In court the judge interrogates a mugger but gets into difficulty because the mugger is a forigner who doesn't speak English.
Judge: Don't you speak English at all?
Mugger: Only a few words.
Judget: What words do you know?
Mugger: your purse or your life?
Sunday 30 November 2008
Saturday 29 November 2008
English Training Course - Chairing a conference call
Today will will learn how to chair a conference call. It involves how to start a meeting, how to control a meeting and how to end a meeting. Let's get started.
To chair a meeting is to lead the meeting. The one who is to chair the meeting is called chairperson.
There are many ways to open a meeting. It depends, obviously, on the type of the meeting and the situation. But there are six key points that you will always need to consider when starting a meeting:
1) Getting everybody's attention.
2) Welcoming and thanking attendees
3) Introducing any new colleagues.
4) Explaining the objectives
5) Looking at the agenda, and ..
6) Asking someone to start.
Let's look at how a chairperson handles each of these steps.
1) Getting everybody's attention
-All right. Is everybody here? Great. I think we can get started.
What else could the chairperson say?
-Okay. Let's get down to business.
-All right then. Can we get started?
-Okay folks. Let's get started, shall we?
-All right. Can I get everybody's attention? I think it's about the time we got started.
-All right everybody. We need to get this show on the road. (informal)
-Right, I think everybody's is here. Let's get started.
2) Welcoming and thanking attendees
-Well, good morning everyone. I'm sorry I had to call this meeting at such short notice.
-Well, good afternoon everybody. It's good to see you all here.
-Great! Thank you all for coming.
-Hello everyone! I'm glad to see you all here. I know it's a long way for some of you to come here. I really appreciate your being on time and already to work.
3) Introducing any new colleagues
-First of all, I’d like to introduce George from the Hong Kong office. Would you like to say a few words about yourself, George?
-Everybody say hello to Kerumi. She’s visiting us from the Japan office.
4) Explaining the objectives
-As you know, the main objective of this meeting is to agree on ways to …
-The reason we’re meeting today is to …
-The primary purpose of this meeting will be to start a discussion on …
-The main problem that we are facing is …
-The main thing I’d like to accomplish today is …
5) Looking at the agenda
-Let’s first go over the agenda. As you can see, we have a lot to cover.
-Let’s take a quick look at the agenda. As you can see, it’s broken down into five main parts.
-I’ve divided up the meeting today into three parts.
-I’ve prepared some figures to help us compare the two options. I’ll distribute them now.
6) Asking someone to start
-Good. Okay, let’s move straight to the first point on the agenda. Sandra, would you please kick off?
-Great. Well, we have a lot to cover, so let’s get down to business. George, could you start by explaining the background of the first item?
-All right then. Let’s start then, shall we? Katy, why don’t you tell us what you’ve being thinking on the advertising issue?
-Right. Suanne, would you be so kind as to begin?
To chair a meeting is to lead the meeting. The one who is to chair the meeting is called chairperson.
There are many ways to open a meeting. It depends, obviously, on the type of the meeting and the situation. But there are six key points that you will always need to consider when starting a meeting:
1) Getting everybody's attention.
2) Welcoming and thanking attendees
3) Introducing any new colleagues.
4) Explaining the objectives
5) Looking at the agenda, and ..
6) Asking someone to start.
Let's look at how a chairperson handles each of these steps.
1) Getting everybody's attention
-All right. Is everybody here? Great. I think we can get started.
What else could the chairperson say?
-Okay. Let's get down to business.
-All right then. Can we get started?
-Okay folks. Let's get started, shall we?
-All right. Can I get everybody's attention? I think it's about the time we got started.
-All right everybody. We need to get this show on the road. (informal)
-Right, I think everybody's is here. Let's get started.
2) Welcoming and thanking attendees
-Well, good morning everyone. I'm sorry I had to call this meeting at such short notice.
-Well, good afternoon everybody. It's good to see you all here.
-Great! Thank you all for coming.
-Hello everyone! I'm glad to see you all here. I know it's a long way for some of you to come here. I really appreciate your being on time and already to work.
3) Introducing any new colleagues
-First of all, I’d like to introduce George from the Hong Kong office. Would you like to say a few words about yourself, George?
-Everybody say hello to Kerumi. She’s visiting us from the Japan office.
4) Explaining the objectives
-As you know, the main objective of this meeting is to agree on ways to …
-The reason we’re meeting today is to …
-The primary purpose of this meeting will be to start a discussion on …
-The main problem that we are facing is …
-The main thing I’d like to accomplish today is …
5) Looking at the agenda
-Let’s first go over the agenda. As you can see, we have a lot to cover.
-Let’s take a quick look at the agenda. As you can see, it’s broken down into five main parts.
-I’ve divided up the meeting today into three parts.
-I’ve prepared some figures to help us compare the two options. I’ll distribute them now.
6) Asking someone to start
-Good. Okay, let’s move straight to the first point on the agenda. Sandra, would you please kick off?
-Great. Well, we have a lot to cover, so let’s get down to business. George, could you start by explaining the background of the first item?
-All right then. Let’s start then, shall we? Katy, why don’t you tell us what you’ve being thinking on the advertising issue?
-Right. Suanne, would you be so kind as to begin?
Laughter
An antique collector was passing a small shop when he noticed a cat on the sidewalk, licking milk from a saucer. The man immediately realized the saucer was very old and valuable. So he persuaded the shop owner to sell him the cat at $20. Then he said to the shop owner, "I wonder if you could throw in that old saucer as well. The cat seems to like it."
"Sorry," the shop owner, "but that saucer brings me luck. Just in this week I've sold 68 cats".
"Sorry," the shop owner, "but that saucer brings me luck. Just in this week I've sold 68 cats".
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving reminds us to be grateful, but for a lot of people, the holiday also means a weekend of eating a lot and watching football. And, my family is no exception. My family likes to have a traditional Thanksgiving dinner each year. We invite people from our extended family . We also invite close friends, especially those who don't have family in town. When it comes to Thanksgiving dinner, our motto is: The more the merrier. Our dinner, of course, starts with a big turkey, baked in the oven. I always carve it before it's served. Then, we have the fixings. We always have mashed potatoes, stuffing, yams, cranberries, and corn on the cob. Some years, we go wild and have other vegetables and sides. And, for dessert, we have pumpkin pie. My wife is not a big fan of pumpkin pie so for her, we also have ice cream.After we have a really big meal, we usually watch football on TV. Things usually get pretty rowdy since there are always fans on both sides rooting for their own team to win. Last year, my uncle almost got into a fistfight with my nephew. Luckily, no one‚ and no furniture harmed. That was a relief!
Listen to this podcastFriday 28 November 2008
English Training Course - Talking about email - Part 3
Today we will talk about how to write a friendly and diplomatic email.
Task A: How can you establish a good relationship with someone if you only communicate by email?
Here are some strategies. Do you think they are useful?
-On Fridays, wish the person you are writing to a good weekend.
-On Mondays, ask how their weekend was.
-Always stress your thanks for any help or information they have given you.
-Avoid writing an email when you feel angry or upset.
-Accentuate the positive and think very carefully about how you express negative points.
Task B: An Austrilian company is working with a Chinese developer to launch a new software product. The Austrilian project manager replies to Zhang Lina about the launch schedule.
Considering how to rewrite the mail in a more diplomatic way.
To: Zhang Lina
Re: Pre-launch development conference
Dear Lina,
The dates you've set for the pre-launch development conference (11-12 Sep) are no good. I told you before that nobody from the Austrilia office is free to attend at that time. You must change it to the following week.
I received your latest software prototypes and have passed them onto all team members.
Send me the new dates asap so we can finalise our schedule.
Regards
John
Task C: Question Match
Task D: Use appropriate phrases to make the mail on Task B more friendly and diplomatic. Refer to the launch schedule. Show consideration for the fact that changing the date will affect other scheduled events too. Wish Lina success on the software development project.
To: Zhang Lina
Re: Pre-launch development conference
Dear Lina,
Many thanks for sending us the information on the launch schedule. However, there seems to be a slight misunderstanding about the dates for the pre0-launch development conference. I 'm afraid that no one from here will be free to attend on 11-12 Sep. I am really sorry if I didn't make that clear in my last email. Would it be possible to reschedule the conference for the following week? I realized that will mean changing some of your other scheduled events. I'm very sorry about that.
Could you please let me have the new dates for the conference as soon as you can because obviously we have to plan our schedules at this end.
Thanks a million for the software prototypes. We are all extremely impressed with the work you guys have done.
We wish you every success with the rest of the software development project and look forward to meeting up with you at the conference.
Best regards
John
Task A: How can you establish a good relationship with someone if you only communicate by email?
Here are some strategies. Do you think they are useful?
-On Fridays, wish the person you are writing to a good weekend.
-On Mondays, ask how their weekend was.
-Always stress your thanks for any help or information they have given you.
-Avoid writing an email when you feel angry or upset.
-Accentuate the positive and think very carefully about how you express negative points.
Task B: An Austrilian company is working with a Chinese developer to launch a new software product. The Austrilian project manager replies to Zhang Lina about the launch schedule.
Considering how to rewrite the mail in a more diplomatic way.
To: Zhang Lina
Re: Pre-launch development conference
Dear Lina,
The dates you've set for the pre-launch development conference (11-12 Sep) are no good. I told you before that nobody from the Austrilia office is free to attend at that time. You must change it to the following week.
I received your latest software prototypes and have passed them onto all team members.
Send me the new dates asap so we can finalise our schedule.
Regards
John
Task C: Question Match
Task D: Use appropriate phrases to make the mail on Task B more friendly and diplomatic. Refer to the launch schedule. Show consideration for the fact that changing the date will affect other scheduled events too. Wish Lina success on the software development project.
To: Zhang Lina
Re: Pre-launch development conference
Dear Lina,
Many thanks for sending us the information on the launch schedule. However, there seems to be a slight misunderstanding about the dates for the pre0-launch development conference. I 'm afraid that no one from here will be free to attend on 11-12 Sep. I am really sorry if I didn't make that clear in my last email. Would it be possible to reschedule the conference for the following week? I realized that will mean changing some of your other scheduled events. I'm very sorry about that.
Could you please let me have the new dates for the conference as soon as you can because obviously we have to plan our schedules at this end.
Thanks a million for the software prototypes. We are all extremely impressed with the work you guys have done.
We wish you every success with the rest of the software development project and look forward to meeting up with you at the conference.
Best regards
John
English Training Course - Talking about email - Part 2
Today we will focus on how to make requests in email.
Let's get started with a sample:
Email A:
From: Jason Bourne
To: Martin Smith
I need the test results urgently. Can you please send them right away so we can get on with the next stage of the project?
Email B:
From: Jason Bourne
To: Martin Smith
Hi Martin,
I know you're very busy this week but I was wondering if you could send the test results as soon as possible? We can't start the next stage of the project without them. I'd really appreciate it.
Regards
Jason
Let's get started with a sample:
Email A:
From: Jason Bourne
To: Martin Smith
I need the test results urgently. Can you please send them right away so we can get on with the next stage of the project?
Email B:
From: Jason Bourne
To: Martin Smith
Hi Martin,
I know you're very busy this week but I was wondering if you could send the test results as soon as possible? We can't start the next stage of the project without them. I'd really appreciate it.
Regards
Jason
- Which email is more polite?
- Is there any situation where email A is appropriate?
How to make request?
1. Saying how you got the contact
-We met last Thursday on your stand at the Munich Trade Fair.
-I am emailing you off your website, which I found through Google.
2. Giving reason for writing
-We are a manufacturer / supplier / provider of ...
-We are interested in ...
-We are a Turkish company exporting to the EU, and we need ...
3. General requests
-We would be grateful for some information about ...
-Please send us information about your product range and prices.
4. Specific requests
-In particular, we would like to know ...
-Please send full details of your prices, discounts, terms of payment and delivery times.
-Could you also say whether there is any minimum order.
5. Close
-An early reply would be greatly appreciated.
-I look forward to an early reply, and am sure that there is a market for your products here in Hungary.
English Training Course - Talking about email - Part I
Do you know how to write a well-formatted and polite email? When I wrote the first English email in my new company, I am so nervous. I am not sure wether my expression is polite and clear to the recipient. It is a hard time for me. I'd like to share some information about how to write a clear and polite email.
Task A: Please correct the following sentences in a mail:
1. The details are as following.
"As follows" is often used to introduce a list (of things, etc.) E.g.
The 75 students are divided into five groups as follows:
group 1 - group 5
We may also say:
--The 75 students are divided into the following five groups:
--The five groups of 75 students can be found in the following list:-
2. Could you please help to check it?- Could you please check it?
3. Please find the attached report.- Please find attached the report.
4. Thank you for your checking.- Thank you for checking.
Task B: formal or informal email?
Formal:
I am afraid I will not be able to attend the meeting on Friday. As I will miss the meeting. I was wondering if you could send me a copy of the minutes? I will write to Anna as well, to inform her that I will not be there. Once again, please accept my apologizes for this, and I can assure you that I will be at the next meeting.
Informal:
Sorry I can't make the meeting on Friday. As I'll miss the meeting, could you send me a copy of the minutes? I'll write to Anita as well, to tell her (that) I won't be there. Once again, I'm sorry for this, and I promise (that) I'll be at the next meeting.
Below are the phrases to write in formal/informal way:
Sorry I can not program all the words one by one. I copied a picture here. You are supposed to refer to http://files.motime.com/eee115ff83bcfeb708e6eb48aee00186.doc or www.hueber.de/shared/elka/Internet_Muster/Red2/3-19-002884-2_Muster1.pdf for more details.
Task A: Please correct the following sentences in a mail:
1. The details are as following.
"As follows" is often used to introduce a list (of things, etc.) E.g.
The 75 students are divided into five groups as follows:
group 1 - group 5
We may also say:
--The 75 students are divided into the following five groups:
--The five groups of 75 students can be found in the following list:-
2. Could you please help to check it?- Could you please check it?
3. Please find the attached report.- Please find attached the report.
4. Thank you for your checking.- Thank you for checking.
Task B: formal or informal email?
Formal:
I am afraid I will not be able to attend the meeting on Friday. As I will miss the meeting. I was wondering if you could send me a copy of the minutes? I will write to Anna as well, to inform her that I will not be there. Once again, please accept my apologizes for this, and I can assure you that I will be at the next meeting.
Informal:
Sorry I can't make the meeting on Friday. As I'll miss the meeting, could you send me a copy of the minutes? I'll write to Anita as well, to tell her (that) I won't be there. Once again, I'm sorry for this, and I promise (that) I'll be at the next meeting.
Below are the phrases to write in formal/informal way:
Sorry I can not program all the words one by one. I copied a picture here. You are supposed to refer to http://files.motime.com/eee115ff83bcfeb708e6eb48aee00186.doc or www.hueber.de/shared/elka/Internet_Muster/Red2/3-19-002884-2_Muster1.pdf for more details.
English Training Course - Talking about job
I am enjoying my annual leave today. I am supposed to have annual leave every year.
But I don't have chance to enjoy these days before this year. Now it comes to true.
Today we will talk about how to describe your job.
A. It is essential that you are able to talk about your job and the work you do. Use the following phrases to talk about your work.
-My job entails/involves
-I'm in charge of
-I'm responsible for
-My responsibilities include
-I report to
-I manage
-I oversee
-I work for/under
B.Question Match
1. What's your job? - I'm a supervisor in a logistis company called Express Move.
2. What does that involve? - I'm responsible for 13 warehouses staff and report to the site manage.
3. How long have you been in your present job? - I've worked here for about four years now.
4. Do you enjoy your work? -Very much. My job entails a lot of different tasks - from co-ordinating drivers to liasing with suppliers so i don't get bored.
5. Is there anything you don't like about your work? - Well the role involves bureaucracy - and I'm not very keen on that.
6. How do you spend your time when you're not working? - I enjoy team sports like rugby, but I don't play as regularly as I'd like.
C. Story in this course
Just a few days after this training course, Mr. Johnson, who is the chairman of our company, visits Dalian. It's a great honor to us. One of our colleagues introduce himself to the visitors started with 'I am .... I am responsible for .....My responsibilities include ....". Don't you think it is too nervous?
But I don't have chance to enjoy these days before this year. Now it comes to true.
Today we will talk about how to describe your job.
A. It is essential that you are able to talk about your job and the work you do. Use the following phrases to talk about your work.
-My job entails/involves
-I'm in charge of
-I'm responsible for
-My responsibilities include
-I report to
-I manage
-I oversee
-I work for/under
B.Question Match
1. What's your job? - I'm a supervisor in a logistis company called Express Move.
2. What does that involve? - I'm responsible for 13 warehouses staff and report to the site manage.
3. How long have you been in your present job? - I've worked here for about four years now.
4. Do you enjoy your work? -Very much. My job entails a lot of different tasks - from co-ordinating drivers to liasing with suppliers so i don't get bored.
5. Is there anything you don't like about your work? - Well the role involves bureaucracy - and I'm not very keen on that.
6. How do you spend your time when you're not working? - I enjoy team sports like rugby, but I don't play as regularly as I'd like.
C. Story in this course
Just a few days after this training course, Mr. Johnson, who is the chairman of our company, visits Dalian. It's a great honor to us. One of our colleagues introduce himself to the visitors started with 'I am .... I am responsible for .....My responsibilities include ....". Don't you think it is too nervous?
Thursday 27 November 2008
English Training Course - Talking on the telephone
Talking on the telephone can be difficult for a couple of reasons. First of all, you can't see the person you're talking to, so you can't see his or her body language and "read" his or her face. Talking on the
phone also requires its own special set of words and phrases. Here’s a helpful reference chart that will help you speak on the telephone phone with confidence in business and personal situations. We hope you'll find this helpful. Now if you can only find somebody to pay for your cell phone bill you'll be all set!
| SITUATION | EXAMPLES |
| Introducing yourself. Phrases to use when you place the call. | When calling a general number: When the person answers the call directly: |
| Answering the phone. There are many different ways to answer your phone. | For calls to your direct line: For calls to your direct line, when the person asks for you by name: For calls to a general number: |
| Connecting someone. When you answer the phone and it is for somebody else. | - One minute, I’ll transfer you now. |
| When you need to put somebody on hold | - Jim is on another line at the moment. Would you like to hold? - I’m sorry. I have a call on my other line. Can you please hold? For customer service calls |
| When you don’t understand the caller | - Could you please repeat that? |
| Clarifying what your caller says | - Can you please spell that for me? |
| Taking a message for someone | - I'm sorry, John’s not here at the moment. Can I take a message? |
| Leaving a message for someone | - Please tell him that Susan called and ask him to call me back. My number is 999-343-3423. |
| Ending a conversation | - It’s been great talking with you. I’ve got a meeting now so I better run. |
English Training Course - Greetings and introductions
My company is conducting an English training course. I prefer to write something down to understand the course more well.
The 'Hello World' of English training course is about how to greetings and introductions. Let's get started.
A. What do you say when you meet someone for the first time?
How important do you think the following are when meeting someone for the first time?
-Eye contact -Friendly tone -Firm handshake -Giving them your business card
B. Question Match
1. It's good to see you again. - Greet someone you've met before, some time ago.
2. I'm Stephen, the Chief Accountant. -introduce yourself.
3. I'm sorry. I didn't catch your name. Can you say it again? -Check someone's name if you didn't hear it very well.
4. I'm sorry I don't know your name. -Ask someone what their name is.
5. Hi! How are you? -Greet someone you often meet.
6. Nice to finally meet you! -Greet someone you haven't met but with whom you have regular contact by phone or email.
7. Good morning. Pleased to meet you. -Greet someone you've never met before.
8. This is George Patton. He's in charge of sales. -Introduce a colleague.
C. In pairs look at each of the functions 1-8. Try to think of an alternative phrase that you could use in this situation.
3. Pardon?/Sorry, but I didn't quite hear what you said/Sorry, I didn't quite catch that./Say again?
5. What' up?/How is going?
7. How are you?/How are you doing?/Glad to meet you!/My pleasure to meet you.
D. How to introduce yourself
Dr. Livingstone, I presume?
—Sir Henry Morton Stanley, How I Found Livingstone, 1871
To introduce yourself to a new person, you can start with "Hello. My name is Sally" or "I'm Sally (or Sally Suave)" or "I'd like to introduce myself. I'm Sally." In a group, a handshake plus your name is acceptable.
People you don't know are not a big, amorphous crowd of strangers. Although in a group they may seem like an imposing solid brick wall, it may be better to think of a crowd as a wall of individual windows that can each offer you a different view of life. If you follow the many tips and small strategies contained in this book, even self-introduction can be a pleasure.
When you introduce yourself by saying your own name, don't use your title. Even if other people call you Mrs. Murray, introduce yourself as Eleanor Murray or Eleanor. However, with children who need help knowing what to call you, you can introduce yourself as Aunt Eleanor or Grandma Ellie if you want them to call you that.
A teacher introduces himself to his students with the title he would like them to use—Mr. Goodge or Dr. Goodge—but writes his whole name on the board: George Goodge. In intellectual circles, an inverse snobbery restrains professors from injecting their titles into introductions ("Hello, I'm Fred Mayhem"), though others may add them ("Hello, Dr. Mayhem.")
You will be on safe ground if you address both current and retired military, ambassadorial, clerical, and judicial people by their profession (Colonel Smith, Ambassador Smith, Reverend Smith, Father Smith, Justice Smith) or simply "sir" or "ma'am" until you are very sure of protocol in their worlds. When in doubt, ask. Aristocratic titles may call for a quick check of the etiquette books.
After you have said hello and your name, you may wish to expand on your introduction with pleasantries such as "Good to see you," "Nice to meet you," or "Nice to see you again."
If another person is introducing you, just make eye contact and offer to shake hands when you are being introduced. If your introducer has mangled your name, say it again clearly for your new acquaintance.
If you aren't clear of the other person's name, as you say something along the lines of "Nice to meet you," say the name again with an inquiring expression to let him or her correct what you think you heard. If you want to start right in on a first-name basis, just repeat your first name.
Once the other person has introduced himself, use the person's title and last name (e.g., Mr. Smith) until you are invited to be on a first-name basis. to reintroduce yourself to a brief former acquaintance (if you do not remember the person's name), say "Hello. My name is ___ ." Then the person will most likely respond with his or her name. If not, you can say "I remember you, but I've forgotten your name," or "You may not remember me; I'm Rafik." Always reintroduce yourself to young children who may have forgotten which one of the grown-ups you are in the interval since they saw you last.
If you wish to introduce yourself to someone who is of greater status or age, simply use good manners: "Good morning, sir. My name is Matt Frieberg; I'm your wife's student."
If you are the person with higher status, pay attention to the person who has made the effort to introduce himself to you. You, too, should use your best manners and be civilized. Don't let a seemingly unimportant person turn you into a snob. My English-born father often told of a conversation he'd overheard:
A humble young academic who was visiting a hidebound English university skirted protocol and had the gall to introduce himself to a professor at a gathering (rather than wait for a mutual friend to introduce them). "Good afternoon, sir, my name is Eric Kincaid," he said as he extended his hand. "Oh, really?" drawled the older man in his best upper-crust Etonian voice, and then he turned away.
A truly great human being does not commit cruelty by being uncivil to a person with lesser status. Give everyone you chance to meet at least three minutes of your time and attention. Be kind.
How to Remember Names
A gifted conversationalist seems to remember every name, every time. With a little help and some practice, you can too.
1. Gather your wits before you meet a new group of people. If you can, do your homework ahead of time with a list of names that you will then connect to faces.
2. When you are introduced, pay attention to the other person's name. Say it out loud as you make eye contact, say it at least once during the conversation, and say it again when you part.
3. Say the name over a few times in your mind and link it to a visual image: if her name is Mary Jane, imagine her wearing Mary Jane shoes. Or connect the person with others who have that name; visualize the Ben Lincoln you've just met standing next to Abe Lincoln.
4. Use rhyming: "Tall Paul" or "Nate the waiter." (Just don't say it out loud.)
5. Follow up. Reinforce your memory by looking at his name tag, asking him for a card, and writing his name down as soon as you get home.
How to Introduce Others
A senator once took Will Rogers to the White House to meet President Coolidge. Inside the Oval Office, the senator introduced the two men. "Will Rogers," he said, "I'd like you to meet President Coolidge."
Deadpan, Rogers quipped, "I'm sorry, but I didn't catch the name."
—Steve Goodier, Joy Along the Way, 2002
Another way to initiate a courteous conversation is to be attentive to occasions when introductions are in order. When you find yourself in a group of people who require introductions, first say the name of the woman, the older person, or the higher-ranking person. Repeat this rule over and over, and rehearse it with a friend if it is a stumbling point: the lady, the elder, or the honored person comes first. For example:
Mom, this is my friend Matt Chang. Matt, this is my mother, Lynda Weber.
(Matt's response will be "Hello, Mrs. [or Ms.] Weber" or "Hello, Lynda [if you said only her first name].")
The 'Hello World' of English training course is about how to greetings and introductions. Let's get started.
A. What do you say when you meet someone for the first time?
How important do you think the following are when meeting someone for the first time?
-Eye contact -Friendly tone -Firm handshake -Giving them your business card
B. Question Match
1. It's good to see you again. - Greet someone you've met before, some time ago.
2. I'm Stephen, the Chief Accountant. -introduce yourself.
3. I'm sorry. I didn't catch your name. Can you say it again? -Check someone's name if you didn't hear it very well.
4. I'm sorry I don't know your name. -Ask someone what their name is.
5. Hi! How are you? -Greet someone you often meet.
6. Nice to finally meet you! -Greet someone you haven't met but with whom you have regular contact by phone or email.
7. Good morning. Pleased to meet you. -Greet someone you've never met before.
8. This is George Patton. He's in charge of sales. -Introduce a colleague.
C. In pairs look at each of the functions 1-8. Try to think of an alternative phrase that you could use in this situation.
3. Pardon?/Sorry, but I didn't quite hear what you said/Sorry, I didn't quite catch that./Say again?
5. What' up?/How is going?
7. How are you?/How are you doing?/Glad to meet you!/My pleasure to meet you.
D. How to introduce yourself
Dr. Livingstone, I presume?
—Sir Henry Morton Stanley, How I Found Livingstone, 1871
To introduce yourself to a new person, you can start with "Hello. My name is Sally" or "I'm Sally (or Sally Suave)" or "I'd like to introduce myself. I'm Sally." In a group, a handshake plus your name is acceptable.
People you don't know are not a big, amorphous crowd of strangers. Although in a group they may seem like an imposing solid brick wall, it may be better to think of a crowd as a wall of individual windows that can each offer you a different view of life. If you follow the many tips and small strategies contained in this book, even self-introduction can be a pleasure.
When you introduce yourself by saying your own name, don't use your title. Even if other people call you Mrs. Murray, introduce yourself as Eleanor Murray or Eleanor. However, with children who need help knowing what to call you, you can introduce yourself as Aunt Eleanor or Grandma Ellie if you want them to call you that.
A teacher introduces himself to his students with the title he would like them to use—Mr. Goodge or Dr. Goodge—but writes his whole name on the board: George Goodge. In intellectual circles, an inverse snobbery restrains professors from injecting their titles into introductions ("Hello, I'm Fred Mayhem"), though others may add them ("Hello, Dr. Mayhem.")
You will be on safe ground if you address both current and retired military, ambassadorial, clerical, and judicial people by their profession (Colonel Smith, Ambassador Smith, Reverend Smith, Father Smith, Justice Smith) or simply "sir" or "ma'am" until you are very sure of protocol in their worlds. When in doubt, ask. Aristocratic titles may call for a quick check of the etiquette books.
After you have said hello and your name, you may wish to expand on your introduction with pleasantries such as "Good to see you," "Nice to meet you," or "Nice to see you again."
If another person is introducing you, just make eye contact and offer to shake hands when you are being introduced. If your introducer has mangled your name, say it again clearly for your new acquaintance.
If you aren't clear of the other person's name, as you say something along the lines of "Nice to meet you," say the name again with an inquiring expression to let him or her correct what you think you heard. If you want to start right in on a first-name basis, just repeat your first name.
Once the other person has introduced himself, use the person's title and last name (e.g., Mr. Smith) until you are invited to be on a first-name basis. to reintroduce yourself to a brief former acquaintance (if you do not remember the person's name), say "Hello. My name is ___ ." Then the person will most likely respond with his or her name. If not, you can say "I remember you, but I've forgotten your name," or "You may not remember me; I'm Rafik." Always reintroduce yourself to young children who may have forgotten which one of the grown-ups you are in the interval since they saw you last.
If you wish to introduce yourself to someone who is of greater status or age, simply use good manners: "Good morning, sir. My name is Matt Frieberg; I'm your wife's student."
If you are the person with higher status, pay attention to the person who has made the effort to introduce himself to you. You, too, should use your best manners and be civilized. Don't let a seemingly unimportant person turn you into a snob. My English-born father often told of a conversation he'd overheard:
A humble young academic who was visiting a hidebound English university skirted protocol and had the gall to introduce himself to a professor at a gathering (rather than wait for a mutual friend to introduce them). "Good afternoon, sir, my name is Eric Kincaid," he said as he extended his hand. "Oh, really?" drawled the older man in his best upper-crust Etonian voice, and then he turned away.
A truly great human being does not commit cruelty by being uncivil to a person with lesser status. Give everyone you chance to meet at least three minutes of your time and attention. Be kind.
How to Remember Names
A gifted conversationalist seems to remember every name, every time. With a little help and some practice, you can too.
1. Gather your wits before you meet a new group of people. If you can, do your homework ahead of time with a list of names that you will then connect to faces.
2. When you are introduced, pay attention to the other person's name. Say it out loud as you make eye contact, say it at least once during the conversation, and say it again when you part.
3. Say the name over a few times in your mind and link it to a visual image: if her name is Mary Jane, imagine her wearing Mary Jane shoes. Or connect the person with others who have that name; visualize the Ben Lincoln you've just met standing next to Abe Lincoln.
4. Use rhyming: "Tall Paul" or "Nate the waiter." (Just don't say it out loud.)
5. Follow up. Reinforce your memory by looking at his name tag, asking him for a card, and writing his name down as soon as you get home.
How to Introduce Others
A senator once took Will Rogers to the White House to meet President Coolidge. Inside the Oval Office, the senator introduced the two men. "Will Rogers," he said, "I'd like you to meet President Coolidge."
Deadpan, Rogers quipped, "I'm sorry, but I didn't catch the name."
—Steve Goodier, Joy Along the Way, 2002
Another way to initiate a courteous conversation is to be attentive to occasions when introductions are in order. When you find yourself in a group of people who require introductions, first say the name of the woman, the older person, or the higher-ranking person. Repeat this rule over and over, and rehearse it with a friend if it is a stumbling point: the lady, the elder, or the honored person comes first. For example:
Mom, this is my friend Matt Chang. Matt, this is my mother, Lynda Weber.
(Matt's response will be "Hello, Mrs. [or Ms.] Weber" or "Hello, Lynda [if you said only her first name].")
Wednesday 26 November 2008
China's food exports to US in 2007
I read a news from China Daily. It is about china's food exports to US.
It is interesting to learn some words about food.
Below is the Top 10 list:
1. Fish and shellfish $2.013b
2. Fruits and preparations, including frozen juices $816m
3. Vegetables and preparations $444m
4. Soft beverages, processed coffee $276m
5. Feedstuff and food food grains $222m
6. Bakery and confectionary products $173m
7. Tea, spices and preparations $142m
8. Nuts and preparations $99m
9. Meat products and poultry $98m
10. Non-agricultural food and food additives $85m
It is interesting to learn some words about food.
Below is the Top 10 list:
1. Fish and shellfish $2.013b
2. Fruits and preparations, including frozen juices $816m
3. Vegetables and preparations $444m
4. Soft beverages, processed coffee $276m
5. Feedstuff and food food grains $222m
6. Bakery and confectionary products $173m
7. Tea, spices and preparations $142m
8. Nuts and preparations $99m
9. Meat products and poultry $98m
10. Non-agricultural food and food additives $85m
Widget, Widget, Widget
What’s Widget
1.a small application that runs on your desktop or in a web page. Widgets enrich your desktop or web pages with functionality, useful information and a lot of fun
2.There are three types of Widgets:
-Desktop Widget
-Web Widget
-Mobile Widget
3.Bring all the things you love right to your desktop or web browser
4.Save time with live updates right on your desktop
- Your favorite info comes to you
- No need to surf around for what you use most
5.Convenient at-a-glance view keeps your Widgets in line
- Get all of your personalized updates in one place
- Neatly organize your widgets along any edge of your desktop
Why Widget
Though Social Network is still the mainstream in 2008, Widget has gotten more and more attention from last year. It has possessed a large market and provided a new marketing channel for advertising agencies.
It was forecasted by eMarketer that Widget advertising spending would reach 40 million dollars in 2008. During the period of post-Web2.0 that traditional Internet access methods were split, the popularity of diversified and individualized Widget may lead a new trend.
The most classical application of Widget perhaps is to put a video from YouTube or tudou.com in a blog or BBS or to embed a customized search box in a blog. This kind of mini-application that can be embedded in a webpage or put directly on the desktop is called Widget. It integrates many net applications such as games, clock, calendar, information consultation, media tools, network tools, work assist. Users can get various services they need from Widget.
Benefit from the push of Widget, Social Networks like MySpace，Facebook and Orkut under Google were forecasted to have 1 billion dollars for their advertising revenue.
By the end of 2007, FaceBook has managed 11179 Widgets. Their users quickly rise to 50 million and the market value rise to 15 billion dollars. The success of Youtube was also based on the swift spread of Widget. In June of 2005, Youtube began to provide embedded video player in MySpace. In May of 2006, the video embedded in MySpace took 20% of the total video stream of Youtube.
Not only big enterprises such as Google, yahoo has big interest in Widget, but also mobile phone manufactures. At the beginning of 2007, Iphone supported Widget, meanwhile, Nokia developed Widset platform. It is also the trend of “Mobile + Internet”. Some experts think that the future of mobile phone Widget will be more attractive than web Widget.
1.a small application that runs on your desktop or in a web page. Widgets enrich your desktop or web pages with functionality, useful information and a lot of fun
2.There are three types of Widgets:
-Desktop Widget
-Web Widget
-Mobile Widget
3.Bring all the things you love right to your desktop or web browser
4.Save time with live updates right on your desktop
- Your favorite info comes to you
- No need to surf around for what you use most
5.Convenient at-a-glance view keeps your Widgets in line
- Get all of your personalized updates in one place
- Neatly organize your widgets along any edge of your desktop
Why Widget
Though Social Network is still the mainstream in 2008, Widget has gotten more and more attention from last year. It has possessed a large market and provided a new marketing channel for advertising agencies.
It was forecasted by eMarketer that Widget advertising spending would reach 40 million dollars in 2008. During the period of post-Web2.0 that traditional Internet access methods were split, the popularity of diversified and individualized Widget may lead a new trend.
The most classical application of Widget perhaps is to put a video from YouTube or tudou.com in a blog or BBS or to embed a customized search box in a blog. This kind of mini-application that can be embedded in a webpage or put directly on the desktop is called Widget. It integrates many net applications such as games, clock, calendar, information consultation, media tools, network tools, work assist. Users can get various services they need from Widget.
Benefit from the push of Widget, Social Networks like MySpace，Facebook and Orkut under Google were forecasted to have 1 billion dollars for their advertising revenue.
By the end of 2007, FaceBook has managed 11179 Widgets. Their users quickly rise to 50 million and the market value rise to 15 billion dollars. The success of Youtube was also based on the swift spread of Widget. In June of 2005, Youtube began to provide embedded video player in MySpace. In May of 2006, the video embedded in MySpace took 20% of the total video stream of Youtube.
Not only big enterprises such as Google, yahoo has big interest in Widget, but also mobile phone manufactures. At the beginning of 2007, Iphone supported Widget, meanwhile, Nokia developed Widset platform. It is also the trend of “Mobile + Internet”. Some experts think that the future of mobile phone Widget will be more attractive than web Widget.
Word about Movie
Movie theatre:
It is a cinema.
Cinema:
It is a movie theater.
Lobby:
It is a hall, foyer, or waiting room at or near the entrance to a building, such as a hotel or theater.
Concession stand:
Concession stand is the term used to refer to a place where patrons can purchase snacks or food at a cinema, fair, Stadium, or other entertainment venue. Some events or venues contract out the right to sell food to third parties. Those contracts are often referred to as a concession — hence the name for a stand where food is sold.
Food sold at concession stands or candybars are often junk food such as french fries, ice cream, popcorn, pizza, hot dogs, soft drinks, and candy. However, many newer arenas now include multiple concession stands or candybars that essentially form a food court, serving a variety of fast food. At temporary outdoor events such as funfairs, food trucks may operate as concession stands or candybars.
Screening room:
It is a place you actually watch the movie.
Ticket window:
It is a place where you buy ticket from.
Ticket taker:
The person checks your ticket and gives part of your ticket back to you.
Stub:
The ticket taker gives part of ticket back to you, it is called stub.
Genres of movies:
Action: generally involves a moral interplay between "good" and "bad" played out through violence or physical force.
Adventure: involving danger, risk, and/or chance, often with a high degree of fantasy.
Comedy: intended to provoke laughter.
Drama: mainly focuses on character development.
Fantasy: speculative fiction outside reality (i.e. myth, legend).
Horror: intended to provoke fear in audience.
Slasher: A variation of Horror that focuses less on suspense and more on death and gore. Also calledSplatter film.
Mystery: the progression from the unknown to the known by discovering and solving a series of clues.
Romance: dwelling on the elements of romantic love.
Thrillers: intended to provoke excitement and/or nervous tension into audience.
It is a cinema.
Cinema:
It is a movie theater.
Lobby:
It is a hall, foyer, or waiting room at or near the entrance to a building, such as a hotel or theater.
Concession stand:
Concession stand is the term used to refer to a place where patrons can purchase snacks or food at a cinema, fair, Stadium, or other entertainment venue. Some events or venues contract out the right to sell food to third parties. Those contracts are often referred to as a concession — hence the name for a stand where food is sold.
Food sold at concession stands or candybars are often junk food such as french fries, ice cream, popcorn, pizza, hot dogs, soft drinks, and candy. However, many newer arenas now include multiple concession stands or candybars that essentially form a food court, serving a variety of fast food. At temporary outdoor events such as funfairs, food trucks may operate as concession stands or candybars.
Screening room:
It is a place you actually watch the movie.
Ticket window:
It is a place where you buy ticket from.
Ticket taker:
The person checks your ticket and gives part of your ticket back to you.
Stub:
The ticket taker gives part of ticket back to you, it is called stub.
Genres of movies:
Action: generally involves a moral interplay between "good" and "bad" played out through violence or physical force.
Adventure: involving danger, risk, and/or chance, often with a high degree of fantasy.
Comedy: intended to provoke laughter.
Drama: mainly focuses on character development.
Fantasy: speculative fiction outside reality (i.e. myth, legend).
Horror: intended to provoke fear in audience.
Slasher: A variation of Horror that focuses less on suspense and more on death and gore. Also calledSplatter film.
Mystery: the progression from the unknown to the known by discovering and solving a series of clues.
Romance: dwelling on the elements of romantic love.
Thrillers: intended to provoke excitement and/or nervous tension into audience.
Tell the difference of words I
could versus would:
would is a little more formal.
Would you please give me that pen?
Could you please give me that pen?
center versus centre:
center and centre are identical in meaning,
center is an American spelling.
centre is a British spelling.
for example, theater is an American spelling, but theatre is a British spelling.
to have versus to have got
to have got is informal, to have is a little more formal.
-How much money have you got?
-How much money do you have?
-I have a car.
-I've got a car.
-I have to go.
-I've got to go.
Should we use singular or plural verbs with percentages.
30% of the population (is/are) single.
You have to look at what comes after the word OF.
If the object is singular, then the verb is singular.
If the object is plural, then the verb is pluarl.
-30% of the pie was missing.
-30% of the pies were missing.
would is a little more formal.
Would you please give me that pen?
Could you please give me that pen?
center versus centre:
center and centre are identical in meaning,
center is an American spelling.
centre is a British spelling.
for example, theater is an American spelling, but theatre is a British spelling.
to have versus to have got
to have got is informal, to have is a little more formal.
-How much money have you got?
-How much money do you have?
-I have a car.
-I've got a car.
-I have to go.
-I've got to go.
Should we use singular or plural verbs with percentages.
30% of the population (is/are) single.
You have to look at what comes after the word OF.
If the object is singular, then the verb is singular.
If the object is plural, then the verb is pluarl.
-30% of the pie was missing.
-30% of the pies were missing.
Tuesday 25 November 2008
Plunges and Dives
Source: ESLPOD.COMI don’t know enough about the financial crisis here in the U.S. to explain why our economy is having so many problems, but I can explain some of the headlines (titles) that have appeared recently in U.S. newspapers for those of you who are interested in reading the news in English.
Here is the main (most important, largest) headline from today’s Wall Street Journal:
Bailout Plan Rejected, Markets Plunge, Forcing New Scramble to Solve Crisis
Let’s begin with bailout. To bail something/someone out literally means to remove water, usually from a boat or ship that has a leak (where water is entering the boat and causing it to go down or sink). A bailout (noun), however, is when you give money to someone or some company to help them when their business is failing. The U.S. government has been giving money to large financial companies to prevent them from failing in the past two weeks. Yesterday, the U.S. Congress (the part of the government that makes and approves new laws) rejected or said no to a plan to provide even more money to these businesses. Because they said no, the stock markets plunged. To plunge means to go down very quickly or rapidly. You can also use plunge when something goes down in the water very quickly. Plunge is similar here to the verb to dive, which again means to go down quickly.
So the bailout plan was rejected by the U.S. Congress, causing the stock markets to plunge. Now what happens? Well, the U.S. government has to find a new solution, so they are looking desperately - scrambling - to solve this crisis or serious problem. To scramble, then, means to move quickly after something goes wrong, usually something you didn’t expect to go wrong. Many people thought that Congress would approve the bailout plan, so when it failed to pass yesterday, there was a scramble to find a new solution.
The New York Times‘ headline was similar:
Defiant House Rejects Huge Bailout; Stocks Plunge; Next Step is Uncertain
A defiant person is someone who disobeys or says no to something. The House refers to the House of Representatives, which is one half of the U.S. Congress (the other part is called the Senate). So the House rejected the large or huge bailout plan, the stock market plunged, and now no one knows what will come next. The next step or action for the government is uncertain.
Chinese History Story(CHS)- Terracotta Warrior
Terracotta:
Fairly coarse, porous clay that, when fired, assumes a color ranging from dull ochre to red. Terra-cotta objects are usually left unglazed and are often of a utilitarian kind, because of their cheapness, versatility, and durability. Small terra-cotta figures from 3000 BC have been found in Greece and others throughout the Roman Empire from the 4th century BC. The use of terra-cotta virtually died out when the Roman Empire collapsed, but it was revived in Italy and Germany in the 15th century.
Warrior:
A warrior is a person habitually engaged in warfare.
Terracotta Army was buried with the Emperor of Qin (Qin Shi Huangdi) in 210-209 BC (his reign over Qin was from 247 BCto 221 BC and unified China from 221 BC to the end of his life in 210 BC). Their purpose was to help rule another empire with Shi Huangdi in the afterlife. Consequently, they are also sometimes referred to as "Qin's Armies".
The Terracotta Army was discovered in March 1974 by local farmers drilling a water well to the east of Mount Lishan. (The precise coordinates are 34°23′5.71″N,109°16′23.19″ECoordinates: 34°23′5.71″N,109°16′23.19″E.) Mount Lishan is also where the material to make the terracotta warriors originated. In addition to the warriors, an entire man-made necropolis for the emperor has been excavated.
Terracotta Warriors Audio on BBC Learning English
Terracotta Warriors Script on BBC Learning English
Fairly coarse, porous clay that, when fired, assumes a color ranging from dull ochre to red. Terra-cotta objects are usually left unglazed and are often of a utilitarian kind, because of their cheapness, versatility, and durability. Small terra-cotta figures from 3000 BC have been found in Greece and others throughout the Roman Empire from the 4th century BC. The use of terra-cotta virtually died out when the Roman Empire collapsed, but it was revived in Italy and Germany in the 15th century.
Warrior:
A warrior is a person habitually engaged in warfare.
Terracotta Army was buried with the Emperor of Qin (Qin Shi Huangdi) in 210-209 BC (his reign over Qin was from 247 BCto 221 BC and unified China from 221 BC to the end of his life in 210 BC). Their purpose was to help rule another empire with Shi Huangdi in the afterlife. Consequently, they are also sometimes referred to as "Qin's Armies".The Terracotta Army was discovered in March 1974 by local farmers drilling a water well to the east of Mount Lishan. (The precise coordinates are 34°23′5.71″N,109°16′23.19″ECoordinates: 34°23′5.71″N,109°16′23.19″E.) Mount Lishan is also where the material to make the terracotta warriors originated. In addition to the warriors, an entire man-made necropolis for the emperor has been excavated.
Terracotta Warriors Audio on BBC Learning English
Terracotta Warriors Script on BBC Learning English
Useful Tools
Because of software policy, I can not access some useful tools such as Visio, Ms project.
I'd like to share some free tools with you.
1. http://ganttproject.biz/
GanttProject is a free and easy to use Gantt chart based project scheduling and management tool. Our major features include:
Task hierarchy and dependencies
Gantt chart
Resource load chart
Generation of PERT chart
PDF and HTML reports
MS Project import/export
WebDAV based groupwork
2. http://projects.gnome.org/dia/
Dia is a gtk+ based diagram creation program released under the GPL license.
Dia is inspired by the commercial Windows program 'Visio', though more geared towards informal diagrams for casual use. It can be used to draw many different kinds of diagrams. It currently has special objects to help draw entity relationship diagrams, UML diagrams, flowcharts, network diagrams, and many other diagrams. It is also possible to add support for new shapes by writing simple XML files, using a subset of SVG to draw the shape.
It can load and save diagrams to a custom XML format (gzipped by default, to save space), can export diagrams to a number of formats, including EPS, SVG, XFIG, WMF and PNG, and can print diagrams (including ones that span multiple pages).
I'd like to share some free tools with you.
1. http://ganttproject.biz/
GanttProject is a free and easy to use Gantt chart based project scheduling and management tool. Our major features include:
Task hierarchy and dependencies
Gantt chart
Resource load chart
Generation of PERT chart
PDF and HTML reports
MS Project import/export
WebDAV based groupwork
2. http://projects.gnome.org/dia/
Dia is a gtk+ based diagram creation program released under the GPL license.
Dia is inspired by the commercial Windows program 'Visio', though more geared towards informal diagrams for casual use. It can be used to draw many different kinds of diagrams. It currently has special objects to help draw entity relationship diagrams, UML diagrams, flowcharts, network diagrams, and many other diagrams. It is also possible to add support for new shapes by writing simple XML files, using a subset of SVG to draw the shape.
It can load and save diagrams to a custom XML format (gzipped by default, to save space), can export diagrams to a number of formats, including EPS, SVG, XFIG, WMF and PNG, and can print diagrams (including ones that span multiple pages).
Monday 24 November 2008
A talk with Indian Friend
Yesterday evening, I received a call from an Indian friend. He said there seems to be some problems about heating system of his room. And he asked if he can come to my home to see how to set the switches. I said it’s ok.
He came to my home after ten minutes. I showed the switches in my home. The switch will be work if it is set to be vertical. My friend told me the switches in his home are set to horizon.
I invited him to sit down and have a talk.
He told me something about his work. He will have 7 days holiday during Christmas. I suggested that he can have a tour in
And we talk about how we spent the weekend. I told him I go to the cinema with my son. We talked about the film name. Unfortunately, I forgot again how to say hell. I don’t know what’s wrong, but I can’t remember many words I had learned. The film name is HellBoy. It’s a sequel to the movie.
Friday 21 November 2008
Welcome to Stone Study English
Welcome to Stone Study English.
I plan to put some materials in my English learning courses.
I am glad to see you here.
I plan to put some materials in my English learning courses.
I am glad to see you here.
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