership style describes a way of managing that tries to use influence rather than authority to lead. Here participatory means encouraging staff to participate. Situational means to act according to how each different situation requires.

BEP 39 INT: Reporting: Project Update

1) What is Joe, the site engineer, worried about?

Joe’s worried that the A380 aft (rear) door might damage the new jetway extension.

2) Does Rudi think he’s right?

Yes. Rudi agrees with Joe and says that Joe is “on the ball,” which means to have ability and be alert.

3) How do they plan to respond to the problem?

Modify/change the jetway extension.

4) How does Wolfgang, the boss, feel about the solution?

Wolfgang is cautious about committing the company to “one offs,” special solutions that take time and resources but can’t be repeated for other companies. But he also thinks that the solution proposed by Joe and Rudi demonstrates AirMech’s good service attitude, and could be used as a marketing tool.

BEP 38 INT: Describing a Procedure

1) Do Felipe and Sandy already know each other?

Yes . When Felipe hears that it’s Sandy on the phone, he jokingly says “Not again!”

2) What is the problem with Sandy’s computer?

She has accidentally deleted her email account in Microsoft Outlook, so she can’t receive email.

3) Is Sandy good with computers?

No . She herself admits that she’s not good with computers. Fortunately, Felipe’s directions are good. But, on the other hand, she could have just been using the computer problem as an excuse to talk to Felipe.

4) What else does Sandy want from Felipe, besides help with her computer?

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Business english listening practice questions.

Test your understanding of things you might hear in everyday business life. Select the most natural-sounding option for what you might hear next. You can see your answers so far here . Create a Getting Started account to save your test results.

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Business English Listening Practice

Scenes from an office.

You are going to hear five short conversations that take place in company offices.

Read these questions about the listening and choose the best answer.

If the audio player above doesn't work, click here to download the audio file.

1. (Part One) What was the meeting about?

    Marketing

    Advertising

    Accounts

2. (Part One) Where is Barry now?

    Picking up his daughter

    In another office

    At a conference

3. (Part Two) What was the problem?

    Prices

    Dangerous dogs

    Material left behind

4. (Part Two) Why does the woman want to see Phil and Mike?

    To get the full story

    To tell them off

    To find out about the dogs

5. (Part Three) What does the woman say is better?

    The colours

    The amount of things on the page

    The images

6. (Part Three) The man says their competitors all have better websites now.

    Not stated

    true

    false

7. (Part Four) Why doesn't the man pay the woman

    The company were owed money

    The bill has already been paid

    The bill is at the end of the month

8. (Part Four) The office supply company is closed for two days next week due to a holiday.

9. (Part Five) What does the man say about the conference?

    It was beneficial

    It was expensive

    It was friendly

10. (Part Five) What is the reason for the increase in price?

    Exchange rate

    Different currencies

    Added tax

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Ielts listening part 1.

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B1 listening

B1 listening

Are you a learner at B1 English level (intermediate) ? This section offers listening practice to help you understand the main points of clear, standard speech about everyday or job-related topics. Situations include phone calls, meetings and interviews.

Each lesson has a preparation task, an audio recording and two tasks to check your understanding and to practise a variety of listening skills. Make a start today!

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A phone call from a customer

A phone call from a customer

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A student discussion

A student discussion

Listen to two students comparing Mars and Earth to practise and improve your listening skills.

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A team meeting about diversity

A team meeting about diversity

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A weather forecast

A weather forecast

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An interview about listening skills

An interview about listening skills

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An introduction to a lecture

An introduction to a lecture

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Arriving late to class

Arriving late to class

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At the chemist

At the chemist

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Chatting about a series

Chatting about a series

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Making a decision

Making a decision

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Meeting an old friend

Meeting an old friend

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Work–life balance

Work–life balance

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Free English Lessons

Financial problems – listening lesson (c1-c2).

business planning exercise listening answers

Have you ever run your own business or known somebody who has? If so, closing the business due to financial reasons is something you probably don’t want to talk about, but sometimes you have to. Listen to a woman whose business has suffered recently, talking to an old friend in a video call. In this free listening lesson from Oxford Online English, you’ll learn vocabulary and grammar for talking about financial problems and do exercises to improve your listening. This is a lesson for advanced learners.

There is one dialogue and five exercises in this lesson. We recommend that you attempt the exercises in sequence and only refer to the transcript and vocabulary notes if you need to.

Listen to the full dialogue at normal speed here:

or listen to a slower version here:

https://www.oxfordonlineenglish.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Talking-about-financial-problems-25pc-slower.mp3

Man : Are you OK? You don’t look too good. Woman : Yeah, yeah, I’m getting through the day, but … I don’t think I’m gonna be able to rescue this business. Man : Oh, I’m so sorry, um … is there nothing you can do? Woman : I don’t know. Nobody cares – nobody’s really in a position to help. Man : Well, I guess … this isn’t going to help but it’s … it’s happened to everyone, hasn’t it? It’s … it’s not your fault. Woman : Sure, I mean, there have been thousands of people that have been affected – millions! – so I’m surely not the only one. But, at least I haven’t had Covid 1 during this time … but … it’s just … it’s hard to move from here. Man : Well, forgive me 2 , I know nothing about business, but … couldn’t you just start another one? Woman : I mean, this one … it’s been a huge investment of money, of time, of energy, and I’m right out of all of them. Man : OK, but what could you take forward for another time? I mean, nobody could have predicted the pandemic, but … but if it hadn’t happened, what would the situation be? Would you be in a healthy position? What … what was the situation at the start of 2020? Was the business healthy? Woman : Well, er … one minute I’m getting orders for tons of 3 products, and the next, no-one … I’m, I’m … I’m out of customers. It’s … no-one really needs this product anymore and frankly I’m all out of customers now. Man : Well … pardon my ignorance 2 again, I’m not a business person, but isn’t this part of a business plan? Didn’t you have a contingency fund or whatever you call it? Woman : Well sometimes you have some money set aside 4 for a rainy day, but this wasn’t a rainy day! This was like having a dam that completely collapsed on you and just left you covered. Man : And you haven’t been furloughed? Woman : Furloughed? What’s that? Man : Oh, um, furlough … yeah, I didn’t know the word before either – it’s … it’s the word the British government have been using for when they bail people out; they pay your wage bill 5 so that your company doesn’t go bust. Woman : Well usually you need employees for that and I didn’t have any employees – there was … it was just me, my wage bill, so I made some enquiries about that – the government does have a bail-out plan – but really it’s just me. Man : I don’t know what to say, um … do you regret leaving your job in the first place? Woman : No, I … I’m sure if I’d have been there for the last year, I would’ve gone crazy, but … if I had been able to have something to back me up, it would have been nice to at least keep something and not have to sell everything in my business – never mind all my personal things! I had to pawn loads of stuff just to keep food on the table. Man : Oh … I had no idea. Is there anything I can do to help?

1. Covid , or COVID-19, is short for the Co rona vi rus D isease which was identified in 2019 and became a pandemic. 2. Forgive me and pardon my ignorance are two collocations used by the speaker to apologise in advance for not knowing something. 3. tons of = a large number of. A ton is a British imperial measurement slightly greater than a metric tonne (=1,000 kg); note the spelling difference – the expression ‘tons of’ uses the imperial spelling. 4. set aside = keep / save for a particular purpose 5. wage bill = the total money that a company pays to its employees or contractors

Talking about Financial Problems – exercise 1 Listening skill: guessing predictable words

Whenever you say one word, you are automatically restricting what sort of word can be next in the sentence. If you say three words in a row, the number of possible options for what comes fourth is extremely limited.

Listen to five clips from which the last word has been omitted. Can you predict the missing word?

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1 . Question

1. Write the missing word only in the answer space. https://www.oxfordonlineenglish.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Financial-problems-predict-dont-look-too-good.mp3

It’s a four-letter word.

2 . Question

2. Write one word. This is a question, but you do not need to write the question mark. https://www.oxfordonlineenglish.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Financial-problems-predict-nothing-you-can-do.mp3

The word has two letters.

3 . Question

3. Write the missing word. https://www.oxfordonlineenglish.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Financial-problems-predict-not-your-fault.mp3

It’s a five-letter noun.

4 . Question

4. Write the missing word. Again, you do not need to write the question mark. https://www.oxfordonlineenglish.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Financial-problems-predict-in-the-first-place.mp3

This is another five-letter noun.

5 . Question

5. Write the missing word, again without punctuation. https://www.oxfordonlineenglish.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Financial-problems-predict-anything-i-can-do-to-help.mp3

Talking about Financial Problems – exercise 2 Comprehension: following the conversation

Now listen to the full dialogue and think about what point each person is making every time they speak.

This exercise tests your ability to wait for certain information and recognise it when you hear it.

0 of 1 Questions completed

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Listen to the full dialogue (above) and put these five things in the order the speakers say them.

  • The woman’s business is going to fail.
  • There is a scheme to offer financial aid, but it doesn’t apply to the woman.
  • The recent misfortune was unexpected.
  • Many others have had similarly bad luck lately.
  • Nobody wants to buy what the woman makes anymore.

View Answers:

Talking about Financial Problems – exercise 3 Vocabulary: money words

Look at five words related to financial problems and listen again carefully for when they are used in the recording.

Using the context of the conversation to help you, match the words with the definitions.

Press play to hear the dialogue again. https://www.oxfordonlineenglish.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Talking-about-financial-problems-full.mp3 There is one definition for which there is no word in this exercise (but it is in the dialogue). Drag the sort element ‘xxxxxxxxxx’ next to this extra definition. You will see which word it is in the answers: can you work it out?

Sort elements

  • contingency fund

Talking about Financial Problems – exercise 4 Grammar and Vocabulary: expressing regret

There are a number of ways to express regret that are used in the conversation – most of them are grammatical structures.

Listen to sections from the dialogue and fill in the gaps to complete the sentences you hear.

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https://www.oxfordonlineenglish.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Financial-problems-regrets-section-1.mp3

1. Write one verb as used by the speaker. This is an example of the verb form necessary after ‘regret’. “Do you regret your job in the first place?”

2. Write full words (not contractions) in the gap to complete this third conditional sentence, about an alternative past and the hypothetical consequences of it in the past. “If I able to have something to back me up, it would have been nice to at least keep something and not have to sell everything in my business.”

3. Write two words in the gap to complete another third conditional. The first word is a contraction. “I’m sure if I’d have been there for the last year, I crazy.”

There is a non-standard form in the ‘if’ clause of question 3, which is common these days, particularly in American English. The standard form is “if I’d been there”.

https://www.oxfordonlineenglish.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Financial-problems-regrets-section-2.mp3

4. Write four words and a comma to complete this mixed conditional from the recording. This proposes an alternative past and expresses the consequences in the present. “If it the situation be?”

5. The last example of expressing regret is not grammatical; you can do it by exaggerating a negative thing. Write four words to show how the speaker exaggerates. “It’s been a huge investment of money, of time, of energy, and all of them.”

In both questions you need to use a contraction.

Talking about Financial Problems – exercise 5 Comprehension: figurative and non-literal meanings

The dialogue includes some examples of figurative language – when the speaker wishes to convey a message that is not contained in the literal meaning of the words.

Listen to sections of the dialogue and decide which message is intended by the speaker.

https://www.oxfordonlineenglish.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Financial-problems-nonliteral-getting-through-the-day.mp3 1. What does the woman mean by “I’m getting through the day”?

  • I’m surviving.
  • I’m doing a lot.
  • I’m not working.

https://www.oxfordonlineenglish.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Financial-problems-nonliteral-at-least-I-havent-had-Covid.mp3 2. Why does the woman mention that she hasn’t had Covid?

  • To illustrate how other people have faced greater problems.
  • To boast how healthy she is.
  • To emphasise how much she has struggled.

https://www.oxfordonlineenglish.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Financial-problems-nonliteral-one-minute-im-getting.mp3 3. Why does the woman use the present continuous in this section?

  • She’s adding a sense of drama to past events.
  • She is talking about a future plan.
  • She is describing what she's doing while speaking.

https://www.oxfordonlineenglish.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Financial-problems-nonliteral-rainy-day.mp3 4. What does the metaphor of “a rainy day” represent?

  • a period of misfortune or bad luck
  • the experience of visiting Britain
  • an unexpected opportunity

https://www.oxfordonlineenglish.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Financial-problems-nonliteral-dam.mp3 5. What message does the woman intend to give by comparing the pandemic to a dam bursting?

  • It’s worse than the worst bad luck imaginable.
  • It was caused by someone’s poor work.
  • It has wiped out whole communities.

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Business Culture IELTS Listening Answers With Audio, Transcript, And Explanation

Luyện tập đề IELTS Listening Practice với Business Culture được lấy từ cuốn sách IELTS Cambridge 9 - Test 2 - Section 4 kèm Answer key, list từ vựng IELTS cần học trong bài đọc và Free PDF & Audio Transcript Download với trải nghiệm thi IELTS trên máy và giải thích đáp án chi tiết bằng Linearthinking

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❓ transcript, 🔥 answer key (đáp án và giải thích).

📥 Download pdf đề & đáp án & transcript

 1  power source

Few rules and procedures

Communication by  2  

can act quickly

might not act 3   

suitable employee: not afraid of 4   

does not need job security

large, many  5  

specialized departments

rules and procedures e.g. job  6  and rules for discipline

economies of scale

successful when  7  ability is important

slow to see when  8  is needed

slow to react

values security

does not want 9  

project oriented

in competitive market or making product with short life

a lot of delegation

Disadvantages:

no economies of scale or special expertise

Suitable employee:

likes to work in groups

Giải thích chi tiết

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Practice Listening Business English Exercises for A1 – Office day to day

Bussiness English Listening for A1

A . Listen to Jane, Katie and Mark. What is each person’s job? What do they do every day?

Jane – Sales Manager – go to meetings, …

Answer & Audioscript

Jane – Sales Manager – go to meetings, visit clients

Katie – HR Manager – send and read emails, make phone calls

Mark – Purchaser – visit suppliers, write reports

Audioscript

Jane:    As a Sales Manager, I go to a lot of meetings. I have seven or eight meetings a week. I normally visit clients three or four times a week, so I have a meeting ­first to prepare for the visits and then I go to the meetings with the clients.

Katie:    I’m an HR Manager for a large company. Because we have over twenty offices, my job is all about email. I send about ­fifty a day and read hundreds. I also make a lot of phone calls, probably twenty or thirty a day. The good thing is I talk to a lot of people and I like that.

Mark:    I work in purchasing. I visit suppliers in my job. After each visit, I write a report about the supplier. In my report I explain if they meet our product speci­fications. I visit three or four suppliers a month and write a report for each one.

B . Match 1-8 with a-h. Then listen and check.

1   Can we arrange a meeting with the client next week?

2   Did you talk to Chris?

3   What did you talk about in the meeting?

4   Sorry, but I need to cancel the meeting today.

5   How many different models do you have?

6   Can we postpone the meeting until next week?

7   What is the best thing about your products?

8   Do you know the date of the product launch?

a   No, I didn’t. I need to speak to him tomorrow.

b   We checked the product specifications.

c   I think it’s the 22nd of May.

d   We have twenty-five models in our product range.

e   We have very high product quality.

f   OK. I’ll email Sandra and tell her.

g   Sure. I’m free on Wednesday.

h   Yes. Can we have it on Monday?

1 g   2 a    3 b    4 f    5 d    6 h    7 e    8 c

A:   Can we arrange a meeting with the client next week?

B:   Sure. I’m free on Wednesday.

A:   Did you talk to Chris?

B:   No, I didn’t. I need to speak to him tomorrow.

A:   What did you talk about in the meeting?

B:   We checked the product speci­fications.

A:   Sorry, but I need to cancel the meeting today.

B:   OK. I’ll email Sandra and tell her.

A:   How many different models do you have?

B:   We have twenty-­five models in our product range.

A:   Can we postpone the meeting until next week?

B:   Yes. Can we have it on Monday?

A:   What is the best thing about your products?

B:   We have very high product quality.

A:   Do you know the date of the product launch?

B:   I think it’s the 22nd of May.

A . Listen to three phone calls. Who does each caller want to have a meeting with?

B . Listen to the phone calls again. Choose the correct option.

Phone call 1

1     The caller is calling to ……… .

      a    arrange a meeting

      b    postpone a meeting

      c   cancel a meeting

2     The meeting is about ……… .

      a    a product launch

      b    new product specifications

      c   the price of a new product

3     The meeting is ……… .

      a    this afternoon

      b    tomorrow morning

      c   tomorrow afternoon

Phone call 2

4     The caller is calling to ……… .

5     The meeting is about ……… .

      a    product prices

      b    the company’s product range

      c   the product quality

6     The meeting is at ……… .

      a    2 p.m. on the 18th

      b    3 p.m. on the 18th

      c   2 p.m. on the 19th

Phone call 3

7     The caller is calling to ……… .

8     The meeting is about ……… .

      a    a new order

      b    a reorder

      c   a return

9     The meeting is in the ……… .

      a    morning on the 15th

      b    afternoon on the 18th

      c   morning on the 19th

Phone call 1 is to a colleague.

Phone call 2 is to a customer.

Phone call 3 is to a supplier.

1 a   2 b   3 b   4 a   5 b   6 a   7 b   8 b   9 c

P = Paulo Gonzalez   B = Bill Smith

P:   Good morning. Production. Paulo Gonzalez speaking.

B:   Hi, Paulo. It’s Bill.

P:   Hi, Bill. How are you?

B:   Good thanks. Listen, we have the speci­fications for the new product ready. Can we arrange a meeting to talk about them?

P:   That’s great news. Yes. I can do this afternoon.

B:   Oh, I can’t do this afternoon. I have a meeting with a supplier. Are you free tomorrow morning?

P:   Let me just check. Yes, I’m free from 9 to 10.30.

B:   That’s great. Let’s meet then. I’ll come to your office.

P:   Great. See you then. Bye.

S = Sandra Morelo   B = Bill Smith

S:   Good afternoon. P.B. Turner. How can I help you?

B:   Hello, could I speak to Sandra Morelo, please?

S:   Speaking.

B:   Hello, Sandra, this is Bill from JTSQ manufacturing.

S:   Oh, hello.

B:   You sent us an email asking for information about our product range.

S:   That’s right.

B:   I’m calling to arrange a meeting. I’d like to visit you and talk about our range. We could also talk about your needs. Are you free on the 18th?

S:   Let me just check. Yes, I’m free on Monday the 18th at 2 p.m. Does that work for you?

B:   Yes, I’m available then. I’ll see you on the 18th.

S:   I’ll look forward to it. Bye.

B = Bill Smith   N = Noriko Yoshiwa

B:   Hello. JTSQ Manufacturing.

N:   Good morning. Could I speak to Bill Smith, please?

B:   This is Bill.

N:   Hello, Bill. It’s Noriko Yoshiwa at Moti Nero here.

B:   Hello, Noriko. How are you?

N:   I’m good thanks. Listen. I’m afraid I need to postpone our meeting on the 15th to talk about our supply reorder. I have another appointment and I can’t come to the meeting.

B:   OK, that’s not a problem. I’m free in the morning on Monday the 18th.

N:   Oh no, I’m not available on the 18th. Are you free on the 19th?

B:   I’m available in the morning but I’m busy in the afternoon.

N:   OK. Can we do 9 to 11 a.m. on the 19th?

B:   Yes, that’s ­ ne. I’ll see you then.

N:   Great. Thanks. Bye.

A . Complete the dialogue with the phrases in the box. Then listen and check.

A:   Hello. Travelli. Marco Travelli speaking.

B:   Hi, Marco. This is Dianne Grant at Malladi Tech here.

A:   Hello, Dianne. How are you?

B:   I’m good, thanks. Listen, we have a new product range. Can ( 1 )……………… a meeting to talk about it?

A:   Yes. That would be great.

B:   Great. Are ( 2 )……………… on Monday?

A:   Let me ( 3 )……………… . Sorry, ( 4 )……………… on Monday. I’m ( 5 )……………… Tuesday morning.

B:   Oh. I ( 6 )……………… Tuesday. Can ( 7 )……………… Wednesday morning?

A:   Yes, that’s ­ ne. I’ll ( 8 )……………… then.

B:   Great, see you on Wednesday. Bye.

1 we arrange   2 you free   3 just check   4 I’m busy

5 free on   6 can’t do   7 we do   8 see you

B:   I’m good, thanks. Listen, we have a new product range. Can we arrange a meeting to talk about it?

B:   Great. Are you free on Monday?

A:   Let me just check. Sorry, I’m busy on Monday. I’m free on Tuesday morning.

B:   Oh. I can’t do Tuesday. Can we do Wednesday morning?

A:   Yes, that’s ­ ne. I’ll see you then.

B . Put the sentences in the correct order. Then listen and check.

Conversation 1

a   OK. Found it. Thanks. ……

b    Oh … it’s in the ‘product descriptions’ folder. ……

c   Sorry, Paul, can I ask a favour? … 1 …

d    Sure, Tony. How can I help? ……

e    I can’t find the presentation we’re working on. Where did you save it? ……

Conversation 2

a   OK, thanks. ……

b    I’m looking for Viktor Dorret’s contact details. Do you have them? ……

c   Monika, do you have a minute? ……

d    Just a minute. Here they are. I’ll email them to you. ……

e    Yes, sure. How can I help? ……

1c, 2d, 3e, 4b, 5a

1c, 2e, 3b, 4d, 5a

A:   Sorry, Paul, can I ask a favour?

B:   Sure, Tony. How can I help?

A:   I can’t ­find the presentation we’re working on. Where did you save it?

B:   Oh … it’s in the ‘product descriptions’ folder.

A:   OK. Found it. Thanks.

A:   Monika, do you have a minute?

B:   Yes, sure. How can I help?

A:   I’m looking for Viktor Dorret’s contact details. Do you have them?

B:   Just a minute. Here they are. I’ll email them to you.

A:   OK, thanks.

C . Listen and complete the dialogue.

Yumiko :   Hi, Martin. Do you need something?

Martin :   Hi, Yumiko. Yes, could I ask a ( 1 )…………….?

Yumiko :   Go on.

Martin :   My daughter is not well and I need to pick her up from school. ( 2 )……………. I leave early?

Yumiko :   ( 3 )……………. you work from home?

Martin :   Yes. I think I can.

Yumiko :   ( 4 )……………. . That’s OK. I ( 5 )……………. see you tomorrow. I hope your daughter feels better.

Martin :   Thanks, Yumiko. I’m sure she will.

1 favour    2 Could    3 Can    4 Fine    5 ’ll

Y = Yumiko   M = Martin

Y:   Hi, Martin. Do you need something?

M:   Hi, Yumiko. Yes, could I ask a favour?

Y:   Go on.

M:   My daughter is not well and I need to pick her up from school. Could I leave early?

Y:   Can you work from home?

M:   Yes. I think I can.

Y:   Fine. That’s OK. I’ll see you tomorrow. I hope your daughter feels better.

M:   Thanks, Yumiko. I’m sure she will.

A . Listen. Tick (✓) the reason for the phone call.

◻ to arrange a meeting

◻ to postpone a meeting

◻ to prepare for a meeting

B . Listen again. Are the sentences true (T) or false (F)?

1   Otto is meeting a supplier tomorrow.

2   Otto asks to meet on Friday.

3   Amy is free on Friday.

4   Amy is working from home on Monday.

5   Amy is busy on Tuesday morning.

6   Otto and Amy are both free on Tuesday afternoon.

C . Complete the conversation with the missing words. Then listen again and check.

Amy :   Hello?

Otto :   Hi Amy. It‘s Otto. Listen, I ( 1 )…………… …………… our meeting tomorrow. I‘m visiting a ( 2 )…………… . Are you ( 3 )…………… on Friday?

Amy :   Let me just check. No, sorry. ( 4 )…………… …………… on Friday and I‘m ( 5 )…………… …………… on Monday.

Otto :   Okay. Are you free on Tuesday morning?

Amy :   No, I ( 6 )…………… …………… Tuesday morning. I‘m free in the afternoon.

Otto :   Yes, can we do Tuesday afternoon? What time?

Amy :   2 p.m.?

Otto :   Yes, that‘s great. I‘ll see you then.

A   to postpone a meeting

B    1 F   2 T   3 F   4 F   5 T   6 T

1 can‘t make   2 client   3 free   4 I‘m busy

5 not working   6 can‘t do

Amy = A   O = Otto

A:   Hello?

O:   Hi Amy. It‘s Otto. Listen, I can‘t make our meeting tomorrow. I‘m visiting a client. Are you free on Friday?

A:   Let me just check. No, sorry. I‘m busy on Friday and I‘m not working on Monday.

O:   Okay. Are you free on Tuesday morning?

A:   No, I can‘t do Tuesday morning. I‘m free in the afternoon.

O:   Yes, can we do Tuesday afternoon? What time?

A:   2 p.m.?

O:   Yes, that‘s great. I‘ll see you then.

A . Complete the conversations with the words in the box. Then listen and check.

1   A:   Do you need ……………….?

      B:   Yes, ………………. .

2   A:   Could I ask for some help?

      B:   I‘m ………………. help you because ………………. a report.

3   A:   Could you help me?

      B:   Sorry, I‘m ………………. . You ………………. Ian.

1 some help   2 please   3 afraid I can‘t

4 I‘m working on   5 too busy   6 could ask

1   A:   Do you need some help?

      B:   Yes, please.

      B:   I‘m afraid I can‘t help you because I‘m working on a report.

      B:   Sorry, I‘m too busy. You could ask Ian.

1 . Listen to three phone calls between Adam and his colleagues. Decide if the sentences are true (T) or false (F).

0    Adam is postponing a meeting with Sam. … T …

1    Adam and Sam arrange the meeting for Tuesday afternoon.

2   Adam is arranging a meeting with Kamlesh.

3   Adam is free on Wednesday.

Conversation 3

4   The meeting is at 10 a.m. on the 16th.

5   Adam wants to change the time of the meeting.

1 T   2 T   3 T   4 T

5 F – He’s cancelling the meeting.

S = Sam, A = Adam

S:   Hello?

A:   Hi, Sam. It’s Adam.

S:   Hi, Adam. How can I help?

A:   Well, it’s about our meeting this afternoon.

S:   Oh yes, at one o’clock.

A:   Yes. I’m sorry, can we postpone the meeting until next week?

S:   Oh, OK. Yes, that’s fine.

A:   Are you free on Tuesday afternoon?

S:   Yes, I am. Can you do 1 p.m.?

A:   Perfect. I’ll see you then.

K = Kamlesh, A = Adam

K:   Hello?

A:   Hi, Kamlesh. This is Adam Kowalski. Can we arrange a meeting next week to talk about your new order?

K:   Yes, of course. Can you come to our office?

A:   Yes, I can. Are you free on Tuesday?

K:   No. I’m travelling on Tuesday. I’m free on Wednesday.

A:   Yes, that’s fine. I’ll see you on Wednesday.

L = Leila, A = Adam

L:   Hello?

A:   Hi, Leila. It’s Adam. Do you know the date of our team meeting this month?

L:   Yes, it’s on the 16th.

A:   And what time is it?

L:   It’s at ten o’clock.

A:   I’m sorry, but I need to cancel that meeting this month.

L:   Oh OK.

A:   Can you email the team?

L:   Yes. I’ll let them know.

2 . Listen and complete the messages with one word that you hear.

Dan called to ( 0 ) postpone his meeting. He will ( 1 )…………….. to arrange a new meeting.

Dahlia isn’t ( 2 )…………….. in the office today. Can you email her about meeting on ( 3 )……………..?

Aya Davis called. She has the ( 4 )…………….. . She will read them. She wants to ( 5 )…………….. today’s meeting.

1 email   2 working   3 Thursday   4 contracts   5 cancel

Dan:    Hi, it’s Dan. I’m calling about our meeting next week. I need to postpone it because I didn’t finish the tests on the new product. I will email you to arrange a new meeting. Thanks.

Dahlia:    Hi Robin. It’s Dahlia. Thanks for your call. I’m not working in the office today. I want to talk about the payments for the computer system. Can we meet on Thursday? Please email me and let me know.

Aya:    Hello, this is Aya Davis from Davis Legal. The new contracts are with me. I want to check them before we send them to the client. But I’m not free for our meeting at 2 o’clock today. I’m sorry, I’m afraid I need to cancel it. Speak to you soon.

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