08.upper Intermediate A

BOOKLET
Upper
Intermediate A
“ A new concept in effective

communication
“
www.selexidiomas.com
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 Keeping up a conversation
2 Body language and gestures
3 Giving a speech
4 Building rapport
5
5 Reporting
6 Networking skills
Complaining and solving problems

7 on the phone
8 Presentations
Unit 1
KEEPING UP A CONVERSATION
Skills:
Starting and keeping up a conversation at an event
Making the transition between Small Talk and Business Talk
Making polite requests
Vocabulary:
Phrases to keep a conversation going
Small talk
Reading:
At a conference
Writing:
Going into business
Grammar:
Simple Tenses review
Indirect questions
Listening:
Corporate events
Speaking:
How good are you at small talk?
Speaking practice
How good are you at small talk?
Write some notes about these topics to start a conversation.
birthplace interests family
home current projects sports
Plans travels languages studies previous employers www.selexidiomas.com

Listening comprehension
Corporate events
Audio file: 1.02–1.03
Listen to some business people chatting at two corporate events

and answer the questions.
Conversation 1
a What’s the connection between Helen Keating, James McRae and

Alan Sullivan?
b When Helen asks James ‘Mind if I join you?’, how does he reply?
N…………. a…………….. a……………. . B……………………. m……………….. g…………… .
c What excuse does Helen make for leaving the rest of the party?
d Two of the following mean ‘That can’t be true.’ Which two?
You’re joking!
You’re fooling!
You’re kidding!
e Helen and James use several expressions to refer to memories.

Can you remember the first three words of each expression?
Contractions (it’s, you’re etc.) count as one word.
1 ………………………………..somewhere before?
2 ………………………………..me to forget a face.
3……………………………….. recognised you.
4……………………………….. back to me now.
5 ………………………………..remember spending most of the evening

fighting off some creepy little guy called Alan.

Corporate events
Conversation 2
a) How would you describe relations between Mr Ishida and

MrThompson?
warm ……. amicable ……. Cordial ……. cool……. strained……. frosty…….
b) Mr Thompson uses the word ‘so’ five times during the conversation:
So, Mr Ishida, let me freshen your glass.
So, how are you enjoying the match?
So, tell me, have you been to one of these big tournaments before?
So, shall we return to our seats?
So, do you still play?
Why does he need to use it so often? What’s the equivalent word or

expression in your own language?
c) Mr Ishida says he’s too old to play table tennis now. Mr Thompson
replies ‘Oh, I’m sure that’s not true.’ Is he:
paying Mr Ishida a compliment? calling him a liar?
d) Mr Thompson tries to use his background knowledge to keep

the conversation going. Complete his remarks below.
1. I h………….. you’re quite a tennis fan.

2. I u………….. the Japanese are world table tennis champions.
3. I s………….. the Nikkei’s looking strong. That m………….. be good
news for you.
4. I r………….. somewhere that things were improving. Or a…………..
I mistaken?
e) What word is Mr Ishida avoiding by saying the following?
Not at the moment, thank you. Not really. Not especially.
Not any more. As a matter of fact, ...

Vocabulary
Phrases to keep a conversation going
Write phrases with the same meaning.
1. So, how are you enjoying…? _______________________
2. Isn’t this weather…? _______________________
3. I hear you… Is that right? _______________________
4. I understand you used to… _______________________
5. Am I right in thinking you …? _______________________
6. Ah, I see. So, …? _______________________
7. Oh, that’s interesting, because I… _______________________
8. Really? That’s a coincidence! _______________________
9. So, tell me more about… _______________________
10. Is it true that…? _______________________
11. Well, it’s been nice talking to you. _______________________ www.selexidiomas.com

Reading comprehension
At a conference
At the coffee break table during a 15 minute break of a session on

Attracting International Students
Bob: Oh, sorry. Could you pass me the sugar?

John: Sure, here you go. So your name tag says you work at the
Bolashak Scholarship. What's that?
Bob: Oh, it's a government scholarship in Kazakhstan to send
students abroad.
John: Interesting. How many students do you sponsor?
Bob: Well we try to send out 3000 students a year, but right now we
have around 1500.
John: Hmmm. And they all come to the US?
Bob: Oh no. The US and Russia are probably the most popular
countries but the UK is also high up there. And Europe too.
John: Wow. It must be expensive. Hey, Susan. Come here for a
minute....I want to introduce this young man from Kazakhstan. He
works for the..(looks at name tag) Bolashak Scholarship to send
students abroad.
Susan: Oh, interesting. I'm Susan Jameson.
Bob: Bob Parker
Susan: How do you do? I work in the International Office of the
University of Connecticut. I'd love to talk to you about sending
students to us.
Bob: I'm from Connecticut. I know UCONN well. It'd be great to
have some students go there.
Susan: Great, what are you doing after this session?
Bob: Nothing. Can we meet at the cafe downstairs?
Susan: That'd be great. I'll bring some information about UConn and
we can talk more about your scholarship.
Bob: Great, good to meet you. Sorry, I didn't catch your name.
John: John.
Bob: John. Bob. See you at the cafe after the session, Susan.
Susan: Great.
Answer:
1. How does John introduce himself to Bob?

2. How does John introduce Susan?
3. Why does he tell about Bob's job?
4. How does Bob find out John's name?
5. Why does Bob say “UCONN”?
6. Is this conversation formal or informal?
7. When would the participants shake hands? What other body language
might they use in this dialogue?
Vocabulary
Small talk
Put the conversation in the correct order.
1 We were just talking about this new sports centre they’re

building. Do you play any sport at all, Kim?
____ Not yet, no. Why, are you doing something?
____ Against Real Madrid? No, I missed it. I had to go to a

birthday party.
____ No problem. Oh, before I forget. I’ve got two tickets to see them
in Manchester if you’re interested.
____ No, me neither. Talking of football, did you see the match last night?
____ Oh, right. Thanks for telling me. Incidentally, have you still got
my Rolling Stones CD?
____ Me? Well, not really. I used to play a bit of football.
____ No, nothing special. By the way, sorry to talk business, but did
you remember to send that estimate to Clive?
____ Pity. It was a great game. On the subject of parties, have you
made any plans for New Year’s Eve yet?
____ Did you? Me too. I was never any good, though.
____ Oops! Yeah, sorry. I meant to give it back to you. I’ll bring in
it tomorrow. Thanks for lending it to me.
____ Yeah, I sent it yesterday. Oh, that reminds me. Clive said to tell
you he won’t be able to make Thursday’s meeting. He said he’d call
you
.
13 Are you kidding? Of course I’m interested! I’ve never seen them live.
Grammar practice
Simple tenses review
TENSE POSITIVE NEGATIVE QUESTION USE

They don't (do Habitual
Simple I play soccer Does she like
not) play activities -
Present on Mondays. U2?
tennis States
Actions
She went to They didn't happening at
Where did she
Simple Past Paris last (did not) drive a defined
get that hat?
week. to work. moment in
the past.
Decisions
made at the
I'll (will) meet moment
He won't (will
Simple you at the Will they visit about the
not) be able to
Future airport us soon? future, future
come.
tomorrow. predictions,
future
promises
Choose the correct option to complete the sentences.
1 The candidate ......... many voters when she ran for governor
last year.
(a) impress
(b) impressed
(c) will impress
2 My father still ......... heating oil from a company in Chicago.
(a) buys
(b) bought
(c) will buy
3 Janelle ......... for the neighbours next Saturday night.
(a) baby-sat
(b) baby-sit
(c) will baby-sit
4 When she was younger, my grandmother ......... in a mortuary.
(a) works
(b) will work

(c) worked
5 The athlete ......... with the college track team next month.
(a) trains
(b) trained
(c) will train
Grammar practice
Indirect questions
Direct questions
Where's the nearest bank please?
When is the last train on a Saturday
night?
How much do two tickets cost?
Why can't you come in to work?
Indirect questions
Could you tell me where the nearest bank is please?

Do you know when the last train is on a Saturday night?
Have you any idea how much two tickets cost?
Would you mind telling why you can't come in to work?
me
Choose the correct alternative to make an indirect question.
1. (programme fee – how much?)

A. May I know the programme fee?
B. Can you tell me how much is the programme fee?
C. I would like to know how much the programme fee is.
2. (application – begin – when?)

A. Could you please tell us when will the application begin?
B. I wonder when is the application begin?
C. Would you mind telling me when the application begins?
3. (application form – where – can obtain?)

A. I would like to know where can I obtain the application form.
B. Would you mind telling me where I can obtain the application form?
C. May I know where I can obtain the application form?
4. (parents’ letter – do I need?)

A. May I ask if I need a parents’ letter?
B. I would like to know do I need a parent' letter.
C. Can you tell me if I need any parents' letter?
5. (any computers provided?)

A. I wonder if there are any computers provided.
B. May I know if there is any computers provided?
C. Can you tell me if you provide any computers?
Writing
Going into business
Watch the video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLXBjnjkot4
How did the conversation start?
What are the questions used?
Read the following situation and continue the conversation until

you get into business.
Two CEOs met for the first time in a meeting to close a big business. One
of them is from other country.
John: How is your hotel?
Peter: Great location and a comfortable bed. That´s all

you need, isn´t it?
John: Is this your first visit here?
Peter:No, I´ve been here before for other businesses. It´s

a great city.
John: Will you have time for som sightseeing?
Peter:No, I´m afraid not. I have to run to the airport right after the
meeting.
John: ...
Unit 2
BODY LANGUAGE AND GESTURES
Skills:
Identifying potential cultural differences
Recognizing and applying body language technics
Vocabulary:
Body language
Reading:
Changing Gender Roles
Speaking:
Differences in greetings
Grammar:
Continuous tenses review
Listening:
The power of body language
How To Tell If Someone Is Lying To You
Speaking practice
Differences in greetings
Discuss the following questions.
1. When you meet someone for the first time, how do you greet him
or her?
2. Do you use the same greeting for men as for women?
3. How do you greet your friends?
4. How do you greet a friend of the opposite sex?
5. How do you greet members of your family: children,

adults,old people?
6. Describe three gestures you use frequently and say what they mean.
7. How would you expect the following people to dress?
a dentist
a bank manager
a teacher
a shop assistant
a secondary school student
8. Which gestures are impolite in your culture?

Gender roles have changed tremendously in the last thirty or forty

years. What used to be very clear cut – a man’s role, a woman’s role –
is now nearly unrestricted. There is such a wide variation in modern
gender roles that it is no longer accurate to define them narrowly and
traditionally.
The changes to gender roles have been difficult in many ways, but one
of the most difficult is changing the body language associated with
each gender. As men and women have moved into non-traditional
areas for their gender, the people around them have to adjust their
observation and interpretation of body language and its meaning.
The Changing Role of Women
The traditional role of a woman was as a wife and mother. She was to
be nurturing, compassionate, caring, and supportive of her husband.
Many women still choose this role for themselves because it is a good
fit for them, but many more women choose very different roles for
themselves. The most difficult transitions have been into traditionally
male domains of the business and professional world.
The women who first ventured in to traditionally male territory
struggled to be taken seriously. They often felt they had to take on
male-like body language and attitudes just to be seen as capable by
their male peers. For instance, they wore severe business
suits, groomed their appearance to avoid overt femininity, and
adopted stronger body language. Direct eye contact, dominant body
position, assertive behavior, and the like, are all examples of how
female body language changed with their changing gender role.
In recent years, however, the role of women has again shifted and with
that shift come more changes in body language. Women have
generally established themselves in the business and professional

world and are now asserting themselves as individuals rather than
taking on traditionally masculine body language. For instance, they still
dress appropriately for their business environment but styles are much
more feminine than ever before. Many women have also softened their
body language to be less dominant, without giving up any perception
of authority or status.
What’s more, women generally don’t find themselves having to choose

just one role for themselves. A woman can be wife,
mother, entrepreneur, professional, career-minded, and any number
of other things all at the same time. This means that a woman’s body
language can change and adapt as well, based on her own personality
and comfort zone.
The Changing Role of Men
The traditional role of a man was as a husband, father, and family

breadwinner. He was to be strong, stoic, responsible, and in charge.
Many men still choose this role for themselves, but many also choose
very different roles to fulfil.
The men who first moved toward traditionally female territory faced
many challenges, including judgments about their masculinity, their
strength, and their general character as a man. Any man who wanted
to be more involved in his children’s upbringing, for example, was the
subject of strange looks and outright stares if he took on more care
giving responsibilities. Even the move into traditionally female jobs,
such as nursing or teaching, created challenges.
In recent years, though, the role of men has shifted once again. Just
as women have more freedom to choose from a wide variety of roles,
so, too, do men have more of this same freedom? Men may choose to
stay home on paternity leave with a newborn or adopted child, or even
be a full time stay at home dad. In general, men have dramatically
increased their involvement in child rearing, a fact that is readily seen
when you look at all of the baby changing stations now installed in
men’s restrooms.
Answer the questions
1. How was the role of women ? How has it changed?
2. How was the role of men? How has it changed?
3. What is the meaning of the words in bold?

Vocabulary
Body language
Match the meaning with the gesture and the picture.
Gesture Meaning
1.Palms in pocket. a.To infer an open, honest approach.
2.To show the palms. b.Uncertainty, insecurity.
3.Finger on your mouth. c.He doesn´t want to talk.
4.Crossed arms. d.Mutual respect.
5.Shaking hands. e.It´s difficult to hear.
6.Hand on the ear. f.Keep in silence.
The power of body language
1. Watch the video and answer the questions:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ncnzIeIQsE
• Why should we observe people’s feet in a conversation?
• What does the “figure four” position mean?
• What does it mean when people’s hands are pointing to a

significant area of their bodies?
• Why is it more difficult for a woman to get men’s attention than

the other way around?
• What does a woman have to do to let a man know that she is

interested in him?
• Observe the couple talking. According to Tonya, why is the woman

uncomfortable?
• When you see couples holding hands, what can you say about their
relationship?
• What other things on you can tell something about the way you
are?
Grammar

Actions
happening at
They aren't
He's (is) the present
Present (are not) What are
working at moment.
Continuous coming this you doing?
the moment. Near future
evening.
intention and
scheduling.
Interrupted
past action,
He wasn't
I was What were action
(was not)
Past watching TV you doing happening at
working
Continuous when you when I a specific
when she
called. called? moment in
arrived.
time in the
past.
They won't
What will
I'll (will) be (will not) be Future action
you be
Future cooking living in at a specific
doing next
Continuous dinner when Paris this moment in
week at this
you arrive. time next the future.
time?
year.
Grammar
Complete the sentences with the verbs in present, past or future

continuous.
1. She _____________on a purple pantsuit.
2. It seems as if it _______________every day this past week.
3. Tomorrow he __________me after school
4. Soon you _____________out the truth
5. I predict that dog ___________________ all night.
6. My parents ____________________me yesterday.
7. Sharon __________________ with me right now.
8. I _________________some peanuts.
9. I ________________ to do better in the coming term.
10. We ___________ hard, but we still lost the election.
11. I ________________at the very next shop I see.
12. Darren _________________ me to school every day last year until

he broke his leg.
A) live B) walk C) try D) bark E) rain F) catch G) find
H) appreciate I) crave J) fight K) stop L) put

How to tell if someone is lying to you
Watch the video and answer the questions:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4f48M999Rk
1. What are the signs you need to pay attention to discover a liar?
2. Who is Maria Hartwig? What does she say?
3. Who is Clark Freshman? What does he say?
4. What are the micro expressions liars do?
Unit 3
GIVING A SPEECH
Skills:
Delivering effective speeches
Expressing yourself in front of an audience
Vocabulary:
Adjectives
Speaking:
Speaking in public
Reading:
10 steps for delivering a great speech
Grammar:
Perfect tenses review
Writing:
The best speech ever
Listening:
Speech techniques
What makes someone a good speaker?
Speaking practice
Speaking in public
Discuss the following questions:
1. When you stand up to speak in public, what keeps an

audience interested in what you're saying?
2. Expertise or enthusiasm?
3. Visual impact or vocal range? Power Point or natural presence?
Speech techniques
Audio file: 1.32
Listen to three presenters speaking in different ways. Decide

which presenter sounds
1) fluent and confident
2) fluent but boring
3) hesitant
a. There's a whole market in Eastern Europe just there for the taking.
b. Quite frankly, the results we've been getting are absolutely

incredible.
c. Now, I'm sure I don't need to tell you just how crucial this is.
d. Net profits are up ninety-seven per cent - yes, ninety-seven per cent.
e. Would you believe that so far we've not been able to sell a
single unit?
f. Miss this deadline and we'll lose the biggest client this company's
ever had.
Why does the boring presenter sound so monotonous?
What exactly is the hesitant presenter doing wrong?

Vocabulary
Adjectives
1. Pair up the adjectives with ones which have a

similar meaning and put them in order from the
biggest to the smallest.
considerable huge massive moderate modest
reasonable significant slight
A a)_______/_______
b)_______/_______ increase
c)_______/_______
d)_______/_______
2. Describe the following success rates using

suitable adjectives .
disappointing disastrous encouraging miserable

phenomenal promising spectacular unimpressive
a _______/________ 95%
a(n) b _______/________ 65% success rate
c _______/________ 25%
d _______/________ 3%
3. Put the following verbs and verb phrases in order from

the best news to the worst.
almost halved increasedt enfold more than tripled

nearly doubled plateau'd quadrupled
a__________________
b__________________
Sales have c__________________
d__________________
e__________________
f__________________
What makes someone a good speaker
Audio file :1.35
According to Swedish businessman Jan Carlzon, 'All business is show

business.'
Listen to an extract from a radio programme on how several

training companies have taken his opinion literally, and discuss the
questions.
a. Would William Freeman's advice help you face a business audience?
b. What does Michael Lame think classically trained actors can

teach business people?
c. According to Richard Olivier, what makes someone a

brilliant speaker?
d. Which of the trainees' opinions would be closest to your own?
Many people dread the thought of public speaking, myself included.

However, if you are an entrepreneur, solo operator or running a small
company there will come a time when you are going to have to step out
onto the stage and perform. Yes, it’s called making a speech. One of the
most nerve racking experiences apart from doing a bungee jump –
somehow that just scares me more! To deliver a good speech, let alone a
great speech, you need to view what you are doing as a performance
rather than making a presentation. You need to see yourself as the prima
ballerina of your company and you need to practice your craft until it
becomes effortless so that you alone are seen as the expert in the room.
Follow the steps listed below and you will soon be giving a first-class
performance.
1. Watch the experts in action and notice their style and habits – what
can you learn from them? Look at people both in and outside of your
industry. Great examples of good public speakers are: Oprah Winfrey,
Bill Gates, Cheryl Sandberg, Martin Luther King Jr, Margaret Thatcher,
HRH Prince of Wales and President Barak Obama. Watch how they
deliver those important speeches and ask yourself what are their key
messages, how quickly do they speak, how often do they pause, how
much eye contact do they make with their audiences?
2. Regardless of how many times you’ve made a speech there is always

room for improvement. It’s great if you got public speaking experience
but don’t become over confident and think that you can just turn up
and present without doing your homework! You might get away with it
a couple of times but eventually you will be caught out.
3. Your opening statement needs to ‘pack a punch’ – tell a joke –

probably one of the hardest things to do unless you are a stand-up
comedian, or share a shocking statistic, ask a question and get the
audience to participate by a show of hands or by using an interactive
voting system. Julie Hall, CEO and founder of Women Unlimited,
always creates an uplifting energy in the room by sharing a funny
video.
4. Arrange your presentation into digestible chunks but remember that

you want your audience to walk away with at least three points from
your talk that remain at the forefront of their mind.
5. Preparation includes taking care of yourself so makes sure that you

run through your speech the day before with a friend, get a good
night’s sleep and don’t drink alcohol to the point where you wake up
with a hangover. And when presenting make sure you have
room temperature water at hands. Cold water makes the
throat constrict.
6. On the day of your speech make sure you arrive with enough time
to settle yourself. Take time to visit the room you will presenting in
and run through your speech. Becoming familiar with the room and
how it’s set up technically will help settle any nerves and you should
always remember to test the equipment.
7. One of the most common errors people make when giving a

speech, especially if they are new to public speaking, is they rush
through their presentation. You need to slow down so that people can
actually take on board what you are saying. If in doubt record
yourself and play it back, if you are speaking faster than the anchor
person on the news you know it’s too fast.
8. Even the best of speakers use notes/q-cards as a guide for

their speech but they are not used as a crutch. Notes help the
speaker keep on track and therefore they should be bullet points with
no more than 3-4 words per point – if you can use one then that’s all
the better but remember your notes should not be a script.
9. When you stand up to speak walk slowly to the podium and wait a
few seconds, suddenly an eerie silence will descend on the room, you
then know you have everyone’s attention and you can start
your presentation.
10. Be authentic –people can hear it in your voice when you are
authentic and they will love you for it.
Discuss:
Do you agree with the steps given?
Is there something that you already knew?
Is there something you would like to add?

Grammar

1)To express an action
that was begun in the
past and continues
I've (have) How long into the present. 2) To
She hasn't
Present seen Mick have you express an action that
(has not) been
Perfect three times worked at happened in the
to New York.
this week. Smith's? UNspecified past. 3)
To express a recent
action that has a
present effect.
To express the
How long
Present She's (has) They haven't duration of a
have you
Perfect been waiting (have not) continuous activity
been working
Continuo for over been studying begun in the past and
on that
us three hours. for long. continuing into the
problem?
present.
She hadn't
I'd (had) Had you ever To express an action
(had not)
Past already seen such a that happens before
been to Rome
Perfect eaten before crazy lady another action in the
before that
they came. before that? past.
trip.
She'd (had) I hadn't (had
How long had To express the
Past been waiting not) been
you been duration of a
Perfect for three sleeping for
playing tennis continuous activity
Continuo hours when long when I
when she begun before another
us he finally heard the
arrived? activity in the past.
arrived. doorbell ring.
She won't (will How long will To express what will
We'll (will)
not) have you have have happened or how
have lived
Future finished her lived in long something will
here for
Perfect homework by France by the have happened up to a
twenty years
the time we end of next certain point in the
by 2005.
arrive. year? future.
He'll (will)
She won't (will

Future have been How long will To express the
not) have
Perfect sleeping for you have duration of an activity
been working
Continuo a few hours been driving up to a point of time in
for long by 5
us by the time by 6 o'clock? the future.
o'clock.
we arrive.
Grammar practice
Write the present perfect form of the verb in parentheses.
1. Sam (earn) some money at this new job.
2. He (make) more than fifty dollars.
3. He (help) with work in their yards.
4. People (give) him lots of different chores.
Write the past perfect form of the verb in parentheses.
1. Before he turned twelve, neighbors (ask) Sam for help with

their lawns.
2. Before then, Sam (think) of doing yard work.
3. He (speak) with his mother about earning money.
4. She (say) yes to him before he got his first customer.
Write the future perfect form of the verb in parentheses.
1. By June, Sam (earn) enough money for a new bike.
2. Perhaps, by then, he also (find) a new way to make money.
3. Malik (learn) many things by then.
4. Jenna (meet) all his friends.

Writing
The best speech ever
Have you ever given or seen a speech?
What do you remember about it?
Write about the speech you remember and use the structures of
perfect tenses.
Unit 4
BUILDING RAPPORT
Skills:
Building rapport with a colleague
Creating professional bonds
Developing team work skills
Vocabulary:
Creating bonds
Speaking:
Relationships at work
Reading:
The importance of politeness
Grammar:
Mixed conditionals
Writing:
Being a team leader
Listening:
Project meetings
Speaking practice
Relationships at work
How important is teamwork in your job and how much of a team player
are you?
Where would you place yourself on the scale below?
Are you more of a “me-person” or a “we-person”?
Me We
These days, 'virtual teams' communicating electronically across cultural

boundaries and international time zones are becoming more and more
common.
What sort of problems do you think they face?
Project meetings
Audio file: 2.18-2.20
Listen to team members from different countries giving their

account of project meetings they have just come out of and
take brief notes on the problems they had.
What do these tell you about their cultures?
Meeting 1: a Americans b Japanese
Meeting 2: a British b Hungarians
Meeting 3: a French b Germans
Which attitudes do you have most/least sympathy with?
The speakers mentioned the following stages of a project.
Can you put them in chronological order?
The kick-off meeting __
We were almost ready to sign off on this project__
The last deliverables have been shipped __
We were ready to execute __
We got the green light __
The first milestone __

Vocabulary
Creating bonds
Phrase Meaning
1.“ I’m (very glad/so sorry) a.Creating the unspoken suggesti

to hear that..." on that your company values
feedback, and takes matters of
this kind extremely seriously.
2.“Hopefully, we should be able t b.Constructing a sense of

o help you, Mrs Brown…” personal empathy,
and suggesting the agent’s inten
tion to act.
3.“ c.Reaffirming the agent’s intent
I’d just like to ask for a little f ion to provide a swift resolution
urther information, .
Sir/Madam…”
4.“ d.Demonstrating your respect for
Thank you so much for letting us the customer’s opinions and your
know about this…” sympathy for his or her person
al predicament.
5.“You’re absolutely correct, e.Always request – never tell.
Sir/Madam…”
The importance of politeness
Read the text. Do you agree with the ideas?
Social distance refers to a person's willingness to accept or build a

relationship with someone who has different social characteristics. If a
person of the Jewish faith is willing to accept and associate with
someone of the Muslim faith, that shows a very low degree of social
distance. Polite behavior bridges the gap between two people with
different backgrounds.
Politeness also makes it easier to make a good first impression in

social or professional settings. Someone who speaks to others in a
courteous manner is more likely to make a good impression than
someone who has bad manners. Being polite is especially important
when communicating with customers and colleagues. In Japan, retail
clerks and customer service representatives are very polite when they
greet customers, handle money and escort customers out of their
shops. Their politeness puts customers at ease and makes the
shopping experience more enjoyable.
In some cases, politeness helps defuse tense situations and resolve

conflict. Conversely, impolite behavior tends to fuel the fire, increasing
conflict and making it difficult to resolve problems.
Why is being polite important?

Do you think it helps building strong relationships?
Grammar
Mixed conditionals
When we talk about an imaginary or hypothetical situation, we sometimes

need to use a mixed conditional structure. There are two types of mixed
conditionals.
Structure Examples and use

Third second Yesterday I went to bed early. I
mixed conditionals am not tired today.
If I had gone to bed late, I'd be
If I had (+ past tired today.
participle)
..., I would (+ infinitive) We use a third second mixed
... conditional when we imagine
present
Instead of would, we actions or situations that are
can the result of an imaginary or
use could or might. hypothetical
situation in the past.
If I hadn't called you yesterday,

you wouldn't be here today.
Where would you stay if you
hadn't found a hotel this
morning?
Second third Yesterday, I heard a French
mixed conditionals song, but I didn't understand
the words be-
If I did ..., I would have cause I can't speak French. If I
(+ could speak French, I would
past participle) ... have un-
derstood the song.
Instead of would, we
can We use a second third mixed
use could or might. conditional when we imagine a
situation
in the past that is the result of
an imaginary or hypothetical
situation that
is still true.
What would you have done if

you were me?
If it wasn't so cold in this
country, we could have gone
out yesterday.
Grammar
Mixed conditionals
Things to remember
• We do not use would in the if-part of the sentence:

If I would have gone had gone to bed late last night, I would be
tired today.
• We can say 'd instead of would or had:
If I'd gone to bed late last night, I'd be tired today.
• We normally say 'd had instead of had had:
If I had had 'd had passed my exams, I might have a job now.
Practice
Last week, Nick was on holiday in France. Read the following facts about
Nick and the problems he had in France, and write a second third mixed
conditional sentences like in the example.
He doesn't drink alcohol. He isn't interested in

art. He isn't rich. He never cooks his
lunch well. He works in the summer. He can't speak
French.
1. He didn't understand the locals.

If he could speak French, he would have understood the locals.
2. He didn't visit any art museums.

If he . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3. He stayed at a cheap hotel.

He . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4. He didn't try any French wine.

If he . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5. He went there during winter.

If he . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6. He got food poisoning in the evening.

If he . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Writing
Being a team leader
Read the situation.
What would you do as a team leader? Write a paragraph using

conditionals.
John and Mike work in the same department. Mike is a new employee.
John has worked at the company for a long time.
John and Mike do the same job. They have the same job title. They have
to work together.
John likes to do things the way they have always been done. Because
he's been there so long, he thinks he knows how to do thing and he tells
others about it, whether or not they ask.
Mike tries hard to follow company rules. Mike is a very quiet man. He
doesn't talk much.
Employees must clock in within 5 minutes of the start of their shifts.

They are supposed to clock in at their own buildings, but there isn't any
way to check this.
John always gets to his work station at least 10 minutes late. At least a
couple of times each week, somebody asks Mike where John is.
Mike is tired of covering for John. He has kept it in for a long time.
Finally, one morning, John is 20 minutes late. Mike has to cover for John
again.When John finally appears, Mike tells him he's not going to cover
for him anymore.
John says, "Hey, I clocked in. I've been doing this for years.
As long as you don't say anything, nobody will ever know. Just shut up
and do your job."
Mike and John start shouting at each other. The team leader walks in just
as it looks like John is going to hit Mike.
Unit 5
REPORTING
Skills:
Discussing the different types of reports
Writing a report
Presenting facts and making recommendations
Vocabulary:
The structure of a report
Writing:
Reporting a conference
Reading:
WorldNet report
Speaking:
Written Reports
Grammar:
Reported Speech
Listening:
Bad News
Speaking Practice
Written report
How often do you have to write reports?
What kinds of reports do you know?
What features are typical of report writing?
Choose from these alternatives.
1 a. state your aims in the introduction.

b. state your recommendations in the introduction.
2 a. use headings for each sections.

b. have one general heading.
3 a. give mostly opionions rather than facts.

b. give mostly facts rather than opinions.
4 a. use mostly active tenses.

b. use mostly passive tenses.
5 a. give recommendations based on your

personal experience.
b. give recommendations based on the facts.
Worldnet report
Introduction
The purpose of this report is to evaluate Internet services provided

by Worldnet, a chain of 24 hours Internet cafés in London. There has
been a steady decrease in number of customers over the past six
months. This report will attempt to analyse and explain this trend based
on findings from a series of customer questionnaires. It will evaluate the
current services in relation to client needs, and will conclude with
recommendations for improvements.
Main areas for improvement
Worldnet caters for a wide range of customers with different

backgrounds and ages. However nearly all customers (65%) commented
that the cost of the cost of the Internet service at $2 per hour was too
high and suggested half-hourly rates. The speed of the Internet
connection was also criticized. At peak times the service was said to be
extremely slow and unstable.
Other areas for improvement
In terms of the hardware, the computer terminals were generally

thought to be out of date and badly maintained. The screens were felt to
be too small and the seating uncomfortable. On a more positive note,
the café was considered to be good value. The prices compared
favourably with other cafés, and customers were satisfied with the
quality of the food provided. However, although the café was popular,
there were some complaints about the lack of variety.
Recommendations
In order to become more competitive, Worldnet should introduce new

half-hourly rates inmmediately. Special student rates should also be
considered as this would attract 16-25 years old customers, who
represent the mayority of Internet users. In addition I would strongly
recommend a faster and more reliable Internet service provider. The
computer terminals and chairs also need upgrading and maintaining

more regularly. Finally, the café could be improved by introducing a
wider variety of food and drinks. If these recommendations are put into
practice, the number of Worldnet customers should start to increase
substantially.
Worldnet report
What features are typical of report writing?
1 a. state your aims in the introduction.

b. state your recommendations in the introduction.
2 a. use headings for each section.

b. have one general heading.
3 a. Give mostly opinions rather than facts.

b. give mostly facts rather than opinions.
4 a. use mostly active tenses.

b. use mostly passive tenses.
5 a. give recommendations based on your personal experience.

b. give recommendations based on the facts.
Underline words or expressions the writer uses to introduce

recommendations in the text.
Circle six different ways that customer´s opinions are reported.
Bad news
Listen to an extract from a meeting. A CEO is breaking some bad

news to the board. When the conversation pauses, write the board
members' queries and comments using the notes in brackets to
help you. Then continue listening and check. The first one has
been done for you as an example.
a. (say/fall short/projections again?)

Are you saying they've fallen short of projections again?
b. (suggest/introduce/price cuts?)
c. (surely/not say/time/phase them out!)
d. (this mean/should/invest more/new technology?)
e. (tell us/could be layoffs?)
f. (mean some kind/job-share scheme?)
g. (so/say/should/spend more/R&D)
h. (this mean/think/centralise distribution?)
i. (hope/not suggest/situation/hopeless)
Vocabulary
Presenting facts and making recommendations
INTRODUCING THE REPORT
The aim / purpose of this report is to examine / evaluate / describe /

outline / assess ( the positive and negative features of two different
forms of ….) ( the various options open to people …).
The following report describes / deals with / evaluates / outlines /

presents / provides an account of (…).
This report aims to provide an overall view of the situation below.
It will also include / consider / suggest / recommend (…)
The report is based on a survey conducted among ( college students).
PRESENTING FACTS
Ø It is generally accepted that (…)

Ø The vast majority of (…)
Ø This is probably due to the fact that (…)
Ø While / although data is hard to come by, it is thought that …
PREDICTING THE FUTURE
The outlook for young people / jobs / the country is (far from) bright /
optimistic / depressing (…)
The future looks bleak / remains uncertain / is promising (…)
MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS
measure which may improve the situation would be to introduce (…)

I would (strongly) recommend that the (company / college ) should
(…)
In the light of the results of the survey, I would (strongly) advise
against (…)
I feel it would be to our advantage if (…)
v It might be advisable to (…)
v It might be preferable to (…)
v I have no hesitation in recommending (…)
v I am of the opinion that (…) / It is my view that (…)
v It appears that (…)
v In conclusion / On balance / To sum up (…)
Grammar
Reported speech
Reported speech is when you tell somebody else what you or a

person said before.
Distinction must be made between direct speech and reported
speech.
Direct Speech Reported Speech

Simple Present Simple Past
He said: "I am happy" He said that he was happy
Present Progressive Past Progressive
He said: "I'm looking for my keys" He said that he was looking for his
keys
Simple Past Past Perfect Simple
He said: "I visited New York last He said that he had visited New York
year" the previous year.
Present Perfect Past Perfect
He said: " I've lived here for a long He said that he had lived there for a
time " long time
Past Perfect Past Perfect
He said: "They had finished the He said that they had finished the work
work when I arrived" when he had arrived"
Past Progressive Past Perfect Progressive
He said: "I was playing football He said that he had been
when the accident occurred" playing football when the accident had
occurred
Present Perfect Progressive Past Perfect Progressive

He said:"I have been He said that he had been
playing football for two hours." playing football for two hours
Past Perfect Progressive Past Perfect Progressive
He said: "I had been reading a He said that he had been reading a
newspaper when the light went newspaper when the light had gone off
off"
Future Simple (will+verb) Conditional (would+verb)

He said: "I will open the door." He said that he would open the door.
Conditional (would+verb) Conditional (would+verb)

He said: "I would buy Mercedes if He said that he would buy Mercedes if
I were rich" he had been rich"
Grammar
Reported speech
Change the sentences into reported speech.
1. John said, "I love this town."

John said
2. "Do you like soccer ?" He asked me.

He asked me
3. "I can't drive a lorry," he said.

He said
4. "Be nice to your brother," he said.

He asked me
5. "Don't be nasty," he said.

He urged me
6. "Don't waste your money" she said.

She told the boys
7. "What have you decided to do?" she asked him.

She asked him
8. "I always wake up early," he said.

He said
9. "You should revise your lessons," he said.

He advised the students
10. "Where have you been?" he asked me.

He wanted to know
Writing
Reporting a conference
Imagine you just came back from a conference abroad and

your boss is asking you for a report about it.
Write a report using the structures of reported speech.
Unit 6
NETWORKING SKILLS
Skills:
Developing networking skills
Talking about social communication
Vocabulary:
Making contacts
Speaking:
Social communication
Reading:
Network applications
Writing:
The value of social media
Social networking
Grammar:
Linking words and phrases
Listening:
6 Tips for Improving Your Networking Skills
Speaking practice
Social communication
Is business travel a perk or a pain?
With today's sophisticated telecommunications, how much of it

is really, necessary?
Are you an active social networks user?
How many social media accounts do you have?
Which social network is your favourite?
How often do you check your social media accounts?
The value of social media
For digital natives who never knew life before social media, the world
seems like it has always been the same but for digital migrants, the
present looks nothing like the past. If you were born in the late 1990s
onwards, just try to imagine what your life would be like without
Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Does it look appealing to you? Probably
not. Your social interaction depends so much on social media and keeping
up with friends requires you to be online most, if not all, of the time. This
is why your parents and friends probably keep urging you to get away
from your computer or put your smart phone down and spend more time
with them.
The use of social media has boomed in recent years and statistics show
that nowadays, there are almost two billion social network users in the
world, most of them teenagers and young adults. This obsession with
social media is well reflected in statistics. According to Statista, a website
specializing in statistics, 51% of worldwide Facebook users who make new
friends at least once a week are between 18 and 33 years of age.
However, when it comes to younger users between 13 and 17 years of
age, 72% of them make at least one new friend per week. This
percentage gains more significance when we learn from Facebook that its
monthly active users worldwide as of the second quarter of 2015 reached
some 1.5 billion. This number barely reached 750 million monthly active
users in the second quarter of 2011. In the same period of 2009, this
number was roughly 250 million. As you see, these numbers speak for
themselves but the more information we learn about the use of social
media, the more interesting it gets.
In the UK, for instance, the use of social networks is dominated by the
90% of young people between 16 and 24 years old who are on social
media and the 75% of those between the ages of 25 and 44 who use
Facebook. Add to this the fact that, in 2014, Facebook and YouTube were
the top social media sites accessed by 8–15-year-olds in Great Britain.
What do young users spend their time doing on social media? There are a
number of things but the top activities are finding out what friends are
doing, sending them messages and knowing what they are watching or
listening to. This is for 16–24-year-olds, followed in second place by 25–
34-year-olds, who come first in keeping in touch with relatives.
In the midst of this entire buzz about social media, alarming voices
warning of the dangers of such a situation can be heard. Some people
argue that young people’s overuse of social media represents an addiction
that threatens their real-life communication skills. Moreover, this
addiction can distract them from their studies and affect their
concentration, especially given the many cases of use of social media
during class that have been reported. Meanwhile, overuse of social
networks by adults can harm their relationships. Other disadvantages
include wasting time, identity theft, cyber bullying and crimes against
children.
Now, where do you stand in all this? Are you a social media addict? Do
you think social networking is worth all the importance people give to it?
Answer the following questions about the text.
a. How do digital natives and digital migrants see the world today?
b. What does keeping up with friends require nowadays?
c. Who are the majority of social media users in the world?
d. 72% of what category of Facebook users make at least one new

friend every week?
e. How many monthly active Facebook users were there in the

second quarter of 2009?
f. Who dominates the use of social networks in the UK?

g. In what social media activity do adults come before younger users?
h. What do you think of the criticism levelled at those who overuse

social media?
Vocabulary
Making contacts
Complete the phrases using the words in the box. Then match
each to two things you might say.
asking breaking bumping catching looking meeting

offering paying raising referring saying taking
1____ people for the first time

2 ____ into old friends
3 ____compliments
4____ about a journey
5 ____ up with old friends
6 ____ an important subject
7 ____to help someone out
8 ____to third parties
9 ____off a conversation
10 ___your leave
11____forward to future contact
12____ Goodbye
a. You managed to find us OK?

b. You're looking very well!
c. Bye now!
d. I don't think we've met.
e. It's been great talking to you.
f. Long time no see.
g. I could put in a word for you if you like.
h. Fancy meeting you here!
i. Is that the time? I must be going soon.
j. I wonder if I could have a word with you.
k. Married life obviously suits you!
l. We must get together soon.
m. Give my regards to Theo when you see him.
n. Take care.
o. I didn't expect to see you here!
p. I could put you in touch with someone Iknow.
q. How's life treating you?
r. I've really enjoyed our conversation.

s. Fiona mentioned you might be dropping by.
t. I don't think we've been introduced.
u. I should be making a move.
v. Did you have any trouble finding us?
w. Let's not leave it so long next time.
x. There's something I've been meaning to talk to you about.
Listening
Six tips for improving your networking skills
How do you consider your networking skills?
Is networking intimidating?
Watch the video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nncPbR6Z-yA
Discuss:
What are the tips mentioned?
What do you need to avoid?
Do you agree with all the tips?
Is there anything special you do?
Network applications
Business applications
Social networks connect people at low cost; this can be beneficial for
entrepreneurs and small businesses looking to expand their contact
base. These networks often act as a customer relationship management
tool for companies selling products and services. Companies can also
use social networks for advertising in the form of banners and text ads.
Since businesses operate globally, social networks can make it easier to
keep in touch with contacts around the world.
Medical applications
Social networks are beginning to be adopted by healthcare professionals

as a means to manage institutional knowledge, disseminate peer to peer
knowledge and to highlight individual physicians and institutions. The
advantage of using a dedicated medical social networking site is that all
the members are screened against the state licensing board list of
practitioners. The role of social networks is especially of interest to
pharmaceutical companies who spend approximately "32 percent of their
marketing dollars" attempting to influence the opinion leaders of social
networks.
Languages, nationalities and academia
Various social networking sites have sprung up catering to different

languages and countries. The popular site Facebook has been cloned for
various countries and languages and some specializing in connecting
students and faculty.
Social networks for social good
Several websites are beginning to tap into the power of the social
networking model for social good. Such models may be highly successful
for connecting otherwise fragmented industries and small organizations
without the resources to reach a broader audience with interested and
passionate users. Users benefit by interacting with a like-minded
community and finding a channel for their energy and giving.
Social network
Business model
Few social networks currently charge money for membership. In part,

this may be because social networking is a relatively new service, and the
value of using them has not been firmly established in customers' minds.
Companies such as MySpace and Facebook sell online advertising on their
site. Hence, they are seeking large memberships, and charging for
membership would be counter productive. Some believe that
the deeper information that the sites have on each user will allow much
better targeted advertising than any other site can currently provide.
Sites are also seeking other ways to make money, such as by creating an
online marketplace or by selling professional information and social
connections to businesses.
Privacy issues
On large social networking services, there have been growing concerns

about users giving out too much personal information and the threat of
sexual predators. Users of these services need to be aware of data theft
or viruses. However, large services, such as MySpace, often work with law
enforcement to try to prevent such incidents. In addition, there is a
perceived privacy threat in relation to placing too much personal
information in the hands of large corporations or governmental bodies,
allowing a profile to be produced on an individual's behavior on which
decisions, detrimental to an individual, may be taken.
Investigations
Social network services are increasingly being used in legal and criminal
investigations. Information posted on sites such as MySpace and
Facebook, has been used by police, probation, and university officials to
prosecute users of said sites. In some situations, content posted on
MySpace has been used in court.
Social network
Choose the correct alternative
1 According to the text, social networks…

a) are being used by businesses for marketing.
b) are about friendships.
c) can damage business reputations.
d) advertise on business web sites.
2 Why do advertisers like social nework sites?

a) Detailed information on each user allows targeted ads.
b) They are cost-effective to advertise on.
c) Most users have high disposable income.
d) They can influence consumer behaviour.
3 What does the expression 'sprung up' in paragraph 4 mean?

a) there has been rapid development of social networking sites
b) the development of social networking is unplanned
c) everybody is trying to copy Facebook
d) social networking works in all languages
4 What does the word 'Few' at the beginning of paragraph 6 mean?

a) Hardly any
b) Not any
c) Some
d) Only
5 What should users not do on social networks?

a) be too free with their personal information
b) download viruses
c) contact predators
d) upload copyrighted music
6 What does the word 'deeper' in paragraph 6 mean?

a) more detailed
b) more spiritual
c) more profound
d) more emphatic
7 Personal information on social network sites...

a) can be used in court
b) gives a good description of the user's personality
c) is sold to the government
d) is translated into many languages
Grammar
Sequence Result Emphasis

First / firstly, second / So Undoubtedly
secondly, third / thirdly As a result Indeed
etc As a consequence Obviously
Next, last, finally (of) Generally
In addition, moreover Therefore Admittedly
Further / furthermore Thus In fact
Another Consequently Particularly / in
Also Hence particular
In conclusion Due to Especially
To summarise Clearly
Importantly
Addition Reason Example
And For For example
In addition / Because For instance
additionally / an Since That is (ie)
additional As Such as
Furthermore Because of Including
Also Namely
Too
As well as
Contrast Comparison
However Similarly
Nevertheless Likewise
Nonetheless Also
Still Like
Although / even though Just as
Though Just like
But Similar to
Yet Same as
Despite / in spite of Compare
In contrast (to) / in compare(d) to /
comparison with
While Not only...but also
Whereas
On the other hand
On the contrary
Grammar
Choose the correct option.
1. The new supermarket is so much cheaper than the one in John Street.-
________ , they do free home deliveries too.
a.However
b.On the whole
c.Furthermore
2. Australia has some beautiful parts of the country. ________, they also
have a lot of dangerous animals.
a.Though
b.However
c.Despite
3. ________ the high risk involved, many scientists chase tornadoes so

they can study them more closely.
a.But
b.Though
c.Despite
4. ________ television can be educational, I think it's better to read a

book.
a.On the other hand
b.Even though
c.However
5. So you can see there are both advantages and disadvantages of the
new system for organising the timetable. ________, I would say it would
be better to stick with the current system.
a.On the whole
b.And
c.Lastly
6. ________ the rain and the high winds, they never went camping.
a.Because
b.Due to
c.Despite
7. This new computer has a better monitor. Its memory is twice as large
as the current one and we can use the internet with it. ________ its
software will make our job so much easier.
a.Finally
b.However
c.In short
Writing practice
Social networking
Look at the infograph and write about the information presented.
Unit 7
PROBLEMS ON THE PHONE
Skills:
Complaining and solving problems on the phone
Vocabulary:
Phone, Fax and E-mails
Speaking:
Phone problems
Reading:
How to get rid of chatterboxes on the phone
Grammar:
Verb patterns
Listening:
Dealing with problems
Speaking practice
Phone problems
It's been said that 'When the phone rings, there's usually a
problem on the other end of it.'
What sort of problems do people phone you with at work? Share

examples with a partner.
Put the following stages of handling a customer complaint into the

most likely order:
• suggest possible solutions
• get the details
• end on a positive note
• agree on a course of action
• greet and reassure the caller
• listen and empathise
Complete the text below by underlining the correct words.
We are living in the age of telephony. Over half the planet now has a
mobile. In Finland, where they have more mobiles per person than
anywhere else on earth, 40% of the country's exports are Nokia
phones. Whenever we want, wherever we want, we can get in (a)
communication/touch.
But when we do, it seems we can never get to the (b) point /
business. Up to two hours in every working day are wasted in small
talk on the phone. And great skill and determination are needed to
escape the deadly game of social chit-chat - 'How are you? ...
Settling (c) in I down to the new job? … How's Ellen? ... And the
kids? ... Hasn't your eldest just gone to college? ... How (d) life /
time flies! ... Oh, I hear you're moving house as well. ... Did you
have a nice holiday, by the way? ... I suppose you haven't heard the
(e) last/ latest, then? ... Well, I'm not supposed to say, but there's
a (f) rumour I gossip going about .. "
Of course, what you really want to say in these circumstances is

'Look, I haven't got all (g) year I day. Either state your business or
kindly get off the phone; but professional courtesy forbids it. Here,
then, is the definitive executive guide to getting rid of chatterboxes
on the phone.
GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS
The most tactful way of bringing the conversation round to the

subject of business is to ask in a slightly louder than normal voice
'What (h) can/ could I do for you?' If you know the caller, you could
try'I (i) expect I believe you're calling about .. : and then mention
anything you can think of. They, hopefully, will reply'Er, no, actually,
it's about something else' and you can finally (j) pull/cut the chat
and get down to business. Should this strategy fail, you may have to
resort to a firmer 'Was there (k) nothing/something you wanted to
talk to me about?'
ENDING THE CONVERSATION
This is more difficult. The trick is not to seem too abrupt. 'Anyway, ..
:, though a clear signal to most people that you want to end the call,
is much too subtle for chatterboxes. Try instead 'Well, I mustn't (I)
hold I keep you; 'I'll let you (m) get I go on' or the more insistent
'l'll have to let you (n) go/ leave now: If you feel that sounds a little
too harsh, friendlier alternatives include 'Well, (o) listen I see, it's
been great talking to you; 'We must (p) come I get together soon'
or 'Oh, one last (q) thing I point and then I really must go: Of
course, with an incurable chatterbox this last alternative may be
asking for trouble!
DRASTIC MEASURES
In genuine emergencies the following may be used: 'Ah, someone's

just this minute (r) dropped I stepped into the office. I'll have to
ring (s) off I out: Or 'I've got an international call just come (t) in I
over on the other line. Can I call you back?' And, if all else fails, you
can always try'Hello? Hello? Are you still (u) there I here?' Of
course the secret with this one is that when the caller says 'Yes, I'm
still here; resist the temptation to reply 'Well, I can't hear you!'
Do you agree with the writer of the article that small talk on the
phone wastes time at work?
Vocabulary
Phone, fax and e-mail
Complete the telephone conversation using the words below.
around as back by down down for in off off off on on

on on on on out out out up up up up under
A design agency office is in chaos. The phone is ringing. Tina finally

answers it.
A Hello? Tina Mallon.

B Tina. Thank goodness you're there!
A Hi, Geoff. What's ( 1)___?
B Listen. I'm (2) ___ a bit of a mess here.
A Where are you?
B I'm just (3)___ my way to see the people at FlexiPak and you'll
never guess ... I've left the file with the visuals in it back at the
office!
A Oh dear ... Well, can I fax them through to you at their office?
B No, I don't think they'd come (4) ___ properly.
A Geoff, I'm (5)___ to my neck in it here. I can't access my e-
mail because the server is (6)___ this morning and I'm rushed
(7)___ my feet, running (8)___ trying to sort things (9) ___ with IT
and get those posters (10)___ to Milan by midday.
B Look, Tina, this is urgent. Could you go over the road to the
print shop, scan the visuals and ask them to e-mail them to me (
11)___ , attachments? I'll give you FlexiPak's e-mail address.
A Geoff, I'm sorry, but I'm really snowed ( 12) ___ here.
B Tina, I wouldn't ask you if I wasn't desperate. I haven't got time
to come ( 13)___and pick them (14) ___
A Well, maybe it would be easier just
to set them (15)___ dispatchrider .Hang(l6)__
_.Let me take (17)___ the details. Which visuals do you need
exactly? Hello? Geoff?
B Tina?
A Geoff? You're breaking (18)___ Are you (19) ___your mobile? I
can't hear you!
B Hello? Oh, what's going (20)___with this phone? I can't be
(21)___ of range. I must be running low (22)___ batteries. No, it's

charged. Tina, can you hear me? I'll have to ring (23)___ and look
(24)__ a payphone or something. Tina?
Tina hangs up, smiling.
A Now, maybe I can finally get (25) __ with some work!

Dealing with problems
Audio file 2.05
1. Listen to an overheard telephone conversation.
try to work out what the problem is.
It sounds like ...
It seems as though ...
There's been some kind of ... ,by the sound of it.
I'm not (exactly) sure whether ... or whether ...
It's definitely something to do with ...
Audio file 2.06
2. Now listen to both sides of the conversation in 1 and check

your ideas
Grammar
Verb Patterns
The verb patterns are dependent upon the first verb. There
are several different types of pattern
Verb + to + verb: These verbs all use this pattern: want, hope,
decide, agree.
I want to work with Dr. Laver.

Tim hopes to leave the stockroom soon.
Helen decided to go out with Michal.
Alice might agree to change wards.
Verb + verb + ing: These verbs all use this pattern: enjoy, mind,
consider.
I enjoy working on the emergency ward.

Alice doesn't mind working with children.
Tim is considering changing his job.
Verb + preposition + verb +ing: These verbs all use this pattern:
specialise, think.
He specialises in helping children.

Michal is thinking about cooking dinner.
Verb + object + verb: These verbs all use this pattern: let, make.
Dad let me keep the cat.

She made me say sorry.
Verbs with two patterns and different meanings: These verbs

have two possible patterns, and there is a difference in meaning
between the patterns: like, hate, regret.
I like to swim every day = I think it is a good idea to do this

I like swimming every day = I enjoy the activity. It gives me pleasure
I hate to tell you this = I am sorry to tell you this
I hate flying = I do not like this activity

I regret to tell you this = I am sorry to tell you this
I regret leaving London =I left London in the past, and I am sorry
that I did that
Grammar
Verb Patterns
Complete the sentences with the infinitive, base form, past

participle or -ing form of the verbs in brackets.
1. We've decided _______(redecorate) the children's bedrooms.
2. Mike and Janet had a big argument and stopped _______

(speak) to each other.
3. It cost €600 to have the car _______ (repair) .
4. What sort of computer is James hoping_______ (buy)?
5. They made everyone _______ (leave) the building when the fire
alarm went off.
6. I don't really feel like _______ (go) shopping today.
7. Would you ever consider _______ (move) to another country?
8. Every morning I have to force my son _______ (get up) for

school.
Unit 8
PRESENTATIONS
Skills:
Outlining problems, offering solutions
Solving communication problems
Vocabulary:
Describing trends
Speaking:
The importance of presentations in business
Reading:
When incompetence is tantamount to fraud
Listening:
Audiences in different countries
Speaking practice
Importance of presentations in business
How important is it in your line of business to be able to present

your ideas professionally?
Do you enjoy giving presentations or generally try to avoid them?
What are the most difficult things you must face in a presentation?
Do you remember any specific presentation that you have

delivered?
What are the disadvantages of giving a presentation in a language

which is not yours?
When incompetence is 'tantamount to fraud'
This article, from the Financial Times, is about presentation techniques.
Scan the text to identify seven examples of bad technique and five
characteristics of good technique.
Not long ago I went to a two-day conference. The fee, travel, and hotel
accommodation cost nearly £300. The conference offered 20 papers.
Of those, nine were rendered partly or wholly incomprehensible by
poor design or inept handling of visual aids. Of the 20 speakers, 12
overran their allotted time, so the programme on both days fell behind
schedule. To cope with this, the chairpersons asked some speakers to
cut short their planned presentations. They did. With the other paying
customers, I shall never know what I missed. I do know, however, that
I did not get the full 20 presentations I was entitled to expect.
Incompetent presentation is tantamount to fraud. Here are extracts
from my notes on that conference.
Speaker 1. Got slides out of sequence with talk, distractingly putting

them up before she reached the relevant point in her script. Read
inexorably through the script, stumbling over written word-clusters she
could not articulate.
Speaker 2. Put up transparencies on overhead projector, with

comment: 'You won't be able to read these." Correct! Had an electronic
watch that beeped at 15 minutes; commented that the beep meant
time was up: went on speaking. Overran by 10 per cent.
Speaker 3. Used first five of allocated 15 minutes to tell an anecdote

relevant to talk. Overran by 27 per cent.
Speaker 4. was warned twice by the chair about time to stop; so he

spoke twice as fast to try to finish with slides whistling to and fro at a
rate that made reading impossible. He confused himself as well as us
by putting up a slide that 'should not have been there'. Overran by
almost a third.
Speakers 2, 3 and 4 all began by stressing what they could not do in

15 minutes, thereby reducing substantially what they could do.

Things got worse. One speaker began by belittling himself and
insulting us: ‘I will just put up this slide to keep you occupied while I
go through the boring facts. He offered an example, but could not find
it: ‘I have some figures somewhere ... (fumbled in notes) ... but I can't
find them, never mind.’
When incompetence is 'tantamount to fraud'
Day two brought no relief. We were offered overhead transparencies

made by photocopying A4 pages in a small typeface. One illustration,
II columns - five rows of figures was put up with no comment other
than: ‘There are the figures.’ I was sitting about halfway back, 50-60
feet from the screen. The figures were utterly unreadable. The edifice
of the speaker's argument came crashing down. My comprehension
never emerged from the rubble.
One speaker's monotonal mumble defeated even the halter

microphone he was asked to wear because we could not hear him. He
misunderstood the chair's warning about time, and stopped three
minutes early. Blessed relief!
Another speaker did not know whether or not he had a slide to

illustrate his point: I think we have a slide for this. It is slide six. Oh
no, sorry. Well, we will go on.' How were we supposed to follow, if he
himself was lost.’
My notes have favourable comments on only three speakers, and those

notes make an important point; the value of being simply competent.
My comments on speaker eight illustrate that point: ‘Vigorous,
organised, enthusiastic, clear. Content not new or exciting, but mere
competence of presentation made it seem easily the best so far.’
by John Kirkman
Audiences in different countries
Audio file: 2.22-2.27
Listen to a group of business people talking about audience

expectations in different countries.
Which country do you think they're talking about?
Country Extract
USA
Germany
Japan
UK
France
Kuwait
Vocabulary
Describing trends
Write the phrases in the box under the correct graph.
Fluctuate pick up level off rise steadily peak shoot up plummet
Bottom out decrease gradually remain stable fall slightly
Grammar
Modal verbs in the past
Must have, can't have, couldn't have: expressing past

probability
Structure: modal verb + have + past participle

must have been, can't have gone, couldn't have gone, etc.
We use must have to express

that we feel sure that
something was true in the They must have left early.
past. He must have already gone.
We use can't have or couldn't He can't have escaped through

have to say that we believe this window – it’s too small.
something was impossible in She can't have said that.
the past. She couldn't have said that.
May / might / could have: expressing past probability
Structure: modal + have + past participle

may have been, could have gone, might have lost, etc.
We use may have, could He may have missed the bus.

have, might have to say that it The road might have
was possible that something been blocked.
happened in the past (but we (= ‘I think the road was blocked,
are not 100% sure). but I’m not 100% sure.’)
He may not have left yet.

The negatives are may not I might not have given her the
have and might not have. money; I’m not sure.
We don’t use couldn’t have in I could not have given her the
the same way. money, I’m not sure.
Grammar
Modals in past
Fill in each gap using one of the modal verbs:
must have, can’t have, could have, may have, might have.
1 I am sure he was here. I saw his car in front of the building.

He ____________ been here.
2 A: Where is James? He should already be here, shouldn't he?

B: Yes, he should but I don't know why he isn't here -
he ____________ missed the bus.
3 I'm not sure if I passed the exam. I don't feel very sure that
I passed. I ____________passed the exam.
4 A: Last summer I took four exams and failed them all!

B: You ____________ been very disappointed.
5 She speaks excellent French. I'm sure she's lived in Paris for a
long time. She ____________ lived in Paris for a long time.
6 A: Their plane was delayed and they had to wait 36 hours in

the airport.
B: They ____________ been very happy with the airline.
7 Someone told me that Mark was in Mexico last week, but I saw
him here so he ____________ been in Mexico.
8 A: I saw John yesterday - he looked very pleased with himself.

He didn't say why but I think he got that job he applied for.
B: He ____________ got that job he applied for.
9 They gave me very little time to do the job. It's possible I'd
have finished if I'd worked all night, but I'm not sure.
They gave me very little time to do the job.

I ____________ finished if I'd worked all night, but I'm not
sure.
10 We agreed to meet yesterday, but when I got there I didn't

see him. It's possible he was waiting elsewhere.
We agreed to meet yesterday but when I got there I didn't
see him. He ____________ waiting elsewhere.
Writing
How to write an effective opening for a presentation
Suggest a possible phrase for each of the prompts below.
a) Greet your audience.
b) Introduce yourself.
c) Give the title of your talk.
d) Describe the structure of your talk.
e) Explain that the audience can interrupt if they want.
f) Say something about the length of your talk.
g) Say a colleague will be showing a video later.
Now prepare an introduction to a short talk on one of the

following.
• your company and / or its products / services
• any company you know well
• an institution that you know well.
Decide who the audience is and write the opening of your

presentation.

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BOOKLET

“ A new concept in effective

2 Body language and gestures

Complaining and solving problems

Write some notes about these topics to start a conversation.

birthplace interests family

home current projects sports

Plans travels languages studies previous employers www.selexidiomas.com

Audio file: 1.02–1.03

Listen to some business people chatting at two corporate events

a What’s the connection between Helen Keating, James McRae and

N…………. a…………….. a……………. . B……………………. m……………….. g…………… .

d Two of the following mean ‘That can’t be true.’ Which two?

e Helen and James use several expressions to refer to memories.

2 ………………………………..me to forget a face.

3……………………………….. recognised you.

4……………………………….. back to me now.

5 ………………………………..remember spending most of the evening

fighting off some creepy little guy called Alan.

a) How would you describe relations between Mr Ishida and

warm ……. amicable ……. Cordial ……. cool……. strained……. frosty…….

So, Mr Ishida, let me freshen your glass.

So, how are you enjoying the match?

So, shall we return to our seats?

So, do you still play?

Why does he need to use it so often? What’s the equivalent word or

paying Mr Ishida a compliment? calling him a liar?

d) Mr Thompson tries to use his background knowledge to keep

1. I h………….. you’re quite a tennis fan.

e) What word is Mr Ishida avoiding by saying the following?

Not at the moment, thank you. Not really. Not especially.

Not any more. As a matter of fact, ...

Write phrases with the same meaning.

1. So, how are you enjoying…? _______________________

2. Isn’t this weather…? _______________________

3. I hear you… Is that right? _______________________

4. I understand you used to… _______________________

5. Am I right in thinking you …? _______________________

6. Ah, I see. So, …? _______________________

7. Oh, that’s interesting, because I… _______________________

8. Really? That’s a coincidence! _______________________

9. So, tell me more about… _______________________

10. Is it true that…? _______________________

11. Well, it’s been nice talking to you. _______________________ www.selexidiomas.com

At the coffee break table during a 15 minute break of a session on

Bob: Oh, sorry. Could you pass me the sugar?

1. How does John introduce himself to Bob?

Put the conversation in the correct order.

1 We were just talking about this new sports centre they’re

____ Not yet, no. Why, are you doing something?

____ Against Real Madrid? No, I missed it. I had to go to a

____ Me? Well, not really. I used to play a bit of football.

____ Did you? Me too. I was never any good, though.

TENSE POSITIVE NEGATIVE QUESTION USE

Choose the correct option to complete the sentences.

(b) will work

Could you tell me where the nearest bank is please?

Choose the correct alternative to make an indirect question.

1. (programme fee – how much?)

2. (application – begin – when?)

3. (application form – where – can obtain?)

4. (parents’ letter – do I need?)

5. (any computers provided?)