BEC剑桥商务英语资料：Unit 19－24课文

1、Unit 19Late PaymentFocus: Marking Phone calls to chase late paymentsListening TaskCall 1Smythe: This is Paul Smythe calling from Birmingham.Martinez: Good morning, Mr. Smythe. How are you?Smythe: Fine, thanks and you?Martinez: Yes, Im fine, too.Smythe: Mr. Martinez, Im ringing about our last invoice

2、.Martinez: Yes, I remember we got it before the summer.Smythe: Exactly, Mr. Martinez. The invoice was raised more than three months ago.Martinez: Im sorry, I dont quite follow you.Smythe: We sent you the invoice on 13th July. Martinez: On 30th of July.Smythe: Not the 30th. The 13th. And we still hav

3、ent received payment.Martinez: OK, Mr. Smythe. Ill check and get back to you.Smythe: When can you contact me?Martinez: This afternoon.Smythe: Thats fine. I look forward to hearing from you.Martinez: Bye.Smythe: Bye.Call 2Martinez: Well, Mr. Smythe, Ive looked into your invoice and found out why it h

4、asnt been paid. Smythe: And why is that?Martinez: We asked our bank to transfer the money but they couldnt. They said that your bank details are wrong.Smythe: What do you mean our bank details are wrong? They are printed on our invoice. And you received the same invoice as all our other customers.Ma

5、rtinez: Im sorry, what did you say?Smythe: I said our bank details are printed on the invoice.Martinez: Well, I have the invoice here. Can we just check? The account number is 40211686. Is that right?Smythe: Yes, thats right.Martinez: At the Bank of Scotland at 46 Portland Street in Smythe: Hang on

6、a minute, did you say Bank of Scotland?Martinez: Yes.Smythe: Its the Royal Bank of Scotland-not the Bank of Scotland.Martinez: You mean there are two?Smythe: Exactly.Martinez: OK, Mr. Smythe. Ill ask our bank to transfer the amount to the Royal Bank of Scotland.Smythe: As soon as possible, Mr. Marti

7、nez.Martinez: Manana, Mr. Smythe, as soon as the bank opens. And, Mr. Smythe, Im sorry about the mistake.Smythe: Well, Im goad we sorted it out.Martinez: Yes! Bye.Smythe: Bye.Call 3Clerk: Account enquiries.Smythe: Good afternoon. Id like to check if a transfer has been received from Spain.Clerk: Cou

8、ld you give me your account number and account name please?Smythe: Yes, the number is 40211686 and the company name is Paul Smythe and Partners.Clerk: Could you spell Smythe, please? Smythe: Yes, its S-M-Y-T-H-E.Clerk: And your address, please?Smythe: Unit 7, Parkdown Trading Estate.Clerk: And when

9、did you expect the money to be credited?Smythe: This week.Clerk: One moment, please. Yes, we received a credit of 3476.28 on Wednesday.Smythe: Sorry, could you repeat the amount?Clerk: Yes, 3476.28.Smythe: I was expecting a round figure of 3500. Did the bank make a charge?Clerk: Im afraid I cant see

10、 that from my screen. Ive only got the find figure which was credited to your account.Smythe: But we get lots of payments from abroad and we never have to pay charges.Clerk: Let me check, sirYes, the amount was transferred in Spanish pesetas. We had to convert it into pounds. So, after bank charges,

11、 your account was credited with 3476.28.Smythe: I see. OK, thank you.Clerk: Youve welcome.Smythe: Bye.Clerk: Bye.Unit 20Meeting objectivesFocus: An extract from a training session for new recruits about the essential elements of business meetingsListening TaskMartin: Well, on the one hand, everyone

12、agrees that meetings are necessary; on the other, most management personnel here would say that we spend too much time on them and in them. Some running meetings efficiently is a priority for all of us. The first question we need to ask is: what are the essential elements of meetings? And thats what

13、 Id like to spend some time on now. Paul, would you like to act as secretary?Paul: Yes, of course.Martin: If you could write the points down on the whiteboard over there.Paul: Right.Martin: And Angela. Over to you.Angela: Right, the purpose of this mornings meeting is to define the essential element

14、s of a meeting. As there is only one point for discussion, I dont think we need an agenda. Beatrice, would you like to start?Beatrice: Well, I think weve already identified two key features. Firstly, a meting needs a chairperson to control the meeting and secondly a secretary to keep a record in wri

15、ting of the proceedings and decisions.Angela: So, have you got that, Paul?Paul: Yes, a chairperson to control the meeting and a secretary to keep a record. As weve started talking about all the people attending the meeting, we may as well put down the third category-the other participants.Angela: Go

16、od, so a meeting includes three categories of people-a chairman, a secretary and the other participants.Beatrice: Angela, do you object to being called chairman? Or would you rather be the chairperson?Angela: To be honest, I dont really mind either way. OK, lets move on. What other characteristics a

17、re there? Yes, Paul?Paul: A purpose, a reason for holding the meeting.Angela: Right. So lets just think about the purposes of meetings. I mean, I suppose we would call this an ideas-gathering meeting.Martin: Yes, thats a good way of expressing it.Angela: Other types?(Pause)Martin: Well, the other ty

18、pes we usually mention are problem-solving meetings and training meetings.Angels: Thanks, Martin. OK, have you got all that, Paul? A meeting must have a purpose-either ideas-gathering, problem-solving or training.Paul: At the beginning we skipped over the fact that we havent got an agenda for this m

19、eeting, but where there are a number of points to consider, a meeting does need an agenda.Angela: Right, an agenda showing the list of items to be considered. Would anyone like to say anything else about the agenda?(Pause)No? Right. Other features?Beatrice: Well, to be effective, the meeting needs s

20、ome outcome, a result of some sort. I dont know whether thats the best way to express it. You know what I mean?Martin: But isnt the result linked to the purpose?Beatrice: Yes, but you can start off with a clearly-defined purpose and still fail to achieve it.Angela: Yes, true. I see what youre gettin

21、g at.Martin: There are different types of results, arent there?Beatrice: Yes, there are those related to the objectives of the meeting - i.e. the idea gathered or the problems solved or the training delivered. But there are also the decisions of business meeting, of actions to take and steps to carr

22、y out.Paul: Well, thats what Im doing, isnt it, acting as note-taker. Writing the minutes as a record of what was decided in this meeting.Beatrice: Yes, exactly. Thats the other type of outcome of a meeting-the minutes.Unit 21Recruiting PersonnelFocus: An extract from a meeting called to decide on t

23、he best way to recruit a new Production ManagerListening TaskGraham: OK, the next item on the agenda is the post of Production Manager. As you know, Steven Bradley has been poached by Mintons clever tactics on their part. He will be leaving at the end of June. So we need to replace him.Neville: Well

24、, there are several very good candidates working in the Production Department at the moment. I dont see a problem about promoting one of them.Mary: Nor do I. But I cant accept that as the only option.Graham: Right, lets take this a step at a time. The first question is: do we want to fill this post

25、with an outside recruit or an internal candidate?Neville: Well, Im convinced that weve got the right people in-house. And just look at the benefits of handling the recruitment internally.Mary: I agree that there are some benefits, but there are draw backs, too.Neville: Well, in my opinion, internal

26、recruitment is good for motivation. The supervisors see that competence and hard work are rewarded. The advantages are clear-improved morale and performance. Just what we are looking for at the moment.Mary: I agree up to a point, but look at the other side.Neville: yes, go on.Mary: Surely you can se

27、e that candidates who apply for the job and dont get it may become discontented, and thats a real disadvantage.Graham: Yes, thats a good point. Its a very sensitive area-explaining to unsuccessful candidates why they were rejected.Neville: I fully accept that its a sensitive matter. And thats exactl

28、y why it needs to be handled tactfully by explaining to unsuccessful candidates how to do better next time. We live in the real world here. And people benefit from being told how to improve.Graham: Of course, theres another clear advantage of internal recruitment-namely safety. Itll be much safer to

29、 promote someone from within, since we are more likely to have a more accurate assessment of the persons skills.Mary: I agree that it may be safe, but the disadvantage is that we wont get a true picture of the real competition from outside. I know the quality of people that weve got here and I accep

30、t that they are good. But I really think that there are good. But I really think that there are some very good people out there. And Id like to take a look at them. Internal recruitment limits us quite seriously.Graham: OK. I think weve taken that on board. But the one point we havent mentioned is c

31、ost.Neville: Can I just come in here? Two things-cost and time. Both are essential to us. Internal recruitment is much cheaper and much quicker.Graham: Yes, go on.Neville: Well, in the first place, we dont need an expensive induction programme toMary: We would need an induction programme in any case

32、.Neville: Yes, but its obviously going to e more expensive to train up an outsider, and, if we can save that money, I for one would be very pleased.Graham: And time.Neville: And wed save time, too. An internal recruit would need far less time to learn the job. So the induction period would be shorte

33、r; the person would be on the job quicker. There are clear savings to be made.Graham: On the financial side, theres also the cost of external advertising.Mary: I really dont think that that expense is significant. Weve got money in the budget for advertising.Graham: theres one issue about internal r

34、ecruitment that still worries me. And thats the inbreeding factor. Is this a job for which we need new blood or someone who will work by the book?Neville: Well, for me, its a key post of responsibility, best done by someone who already knows the ropes.Mary: Well, thats where we differ. The disadvant

35、age of internal promotion I that we dont get any new blood and Im convinced that thats what this organization needs-especially at management level.Unit 22Running a Job InterviewFocus: An extract from a meeting between a Personnel Manager and two of her colleagues about how to run a job interviewList

36、ening TaskAnn: OK, shall we get started? The job interviews for the new Production Supervisor will be held on 15 October.Paul: Right.Peter: OK.Ann: The invitation letters have gone out to the shortlisted candidates, and you have the timing of the interviews on this sheet here. I think youve seen the

37、 sheet already.Peter/Paul: Yes.Ann: Today Id like to look at the arrangements for the interview and answer any questions.Paul: Are you going to sit in on the interview?Ann: Well, if Im available, I dont mind sitting in, but Id prefer not to run it. You see, I dont particularly like running interview

38、s for other departments. I always advise colleagues to run interviews themselves.Peter: Yes, that makes sense. The appointee will need to work closely with us.Paul: Yes, and we know what type of person were looking for. So, how about you running the interview then, Peter?Peter: Fine, if you have no

39、objections.Paul: No, none at all.Peter: So, lets just run through the stages of the interview. Id like us to agree who does what so that the interviews can go smoothly. So, first stage-introductions. Why dont you do that, Paul? Then Ill handle the main part.Paul: So, I like to start by introducing m

40、yself and then move on to a neutral chat-travel, weather, that sort of thing.Ann: Yes, that sounds fine. Though we should introduce Peter at this stage and let him say a few words.Paul: Right. Is that enough for the first stage?Ann: A bit more, I think.Paul: OK. Perhaps the plan of the interview. An

41、n: Yes, its a good idea to sketch it out at the start. And Id also recommend that you briefly explain the decision-making process. It all helps the candidate to settle down and also shows a professional image.Paul: OK, Ive got that. So, then its over to you, Peter.Peter: Right. The main part. Asking

42、 questions to get information .Ann: what type of structure would you like to follow ?Peter: Sorry, what do you mean?Ann: Well, you can organize this stage biographically-education, qualifications, work experience-or base it on areas of interest to us-experience relevant to the job.Peter: Well, what

43、would you suggest?Ann: Depends on you. Just as long as you have a structure to start with and follow it-until you find a more interesting avenue to pursue.Peter: OK. So questions first to elicit information.Ann: Yes, and remember to start with the closed ones. You know the ones that deal with concre

44、te facts, like when, where, what, and why.Peter: Like Can you tell us what you enjoyed most at university?Ann: Yes.Paul: And Could we ask you why you want this job?Ann: Well, thats for later.Peter: Right. Fine. So, thats the second stage, isnt it?Ann: Well, dont forget the other side of the coin. Li

45、stening to the answers you get. And observing the candidates behaviour. Dont forget that how the candidate behaves is often more important than the answers he or she gives.Peter: And, of course, Ill also need to answer questions that arise as we go along.Ann: Yes. OK, what about the third stage, the

46、n? First of all, whos going to do it?Paul: Well, Ill take over again, if you like.Peter: Good.Paul: So, then I need to say what happens next, and bye-bye.Ann: Well, I suggest you give a summary of the interview-the main points covered.Paul: OK.Ann: And then you can say what happens next.Paul: Fine,

47、I think thats all clear now.Peter: Yes, Im happy with that.Unit 23Making Professional ContactFocus: Colleagues from an international organization greeting each other at their annual partners meetingSheila: Hello, Luis. Nice to see you again. How are you?Luis: Fine, thanks. And how are things in the

48、Brussels office?Sheila: Oh, not too bad, not too bad. Weve been quite busy this year. By the way, I read in the paper that you have moved to your new offices.Luis: Yes, we moved at the beginning of the year.Sheila: So, where exactly are you now?Luis: Right in the middle of Madrid.Sheila: So, the pro

49、blem of space should be solved now.Luis: Yes, were all one big happy family now.Sheila: Well, Im glad to here that.Luis: Uh, may I introduce you to Antonio Robles.Sheila: Ah. How do you do? My name is Sheila Black. I work in the Brussels office.Antonio: Pleased to meet you. Im Antonio Robles.Sheila:

50、 Pleased to meet you.Luis: Antonio joined us at the beginning of the year.Sheila: I see. And where are you based?Antonio: In the Barcelona office.Sheila: Uh-huh. And what exactly do you do?Antonio: Well, Im part of the information technology consultancy team.Sheila: Right. Im responsible for our fin

51、ancial services consultancy.Antonio: I see.Sheila: Barcelona. Isnt Maria Delgado there?Antonio: Yes. Shes in the same division, but in a different team.Sheila: right. So, are you busy at the moment?Antonio: Yes, we are working on a big project for Telcomsa.Sheila: Oh, what do they do?Antonio: They m

52、ake telephone equipment for the telecommunication administration. Theyre pretty big.Sheila: How many people do they employ?Antonio: About 8000.Sheila: 8000?Antonio: Thats all over Spain.Sheila: So, how long have you been working on the project?Antonio: Two months now.Sheila: And how much more work i

53、s there to do?Antonio: Well, that is a difficult question. It all depends.Luis: Gentlemen, will you excuse me, please? Must go and talk to our French colleagues. See you later.Sheila: See you later.Antonio: Bye.Sheila: So, do you report to Luis?Antonio: Yes, hes the partner in charge of consultancy services for Spain, but hes going to retire next year.Sheila: Well, I wouldnt say no to a posting in Spain.Unit 24Small TalkFocus: Small talk in a variety of social situationsDialogue 1A: Gordon, good to see you. I bet youre exhausted!B: Oh, it wasnt too bad.