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BUSINESS SKILLS
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BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
Copyright Hot English Publishing SL 2016 www.learnhotenglish.com
3
CONTENTS
Page
6
Socialising In English
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
28
29
30
32
33
34
35
36
38
39
40
4
How To Introduce Yourself
WORD BUILDING - Socialising
How To Shake Hands And Introduce Yourself!
Starting A Conversation
PHRASAL VERBS - Chatting About Other People
Chatting On A First Date
How To Remember People’s Names
Chatting To Work Colleagues
HOW TO... Make Small Talk
What To Do If You Forget Someone’s Name!
How To Make Small Talk
PHRASAL VERBS - Talking About Work
How To Start A Conversation
The Importance Of Make Eye Contact In A Conversation!
Chatting About Films!
How Do You Get To Work?
Talking About Relationships
Chatting About Parties
HOW TO... Improve Your Listening
How To Ask Questions In English!
Building On The Conversation
BODY LANGUAGE: Socialising
How Body Language Can Improve Your Communication Skills!
Body Language Do’s & Don’ts
Meeting For The First Time
Getting To Know Someone
How To Read Body Language!
How To Express Emotions In English!
How To Respond To Comments
How To Be A People Magnet
Inviting Someone Out
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
Copyright Hot English Publishing SL 2016 www.learnhotenglish.com
Page
41 PHRASAL VERBS - Likes & Dislikes
76
Invitations
How To Arrange A Meeting
How To Build Rapport With Someone
Asking About A City
PHRASAL VERBS - Socialising
Telling Jokes
How To Tell Stories In English!
Talking About Your Adventures
WORD BUILDING - Arguing
Catching Up On All The Latest News!
Money Chat
Giving Opinions On Hypocrisy
The Business Lunch
Networking
How To Introduce Yourself Quickly
8 Easy Ways To Improve Your Pronunciation!
PRONUNCIATION... Key Words & Word Linking
12 Important Proverbs And Sayings!
PRONUNCIATION... Connected Speech & Sentence Stress
How To Improve Your Spoken English
Reporting Back On Events
How To Give A Back-Handed Compliment
Getting Into The City
Asking About Someone’s Plans
Catching Up On The Latest News!
What Do You Think Of The Underground?
How To Get Talking To Someone
Four Social Dialogues
Chatting About Regrets!
Chatting About Sunday!
Making Plans
How To End A Conversation
77
Answers
81
Audio Scripts
42
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
62
63
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
Copyright Hot English Publishing SL 2016 www.learnhotenglish.com
5
SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
Answers on page 77
Objective To learn how to start a conversation in English
1
Speech bubbles
Complete the sentences (1 to 7) with the words from below.
from in card address join coming welcome
1. We’re playing
squash tonight.
Do you fancy
Think about it!
When was the last time you met someone new? Where were they
from? What did you talk about? Do you ever socialise with your work
colleagues or friends from college / university? What do you do? Do
you go out with friends very often? Where do you go? What do you
like to do when you meet up with members of your family?
along?
2. We’re going for
a drink after
work. You’re
to
join us if you want.
3. What’s
your e-mail
?
4. We’re going to get
something to eat.
Do you want to
us?
5. Have you got
a business
?
6. So, what part of
the world are you
?
Where to socialise!
What are some of the typical places where people socialise, chat
or make small talk? Think of as many as you can. Then, compare
your ideas with the ones below.
Places to socialise
7. Is this your
first time
Shanghai?
6
in an airport waiting lounge, by the water cooler at the
office, in a hotel reception, at a bus stop, in a museum,
in a lift (elevator), in a hair salon, at a business lunch,
waiting for a meeting, travelling in a taxi through
a new city, at a party, in a football stadium, at the
opening party for an art exhibition, at a pub, having a
coffee in a bar. Other?
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
Copyright Hot English Publishing SL 2016 www.learnhotenglish.com
TRACK 01
HOW TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF
Answers on page 77
Objective To learn how to introduce yourself in English
Think about it When was the last time you had to introduce yourself? Who were you talking to? What are some polite ways to introduce yourself to
people in your language? What do you usually say to friends when you see them after a short period of time? How do you greet them? What about friends
you haven’t seen for a long time? What do you say or do?
1
Pre-listening
For each of the situations below, say how you’d greet the person
and what you’d say to them in the first minute of conversation.
1. A good friend you’ve just met in the street.
2. Someone you’ve met for the first time in an
internet café.
3. A friend you bump into on the train who you haven’t
seen for six years.
4. Someone who you’ve just been introduced to at
a party.
2
Listening I
You’re going to listen to four mini-conversations. Listen
once to compare your ideas from the Pre-listening activity. Did they say
any of the things you thought of?
3
When listening to a conversation you
won’t understand every word the
people say. So, listen out for the key
words – the most important words in
the conversation: the nouns, verbs,
adjectives, etc. Then, use your intuition
to guess what people are saying.
Listening II
Listen again. Then, answer the questions.
Conversation I
1. What does Jack hope he’s done?
2. What does Ben suggest doing?
Conversation II
3. How long has Jessica been there?
4. What did Alex do in the north?
Conversation III
5. How long is it since they last saw each other?
6. What has Sandra just done?
Conversation IV
7. When did John and Mark first meet?
8. How long did Jane work with John for in London?
4
Useful language
Complete the mini-dialogues with the correct words.
Brian Conrad.
A: How do you do? (1)
B: How do you do? Alexandra Scott. (2)
meet you.
to
A: Good morning, I’m Jack Smith from Numan PLC.
? Pleased to meet you.
B: How do you (3)
A: How do you do? I’m Elliot Smith from GHT.
you, Mr Smith.
B: Nice to (4)
is John.
A: Hello, my (5)
B: I’m Abbie Nichols. Pleased to meet you.
A: Pleased to meet you
A: So, have you been here (6)
B: About six months now.
long?
A: So, how long have you and Pete (7)
other?
B: For about three years.
each
you for ages.
A: I haven’t (8)
B: Yeah, it’s been a while.
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
Copyright Hot English Publishing SL 2016 www.learnhotenglish.com
7
TRACK 02
WORD BUILDING
SOCIALISING
Answers on page 77
Complete the sentences with the words you hear.
1
2
Go out for a drink
Have a chat
If you “have a chat” with someone, you talk to them
in a friendly, informal way about things that aren’t
really important.
“We had a chat with Pete in that bar you
.”
3
If you “go out for a drink” with
someone, you go to a bar, café, etc.
and have a drink with them.
“We went out for a drink last night and didn’t
get home till about three in the
.”
4
5
Break the ice
Look familiar
(a person)
Ring a bell (a name)
If you “break the ice”, you do or say
something to make a situation less
tense and more relaxed.
“I thought a funny joke might break the ice,
but it only made things
.”
If someone “looks familiar”,
you think you recognise them,
but you aren’t entirely sure.
“His face looks familiar, but I can’t
recall where we first
.”
If someone’s name “rings a bell”,
you think you recognise it, but you
aren’t sure.
“Her name rings a bell, but I can’t
where we first met.”
6
7
8
Get to know someone
Have a lot in common
If you “have a lot in common” with
someone, you’ve been to the same
places, you like the same things, you
know the same people, etc.
“After about half-an-hour of chatting to her,
I soon realised that we had quite a lot in
.”
9
Mutual friend
If friends A and B have a “mutual
friend” (C), A and B both know C,
although A, B and C have never been
together at the same time.
“I think we’ve got a mutual friend. You
Charles, don’t you?”
If you “get to
know someone”,
you start learning
things about them
and discovering
what they’re like.
“After spending a
week together at the
, we got
to know each other
quite well.”
10
Not have a clue
who someone is
If you “haven’t got a clue who
someone is”, you really can’t
remember who they are, and you
aren’t even sure if you’ve met before.
“I haven’t got a clue who she is. In fact,
I don’t even think we’ve met
.”
8
Put your foot in it
If you “put your foot in it”, you do or say something silly.
“I put my foot in it when I said I hated the restaurant – I never knew
it was his mum’s restaurant and his dad was the
.”
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
Copyright Hot English Publishing SL 2016 www.learnhotenglish.com
VIDEO 01
HOW TO SHAKE HANDS AND
INTRODUCE YOURSELF!
Answers on page 77
SHAKING HANDS WITH SOMEONE YOU’VE
NEVER MET BEFORE
1. Step forward towards the other person.
2. Extend your right hand.
3. Take the other’s person’s right hand in your
right hand.
3. Look the other person in the eyes and smile.
4. Shake the other person’s hand, moving it up and
down once or twice.
5. Take your hand back, and step back.
1
Pre-viewing
2
First viewing
3
Second viewing
When was the last time you introduced yourself to someone?
Where were you? Who did you introduce yourself to? How did
it go? How do friends introduce themselves in your country?
What about in business situations? What are your top tips for
introducing yourself in business situations? Make notes.
Remember, “How do you do?” isn’t a question you have to
answer – it’s just a form of greeting. And you answer it with
“How do you do?” For example:
A: How do you do?
B: How do you do?
Watch the video once. Were any of your ideas from the Pre-viewing
task mentioned?
Watch the video again. Then, put the following statements in the
order in which they appear in the video.
Make eye contact as you’re shaking the other person’s
hand.
You should be standing up when you shake hands.
Make sure your body language is good; stand up straight
with your shoulders back.
Make sure you give a firm handshake, but not so hard that
you injure the other person.
As you introduce yourself, give your first and last name.
Smile so you can give a really good first impression.
Shake the other person’s hand for the entire time it takes
you to introduce yourself.
As you shake hands, make sure you touch the web of the
other person’s hand.
When watching a video in English, you
probably won’t understand every word
the people say. But don’t worry. Simply
listen out for the key words – the most
important words in the conversation:
the nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc. Then,
use your intuition to guess what the
people are saying.
The handshake
The handshake is an extremely important aspect of non-verbal communication. It can set the mood for the entire conversation. In western culture,
a firm handshake will make you appear confident and trustworthy; while a limp handshake can make you appear weak. However, be careful as a very
hard handshake could make you appear to be aggressive. Also, watch out for people who try to turn your hand so their hand is on top. This is a power
play and an attempt to show that they’re in charge and the dominant person. The same thing is true when people use their other hand to pat your
other arm or shoulder.
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
Copyright Hot English Publishing SL 2016 www.learnhotenglish.com
9
TRACK 03
STARTING A CONVERSATION
Answers on page 77
Objective To learn how to start a conversation in English
WAIT FOR ME!
It’s important to get on with people
socially as well as professionally.
Research has shown that we prefer to
work with people we get on with and
have a good relationship with.
Useful language: short answers
We use short answers in response to yes/no questions.
For example:
A: Are you happy?
B: Yes, I am.
A: Is she French?
B: No, she isn’t.
1
Pre-listening
Think of five questions to ask someone about the school they went
to as a child. For example:
Where was the school?
What was the name of the school?
Did you have to wear a school uniform?
What was the food like?
Then, answer all the questions yourself.
2
Listening I
3
Listening II
You’re going to listen to two people who are talking about their
schools. Listen once. Did they ask any of the questions that you
thought of?
Listen again. Then, write T (True) or F (False) next to each
statement.
1. Jessica went to a vegetarian school.
2. She had to wear a uniform.
3. There were about 350 pupils in her school.
4. Bob’s school was strict.
5. At break time, the children had to play football or
basketball or join a club.
6. Bob threw some water over an older child.
7. Bob was allowed to go home to change his shirt.
10
Notice how we often repeat the auxiliary verb in the short answer.
For example:
A: Can you do it?
B: Yes, I can.
A: Does he know her?
B: No, he doesn’t.
Note: when using short answers, we don’t use
contractions with affirmative forms of the verb to be.
For example, you can’t say: Yes, I’m. / Yes, they’re, etc.
You have to say, Yes, I am. / Yes, they are, etc. However, it
is possible to use contractions with the negative forms.
For example, you can say: No, I’m not. / No, they aren’t.
4
Exercise
Answer the questions with the correct short answers. Use
affirmative short answers.
1. Is she at home? = Yes, she is.
2. Are the shoes sold here?
3. Did he go to the concert?
4. Were they working on the project?
5. Had they seen it before?
6. Has she called yet?
7. Will they have completed it by next week?
8. Is she going to work over the holidays?
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
Copyright Hot English Publishing SL 2016 www.learnhotenglish.com
PHRASAL VERBS
CHATTING ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE
Answers on page 77
Complete the sentences (1 to 8) with the words from below.
saw tragic job offer girlfriend seen places heard film
1
2
End up
If you “end up” in a certain
place, you go there eventually.
“I heard that Georgia ended up in
Canada, of all
.”
Put on
If you “put on” weight, you become fatter or heavier.
“Bill has put on a bit of weight since I last
him.”
3
4
Go out
Turn down
If two people are “going out”, they’re in a relationship.
“I’ve
that Ben and Lauren are going out.”
If you “turn down” an offer, you don’t accept it.
“Did you hear? Sophie turned down the
in Chicago.”
5
6
Make of
If you don’t know what to “make
of” something, you don’t know
what to think of it.
“Have you seen that
that Ellis is in? I’m not quite sure what
to make of it.”
7
Move in
If you “move in” with someone, you start
living with them. The opposite is “move out”.
“Greg has moved in with his
, at last.”
8
Break up / split up
Find out
If two people in a relationship “break
up”, they stop the relationship.
“Madison and Finley broke up after six
years together. It’s
!”
If you “find out” information, you discover
it or learn about it.
“Did you ever find out what happened to Zoe?
I haven’t
or heard from her for ages.”
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
Copyright Hot English Publishing SL 2016 www.learnhotenglish.com
11
TRACK 04
CHATTING ON A FIRST DATE
Answers on page 77
Objective To learn how to ask basic questions about someone
I HOPE HE
LIKES ME!
1
Pre-listening
2
Listening I
I HOPE SHE
LIKES ME!
Remember, most people like
to talk about themselves
more than anything else. So,
ask them lots of questions
and get them talking about
themselves!
What questions could you ask someone you’ve just met? Think
of at least six.
For example: Where did you go to school? Have you got any
brothers or sisters? What type of films do you like? Etc.
You’re going to listen to two people (Nigel and Erika) who are on
a blind date – a romantic evening for two people who have never
met before. Listen once to compare your ideas from the Prelistening activity. Were any of your questions mentioned?
3
Listening II
Listen again. Then, answer the questions.
1. What’s Nigel going to have to drink?
2. What school did Nigel go to?
3. Where did Erika grow up?
4. Where did Nigel shoot a lion?
5. What did he learn to do in Thailand?
6. What does Erika say about Nigel’s photo on his
diving licence?
7. What type of car has Nigel got?
8. What does Erika do?
12
4
Useful language
Complete the questions with the correct question words (when,
where, why, what, etc.). Then, try to answer five of the
questions.
are you from?
1.
do you do? [to ask about someone’s job]
2.
do you work?
3.
does your company do?
4.
long are you over here for?
5.
are you studying?
6.
do you think of it so far?
7.
line of business are you in?
8.
long have you been here?
9.
did you decide to change jobs?
10.
did you move over here?
11.
did you get into journalism?
12.
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
Copyright Hot English Publishing SL 2016 www.learnhotenglish.com
VIDEO 02
HOW TO REMEMBER
PEOPLE’S NAMES
Answers on page 77
Never underestimate the value of
small talk. Small conversations can
often lead to BIG business.
1
Pre-viewing
2
Comprehension
How do you remember people’s names? What are your top tips?
Make notes. Then, watch the video. Rate the speaker’s advice
for remembering names on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the
highest score).
Watch the video again. Then, answer the questions.
1. Why is it easy to remember a face?
2. Apart from the bun on Beatrice’s hair, what other
features does he mention?
3. What does he suggest putting on top of her hair?
4. What is he going to see every time he talks to her?
5. What should you do if you get introduced to lots of
people at the same time?
6. What does he picture every time he meets someone
called Bill?
7. What features of Bill’s face does he mention? Which
one does he choose?
8. What’s he going to put on Bill’s nose?
TOP TIPS FOR
REMEMBERING NAMES!
Make an effort to learn and use someone’s name.
This will help to make a positive impression. Here are
our top tips for remembering someone’s name.
1. Focus on the person. Give them your undivided
attention. And don’t allow yourself to become
distracted.
2. Repeat their name aloud. This will help you
remember it.
3. Ask a question to give you time to try to remember
the name or repeat it in your head. It also shows
that you’re interested in the person.
4. As the other person is answering your question,
repeat their name silently at least ten times in
your mind.
5. Make an association between their name and
something else. The more bizarre and exaggerated
the visualisation, the better. For example, if
someone called Carol is a computer technician,
you could create a picture of “Carol singing a
Christmas carol with a computer on her head”.
6. End the conversation by saying the other person’s
name. Then, when you’ve left, write down the
name for future reference and recall.
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
Copyright Hot English Publishing SL 2016 www.learnhotenglish.com
13
TRACK 05
CHATTING TO WORK COLLEAGUES
Answers on page 77
Objective To learn how to chat with colleagues in English
1
Pre-listening
What can you chat about at work or during a break at college?
Think of as many things as you can. Then, look at the list below.
What could you say about each thing?
the weather, e-mails, meetings, the boss, other
colleagues, lunch, the weekend, holidays, family, their
house, studies, hobbies, food, drink, parties…
2
Listening I
You’re going to listen to two people (James and Lily) chatting at
work. Listen once. Does Lily invite James to her dinner party in
the end?
3
Listening II
Listen again. Then, answer the questions with short answers.
1. Did Lily get the e-mail that James forwarded to her?
2. Is Lily’s computer working properly now?
3. Does Lily have any plans for this evening?
4. Is she having a dinner party?
5. Has she moved into her new house?
6. Did she forget to invite Mike?
14
4
Useful language
Avoid interrupting someone or
looking around for someone else to
talk to. Instead, try to learn about
others as well as sharing information
about yourself. Show that you’re
sincerely interested in building a new
relationship. Business circles
are small, so you need to leave
a good impression.
Complete the sentences with the correct words.
up to at the weekend?
1. What did you
?
2. What was your weekend
to a lovely restaurant.
3. We
all weekend.
4. The weather was terrible. It
into the new house yet?
5. Have you
some friends round on Saturday evening.
6. We
most of the weekend studying for an exam.
7. I
up late, had a big breakfast and spent the
8. I
rest of the day in my pyjamas.
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
Copyright Hot English Publishing SL 2016 www.learnhotenglish.com
HOW TO... MAKE SMALL TALK
Our top 11 tips on how to make small talk in English.
SMALL TALK
“Small talk” = casual conversation based on trivial topics (such
as the weather, cinema, family, etc.) in an informal setting: while
waiting for a bus, in a lift, at a business lunch, having a coffee in a
café, at a party, etc.
You may be able to deliver killer speeches, wonderful
presentations and professional talks on topics of your
choice. But can you make small talk? There are times in
life when you need to make casual conversation. And in
business, the social aspect of a business relationship is
often as important as the professional one. Here are our
top 10 tips for making small talk.
1
LISTEN
2
QUESTIONS
3
INTEREST
The number-one rule when making small talk is to
listen. Make a conscious effort to remember what
the other person is saying. Then, you can use this
information to generate more conversation.
In order to keep the conversation going, ask lots of
open questions with question words such as who, why,
what, when and where. For example:
a) What did you think of the conference?
b) Where did you go for your last holidays?
c) Who did you see at the party last week?
While you’re talking to someone, focus exclusively on
that person. And use your body language to show that
you’re interested: face the person, use eye contact
and nod your head at appropriate moments. Also,
use conversational fillers such as “ah ha / really? /
amazing!” to show that you’re interested in what they’re
saying... even if you aren’t!
4
FOLLOW UP
Follow up on everything that the person you’re talking
to tells you. For example:
a) You’re a lawyer, aren’t you? What motivated you to
go into law?
b) So, you like tennis, don’t you? How often do you get
to play?
5
EGO CHECK
Try to avoid always turning the attention of the
conversation back on yourself. For example, if someone
mentions that they’ve just been to Italy, don’t respond
with, “Oh, I’ve been there. We went there last year.”
Instead, use this information as an opportunity to ask
lots of questions about the other person’s trip: Where
did you go? Who did you go with? What was it like?
What did you see?
6
WATCH OUT!
7
PRACTICE
8
READ!
9
WRITE IT DOWN
10
THINK “SITUATION”!
11
TOP TOPICS
Practise making small talk whenever you can. When
abroad, talk with cashiers, waiters, and taxi drivers, and
try to get into conversation when you’re in a queue,
in a lift or in the doctors’ waiting room. The more you
practise, the better you’ll get.
Keep up-to-date on the latest news so you’ll always have
something to talk about; and try to read things on a
wide variety of topics: cookery, television, music, sports,
fashion, art, baseball, Russia, butter, hip-hop, shoes,
poetry... anything goes!
Write down any interesting stories you hear, or details of
funny things that have happened to you. Later, you can
use these anecdotes to brighten up a dull conversation.
For example:
a) I’ve had a terrible day. Just as I was leaving home…
b) Something really funny happened to me the other
day. Just as I got to work…
c) I had a nightmare at the hotel yesterday.
d) I heard this funny story on the news last night.
Think carefully about where you are. For example, if
you’re at a wedding, think of all the relevant things you
could ask: How do you know the bride? How long have
you been friends with the groom? How did you get
here? Where are you staying?
Or, if you’re visiting a new company, you could ask the
following: What’s it like working here? How easy is it
to get into the city centre? Where’s a good place to get
lunch round here? Etc.
If you’re ever running out of conversation, use one of
these fail-safe conversation topics:
the news, film, football, sport, music, the weather, fashion,
literature, cars, hobbies, the weekend, videogames,
the theatre, family, local topics (shops, clubs, etc.), TV,
celebrities, scandals, holidays, travel, entertainment, work,
your hometown, food, traditions, customs
For example:
a) I went to this great restaurant last night.
b) What are you doing this weekend?
c) I saw this incredible film last week.
Avoid saying anything that could be interpreted as criticism Small talk can be a lot of fun, but you need to prepare
or judgement; and above all, keep away from potentially
for it and practise. And remember, small talk can lead to
controversial topics such as religion and politics.
big business!
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15
VIDEO 03
WHAT TO DO IF YOU
FORGET SOMEONE’S NAME!
Try to remember people’s names, and
use their name in conversation. One
way to do this is to associate their name
with something visual: something
they’re wearing, something that rhymes
with their name, an animal their name
sounds like, an object their name
reminds you of, etc.
1
Pre-viewing
2
First viewing
3
Second viewing
Have you ever forgotten someone’s name while you were talking
to them? Where were you? Who were you talking to? What
happened? What do you usually do if you forget someone’s name?
Make notes.
Watch the video once. Were any of your ideas mentioned?
Match the sentences or sentence beginnings and endings.
Then, watch the video again to check your answers.
1. It happens to the best of us...
2. What I always say is address it...
3. Don’t just hope that the right type of question...
4. I’m so sorry I’ve just forgotten your name,...
5. It’s been days that you’ve known them...
6. Do a little bit of homework – send a text to
someone,...
7. There is that kind of social awkwardness if...
8. We’re all human. We all do it...
...would you mind telling me again?
...will prompt them to say their name.
...– it happens to all of us.
...and suddenly you’ve forgotten their name.
...you have forgotten their name and you’ve known
them for some time.
f. ...We all forget people’s names every now and again.
g. ...– don’t skirt around the issue.
h. ...do whatever you can to find out what their name is.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
16
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Answers on page 77
Use their name in your
first or second response,
and mention their name
naturally during the
conversation, but don’t
overdo it. Lastly, remember
to repeat their name when
saying goodbye.
TRACK 06
HOW TO MAKE SMALL TALK
Answers on page 77
Think about it When was the last time you went to a party? Whose party was it? Who did you talk to there? What did you talk about? Did you meet
anyone new? What did you talk to them about? What did you eat or drink there?
ARE YOU
IMPRESSED?
In order to generate conversation,
use question words such as who,
why, what, when and where.
And avoid asking too many yes/no
questions (such as, Do you live
here? / Did you like it? etc.)
as they only required a one-word
answer.
1
Pre-listening
Imagine you’re at a party and you’ve just met someone. What can
you talk about with them? Add at least three more items to the list.
the host, the food or drinks, the other guests, how you
know the host, the weather, the house or flat where the
party is, any mutual friends, the music…
2
Listening I
NOT REALLY!
You’re going to listen to a conversation between two people who have
just met at a party. Listen once. Do they talk about any of the things you
thought of for the Pre-listening activity?
3
Listening II
Listen again. Then, choose the correct answers.
1. Who is Ellie’s flatmate?
a) Steve
b) Jenny
2. What is Jenny wearing?
a) a blue dress
b) a pair of red trousers
4
3. Which company does Ellie work in?
a) Earnest Shapely
b) Brooks Productions
4. What is Steve’s profession? He’s a/an…
a) accountant
b) teacher
5. What does Steve do in his free time?
a) a bit of acting
b) a lot of cycling
6. Where did Steve live once? In…
a) Hong Kong
b) Chicago
Useful language – making small talk
Complete the sentences with the correct words.
you?
1. You’re Ellie,
?
2. How’s it
of Sarah’s, aren’t you?
3. You’re a
Jenny.
4. I don’t think I’ve
together?
5. So, do you two
jobs, so we aren’t in the same
6. She
company any more.
that?
7. So, which company
any famous people?
8. Do you get to
?
9. So, what about you? What do you
there for a
10. Interesting. My aunt
few years.
amazing.
11. It must have
the ferry to work.
12. I had to
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17
PHRASAL VERBS
TALKING ABOUT WORK
Complete the sentences (1 to 8) with the words from below.
help
client
deadlines
morning
toys
manager
1
person
end
2
Write up
Phone up / call up
If you “write up” a
report (for example),
you write the report
using notes you made
earlier.
“Could you write up that
report for me by Monday
, please?”
3
If you “phone someone
up”, you call them so
you can speak to them.
“If she isn’t responding to
our e-mails, call her up or go
round to her office to speak
to her in
.”
4
Copy in
If you “copy
someone in” on an
e-mail, you include
their e-mail address
in the list of people
who will receive the
e-mail.
“Don’t forget to copy
me in on all those
e-mails you send the
.”
5
Back up
If you “back up” material, you
make a copy of it.
“Don’t forget to back up your work every
day at the
of the day.”
6
Take over
If you “take over”
control of something,
you become the person
who controls it.”
“Jennifer took over as
project
from Mark as things
weren’t going too well
under him.”
7
Get down
If something is “getting you down”,
it’s making you feel depressed.
“All these really tight
are
starting to get me down.”
8
Build up / pile up
Step up
If work is starting to “build up” (or “pile up”), the
amount you have to do is increasing.
“The number of documents we have to deal with is really
building up. I think we need some outside
.”
If you “step up” production (for example),
you increase it or do it more quickly.
“We need to step up production if we want to get
all these
made on time.”
18
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Answers on page 77
TRACK 07
HOW TO START A CONVERSATION
Answers on page 77
Objective To learn how to introduce yourself and start a conversation
Think about it Have you ever been stuck in a lift? What happened? Was there anyone else with you? What did you talk about? When was the last time
you went to a conference? What was it about? Who did you meet? What did you talk about?
I’M SORRY BUT
I’VE RUN OUT OF
THINGS TO SAY.
As Dale Carnegie once said, “You can
make more friends in two months by
becoming interested in other people
than you can in two years by trying to
get other people interested in you.”
So, get the other person talking as
much as you can.
1
Pre-listening
For each of the situations below, say how you’d introduce yourself,
what you’d say to the other person to get the conversation
started, and what topics of conversation you’d use to keep the
conversation going.
1. You’re stuck in the lift at work with someone who
works on another floor.
2. You’re at a conference and you’re ordering a coffee at
the bar. You see someone you’d like to talk to.
2
Listening I
You’re going to listen to two mini-conversations. Listen once to check
your ideas from the Pre-listening activity. Did they say any of the things
you thought of? Did they discuss any of the topics you thought of?
3
Listening II
Listen again. Then, answer the questions.
Call I
1. Which company does Jack work for and on which
floor?
2. Which company does Beth work for and on which
floor?
3. Why does Jack get out of the lift before his floor?
4. What does Beth invite Jack to do?
Call II
5. What was the problem with Keith’s booking?
6. What positive things do they mention about the
hotel?
Things people love talking
about include their jobs,
achievements, family,
hometown, hobbies, sports...
7. Why hasn’t Justin done much sightseeing?
8. Why was Keith’s wife able to accompany him?
4
Useful language
Complete the sentences with the correct words.
the way.
1. I’m Beth,
meet you.
2. Pleased
do you work on?
3. So, which
4. I thought we were going to be here all
5. Actually, I think I’ll get out here too and
up.
a coffee?
6. So, do you fancy
7. There’s a café on this floor, just round the
here?
8. So, is it your first
?
9. Where are you
10. Actually, I think I saw you checking in at
the other day.
11. The breakfast buffet is amazing, and the
are incredible!
?
12. Have you been down to the
?
13. So, have you done much
.
14. Actually, I’ve been here
?
15. So, what does she
16. She’s a dentist. Actually, that’s how we
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
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.
.
!
19
VIDEO 04
THE IMPORTANCE OF EYE CONTACT
IN A CONVERSATION!
As Dale Carnegie once said, “There are
four ways, and only four ways, in which
we have contact with the world. We are
evaluated and classified by these four
contacts: what we do, how we look,
what we say, and how we say it.”
1
Pre-viewing
2
First viewing
3
Second viewing
What are the pros and cons of maintaining eye contact with
the person you’re talking to? Why might it be important? What
could the other person think if you don’t maintain eye contact?
Make notes.
Watch the video once. Were any of your ideas from the Pre-viewing
task mentioned?
Watch the video again. Then, put the following statements in the
order in which they appear in the video.
A lot of people have a hard time making eye
contact.
If you get distracted by something, make sure you
refocus your attention as soon as possible.
Ask a close friend or loved one to give you feedback
on your conversational style.
Look at the central point between someone’s
eyebrows if you have problems making eye contact.
Make sure you don’t stare too much. 1
Have a conversation with yourself in front of a
mirror and watch your eyes and see how often they
drift off.
Look off now and then when you’re speaking, but not
for too long – just a second or two.
Blinking too much comes across as a little bit
awkward.
20
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Answers on page 77
TRACK 08
CHATTING ABOUT FILMS!
Answers on page 77
Objective To learn how to talk about films
Focus exclusively on the person you’re
talking to. Use your body language to
show that you’re interested in what the
other person is saying.
I’VE GOT A FEW
PROBLEMS TO
IRON OUT!
2
Pre-listening
Think of four typical questions to ask about a film. For example:
What’s it about? / Who’s in it?
GAME ON!
1
3
Listening I
4
Listening II
You’re going to listen to two conversations with people chatting
about these two films: The Hunger Games and Iron Man 3.
Listen once. Did you hear any of the questions you thought of for
the Pre-listening activity?
Movie matching
Write a movie title from below next to the film descriptions (1 to 6).
It’s a Wonderful Life Psycho The Shawshank Redemption Casablanca
1. Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) is on the run after
stealing money from the place where she works. After
driving through the night, she stops at a motel. That
night, creepy motel owner Norman Bates (Anthony
Perkins) pays her a visit. Directed by Alfred Hitchock.
2. A wrongfully-imprisoned banker and a fellow prisoner
try to escape from jail. The film stars Tim Robbins
and Morgan Freeman, and was directed by Frank
Darabont.
3. This American drama is about George Bailey
(James Stewart). After deciding to commit suicide
on Christmas Eve, his guardian angel, Clarence
Oddbody (Henry Travers), appears and makes
George think twice. The film was directed by Frank
Capra.
4. Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) lives a lonely life as a
nightclub owner in Casablanca, Morocco. But things
take a turn for the better when a former love interest,
Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman), returns out of the blue.
Set during WWII, the film was directed by Michael
Curtiz.
Listen again. Then, answer the questions.
The Hunger Games
1. What did Josh and Megan order to eat?
2. What did Josh think of the film?
3. What genre of film does he say it is?
4. What’s the film about?
Iron Man 3
5. What did Pete think of the film?
6. Who is the main character fighting against?
7. Who plays the part of the baddie?
8. What is Chloe doing while Pete is talking?
5
Useful language
Notice how we often use the Present Simple when we’re telling
stories. Complete the sentences with the words from below.
by directed in about do takes like take set stars
1. The film
place in the 1920s.
in Chicago during the Depression.
2. It’s
by Steven Spielberg.
3. It’s
Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman.
4. It
place?
5. Where does it
?
6. What’s it
?
7. Who’s it directed
it?
8. Who stars
about it?
9. What did you
in the box office?
10. How well did it
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TRACK 09
HOW DO YOU GET TO WORK?
Answers on page 77
Objective To learn to describe how you get to work
Think about it How do you get to work or school? How long does it take you? What’s the longest it’s ever taken you? What about the shortest time?
What do you like or dislike about the journey? How expensive is it per month? What means of transport would you like to take in order to get to work?
How practical would that be?
HI, HO, HI, HO,
IT’S OFF TO WORK
WE GO!
1
Pre-listening
2
Listening I
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
25 minutes
50 minutes
30 minutes
20 minutes
45 minutes
3
Listening II
Maintain eye contact with the person
you’re talking to. Letting your eyes
wander while in conversation shows
that you aren’t interested.
Look at the list of forms of transport below. What are the pros and
cons of using each one for getting to work?
train, bus, car, bike, underground, tram, taxi, motorbike,
walking, helicopter…
Other?
You’re going to listen to five people talking about how they get to
work. Listen once and match the forms of transport (1 to 5) to the
times it takes them to commute (a-e).
1. Train
2. Bus and train
3. Bus
4. Bike
5. Underground
Listen again. Then, answer the questions.
1. Train: How far does the speaker live from the city?
2. Bus: How long does the bus take?
3. Car: How much does it cost to leave the car in the car
park?
4. Bike: How long does it take the speaker to cycle to
work?
5. Underground: What time does the speaker try to
leave home?
22
4
Useful language
Complete the sentences with the correct words. Then, listen again
to check your answers.
the city where I work.
1. I live about 50 km
my house.
2. Luckily, there’s a train station
about 50 minutes with
3. I catch the train, which
all the stops.
from the
4. I use the time to catch up on any
day before.
near my house.
5. I walk to a bus
15 minutes.
6. The bus takes
about 30 minutes.
7. The train ride
to work every
8. I use the park-and-ride system to
morning.
the nearby
9. I leave the house at 6.30 and drive
bus station.
10. My commute to work takes about 25 minutes
.
by
11. I can leave my bike in the garage under the office at
.
only
12. I have to change lines once but the whole
takes about half an hour.
– from about 7:30
13. It’s really busy at peak
onwards.
14. There are delays sometimes but the trains are
.
quite
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TRACK 10
TALKING ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS
Answers on page 77
Objective To learn how to talk about your relationships
Think about it When was the last time you asked someone out on a date or someone asked you out on a date? Where did you go? Where’s the best place
to go out on a date? Why? What can go wrong on a date? What’s the worst date you’ve ever been on? And the best? What do people typically say on a date?
THIS IS NICE!
1
YES, I ALWAYS BRING
MY DATES HERE.
Pre-listening
If you ask someone out on a date, what could you invite them
to do? Think of as many ideas as you can. For example:
to go for a meal in a restaurant, to go for a walk in
the park, to go to a party…
2
Be positive and optimistic and you’ll
be welcome in any social setting.
Smiling can help you appear to be
positive. It can also make you feel
good, psychologically.
Listening I
You’re going to listen to two people (Alfie and Lisa) who are chatting
in a bar. Alfie is talking about his love life. He wants to go on a date with
Jessica, but it’s proving to be difficult. Listen once. How many of your
ideas from the Pre-listening task were mentioned?
3
Listening II
Listen again. Then, choose the correct words.
1. Alfie asked Jessica to the cinema / theatre on Tuesday.
2. He invited her to dinner / lunch on Wednesday.
3. He invited her to the cinema / theatre on Thursday.
4. He asked her to accompany him to the theatre /
opera on Friday.
5. He wants to invite her to the opening of an art
gallery / arcade this evening.
6. He promises he won’t phone her again until the
end of April / May.
7. She’s in mourning because her hamster / grandfather
died.
4
Useful language
Complete the sentences with the correct prepositions.
Then, listen again to check your answers.
the cinema on Tuesday.
1. We went
football.
2. She isn’t that keen
going away this weekend.
3. We’re thinking
my place after the film.
4. I invited her back
an Italian restaurant.
5. We had a lovely meal
my own.
6. I guess I’ll have to go to the art gallery
Jessica?
7. So, how are things
yet?
8. Have you asked her
now?
9. Are you guys going
then? Can’t she make it?
10.What’s
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23
TRACK 11
CHATTING ABOUT PARTIES
Answers on page 77
Objective To keep a conversation going with questions
Think about it When was the last time you went to a party? What was it like? Have you ever hosted a party? How did it go? What type of party was it?
What do you like/dislike about parties? What would your dream party be like?
SHALL WE HAVE
A PARTY?
1
Pre-listening
Think of as many types of party as you can:
birthday party, wedding party, going away party,
surprise party, homecoming party, fancy-dress party,
dinner party, engagement party, Halloween party,
pyjama party, New Year’s Eve party…
Try not to complain or criticise too
much as this will send out negative
vibes. The more positive you are with
people, the more they’ll appreciate
you.
What does each one involve? What are your favourite types? Why?
2
Listening I
You’re going to listen to two people talking about parties. Listen
once. What type of parties do they mention?
3
Listening II
Listen again. Then, answer the questions.
1. Whose house did Madison go to for the party?
2. What happened towards the end of the party?
3. What did the drunk guy at Oscar’s party do in the
kitchen?
4. Why did he “shuffle away”?
5. What was Madison going to do for her 23rd birthday
party?
6. What happened when she walked into her friend’s
house?
24
4
Useful language
Complete the questions with the correct question words (who,
what, where, etc.).
was the party like?
1.
did all this happen?
2.
did you do then?
3.
were you staying?
4.
happened in the end?
5.
was the trip over there?
6.
were you with at the time?
7.
happened next?
8.
were you when that happened?
9.
did you get up to at the weekend?
10.
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HOW TO... IMPROVE YOUR LISTENING
Here are nine top tips for improving your listening skills in English.
Objective To learn how to motivate the person you’re talking to
Be yourself. The things that make you
different are the very things that make
you interesting. People with magnetic
personalities are people who are
comfortable in their own skin.
WHY DO YOU THINK
YOU’VE GOT TWO EARS
AND ONE MOUTH?
1
ACCEPT THE FACTS!
First of all, you need to accept the fact that you aren’t
going to understand everything. Experts have shown
that we only actually hear or fully understand about
40% of the words during a conversation… even in our
own language.
2
6
THINK “CONTEXT”!
7
GUESS!
KEEP CALM!
The other really important thing is to think about the
context. If you know what the main topic is, you’ll be
able to guess what the people are talking about. For
example, if you know the topic is “the weather”, you can
be sure that they’re going to mention things about the
rain, the snow, the wind, the temperature… and so on.
ASK FOR HELP!
If you know what the context of the conversation is, you
should be able to guess a lot of what the other person
is saying… even if you don’t hear or understand all the
words. The trick is to use your imagination, to guess
and to follow your intuition. It isn’t an exact science, but
it works!
While you’re listening, the most important thing is to
stay calm. You won’t understand everything, so don’t let
that upset you. The aim is to get a general idea of what
the other person is saying. Never try to listen out for
every word. Listen for the gist of the conversation – go
for the main ideas.
3
SO YOU CAN HEAR
TWICE AS MUCH AS
YOU SAY!
If you’re having problems during the conversation, ask
the other person to speak more slowly. Also, ask people
to repeat things if you didn’t understand. Again, the
speaker is trying to have a conversation and will do what 8 IMPROVE YOUR PRONUNCIATION!
Finally, you need to learn about English pronunciation,
they can to help you.
and above all, connected speech. This occurs when
4 DON’T TRANSLATE!
sounds merge together to form new sounds – often
While you’re listening, don’t try to translate. If you do,
when a consonant sound at the end of a word is
you’ll start concentrating on translating and not on
followed by a vowel sound in the following word. For
processing the information. And then you’ll lose track of example, “She lived in New York” would be “She liv din
the conversation.
New York” with connected speech. And we don’t usually
say, “Look / out” (with separate sounds), we say, “Loo
5 KEY WORDS!
kout” (with the final consonant “k” combining with the
The most important thing is to listen out for the key
vowel sound “ow” of the second word).
words – the important, stressed words. Basically,
9 PRACTISE!
English is a stress-timed language. This means that
So, what can you do to improve your listening skills?
when we speak, we focus on specific stressed words
There are three main things:
while quickly gliding over the rest. Those stressed
1. Listen to recordings that are specifically targeted at
words are usually nouns (“dog / table), verbs (“sit /
your level.
run”), adjectives (“beautiful / wonderful”) and
2. Listen to native speaker conversations and recordings
adverbs (“quickly / slowly”). Most of the other words
(from films, the news, TV series, songs, etc.) in order
(determiners, auxiliary verbs, pronouns, etc.) are weak
to develop your ear for the language.
sounds. The great thing is that you only really need
3. Listen to recorded material and read the tapescript
to understand the key words in order to follow the
at the same time so you can see how the words and
conversation. For example, if you heard the following
sounds fit together.
key words, “saw / film / cinema / last night”, you’d
understand that the other person is probably saying,
Now go and get listening!
“I saw a film at the cinema last night.”
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25
TRACK 12
How to ask
questions in English!
Making questions is simple. Just remember this: PAS (Put it At the Start). So, all you need to do is place
the auxiliary verb (or modal verb or the verb to be, etc.) at the start of the question. It works with about 80%
of verb tenses in English, including the passive voice. For example:
SENTENCE
QUESTION
SENTENCE
QUESTION
She is hungry.
Is she hungry?
She has been
given a new
contract.
Has she been
given a new
contract?
They are running.
Are they running?
The windows had
been cleaned.
Had the windows
been cleaned?
He was working.
Was he working?
He can see it.
Can he see it?
They will finish it
before 6pm.
Will they finish it
before 6pm?
They should
come with us.
Should they
come with us?
She is going to
study abroad.
Is she going to
study abroad?
He would
like to see it.
Would he
like to see it?
He has been
here before.
Has he been
here before?
They could
have stayed here.
Could they
have stayed here?
They have been
playing tennis.
Have they been
playing tennis?
They will have
arrived by seven.
Will they have
arrived by seven?
They had left
before she arrived.
Had they left
before she arrived?
She will be working
from home.
Will she be working
from home?
It is
produced here.
Is it
produced here?
They were paid
last week.
Were they paid
last week?
He would
have gone
if he’d known
about it.
Would he
have gone
if he’d known
about it?
26
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To form questions with the Present or Past Simple,
we use do or does (with the Present Simple) and
did (with the Past Simple). For example:
SENTENCE
QUESTION
If you want to add a question word (who, what, why,
where, etc.), simply add it at the start of the question.
For example:
SENTENCE
QUESTION
She likes
her job.
Does she
like her job?
She is bored.
Why is she bored?
They work
on Saturdays.
Do they work
on Saturdays?
They are going.
Where are they
going?
He left
last night.
Did he leave
last night?
He was playing.
What was he playing?
They will finish it.
When will they
finish it?
She is going to
study abroad.
Where is she going
to study abroad?
I have eaten.
What have you
eaten?
They have been
playing.
What have they
been playing?
She likes it.
Why does she like
it?
He bought a new
one.
What did he buy?
1
Exercise
Answers on page 77
Listen to the sentences and form questions. Remember,
PAS (Put it At the Start) – simply place the auxiliary verb
(or modal verb or the verb to be, etc.) at the start of the
question. Good luck!
1. They are tired. = Are they tired?
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
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27
VIDEO 05
BUILDING ON THE CONVERSATION
Answers on page 77
Objective To learn how to motivate the person you’re talking to
Let the questions you ask naturally lead
into a conversation. So, if the person
you’re talking to lets you know that
they like going to the theatre, use that
information to move the topic onto the
theatre and ask questions based on
this, as well as giving your
opinions about it.
1
Pre-viewing
2
First viewing
3
Second viewing
What are your top tips for keeping the conversation going?
Think about the topics of conversation, questions you can ask,
how you can respond, the things you say, your body language, etc.
Make notes.
Watch the video once. Were any of your ideas mentioned?
Watch the video again. Then, put the following ideas in order
according to the information in the video. [Please note: the order
doesn’t follow the numbering in the video.]
Respond enthusiastically to comments to keep
someone talking.
That gives the other person an opportunity to show
their knowledge of the topic.
Encourage further conversation by asking who, what,
why, when, where and how questions.
Display an interest in a wide-range of topics.
Don’t be afraid to admit your ignorance when
discussing a topic.
Encourage people to talk about themselves by asking
questions like, What do you do for a living? 1
Keep it low key so it doesn’t sound like you’re
interrogating.
Listen quietly and maintain eye contact.
28
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BODY LANGUAGE:
SOCIALISING
Body language* is important when you’re socialising or chatting to people in English. It can help you transmit
the right messages, and also allow you to understand what other people are saying or thinking.
Answers on page 77
Body language
descriptions
1
2
3
1
Write a description from below
next to each example of body
language (1 to 9).
interested, confident
listening carefully
confusion, displeasure
boredom, tiredness
showing interest
coldness, distance
nervousness
relaxed, positive
Arms folded
Yawning
Smiling and laughing
coldness, distance
4
5
6
questioning something,
surprise
*BODY LANGUAGE
Body language is a non-verbal
form of communication. It
involves communicating what
you’re feeling or thinking
through your body. Different
types of body language
include movement (changes
to the position of your eyes,
hands, legs, etc.), facial
expressions (happiness,
sadness, fear, disgust, etc.),
posture (how you stand
or sit) and gestures (the
movement of your hands).
Some experts include the
pitch, intonation, volume and
tone of your voice. Studies
have shown that when you’re
talking to someone, your
words can count for as little
as 7% of the meaning of
your message; however, body
language can account for up
to 80% of the meaning! So,
it’s extremely important!
Maintaining eye contact
7
8
Biting your nails
Tilting your head
to one side
Raising your eyebrows
9
Frowning
Leaning forward
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29
TRACK 13
HOW BODY LANGUAGE
CAN IMPROVE YOUR
COMMUNICATION SKILLS!
Learn how to read other people’s body language. And understand what you’re doing with
your body so you can communicate more effectively.
Answers on page 77
1
Pre-reading
Look at the paragraph titles and
pictures. What do you think the
writer is going to say about the
topic of each paragraph? Make
notes.
2
Reading I
Read or listen to the article
once to compare your ideas
from the Pre-reading task.
3
Reading II
Read the article again. Then,
answer the questions.
1. What is a firm
handshake a sign of?
2. How long should
you maintain eye
contact for?
3. What could it mean if
someone turns their
shoulders away from
you?
4. What’s the name of
the gaze that focuses
on the triangular area
between the eyes and
the mouth?
5. At what distance do
good friends stand from
one another in the US?
6. What could dilated
pupils mean?
7. Why should you try
to keep your feet,
hands and legs under
control?
8. What could a quick
touch to the nose when
someone answers a
question be a sign of?
9. What are the potential
advantages of mirroring
someone's movements
or actions?
30
Greetings
When greeting
someone, smile, look
them in the eye and
introduce yourself
in a confident voice.
Also, remember
that in most
western countries
(the UK, the USA,
Australia, Canada,
etc.), a firm handshake is seen as a sign of
confidence and trust; and a limp handshake
could make you appear weak, submissive or
disinterested.
Eye contact
It’s important to hold
the correct amount
of eye contact. If
you stare, the other
person might feel
uncomfortable; and
if you don’t maintain
enough eye contact,
they could think
you lack confidence
or aren’t interested. In general, you should
maintain eye contact between 70 and 80% of
the time.
Alignment
Make sure your body
is aligned with the
person you’re talking
to. This means that
your body should be
facing them, with
your feet pointing
towards them and
your shoulders
angled at them.
This shows you’re interested and focused on
them. On the other hand, if the person you’re
talking to turns any part of their body away
from you (their eyes, knees, feet, shoulders,
etc.), it could mean that they aren’t
interested, or they want to leave.
Gaze
In social situations,
focus your gaze
on the triangular
area between your
listener’s eyes and
mouth. This is
known as the “social
gaze”. It’ll make you
appear friendly and
confident. Avoid
dropping your gaze below the mouth as this
could be misinterpreted as something more
than just friendly interest!
Facial
expressions
Try to keep a
positive look on
your face so it
looks like you’re
interested. In order
to avoid a blank
look, keep listening
carefully to what
the other person is
saying, and comment on the information or
ask questions.
Personal
body space
Be careful not to
stand too close to the
person you’re talking
to. People from
certain countries
expect more personal
body space than
others. For example,
in the US, experts
have calculated that good friends usually stand
between 45cm and 120cm from one another;
but for acquaintances or business colleagues,
it’s between 120cm and 350cm. These figures
may vary from country to country.
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Barriers
A bag, papers, an
arm or a drink held
in front of your body
acts like a barrier
to others and can
make you appear
cold, protective and
distant. Keep objects
away from the front
of your body to
project a more positive image and to appear
more open.
Dilated pupils
According to
body language
experts, when
we’re interested
in something or
someone, our pupils
involuntarily dilate
(become bigger).
The opposite can
happen when we’re
disinterested (our pupils contract– become
smaller). If you notice someone’s pupils
dilate, it could be a sign that they like you.
Fidgeting
If you’re sitting down,
try to keep your
feet, hands and legs
under control. This
will make you appear
calm and confident.
Avoid shifting about
too much, drumming
your fingers or
bouncing a foot up
and down as they’re all signs of boredom,
discomfort or nervousness.
Touching
Involuntarily touching a part of the body
(particularly the face) is often a sign that
someone is under stress or nervous. And a
quick touch to the
mouth, eye, ear or
nose as someone
answers a direct
question could be
a sign that they’re
lying. So, if you
notice the other
person touch their
nose, ear or neck
when you ask them
a question, they might not be telling the truth.
Mirroring
(mimicking)
Mirroring involves
copying what the
other person is
doing. For example,
if the person you’re
talking to folds
their arms, you do
too. Or, if they lean
forward, you do the
same. We tend to mirror people involuntarily
when we trust or like them. And research
has shown that subconsciously we think that
people who mirror our movements are more
persuasive and honest than those who don’t.
So, if you notice the other person is copying
the way you sit, move or talk, it could mean
that they trust and like you. On the other
hand, you could use mirroring to show the
other person that you’re trustworthy. So, if
the other person leans forward, you could
lean forward too. If they place their hands
on their thighs, you might do the same.
However, don’t make this too obvious. And
be careful – people who know about this
could notice you doing it. Also, the other
person might be deliberately mirroring you in
an attempt to make you think that they like or
trust you. Watch out!
Communication is complex. But an
understanding of body language can make it
easier!
Be confident about who you are. Let
people know about any unusual hobbies
or pastimes you may have. People enjoy
learning about new things.
GLOSSARY
firm adj
if your handshake is “firm”, you use a bit
of pressure (but not too much)
trust n
if there’s a feeling of “trust”, there’s an
open feeling of honesty
limp adj if someone’s handshake is “limp”, they
don’t use any pressure and it appears to
be weak
to stare vb
if you “stare” at someone, you look at
them continuously
to align vb
if you’re “aligned” with something, you’re
facing it with your body directly in front
of it
to point towards exp
if your feet are “pointing towards”
someone, your feet are in the direction of
that person
gaze n
someone’s “gaze” is the way they look at
another person
misinterpret vb
if you “misinterpret” something, you
understand it wrongly
a blank look n
if someone has a “blank look”, their
face shows no emotion – it just looks
empty
personal body space n
the personal distance we keep from other
people. In some cultures, it’s common
to stand very close to the person you’re
talking to. In other cultures, this isn’t so
common
to project vb
if you “project” any particular feelings,
you show those feelings through your
behaviour, words, actions, etc.
involuntarily adv
if you do something “involuntarily”, you
do it without knowing that you’re doing it
to shift vb
to move
to drum vb
if you “drum” your fingers, you use your
fingers to create a rhythm
to bounce vb
if your foot is “bouncing” up and down,
it’s moving up and down
research n
scientific investigation
a thigh n
the top part of your leg – the upper half
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31
VIDEO 06
BODY LANGUAGE DO’S & DON’TS
Answers on page 77
Pre-viewing
1
You’re going to watch a video about body language with social
skills expert Faye de Muyshondt. Before watching it, think of all
the things you could do with these parts of your body while you’re
speaking.
arms legs shoulders eyes hands knees feet stomach
head mouth fingers
2
Comprehension
Watch the video once to compare your ideas from the pre-viewing
task. Then, answer the questions below.
1. At the start of the video, what does Faye say about the
importance of body language?
2. What does Faye say about your shoulders?
3. What should you do if you aren’t sure what to do with
your hands?
4. What examples of what you shouldn’t do with your
hands does she give?
5. How does Faye suggest you find out what you actually
do with your hands while you’re speaking?
6. What’s the other important element of your body
language that she mentions? Why is it important?
7. What should you do with your feet during a
conversation? Why is this important?
If you’re alone at an event, introduce
yourself to as many people as you can.
Don’t just wait for someone to come
up and talk to you. If you can’t think of
something interesting on your own, just
start with a “Hi, how’s it going?” and see
where it goes from there.
Top tip!
The most important thing to remember when listening to a conversation is that you won’t understand every word. So, you should only listen out for
the key words – the most important words in the conversation: the nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc. Then, you can use your intuition to fill in the gaps –
just as you do in your own language. Knowing the context and topic of the conversation will help with this.
32
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TRACK 14
MEETING FOR THE FIRST TIME
Answers on page 77
Objective To learn how to ask questions using question tags
Think about it When was the last time you had a conversation with someone you just met? What did you talk about? What are your top tips for
making conversation? What do you think of dating agencies or dating websites? How useful or effective can they be?
Ask questions to keep the other person
talking. But make sure you contribute
by revealing things about yourself or
telling stories too.
1
Pre-listening
2
Listening I
Imagine you’ve just met someone and you’re chatting to them
in a bar. Think of six questions to ask that will help keep the
conversation going.
You’re going to listen to two people who’ve just met for the first time.
Listen once. What questions do they ask one another? Compare these
questions to the ones you thought of for the Pre-listening activity.
3
Listening II
Complete the sentences with the words from below. Then, listen
again to check your answers.
meat 30s cat weekend 27 film work months conference
1. You aren’t really
, are you?
.
2. You certainly aren’t in your early
ago.
3. I gave up alcohol a few
?
4. So, have you got any plans for the
5. Yeah, I’m going to see the match with a few mates
.
from
on vegetarianism.
6. I’m going to a
7. I work in the marketing department of a large
supplier.
into the
8. You can’t release a domesticated
wild.
.
9. We’re going to see the latest Vin Diesel
Useful language Question tags
Look at this extract from the transcript of the recording: “…you’ve
got blonde hair in the picture you sent me, haven’t you?”
The speaker has used a question tag (“haven’t you?”).
Question Tags are little questions at the end of
statements. They’re formed with the same verb as the
one in the main statement or an auxiliary verb. For
example:
They’re living here, aren’t they?
She likes it, doesn’t she?
We often use Question Tags when we want to confirm
information, or if we aren’t sure about something: “You
like it, don’t you?”
If the statement is affirmative, the question tag is
negative: “He lives in Berlin, doesn’t he?”
And if the statement is negative, the question tag is
affirmative: “She isn’t from Russia, is she?”
4
Exercise
Complete the statements with the correct question tags.
?
1. You’re from Birmingham,
?
2. You went out last night,
?
3. You’re coming to the party,
?
4. You’ve got a dog,
?
5. This is the answer,
?
6. We’re going to the party,
?
7. They’ve got some interesting ideas,
?
8. She did the work,
?
9. She was working at home,
?
10. You’re going away next week,
?
11. They’re angry,
?
12. She lives in New York,
?
13. Katie and Kelly go to the same gym,
?
14. There are a lot of guests here,
?
15. He’s got lots of free time,
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33
TRACK 15
GETTING TO KNOW SOMEONE
Answers on page 77
Objective To learn how to ask basic questions in a conversation
Think about it When was the last time you had to introduce yourself? Who were you talking to? What are some polite ways to introduce yourself to
people in your language? What do you usually say to friends when you see them after a short period of time? How do you greet them? What about friends
you haven’t seen for a long time? What do you say or do?
SO, HOW OLD
ARE YOU?
Use interjections to show that you’re
following what the other person is
saying. Say things like, “Really? / Wow
/ I can’t believe that / No way! / How
annoying!”, etc.
1
Pre-listening
What questions could you ask someone who you’ve just met?
Add at least three more to the list below.
What’s your name?
Where are you from?
How long are you staying here?
Where are you staying?
2
Listening I
3
Listening II
You’re going to listen to a conversation between two people who
are at a lunch.
Listen once. How many of the questions from the Pre-listening
activity did you hear?
Listen again. Then, answer the questions.
1. Where has Judith just come over from?
2. When is she flying back?
3. What does Mark have to drink?
What about
Judith?
4. Where is Pauline from? And what about Wolfgang?
5. How many times has Mark eaten at the restaurant
before? What does he recommend?
6. How old was Judith when her parents moved to
Brazil?
7. Where does Mark think they once met?
8. What did Judith give a speech on?
34
4
Useful language
Look at this extract from the recording: “Weren’t you at
that conference in Washington back in 2013, too?”
The speaker has used a negative question (weren’t
you...?). We can form negative questions by placing a
negative form at the start of the question. For example:
Haven’t you seen this before?
Weren’t they here last night?
We can use negative questions to confirm information
we aren’t entirely sure about.
Complete the following negative questions or question tags with
the correct words.
you at that sales talk last year?
1.
2. They’re thinking of downsizing the (London) branch,
they?
you give that talk at the conference in March?
3.
you?
4. You were working in Seattle last year,
you?
5. You went to the conference last week,
you?
6. You know Briony from accounts,
7. You’ve worked in the Chicago office before,
you?
the company just involved in a merger?
8.
the company just opened a new office in
9.
Hong Kong?
you?
10. You’ve met Louise Smithers,
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VIDEO 07
HOW TO READ BODY LANGUAGE!
1
Pre-viewing
2
First viewing
3
Second viewing
Answers on page 78
What types of body language do you know about? What do the
actions mean? Thing about things such as eye contact, facial
expressions, body positioning, etc. Make notes.
Watch the video once. Were any of the things you thought of
mentioned?
Watch the video again. Then, answer the questions.
1. What do people often do when they’re anxious
or nervous?
2. When do they stop doing this?
3. The speaker starts talking about giving a
presentation. What does he say his goal would be?
4. What do people tend to do as they get more
interested in someone?
5. What do you want to see as you’re talking to
someone?
6. What example does he give of a sudden change in
orientation?
7. What does it mean if the other person starts to
deviate back?
Focus on being interested, not
interesting. You can increase
interest in yourself by showing how
interested you are in the lives and
stories of others. People love to talk
about themselves, and love having
others around who seem to have a
genuine interest in their stories.
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35
TRACK 16
Ho
w to
express emotions in
!
h
s
i
l
g
En
If you want to show how you feel about something, you can use an interjection. Basically, interjections are sounds or
short words that can express a whole range of emotions such as surprise, anger, shock, fear, disappointment or sadness.
They’re often used by native speakers, so it’s important to be able to understand them.
[Read over the explanations and do the exercises. Then, listen to check your answers.]
Oh, no! – to show
Argh! – to show frustration
or anger.
disappointment.
Oi! – a way of getting someone’s
attention, often when they’re far
away [“hey!” in US English].
Ow! – to show that
you’re in pain.
Whoops! – to show that
you’ve made a mistake.
Aha! – to show that you’re
pleased because you’ve finally
understood something.
Ahem! – this is the sound
that’s made when you clear
your throat. It’s typically used to
attract someone’s attention.
Ah! – to show that you
like something.
36
Blah, blah, blah! – to show
that you’re bored with someone’s
non-stop talking.
Boo! – to frighten someone.
Yuk! – to show your disgust at
something horrible.
Hey! – to show surprise or anger,
Shh! – to tell someone
to be quiet.
Tut – a sound you make with
your tongue when you do
something wrong, or to show
that you’re angry.
Uh-huh – to show that you’re
following what someone is saying.
However, it doesn’t necessarily
mean that you agree with them.
or to get someone’s attention.
Hm... to show that you aren’t
sure about something and that
you’re thinking about it.
Whoa! – to tell someone to stop.
Wow! – to express surprise.
Mmm – to show pleasure.
Yummy! – a way of showing
Oh! – to show surprise.
Phew! – to show relief
because a danger has passed.
Psst – to get someone’s
attention in a quiet place.
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
Copyright Hot English Publishing SL 2016 www.learnhotenglish.com
that you like food.
Answers on page 78
1
Exercise
Complete the sentences with interjections. In some cases more than one answer may be possible. Then, listen to check your answers.
1.
just so cute.
! That dog is
2.
my turn!
! It was
3.
! Come here!
We need to talk.
4.
, I get that,
but what about the money?
When are you going to pay me
back?
5.
on my toe!
! You stepped
6.
is my seat.
, I think this
7.
! That’s
amazing! I love it!
8.
! I think this
is your bag, isn’t it?
9.
! I think I’ve
worked out the answer!
10.
. Don’t you
ever stop talking?
11.
sure I like this.
... I’m not
12.
, I’m sorry, I
didn’t realise you were there.
. We’ve lost
15.
parking space!
! That’s my
16.
really good.
… that feels
20.
you!
! Scared
13.
see us.
! They didn’t
14.
again.
17.
again.
! It’s raining
18.
! We’re
trying to work in here.
19.
! There’s an
insect in my salad!
22. This soup is
23.
! Hold it
right there. What did you
just say?
21.
! The
computer’s crashed again!
!
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37
TRACK 17
HOW TO RESPOND
TO COMMENTS
Answers on page 78
Objective To learn how to respond to comments in English
Think about it When was the last time you heard some surprising news? What did it involve? When was the last time a friend told you about a terrible
experience they’d had? How did you respond? When was the last time you gave someone some news? What was it? How did the other person respond?
Pre-listening
1
HOW BORING!
You’re going to listen to two conversations with people
responding to news. What sort of comments can we make when
we hear news? Think of some more expressions to add to the
list below.
Oh, no! Really? That’s terrible!
2
Listening I
3
Listening II
Listen once. Were any of the comments you thought of
mentioned? Which ones?
Listen again. Then, answer the questions.
Conversation I
1. What broke an hour before the guests arrived at the
dinner party?
2. What did Alisha use instead of her broken one?
Conversation 2
3. What did Lewis phone up the shop to ask about?
4. How long did they say it would take to get the thing Lewis
HOW EXCITING!
wanted?
Useful language: Responding to news
Learn some useful expressions for responding to a piece of news
someone has given you in English.
You’re kidding! = you’re joking / you can’t be serious.
What a nuisance! = how annoying.
Typical! = that’s typical of them; that's what you’d expect
from them.
Well done! = congratulations / you did very well
Good idea! = that’s a good idea.
Tell me about it! = I know because it’s happened to me.
How awful! = how terrible.
Oh, no! = poor you / how terrible.
What a nightmare! = what a terrible situation / how terrible.
4
Exericse
Complete the responses with the correct letters.
1. A: I passed the exam!
B: That’s great ne_ _!
2. A: I’m fed up of this job.
B: I know how you fe_ _!
3. A: It’s just so sad – I can’t bear it any longer.
B: Ch_ _ _ up! It was only a film.
4. A: I’ve booked our holiday to the States.
B: How exc_ _ _ _ _!
5. A: We lost all our luggage.
B: What a night_ _ _ _!
6. A: The computer crashed and I lost everything.
B: How aw_ _ _!
7. A: They’ve cancelled the flight. We’ll have to take another
one tomorrow morning.
B: What a nuis_ _ _ _!
8. A: I think we got away with it. They didn’t see us.
B: Phew! That was a cl_ _ _ one.
38
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
Copyright Hot English Publishing SL 2016 www.learnhotenglish.com
HOW RUDE!
VIDEO 08
HOW TO BE A PEOPLE MAGNET
1
Pre-viewing
2
First viewing
3
Second viewing
Answers on page 78
When was the last time you paid someone a compliment?
What did you say? When was the last time someone paid you a
compliment? What did they say? What are your top tips for paying
someone a compliment? Make notes.
Watch the video once to compare your ideas from the
Pre-viewing task.
Watch the video again. Then, answer the questions.
1. If you pay someone a compliment, what do they
remember about it after you’ve left the room?
2. What are the three things you can pay someone a
compliment about?
3. Why does the speaker say we’re often hesitant
or afraid to pay people compliments? Use the
expression he uses involving “water”.
4. What’s the first point that he makes? And what
particular word should you use to do this?
5. What does the woman in the audience say she likes
about the tie?
6. What else should you use when you pay someone a
compliment? Why?
7. What two follow-up questions did the members of
the audience ask about the tie? Which one was the
open-ended question?
Focus exclusively on the person
you’re talking to, and give them your
undivided attention, listening intently.
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
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39
TRACK 18
INVITING SOMEONE OUT
Answers on page 78
Objective To learn how to invite someone to something
Humour can relieve stress, motivate
and improve relationships. It can also
relax people and allow them to be
more open. As Victor Borge once said,
“Laughter is the shortest distance
between two people.”
4
Useful language
Add these expressions below to the correct sections (a-e).
I’m afraid I won’t be able to make it. = e
Would you like to join us?
Which pub are you going to?
I’d love to go.
There’s a new play at the theatre.
1
Pre-listening
a) The event
We’re going out for a drink after work.
I’m going to the cinema later.
I’ve organised a barbecue for Saturday afternoon.
There’s a free concert in the city centre.
Listening I
b) The invitation
Would you like to come along?
We’re going out later if you want to come.
Would you like to come too?
I was wondering whether you wanted to come.
Think of six places or things you could invite someone to:
a restaurant, a party...
What could you do at these places? Think of six more ideas:
have a meal, dance...
2
You’re going to listen to three mini-dialogues in which one person
invites another person to do something. Listen once. Were any of
the places you thought of for the Pre-listening activity mentioned?
3
Listening II
Listen again. Then, answer the questions.
1. In conversation one, what time are they meeting up?
2. Where is the pub where they’re meeting?
3. In conversation two, where does Jeff propose going?
4. Where does he suggest meeting?
5. What time does he suggest meeting there? What time
does Paula say she’ll be there?
6. In the third conversation, when is the barbecue?
7. What do Mark and his friends have to bring to the
barbecue?
8. What’s Poppy’s mobile phone number?
40
c) Questions
Where are you meeting?
What film are you going to see?
What time does it start?
Do we have to bring anything?
d) Confirming
I’ll see you there!
That sounds great.
See you on Saturday.
e) Saying no
Actually, I’m a bit busy.
I’m sorry but I won’t be able to go.
I’m sorry but I’ve got to study for an important exam.
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
Copyright Hot English Publishing SL 2016 www.learnhotenglish.com
PHRASAL VERBS
LIKES & DISLIKES
Answers on page 78
Complete the sentences (1 to 8) with the words from below.
really helpful party keen song famous together surfing
1
2
Grow on
Get on with
If something “grows on” you, you
start to like it.
“I didn’t like that
at
first, but it’s starting to grow on me.”
If you “get on with someone”, you
have a good relationship with them.
“Ben and Samantha get on really well and
often go out
.”
3
4
Fond of someone
Be into something
If you’re “fond of” someone, you like them – usually
just as a friend, and not in the “romantic” sense.
“I’m really fond of Jessica – she’s just so kind and
.”
5
If you “are into” something, you like that thing.
“He’s really into skateboarding, snowboarding and
.”
6
Go off something
If you “go off”
something, you stop
liking it.
“I used to quite like the group
when they were relatively
unknown, but I’ve gone off
them now they’re rich and
.”
Look forward to
If you’re “looking forward to” something, you’re excited
about it and can’t wait for it to happen.
“I’m really looking forward to your
next week.”
7
8
End up
Keen on something
If you’re “keen on” something, you like doing that thing.
“She’s
keen on tennis and skiing.”
If you “end up” liking something, you like it eventually.
“I wasn’t that
on seeing the film, but I ended
up quite liking it.”
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
Copyright Hot English Publishing SL 2016 www.learnhotenglish.com
41
TRACK 19
INVITATIONS!
Answers on page 78
Objective To learn how to build on the relationship
8. I’m actually free on Friday / Saturday.
1
Pre-listening
Read the instructions and make questions. Ask someone…
1. … how they are. = How are you? / How’s it going?
2. …if they want to come to a café.
3. …if they would like a coffee.
4. …if they are going to the next talk.
5. …if they would like to go on an excursion.
2
Listening I
You are going to listen to various people in social English contexts.
Listen once to check your answers from the Pre-listening activity.
3
As the lyrics to the song go, “When
you’re smiling, the whole world smiles
with you.” Studies show that we’re
more approachable when we smile.
And when we’re more approachable,
we’ll meet more people… maybe
even someone who has a problem
we can solve.
Listening II
Read over the sentences and choose the correct words.
Then, listen again to check your answers.
1. I think we spoke by e-mail / telephone.
2. We’re going for lunch / a coffee.
3. Hey, do you know where the cloakroom / bathroom
is?
4. I’ve been carrying this coat / jacket around all day.
5. I’m working in Vancouver / Seattle at the moment.
6. Are you going to the next conference / talk?
7. I did go to the museum of modern
art / natural history...
42
4
Useful language
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Yes, that would be great.
Great, thanks.
Not exactly, I’m half-Italian and half-German.
Yes, please. White, no sugar, please.
No, I was here last year.
In one of the conversations, a speaker says, “Good idea” in
response to a suggestion. Match the questions (1 to 5) to the
responses (a-e).
1. So, how are things going?
2. Do you want to come?
3. So, is this your first time at the conference?
4. Can I get you a coffee?
5. Are you Italian?
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TRACK 20
HOW TO ARRANGE A MEETING
Answers on page 78
Objective To learn how to arrange to meet up with someone in English.
Think about it When was the last time you arranged to meet someone? Who was it? Why did you need to meet them? What time did you meet?
Where did you meet? What did you talk about? When was the last time you had to reschedule a meeting? Why did you have to reschedule it? What was the
original time or date? What was the new one?
Avoid gossiping about others. You may
gain an audience, but it’s superficial
and temporary. As they say, “To have a
friend, be a friend.”
1
Pre-listening
You’re going to listen to three conversations in which the speakers
are trying to find a time to meet up. What reasons could someone
have for not being able to meet up at a particular time? Think of
five ideas. For example: you’ve got a dental appointment,
you’ve got to pick someone up at the airport...
2
Listening I
3
Listening II
Listen to the conversations once. Were any of your ideas from the
Pre-listening activity mentioned?
Listen again. Then, answer the questions.
1. In conversation 1, why can’t Lily meet up on
Thursday?
2. What time and day do they finally agree to meet up?
3. In the second conversation, why does Chloe want to
meet up with Jamie?
4. What time do they arrange to meet up?
5. What is Jamie’s address?
6. In the third conversation, what’s wrong with Molly’s
roof?
7. What time does Jack suggest he comes round?
8. Why isn’t Molly sure that she can make it at that time?
44
4
Useful language
Write the four headings below at the top of each group of useful
expressions or questions (1-4).
Stating your availability
Expressing a reason for a meeting
Confirming the time and place
Asking about someone’s availability
1.
We need to think of an idea for the poster.
You said you’d show me how to use the new program.
We need to make plans for the conference next week.
2.
What about this Friday?
How about tomorrow morning?
Does 6pm sound all right to you?
Are you free anytime this week?
Could you come over to have a look at it?
Do you think we could arrange a time to go over it?
3.
I’m free all day on Thursday.
I’ve got a meeting at 4pm.
I’ll be really busy all morning.
I won’t be able to make it on the 3rd.
I’ve got a dental appointment in the afternoon.
4.
I’ll see you then.
I look forward to it.
4pm sounds perfect.
Give me a call to confirm.
I look forward to seeing you there.
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
Copyright Hot English Publishing SL 2016 www.learnhotenglish.com
VIDEO 09
HOW TO BUILD
RAPPORT WITH SOMEONE
1
Pre-viewing
2
First viewing
3
Second viewing
Answers on page 78
What type of questions do you ask when you meet someone for
the first time? What do you talk about? Make notes.
Watch the video once. What do you think of the speaker’s advice?
How would you rate it on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the best)?
Watch the video again. Then, answer the questions.
1. What’s the first thing the people see?
2. Who comes out of it?
3. What can you see written in the sky?
4. What expression does the speaker use that includes
the word “home”? What do you think it means?
5. What five topics of conversation does the speaker
suggest you use?
6. What do most people start by asking in a
conversation?
7. What questions does he suggest asking instead?
8. What does the topic “vision” refer to?
As Dale Carnegie once said, “The
royal road to a man’s heart is to
talk to him about the things he
treasures most.” So, keep the focus
of conversation on the other person,
and try to avoid continually turning
attention back on yourself.
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
Copyright Hot English Publishing SL 2016 www.learnhotenglish.com
45
TRACK 21
ASKING ABOUT A CITY
Answers on page 78
Objective To learn how to confirm information
Think about it When was the last time you visited a new city? What did you do there? Where did you eat? What museums did you visit? Did you get any
recommendations from anyone about what to see, where to eat, etc.? What did you think of their suggestions? Which cities would you like to visit in the future? Why?
Find and discuss common
interests. Learning about
your new friend and sharing
information about yourself should
naturally lead to finding some
common interests.
1
Pre-listening
Imagine you’re visiting a city for the first time. What questions
could you ask about it? Add at least three more to the list below.
What do you think I should see?
Which museums would you recommend?
Where’s the best place to eat out?
Which restaurants would you recommend?
Other?
2
Listening I
3
Listening II
You’re going to listen to a conversation between two people,
Poppy and Ellis. They’re acquaintances who haven’t seen one
another for a long time. They’re at a conference during a midmorning break, waiting to order a drink from the cafeteria in the
conference centre. Listen once. Which questions from the Prelistening activity did you hear?
Listen again. Then, answer the questions.
1. When is Ellis off to New York and why is he going
there?
2. What example does Poppy give for how cheap
electronics are?
3. How does Ellis describe what happened to his cousin
in the States?
4. What are some of the typical things that Poppy
mentions that Ellis should do?
5. What is Ellis’ e-mail address?
6. What suggestions does Poppy give for eating out?
7. What does she tell him about tipping in the States?
8. What happened to her friends when they were
over there?
46
Useful language – Question tags
As we’ve seen in a previous unit, Question Tags are
little questions at the end of statements. For example :
“You’re from Italy, aren’t you?”
Question Tags can be formed with the same verb as
the one in the main statement: “They’re living here,
aren’t they?”
Or an auxiliary verb: “She likes it, doesn’t she?”
We often use Question Tags when we want to confirm
information, or if we aren’t sure about something:
“You like it, don’t you?”
If the statement is affirmative, the question tag is
negative: “He lives in Berlin, doesn’t he?” And if the
statement is negative, the question tag is affirmative:
“She isn’t from Russia, is she?”
4
Exercise
Complete the sentences with the correct question tags.
?
1. It’s raining,
?
2. She was named after her grandmother,
?
3. It was designed by Marion,
?
4. She was at home,
?
5. There were lots of mistakes in the report,
?
6. He took it home,
?
7. It was snowing,
?
8. He’s been abroad,
?
9. You’ve been waiting for a long time,
?
10. They can ski,
?
11. You can type fast,
?
12. We’re paid at the end of the week,
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
Copyright Hot English Publishing SL 2016 www.learnhotenglish.com
TRACK 22
PHRASAL VERBS
SOCIALISING
Answers on page 78
Complete the sentences (1 to 8) with the words from below.
like time restaurant
weekend
fun
victory
having
1
house
2
Come over
If someone “comes over”, they come
to your house.
“Would you like to come over this Friday
evening? We’re
a little party.”
Ask someone over
To invite someone to come to your house.
“I’d like to ask Jim over for lunch this
3
.”
4
Bring someone along
If you “bring someone
along” to an event, you
take that person with you.
“You can bring Sally along –
she’s a lot of
.”
5
Come round (around) / go round (around)
If you “go around” to someone’s
house, you visit that person’s house.
“What
shall I come round?”
6
Drop in / by
Invite round (around)
To visit someone for a short period of time, often without
an invitation.
“Feel free to drop by any time you
– I’m always
here.”
If you “invite someone round”, you
invite them to come to your house.
“I invited her round to my
.”
7
8
Invite out
To ask someone to go out with you.
“She invited me out last Friday and we went to
the cinema and then to a
.”
Get together
When people “get together”, they meet.
“They got together to celebrate their
.”
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47
TRACK 23
TELLING JOKES
Answers on page 78
Objective To learn how to tell jokes in a conversation
Think about it Are you good at telling jokes? What jokes can you remember? When was the last time you told a joke? Where were you? What are the pros and cons
of telling jokes? What do you have to be careful with when telling jokes? Have you ever told a joke in English? How did it go? What are your top tips for telling jokes?
1
Pre-listening
Write the correct endings from below for the jokes (1 to 6).
Because they aren’t weekdays! Because it is in the middle of “fun”.
Because it’s in the middle of “waTer”.
Bone appétit!
Short
The trom-bone.
1
A: I say, I say, I say. What do skeletons say before they
begin eating?
B: I don’t know. What do skeletons say before they begin
eating?
A:
2
A: I say, I say, I say. What’s a skeleton’s favourite
instrument?
B: I don’t know. What is a skeleton’s favourite
instrument?
A:
3
A: I say, I say, I say. What five-letter word becomes
shorter when you add two letters to it?
B: I don’t know. What five-letter word does become
shorter when you add two letters to it?
.
A:
4
A: I say, I say, I say. Why are Saturday and Sunday strong
days?
B: I don’t know. Why are Saturday and Sunday strong
days?
A:
5
A: I say, I say, I say. Why is “U” the happiest letter in the
alphabet?
B: I don’t know. Why is “U”
the happiest letter in the alphabet?
A:
48
6
A: I say, I say, I say. Why is the letter “T” like an island?
B: I don’t know. Why is the letter “T” like an island?
A:
2
Listening I
You’re going to listen to two jokes with the following titles:
Clever bartender Restaurant pest
What do you think the jokes might be about? What do you think is
going to happen? Make notes. Then, listen once to compare your
ideas. Which joke did you like the best? Which one is the funniest?
Why?
3
Useful language
We often use the Present Simple or Present Continuous when
telling a joke or story. Complete these sentences from the jokes
with the correct verbs in the Present Simple.
a vodka and
1. A woman rushes into a bar and
orange.
a 10-euro bill on the bar
2. She drinks it quickly,
out.
then
up and
3. But just then, the bartender
his boss standing in the doorway.
in a restaurant, enjoying a late
4. A woman
lunch.
the waiter over again.
5. Minutes later, he
6. This goes on for about an hour, and the patient waiter
angry.
never once
the waiter over.
7. Eventually, the woman
the waiter with
8. “Oh, I really don’t mind,”
a smile.
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
Copyright Hot English Publishing SL 2016 www.learnhotenglish.com
TRACK 24
HOW TO TELL STORIES IN ENGLISH!
Answers on page 78
Objective To learn how to tell stories and anecdotes in English!
SHALL I TELL
YOU A STORY?
1
Pre-listening
You’re going to listen to two people chatting in a bar. They’re
telling one another stories. They tell three in total. Look at the list
of words that appear in each story. What do you think happened?
What were the stories about? Make notes.
1. Story I: moving house, removal firm, six crates of
belongings…
2. Story II: moving house, a box of valuables, legal
proceedings…
3. Story III: a flight to Frankfurt, a drunken passenger…
2
Listening I
Listen once to compare your ideas from the Pre-listening activity.
3
If someone you wish to meet is engaged
in a conversation, wait patiently for a
break then apologise for interrupting.
Say something like this, “Hi, I’m sorry
to interrupt. I just wanted to introduce
myself. I’m (Jennifer).”
Listening II
Listen again. Then, answer the questions.
1. Why wasn’t Josh’s brother keen to move back to
the UK?
2. What was wrong with the crates that were delivered
to his house?
3. Why did he have to phone up the manager of the
removal firm?
4. What had Pete done with the box of valuables he lost
temporarily?
5. What kept happening to the man on the flight to
Frankfurt?
6. Why was Josh surprised at the man’s reaction to the
bag falling down on him?
4
Useful language
Complete the sentences and questions with the words from below.
bumped end restaurant catch out story plans up
guess police happened do
Starting a story
on the news last
1. I heard this interesting
night.
who I saw the other day.
2. You’ll never
into yesterday.
3. You won’t believe who I
to me.
4. You won’t believe what just
5. Have you heard the latest about the government’s
to raise tax?
last night.
6. I went to this great
Asking questions about a story
then?
7. What did you
?
8. Did you report it to the
him?
9. Did they ever
?
10. What happened in the
all right in the end?
11. Did it turn
?
12. Where did you end
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
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49
TRACK 25
TALKING ABOUT YOUR ADVENTURES
Answers on page 78
Objective To learn how to use sequencing in a story
Think about it What are some of the most adventurous things you’ve ever done? Have you ever been in danger? What happened? Which outdoor activities
do you enjoy doing or have you done? Which ones would you like to do? Why? Are you an “outdoors” type of person, or do you prefer to be inside? Give examples.
Keep up-to-date on the latest news,
so you’ve got interesting things to
talk about. Also, write down any
funny stories or anecdotes that you
can use in casual conversations.
1
Pre-listening
You’re going to listen to two people talking about some adventurous
things they’ve done. Look at the words below that come from the
two stories. What do you think happened in each story?
Story I: snowstorm, wind, mountain, snow, rain,
storm, hiking…
Story II: parachuting, plane, pilot, parachute,
parachute instructor…
4
Useful language – sequencing
Complete the sequencing expressions with the words from below.
eventually preparation after first when at suddenly
now once as late so end for
, I didn’t realise what was going on.
1. At
went hiking in the middle of winter.
2. I
the first couple of days, everything seemed to
3.
2 Listening I
be fine.
Listen once and compare your ideas from the Pre-listening task.
in the evening of the third day, there was a
4.
really heavy snowstorm.
3 Listening II
about three in the morning, we had to
5. So,
Listen again. Then, choose the correct answers.
leave.
that, we decided to go back home.
1. In Story I, the incident took place in the middle of
6.
, I saw what was happening.
7.
summer / winter.
, we just dug a hole in the snow.
8. In the
2. They were on a 50-kilometre / 100-kilometre trip.
it was light, we walked down the valley.
9. As soon
3. There was a storm on the evening of the third /
course, they took us out for
10. After a two-day
fourth day.
our first jump.
4. It took place at about three / four in the morning.
the green light came on, the instructor tapped
11.
5. In Story II, the speaker was in the north of Sweden /
her on the shoulder.
Norway.
it was my turn. By then, my heart was
6. They went on a one-day / two-day preparation course. 12.
thumping really hard.
7. There were two / three of them in the back of the
, the ground suddenly
13. But after a minute or
plane.
started coming up…
8. The pilot took the plane up to about 700 / 800 metres.
, we had to move to another place.
14.
9. Sandra was the first / second person to jump out.
50
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
Copyright Hot English Publishing SL 2016 www.learnhotenglish.com
TRACK 26
WORD BUILDING
ARGUING
Answers on page 78
Complete the sentences with the words you hear.
1
2
Do with
If A has something
“to do with”
B, A and B are
connected.
“What have my
parents got to do
with all of this? We’re
trying to work out
,
aren’t we?”
Bring up
If you “bring up”
a particular topic
during an argument,
you mention it.
“She brought up
the topic of his
gambling, which only
.”
3
4
5
Make up
If you “make
up” a fact or
a story, you
invent it.
“You just made
that up, didn’t
you? You’ve
Go on
If someone keeps “going on” about
something, they keep talking about it.
“I know
, so just stop going
on about it!”
6
Back up
If facts and figures are used to “back
up” your argument, they’re used to
support it and help explain it.
“She used the information
to back up her argument.”
.”
7
8
Shut up
Talk into
If you manage to “talk someone
into” doing something, you convince
them to do it.
“After an hour of arguing about it, she
managed to talk him into
.”
9
Put up with
If you say that you won’t “put up with”
something any longer, you’re saying
that you won’t accept it any longer.
“I’m not going to put up with your mess
any longer!
!”
If you tell someone
to “shut up”, you
tell them to stop
talking.
“Why don’t you just
shut up if you haven’t
got
!”
10
Hang up
If you “hang up”,
you put the phone
down and stop
communicating.
“She was so
angry that she
hung up before
he could finish
.”
Point out
If you “point
something out”,
you mention it in a
conversation, etc.
“She pointed out
the fact that
he’d never once
.”
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
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51
TRACK 27
CATCHING UP ON
ALL THE LATEST NEWS!
Answers on page 78
Objective To learn how to get up-to-date with the latest news
Think about where you’re going and who
you’re going to be with in order to prepare
questions related to the situation, place,
city, town, company, venue, etc. Also, do
a bit of research on any people you know
might be there. You could find
out about them by checking out their
social media pages on Facebook,
Instagram or LinkedIn.
Pre-listening
1
Imagine you’ve just met a friend who you haven’t seen for 10
years. What are you going to ask him/her? Think of four ideas.
Use the prompts below to help you.
jobs appearance competitions school relationships
mutual friends family homes personality
2
Listening I
You’re going to listen to two ex-school friends who’ve just met
in the street. What do they say/ask? Are any of their questions/
comments similar to the ones you thought of for the Pre-listening
activity?
3
Listening II
Listen again and answer the questions.
1. How long is it since they left school?
2. What did Jan beat Emma at?
3. What did Jan win a school prize for?
4. What did Jan’s mother leave Jan after she died?
5. What does Jan do for a living?
6. Where does Emma work?
7. Is Emma married now?
52
4
Useful language: getting up to date
Complete the questions or statements with the words from below.
out doing working to what heard up living
happened still time married
to?
1. So, what have you been
?
2. Where have you been
working at that marketing company?
3. Are you
?
4. How’s your brother? What’s he been up
with Bob?
5. Are you still going
?
6. What have you been doing all this
?
7. Where have you been
have you been doing?
8.
in London?
9. So, what are you
?
10. Did you ever get
to Mike?
11. What
from Chloe?
12. Have you
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TRACK 28
MONEY CHAT
Answers on page 78
Objective To learn how to talk in social situations
Think about it What do you do to keep track of your expenses? When was the last time you spent more than £100 (more or less)? What did you buy?
How careful are you with your money?
IS THIS
ENOUGH?
Studies have shown that smiling can
make you feel more positive. And, like
yawning, it’s also contagious. So, put a
smile on your face!
1
Pre-listening
2
Listening I
What sort of questions could you ask in the following places?
Think of one typical question for each place: a bank,
a supermarket, a restaurant, a train station, a shop.
You’re going to listen to five short dialogues involving money. Listen
once and write down where each dialogue is taking place. Choose from
the places in the Pre-listening activity.
1. Dialogue 1:
2. Dialogue 2:
3. Dialogue 3:
4
4. Dialogue 4:
5. Dialogue 5:
3
Listening II
6. Loan – an amount of money you borrow.
7. Monthly instalments – the amount of money you pay
back every month.
8. Voucher – a piece of paper that gives you a reduction
on the price of something.
9. Bill – a piece of paper that tells you how much you
have to pay for something.
10. Refund – an amount of money a shop gives you if you
return an item.
11. APR – the Annual Percentage Rate: a total amount
of interest, including all costs and fees for the
year. Some companies advertise monthly interest
amounts, which is confusing.
Read the definitions of the words and expressions. Then, listen
again and say which dialogue they appear in. Write bank,
supermarket, restaurant, train station or shop.
1. Off-peak ticket – a ticket that you can buy at a time
when demand is less.
2. Discount coupon – a piece of paper that gives you a
reduction in the price of something.
3. Store card – a card that you can use at a shop. It
gives you points every time you buy things there.
4. Interest – money paid at a certain rate.
5. Receipt – a piece of paper with information about
something you bought.
Useful language
Complete with correct words. Then, listen again to check your answers.
1. I’ve just been checking the bill and there seems to be
.
a
2. I’m afraid I can’t deal with any returns unless you’ve
.
got the
3. So, we’ve been looking over your request for a loan
.
and everything seems to be in
instalments be?
4. So, erm, what would the
amount you’ll have paid toward interest
5. The
is £629.95.
6. So, the sum total including the loan and
payments will be £6,629.95.
?
7. That’s £44 and 56 pence. Have you got a store
.
8. Yes, and I’ve got these discount
in, please?
9. Could you key your PIN
to Kettering, please?
10. How much is a single
, you can get
11. If you book over the internet in
off-peak tickets for as little as £20.
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53
TRACK 29
GIVING OPINIONS ON HYPOCRISY
Answers on page 78
Objective To learn how to express an opinion
Think about it Have you heard any examples of hypocrisy lately? What happened? Have there been any examples of famous people or public figures acting
hypocritically? What happened? Do you know anyone who has acted hypocritically lately? Who? How? Have you ever been guilty of hypocrisy? In what way?
WHICH FACE
SHALL I WEAR
TODAY
Before attending an event or a party,
make sure you’re in a positive mood.
As they say, “To have fun, you’ve got
to be fun.” In order to get yourself
in the mood, you could think about
something that makes you laugh,
remind yourself of a past success,
watch funny videos... anything that
makes you feel good.
Pre-listening
1
Look at the list of people below. In what ways can they be
hypocritical: when they say one thing but do the opposite; or
when they tell you not to do something but they do it themselves,
etc.? Choose three people and make notes on how they might be
hypocritical.
your boss, the government, your parents, a teacher, a
work colleague, a government, minister, the president,
a celebrity, a musician, a film star, a sports person, a
millionaire, a member of the royal family, a film critic, a
restaurant critic, left-wing people / socialists, etc., rightwing people / conservatives, etc.
2
Listening I
You’re going to listen to three people talking about hypocrisy. They
mention the following types of people: those concerned about
the environment, conservative types, televangelists, leftwing politicians, millionaire left-wing politicians. In what
ways could these people be hypocritical? Make notes. Then, listen
once to the recording to compare your ideas.
3
Listening II
Listen again. Then, write T (true) or F (false) next to each
statement, according to what the speakers say in the recording.
1. Al Gore got an Oscar for his film An Inconvenient
Truth.
2. The electric bill for his house is 20 times less than the
national average.
3. Ted Kennedy was in favour of the wind power project.
4. The second speaker referred to a case about a
minister from the 1980s.
5. The minister was throwing away most of the letters
he received.
6. Tristram Hunt (the education secretary mentioned by
the third speaker) would probably send his kids to a
private school.
7. Extremely rich left-wing politicians are referred to as
“champagne socialists”.
54
4
Word formation
5
Useful language
Write the correct parts of speech as indicated in brackets.
1. Hypocrite = (adjective)
2. Private = (noun)
3. Globe = (adjective)
4. Marriage = (verb)
5. Illegitimate = (affirmative adjective)
6. Politician = (noun: the topic)
Complete the sentences with the words from below.
about off like way so but how
such it in end
when
they say one thing but...
1. I think it’s funny
when they tell you what to do
2. I can’t stand
then...
for something
3. I hate it when people tell you
then...
government..
4. It’s really obvious that most people
hypocritical of them when we all know that
5. It’s
they’re...
this one minister who...
6. I read
...
7. She promised to return the money but in the
people could fall for
8. I just can’t understand
that!
some people...
9. It really annoys me the
do another.
10. I hate it when they say one thing
that,
11. They go on about equality and things
but...
hypocrites!
12. They’re all
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
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TRACK 30
THE BUSINESS LUNCH
Answers on page 78
Learn over 20 useful words to use at a business lunch!
Useful words
Wine glass
Fork
Napkin
Plate
Bowl
Knife
Spoon
Tablecloth
YOU ARE
PAYING FOR
THIS, AREN'T
YOU?
Laptop
Waiter / waitress
Business card
Tablet computer
1
Pre-listening
2
Listening I
3
Listening II
What do you think people might talk about over a business
lunch? What sort of questions might they ask, particularly if
they’ve never met in person before, or if one of them has flown
over for the meeting. Make notes.
Listen to the dialogue once. Sally Fields has just flown over from
Dublin to speak to Peter Prescott about a development project.
They’re having a business lunch. Were any of your ideas from
the Pre-listening activity mentioned?
Tip
More words
Menu – a piece of paper with the prices and list of things
you can eat in the restaurant.
Starter – food you eat before the main course: soup, a
salad, etc.
Main course – the large plate of food you order: fish and
chips; steak with potatoes, etc.
Dessert – a sweet dish you eat at the end of the meal:
cake, yoghurt, sorbet, etc.
Set menu – a fixed price for the starter, main course and
dessert. There’s usually a limited choice of options.
Bill – a piece of paper that tells you how much you have
to pay for your meal.
Making small talk
Have you been here before?
Where are you staying?
Is it your first time here?
How was the trip?
What’s the hotel like?
How’s the weather been?
What would you recommend?
I’d just like to propose a toast to our new project. /
Here’s to our new project.
Listen again. Then, answer the questions.
1. How often does Peter go to the restaurant?
2. What does he recommend?
3. What does Peter order to drink?
4. What does Sally have as a starter? What does Peter have?
5. What do they have for the main course?
6. Where does Sally have the figures for the proposal?
7. According to what Peter says, what do they want to do to
the old cinema?
8. Towards the end, what does Peter ask the waiter
to bring?
4
Useful language
Add letters to complete the words in the useful phrases.
1. Pleased to m_ _ t you.
2. Have you been waiting for l_ _ _ ?
3. So, what w_ _ _ _ you recommend then?
4. We’ll h_ _ _ a bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau, please.
5. Are you ready to o_ _ _ _?
6. For st_ _ _ _ _ _, I’ll have the prawn cocktail, please.
7. I’ll be back in just a minute with your d_ _ _ _ _ and
starters.
8. So, how was the t_ _ _?
9. Did you get a chance to l_ _ _ over the proposal?
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55
TRACK 31
NETWORKING
Answers on page 78
Objective To learn how to do networking in English
Think about it Have you ever done any networking? Where did you do it? Who did you talk to? How successful were you? Did you make any useful contacts?
Do you ever do any social networking? Which groups are you in?
NETWORKING
Networking is the process of meeting new people and making
contacts. People use networking to attract more business, get a
better job or sell more products. Networking often takes place at
social events (conferences, business fairs, talks, etc.) where you can
chat to people, build relationships, ask for advice and offer to help
in some way.
1
Pre-listening
What sort of questions could you ask someone when you’re
networking? Make a list. For example:
Have you been here before?
Where are you staying?
What line of business are you in?
2
Listening I
You’re going to listen to a dialogue between Bruce and Nigel.
They’re at an international conference in London. They’re waiting
in a queue to get their conference badges. Listen once. Did you
hear any of the questions or statements you thought of for the
Pre-listening activity?
3
Before going to a networking event,
prepare a short, concise description
of who you are and what you do. This
is useful to prepare in advance in case
you have to give a short description of
yourself.
Listening II
Listen again. Then, answer the questions.
1. How many times has Nigel (the second speaker)
been to the conference?
2. Where has he come from to attend the conference?
3. What about Bruce (the first speaker)?
4. Where are they both staying?
5. What are their surnames?
6. Why does Bruce suddenly have to leave?
7. Who is Bruce Milton?
8. When and where do they arrange to meet up?
56
4
Useful language Networking
Complete the networking statements with the words from below.
about of details company call touch next proposal
afternoon up promote time card help
.
1. I’m the head of a small online marketing
themselves online.
2. We help businesses
.
3. Here’s my business
Milton Networks.
4. I’m the CEO
.
5. I’ve got a meeting later this
from 3:30 to 4pm.
6. I’ve got a bit of spare
your company.
7. You could tell me all
week.
8. Let’s get together sometime
next time you’re in town.
9. We could meet
and we’ll take a look at it.
10. Send over your
with our managing director
11. I could put you in
if you want.
you.
12. I know someone who might be able to
to the marketing manager.
13. I could pass on your
sometime next week to go
14. Could I give you a
over some of our options?
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VIDEO 10
HOW TO INTRODUCE
YOURSELF QUICKLY
1
Pre-viewing
2
First viewing
3
Second viewing
a.
b.
c.
d.
...people can understand you.
...talk about your most recent client?
...you’re confident.
Their body language isn’t confident, and they
mumble so you can’t hear them properly.
...so don’t mumble or rush through that.
...going to focus on in the little time that you have?
...different people during those 10 seconds.
...so it comes out smoothly.
Answers on page 78
How would you introduce yourself? Make notes, then practise
giving a quick 10-second introduction.
Watch the video once. What do you think of the speaker’s advice?
Rate it on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the best). How would you
change your introduction based on the video?
Watch the video again. Then, match the sentence or
question halves.
1. In what way do people often mess up their
introduction?
2. You can say a lot about yourself, but what
part are you...
3. Are you going to give your location, are you going
to...
4. Practise in front of a mirror or in front of a camera...
5. Speak loudly enough and clearly enough so...
6. It may be the first time that people are hearing
your name,...
7. Take turns looking at different parts of the
audience or...
8. If you have a good, strong posture it’ll show that...
e.
f.
g.
h.
At any social event, always make sure
you’ve got a few exit strategies as you
don’t want to be stuck with the same
person all the time. You could excuse
yourself to go to the toilet, say you’ve
got an important e-mail to deal with,
wave at someone across the room that
you’d like to talk to, say you’re going to
get a drink...
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57
8 EASY WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR
PRONUNCIATION!
Here are 8 things you can do to really improve your English pronunciation.
1
Set a goal!
When it comes to
pronunciation, the most
important thing is that
people can understand
you. You’re never going
to sound like a native
speaker. But that isn’t
a problem. English is a
universal language with
hundreds of different
accents (both native and
non-native ones). So, aim
to make your accent as
clear and understandable
as possible.
2
Listen!
Listening is the key
to improving your
pronunciation. Basically,
the more you listen to
English, the more you’ll
understand; and the more
you understand, the easier
it’ll be for you to imitate
sounds and improve your
pronunciation. You can
listen to audio novels,
podcasts, audio files from
language courses, the
news in English, television
shows, films, the radio,
YouTube videos, songs...
the options are limitless.
Try to listen to English for
at least 10 minutes at day.
3 Learn the phonetic
alphabet!
As part of improving
your pronunciation,
you’ll need to know how
to pronounce individual
words. However, with
English this is never
easy as there
are 26 letters in
the English
alphabet,
but many
more
sounds. So,
you need
to learn the
International
Phonetic
Alphabet (the
IPA). This is
58
a collection of symbols
that represent the different
sounds. For example the
word face appears as /
feɪs / in phonetic script.
Learning this will really
help you understand these
sounds.
Identify problem
sounds!
Among the many different
sounds in English, there
will be some that you find
more difficult than others.
For example, French
and German learners
of English often find it
difficult to pronounce
words that begin with
the / ð / sound such
as this, those and these.
Once you’ve identified
the sounds that are
difficult for you, focus on
improving them.
4
Listen out for
connected speech!
When you learn a new
word, you also need to
find how it’s pronounced
in sentences with other
words. And you’ll notice
that sometimes the
pronunciation of the
word might change. For
example, the verb forget
is pronounced / fɔːgit /.
However, when you put it
in a sentence with other
words, it changes as the
last consonant sound
/ t / often merges with
the first vowel sound of
the following word.
So, the phrase Don’t
forget it! becomes
Don’t forge tit!
�
This is known
as connected
speech.
5
IT’S SO
EASY!
6 Be aware of
word stress!
Another
important
aspect of
pronunciation is
word stress. Every word
has a different stress
pattern. For example the
word amazing has the
stress on the second
syllable: amazing. When
you look up a word in the
dictionary, you can see
where the stress goes. This
is extremely important. If
you put the stress on the
wrong part of the word,
other people will find it
hard to understand you.
Learn about
sentence stress!
Another important aspect
of pronunciation is
sentence stress. English is
a stress-timed language.
This means that the
stress falls on specific
words in a sentence
while quickly gliding
over other non-stressed
words. Stressed words
mostly include nouns (dog,
table, etc.), verbs (sit, run,
etc.), adjectives (beautiful,
wonderful, etc.) and adverbs
(quickly, slowly, etc.). For
example, a native speaker
would probably stress these
words (marked in bold) in
the following sentence: I
left at midday to catch the
train. If you put the stress
on the other words, people
might not understand you.
7
8
Practise!
A lot of sounds in English
may be completely new
for you and difficult
to pronounce. So,
you’re going to have to
practise saying them
until they feel natural
and comfortable. Here
are some ideas of little
exercises that you can
do to improve your
pronunciation:
Speak the language out
loud. Read paragraphs from
online articles, newspapers
and books, or sing along
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
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to your favourite songs.
Transferring language from
your mind to your mouth
is an effective technique
for improving your
pronunciation.
Find a recording of a
conversation or article.
Then, practise saying it to
yourself. When you’re ready,
record yourself reading it
out loud. Then, compare
your version with the
original. When you listen to
yourself speaking English,
you’ll be able to identify any
problem areas.
Listen to people on the
news, on TV shows or in
films and try to copy the
way they speak. Watch the
position of their mouth and
try to follow what they’re
saying. Newsreaders are
good as they speak directly
to the camera. Hear how
the pitch goes up and
down, and try to copy the
intonation.
Get a recording (about
three minutes long) of
someone speaking in
English. Listen to it a few
times to get familiar with it.
Then, play the first sentence
again. As you listen, say
the sentence out loud
at the same time as the
person on the recording.
Try to copy the intonation,
pronunciation and stress
patterns. Do it several
times. Then, move on to
the next sentence. Keep
going till you get to the end.
And then start the whole
process again until you can
do it all by heart.
Good luck improving
your English
pronunciation!
GLOSSARY
to glide over phr vb
if you “glide over” words, you say them
smoothly and quickly without placing any
emphasis on them
pitch n
the “pitch” of a sound is how high or low
it is
TRACK 32
TRACK 33
PRONUNCIATION
PRONUNCIATION
KEY WORDS
WORD LINKING
Learning about pronunciation will really
help with your listening and speaking
skills. By finding out about things like
connected speech and word linking,
you’ll see how sounds join together to
form new sounds.
Objective To learn about word linking in speech
Objective To learn about key words in speech
When we speak naturally in English, the stress usually
falls on important words in the sentence: the nouns,
verbs and adjectives. These are known as the key words.
For example:
a) I was thinking about the holiday.
b) He was talking to his brother.
Most of the other words (articles, pronouns, auxiliary
verbs (be, have, can, etc.), prepositions, etc.) aren’t
stressed.
Listen and repeat these sentences. Notice the key words (marked
in bold).
a) She was listening to the music.
b) They were writing the letter.
c) I was working on the computer.
Now listen and write the sentences you hear.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
A When we speak naturally, the final consonant sound
from one word often merges (joins) with the first vowel
sound of the following word. For example:
a) about it = abou tit
b) on it = o nit
c) for it = fo rit
d) eaten it = eate nit
e) heard of it = hear do fit
f) given it = give nit
B Now listen to these sentences. Notice how the word
sounds merge. Mark this on the page:
a) We’ve paid for it.
b) They’ve eaten it.
c) She’s already sent it.
C Listen and repeat these sentences. Where does the word
linking occur?
a) I’ve never heard of it.
b) She’s given it to Ben.
c) They’ve forgotten about it.
D Now listen and write the sentences you hear.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
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59
TRACK 34
12 important
proverbs and sayings!
Making questions is simple. Just remember this: PAS (Put it At the Start). So, all you need to do is place
the auxiliary verb (or modal verb or the verb to be, etc.) at the start of the question. It works with about 80%
of verb tenses in English, including the passive voice. For example:
1
2
“There’s no such thing as a free lunch.”
Nothing in life is free – there’s always a condition or
hidden cost.
A Hey, they’re offering a free iPad to everyone who turns up.
B Yeah, but then you probably have to sign up for their
mobile network in order to get it. There’s no such thing as
a free lunch!
3
“People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.”
Don’t criticise other people if you aren’t perfect
yourself.
A That’s the third time she’s arrived late for the meeting!
B Yeah, but you aren’t the most punctual person in the
world. As they say, people in glass houses...
4
“Good things come to those who wait.”
“Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.”
Don’t depend on just one thing; don’t put all your money
into one investment because you could lose it all.
A I was thinking about investing my savings in this new tech
company.
B I wouldn’t put all my eggs in one basket if I were you.
Be patient and something good will happen to you.
A Are we there yet? We’ve been in the car for ages!
B Only twenty minutes more. The view is worth it, I promise.
Good things come to those who wait.
5
6
“Two heads are better than one.”
“Absence makes the heart grow fonder.”
When people work in a team, they can
achieve better results.
A Can you help me with this? I just can’t work it out.
B Of course. You know what they say – two heads
are better than one.
60
60
You start to love people or places more
when you’re away from them.
A So, do you miss your family much?
B Yes, especially as I don’t see them so often!
Absence really does make the heart grow fonder.
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7
8
“You can lead a horse to water,
but you can’t make him drink.”
“Too many cooks spoil the broth.”
You can try to help someone, but they won’t
always take your advice.
A I’ve told him a hundred times about doing that
course, but he just won’t listen.
B Stop fretting over it. You can lead a horse to water...
When there are too many people in charge
of something the results won’t be good.
A I don’t know how we’re ever going to get this
done in time with all these people here.
B Yes, too many cooks…
9
10
“Take care of the pennies and the
pounds will take care of themselves.”
If you’re careful with small amounts of money, those
small amounts will soon grow into bigger amounts.
A Why do you bother with all those supermarket coupons?
B Every bit counts. Remember what they say, if you take care
of the pennies...
11
“If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again.”
Don’t give up if you fail the first time. Just keep
trying and you’ll succeed in the end.
A I give up. I just can’t do it.
B Remember what they say, if at first you don’t succeed...
12
“If you want
something done
right, do it yourself.”
“Honesty is the best policy.”
The best thing is to tell the truth.
A I don’t know whether I should tell her what I
really think of her boyfriend.
B I’ve always found that honesty is the best policy.
Don’t trust other people to do
something important for you –
the best thing is to do it yourself.
A I’m sorry but I never had time to
write up that proposal, and I think
I’ve lost the notes you gave me.
B Are you serious? If you want
something done right...
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
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61
61
TRACK 35
PRONUNCIATION
TRACK 36
PRONUNCIATION
CONNECTED SPEECH SENTENCE STRESS
Avoid saying anything negative
about other people or things. As Dale
Carnegie once said, “Any fool can
criticise, condemn, and complain but
it takes character and self control to
be understanding and forgiving.”
Objective To learn about connected speech and word linking
When we speak naturally, the final consonant sound
from one word often merges (joins) with the first vowel
sound of the following word. For example:
them at = the mat
is in =� i sin �
�
doctor
at� = docto rat
�
buy it = bu yit �
set �up = se � tup
in a� = i na �
�
� and = discoun tand
discount
�
�
Listen to these sentences. Notice how the word sounds
merge Mark this on the page:
1. If you buy it now, I’ll give you a 15% discount and free
access to the Members Area.
2. This new program gives you access to all your files
and stores them in a safe place.
3. It won’t take very long to set up and once completed,
you won’t have to do it again.
Now listen and write the sentences you hear.
1.
2.
3.
4.
62
Objective To learn about sentence stress in speech
When we speak naturally in English, the stress usually
falls on important words in the sentence: the nouns,
verbs and adjectives. These are known as the key words.
For example:
He’ll be working all weekend.
They won’t have started it by Friday.
Most of the other words (articles, pronouns,
auxiliary verbs (be, have, can, etc.), prepositions, etc.)
aren’t stressed.
Listen and repeat these sentences. Notice the key words (marked
in bold).
1. I’ll be installing several more today.
2. She’ll be working from home.
3. I’ll have finished it by tomorrow night.
Now listen and write the sentences you hear.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
Copyright Hot English Publishing SL 2016 www.learnhotenglish.com
HOW TO
IMPROVE
YOUR SPOKEN
ENGLISH
LET’S TALK!
OK. YOU START!
Here are our top tips for improving your spoken English.
Part
I
: Preparation
As part of improving your
spoken English, you need
to get used to producing
English sounds. Here’s
what you can do.
Read aloud – take a short
text (preferably one with an
audio file to go with it) and
read parts of it out loud.
Later, you can compare your
version to the original.
Repetition – repeat key
sentences and expressions
over and over again until
they become automatic. Very
soon, you’ll have learnt lots
of useful phrases you can use
in real conversations.
Stories – practise telling
your favourite stories or
anecdotes. Write them out
first. Then, make notes and
practise saying them to
yourself or a friend. Later,
you can use these stories or
anecdotes in conversations.
Memory – memorise
typical phrases, expressions
and sentences. A lot of
the language we use when
speaking consists of set
expressions and chunks
of language. For example,
“That’s interesting! / I never
knew that! / That must have
been scary!”
Simultaneous speaking
– sing along to your favourite
songs, or try to speak at the
same time as the character
in a video clip or an audio
recording you’re familiar
with. Simply press play and
then start speaking along
with the news presenter,
actors, singers, etc.
Questions – practise
forming questions. Take
a piece of text and make
questions from sentences in
the article or paragraph. For
example, “She’s seen it. = Has
she seen it?” Asking questions
is a good way of participating
in a conversation without
having to say much.
Listening – work on
improving your listening
skills so you can follow what
people are saying. You can do
this by listening to audio files
from course books, watching
films or TV series, listening to
music or watching videos on
YouTube. Spend at least 70%
of your study time listening
to English.
Part
II
: Participation
Conversations are
complicated as people tend
to speak fast and they skip
from topic to topic. Here are
our top tips for speaking in a
conversation.
Key words – in a
conversation, you won’t
understand everything. In
fact, you won’t even hear
every word as people often
speak unclearly and it’s noisy
(especially if you’re in a bar
or the street). So, you need
to listen out for the key words
– the most important words
in a conversation: the verbs,
nouns, adjectives, adverbs,
etc. And from these, you can
guess what the person is
saying. For example, if you
heard these key words “saw /
film / friend / last night”, you
could probably guess that the
speaker was saying, “I saw a
film with a friend last night.”
Paraphrasing – if
you want to check your
understanding, do some
paraphrasing. Simply
summarise in a few words
what you think the speaker
said. For example, “So, you
went out to the pub, did you?
/ Oh, right, so it was your
brother who told her, was it?”
Avoid translating –
don’t translate while you’re
speaking as it’s a waste of
time. Just use the language
you already know. Remember,
the important thing is to be
understood.
Motivation – show the
other speaker that you’re
interested in what they’re
saying. You can do this with
your body language (by
maintaining eye contact,
smiling, having an interested
look on your face, leaning
in, etc.), or by using short
phrases to show that you’re
following things:“Oh, yeah?
/ Really? / Wow! / Amazing!
/ I can’t believe you did that! /
Oh, no! / I didn’t know that /
Incredible!”
Keep it simple – speak
slowly and clearly, and use
simple English sentences
with the language you
know. Don’t worry about
your accent. And ignore any
“mistakes”. In fact, if you
listen to any native speakers
in casual conversations,
you’ll notice that they don’t
speak in perfectly-formed,
grammatically-correct
sentences (just listen to the
recordings in the Group Talk
section of the magazine and
you’ll see what we mean).
And native speakers often
make “mistakes” themselves
in fast-paced conversations.
Practice – practise
speaking as often as you
can. Speak to English
friends or a teacher on
Skype, join an English club
or conversation group, find
a pen friend, visit an Irish
or English pub or food shop
and talk to people there,
go shopping in tourist
areas and pretend you’re
a foreigner (so you can
speak English), speak to a
classmate in English (even
if you both speak the same
language)... the possibilities
are limitless.
Have fun speaking in
English!
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Copyright Hot English Publishing SL 2016 www.learnhotenglish.com
63
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TRACK 37
SOCIALISING
REPORTING BACK ON EVENTS
Answers on page 79
Objective To learn how to describe an event in English
Try to keep the conversation positive,
and avoid any potentially controversial
topics such as religion and politics.
1
Pre-listening
2
Listening I
4
What can go wrong during the following events:
a wedding, a meeting, a conference?
You’re going to listen to three people reporting back on events they attended.
Listen once and compare your ideas from the Pre-listening activity.
3
Listening II
Listen again. Then, answer the questions.
1. Why was the bride late?
2. What did the priest get wrong?
3. What couldn’t the best man find?
4. In the second extract, how much was the other party
demanding?
5. What helped to settle everyone down again?
6. In the third extract, how far away was the hotel from
the conference centre?
7. How did he get into the conference centre?
8. Why couldn’t he do anything for the first day?
Useful language
Complete the extracts from the stories with the correct words.
Then, listen again to check your answers.
the ceremony, she still
1. About two minutes
hadn’t turned up…
arrived with about 30 seconds to spare!
2. She
the ceremony, the priest got Mike’s
3. Then,
name wrong…
the best man couldn’t find
4. Oh, and
the rings…
then…
5. I mean, it started off all right,
, they said that they…
6. To make matters
, someone suggested taking a break.
7. In the
again after about half-an-hour…
8. We met
a
9. The only thing was that I was booked
hotel that…
the city centre was a nightmare…
10. …parking
and really expensive.
11. Anyway, it turned up eventually and everything was
that.
fine
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
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65
TRACK 38
HOW TO GIVE A
BACK-HANDED COMPLIMENT
I JUST LOVE YOUR
BACK-HANDED
COMPLIMENTS.
THANKS!
Follow up on any conversation you have
by sending a message the next day
saying how great it was to meet them.
You could send the message from your
social media account so they can find
out a bit more about you, and see what
a fantastic person you are!
Objective To improve your reading and listening skills.
Think about it What other back-handed compliments do you know of? Has anyone ever given you a back-handed
compliment? Have you ever given someone a back-handed compliment? Why do you think people give back-handed
compliments? How often do you give genuine compliments? How important is it to compliment people?
Answers on page 79
1
Pre-reading
Read over the compliments
(and ignore the “translations”
for now). In what way are they
insulting? What do you think
they really mean?
2
Reading I
Compliment: “You look like
you’ve been eating well.”
Translation: You’ve put on
some weight.
Reading II
Compliment: “I didn’t
recognise you! You look
beautiful!”
Translation: You normally
look like a tramp.
Now read over the
“translations” to compare your
ideas from the Pre-reading
activity.
3
Read over the translations
below. See if you can
remember the corresponding
back-handed compliments
without referring back to the
article.
1. “I didn’t recognise you!
You look beautiful!”
2. “You’re so photogenic.”
3. “I love that outfit!
You’re so brave.”
4. “You’re so normal
compared to the last
person I dated.”
5. “You’re getting better at
your job every day.”
6. “I love how you’re not
obsessed with personal
style.”
66
S
ome insults are hard
to detect, and can
even appear to be
compliments. These hidden
snubs are known as backhanded compliments. Here
are a few.
outfit! You’re so brave.”
Translation: I wouldn’t be
seen dead in something
like that.
Compliment: “You look
great for your age.”
Translation: I’d just like to
remind you that you aren’t
young any more.
Compliment: “You’ve done
quite well for someone of
your educational level.”
Translation: I was under the
impression that you were
an ignorant, uneducated
fool.
Compliment: “Your shoes
look so comfortable.”
Translation: Those shoes
are so unstylish.
Compliment: “You’re so
normal compared to the
last person I dated.”
Translation: You’re boring.
Compliment: “Your new
haircut really makes your
face look slim.”
Translation: You’ve got a fat
face.
Compliment: “You’re
getting better at your job
every day.”
Translation: When you
started here, I thought you
were a complete moron.
Compliment: “You’re so
photogenic.”
Translation: You look a lot
better in pictures than in
person.
Compliment: “I love that
Compliment: “I’d never
have guessed that you were
a surgeon.”
Translation: You come
across as too stupid to be a
professional.
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
Copyright Hot English Publishing SL 2016 www.learnhotenglish.com
Compliment: “I love how
you’re not obsessed with
personal style.”
Translation: You dress like
a slob.
Compliment: “You’re a riot
when you’ve had a bit to
drink!"
Translation: You’re
really boring when you’re
sober.
Get ready to respond
to those back-handed
compliments!
GLOSSARY
a compliment n
something nice that you say to someone to
show that you like what they’ve done, what
they’re wearing, etc.
a snub n
an insult; something rude that someone
says
a tramp n
a person who lives in the street
photogenic adj someone who is “photogenic” looks good
in photos
I wouldn’t be seen dead in... exp
I would never wear...
ignorant adj an “ignorant” person doesn’t know the
things they should know
to date vb
if you're “dating” someone, you’re having a
romantic relationship with them
a moron n informal
an idiot
to come across as exp
if you “come across as” intelligent (for
example), you appear to be intelligent
a slob n
a lazy and untidy person
sober adj someone who is “sober” isn’t drunk
TRACK 39
GETTING INTO THE CITY
IT’S YOUR
TURN TO
PAY!
Answers on page 79
Objective To learn about some features of spoken English – part I
Useful language: Conversation fillers
Native English speakers often use meaningless words and sounds
when they’re speaking naturally and spontaneously. These are
often referred to as “conversation fillers” as they literally “fill”
the conversation. They include words or sounds such as er,
erm, like and you know. You don’t need to use these words
and sounds yourself. However, it’s very important to be aware
of them and to be able to recognise them. This will allow you to
follow conversations much more easily. And learning about them
will really help with your listening skills. Here are some of the
common ones.
1
Pre-listening
If you had to travel into the
city where you live (or near
where you live), what means
of transport would you use?
What are the pros and cons
of each type? Add two more
ideas to each item on the
list below.
Car – you have to find a parking space,
it’s faster, it’s more convenient…
Bus – it’s cheap, you don’t have to find a parking
space…
Metro / underground – it’s fast…
Taxi
Bicycle
Walking
Other?
2
It’s important to learn about these
features of spoken English. They’re
words and sounds that often appear
in natural, spontaneous language.
However, you don’t need to copy them
when you’re speaking - you only need to
be able to recognise them.
Listening I
You’re going to listen to two people chatting about getting into
the city. They start talking about the congestion charge. The
congestion charge is a fee drivers pay to drive into Central London
between 07:00 and 18:00 on Mondays to Fridays. It costs £11.50
per car if you pay in advance. There’s a £65 fine if you drive into
the zone and you haven’t paid. What are the pros and cons of such
a scheme?
Make notes. Then, listen once to compare your ideas.
3
Listening II
Listen again. Then, choose the correct words in each sentence.
1. Karl has got some tickets for a theatre show on
Saturday/ Sunday afternoon.
2. He’s got one/two spare ticket/s.
3. The play is a comedy and his nephew/cousin is in it.
4. They arrange to meet up outside the theatre at
5pm/6pm.
5. Karl thinks the congestion charge is £10/£20.
6. Dave once got fined £40/£50.
7. Karl thinks the charge could help to increase/reduce
the number of cars in the centre.
8. Dave thinks that it might be good/bad for business.
9. Karl hopes they’ll pedestrianise more/less of the
centre too.
Feature
Example
like (this word is
sometimes used to fill
a gap or silence)
There’s two, like,
people, like, waiting at
the side...
I’ve got, like, about two
minutes to, like, deal
with it.
you know (this is
used to fill a gap in
a conversation, or to
check that the other
person is following
you)
It’s great, you know,
because you can do it
all from home.
If you want any help,
just, you know, ask.
Er / erm (these
“sounds” are often
used while people are
thinking of something
to say or they’re unsure
of what to say)
Erm, I’m not really sure.
Er, what do you think?
Erm, I don’t really know
how to put this, but,
erm, we’ve just won the
lottery!
I mean (this expression
is used for selfcorrection or for
clarifying something)
It’s really good, I mean,
it isn’t bad.
I’m thirty six, I mean,
thirty seven.
4
Exercise
Look at these extracts taken from the conversation you’ve just
listened to. Circle or underline any conversation fillers.
1. Not really, I think I’ll just, erm, you know,
take it easy.
2. Oh, but, erm, I’ve some tickets for a theatre
show on Sunday afternoon.
3. It’s in, like, this little theatre just off Marley
Street.
4. We could meet up just outside the theatre at,
like, 6pm.
5. It starts at, erm, 6:15, I think.
6. OK. So, erm, how will you be getting into
the centre?
7. It’s like 10 pounds now, isn’t it?
8. Although I do, like, think it’s a good idea
in principle.
9. There’ll be fewer cars, and, like, less pollution.
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
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67
TRACK 40
ASKING ABOUT SOMEONE’S PLANS
Answers on page 79
Objective To learn about some features of spoken English – part II
Useful language: Features of spoken
English
When native English speakers talk quickly in conversation or chat
informally, they rarely speak in full sentences. And they often use
non-standard English, correct themselves, repeat themselves,and
even make factual or grammatical mistakes. This is because
they’re speaking fast and without really thinking. It’s perfectly
natural and normal, and people often do it in their own languages.
Here are some examples of these things:
WHAT A BUSY
SCHEDULE
YOU’VE GOT!
Repetition
This is when people repeat words:
a) I never saw... saw it.
b) It’s the first... first time I’ve ever seen it.
Interruption
This is when one speaker interrupts another.
A: Well, I was just walking down the street when...
B: ...which street?
1
Pre-listening
Learning about these natural features
of spoken conversation will really help
with your listening skills. If you know
how to identify these features, you’ll
be able to focus on the important key
words: the nouns, verbs, adjectives,
etc. These will help you understand
what’s being said.
What information do you
need if you’re going to a party?
Make notes. For example:
what time it is, where it is, etc.
2
Listening I
3
Listening II
You’re going to listen to a conversation between two people who
are talking about a party. Listen once. Did they answer any of the
things you thought about for the Pre-listening activity?
Listen again. Then, answer the questions.
1. When is the party?
a) Friday b) Saturday
2. What type of party is it?
a) a housewarming party b) a fancy-dress party
3. What’s the name of the pub where Harry’s dad
works?
a) the Hen and Rabbit b) the Duck and Goose
4. What time is the party?
a) 7pm b) 8pm
5. What is Zoe going to take to the party?
a) a bottle of wine b) some beer
6. What’s the address?
a) 19 Hedgegrove Avenue b) 23 Bartleby Street
7. What is it next to?
a) the bus station b) the train station
68
Hesitation
This is when one of the speakers stops speaking temporarily –
often because they’re nervous or unsure of what they’re saying.
a) Erm, I’d just like to say that, erm, we’re, erm, really
angry about it.
b) Erm, I don’t know what you think, but I, erm, don’t
really, erm, like it.
4
Exercise I
5
Exercise II
Write R (Repetition), I (Interruption) or H (Hesitation) next to
each example.
1. This is... this is the best one.
2. A: I really don’t know what you’re talking...
B: ...what I meant to say was that...
3. I know what... I know what you mean.
4. A: Could you just tell me...
B: ...I know what we can do. We can...
5. Erm, I think, er, well, I’m fairly sure that, erm, that, it’s, erm...
Read over the conversation. Then, give a short description of each
numbered expression in italics.
Eating out
Doug: So, (1) erm, do you eat out much?
Marta: No, no, not much. It’s expensive, and, erm, besides,
I quite enjoy cooking at home.
Doug: Yeah, I used to go out quite a lot because, (2) you know,
it’s so convenient, you know, if you get back home late
and you’re hungry, it’s always easier to eat at,
(3) I mean, to eat out and…
Marta: (4) ...yeah, I agree. So, which restaurants did you like?
Doug: I don’t know, I guess (5) I used to... I used to quite like
Franelli’s, you know, that place in the high street, (6) their...
their... lasagne is delicious, but, (7) you know, I used to go
once a week, (8) I mean, once every two weeks, so it got a
bit boring. I think I just, (9) like, just ate there too often and
then I got bored of it, so now I... [fades out]
For example: 1. conversational filler
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
Copyright Hot English Publishing SL 2016 www.learnhotenglish.com
TRACK 41
CATCHING UP ON
THE LATEST NEWS!
Answers on page 79
Objective To learn how to agree or disagree with someone
Think about it Have you seen any old friends lately? Who? Why hadn’t you seen them for such a long
time? What did you talk about? What did he/she ask you? What did you ask him/her? Where were you?
When do you think you’ll see them again?
IS THAT ALL?
You’ll see from learning about these
features of spoken English that when
people speak, they don’t speak in
perfect, grammatically correct phrases.
Often, the speech is a bit of a mess. It’s
your job to try to follow it.
Useful language Agreement
The use of so / neither / nor / either
We can use so to agree with another speaker’s
affirmative statement. For example:
A: I’ve seen it before.
B: So have I.
1
Pre-listening
Imagine you’ve just met an old friend or acquaintance in the
street. What could you say to them? What could you ask them?
Add three more ideas to the list below.
I’ve got a new house.
I’ve changed jobs.
What’s (Mike) doing these days?
Where are you living?
Where are you working?
Other?
2
Listening I
You’re going to listen to a conversation between two people
who know each other, vaguely. Listen once. Which questions or
statements did you hear from the Pre-listening task?
3
Listening II
Listen again. Then, choose the correct answers.
1. They were at a conference in...
a) Birmingham
b) Leipzip
2. It was about...
a) three years ago
b) two years ago
3. Libby has bought a little apartment overlooking the...
a) river
b) castle
4. Hugo has bought a house in a little...
a) village
b) town
5. Hugo is in Manchester...
a) on business
b) visiting friends and family
6. Libby is connected with Chloe on...
a) Facebook
b) LinkedIn
7. They decide to go for...
a) lunch
b) a coffee
8. The place they go to is in
a) Canal Street
b) Fireplace Avenue
Notice how we repeat the auxiliary verb. For example:
A: I am happy.
B: So am I.
A: She can see it.
B: So can he.
When the verb is in the Present Simple, we use do or
does; and when it’s in the Past Simple, we use did. For
example:
A: Jessica lives here.
B: So does Nick.
A: I loved the film.
B: So did I.
To agree with another speaker’s negative statement we
can use neither. For example:
A: I can’t see it.
B: Neither can I. (Or: I can’t either / Nor can I.)
A: She isn’t there.
B: Neither is Bob. (Or: Bob isn’t either / Nor is Bob.)
A: I didn’t think much of it.
B: Neither did I. (Or: I didn’t either / Nor did I.)
A: Laura isn’t coming to the party.
B: Neither is Jake. (Or: Jake isn’t either / Nor is Jake.)
4
Exercise
Complete the mini-dialogues with the correct words.
1. A: I saw a great documentary last night.
I!
B: So
2. A: I didn’t get a chance to look over the report.
did I.
B:
3. A: I’ve got a new car.
have I!
B:
4. A: My sister works in a bank.
mine!
B: So
5. I haven’t finished it.
I!
6. Neither
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69
TRACK 42
WHAT DO YOU THINK
OF THE UNDERGROUND?
Answers on page 79
Objective To learn about some features of spoken English – part III
You’ll see from these audio extracts
that native speakers don’t speak in
grammatically perfect sentences.
Spoken communication is not
an exact science - it’s a form of
negotiation between two (or more)
speakers who are trying to create
meaning.
Non-standard English
There’s a lot of people there. [It should be: There are...]
1
Pre-listening
2
Listening I
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
…nobody did anything.
…getting involved in stuff.
…anywhere to put my feet.
…in a suit or something, you know.
…for anybody anymore.
…It was just terrible.
…tempered in the morning.
…trains on or something.
What do you like or dislike about travelling on the Underground
(also known as the subway, tube or metro)? What are the pros and
cons? Make a list.
Contradicting
as a matter of fact / actually / to tell you the truth /
yes, but...
As a matter of fact, it was Frank who said that.
Actually, I’ve never even been there.
To tell you the truth, I thought it was one of her worst.
Yes, but do you really understand it?
You’re going to listen to two people who are talking about
travelling on the Underground. Listen once. Were any of your ideas
from the Pre-listening task mentioned?
Changing the topic of conversation
anyway / by the way...
3 Listening II
Anyway, did you get a chance to speak to Clara?
Match the sentence halves. Then, listen again to check your
By the way, did you hear what Nigel said about it?
answers.
1. I went on the Underground today…
Abbreviated forms
2. This morning I didn’t even have…
Gonna (going to) / wanna (want to) / dunno (dont’ know)
I’m gonna go there tomorrow. = I’m going to go
3. I think they should put more, like, more…
there tomorrow.
4. Everyone’s so bad…
She doesn’t wanna see him again. = She doesn’t
5. Somebody fainted the other day and…
want to see him again.
6. Nobody has any respect…
I dunno what they want. = I don’t know what
7. I guess people are sort of frightened of…
they want.
8. So, you only help people because they’re…
Useful language:
Features of conversational language
Here are some more features of conversational English:
False starts
I, I, I think... I mean, I believe...
Incomplete sentences
I went... I took it, and then, I had...
70
Summing up
So / basically...
So, what shall we do about it.
Basically, we need to know...
So, did you see that film last night?
4
Exercise
Complete the sentences with the correct words or expressions. In
some cases, more than one answer may be possible.
1. A: I think Sandra’s going to work in Seattle next year.
, I think she’s already gone.
B:
2. A: That film was great.
it wasn’t as good as her last one.
B: Yeah,
3. A: Do you like it?
truth, I didn’t really think much of it.
B:
, that’s
4. ...And then I was late for work.
enough about me. What about your day?
way, do you know what happened to Phoebe?
5.
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
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VIDEO 11
HOW TO GET TALKING TO SOMEONE
1
Pre-viewing
2
First viewing
3
Second viewing
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g
…a shared experience.
…tricks in your back pocket.
…stories you hear and the opening that’s created.
…button they’re wearing or shoes they’ve got on.
…strangers are coming together.
…you find interesting about them.
…brought you here today?”
Answers on page 79
What are your top tips for starting a conversation? What questions
do you ask? What do you say? What comments would you make?
What would it depend on? Make notes.
Watch the video. How would you rate the speaker’s ideas on a
scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the best score)?
Match the sentence halves. Then, watch the video again to check
your answers.
1. My advice is to have a few…
2. Let’s say you’re in a new environment where a
lot of…
3. Really genuinely acknowledge something that…
4. It could be commenting on a…
5. There’s something that you can connect to that is…
6. I’m always intrigued by the question, “So, what…
7. You would be amazed at the…
Remember, communication is only
7% verbal but 93% body language.
Keep your body language positive:
uncrossed arms and legs, leaning
forward, maintaining good eye contact,
smiling, etc.
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TRACK 43
FOUR SOCIAL DIALOGUES
Objective To learn about ellipsis (leaving out words) in speech
Answers on page 79
the post office is easy to locate?
6. What does the employee think he should do?
Dialogue 4
7. What evidence is there that the waiter has been
ignoring them?
8. What excuse does the waiter give for not having taken
their order?
Useful language
Here are some more features of spoken language.
Changing the topic of conversation
anyway / by the way...
Anyway, did you get a chance to speak to Clara?
By the way, did you hear what Nigel said about it?
Abbreviated forms
Gonna (going to) / wanna (want to) / dunno (dont’ know)
I’m gonna go there tomorrow. = I’m going to go
there tomorrow.
She doesn’t wanna see him again. = She doesn’t want
to see him again.
I dunno what they want. = I don’t know what they want.
Ellipsis
Look at this extract from the audio script of the
recording: “...You mean near the supermarket?...”
The speaker has used ellipsis and omitted the auxiliary
verb “do” (Do you mean...?).
Keep up-to-date with the latest news
so you’ve always got something to
talk about.
1
Listening I
2
Listening II
You’re going to listen to four short dialogues. Listen once, and
say where each dialogue takes place. What do you think the
relationship is between the speakers?
Listen again. Then, answer the questions.
Dialogue 1
1. What does one of the speakers say about the price?
2. What do they suggest doing about the decision?
Dialogue 2
3. What monetary concerns does the girl’s dad have?
4. Why does he suggest she go to bed soon?
Dialogue 3
5. What evidence is there that the first speaker thinks
72
We often leave out words when the meaning can be
understood. Notice the eliminated text in square
brackets. For example:
A: How would you like your eggs?
B: [I would like them] Poached, please.
A: How did the meeting go?
B: They asked if I wouldn’t mind taking on some more
work, but I didn’t want to [take on the work].
Ellipsis is sometimes used at the start of questions,
particularly in informal, spoken English. What would the
full forms of these questions be? For example:
a) Car giving you trouble again?
b) Want to come with us?
c) Looking for something?
3
Exercise
Which words are omitted in the following sentences or questions?
1. You go out last night?
2. Nice dress!
3. A: Whose is it? B: Bill’s.
4. A: What shall we do?
B: Not sure.
5. She say what she wanted?
6. You ever stop to wonder why?
7. Seen Ben anywhere?
8. You ready?
9. Your sister got a job?
10. Anyone want anything else to eat?
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TRACK 44
CHATTING ABOUT REGRETS!
Answers on page 79
Objective To learn how to follow a multiple person conversation!
Remember, communication is only 7%
verbal but 93% body language. Keep
your body language positive: uncrossed
arms and legs, leaning forward, good
eye contact, smiling, etc.
Multiple-people conversations
In this unit, you’re going to listen to a multiple-person
conversation – a conversation with several people speaking.
These types of conversation are difficult to follow as people often
speak on top of one another. Also, when people chat informally,
they often use non-standard English. They may also correct
themselves in mid-sentence and repeat themselves, and they
rarely speak in full sentences. They use lots of conversation fillers
too, and even make factual or grammatical mistakes because
they’re speaking fast.
The most important thing to remember when listening to a
conversation like this is that you won’t understand every word. So,
you should only listen out for the key words – the most important
words in the conversation: the nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc. Then,
you can use your intuition to guess what the people are saying
– just as you do in your own language. Knowing the context and
topic of the conversation will help with this.
1
Pre-listening
2
Listening I
3
Listening II
You’re going to listen to some people talking about regrets in their
lives. What regrets do you have in life? Make a list. For example:
I should have studied harder at university;
I wish I’d done some more travelling while I had
the chance;
I’d have loved to have studied abroad for a couple
of years...
Listen once and compare your ideas from the Pre-listening
activity. Were any of the things you thought of mentioned in the
conversation?
Listen again. Then, answer the questions.
1. What’s the saying the female speaker mentions at
the start of the conversation?
2. What does she think about the saying?
3. What regret does the speaker who says he was an
athlete have?
4. What does the female speaker say about that?
5. Despite not being a professional athlete, how does
he feel about his life?
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TRACK 45
CHATTING ABOUT SUNDAY!
Answers on page 79
Objective To practise listening to multiple-person conversations
I WISH IT WAS
SUNDAY!
The number-one rule with small
talk is to listen. Don’t talk too much
about yourself and your life, but ask
questions and listen to what the
other person has to say. However, if
they don’t seem to show any interest
in your life, then you might want to
think about moving on.
1
Pre-listening
2
Listening I
3
Listening II
What do you like to do on Sunday? Make a list. For example:
Have a big breakfast.
Stay in bed until late.
Go for a walk in the park.
Etc.
Listen to the conversation once. Did they mention any of your
ideas from the Pre-listening activity?
Multiple-people conversations part II
Here’s some more practice on listening to multiple-person
conversations – conversations with several people speaking.
Remember to try to listen out for the key words –
the most important words in the conversation (often the nouns,
verbs, adjectives, etc.). Then, use your intuition to guess what the
people are saying – just as you do in your own language. Knowing
the context and topic of the conversation will help with this. This
is why it’s important to do the Pre-listening activity as this will
activate your existing knowledge of the topic.
74
Listen again. Then, answer these questions.
1. How old was the first speaker when she started
working in retail?
2. What does the second speaker like to do on
Sunday?
3. Why does the male speaker think it’s difficult to
shop on Sunday?
4. What does one of the speakers say about the
people who have to work on Sunday?
5. What does the male speaker say that Sunday is
reserved as?
6. When would he rather go shopping?
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TRACK 46
MAKING PLANS
Answers on page 79
Objective To understand slang in conversations
Think about it When was the last time you made plans to go out at night? Who were you with? What did you want to do? What did you all decide to
do in the end? What do you do if your friends make plans that you aren’t interested in: go anyway, or do something else?
Native English speakers often use
slang when they’re talking in social
situations. It’s important to understand
some slang terms so you can follow
the conversation. However, you should
avoid using any slang yourself, unless
you’re sure of when and how to use it.
ANY PLANS
FOR TONIGHT?
1
Pre-listening
2
Listening I
3
Listening II
What do you like to do when you go out in the evening or night?
Make a list. For example:
Go to the cinema.
Meet up in a pub with friends.
Etc.
You’re going to listen to a conversation between two people who
are trying to decide what to do. Listen once. Did they mention any
of the things you thought of for the Pre-listening task?
Listen again. Then, answer the questions.
1. What time did they want the cinema tickets for?
2. Whose party does Noah want to go to?
3. What did Noah sell to Greg?
4. How much did he get for it?
5. How much was it worth, according to Pete?
6. How much did Pete get charged for a pint the last
time he went to the Dog and Duck pub?
7. Who does Noah get a text from while they’re
talking?
8. What time are they going to pick up their friend?
4
Useful language: slang
The two speakers use a lot of slang expressions in the
conversation. Look at the list of slang expressions used in the
conversation. See if you can write out a Standard English version
or definition of each expression to show its meaning. If you’re
finding it difficult, listen again and try to guess the meaning of the
expression.
1. That’s thrown a spanner in the works =
That’s ruined our plans
2. What a bummer!
3. Grab a bite to eat
4. We’ll never hear the end of it
5. I’m sort of in two minds
6. I just don’t feel up to it
7. You can’t bail out on me
8. I’m a bit broke
9. I’m loaded
10. I flogged
11. What a mug!
12. A quick one
13. A rip-off
14. His car’s conked out
15. We can’t leave him in the lurch
16. I’ll give him a bell
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75
TRACK 47
HOW TO END A CONVERSATION
Answers on page 79
Objective To learn how to end a conversation in English
Smile and be friendly when
ending the conversation, so the
other person knows you enjoyed
talking – and they don’t think
you’re ending it because you’re
bored, etc.
Before leaving, make a positive
comment, give a reason for ending
the conversation and say when
you’ll next be in touch. If you’re
finding it hard to end the chat, just
give a summary of the main points
or the next steps to take. This will
let the other person know that
you’d like to end the conversation.
4
Useful language
Listen again. Then, answer the questions. There’s one question for
each dialogue.
sorry everything contract care miss going call
again lovely trip get great
Pre-listening
1
What reason or excuse can you give for ending a conversation?
Add at least three more ideas to the list below. You...
...have got a train to catch.
...are going on a long journey home.
...are moving abroad permanently and you have to leave.
...have to prepare the dinner.
...have said everything you need to say so you’re just
ending the conversation.
2
Listening I
You’re going to listen to five conversations in which people say
goodbye. Listen once and match the ideas from the Pre-listening
activity to the conversations below.
1. At the pub = he/she has to prepare the dinner
2. In the street =
3. In an office =
4. In a restaurant =
5. In an office =
3
Listening II
Listen again. Then, answer the questions. There’s one question for
each dialogue.
1. When will the speaker’s kids be back?
2. When does the speaker’s train leave?
3. How long have the speakers been working together?
4. Where is the speaker flying back to?
5. Where do the speakers arrange to meet?
76
Wrapping up the conversation
1. Well, I really should be _______.
2. So, I’ll give you a _______ later this week.
3. I’m really _______ but I’ve got a train to catch.
4. I’d better _______ going – the last bus leaves in
about 10 minutes.
5. So, I’ll send you the _______ as soon as I get back to
the office. OK?
Final words
6. Have a nice _______ back.
7. It was _______ talking to you.
8. I’m going to _______ you.
9. Thanks again for _______.
10. It was _______ to finally meet you.
11. It was really nice to see you _______.
12. Take _______ and send me a text message.
Saying goodbye
Bye. / Goodbye.
See you soon.
See you later.
See you next week
“GOOD NIGHT”
Remember, we usually only say “good night” to someone who is
going to bed at night. If it’s late and you want to say goodbye, just
say… “bye!” or “see you later!”
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
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ANSWERS
PAGE 6
Speech bubbles
1. coming; 2. welcome; 3. address; 4. join;
5. card; 6. from; 7. in
PAGE 7
3 Listening II
1. He hopes he’s passed his exam.
2. He suggests going to the pub.
3. She’s been there for about three weeks.
4. He went trekking.
5. It’s been about six years.
6. She’s just left for university.
7. When they were at school.
8. For about three years.
Useful language
1. I’m; 2. pleased; 3. do; 4. meet; 5. name;
6. for; 7. known; 8. seen
PAGE 8
1. recommended; 2. morning; 3. worse;
4. met; 5. remember; 6. common; 7. know;
8. conference; 9. before; 10. chef
4
PAGE 9
3 Second viewing
• Make eye contact as you’re shaking the other
person’s hand. 5
• You should be standing up when you shake
hands. 1
• Make sure your body language is good;
stand up straight with your shoulders back. 7
• Make sure you give a firm handshake, but
not so hard that you injure the other person. 3
• As you introduce yourself, give your first
and last name. 8
• Smile so you can give a really good first
impression. 6
• Shake the other person’s hand for the entire
time it takes you to introduce yourself. 4
• As you shake hands, make sure you touch
the web of the other person’s hand. 2
PAGE 10
3 Listening II
1T 2F 3T 4T 5T 6F 7F
4 Exercise
1. Yes, she is.
2. Yes, they are.
3. Yes, he did.
4. Yes, they were.
5. Yes, they had.
6. Yes, she has.
7. Yes, they will.
8. Yes, she is.
PAGE 11
1. places; 2. saw; 3. heard; 4. job offer; 5. film;
6. girlfriend; 7. tragic; 8. seen
PAGE 12
3 Listening II
1. a pint; 2. St Michael’s; 3. in Hull; 4. in
Tanzania; 5. he learnt how to scuba dive;
6. that he looks fatter; 7. a new Ford Fiesta;
8. she’s a doctor
4 Useful language
1. where; 2. what; 3. where; 4. what; 5. how;
6. where; 7. what; 8. what; 9. how; 10. why /
when; 11. when / why; 12. how / why / when
PAGE 13
2 Comprehension
1. Because we’re visual animals and we
remember what we see.
2. He also mentions her lips and eyes.
3. A bee or beehive.
4. A giant bee in the bun.
5. Ask for a bit of time to speak to each
person individually so you can picture
something on them.
6. A dollar bill.
7. He mentions Bill’s sweep of hair and his
“rather large nose”. He picks the nose.
8. The dollar bill.
PAGE 14
2 Listening I
Yes, she does.
3 Listening II
1. No, she didn’t; 2. Yes, it is; 3. Yes, she does;
4. Yes, she is; 5. Yes, she has; 6. No, she didn’t
4 Useful language
1. get; 2. like; 3. went; 4. rained; 5. moved;
6. had; 7. spent; 8. got
PAGE 16
3 Second viewing
1c 2g 3b 4a 5d 6h 7e 8f
PAGE 17
3 Listening II
1b 2a 3b 4a 5a 6a
4 Useful language – making small talk
1. aren’t; 2. going; 3. friend; 4. met; 5. work;
6. changed; 7. was; 8. meet; 9. do; 10. lived;
11. been; 12. get
PAGE 18
1. morning; 2. person; 3. client; 4. end;
5. manager; 6. deadlines; 7. help; 8. toys
PAGE 19
3 Listening II
1. Jack works with Mathews & Sons on
the 23rd floor.
2. Beth works with Saunders & Co on the
9th floor.
3. He doesn’t want to get stuck there on her own.
4. She asks if he wants to get a coffee.
5. They had his name down as Kenneth Clarke.
6. The breakfast buffet, the views, the pool
and the sauna and steam room.
7. Because he’s been there before.
8. Because she had some holiday time she
had to use up before the end of the year.
4 Useful language
1. by; 2. to; 3. floor; 4. day; 5. walk; 6. getting;
7. corner; 8. time; 9. staying; 10. reception;
11. views; 12. pool; 13. sightseeing; 14. before;
15. do; 16. met
PAGE 20
3 Second viewing
• A lot of people have a hard time making eye
contact. 3
• If you get distracted by something, make sure
you refocus your attention as soon as possible. 6
• Ask a close friend or loved one to give you
feedback on your conversational style. 8
• Look at the central point between
someone’s eyebrows if you have problems
making eye contact. 4
• Make sure you don’t stare too much. 1
• Have a conversation with yourself in front
of a mirror and watch your eyes and see how
often they drift off. 7
• Look off now and then when you’re
speaking, but not for too long – just a second
or two. 5
• Blinking too much comes across as a little
bit awkward. 2
PAGE 21
1 Movie matching
1. Psycho; 2. The Shawshank Redemption;
3. It’s a Wonderful Life; 4. Casablanca
4 Listening II
1. Some pizzas.
2. He says it wasn’t bad.
3. He says it’s an action-adventure film that
takes place in the future.
4. Teenagers who participate in a game in
which they have to kill each other.
5. She says it wasn’t too bad.
6. A terrorist called the Mandarin.
7. Ben Kingsley.
8. She’s texting a friend.
5 Useful language
1. takes; 2. set; 3. directed; 4. stars; 5. take;
6. about; 7. by; 8. in; 9. like; 10. do
PAGE 22
2 Listening I
1b 2e 3d 4a 5c
3 Listening II
1. about 50 km; 2. about 15 minutes; 3. £1 for the
whole day; 4. about 25 minutes; 5. at about 7am
4 Useful language
1. from; 2. near; 3. takes; 4. work; 5. stop;
6. about; 7. lasts; 8. get; 9. to; 10. bike;
11. work; 12. journey; 13. times; 14. frequent
PAGE 23
3 Listening II
1. cinema; 2. lunch; 3. theatre; 4. opera; 5. art
gallery; 6. May; 7. hamster
4 Useful language
1. to; 2. on; 3. about; 4. to; 5. in; 6. on; 7. with;
8. out; 9. out; 10. up
PAGE 24
3 Listening II
1. Ben’s house; 2. the police turned up; 3. he told
Oscar about a cake in the fridge; 4. because he
found out that it was Oscar’s cake; 5. nothing –
just watch a DVD; 6. all her friends popped out
of nowhere – it was a surprise party
4 Useful language
1. what; 2. when / where / why / how; 3. what;
4. where; 5. what; 6. how; 7. who; 8. what;
9. where; 10. what
PAGES 26-27
1 Exercise
1. They are tired. = Are they tired?
2. She is working. = Is she working?
3. They were playing football. = Were they
playing football?
4. He will be at home. = Will he be at home?
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77
ANSWERS
5. Pete has eaten here before. = Has Pete
eaten here before?
6. Sandra has been walking. = Has Sandra
been walking?
7. The film had already started. = Had the film
already started?
8. They are made in Taiwan. = Are they made
in Taiwan?
9. It was built in the 20th century. = Was it
built in the 20th century?
10. They have been awarded a prize. = Have
they been awarded a prize?
11. She can hear it. = Can she hear it?
12. He should take it. = Should he take it?
13. They would like to try it. = Would they like
to try it?
14. He lives in Seattle. = Does he live in Seattle?
15. They drive to work. = Do they drive to work?
16. She left before Frank. = Did she leave
before Frank?
PAGE 28
3 Second viewing
• Respond enthusiastically to comments to
keep someone talking. 4
• That gives the other person an opportunity
to show their knowledge of the subject. 8
• Encourage further conversation by asking
who, what, why, when, where and how
questions. 5
• Display an interest in a wide-range of topics. 2
• Don’t be afraid to admit your ignorance when
discussing a topic. 7
• Encourage people to talk about themselves
by asking questions like, What do you do for a
living? 1
• Keep it low key so it doesn’t sound like
you’re interrogating. 6
• Listen quietly and maintain eye contact. 3
PAGE 29
3 BODY LANGUAGE descriptions
1. coldness, distance; 2. boredom, tiredness;
3. relaxed, positive; 4. interested, confident;
5. questioning something, surprise; 6.
listening carefully; 7. nervousness; 8.
confusion, displeasure; 9. showing interest
PAGE 30-31
3 Reading II
1. A firm handshake is a sign of confidence
and trust.
2. Between 70 and 80% of the time.
3. That they aren’t interested any more, or
that they want to leave.
4. The social gaze.
5. Between 45 and 120cm.
6. That someone is interested in us or that
they like us.
7. So you appear to be calm and confident.
8. It could be a sign that someone is lying.
9. It could make them like or trust you more.
PAGE 32
2 Comprehension
1. That your body speaks much more loudly than
your words do. So, it’s important that as you
speak you exhibit great body language.
2. The way they’re positioned can make an
enormous difference. It can make you seem
78
insecure or don’t have much confidence.
3. You should put them in your lap, at your
sides or folded in front of you.
4. You shouldn’t play with your bracelets or
hair, or fumble with your pockets.
5. You should ask someone else to keep
an eye on you and your hands as you’re
speaking.
6. The fact that you need to be standing still.
Because if you’re moving around during a
conversation, you could come across as
nervous or uncomfortable.
7. They should be stationary – you shouldn’t
be moving them around or lifting up your
knee. The idea is that you don’t want to
distract someone or come across as insecure.
PAGE 33
3 Listening II
1. 27; 2. 30s; 3. months; 4. weekend; 5. work;
6. conference; 7. meat; 8. cat; 9. film
4 Exercise
1. aren’t you; 2. didn’t you; 3. aren’t you; 4.
haven’t you; 5. isn’t it; 6. aren’t we; 7. haven’t
they; 8. didn’t she; 9. wasn’t she; 10. aren’t
you; 11. aren’t they; 12. doesn’t she; 13. don’t
they; 14. aren’t there; 15. hasn’t he
PAGE 34
3 Listening II
1. Brazil; 2. next week; 3. Mark: orange juice;
Judith: a glass of white wine; 4. Pauline:
France; Wolfgang: Germany; 5. he has eaten
there once or twice before; he recommends
the lasagne; 6. sixteen; 7. at a conference in
Washington; 8. marketing
4 Useful language
1. weren’t; 2. aren’t; 3. didn’t; 4. weren’t;
5. didn’t; 6. don’t; 7. haven’t; 8. wasn’t;
9. didn’t; 10. haven’t
PAGE 35
3 Second viewing
1. They bounce their legs up and down.
2. When they’re more comfortable and less
anxious.
3. To get the member of the audience to stop
bouncing his leg up and down.
4. They tend to orient towards them and
square up to them.
5. A gradual change in orientation by the
person you’re talking to so they start to
square up to you.
6. Where you ask where someone is from,
they say Texas and the other speaker responds
excitedly because they’re from Texas too.
7. Things are going badly in the conversation.
PAGE 36-37
1 Exercise
1. Ah; 2. Hey; 3. Psst; 4. Uh-huh; 5. Ow;
6. Ahem; 7. Wow; 8. Whoops; 9. Aha; 10. Blah,
blah, blah; 11. Hm; 12. Oh; 13. Phew; 14. Oh,
no; 15. Oi; 16. Mmm; 17. Tut; 18. Shh; 19. Yuk;
20. Boo; 21. Argh; 22. yummy; 23. Whoa
PAGE 38
3 Listening II
1. the oven; 2. her neighbour’s oven;
3. a replacement part; 4. four weeks
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
Copyright Hot English Publishing SL 2016 www.learnhotenglish.com
4 Useful language
1. news; 2. feel; 3. cheer; 4. exciting;
5. nightmare; 6. awful; 7. nuisance; 8. close
PAGE 39
3 Second viewing
1. That you’re taller, thinner and younger.
2. Their appearance, their behaviour and their
possessions.
3. We’re often hesitant to pay someone a
compliment in case we get a bucket of water
thrown over us – meaning, we could get
criticised or attacked as a result of paying the
compliment.
4. Don’t tell anyone what you like unless you
tell them why you like it. You should use the
word “because”.
5. She says she likes the colour.
6. You should use their name. It’ll make them
listen intently.
7. They asked him where he got it and why he
chose it. The second question was the openended one.
PAGE 40
3 Listening II
1. around 6pm; 2. just off Marley Street; 3. to
the cinema; 4. in a bar nearby – the Golden
Gate; 5. at six; Paula says she’ll be there
around half-past six.; 6. Saturday afternoon;
7. just themselves; 8. 645 893 257
4 Useful language
I’m afraid I won’t be able to make it. = e) Saying no
Would you like to join us? = b) The invitation
Which pub are you going to? = c) Questions
I’d love to go. = d) Confirming
There’s a new play at the
theatre. = a) The event
PAGE 41
Exercise
1. song; 2. together; 3. helpful; 4. surfing;
5. famous; 6. party; 7. really; 8. keen
PAGE 42
1 Pre-listening
1. How are you?
2. Do you want to come to a café with us? /
Would you like to come to a café with us?
3. Would you like a coffee? / Do you want a
coffee?
4. Are you going to the next talk?
5. Would you like to go on an excursion?
3 Listening II
1. e-mail; 2. a coffee; 3. cloakroom; 4. coat;
5. Seattle; 6. talk; 7. modern art; 8. Saturday
4 Useful language
1b 2a 3e 4d 5c
PAGE 44
3 Listening II
1. Because she’s got to pick up Sandra for a
dental appointment.
2. They finally agree to meet up on Thursday
at 4pm.
3. She wants him to show her how to use a
computer program.
4. They arrange to meet up on Friday at 2pm.
5. His address is 14 Nelly Street.
6. It’s got a leak.
ANSWERS
7. He suggests coming round at 6pm.
8. Because she’s got a meeting at work.
4 Useful language
1. Expressing a reason for a meeting
2. Asking about someone’s availability
3. Stating your availability
4. Confirming the time and place
PAGE 45
3 Second viewing
1. A home.
2. Kids and adults.
3. The word “vision”.
4. Home is where the heart is. It means that
your true home is with the person or in the
place that you love most.
5. The home, family and friends,
entertainment and vision.
6. What do you do? – questions about your job.
7. Why are you here? Where are you coming from?
8. Asking about the first four topics, but using
a future tense.
PAGE 46
3 Listening II
1. He’s going next week. He’s going for a
management training course.
2. She tells him how she got a camera and
tablet computer for about half
the price you’d expect to pay.
3. Ellis explains how she went there about 20
years ago, met a guy in
Central Park, fell in love and got married
about six weeks later.
4. She says he should visit the Empire State
Building, Madison Square Garden, the
Rockerfeller Center and Grand Central Station.
5. e.collins@workstone.com
6. She says he has to try one of the typical hot
dogs from a stand in the street, and that he
should go to S’MAC, which is a hamburger
restaurant.
7. She tells him that they’re big tippers in the
States, and that you have to leave 15% for
most things, including taxi drivers.
8. They got into an argument with a
restaurant owner after leaving a bit of small
change as a tip, although he calmed down
when he realised they were from Europe.
4 Useful language – Question tags
1. isn’t it; 2. wasn’t she; 3. wasn’t it; 4. wasn’t
she; 5. weren’t there; 6. didn’t he; 7. wasn’t it;
8. hasn’t he; 9. haven’t you; 10. can’t they; 11.
can’t you; 12. aren’t we
PAGE 47
Exercise
1. weekend; 2. having; 3. fun; 4. time; 5. house;
6. like; 7. restaurant; 8. victory
PAGE 48
1 Pre-listening
1. Bone appétit!
2. The trom-bone.
3. Short
4. Because they aren’t weekdays!
5. Because it is in the middle of “fun”.
6. Because it’s in the middle of “waTer”.
3 Useful language
1. orders; 2. puts / runs; 3. looks / sees; 4. is; 5.
calls; 6. gets; 7. calls; 8. says
PAGE 49
3 Listening II
1. Because he liked it out in Canada and his
kids were settled into their school.
2. They weren’t his things.
3. Because the guy in charge was determined
to do what he’d been told to do.
4. He’d left it at his parents’ house.
5. People kept banging into him.
6. Because he’d expected him to get really
angry, but he hardly seemed to notice it.
4 Useful language
1. story; 2. guess; 3. bumped;
4. happened; 5. plans;
6. restaurant; 7. do; 8. police;
9. catch; 10. end; 11. out; 12. up
PAGE 50
3 Listening II
1. winter; 2. 100-kilometre; 3. third; 4. three;
5. Norway; 6. two-day; 7. three; 8. 700; 9. first
4 Useful language – sequencing
1. first; 2. once; 3. for; 4. late; 5. at; 6. after;
7. suddenly; 8. end; 9. as; 10. preparation;
11. when; 12. now; 13. so; 14. eventually
PAGE 51
Exercise
1. made him even angrier;
2. a way to pay the bill; 3. what I’ve got to
do; 4. never even been there before; 5. from
the report; 6. buying the new house; 7. I’m
leaving; 8. anything useful to say; 9. what he
was saying; 10. offered to help
PAGE 52
3 Listening II
1. fifteen years; 2. tennis; 3. French;
4. a flat in Paris and a house near Cannes;
5. She works at her husband’s advertising
agency (sometimes); 6. in a PR agency;
7. not any longer (she got divorced).
4 Useful language:
getting up to date
1. up; 2. working; 3. still; 4. to; 5. out; 6. time;
7. living; 8. what; 9. doing; 10. married;
11. happened; 12. heard
PAGE 53
2 Listening I
1. a restaurant; 2. a shop; 3. a bank; 4. a
supermarket; 5. a train station
3 Listening II
1. train station; 2. supermarket; 3. supermarket;
4. bank; 5. shop; 6. bank; 7. bank; 8. restaurant;
9. restaurant; 10. shop; 11. bank
4 Useful language
1. mistake; 2. receipt; 3. order; 4. monthly;
5. total; 6. interest; 7. card; 8. coupons;
9. number; 10. ticket; 11. advance
Page 54
3 Listening II
1T 2F 3F 4F 5T 6T 7T
4 Word formation
1. hypocritical; 2. privacy;
3. global; 4. to marry;
5. legitimate; 6. politics
5 Useful language
1. when; 2. it; 3. off; 4. in; 5. so; 6. about; 7. end;
8. how; 9. way; 10. but; 11. like; 12. such
PAGE 55
2 Listening II
1. He often goes there for lunch.
2. He recommends the lasagne.
3. He orders some wine.
4. She has the prawn cocktail.
He has the seafood platter.
5. She has lasagne; he has lobster.
6. She has them on her laptop.
7. They want to demolish it and put up some
luxury apartments.
8. He asks the waiter to bring some ketchup.
4 Useful language
1. Pleased to meet you.
2. Have you been waiting for long?
3. So, what would you recommend then?
4. We’ll have a bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau,
please.
5. Are you ready to order?
6. For starters, I’ll have the prawn cocktail, please.
7. I’ll be back in just a minute with your drinks
and starters.
8. So, how was the trip?
9. Did you get a chance to look over the
proposal?
PAGE 56
3 Listening II
1. He’s been there three times before.
2. He’s come from Manchester.
3. He’s flown in from San Francisco.
4. At the Waysgate Hotel.
5. Milton (Bruce Milton) and Masters (Nigel
Masters).
6. Because he’s just remembered that he left
his laptop in the main hall.
7. He’s the CEO of Milton Networks.
8. They arrange to meet up later that
afternoon at 3:30 in the café.
4 Useful language: networking
1. company; 2. promote; 3. card; 4. of; 5.
afternoon; 6. time; 7. about; 8. next; 9. up;
10. proposal; 11. touch; 12. help; 13. details; 14. call
PAGE 57
3 Second viewing
1d 2f 3b 4h 5a 6e 7g 8c
PAGE 59
Key words
1. They were running down the street.
2. He was watching the film.
3. We were trying to fix it.
4. She was working on the computer.
5. He was eating the food.
6. They were trying to finish it.
Word linking
B
a) We’ve paid for it.
b) They’ve eaten it.
c) She’s already sent it.
C
a) I’ve never heard of it.
b) She’s given it to Ben.
c) They’ve forgotten about it.
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
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79
ANSWERS
D
1. We’ve taken it away.
2. They’ve brought it with them.
3. She’s spoken to him about it.
4. I’ve hidden it in the house.
5. She’s spent it all already.
PAGE 62
Left-hand column
Pronunciation
1. I’ll only need a few minutes of your time to
show you exactly how it can help you.
2. Wouldn’t you like to have the freedom to
come and go as you please?
3. So, how would you like to pay us for it?
4. The product has been developed by an
expert team of specialists with people like you
in mind.
Right-hand column
1. We’ll be lying on the beach this time next
week.
2. I’ll have made the changes by Friday.
3. We’ll be having dinner by the time you arrive.
4. The work will have been completed by
Thursday evening.
5. We won’t have left by the time you get here.
PAGE 65
3 Listening II
1. because her dad got lost;
2. Mike’s surname; 3. the rings;
4. £20,000; 5. having a break;
6. about 10 kilometres; 7. by car; 8. because
the material for the stand hadn’t arrived yet
4 Useful language
1. before; 2. eventually; 3. during; 4. then; 5. but;
6. worse; 7. end; 8. up; 9. into; 10. in; 11. after
PAGE 66
3 Reading II
1. You normally look like a tramp.
2. You look a lot better in pictures than in person.
3. I wouldn’t be seen dead in something like
that.
4. You’re boring.
5. When you started here, I thought you were
a complete moron.
6. You dress like a slob.
PAGE 67
3 Listening II
1. Sunday; 2. one; 3. cousin; 4. 6pm; 5. £10; 6.
£50; 7. reduce; 8. bad; 9. more
4 Exercise
1. Not really, I think I’ll just, erm, you know,
take it easy.
2. Oh, but, erm, I’ve some tickets for a theatre
show on Sunday afternoon.
3. It’s in, like, this little theatre just off Marley
Street.
4. We could meet up just outside the theatre
at, like, 6pm.
5. It starts at, erm, 6:15, I think.
6. OK. So, erm, how will you be getting into
the centre?
7. It’s, like, 10 pounds now, isn’t it?
8. Although I do, like, think it’s a good idea in
principle.
9. There’ll be fewer cars, and, like, less pollution.
80
PAGE 68
3 Listening II
1b 2a 3b 4b 5a 6a 7b
4 Exercise I
1. repetition; 2. interruption; 3. repetition;
4. interruption; 5. hesitation
5 Exercise II
1. conversational filler
2. conversational filler
3. self-correction
4. interruption
5. repetition
6. repetition
7. conversational filler
8. self-correction
9. conversational filler
PAGE 69
3 Listening II
1b 2b 3a 4a 5b 6a 7b 8a
4 Exercise
1. did; 2. neither; 3. so; 4. does; 5. have
PAGE 70
3 Listening II
1f 2c 3h 4g 5a 6e 7b 8d
4 Exercise
1. actually; 2. but; 3. to tell you the; 4. anyway;
5. by the
PAGE 71
3 Second viewing
1b 2e 3f 4d 5a 6g 7c
PAGE 72
1 Listening I
1. They’re in an art gallery –
a couple.
2. They’re at home – a dad and his daughter.
3. They’re at work – a boss and an employee.
4. They’re in a restaurant – a couple.
2 Listening II
1. It would be stretching it a bit for them – it’s
a bit too expensive.
2. Sleeping on it.
3. That she’s wasting electricity by watching TV
and having the computer on at the same time.
4. Because she’s got to go to school tomorrow.
5. He says that you can’t miss it.
6. Look it up on the map.
7. He’s walked past them twice and hasn’t
even batted an eyelid.
8. They’re very busy.
3 Exercise
1. Did you go out last night?
2. That’s a nice dress!
3. A: Whose is it? B: It’s Bill’s.
4. A: What shall we do? B: I’m not sure.
5. Did she say what she wanted?
6. Did/do you ever stop to wonder why?
7. Have you seen Ben anywhere?
8. Are you ready?
9. Has your sister got a job?
10. Does anyone want anything else to eat?
PAGE 73
3 Listening II
1. It’s better to regret something you have
done than something you haven’t done.
2. She says that it’s better to regret something
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
Copyright Hot English Publishing SL 2016 www.learnhotenglish.com
that you have done.
3. That if he’d tried harder, he would have
been a bit better.
4. That he could then be regretting having
spent his whole life in difficult training
schedules and never having had any fun.
5. Although he’s full of regret, he’s very happy.
PAGE 74
3 Listening II
1. 16; 2. relax; 3. because not all the stores are
open; 4. They want to relax too; 5. a family
day / a time to relax / time for yourself; 6. on
Friday, or something like that
PAGE 75
3 Listening II
1. They wanted the cinema tickets for seven.
2. He wants to go to Mike’s party.
3. He sold his stereo to Greg.
4. He got £200 for it.
5. Pete thinks it was worth about £50.
6. He got charged £10.
7. He gets a text from Leon.
8. They’re going to pick him up in about 20
minutes.
4 Useful language
1 That’s thrown a spanner in the works =
That’s ruined our plans.
2 What a bummer! = How annoying
3 Grab a bite to eat = Get something to eat
4 We’ll never hear the end of it = We’ll be
reminded of it over and over again
5 I’m sort of in two minds =
I can’t decide what to do
6 I just don’t feel up to it =
I don’t want to do it
7 You can’t bail out on me =
You can’t leave me alone
8 I’m a bit broke = I don’t have much money
9 I’m loaded = I’ve got a lot of money.
10 I flogged... = I sold...
11 What a mug! = What an idiot!
12 A quick one = A quick drink
13 A rip-off = A price far above the value of the goods
14 His car’s conked out =
His car has broken down
15 We can’t leave him in the lurch = We can’t
leave him all alone
16 I’ll give him a bell = I’ll call him
PAGE 76
2 Listening I
1. He/She has to prepare the dinner.
2. He/She has got a train to catch.
3. He/She is moving abroad permanently.
4. He/She is going on a long journey home.
5. He/She has said everything that needs
to be said so they’re just ending the
conversation.
3 Listening II
1. In about half an hour.
2. In about 10 minutes.
3. For about six years.
4. Sydney (Australia).
5. At about 6pm at the Fox & Hounds (a pub).
4 Useful language
1. going; 2. call; 3. sorry; 4. get; 5. contract;
6. trip; 7. lovely; 8. miss; 9. everything; 10.
great; 11. again; 12. care
AUDIO SCRIPTS
TRACK 1 – INTRODUCING YOURSELF
In the street
Ben: All right?
Jack: How’s it going?
Ben: Not too bad. And you?
Jack: Just had an exam.
Ben: Oh, right. How did it go?
Jack: Not too bad I think.
Ben: Do you reckon you passed?
Jack: I hope so.
Ben: Fancy going to the pub?
Jack: Yeah, good idea.
Ben: Come on then.
Jessica:
Bob:
Jessica:
Bob:
Jessica:
Bob:
Jessica:
Bob:
Jessica:
At the internet café
Alex: Hi, I’m Alex.
Jessica: Jessica. Nice to meet you.
Alex: Nice to meet you. So, have you been here for long?
Jessica: About three weeks now. And you?
Alex: About a month. Great country, isn’t it?
Jessica: Fantastic. Have you been to the north?
Alex: Yeah. I went trekking there.
Jessica: So did I! I’m heading down south now.
Alex: I went there last week. The beaches are incredible, and the
accommodation is so cheap.
Jessica: Yes, I’ve heard. So, what... [fades out]
On the train
Mike: Julie!
Julie: Mike! Fancy meeting you here! How’s it going?
Mike: Not too bad! And you?
Julie: Just great. I haven’t seen you for ages.
Mike: Yeah, it’s been a while.
Julie: About six years.
Mike: Something like that. You don’t look a day older.
Julie: Thanks. So, how’s Zoe and the kids?
Mike: They’re fine, thanks. Sam’s still at school, but Sandra’s just
left for university.
Julie: Wow! Doesn’t time fly!
Mike: Tell me about it. So, what... [fades out]
At a party
John: Jane, this is Mark. Mark, Jane.
Mark: Hi Jane. Nice to meet you.
Jane: Nice to meet you too. So, how long have you and John
known each other?
Mark: Oh, we go back a long way. We were at school together,
then, after university, we spent a bit of time together in a
shared flat. What about you?
Jane: Oh, I worked with John for about three years in a company
in London. Lovely place you’ve got here.
Mark: Thanks. We moved in about six months ago, so there’s still
a lot to do. So, where do you live?
Jane: Well, I’ve been living... [fades out]
TRACK 3 – STARTING A CONVERSATION
Jessica: So, erm, busy at work?
Bob:
Yeah, a bit.
Jessica: Did you go to the conference last week?
Bob:
No, I didn’t.
Jessica: Oh, right. Erm, have you seen anything good on TV lately?
Bob:
Not really.
Bob:
Jessica:
Bob:
Jessica:
Bob:
Jessica:
Bob:
Jessica:
Bob:
Where, where did you go to school?
What?
School? Erm, where did you go?
That was a long time ago.
I know. Erm, Well, I went to this really unusual school. It
was vegetarian.
Vegetarian? You mean, like, you couldn’t eat meat?
Yes. And we didn’t have to wear a uniform or go to class
either.
You didn’t have to go to class? What was the name of the
school?
St Christopher’s. It was in Letchworth – a small city just
north of London. Have you heard of it?
No. Was it big?
Not really – about 350 pupils.
No meat! That is weird. My school was pretty strict. There
were rules for just about everything! For example, at break
time you weren’t allowed to just stand around doing
nothing, you had to play football or basketball or you had
to join one of the clubs – the chess club, the drawing club
or something like that. And if you didn’t want to do any of
these things you had to walk along a yellow line around
the edge of the playground.
Like prisoners.
Yeah, and they were really strict about fighting. Once, this
older kid in year 12 threw some water over me. My shirt
got soaked and I was cold, so I went to the teacher and
asked if I could call someone to bring me another shirt,
and you know what happened?
What?
I got suspended for fighting.
Suspended? That isn’t fair.
Yeah, and then... [fades out]
TRACK 4 – THE BLIND DATE
Nigel: Erika, isn’t it?
Erika: Yes, that’s right. Nigel?
Nigel: Nigel Goodman. [They shake hands.]
Erika: Nice to meet you.
Nigel: Nice to meet you too. So, did you find the pub all right?
Erika: Yes, it’s quite close to where I live.
Nigel: Great. Can I get you a drink?
Erika: Oh, I’ve already got one, thanks.
Nigel: I’ll go and get a pint then. [He leaves, then comes back.]
So, are you from round here?
Erika: Sort of, I went to school just down the road...
Nigel: I went to St Michael’s. Great school. I played in the first 11*
football team and I was the captain of the cricket team.
Erika: Impressive.
Nigel: I was also in the Rubik’s Cube Club, the Drama Society and
the Engineering Club.
Erika: You certainly kept yourself busy.
Nigel: I certainly did. So, did you grow up round here?
Erika: No, actually, I lived in Hull...
Nigel: Hull! That’s where my grandparents used to live. We
went there every summer. Amazing place. Lots of great
memories.
Erika: So, have you, erm, travelled much?
Nigel: Oh, yes. I’ve been to France, Germany, America, Australia,
Tanzania...
Erika: Tanzania? What was that like?
Nigel: Incredible, we went on this safari and I shot a lion and
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
Copyright Hot English Publishing SL 2016 www.learnhotenglish.com
81
AUDIO SCRIPTS
Erika:
Nigel:
Erika:
Nigel:
Erika:
Nigel:
Erika:
Nigel:
Erika:
Nigel:
Erika:
Nigel:
Erika:
Nigel:
Erika:
Nigel:
Erika:
Nigel:
Erika:
Nigel:
Erika:
Nigel:
Erika:
Nigel:
Erika:
Nigel:
three buffalo. I’ve got the lion’s head on the living room
wall.
Oh, right.
So, what about you? Have you done much travelling?
Yes, quite a bit, mostly in Asia. I’ve been to Thailand...
Thailand? I’ve been there. Incredible place. I stayed there
for three months. It’s where I did my PADI diving course.
What’s that?
It’s this course you do so you can go scuba diving. Look,
I’ve got my diving licence. [He takes it out of his wallet.]
Do you always carry that around with you?
You never know when you might need it.
Is that you in the photo?
Yes, just last year.
Looks like you’ve put on a bit of weight since then.
No, I haven’t.
So, where do you work?
Hargreaves Cleaning Products. I’m the regional sales
manager. Just been promoted, actually! And I’ve got a
company car. There’s a brand new Ford Fiesta parked
outside at this very moment.
Very nice.
And you?
I’m a doctor. I...
So, if I start choking on my crisps you’ll give me the kiss of
life.
Erm, more like the Heimlich manoeuvre.
What?
Oh, nothing. Erm, so what film are we going to see?
Well, I thought about going to see... [He continues talking
for 10 minutes.] ...which is why I thought it’d probably be
the best film to see.
Oh, look, is that the time? I’m sorry but I’ve got to go.
But what about the film?
I’m not feeling too good. Bye.
Oh, right. Bye. [to himself ] What a strange woman!
*First 11 – the best eleven players in a football team.
TRACK 05 – CHATTING AT WORK:
THE DINNER PARTY!
It’s Friday and James is at work. He’s just popped over
to talk to Lily.
James:
Lily:
James:
Lily:
James:
Lily:
James:
Lily:
James:
Lily:
James:
82
Hi, did you get that e-mail I forwarded on to you?
No. When did you send it?
This morning.
Oh, right, my computer has been playing up all day and
some of my e-mails didn’t get through, but it seems to be
all right now. Send it again. Oh, and could you also attach
the sales figures for last month. There’s something I need
to check.
OK. So, any plans for this evening?
I’ve invited a few people from work over to my place for a
dinner party.
Oh, right. So, erm, what are you cooking?
Salad for starters, salmon for the main course and a
delicious ice-cream cake for dessert.
Sounds great. So, have you moved into the new house
then?
Yes. This is a kind of house-warming party.
Ah huh. So, is, erm, Shirley from accounts going?
Lily:
James:
Lily:
James:
Lily:
James:
Lily:
James:
Lily:
James:
Lily:
James:
Lily:
James:
Lily:
James:
Lily:
Yes, she is.
And will Bob from marketing be there?
Yes, he will.
And Chloe in sales – is she going to be there?
Yes, she is.
What about Mike? Have you invited him?
Yes, I have.
Oh, right, so just about everyone from the office... except
me.
That’s right. [silence]. [smiling] Would you like to come to
my dinner party?
I thought you’d never ask!
Well, then, you’re invited.
Thank you.
By the way, I sent you an invite. You obviously didn’t get it?
No.
E -mails!
Yeah! Send a text next time.
Mmm... Good idea.
TRACK 06 – MEETING SOMEONE
Steve: Hi, I’m Steve. You’re Ellie, aren’t you?
Ellie: Yes, that’s right. How’s it going? [They shake hands.]
Steve: Not too bad. You’re a friend of Sarah’s, aren’t you?
Ellie: Well, sort of – she’s a friend of a friend.
Steve: Oh, who’s that then?
Ellie: Jenny, my flatmate. She knows Sarah from way back.
Steve: I don’t think I’ve met Jenny.
Ellie: She’s that girl over there in the blue dress holding a bottle
of beer.
Steve: Oh, right. So, do you two work together?
Ellie: Not exactly. I mean, we used to, but she changed jobs, so
we aren’t in the same company any more.
Steve: Oh, right, so which company was that?
Ellie: Brooks Productions – it’s a film company. I’m in the
finance department.
Steve: That’s interesting. Do you get to meet any famous
people?
Ellie: Not really, although Martin Coolway passed through the
other day.
Steve: Who?
Ellie: Yeah, exactly. I’d never heard of him either. So, what about
you? What do you do?
Steve: I’m in accounting, but I do a bit of acting in my free time
too.
Ellie: Oh, right.
Steve: We’re rehearsing for a play right now – The Importance
of Being Earnest.
Ellie: Oh, Oscar Wilde. Very nice. Have you got a big part?
Steve: I’m Merriman – the butler.
Ellie: Great!
Steve: I was in a couple of films a few years ago too.
Ellie: Amazing. Anything I might have seen?
Steve: Not really. They were mostly local movies in Hong Kong –
I was living there at the time. I got a few parts as an extra
in TV series and films.
Ellie: Interesting. My aunt lived there for a few years. It must
have been amazing.
Steve: Oh, yes, it was. I was living on this island about 40
minutes from Hong Kong island. I had to get the ferry to
work every day.
Ellie: Incredible. So, what did you do... [fades out]
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Copyright Hot English Publishing SL 2016 www.learnhotenglish.com
AUDIO SCRIPTS
TRACK 07 – HOW TO START A CONVERSATION
In a lift
Beth and Jack are stuck in a lift. They both work in the
same office building. They’ve never met before.
Beth: Taking forever, isn’t it?
Jack: Yeah, it is pretty slow. [The lift stops.] Oh, no. It’s stopped
again.
Beth: Typical! [She holds out her hand.] I’m Beth, by the way.
Jack: Jack. Pleased to meet you.
Beth: Pleased to meet you. So, which floor do you work on?
Jack: The 23rd. I’m with Mathews & Sons.
Beth: Oh, right. I don’t think I’ve ever been up that high before.
I’m on the 9th floor. Saunders & Co. [The lift starts.] Oh, the
lift’s started again.
Jack: I thought we were going to be here all day.
Beth: Me too. [The lift door opens.] Oh, look, this is my floor.
Jack: Actually, I think I’ll get out here too and walk up. I don’t
fancy getting stuck in here on my own.
Beth: Good idea. So, do you fancy getting a coffee? There’s a café
on this floor, just round the corner.
Jack: Oh, yes, I’ll need one if I’m going to walk up all those stairs.
Beth: You certainly will. So, have you... [fades out]
At a conference
Justin and Keith are at a conference. They’ve never met
before.
Justin:
Keith:
Justin:
Keith:
Justin:
Keith:
Justin:
Keith:
Justin:
Keith:
Justin:
Keith:
Justin:
Keith:
Justin:
Keith:
Justin:
Keith:
Justin:
Keith:
Good talk, wasn’t it?
Very interesting.
I’m Justin Barnett by the way.
Pleased to meet you. Keith Carter.
Pleased to meet you. So, is it your first time here?
Yeah, and I just love the city.
Isn’t it great? Where are you staying?
The Happy Star Hotel.
Oh, we’re there too. Actually, I think I saw you checking in
at reception the other day. You were just in front of us –
there was a problem with the booking?
Oh, yes, they had no record of the booking. They had me
down as “Kenneth Clarke”, of all people.
That’s hilarious. No wonder they couldn’t find you. Great
hotel though, isn’t it?
Oh, yes, the breakfast buffet is amazing, and the views are
incredible!
Have you been down to the pool? There’s a sauna and
steam room.
Not yet, but I’m planning to have a swim this evening. So,
have you done much sightseeing?
Actually, I’ve been here before.
Oh, really? It’s my first time. My wife’s here too. She took a
couple of days off work so we could do a bit of sightseeing.
That’s nice.
Yeah, she had some holiday time she had to use up before
the end of the year.
Lucky her. So, what does she do?
She’s a dentist. Actually, that’s how we met! [fades out]
TRACK 08
The Hunger Games
Kate: So, what did you do last night?
Josh: I was at Megan’s place. We got some pizzas and rented a film.
Kate:
Josh:
Kate:
Josh:
Kate:
Josh:
Kate:
Josh:
Kate:
Josh:
What did you see?
The Hunger Games.
Any good?
Yeah, it isn’t bad. It’s this sort of action-adventure film that
takes place in the future. Every year, teenagers are chosen
to participate in this game – the Hunger Games – that’s
shown on TV. It’s a bit like a sort of reality show, but the big
difference is that the participants have to kill each other. The
last one still alive is the winner.
Nice!
The main character is this girl called Katniss. Her younger
sister gets chosen, but Katniss volunteers to take her place.
“There’s 24 of us and only one comes out!” she tells her
friend.
Anyone famous in it?
Jennifer Lawrence. Have you heard of her?
No.
No, I hadn’t either.
Iron Man 3
Chloe: Do anything fun last night?
Pete: Yeah, we went to see Iron Man 3.
Chloe: I’m not really into these sorts of superhero films.
Pete: Me neither, but this one wasn’t too bad. It’s about this guy,
Tony Stark (Iron Man), who has this suit of armour that
he uses to fight the baddies. He’s up against this terrorist
called the Mandarin, who destroyed Iron Man’s house with
helicopters. Anyway, soon after that… hey, are you listening?
Chloe: Yeah. I was just texting a friend. Go on.
Pete: Robert Downey Jr and Gwyneth Paltrow are in it, and Ben
Kingsley plays the part of the Mandarin. The Mandarin
has got some great lines. [imitating the Mandarin] “Some
people call me a terrorist. I consider myself a teacher.”
[laughing] “Lesson number one. Heroes. There is no such
thing.” And… Hey, are you listening?
Chloe: Wait a sec. Let me just send this text. [She sends the
message] So, what were you saying?
Pete: Nothing!
TRACK 09 – HOW DO YOU GET TO WORK?
Train
I have quite a long commute on the train every day as I live about
50 km from the city where I work. Luckily, there’s a train station
near my house so I can walk there in about 10 minutes. Then I catch
the train, which takes about 50 minutes with all the stops. I use the
time to catch up on any work from the day before.
Bus & train
I leave for work at 7 in the morning, and I walk to a bus stop near
my house. I usually catch one that comes past at about 7.15. The
bus isn’t very crowded when I get on, but it fills up during the
journey. The bus takes about 15 minutes. Then, I get off and catch
a train that goes into the city centre. The train ride lasts about 30
minutes, and normally there aren’t any free seats.
Car & bus
I use the park-and-ride system to get to work every morning. I leave
the house at 6.30 and drive to the nearby bus station. Then, I leave
my car in the car park, which only costs £1 for the whole day. Then,
I catch the bus, which passes every 10 minutes and it takes me
right to the city centre in about 20 minutes. It’s a lot cheaper than
driving and paying to park the car in the centre.
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83
AUDIO SCRIPTS
Bike
My commute to work takes about 25 minutes by bike. I live on one
side of town and work on the other so I have to cycle through it.
When it’s raining I sometimes take the bus but I prefer cycling. I’ve
bought an umbrella I can attach to my bike so I can cycle in the rain
without getting wet. I can leave my bike in the garage under the
office at work so I don’t have to worry about it.
Underground
I live in the city so I get the underground to work. I have to change
lines once but the whole journey only takes about half an hour. It’s
really busy at peak times – from about 7:30 onwards – so I try to
leave home at about 7 so I can get an earlier train and find a seat.
There are delays sometimes but the trains are quite frequent so it
isn’t really a problem. I’ve got a monthly travel pass. So, I think I
save quite a lot of money by using public transportation instead of
the car.
TRACK 10 – ASKING SOMEONE OUT ON A DATE
Lisa: So, how are things with Jessica?
Alfie: Not too good. We haven’t been out once yet.
Lisa: Oh, no.
Alfie: I asked her to the cinema on Tuesday, but she had a doctor’s
appointment.
Lisa: That’s unfortunate.
Alfie: Then, I invited her to lunch on Wednesday, but she had a
meeting to go to.
Lisa: Terrible.
Alfie: I invited her to the theatre on Thursday but her mum was
ill. On Friday I asked her to accompany me to the opera, but
she had to stay late at work. And on Saturday, her car was
stolen so she couldn’t come with me to the park.
Lisa: Very unlucky.
Alfie: Yes, so, anyway, I’m thinking of asking her to come along to
the opening of a modern art gallery this evening.
Lisa: That sounds nice. I love modern art.
Alfie: Yeah, right, anyway, I thought I’d phone her now, so wish
me luck.
Lisa: Oh, yes, right, good luck!
Alfie: [He dials her number.] Hi, is that Jessica? Well, I was just
calling to ask you... Oh no. How terrible... I am so sorry...
Oh, no... Yes, yes, I understand. OK. Yes, you’ll be in
mourning. I entirely understand... No, no, I won’t phone
again for at least six weeks. So, round about 14th of... the
end, the end of May. OK, yes, yes, I understand... Please
pass on my condolences to your family at this very difficult
time... [He hangs up.]
Lisa: What’s up then? Can’t she make it?
Alfie: No, no, her hamster died.
Lisa: Oh, right, well, next time then. So, who are you going to ask
to the art gallery? I know someone who really wants to go,
who really likes art and who is quite fond of you, actually.
Alfie: Really?
Lisa: Yes.
Alfie: Oh, right.
Lisa: It’s someone who isn’t that far away from you right now. In
fact, they’re pretty close.
Alfie: Of course! How could I be so stupid? Mandy! Have you got
her number?
Lisa: I think so. Here you are.
Alfie: Thanks!
84
Lisa: My pleasure.
Alfie: [He dials the number.] Hey, Mandy. How’s it going?... Oh,
no. Really?... Oh, I am sorry.... Yes, yes, I understand. I’ll call
back later... in a week or so. Yes, yes, OK. [He hangs up.]
[to Lisa] Typical. She can’t go either. I guess I’ll have to go
to the art gallery on my own... unless... unless you want to
come along.
Lisa: No, it’s all right. I think I’ll go home and watch some TV.
Alfie: Oh, OK. Bye.
Lisa: Bye.
TRACK 11 – CHATTING ABOUT PARTIES
It’s Monday lunchtime and Oscar and Madison
are chatting in a coffee shop. Oscar is asking about
Madison’s weekend.
Oscar: So, what did you get up to at the weekend?
Madison: Not much... oh, well, I went over to Ben’s house on
Saturday – he was having a party.
Oscar: Was it any good?
Madison: Not too bad, but the neighbours complained – they
came down a couple of times to tell us to keep the noise
down, then they called the police at about one in the
morning.
Oscar: Oh, no.
Madison: Yeah, but nothing happened because it was all sort of
over by then anyway.
Oscar: Last time I had a house party I swore I’d never do it
again. It took me days to clean up afterwards, and the
smell of alcohol and cigarette smoke didn’t go away for
weeks after that. I had to chuck out the carpet from the
living room as it was impossible to get the stains out.
Madison: Terrible!
Oscar: I remember this one guy who was there – I didn’t have
a clue who he was – he was really drunk in the kitchen
and he goes, “Hey, come and have a look at this,” and
he opens the fridge door and shows me a cake that’s
inside it, which was actually mine! “Look what I found,”
he says all pleased with himself, “Want some?” And I
go, “Well, actually, it’s my fridge and my cake, so maybe
later.” He just shuffled off after that. I saw him on the
couch later – he’d passed out.
Madison: Did the neighbours complain?
Oscar: No, but I got some pretty nasty looks for a few weeks
after that in the corridor.
Madison: One of the best parties I ever had was for my 23rd. No
one was around, so I’d sort of resigned myself to having
a quiet night in on my own. Anyway, I was just about
to start watching a DVD when there was a ring at the
doorbell. It was one of my friends, and he’d popped
over to see if I wanted to go to the pub. Yeah, sure, I
said and we set off in his car. On the way, he stopped
off at his house to pick up a jacket, and asked me to
come in as he wanted to show me a new painting he’d
bought. So, I went with him and just as soon as I walked
in, all my friends popped out of nowhere and shouted
“Surprise!” It was great – they’d organised this surprise
party for me with a huge birthday cake. I thought they’d
forgotten all about me.
Oscar: Nice!
Madison: So, has anyone ever organised a surprise party for you?
Oscar: No, they haven’t, but I did … [fades out]
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
Copyright Hot English Publishing SL 2016 www.learnhotenglish.com
AUDIO SCRIPTS
TRACK 14 – MEETING FOR THE FIRST TIME
AFTER AN ONLINE RELATIONSHIP.
Benny and Julia met six months ago on an online dating
site. This is their first face-to-face meeting.
Julia: Hi, Benny. It’s great to finally meet you.
Benny: You too, Julia. Wow! You look, erm, different. I mean,
you’ve got blonde hair in the picture you sent me, haven’t
you?
Julia: Well, you know, that was a long time ago.
Benny: A few years, I’d say. You aren’t really 27, are you?
Julia: Give or take a few years. You certainly aren’t in your early
30s. Early 40s more like.
Benny: [angry] No, I’m still in my 30s. Right, I’ll get the first
round. You like beer, don’t you?
Julia: Erm, actually, I gave up alcohol a few months ago. I think
I’ll have a lemonade.
Benny: Oh, OK. One lemonade coming up.
Julia: It’s nice here.
Benny: Yes.
Julia: So, have you got any plans for the weekend?
Benny: Yeah, I’m going to see the match with a few mates from
work.
Julia: The match?
Benny: Yeah, Chelsea are playing at home.
Julia: Oh, right, football. I’m not really a big fan.
Benny: [silence] So, erm, what about you? What are you up to this
weekend?
Julia: I’m going to a conference on vegetarianism. It’s going to
be really interesting.
Benny: Vegetarianism? You’re a vegetarian!
Julia: Yes, I hate meat.
Benny: Oh, well, actually I work in the marketing department of
a large meat supplier. We’re the number-one producer of
ham.
Julia: Oh, you were working in an advertising agency, weren’t
you?
Benny: I was, but I left.
Julia: But you do like animals, don’t you?
Benny: Oh, yes. [pause] I often go to the zoo.
Julia: The zoo! I can’t stand zoos. They’re so cruel. [silence] You
have got a pet cat, haven’t you?
Benny: Oh, right, Tibbles. Yes, erm, I found out that I was allergic
to cat hair, so, unfortunately I had to get rid of him.
Julia: Get rid of him? What did you do?
Benny: I released him into the wild.
Julia: You can’t release a domesticated cat into the wild. Please
tell me you didn’t do that.
Benny: He was perfectly happy. I left him in the local woods. I’m
sure he’s having a great time.
Julia: [shaking her head] Incredible! Perhaps we should change
the topic.
Benny: Hey, I’m going to the cinema tonight. We’re going to see
the latest Vin Diesel film. You should come along. You
have heard of Vin Diesel, haven’t you?
Julia: Yes, but I’m not a big fan of Hollywood action films.
Benny: Oh. [awkward silence] Erm, we aren’t really getting off to a
great start, are we?
Julia: Not really.
Benny: And we don’t seem to have much in common, do we?
Julia: No.
Benny: Shall we end this now, before it gets any worse?
Julia:
Benny:
Julia:
Benny:
Julia:
Good idea.
I’ll walk you to the station.
No, it’s OK. I’ll get a taxi.
OK. Bye.
Goodbye.
TRACK 15 – GETTING TO KNOW SOMEONE
Mark is at a lunch with some overseas visitors. He has
just sat down next to one of the guests, Judith.
Hi, I’m Mark Schilling. Pleased to meet you.
Judith Peterson. Pleased to meet you.
You’ve just come over from Brazil, haven’t you?
Yes, that’s right. I fly back next week. [silence]
Hi, can I get you anything to drink while you’re waiting?
I’ll have an orange juice, please.
And I’ll have a glass of white wine, please.
So, let me introduce you to Pauline. She’s from France.
Pleased to meet you.
And you.
And this is Wolfgang from Germany, I think you’ve both
met before, haven’t you?
Judith: Yes, we have. [speaking to Wolfgang] Good to see you
again.
Wolfgang: And you!
Judith: [speaking to Mark] Nice restaurant. Have you been here
before?
Mark: Once or twice. It’s quite close to the office.
Judith: So, what would you recommend?
Mark: The lasagne is great.
Judith: OK.
Mark: You aren’t actually from Brazil, are you?
Judith: No, not exactly. My parents moved there when I was
sixteen. I’m originally from the States.
Mark: Oh, right. That explains your perfect English! [silence]
You worked in the Seattle office once, didn’t you?
Judith: That’s right! How did you know?
Mark: I think we met there several years ago – just briefly in a
meeting one morning.
Judith: Oh, really?
Mark: Erm, weren’t you at that conference in Washington back
in 2013, too?
Judith: Yes, that’s right.
Mark: You gave a speech on marketing, didn’t you?
Judith: Yes, that’s right. How did I do?
Mark: It was really interesting. In fact, it was one of the few
talks I had time to go to.
Judith: Oh, wait a minute, didn’t you come up to me afterwards
and ask for my business card?
Mark: Yes, that’s it, and I’ve still got it.
Waiter: Here are your drinks. The white wine?
Judith: Yes, that’s for me.
Waiter: And the orange juice for you. Are you ready to order
now?
Judith: Yes, I think so. I’ll have the... [fades out]
Mark: Judith: Mark: Judith: Waiter: Mark: Judith: Mark: Judith: Pauline: Mark: TRACK 17
At the pub
Jeremy and Alisha are at the pub.
1
Jeremy: So, how did the dinner party go last night?
Alisha: It was a bit of a disaster, actually.
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AUDIO SCRIPTS
Jeremy: Oh, no . What happened?
Alisha: Well, about an hour before the guests arrived, the oven
broke down – it just switched itself off and wouldn’t come
on again.
Jeremy: What a nightmare! So, what did you do?
Alisha: Well, I went round to my neighbour’s place. Luckily she
was in and said I could use her oven.
Jeremy: Phew!
Alisha: Yeah, anyway, next, I... [fades out]
At the coffee shop
Lewis and Jessica are in a coffee shop.
2
Lewis: [fade in] ...so, I phoned up the shop and they told me that
they had the replacement part in stock, but when I got
there, the guy behind the counter didn’t know anything
about it.
Jessica: Typical! So, what did you do?
Lewis: Well, when I got home, I phoned them up again and they
put me on hold.
Jessica: That’s so annoying!
Lewis: Yeah. Well, in the end, I managed to speak to someone, but
they said they wouldn’t have the part for another four weeks.
Jessica: What a nightmare!
Lewis: Yeah, tell me about it. But then, you’ll never guess what
happened... [fades out]
TRACK 18
1
Conversation 1
Anna: Hey, we’re going out for a drink after work if you want to
come along.
Pete: That would be great. What time are you meeting up?
Anna: Around 6pm in the Horse and Hounds. It’s just off Marley
Street.
Pete: Oh, I know it. So, I’ll see you there.
Anna: OK. See you there.
Poppy: No, just yourselves!
Mark: OK. Sounds good. You live in Shepley Road, don’t you?
Poppy: Yes, that’s it. Have you got my mobile number in case you
get lost or something?
Mark: Oh, no.
Poppy: Oh, right, it’s 645 893 257.
Mark: OK. Great. See you on Saturday.
Poppy: See you then.
TRACK 19
The Coffee
Betty: Hey, I met you at that conference last year, didn’t I?
Simon: That’s right. You’re Betty Snape, aren’t you?
Betty: Yes, and you were...?
Simon: Simon Fenster. I think we spoke by e-mail too.
Betty: Oh, yes. So, how are things going?
Simon: Great, thanks.
Betty: We’re going for a coffee just down the road – there’s a nice
café. Do you want to come?
Simon: Yes, that would be great. I’ll just go and get my coat.
Betty: OK. We’ll meet you just outside the entrance in about five
minutes.
Simon: Great. See you there.
Betty: Bye.
1
2 The Cloakroom
Macy: Hi, I’m Macy Stone. Pleased to meet you.
Steve: Hi, I’m Steve Barker. Pleased to meet you too.
Macy: So, is this your first time at the conference?
Steve: No, I was here last year.
Macy: Oh, me too. Hey, do you know where the cloakroom is?
Steve: Yes, I think it’s just down the stairs on the left.
Macy: Oh, great. I’ve been carrying this coat around all day and it’s
so hot here. I’ll be back in a minute.
Steve: Can I get you a coffee?
Macy: Yes, please. White, no sugar, please.
Steve: See you in a minute.
2
Conversation 2
Jeff: Are you doing anything this evening?
Paula: I don’t think so.
Jeff: It’s just that I’m going to the cinema with some friends.
Would you like to come too?
Paula: That sounds good. What are you going to see?
Jeff: A film with Tom Hanks. I’ve heard it’s quite good.
Paula: OK. Which cinema are you going to?
Jeff: The one in St Peter’s Square.
Paula: Oh, I know.
Jeff: The film starts at seven, but we’re meeting up at six in a bar
nearby – the Golden Gate. It’s in the same square. I’ll get
the tickets if you want.
Paula: OK, great. I’ll see you in the bar around half past six.
Jeff: See you there.
Paula: Bye.
3 Nationality
Simon: Good talk, wasn’t it?
Barbara: Oh, yes, I’m a big fan. I saw him at last year’s sales
conference – fascinating. I’m Barbara Tivelli, by the way.
Simon: Simon Jones. Are you Italian?
Barbara: Half-Italian and half-German, but I was brought up in the
States.
Simon: Interesting.
Barbara: You’re English, I guess.
Simon: Yes, that’s it, but I’m working in Seattle at the moment.
Great place.
Barbara: Yes, as long as you don’t mind the rain.
Simon: It just reminds me of sunny old England.
Barbara: Very funny. Are you going to the next talk?
Simon: Yes, shall we go and get a seat?
Barbara: Good idea.
3
Conversation 3
Poppy: So, I’ve, erm, I’ve organised a barbecue for Saturday afternoon,
and I was wondering whether you wanted to come.
Mark: Sure! Oh, erm, the only thing is that I’ve got some friends
over.
Poppy: Bring them along too!
Mark: Great! Do you want us to bring anything?
86
4 Sightseeing
Gordon: So, have you had a chance to do much sightseeing?
Regis: No, not much. I’m tied up at the conference all day.
Gordon: The museums are fantastic.
Regis: Yes, I’ve heard. I did go to the museum of modern art on
my first afternoon here, but I’ve just been too busy since
then.
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
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AUDIO SCRIPTS
Gordon: Oh, that’s my favourite. You should try to visit the castle
before you go. It’s beautiful.
Regis: Yes, I will.
Gordon: Hey, there’s an excursion on Saturday morning to an old
Roman amphitheatre. Would you like to come along?
Regis: Yes, that would be great. I’m actually free on Saturday –
it’s my day off!
Gordon: OK. I’ll bring in the details later this afternoon. Apparently,
it’s really interesting.
Regis: Great.
TRACK 20
THE POSTER
[fade in]
Lily: Anyway, thanks so much for helping me with all this.
Paul: No problem, hey, by the way, are you free anytime this week?
We need to think of an idea for a poster for the play.
Lily: Well, tomorrow isn’t looking good, but I’m free all day on
Thursday.
Paul: OK, how about 1pm? We could meet at the coffee shop on
the high street and brainstorm a few ideas.
Lily: Sounds good. Oh, no wait a minute, I’ve got to pick up
Sandra for a dental appointment at 1:30. How about
sometime in the afternoon? 4pm?
Paul: 4pm sounds perfect.
Lily: Great, then I’ll see you then.
Paul: OK. Bye.
Lily: Bye.
1
2 THE COMPUTER PROGRAM
[fade in]
Jamie: So, I’d better get going – I’ve got to prepare dinner tonight
and I still haven’t done the shopping.
Chloe: Oh, before you go, do you think we could arrange a time for
me to pop over – you said you’d be able to show me how to
use that computer program.
Jamie: Sure, whenever you want. What about this Friday? I could
make lunch.
Chloe: Sounds great. 2pm?
Jamie: Perfect. Then, afterwards, we could have a look at the
program. It’s really easy to use.
Chloe: That would be fantastic. Oh, erm, what’s your address
again?
Jamie: It’s 14 Nelly Street.
Chloe: OK, I’ll see you then.
Jamie: Perfect. I look forward to it. Bye.
Chloe: Bye.
HOME REPAIRS
[fade in]
Molly: OK, great. Thanks so much for that. We’ve been meaning to
get the toilet fixed for ages.
Jack: Well, if there’s anything else, just give me a call.
Molly: Oh, actually there was just one other thing. Do you think you
could come over sometime to look at the roof? There’s a
leak in the upstairs bedroom.
Jack: Erm, how about tomorrow morning?
Molly: Oh, I’m sorry but I’ve got an appointment with the doctor in
the morning. Could you come sometime in the afternoon?
Jack: Erm, let me see, erm, does 6pm sound all right to you?
Molly: I think so. The thing is, I’ve got a meeting at work and I’m
not sure how long it’s going to take.
3
Jack: I know, just give me a call around half past five and let me
know how you’re getting along.
Molly: That sounds great.
Jack: OK, bye.
Molly: Bye.
TRACK 21 – ASKING ABOUT A CITY
Ellis: Poppy?
Poppy: That’s right. Erm, Ellis?
Ellis: Yes, that’s it!
Poppy: How’s it going?
Ellis: Not bad, thanks. And you?
Poppy: Great. So, how long has it been?
Ellis: About three years, I think. It was at the sales conference in
Woking, wasn’t it?
Poppy: That’s right. We had a bit of a chat during one of the
breaks, if I remember rightly.
Ellis: Yes, yes. [silence]
Poppy: Hey, I like those new paintings they’ve put up here. There
were some old black and white ones from Florida in the
1930s before, weren’t there?
Ellis: I think so, although I can’t really say I noticed. Hey, talking
about the States, I’m off to New York next week – a five-day
management training course.
Poppy: That’s great! Have you been before?
Ellis: No, never. You’re from New York, aren’t you?
Poppy: Boston, actually, but I’ve been there several times. It’s a
fantastic city and the food’s amazing. How many days are
you staying for?
Ellis: About a week.
Poppy: It’s great for shopping. Electronics are really cheap. I
picked up this really incredible camera and tablet computer
last time I was there for about half the price you’d expect to
pay over here.
Ellis: I’m so looking forward to it.
Poppy: You’ve got a cousin or something over there, haven’t you?
Ellis: That’s right. She went there about 20 years ago, met a guy
in Central Park, fell in love and got married about six weeks
later.
Poppy: How romantic!
Ellis: Very! So, any top tips on what I should see?
Poppy: Well, for the first couple of days, you’ll want to do all the
typical things: the Empire State Building, Madison Square
Garden, the Rockerfeller Center, Grand Central Station... I
could send you a list if you want.
Ellis: Oh, yes, that would be great!
Poppy: Is your e-mail the same as before?
Ellis: Yes, e.collins@workstone.com Here, it’s on my card. [He
hands her his card.]
Poppy: Great.
Ellis: So, what about eating out?
Poppy: Well, you have to try one of the typical hot dogs from a
stand in the street. Then, there are just so many great
places. I love S’MAC – it’s this hamburger place. Their
4-Cheese hamburger is amazing. I’ll add some restaurants
to the list too.
Ellis: Oh, thanks so much.
Poppy: You have to be careful with tipping though. You’ve heard
about tipping in the States, haven’t you?
Ellis: No.
Poppy: Basically, we’re big tippers, so you have to leave 15% for
most things, including taxi drivers. I know this couple who
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went over there and got into an argument with a restaurant
owner after leaving a bit of small change as a tip. He got
really angry and wanted to know what the problem was.
Ellis: Oh, no.
Poppy: Yeah, well, he calmed down when he realised they were
from Europe.
Ellis: That was lucky.
Cashier: Hi, can I take your order, please?
Poppy: Oh, yes, I’ll have a latte and one of those cookies, please.
[fades out]
TRACK 23
Clever Bartender
A woman rushes into a bar and orders a vodka and orange. She
drinks it quickly, puts a 10-euro bill on the bar then runs out.
Immediately, the bartender picks up the money, folds it carefully
and puts it in his shirt pocket. But just then, the bartender looks up
and sees his boss standing in the doorway, watching him. Doing a
bit of fast thinking, he says, “Did you see that woman? She came
in, ordered a vodka and orange, gave me a 10-euro tip, and then left
without paying. Some people!”
Restaurant Pest
A woman is in a restaurant, enjoying a late lunch. Sitting near her
is a really annoying man. “Waiter!” the man shouts. “Could you
turn the air-conditioning up? It’s very hot,” he says. Minutes later,
he calls the waiter over again. “Waiter! Could you turn it down? It’s
too cold,” he says. This goes on for about an hour, and the patient
waiter never once gets angry. Eventually, the woman calls the waiter
over and says, “Excuse me, but I couldn’t help noticing that man.
Why don’t you just throw him out?”
“Oh, I really don’t mind,” says the waiter with a smile. “We don’t
even have any air-conditioning.”
TRACK 24 – TELLING STORIES
Pete and Josh are having a chat in the bar. They’re telling
one another stories.
Pete: Your brother’s working in Canada, isn’t he?
Josh: He was – he got sent back to the UK.
Pete: I bet he was pleased about that. He quite liked it out there,
didn’t he?
Josh: Yeah, loved it and all the kids were all settled into their
schools. Oh, he told me this funny story.
Pete: Yeah?
Josh: Well, he was in his new house back in the UK a few days ago
when the removal guys turned up with six crates of his stuff
from Canada.
Pete: Yeah?
Josh: Anyway, they start unpacking the crates, and they’re taking
out all this really weird stuff: a grand piano, an antique chair,
a stuffed lion, a harp, three lawnmowers... “Erm, excuse
me,” my brother says, “but this isn’t my stuff.” But the guy
in charge was a real jobsworth, “We’ve been told to deliver
these things here and that’s what we’re doing.” In the end,
my brother had to call up the manager of the removal firm.
Pete: So, what happened?
Josh: Well, they’d brought the wrong crates, so they had to pack it
all up again, and take it back.
Pete: Oh, I’m sure they were well pleased about that!
Josh: Oh, yes!
Pete: Oh, something similar happened to us when we moved
88
Josh:
Pete:
Josh:
Pete:
Josh:
Pete:
Josh:
Pete:
Josh:
Pete:
Josh:
Pete:
Josh:
house just recently . We got all the stuff transported over to
the new place, but after unpacking everything, we couldn’t
find this box full of valuables: silver plates, jewellery, antique
coins, cutlery, and so on. I remember packing it all up and
putting it somewhere safe, but we just couldn’t find it
anywhere. In the end, we spoke to the guys from the removal
firm but they swore that they didn’t know anything about it.
So, what did you do?
We filed a complaint against the company – we thought that
perhaps one of the guys from the van had taken it. Anyway,
we were just about to start legal proceedings when the box
turned up at my parents’ house. Apparently, we’d taken
it there a few weeks before the move for safekeeping then
completely forgotten about it.
Oh, I’m sure you had a great time explaining all that to the
removal firm.
Oh, yes, it wasn’t at all embarrassing!
I can imagine.
Hey, you’re flying to Frankfurt next week for some
conference, aren’t you?
Already been. Hilarious trip. There was this really drunk guy
sitting in the row in front of me. He was trying to sleep off
his hangover, I guess, and his head kept falling over into the
aisle and people kept banging into him, waking him up, and
he kept mumbling and muttering and getting angrier and
angrier. Anyway, at one point, someone opened the overhead
locker above him and this big bag came crashing down on
top of him.
Nice! So, what did he do?
Well, it was weird – he just sort of opened his eyes, swore a
bit, then went back to sleep – as if he’d hardly noticed it.
Probably cured his headache!
Yeah.
Another drink?
Go on then.
TRACK 25 – TALKING ABOUT YOUR
ADVENTURES
We asked two people about some of the adventurous
things they’ve done in their lives.
The snowstorm
I once went hiking in the middle of winter and got caught up in a
snowstorm. I was with a friend and we were on a 100-kilometre
trip in the mountains. The idea was to walk for four days, covering
about 25 kilometres a day. For the first couple of days, everything
seemed to be fine, but late in the evening of the third day, there
was a really heavy snowstorm. The worst bit was the wind – it was
so strong that it ripped our tent to pieces. So, at about three in the
morning, we had to pack up everything and leave as quickly as we
could. The problem was that it was really hard to see, and I was
worried that we were going to fall down the side of the mountain.
In the end, we just dug a hole in the snow and waited for the storm
to die down. It was freezing and probably the worst night I’ve ever
spent outdoors. As soon as it was light, we walked down the valley
to a little village where we got a bus back home.
Parachuting
The most adventurous thing I’ve ever done? It was probably
when I went parachuting in the north of Norway. After a two-day
preparation course, they took us out for our first jump. There were
three of us in the back of the plane: Sandra (another beginner), me
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and the parachute instructor. The pilot climbed up to about 700
metres, and then the instructor opened a little door at the side of
the plane. Sandra was first out, so she hooked up her parachute
and then stood in the doorway. When the green light came on, the
instructor tapped her on the shoulder and she jumped out. Now it
was my turn. By then, my heart was thumping really hard. The red
light was on again and the plane was circling round to the same
spot so I could jump out. Waiting was definitely the worst part of
it. Then, all of a sudden, I felt a tap on my shoulder and I jumped.
There was a cold rush of air, then a sudden jerk as the parachute
opened out. I remember floating there, looking up and down and
thinking how small everything looked below and how quiet it was,
apart from the distant buzz of the plane. But after a minute or so,
the ground suddenly started coming up towards me really fast,
so I got ready to land, and within a few seconds I was down. I just
lay there taking it all in – not believing what I’d just done. It was
incredible.
TRACK 27
Emma: Taxi! (car pulls up. Sound of door opening) Can you take
me to….
Jan: Hello! It’s Emma, isn’t it?
Emma: Jan Masterman! Wow, I don’t believe it! How are you?
Jan: Emma Palmer! I thought it was you under all that, erm,
grey hair. How long has it been, darling?
Emma: Well, it’s fifteen years since we left school. So, you know, I
suppose it must be fifteen years.
Jan: Gosh, fifteen years. It seems like only yesterday that I beat
you in the final of the school tennis championships.
Emma: What?
Jan: You remember, darling. I, you know, I beat you in straight
sets and you cried and cried. You were so disappointed.
Emma: Well, we were….
Jan: And then there was the time I won the school French prize
and you didn’t. Do you remember? You were furious.
Emma: But your mother’s French, Jan. Everyone knew you’d win
the prize. Erm, how is your mother, by the way?
Jan: Actually, she died years ago.
Emma: Oh, I’m sorry.
Jan: Don’t be, darling. She left me the flat in Paris and a house
near Cannes.
Emma: So, what do you do in London?
Jan: I live here, sweetheart. Married with two kids, and three au
pairs. (laughs at her own joke).
Emma: And do you work?
Jan: Work? Well, not really, darling. Officially I do three days a
week at my husband’s advertising agency but I don’t really
go in very often. To tell you the truth, we don’t need the
money. But what about you? You look as if you’ve been
working very hard.
Emma: Well, erm, I run my own public relations agency actually.
It’s a lot of work but I enjoy it.
Jan: A PR agency? Who’d have thought little Emma would work
in PR. You were always so, you know, shy and awkward at
school.
Emma: No, I wasn’t.
Jan: Of course you were, darling. And what about relationships?
Did you ever manage to get married?
Emma: Yes, I did, actually. Unfortunately it didn’t work out and we
got divorced last year. It was all very friendly.
Jan: Oh, poor you. Still, I remember you never could keep a
boyfriend, could you? [fades out]
TRACK 28
Customer: Erm, I’ve just been checking the bill and there seems
to be a mistake. We never ordered this item, and we
only had one of these.
Waiter: Oh, I’m sorry. I’ll just go and print it off for you again.
Customer: And I’ve got this “buy one get one free” voucher for a
meal here.
Waiter: I’m afraid those are only valid during the week. I’ll be
back in a minute with the new bill.
Customer: Oh, hi, erm, I bought these trousers last week, but
they don’t fit properly. Could I get a refund, please?
Assistant: I’m sorry we don’t give refunds, but I can give you
some vouchers to use at the store.
Customer: OK.
Assistant: Have you got the receipt?
Customer: Erm, no, I think I’ve left it at home.
Assistant: I’m afraid I can’t deal with any returns unless you’ve
got the receipt.
Customer: Oh, it’s just that I’ve come all the way from Barking
and I won’t be coming back for... [fades out]
So, we’ve been looking over your request for a loan
and everything seems to be in order.
Customer: That’s great. So, erm, what would the monthly
instalments be?
Manager: Well, for a loan of £6,000 over a period of 60 months,
you’ll be paying £110.50 per month on an APR of 4%.
The total amount you’ll have paid toward interest
is £629.95, so the sum total including the loan and
interest payments will be £6,629.95.
Customer: Perfect.
Manager:
Assistant:
Customer:
Assistant:
Customer:
Assistant:
That’s £44 and 56 pence. Have you got a store card?
Yes, and I’ve got these discount coupons.
OK. That’s £42.67 pence, please?
Here you are. [He gives the shop assistant his credit
card.]
Could you key your PIN number in, please?
How much is a single ticket to Kettering, please?
Are you travelling today?
Yes.
That’ll be £85.
£85! It’d be cheaper to go by plane.
If you book over the internet in advance, you can get
off-peak tickets for as little as £20.
Customer: Well, I need to go today. I think I’ll rent a car.
Clerk: OK, have a nice day.
Customer:
Clerk: Customer:
Clerk: Customer:
Clerk: TRACK 29 – TALKING ABOUT HYPOCRISY
The environment
I think it’s funny when all these celebrities go on about saving the
planet and being green, but then they fly all over the world in their
private jets. And then there’s Al Gore – he got an Oscar for his film
An Inconvenient Truth which was all about global warming, but the
electric bills for his massive house are apparently more than
20 times the national average. And then there’s Ted Kennedy
– a senator who spent a lot of his political life promoting solar,
hydrogen and wind power, but he opposed the Cape Wind Project
as it involved building wind turbines in a place where his family
likes to go sailing! What a bunch of hypocrites!
1
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Money
I can’t stand all those conservative types who go on about
family life and marriage and all that, but then you read about
how they’ve been having affairs and they’ve got illegitimate
children. Oh, and those televangelists who preach on TV about
living a good life, but it’s just so obvious that the only thing
they’re interested in is money, and they’re often not so perfect
themselves. I read about this one minister from the 90s who
got people to send in cheques for $1,000. And in return, he
promised to personally “lobby” God on their behalf. It turns out
that he was throwing away most of the letters anyway. I just can’t
understand how people could fall for that!
2
3 Health and education
It really annoys me the way all these politicians talk about
protecting the state health care system, but as soon as there’s a
problem, they check into a private clinic. Or when
they go on about government-funded schools but put their
own kids in the private system! The Labour shadow education
secretary Tristram Hunt is a prime example. He recently said
he’d probably send his three children to private school, and he
was educated at a private school himself. Then there are those
multi-millionaire left-wing politicians – champagne socialists
they call them – who go on about equality and all that, but they
all live in mansions and haven’t got a clue what life is like for
ordinary people – they’re far more interested in building up their
property portfolios and helping their banker friends. They’re all
such hypocrites!
TRACK 30
Sally: Mr Prescott, isn’t it?
Peter: Yes, that’s right. Pleased to meet you.
Sally: Pleased to meet you. I’m Sally Fields. Sorry, I’m late. I got a
taxi from the airport, but the traffic was terrible. Have you
been waiting for long?
Peter: No, I’ve only just got here myself.
Sally: Oh, good. [looking around the restaurant] This is nice.
Peter: It’s my regular. I often come here for lunch. I’ll get the
waiter over.
Sally: [looking at the menu] So, what would you recommend
then?
Peter: The lasagne is really nice.
Sally: OK. So, I hear you moved offices.
Peter: Yes, we relocated to a big building downtown.
Waiter: Good afternoon. Can I get you anything to drink?
Peter: [to Sally] Shall I order some wine?
Sally: Yes, go ahead.
Peter: We’ll have a bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau, please.
Waiter: Very well, sir. And are you ready to order?
Sally: I think so.
Peter: Go ahead.
Sally: For starters, I’ll have the prawn cocktail, please.
Peter: And I’ll have the seafood platter.
Waiter: Very well. And for the main course?
Sally: I’ll go for the lasagne.
Peter: And I’ll have the lobster.
Waiter: Very well. I’ll be back in just a minute with your drinks and
starters.
Peter: So, how was the trip?
Sally: Fine, thanks. The flight got in a bit early, actually.
Peter: Great.
Sally: So, erm, did you get a chance to look over the proposal?
90
I’ve got the figures here on my laptop if you need to check
over them again.
Peter: Yes, it all looks good. So, you want to demolish the old
cinema and put up some luxury apartments, right?
Sally: Yes, that’s it, and we’re prepared to pay the asking price for
the land.
Peter: Development for the area. That’s great.
Sally: I knew we could rely on you.
Waiter: Here are your drinks and starters. If you need anything
else, please let me know. Enjoy your meal.
Peter: Thanks. Oh, could you bring the ketchup, please?
Waiter: Certainly, sir.
Sally: So, what do you think of our idea to... [fades out]
a toast n
if you propose a “toast” to something (a new deal, for
example), you ask people to drink together as a way of
showing appreciation for that thing or hoping that it’ll
be successful
TRACK 31
Bruce: They’re taking their time, aren’t they?
Nigel: Yeah, they are.
Bruce: Have you been here before?
Nigel: This is my third time.
Bruce: My first. So, have you come far?
Nigel: Manchester. What about you?
Bruce: San Francisco.
Nigel: Wow!
Bruce: I flew in just yesterday. Actually, it isn’t too bad coming
over – it’s going back that’s the killer.
Nigel: I can imagine. So, are you staying close by?
Bruce: The Waysgate Hotel, I think it’s called.
Nigel: Oh, right, I’m there too.
Bruce: Bruce Milton, by the way. Pleased to meet you.
Nigel: Nigel Masters. Pleased to meet you.
Bruce: So, have you been to any of the talks?
Nigel: Yeah, a couple. One of them was really good. It was all
about this...
Bruce: Oh, no. Sorry to interrupt. You know what? I’ve left my
laptop in the main hall. Would you mind if I just went
to get it?
Nigel: Sure. I’ll save your place in the queue.
Bruce: Great. See you in a minute.
Nigel: [He comes back.] Did you find it?
Bruce: Yes, thanks.
Nigel: Hey, before I forget, here’s my card. I’m the head of a
small online marketing company. We help businesses
promote themselves online.
Bruce: Sounds interesting. Here’s my card.
Nigel: [reading the card] Oh, the Bruce Milton... the CEO of
Milton Networks.
Bruce: That’s me.
Nigel: Wow! I was hoping to talk to you today.
Bruce: Look, I’ve got a meeting later this afternoon, but I’ve
got a bit of spare time from 3:30 to 4pm. Why don’t we
meet up for a coffee in the café? You could tell me all
about your company.
Nigel: That sounds great. Thanks so much.
Bruce: My pleasure. See you at 3:30.
Nigel: See you. Bye.
Bruce: Bye.
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TRACK 37 – DESCRIBING AN EVENT
Three people report back on events they attended.
The wedding
My cousin’s wedding? It was great, although there were a few
hiccups. For a start the bride was late because her dad got a bit
lost as he was driving her to the church. About two minutes before
the ceremony, she still hadn’t turned up so Mike was getting pretty
nervous. She eventually arrived with about 30 seconds to spare!
Then, during the ceremony, the priest got Mike’s name wrong while
they were exchanging vows. He said, “Do you, Mike Long, take this
woman to be your lawful wedded wife…” but his surname is actually
“Smart”. Oh, and then the best man couldn’t find the rings when
he was supposed to hand them over. It was a bit like something out
of Four Weddings and a Funeral!
1
The meeting
The meeting? A complete disaster. I mean, it started off all right,
but then we got onto the topic of payment. As far as we were
concerned, we were all up-to-date on the payments, but the other
party was insisting there was still an outstanding bill of £20,000
for some extra work they’d had to do on it that wasn’t in the original
spec. This was all completely new to us and wasn’t anything that
we’d calculated for. To make matters worse, they said that they
wouldn’t hand over the final files until they received the payment.
Margaret, my boss just hit the roof, and at one stage, both sides
were screaming at one another, and Margaret nearly stormed out
but I managed to calm her down. In the end, someone suggested
taking a break. We met up again after about half-an-hour and both
sides seemed to have settled down by then, luckily.
Karl:
Dave:
Karl:
Dave:
Karl:
Dave:
Karl:
Dave:
Karl:
Dave:
2
3 The conference
The conference? Not too bad. I mean, I met a lot of people, made
some good contacts and even managed to secure a few deals. The
only thing was that I was booked into a hotel that was about 10km
away from the conference centre , so I had to drive in every day.
There was a train, but it was really slow and there were only three
a day, so it was easier to go by car, although parking in the city
centre was a nightmare… and really expensive. Then, for the first
day I couldn’t really do anything because they hadn’t delivered the
material for our stand. They’d said they’d have it there for us when
we arrived, but they sent it to the wrong place and it took another
48 hours to sort that out.
Anyway, it turned up eventually and everything was fine after that.
TRACK 39
Karl and Dave are having a chat in a pub. They’re talking
about the congestion charge – an amount of money you
pay if you want to drive into London.
Dave: So, you got any plans for the weekend?
Karl: Not really, I think I’ll just, erm, you know, take it easy. It’s
been a bit of a busy week.
Dave: Yeah, I know what you mean.
Karl: Oh, but, erm, I’ve some tickets for a theatre show on
Sunday afternoon. I’ve got a spare ticket if you fancy coming
along.
Dave: That sounds good. What’s the show?
Karl: It’s some sort of comedy – nothing special. It’s in, like, this
little theatre just off Marley Street. My cousin’s in it – that’s
how I got the tickets.
Dave: Oh, right, that sounds great.
Karl:
Dave:
Karl:
Dave:
We could meet up just outside the theatre at, like, 6pm. It
starts at, erm, 6:15, I think.
Great.
I’ll send you the details by text.
OK. So, erm, how will you be getting into the centre?
Well, I was gonna drive, but, like, with the congestion
charge plus parking, it’s just too expensive.
Yeah, tell me about it. I heard that they’re planning to
increase the rates too.
It’s like 10 pounds now, isn’t it?
Something like that, but I got fined last time for not paying
in advance – it cost me 50 pounds!
Fifty pounds! That’s outrageous. Although I do, like, think
it’s a good idea in principle. I mean, it’s gonna reduce the
number of cars in the centre and cut down on pollution.
Yeah, but some people who work there need to drive in. So,
it’s bad for business, isn’t it?
Well, I don’t know about that – I mean, the public transport
system is pretty good, but what I like is that there’ll be
fewer cars, and, like, less pollution. Hopefully, they’ll
pedestrianise more areas too, and make it more, erm,
people-friendly.
Yeah, but lots of small business owners need to get
their goods to the shops. You know, shops need to have
deliveries.
I guess so, but I think they’ve got, like, a reduced rate for
people with businesses in the centre.
Yeah, maybe, so what time... [fades out]
TRACK 40
Zoe: ...so, I was just wondering whether you were, erm, whether
you were going to the party this Saturday?
Harry: You mean, erm, Jody’s, Jody’s housewarming?
Zoe: Yeah, I think she said she’d invited you but you hadn’t
replied and...
Harry: ...the problem is I’m still not sure whether I can go.
Zoe: Why’s that?
Harry: My dad runs a pub and...
Zoe: ...you never told me that. Which one?
Harry: The Duck and Goose – it’s in Marley Lane just by...
Zoe: ...Oh, yeah, I know it. I’ve been before.
Harry: But anyway, three’s three, three of the bar staff are off sick,
and he’s, erm, he’s asked me to go and help out.
Zoe: Oh, right.
Harry: Yeah, well, he said he was gonna tell me for sure by
Saturday afternoon whether I had to go or not. What time
is the party?
Zoe: She said to be there for around 8pm – dinner’s at 9pm
and...
Harry: ...do we have to bring anything?
Zoe: Not really. I’ll probably take a bottle of wine as she’s
preparing dinner.
Harry: Sounds good. I’ve heard she’s a great cook.
Oh, yes. You wouldn’t want to miss it. So, have you got her
address, just in case?
Zoe: Yeah, wait a sec, I’ve got it on my mobile. Oh, yes, here it
is, it’s, erm, 19, 19 Hedgegrove Avenue, it’s just next to the
train station.
Harry: Oh, right, I know the street.
So, I might see you there then.
Zoe: OK, well, let me know before and we can go together.
Harry: OK. Will do.
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91
AUDIO SCRIPTS
TRACK 41 – CATCHING UP
Hugo: Libby, isn’t it?
Libby: That’s right. And you are...?
Hugo. Hugo. Hugo Smith. We were at that Leipzip conference
together. That was about two years ago, wasn’t it?
Libby: Oh, yes, Hugo. That’s right! Wow! Doesn’t time fly?
Hugo: It sure does. You were in the process of getting a flat in
London last time we spoke, weren’t you?
Libby: That’s right. I ended up getting a little apartment
overlooking the river. Just as well, really, as house prices
have shot up since then.
Hugo: So I’ve heard. Congratulations!
Libby: And you?
Hugo: Actually, I moved to the country.
Libby: Very nice.
Hugo: I bought a house in a little village. It’s very peaceful, but I
miss the city.
It’s just a little bit too quiet at times.
Libby: I can imagine. So, what are you doing here in Manchester?
Hugo: I’m just back here for the weekend. I’m visiting friends and
family.
Libby: So am I!
Hugo: Oh, great. Do you remember that guy who was in charge of
the meetings?
Libby: Erm, yes, but I can’t remember his name.
Hugo: No, neither can I.
Libby: Anyway, what about the other guys? I’m friends with Chloe
on Facebook.
Hugo: So I am! But we haven’t seen each other since the last meeting.
Libby: No, me neither. Hey, have you got time for a coffee?
Hugo: Yeah, sure!
Libby: There used to be a really nice café in Canal Street.
Hugo: I know the one you mean. I used to go there quite a lot.
Libby: So did I! It’s got a lovely old fireplace.
Hugo: That’s it.
Libby: I’m so glad I bumped into you.
Hugo: Me too. I’ve been meaning to get in touch. So, tell me, what
did you... [fades out]
TRACK 42 – THE UNDERGROUND
Andy: I went on the Underground today. It was just terrible. It
was, just so many people around. I can’t…
Katherine: It’s terrible. [Yeah.] This morning I didn’t even have
anywhere to put my feet. Pushing, shoving, pushing,
shoving.
Andy: Yeah, I don’t know. I think they should put more like
more trains on or something. I don’t know. I don’t
know. There’s enough people going on them, you know,
the Underground to make it worth their while. And it’s
just…everyone’s, everyone’s so bad tempered in the
morning. You get such… I don’t know. I hate… I hate
people in the Underground.
Katherine: It’s too hot. There’s no air conditioning. Somebody
fainted the other day and nobody did anything.
Andy: Nothing? What they just [Nope] like watched?
Katherine: Nope. They just watched. They called the security,
security pull him over. Then, more people get on the
train, more people get off. Push, shove. Nobody has any
respect for anybody anymore.
Andy: Yeah, I guess people are sort of frightened of getting
involved in stuff and having to go and make police
statements. I don’t know.
92
Katherine: Frightened of helping someone?
Andy: I don’t know like he could’ve been a druggie. He
could’ve been a drunk person.
Katherine: He was in a suit.
Andy: Yeah? That’s a bit unfair though, isn’t it? So, you only
help people because they’re in a suit or something, you
know. [Well.] What … would you’ve…what…did you do
anything?
Katherine: I…I couldn’t.
Andy: Yeah. There you go. There. Wait a minute, you’re
criticising other people.
Katherine: There was a lot of people in my way.
TRACK 43 – FOUR DIALOGUES
1
Mark: So, do you think the painting would look good in the living
room?
Dave: I don’t know. I’m not entirely convinced.
It’s all right, but I’m not sure the colours go well with our
furniture. And besides, it’s pretty expensive.
Mark: Yeah, $23,000 would be stretching it a bit. I’m in two minds
too.
Dave: Maybe we should sleep on it.
Mark: Yes, we can always come back tomorrow.
Dave: Good idea. Let’s do that.
2
Jeff: I’m going to bed. Shall I switch off the computer?
Alice: No, leave it on – I need to check something on Facebook.
Don’t worry, I’ll turn it off before I go to bed.
Jeff: You can’t have the computer on and the TV – it’s a waste of
electricity.
Alice: I just want to see the end of this, then I’ll turn the TV off –
it’ll be over in about 10 minutes.
Jeff: OK, but don’t be too late – you’ve got to get up for school
tomorrow.
Alice: I know, I know.
3
Colin: When you pop out to get the paper for the photocopier, I
need you to take these letters down to the post office too.
They’re for a client we’re working with.
Otis: OK. Sure. Erm, where’s the post office?
Colin: It’s just on the corner of Wakesfield and Marley Street – you
can’t miss it.
Otis: You mean near the supermarket?
Colin: No, you go down the main street then turn right at the park.
It’s right there in front of you.
Otis: Wait a minute, are you talking about the park in Spitalfields
Road?
Colin: No.
Otis: Oh, I’d better look it up on the map.
Colin: Good idea.
4
Ellie: He’s walked past us twice now and hasn’t even batted an eyelid.
Paul: Here, let’s get him when he comes back.
Ellie: Excuse me. Is anyone going to take our order? We’ve been
waiting here for about 20 minutes now.
Staff: I’m sorry, we’re a bit busy. Can I get you something to drink?
Ellie: We ordered drinks about 10 minutes ago, but there’s been
no sign of them.
Staff: I’ll go and see what’s happening.
Ellie: And can you give us some menus so we can start thinking
about what we want to order?
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
Copyright Hot English Publishing SL 2016 www.learnhotenglish.com
AUDIO SCRIPTS
TRACK 44 – CHATTING ABOUT REGRETS!
Luisa: OK. So, I heard this saying once that it’s better to
regret something you have done than something you
haven’t done. What do you think?
Jackson: Mmm… Depends on what you’ve done.
Andre: Is it something bad? Is it something evil?
Luisa: Well… I don’t know. I’m asking the question. I
mean… I… Personally, I think it’s a bit… it’s better to
regret something… erm… that you have done. Yeah.
Because I think it means you’ve lived life.
Jackson: What if you’ve done something really stupid?
Luisa: Well… Yeah, that’s true. That’s true. It does depend on
what you’ve done. That’s true.
Jackson: Exactly. [Well…] Have you guys done anything really
stupid?
Andre: Well, of course. I’ve done lots of stupid things. But I
agree with Luisa. Maybe it’s good to regret something
that you’ve done and maybe you haven’t put 100
percent of your effort into.
Luisa: Mmm…
Jackson: Yeah.
Andre: For example, I was an athlete when I was very, very
young, [Yeah] and maybe if I had tried harder [Mmm] I
would have been a little bit better at what I had done.
Jackson: And maybe you’d now be competing in the Olympics
[Exactly!] this year!
Andre: I’d be training right now!
Jackson: Really?
Luisa: Yes, but then you could be regretting spending the
whole of your life just in difficult training schedules
and never having any fun and never just… you know…
eating an ice cream on the beach.
Andre: This is true!
Jackson: Exactly! Now you have a better life. You have more
fun. You don’t… you don’t, you know… Do you sit
around regretting that you’re… you know… that you’re
not a professional athlete?
Andre: No, absolutely not. I think things have turned out
very, very well.
Jackson: Well, you look happy.
Andre: I’m a very happy guy. And you?
Jackson: Yeah, I’m happy! I mean, I’m full of regret, but I’m
still happy.
Andre: Do you have anything you wish you would have tried
harder at?
Jackson: Absolutely nothing.
Andre: Absolutely nothing?
TRACK 45 – CHATTING ABOUT SUNDAY!
Megan: Well, I’ve worked in retail since I was sixteen years
old, and I’ve always worked on a Sunday, never the
Saturdays like everyone else, I’ve always just worked
Sundays. But the Sunday shoppers, the people that
shop on Sundays, I don’t know if I agree with it. I think,
weekends you can enjoy it, be at home... But everyone
goes shopping on a Sunday, what do you think, good or
bad idea?
Sara: For me, Sundays are definitely the days I need to just
relax. [exactly] Like, shopping can be relaxing but for
me it’s not, so for me, shopping on Sunday is a major
like... [no, no] No, no, I don’t want to do that.
Tim:
Yeah, definitely and also I think that shopping on, on
Sundays in particular, let alone weekends, is kind of
difficult to do because all the stores that I want to go to
are closed.
Megan: Exactly. But a lot of places now, everywhere’s open on
a Sunday until so late at night. [That’s true.] And it’s
just, I think it’s ruining the fun of the weekend. For
me, for me working on Sundays, it ruins the fun of the
weekend, it’s so busy and there’s...
Sara: Yeah, you do have to think about, yeah, you have that
perspective of the person who’s actually doing the
work. [exactly] And the people who are working want to
relax too.
Megan: I know!
Tim:
And in my, in my personal opinion, Sunday’s always
been reserved as a, as a family day. [That’s true.] And
you spend six, you spend almost seven days out of
seven days in a week working, working, working and
you just need some time to, to relax. [some time to
yourself ] Some time to yourself.
Sara: Yeah and with your family and to yourself.
Tim:
Yeah, I would have to say that, it’s not my choice day to
go shopping. I’d rather go shopping on, like, a Friday or
something like that.
Megan: Definitely, me too.
TRACK 46 – MAKING PLANS
Pete: [to the ticket seller] Two tickets for Straight Guys at
seven, please.
Ticket seller: I’m sorry but there aren’t any seats left.
Pete: [to Noah] Well, that’s thrown a spanner in the works.
Noah: What a bummer! I was really looking forward to it.
Pete: Me too! I guess we could go and grab a bite to eat
then come back for the next session.
Noah: Yeah, but what about Mike’s party? We’ll never hear
the end of it if we don’t show up.
Pete: Well, I’m sort of in two minds about going anyway.
Noah: What?
Pete: Yes, I just don’t feel up to it.
Noah: You can’t bail out on me now.
Pete: I’m a bit broke too.
Noah: I can lend you something. I’m loaded right now. I
flogged my stereo to Greg.
Pete: How much did you get for it?
Noah: Two hundred.
Pete: Nice! It was only worth about 50.
Noah: Yeah, I know. What a mug! Look, I know, let’s go to
the pub down the road, the Dog and Duck, and have a
quick one. Then, we can head off to the party.
Pete: The Dog and Duck? That place is a rip-off. I got
charged £10 for a pint last time I went there.
Noah: [beep from text message] Hey, I just got a text from
Leon. He wants to know whether we can pick him up
– his car’s conked out so he needs a lift.
Pete: But he lives miles away.
Noah: We can’t leave him in the lurch. Look, I know, let’s go
and pick him up, then head off to Mike’s place and
have a drink in a pub near there, then go to the party.
Come on – you know you want to.
Pete: Oh, all right then.
Noah: Great. I’ll give Leon a bell and tell him that we’ll be
there in about 20 minutes.
Pete: All right. I’ll go and get the car.
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
Copyright Hot English Publishing SL 2016 www.learnhotenglish.com
93
AUDIO SCRIPTS
TRACK 47 – HOW TO END A CONVERSATION
At the pub
Henry: ...and then he asked me to work at the weekend.
Abbie: That’s so annoying.
Henry: Tell me about it. [silence]
Abbie: Well, look, I’d better get going. I’ve got to get dinner ready
and the kids will be back in about half an hour.
Henry: OK. Of course.
Abbie: Right, so, I’ll see you on Friday.
Henry: Yes, at three o’clock.
Abbie: Perfect! See you then.
Henry: OK. Bye.
Abbie: Bye.
1
2 In the street
George: ...a...and that’s why I decided to leave.
Megan: Good decision.
George: Best I’ve ever made.
Megan: Well, it was lovely talking to you, but I’ve got to run. My
train leaves in about 10 minutes.
George:No problem. Have a good one!
Megan: Yeah, sure. Hey, why don’t we get together sometime this
week for a coffee or something?
George: Good idea. I’ll give you a call.
Megan: OK. Speak later. Take care.
George: Bye.
Megan: Bye.
5 In an office
Harvey: I can’t believe you’re actually going. It’s been, what, like six
years, hasn’t it?
Mandy: That’s right. It’s just flown by.
Harvey: I know. It feels like only yesterday when we started here.
I’m really gonna miss you.
94
I’ll miss you too. Keep in touch.
I will. It was wonderful to finally meet your family and everything.
Thanks. So, goodbye then.
Bye. Take care and send me a text message when you get
to Chicago.
Mandy: I will! Good luck.
Harvey: And you. Bye.
Mandy: Bye.
Mandy:
Harvey:
Mandy:
Harvey:
4 In a restaurant
Morgan:OK, so I’ll call the distributors while you prepare the
contract, and we’ll talk again next week.
Poppy: Sounds good!
Morgan:Great! So, have a nice trip back to Sydney.
Poppy: I will.
Morgan:And don’t forget to e-mail me that information.
Poppy: Of course!
Morgan:Thanks again for everything.
Poppy: No problem. Bye.
Morgan:Bye.
5 In an office
Nicol So, I’ll send you over that proposal and you can tell me
what you think of it sometime next week.
Luke: Sounds good.
Nicole: And I’ll let you know when the report comes out.
Luke: Perfect!
Nicole: Oh, before I go, I just remembered, we’re going for a drink
after work tomorrow if you fancy coming along.
Luke: That sounds good.
Nicole: We’re meeting up at the Fox & Hounds at about 6pm.
Luke: Oh, great. I’ll see you there.
Nicole: OK. See you later then. Bye.
Luke: Bye.
BUSINESS SKILLS SOCIALISING IN ENGLISH
Copyright Hot English Publishing SL 2016 www.learnhotenglish.com
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