BBC初级商务英语第10期:会议开幕

Clip 1
“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much for coming along here today. I hope my presentation isn’t going to take too long and that you will find it interesting. The purpose of today’s presentation is to discuss how we can improve internal communications within our company.

Now let me begin by explaining that I’d like to talk about the business case for better communication; secondly, I want to cover different styles and methods; and finally I would like to finish off by talking about some of the basics we need to have in place to deliver good quality, consistent communications across the company. I’d be very happy to invite you to ask questions at the end of the session and I’m sure there’ll be plenty of time for us to discuss some of the points that have been raised.”

Clip 2
“Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for finding the time to come and join me for this presentation this afternoon. My name is Tim Mason, I‘m a retail consultant, and many of you will have seen me shadowing you in your jobs and looking through the accounts and so on in the company over the last week. I’ve invited you here today to have a look at my findings. First, I’d like to have a look at the performance of the company, the sales of the company over the last three years; then I’d like to have a look at our market share in the womenswear market and look at our competitors; and thirdly, I’d like to suggest some improvements in our range of womenswear. At the end I’d be happy to answer any of your questions.”

Useful Phrases

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much for coming along here today 先生们，女士们，很感谢你们今天能来到这里…

The purpose of today’s presentation is to discuss how we can… 今天开会的目的就是讨论一下我们如何可以…

I’ve invited you here today to have a look at my findings 我今天邀请你们来就是为了让大家看看我的发现

Now let me begin by… 首先,先从…说起

Secondly…然后

…and finally…最后

Instructions: Finish the sentence with the correct phrase.

1. Which sentence might you hear at the beginning of a presentation?
A Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for arriving today
B Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for appearing today
C Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming today
D Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for showing your faces today

2. The _________ of today’s presentation is to discuss my findings.
A purpose
B reason
C cause
D points

3. Now, __________ begin by introducing myself.
A allow me
B let me
C I
D presentation

4. I’d be very happy to __________ you to ask questions at the end of the session.
A tell
B invite
C order
D request

Answers

1. Which sentence might you hear at the beginning of a presentation?
A Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for arriving today Feedback: Wrong – the audience’s arrival is just the moment they appear at the presentation
B Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for appearing today Feedback: Wrong – this sounds like the speaker wasn’t expecting the audience to come to the presentation
C Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming today Feedback: Correct – this is a straightforward way to greet an audience
D Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for showing your faces today Feedback: Wrong – if you ‘show your face’ you go somewhere for a short time because you feel you have to, not because you want to. So this is quite a rude thing to say!

2. The _________ of today’s presentation is to discuss my findings.
A purpose Feedback: Correct – the speaker is stating the reason for giving the presentation
B reason Feedback: Wrong – you can say ‘The reason why…’ but not ‘The reason of…’
C cause Feedback: Wrong – a cause is a reason that belongs to the past, but the speaker is stating what he wants to do in the presentation, so he’s talking about the future
D points Feedback: Wrong – The speaker is talking about the reason for giving the presentation, so he can say ‘The point of today’s presentation’ but not ‘The points of today’s presentation’

3. Now, __________ begin by introducing myself.
A allow me Feedback: Wrong – you can say ‘allow me to begin’ but not just ‘allow me begin’
B let me Feedback: Correct – this is one way to start a presentation
C I Feedback: Wrong – if you are describing something you are about to do, use the future tense
D presentation Feedback: Wrong – ‘presentation’ is not the subject of this sentence

4. I’d be very happy to __________ you to ask questions at the end of the session.
A tell Feedback: Wrong – if you tell someone to do something, you don’t give them a choice!
B invite Feedback: Correct – the speaker will give the audience a chance to ask questions later if they wish
C order Feedback: Wrong – if you order someone to do something you don’t give them a choice!
D request Feedback: Wrong – if you request someone to do something, you ask them to do it for you. But the speaker says ‘I’d be very happy to’ which implies that he is willing to answer questions if the audience wants to ask them.