Appendix
Unit 1
Vocabulary
1. green hand 职场新人
2. feeling of freshness 新鲜感
3. rules and regulations 规章制度
4. employee’s card 工作证
5. probation period 试用期
6. personal records 人事档案
7. life-long learner 终身学习者
8. staff in basic level 基层员工
9. workplace etiquette 职场礼仪
10. a big fish in a small pond 小公司的大人物
11. a small fish in a big pond 大公司的小人物
12. punch out 下班打卡
13. punch in 上班打卡
14. work overtime 加班
15. top manager 高层管理人员
Video Episode 1
Eric is just employed. Now he is reporting for work to John, the headmaster.
Eric: Good morning. My name is Eric. I’m reporting for work today.
John: Good morning, Eric. I am John. Welcome aboard, Eric. I am waiting for you now.
Eric: Yeah, I am very happy to join this great team.
John: Well, I’ve heard you are an excellent English major and want to be a good teacher. You will meet your new challenges here. I have faith in you.
Eric: Thank you. I appreciate that. Though I am a green hand, I will do my best.
John: Yeah, if you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask me at any time.
Eric: Thank you so much for your kindness.
John: OK, let me introduce some of your colleagues to you.
Eric: Yes, thank you.
Video Episode 2
Eric is on his first day of work. The headmaster John is introducing him to Jim.
John: Good morning, Jim. I’d like you to meet Eric. He’s our new English teacher. Eric, Jim is the head of English teaching group.
Jim: Hello, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Eric. Welcome aboard.
Eric: Thank you. I’m glad to meet you, too. And I’m looking forward to working for you.
Jim: From what I’ve heard, you’re going to fit in just fine. I’ll have a meeting and must be off now. And see you this afternoon to go over the things.
Eric: OK. Fine with me.
John: See you, Jim. Eric, let’s go ahead and know more about our English teaching group.
Video Episode 3
Ben, one of Eric’s colleagues in English teaching group, is telling him some rules about the school.
Ben: Welcome to our school. First, let me go over what we do in the office during a typical workday.
Eric: OK. I understand that we basically work from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with an hour-long lunch break from 12 to 1, right?
Ben: That’s right. We don’t work overtime. And we should obey the punching rules. That is, you should punch in when you come and punch out when you go with your employee’s card.
Eric: Yeah, I see. How often do we have meetings?
Ben: You should attend an English teaching and research meeting every Friday morning. There are other meetings for people working together on certain projects.
Eric: Fine. Salaries are paid directly into our bank accounts, aren’t they?
Ben: That’s right.
Eric: Do employees here have to go through a probation period?
Ben: Yes. Our school believes in employee training and self-improvement.
Eric: Yeah, I see. I’ve met some colleagues already. I’m sure we’ll get along well with each other.
Ben: OK. This is your cubicle. Get yourself settled and then I’ll introduce you to some of the others.
Video Episode 4 George is late for his reporting work to Sunrise Primary School, and Mike is greeting him.
George: Good morning. I’m George. Sorry, I am late.
Mike: Hello, George. Welcome to our school.
George: I’m ashamed of myself. I forgot to set the alarm clock…
Mike: It doesn’t matter. Nice to meet you, George. I’m glad you’ll be working for us. We’re like a big family here. We all work together as a team.
George: That’s great. I’m eager to start.
Mike: Well, let me tell you about some of our policies and practices here.
George: All right. That will be a big help. I’m fresh out of college.
Mike: Er… it is the first time for you to be late. And I hope it will also be the last time. We require all our employees to arrive for work on time and we insist that they keep their lunch hours to a reasonable length.
George: I understand.
Mike: Employee character is very important to us. We expect everyone here to be hardworking, patient, honest and open-minded.
George: I’m very glad to hear that. I think I possess all of those qualities.
Mike: We also try to do the best we can for our employees. We feel obligated to provide a safe working environment, and we make every effort to listen to our employees’ concerns.
George: That’s very admirable. That’s also one of the reasons I want to work here.
Video Episode 5
George is a new English teacher and he is asking his colleague Jack about the school’s rules and regulations.
Jack: Now, perhaps you have some questions. Is there any additional information I can provide?
George: Yes, as a matter of fact, I have a few questions.
Jack: Certainly. Go ahead!
George: Will I be required to have a medical examination before I start to work?
Jack: Yes, but the school will cover the expense.
George: And would I have to go through special training or preparations for the job?
Jack: Yes, you would. Our school believes in employee training and self-improvement.
George: And would it be necessary for me to work on weekends?
Jack: No, that wouldn’t be necessary.
George: And one more question: do employees here have to go through a probation period?
Jack: No, they don’t. Once you are hired, you have the same rights as other employees.
George: I see. That’s great.
Jack: Do you have any other questions?
George: No, I don’t think so. You’ve been so helpful.
Jack: All right. I’m glad to hear that.
George: I’ve enjoyed talking with you. Thank you very much.
Jack: You’re very welcome.
Video Episode 6
George is a new English teacher and has made a mistake in his work. Jim, the head of English teaching group, is talking with him about it.
Jim: George, how long have you been here?
George: For three months, sir.
Jim: It is not a short time, and you should have had some knowledge of your job well.
George: Yes, I feel so sorry for my carelessness.
Jim: As a newcomer, after the feeling of freshness, you should focus yourself on learning more from your colleagues. I think it is very important to learn from them, especially those who are careful, hard-working, and devoted.
George: Yes, it is my fault. I feel so sorry, and due to my fault…
Jim: Don’t say sorry again. I want you not to do it again. You are smart, and I have confidence in you.
George: I promise I will not. I’ll do better in the future.
Jim: OK. Let’s make it.
Passage
There are different ways of greeting people in the world. Every culture has its own way to greet.Here are some tips for you.
In Thailand, people greet each other by putting their hands together and bowing slightly. In South Africa, you can expect to be hugged when you meet someone. In the Middle East, Arabs greet each other by touching noses. In the USA, people shake hands when meeting each other.In France, it is a custom to shake hands with people in the office every morning. When Dutch people meet, they kiss each other on the cheek and then the other. If you are a close friend or relative, then you get three kisses. In Japan, people bow to each other when they meet.
How about you? How do you greet others in your country?
News Broadcast
For nearly 250 years, Debrett’s has advised the British public on the finer points of social etiquette, from how to write a thank-you note to what to do when one meets the Queen.Now, Debrett’s has lifted the lid on its very modern guide to good manners for the first time,disclosing the questions that most trouble the British public.
1. Mobile phone use
According to Debrett’s, it is always rude to pay more attention to a phone than a person in the flesh, and it should always be put away when transacting other business.
2. Smoking e-cigarettes at work
E-cigarettes should never be used in a work environment. Vaping shows that you’re not focused on your work and may also be a distraction to your colleagues.
3. Social greeting: kissing
Kissing is not appropriate in many professional situations. On the whole, it should only be used among friends, but not on first meeting.
4. Eating and applying make-up on public transport
It’s inconsiderate to eat smelly food in a confined environment, and applying make-up on public transport can jeopardise that all-important first impression and make you appear disorganised.
5. Eating before everyone is served
The final question is one that we’ve all asked ourselves: is it rude to start eating at the table before everyone else has been served? According to Delbert’s the simple answer is yes, unless the host or hostess gives their permission for diners to start.
Unit 2
Vocabulary
1. family enterprise 家族企业
2. private business 私营企业
3. listed company 上市公司
4. leading enterprise 龙头企业
5. state-owned enterprise 国有企业
6. small-and-medium-sized enterprise 中小企业
7. Chinese-overseas equity joint venture 中外合资企业
8. private limited company 私人有限公司
9. public limited company 股份有限公司
10. multinational corporation 跨国公司
11. marketing department 市场部门
12. HR department 人力资源部
13. technology department 技术部门
14. administrative department 行政部门
15. production department 生产部门
Video Episode 1
Tom is a newcomer, and Mr. White is helping him to be familiar with the company’s organisation.
Mr. White: Here is our organisation chart. It shows how the departments are structured. We have recently divided the company into three major sections: Operations, Marketing and Sales, and Finance and Administration.
Tom: Customer Service is a part of Marketing and Sales Division?
Mr. White: Yes. Marketing and Sales Division has a number of departments: Customer Service,Advertising, Communications, and, of course, Sales and Marketing.
Tom: And Operations?
Mr. White: Operations Division is made up of Manufacturing, Materials, Shipping and Distribution, MIS, and R&D.
Tom: And the department managers report to the directors who report to the CEO?
Mr. White: Right. Now, keep in mind that the directors often compete with each other to be in good standing with the CEO.
Tom: I guess it would be helpful to make your division look as good as possible in the eyes of the CEO.
Mr. White: Hmm, now you’re getting it. Oh, here comes the CEO.
Video Episode 2
Miss Laura is a foreign visitor, and Tom is introducing the company to her.
Tom: Miss Laura, welcome to our company. Nice to meet you.
Miss Laura: Nice to meet you, too.
Tom: I would like to introduce our company to you and show you around our modern factory. I am sure you will be interested.
Miss Laura: Thank you. It is so kind of you.
Tom: As you know, our company is located in Beijing, China. It is the world’s fourth-largest PC maker, and has long dominated the Chinese market, the world’s second-largest.
Miss Laura: I see. So, what lines of business are you in?
Tom: Our company trades mainly in desktop personal computers, notebook personal computers, cell phones, and servers.
Miss Laura: When was your company founded?
Tom: In 1984. Our company doesn’t have a long history, but we are very competitive in the market place.
Miss Laura: Very impressive!
Video Episode 3
Tom is discussing with his boss Len Matheson on how to deal with the company’s expansion.
Tom: Mr. Matheson, I’ve studied all your reports, and our company is making excellent progress.
Len: So, what are your plans for my new organisational structure?
Tom: First, let’s start with our operation here. I think we should set up separate Administrative,Clerical, Back office, and support functions. There’s too much work for your personnel to wear more than one hat any more.
Len: Yes, they’ve already overworked. But that will entail more managerial functions, won’t it?
Tom: That’s right, and we’ll need at least two new managers for separate Marketing and Product Development departments.
Len: Good, you did an excellent job. Thank you for your suggestion.
Tom: Thank you for trust again. I am very glad to do it.
Video Episode 4
Tom is talking about opening oversea branch offices with his colleague Mike.
Tom: It’s time to open our oversea branch offices.
Mike: Shall we hire local people to work in the branch offices?
Tom: Of course, but not everyone will be local.
Mike: Management in a branch office is very important.
Tom: So we’ll bring in some managers from our home office.
Mike: They need to know the business.
Tom: They also have to be sensitive to the local culture.
Mike: Would you please give an example?
Tom: Say, managers sent to Latin America must be powerful.
Mike: Why?
Tom: If not, their employees will consider them weak and they will not have the orders carried out.
Mike: Yeah, the management style should be adjusted to the local culture.
Video Episode 5
Tom is discussing with the department manager Michael about the company’s merger plan.
Tom: We need to make this decision now. Michael, it can’t wait any longer.
Michael: I know, I know. Managements are all about decisions, but this one could make or break us.
Tom: Nevertheless, we need to make one. I suggest we accept the merger offer, as I agree on the report’s findings that it would be better for the company in the long-term future.
Michael: But what do other department managers think? Did you hold the employee meeting yesterday? What was the general reaction?
Tom: Most of them believed that you should agree.
Michael: Well, then I shall consider the thoughts of my employees, so I will agree on it.
Tom: OK, I will make the necessary phone-calls and announcements.
Michael: I believe it will be. It should open up a whole new world of opportunities for the company.
Video Episode 6 When carrying out the merger plan, Tom is in charge of establishing relations with foreign companies.
Mike: Tom, another purpose of my coming here is to inquire about possibilities of establishing long-term trade relations with your company.
Tom: Your desire to establish long-term business relations with us coincides with ours, but I don’t know much about your company.
Mike: Concerning our financial position, credit standing and trade reputation, you may refer to New York Branch, the Bank of China, or to our local chamber of commerce. Our low taxation, large consumer market, stable political and social environment have attracted a growing number of oversea investors. Your wish to establish a long-term cooperative relationship with our company coincides with ours, too.
Tom: Thank you for your information. I think that establishing business relations between us will be beneficial to both of us.
Mike: This is my first visit to your company. I’d appreciate your kind consideration in the coming negotiations.
Tom: We are very happy to be of help. I can assure you of our close cooperation.
Passage
“Never mind the credit crunch; if you’re feeling sick then don’t come to work,” with employees in the banking sector particularly reluctant to stay at home, British bosses say.
Almost three-quarters of employers said staff should stay at home if they feel ill rather than drag themselves to their desks, according to a survey of 1,000 bosses on Tuesday.
The BCC survey, carried out with medicine maker Benylin, found that 73 percent of bosses think employees should stay at home and recover when they fall sick, with more than four out of five believing that poorly staff are less productive.
They were also concerned about the “domino effect” where a sick employee comes to work and spreads the germs to other staff.
However a separate poll of British workers found many are worried or feel guilty about taking a day off sick, with 57 percent saying they would have to be severely ill before deciding to stay at home.
Those working in the banking sector on average took the fewest number of days off sick in the last year, followed by staff in the hotel and restaurant industry.
“Given the gap between employer and employee views, the findings suggest that there needs to be a bit more common sense about taking sick leave when you’re ill and maybe employers need to spell this out more clearly,” Hannant said.
News Broadcast
Amazon has announced that it has added features to its Alexa voice assistant that can help users determine their risk level for having contracted the COVID-19 coronavirus. As of now all Alexa users in the United States can ask Alexa questions like “Alexa, what do I do if I think I have COVID-19?” or “Alexa, what do I do if I think I have coronavirus?” upon which Alexa will begin triaging them.
Once one of the above questions is asked, Alexa will ask the users about their symptoms, travel history, and any possible exposure they may have had to someone infected with the disease.Depending upon the users’ response, Alexa will offer the users guidance that comes directly from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention about what they should do next.
Another cool feature added to Alexa is the ability to ask the personal assistant to sing a song for 20 seconds while you wash your hands. Twenty seconds is the minimum washing time with soap and water people need to perform on their hands in order to destroy traces of the virus they may have picked up.
Users can take advantage of Alexa’s new COVID-19 features on any device Alexa runs on,including smartphones, tablets, Kindles, and more. It should also be noted that Amazon isn’t the first to empower its voice assistant to offer CDC COVID-19 information. Earlier this week Apple pushed an update out to Siri that allows users to ask, “Hey Siri, do I have the coronavirus?” and get advice based on CDC information.
Unit 3
Vocabulary
1. CEO 首席执行官
2. President 董事长
3. Director 总裁
4. Senior Sales Manager 高级销售经理
5. Customer Service Representative 客户服务代表
6. Administrative Clerk 行政文员
7. arrange a schedule 安排日程
8. answer an e-mail 回复邮件
9. manage the time 管理时间
10. produce the reports 写报告
11. handle the work 处理工作
12. listen to the reports 听报告
13. fax the reports 传真报告
14. manage the files 整理文件
15. develop the programs 开发程序
Video Episode 1
Tania will take over Miss Lin’s job as a secretary. She wants to know more about the job from Miss Lin.
Tania: Excuse me, Miss Lin. I wonder if you have time to do me a favour.
Miss Lin: Sure. What’s up?
Tania: You know that I’m going to take over your job as a secretary here a few days later.
Miss Lin: Yes, that’s right.
Tania: Could you please tell me something about the office rules? I think it would be very important for me to know about them.
Miss Lin: You are right and you are a smart girl. First of all, make sure not to be late or absent.
Tania: I will bear it in mind.
Miss Lin: Very good, and if you want to be a nice secretary, you must be quite familiar with the daily business of the office.
Tania: I see. By the way, I heard that you are good at file management. Can you give me some advice on it?
Miss Lin: The secret of my success is that I always file all the documents first according to the dates, then according to their first letters.
Tania: Sorry. I’m a little confused.
Miss Lin: I mean I put documents of different dates into different files. At the same time, make sure they are filed alphabetically. See?
Tania: I see. Thank you so much.
Miss Lin: My pleasure. And good luck to you.
Video Episode 2
Tania meets Aaron for the first time at the office. She is curious about Aaron’s job.
Tania: Hi, I’m Tania. I’m new here. Nice to meet you!
Aaron: Oh, welcome! Nice to see you, too.
Tania: Can you tell me a little bit about your job?
Aaron: Certainly. What would you like to know?
Tania: First of all, what do you do?
Aaron: I work as a computer technician in our company.
Tania: What do your responsibilities include?
Aaron: I’m responsible for system administration and in-house programming.
Tania: What do you do in detail?
Aaron: Oh, there are always lots of small system faults I have to deal with.
Tania: What else does your job involve?
Aaron: I have to develop in-house programs for the company.
Tania: Do you have to produce any reports?
Aaron: No, I just have to make sure that everything is in good working order.
Tania: Thank you. It sounds that you have an interesting job.
Aaron: Yes, it’s very interesting, but stressful, too!
Video Episode 3
Tania is having a chat with Richard about her feeling on working as a secretary.
Richard: I heard you are responsible for the meeting arrangements this time. It can be the most important meeting for our company this year.
Tania: Sure, it is. I am up to my ears. Do you know I had thought it should be the duty of the Public Relationship Department, but it isn’t?
Richard: Oh, really? Do we still use the new conference room? I like it.
Tania: Yes. The boss had an informal discussion with me this morning. I feel really down.
Richard: What’s up?
Tania: Well, actually I failed to meet a deadline last week and I forgot to answer an e-mail for a VIP customer yesterday.
Richard: Anything that distracts you from work?
Tania: Yes, everything. I feel so tired every day. Sometimes, I just can’t focus on what I am doing. What is worse, though I make plans for a whole week, I always have to make changes later on because other things come up.
Richard: Look, Tania. Things are not so bad as you said. This is our company’s busiest time in a year. You need to relax a little. Don’t push yourself too hard.
Tania: Well, I will try.
Video Episode 4
Tania is sent to work in a branch office and she is talking with her new boss Mr.Sparks.
Mr. Sparks: Tania, morning.
Tania: Morning, sir.
Mr. Sparks: You are going to work as my office secretary next week. Right now I want to show you the rules of our company.
Tania: Thank you for your instruction. The rules are also important for me to know more about our company.
Mr. Sparks: The working hours are from 8:30 to 11:30 in the morning and from 1:30 to 6:30 in the afternoon. Make sure never to be late or absent. Every time you should use the employee card to show you are present whenever you come into the company.
Tania: I will do my duty.
Mr. Sparks: In my opinion, a secretary must be familiar with the office routine and try to do something by yourself.
Tania: That’s true. I will try my best to do whatever work I am given.
Mr. Sparks: Tania, please follow me. This is the filing cabinet and any document or file you need can be found here.
Tania: I understand. Would you like me to file them according to dates?
Mr. Sparks: I don’t think so. You should file them in alphabetical order. And here is a safe. The classified files are kept here. I will give you the key to the safe later. But you must keep in mind that you have to be careful about this.
Tania: Yes, I will.
Mr. Sparks: The last thing I want to show you is to be careful about these files. Don’t mix them up.
Tania: OK. I will bear all these in my mind. Thanks a lot.
Video Episode 5
Tania meets Steve in the company. She is talking with him about his job.
Tania: Hi, Steve. May I ask you several questions?
Steve: You certainly may.
Tania: OK, what do you do exactly?
Steve: Well, I work for a publishing company named Longman that is based in Wuhan office.And I’m one of the sales reps. Each of the sales reps has a given territory, so I cover the Central China region for Longman.
Tania: That’s a pretty big region.
Steve: It is indeed.
Tania: Do you get a lot of travelling for that?
Steve: We do indeed, yeah. Basically, my main job is to go around to the universities, to some extent the high schools and the private language schools, to see what their needs are and what kind of books they are using. We are also increasing, and we’re promoting CDROMs and e-learning as well as the traditional textbooks.
Tania: Very nice. Very nice. What kind of schools are buying your books?
Steve: Well, the university is a huge part of it. There’re a lot of teachers who have big classes.Large enough classes make it very much worth our visiting those universities to make sure that those teachers are using as many of our books as possible.
Video Episode 6
Tania is complaining about her boss with Richard in the tea room.
Tania: So who does he think he is? Anyway, I can’t believe the way that my boss has been ordering everyone around lately. I mean, it’s now like he is the CEO, or anything.
Richard: Um... Actually I am guessing you didn’t get the memo. Your boss was selected to fill the vacancy in the CEO slot. He actually is the CEO now, or will be, as soon as the official press releases and the hoopla is done with.
Tania: Yikes! You are joking, right? I can’t believe it. No wonder he is so stressed and bossy
lately. I thought he was just being showy by giving orders to people and all the different departments. What big shoes to fill!
Richard: No kidding! When the last CEO left, we were worried about the future of the company.
Tania: What does a CEO do anyway? I know the CEO makes the most money in the company,but what does he actually do?
Richard: He is responsible to the board of directors for everything that happens in the company.He must give leadership to all the company officers, as the CEO is also responsible for providing the guidance of philosophy of the company, and acting as official representative, or face of the company.
Tania: Must be one smart guy.
Passage
Here are some of the most outlandish jobs in the market.
Pet Food Taster
Pet food tasters evaluate the nutritional value of pet food and taste-test it to ensure your canine’s meal is flavourful. Like professional wine tasters, they spit it out instead of swallowing it. Salaries in the USA range from $34,000 to $117,000, and, of course, you’re guaranteed strong teeth.
Golf Ball Diver
Have you ever wondered what happens to all those golf balls that end up in the ponds, lakes and streams? They’re not left in the water to rot. Instead, golf ball divers retrieve them and make a handsome profit from them. A typical golf ball diver can retrieve 800,000 balls a year,and make up to $100,000.
Gum Buster
We all did it willfully when we were kids, and still do it unwittingly as adults: Stick your used,chewed-up, salivated gum onto a surface, any surface. But sooner or later, someone’s going to have to clean that up. That’s when a gum buster goes to work. Gum busters can expect to earn between $18,000 and $40,000.
Nowadays, people work a minimum of 40 hours per week. The boring and stressful jobs make many people seriously consider a career change. But change to what? The above can be your reference.
News Broadcast
Half of all work tasks will be handled by machines by 2025 in a shift likely to worsen inequality, a
World Economic Forum report has forecast.
The think tank said a “robot revolution” would create 97 million jobs worldwide but destroy almost as many, leaving some communities at risk.
Routine or manual jobs in administration and data processing were most at threat of automation, WEF said.
But it said new jobs would emerge in care, big data and the green economy.
The Forum’s research spanned 300 of the world’s biggest companies, who between them employ eight million people around the world.
More than 50% of employers surveyed said they expected to speed up the automation of some
roles in their companies, while 43% felt they were likely to cut jobs due to technology.
WEF said currently about a third of all work tasks were handled by machines, with humans doing the rest, but by 2025 the balance would shift.
Roles that relied on human skills such as advising, decision-making, reasoning, communicating and interacting would rise in demand. There would also be a “surge” in demand for workers to fill green economy jobs, and new roles in areas like engineering and cloud computing.
But it said millions of routine or manual jobs would be displaced by technology, affecting the lowest paid, lowest skilled workers the most.
It said millions would need to be re-skilled to cope with the change, while governments would have to provide “stronger safety nets” for displaced workers.
Unit 4
Vocabulary
1. Gate Warder 门房
2. Reception 前台
3. Attendance & Access Machines 门禁设备
4. Time Card Machines 考勤机
5. Archives Office 档案室
6. Copy Room 文印室
7. Break Room 茶水间
8. Cleaning Tools Room 洁具间
9. Dressing Room 更衣室
10. Staff Canteen 员工餐厅
11. Staff Dormitory 员工宿舍
12. Activity Centre 活动中心
13. Power Distribution Room 配电房
14. Repair Centre 维修中心
15. Logistics Centre 后勤中心
Video Episode 1
Linda can’t find the copy room and Teresa is offering help.
Teresa: Hi there! My name’s Teresa Graham. You’re new around here, huh?
Linda: Yes. My name’s Linda Waldron. I just started a couple of days ago.
Teresa: Are you lost?
Linda: Yes. I need to copy these medical records. Could you tell me where the copier is, please?
Teresa: Sure. You just walk down this hallway. The copy room is the second room on the right.
Linda: Thank you for your help.
Teresa: Forget it. You are supposed to be familiar with your working environment as quickly as possible.
Linda: You’re right. I’m making my great efforts.
Teresa: Well, if there’s anything I can do for you, let me know.
Linda: Thanks. I really appreciate that!
Teresa: That’s all right.
Video Episode 2
The practice nurse Linda has trouble in using the printer and she is asking Paul for help.
Linda: Paul, do you have a moment?
Paul: Sure. What can I do for you?
Linda: I’m having some trouble. I don’t know how to use this printer. I’ve never seen this kind of office printer before. Is it a new brand?
Paul: Yes, we just got it in and it is fabulous. Well, first you have to turn this switch on.
Linda: Silly me.
Paul: Now press this button.
Linda: Oh, it’s out of paper. Do you have any more?
Paul: Just a second. I’ll go and get some. (After a while.) Then you need to send the file. Make sure you choose the right printer. We have a few here and you’re connected to all of them.
Linda: Which one is this?
Paul: It’s the Canon.
Linda: I’ve got it. Thank you for your time.
Paul: My pleasure.
Video Episode 3
The practice nurse Linda is getting some medical supplies.
Linda: Excuse me, is this the Logistics Centre?
Jonny: Yeah, what can I do for you?
Linda: Hi, I’m a practice nurse from Internal Medicine. I need to apply for some medical supplies.
Jonny: All right. No Problem. What kinds of medical supplies do you need?
Linda: I would like two packages of sterile gauze, two tweezers and tourniquets, and one waste receptacle, please.
Jonny: Well, please fill in this application form first.
Linda: All right.
Jonny: These are what you want. When you run out of any supplies, just tell me.
Linda: OK, I will. Thank you so much.
Jonny: You’re welcome.
Video Episode 4
Linda’s computer doesn’t work and she is asking Paul for help.
Linda: Paul, something is wrong with my computer. What should I do?
Paul: What’s wrong with it? Did you check to make sure all connections are all right?
Linda: Yes, but there is nothing wrong with that. I can’t switch it on.
Paul: Um, maybe something inside is wrong. You need to report the problem to the Repair Centre.
Linda: Where can I find the Repair Centre?
Paul: Do you know the Administrative Building?
Linda: Yes, is it opposite to the Outpatient Building?
Paul: You said it. The Repair Centre is on the second floor of the Administrative Building. It’s near the Property Management Centre.
Linda: What shall I do after I go there?
Paul: You need to fill in a repair form.
Linda: Who is in charge of this?
Paul: Chief Technology Officer. The repair form should be shown to him.
Linda: Thank you for your detailed information.
Paul: Say no more.
Video Episode 5
Linda is talking with her colleague Kelly about changing a new office.
Linda: How are you today, Kelly? I heard you are going to move into the new office.
Kelly: Terrible. I have a new desk and a new computer.
Linda: Why is that bad? Anytime I get something new I am very excited.
Kelly: But now I have to spend half of the day rearranging my desk and my computer so that they are the same as my old ones.
Linda: I don’t worry about change unless it directly affects me.
Kelly: That’s a good idea! Only worry about what you have to!
Linda: Let me know if there is anything I can do to help.
Kelly: It’s so kind of you to offer help. I was just heading to the break room for a cup of coffee.Do you want to come?
Linda: I’d be delighted to. I haven’t been there yet.
Kelly: Ha, that’s a popular place to make friends. You shouldn’t miss it.
Linda: Wow. That’s great.
Video Episode 6
Linda is chatting with her friend Jenny about working from home.
Linda: How do you like your new flexible work arrangement? Do you enjoy working from home?
Jenny: Yes and no. I find an isolation challenging at times. Apart from my mother, not too many people I know have time for phone chat during working hour. I tried the library but found I wasn’t really keen on working there.
Linda: Maybe the library is a bit too quiet. You’d lack inspiration or stimulation, which would not do any good to getting a lot of work done.
Jenny: That’s true. So, lately, I’ve been going out to cafes occasionally. I love the noise, the people, and the busyness of a cafe, the sense of being out in the world.
Linda: Coffee shops seem to have become personal spaces for so many people in this digital age. Though I’m not sure how cafe owners feel about it— having so many people who go to the places to work rather than drink and eat.
Jenny: Yes, some people seem to spend a lot of time there, not ordering much. The most annoyed ones for cafe owners must truly be those, usually only two of them, who occupy a table for six with their laptops and paperwork.
Linda: Right. They should sit at a table for two, not the table for six.
Jenny: It’s a double-edged sword, no doubt about that, for a cafe owner. While remote workers help to keep the cafe full in quiet times, they also take up valuable table space and busy period.
Passage
The new sharing economy is changing the way business has traditionally been done. The commercial real estate industry is no exception. In Washington and around the world, people from all walks of life are turning to a new kind of work environment, sharing basic facilities,services, events and technology. This is a so-called co-working space, where an increasing number of Americans work.
The United States is the birthplace of co-working space. The first one was created in San Francisco in 2005. The idea soon spread across the nation and around the world. Wework is one of the providers where members have different plans to choose. The price ranges from 45 to thousands of dollars a month and gives different access to the facilities, such as office equipment, conference rooms, personal desks and private working spaces. Members can even bring their dogs to work. Cove is one of the other co-working options for Washington and Boston workers. For the moment, the most popular plan is 89 dollars a month to enjoy 4 hours at any of 9 locations in Washington. Members can enter only by swiping cards.
News Broadcast
For millions the reality of working from home could be permanent. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey is telling his employees they can work remotely forever from anywhere. Many industries are considering how to redesign office space to minimise health risks. The historic economic crisis is also forcing companies to cut costs, potentially expensive real estate coming first. NBC’s Jacob Ward Bay Area tech-companies were among the very first in the nation to send their people home. Google and Facebook now say that their employees will mostly work remotely for the rest of the year. Some of New York’s biggest renters Barclays and JP Morgan Chase say they may not bring all employees back to the office at the same time. Austin-based Dell says more than half its 160,000 staffers may never return to their desks. Emptier offices across the country will have a destructive chain effects on local business. Many restaurants and bars rely on the weekday lunch rush and crowds at happy hour. Florists count on those big corporate orders and those bunches on the way home. Even parking garages where business depends on commuters showing up to the office. For employees, they’d save up to 4,000 dollars annually on the commute, save the charge for work clothing dry-cleaning and even coffee. And for companies it saves money, it increases productivity, and it increases flexibility. And for the planet, we just cannot deny what this has done in a very short period of time. Redefining life and work at home, sweet home.
Unit 5
Vocabulary
1. leave a message 留言
2. hold on 稍等
3. daily routine 日常工作
4. arrange a schedule 安排日程
5. reschedule the appointment 重新安排见面时间
6. busy line 占线
7. scheduling conflict 行程冲突
8. extension 电话分机
9. have the wrong number 打错电话
10. make an appointment 预约
11. teleconference 电话会议
12. telephone recording 电话录音
13. emergency call 紧急电话
14. confirm the appointment 确认预约时间
15. check the diary 查看日程表
Video Episode 1
Kevin wants to call the medical director, Mr. Smith, and the receptionist Grace is putting him through to Mr. Smith’s office.
Grace: Good morning! May I help you?
Kevin: Good morning! Is Mr. Smith in? I’m Kevin from ABC Drug Company. I’d like to speak with him.
Grace: Do you have an appointment with Mr. Smith?
Kevin: Hmm, no. I want to discuss with him on the new contract we signed last week.
Grace: I’m trying to connect you. Hold the line, please.
Kevin: Thank you.
Grace: Your call has been put through, and his assistant is on the line.
Kevin: Thanks a lot.
Video Episode 2
Mr. Smith is not available now, and his assistant Linda is helping Kevin to make an appointment.
Linda: Good morning! Director’s office, Linda speaking.
Kevin: Good morning! My name is Kevin and I work for ABC Drug Company. I’d like to speak to Mr. Smith, please.
Linda: I’m afraid Mr. Smith is not available at the moment. Can I help you?
Kevin: Yes. Can I make an appointment with Mr. Smith, please?
Linda: Let me check his diary and see if I can arrange it for you. Hold on, please... Mr. Smith might be free on Thursday morning and Friday afternoon.
Kevin: Well, Friday afternoon, please.
Linda: Would 2:30 be convenient?
Kevin: Yes, that’ll be fine.
Linda: I’ll make a note of that. Would you like me to confirm your appointment?
Kevin: Yes, please. You can contact me any day at 021-43701786.
Linda: Fine. I’ll do that.
Video Episode 3
Linda is calling Kevin back to confirm the appointment with Mr. Smith.
Kevin: Hello! This is Kevin. Who’s calling, please?
Linda: Hi, Kevin. This is Linda calling from St. Vincent’s hospital. I’m calling to confirm your appointment for this afternoon at 2:30 with Mr. Smith.
Kevin: Thank you for your calling. But I’m sorry there is a minor change in my schedule. I’ll have an important meeting at that time.
Linda: Would you like to make another appointment?
Kevin: Thank you. Do you think 4 o’clock tomorrow afternoon would suit him?
Linda: Yes, Mr. Smith will be free tomorrow afternoon.
Kevin: Can we make it?
Linda: No problem. I have your appointment changed from 2:30 this afternoon to 4:00 tomorrow afternoon.
Kevin: Thank you very much.
Video Episode 4
Eric is calling to make an appointment with Dr. Smith.
Nancy: Hello, this is St. Vincent’s hospital, Nancy speaking. May I help you?
Eric: Can I make an appointment with Dr. Smith?
Nancy: We have many Dr. Smiths here. Which department is he in?
Eric: Oh! I’ve almost forgotten it. Just that Dr. Peterson in the medical Department.
Nancy: That Dr. Smith. I’m really sorry. He has a full calendar today. Will it be OK for you to come tomorrow?
Eric: In fact, I’d like to make the appointment for another patient. I think it might be something serious.
Nancy: Excuse me, just a moment, please. (After a while) You are very lucky! Dr. Peterson’s appointment at 3:00 this afternoon has just been canceled. Will that be convenient for the patient?
Eric: Yes. It sounds good.
Nancy: May I have the name of that patient?
Eric: He is an international student of Columbia University. His Chinese name is Li Tao, L-i, T-a-o.
Nancy: OK, it’s all set. See you then.
Video Episode 5
Nancy is answering the phone from a patient who has got a wrong number.
Nancy: Hello.
Patient: Hello. I’d like to speak to Dr. Taylor.
Nancy: I’m sorry, but there’s no one here by that name.
Patient: Isn’t this St. Vincent’s Hospital? Dr. Taylor in the dental department.
Nancy: Yes, this is St. Vincent’s Hospital. What number are you calling?
Patient: I was calling 585-3763. Maybe my finger slipped and I touched the wrong number.
Nancy: No, you called the right number. This is 585-3763.
Patient: Really?
Nancy: But there’s no one named Taylor here.
Patient: Oh, sorry to have bothered you. I’ll check the number again.
Nancy: That’s all right. Bye-bye.
Video Episode 6
Nancy is calling Linda to tell her the appointment with Dr. Gerald will be changed.
Linda: Hello!
Nancy: Hello, is Linda available?
Linda: This is Linda. Who’s calling, please?
Nancy: Hi, Linda. This is Nancy calling from St. Vincent’s hospital. You have an appointment with Dr. Gerald today, don’t you?
Linda: That’s right, at 2:30 in the afternoon.
Nancy: I’m sorry Dr. Gerald will have an emergency surgery this afternoon. Could you possibly come tomorrow morning, say 8 o’clock?
Linda: Er... I worry about being late because of a traffic jam. Can we make it at 9 o’clock?
Nancy: But Dr. Gerald has an appointment at that time. How about 9:30?
Linda: Fine, that suits me very well.
Nancy: OK. I have your appointment changed from this afternoon to tomorrow morning at 9:30.
Linda: Wonderful. Thanks very much!
Passage
In this competitive era, many people are in a race against time, but in the other corner of the world, some people live slowly and leisurely. As Einstein said, time is relative. In some countries it seems unforgivable to be late. However, in another country, it’s seen as routine. In different countries, the understandings of “on time” also differ in thousands of ways.
South Koreans put a lot of value in punctuality and view being late as sign of disrespect. In Japan, if a train arrives more than one minute after it is scheduled to, it is considered late.Thanks to its industrial past, in Germany you are expected to arrive at least ten minutes early for any scheduled meeting. In Brazil, when making a social appointment, you are not required to be there on time unless the phrase “English time” is used, which means you have to be punctual.Time is not such an important commodity in Saudi Arabia, with people frequently turning up half an hour late to meetings. Looking at your watch during an event is also considered to be discourteous. In Greece, time is something to be enjoyed. Punctuality is not considered that important but foreigners are still expected to turn up on time for meetings.
News Broadcast
Customers at a fast-food chain in the Republic of Korea can avoid any interaction with a human server during the pandemic. No Brand Burger is using robots to take orders, prepare food and bring meals out to diners.
Customers order and pay via touchscreen, and then their request is sent to the kitchen where a cooking machine heats up the buns and patties. When it’s ready, a robot “waiter” brings out their takeout bag. Human workers add toppings to the burgers and wrap them up in takeout bags before passing them over to serving robots.
Last month, takeout orders at No Brand accounted for 58 percent total sales, up from 42 percent in July, according to the chain’s parent company, Shinsegae Food.
After a recent second wave of coronavirus infections, restaurants in the Republic of Korea were only allowed to provide takeout and delivery after 9 p.m. — a restriction that was only lifted Monday.
Other eateries in Asia have started employing robot servers during the pandemic.
In the Republic of Korea, the Italian restaurant chain Mad for Garlic is using serving robots even for sit-down customers. Using 3D space mapping and other technology, the electronic “waiter”known as Aglio Kim, navigates between tables with up to five orders. Mad for Garlic manager Lee Young-ho said kids especially like the robots, which can carry up to 66 lbs in their trays.
Unit 6
Vocabulary
1. specification 规格；详述；说明书
2. top quality 高质量
3. water resistance 防水
4. description of goods 产品说明
5. product size 产品尺寸
6. package 包装
7. energy saving 节能
8. environment-friendly product 环保产品
9. convenience 便捷
10. high performance 良好的性能
11. promotion 促销
12. trade fair 商品交易会
13. sample 样品
14. good reputation 良好的信誉
15. elegant shape 优雅的外形
Video Episode 1
Black is a salesman in Watson Medical Company. Now he is introducing the equipment to Phillips at the trade fair.
Black: Welcome to our booth. These are our new models.
Phillips: What are their strong points?
Black: There’s a lot to be said for them. In the first place, they are more durable than any similar ones on the market.
Phillips: Why do they take longer time to wear out than the others?
Black: Their materials are carefully selected for quality and good for wear protection.
Phillips: Can you leave these samples with us?
Black: How long do you want to keep them?
Phillips: About thirteen days.
Black: That’s all right.
Video Episode 2
Black is showing his customer Phillips around his company, whom he met at the trade fair.
Phillips: It was very kind of you to give me a tour of the company. It gave me a good idea of your product range.
Black: It’s a pleasure to show our company to our customers. What’s your general impression,may I ask?
Phillips: Very impressive, indeed. Especially the performance of your CT machine.
Black: That’s our latest development, a machine with high performance. We put it on the market just two months ago.
Phillips: The machine gives you an advantage over your competitors, I guess.
Black: Certainly, no one can match us so far.
Phillips: Could you give me some brochures for that machine? And the price, if possible.
Black: Right. Here is our sales catalogue.
Phillips: Thank you. I think we may work together in the future.
Video Episode 3
Black is presenting his company’s new CT model for his foreign customer.
Customer: Welcome to our company, Black.
Black: Thank you. I’m very glad to be here.
Customer: It’s so kind of you to make a presentation about your new product.
Black: As you know, our company put the original CT machine on the market a year ago, but we have developed an improved model which we believe will be a big seller in both China and the USA.
Customer: That’s great. Could you tell us in what ways this new model is better than the old one?
Black: Certainly. First of all, we have made more sensitive detector on the new model than the old one.
Customer: Before you go on, could you tell us how to operate this machine?
Black: No problem. My colleague will explain how to do it.
Video Episode 4
Tom has been in China for an exhibition. He is talking with Black about the products he wants.
Tom: Good morning. I am Tom from Australia. Here is my card.
Black: Thank you. Nice to meet you, Tom. I am Black, the sales representative of Watson Medical Company.
Tom: Nice to meet you, too, Black. I travel a lot every year on business, but this is my first visit to your country. I must say I have been much impressed by your friendly people.
Black: Thank you for saying so. Have you seen the exhibition hall?
Tom: Oh, yes. I had a look yesterday. I found some of the exhibits to be fine in quality and beautiful in design. The exhibition has successfully displayed to me what your company sells. I’ve gone over the catalogue and the pamphlets enclosed in your letter.
Black: Our equipment is known for its good quality. It is one of our traditional exports. Our exports have met with great favour overseas and are always in great demand.
Video Episode 5
Ralph is consulting Black some information about the items on the phone.
Black: Hello, Sales Department. This is Black speaking.
Ralph: Hello, Black. This is Ralph Peterson from Health Drug Company.
Black: Yes, may I help you?
Ralph: I’m interested in a couple of items in your new catalogue, and I would like to know the prices.
Black: Great. Which items did you have in mind?
Ralph: We’re interested in your new anti-influenza drug shown on Page 5 of your catalogue. I would also like more details about the high blood pressure medicine on Page 7.
Black: OK. The price of the anti-influenza drug is twenty-five dollars. Then we offer reasonable discount for larger orders.
Ralph: How about the price of the high blood pressure medicine?
Black: The high blood pressure medicine is our latest development this year. The price is thirty dollars each.
Ralph: That sounds good. Could you send me more details about them, including the specifications?
Black: Certainly. I can fax or e-mail the information to you this afternoon.
Ralph: Thank you. Goodbye.
Video Episode 6
Black is handling the customer’s questions about after-sales service.
Black: That is my introduction for today. Is there anything else you want to know?
Customer: It’s so impressive. I was attracted by your new innovation. But I have one last question.
Black: Yes, please!
Customer: What will happen if something goes wrong when we are operating the medical equipment?
Black: If that were to happen, just contact our nearest agents and they will send maintenance men round immediately.
Customer: Oh, that sounds great.
Black: Furthermore, I will send you the contact information of all agents after the order.
Customer: Thanks a lot. It is very thoughtful.
Black: Not at all. I hope we shall be hearing from you very shortly.
Customer: Well, I expect so, too!
Passage
McDonald’s, Burger King, KFC... These fast food companies have something in common. Can you notice it?
Well, besides all being fast food chains... They’re all red. And it’s not a coincidence. Fast food companies all use the colour red heavily in their logos, why? The answer goes back thousands of years.
The average human can see ten million colours, but red is special. Researchers have found that red can arouse a sense of urgency. It also has an ability to excite our appetites as well as to attract hungry customers who want food, fast. So that red logo isn’t just a welcoming sign; it’s a seduction for your brain.
During medieval times, red was worn by royals as a status symbol. And today, brides in many parts of India are married in red dress. It’s no wonder companies dedicate so much thought to their logos. After all, we’re a visual species. Despite having five senses, 80% of the information our brains process on a daily basis comes from our eyes.
And according to marketing company Web Page FX, nearly 85% of consumers say the main reason they choose one product over the other is colour. Just think what McDonald’s would look like in blue, green, or pink! It’s just not the same, right?
News Broadcast
In the past 2019, what new inventions have come out to make our lives more convenient? Last year, in November, Time magazine published “Top 50 Inventions”. Here, we have selected one of the most interesting items for you. Let’s take a look.
In many cases, travelling is fun, but packing can be quite annoying. No matter how neatly you pack your clothes, you always end up having to pull out everything in order to find what you need. Well, the Lifepack Carry-on Closet designed by the Danish startup Solgaard Design might change that for good. From the outside, the Lifepack looks like an ordinary suitcase. But inside,it contains a set of retractable shelves to keep clothes in good order and maximise the space.Its shelf system has many extra pockets and is removable. So when you get to your destination,you just need to take out the shelf system and hang it in your hotel closet.
Inventions make the world better, smarter and even a little bit more fun. Howard Schultz,the Executive Chairman, Starbucks Coffee Company, said in his speech: “Everywhere I went,everything I did, I tried to have a level of curiosity and what I would say to all of you is be curious. Be really curious about the world, about your surroundings, and be very curious about the fact that you can learn lessons from many types of people and experiences. And you might be very surprised. Curiosity makes inventions everywhere.”
Unit 7
Vocabulary
1. brand position 品牌地位
2. advertising effects 广告效应
3. consumer needs 消费者需求
4. sales target 销售目标
5. sales representative 销售代表
6. budget 预算
7. target market 目标市场
8. advertisement campaign 广告活动
9. marketing strategy 营销策略
10. telephone survey 电话调查
11. advertising media 广告媒体
12. sales pitch 销售宣传
13. market share 市场份额
14. direct marketing 直接营销
15. annual marketing plan 年度营销计划
Video Episode 1
The sales manager Jack is talking with his assistant John about the marketing survey.
Jack: Did you get the marketing survey results? How are sales abroad compared to sales at home?
John: According to our numbers, there is twice as much opportunity in the international market as there is in the domestic market.
Jack: Which area is of the highest demand?
John: Our European market has the highest current demand, but South American market has great potential for growth.
Jack: I heard that Asia is booming now. Is the greater Asian market available for us now? What is the size of our hold in Asia?
John: Honestly, we don’t fully understand our market situation in Asia. I don’t know much about it. We should probably put our feelers out and see what potential exists.
Video Episode 2
John and his colleague Bonny are having a lively discussion.
John: How are the preparations for the new marketing campaign going?
Bonny: Good so far, but we still need to make some more group decisions before we can take actions any further.
John: What are they about?
Bonny: Our target market, what forms of media to use in the campaign and the budget.
John: Well, I have already known that Management says we are aiming at the 18-25 group and they want to definitely use television advertisements.
Bonny: But what about the budget? Television advertisements are the most expensive.
John: Leave that to Management to decide.
Bonny: So what should I tell the staff in my department?
John: Have the people in your department prepare some ideas for a television and magazine based media marketing campaign.
Bonny: OK. We should be able to give you a briefing on what ideas we have come up with in a few days.
Video Episode 3
John and Jack are going over the promotion plans.
Jack: As you know, our new product is due for release next month. I think we’ve finally worked the kinks out.
John: Great. That’s vital. Quality is the focus of the ad campaign. The products must work well if they’re going to be the cash cow we want them to be.
Jack: Let’s go over our promotion plans again.
John: OK. We have six major retailers running demonstrations at most of their branches.
Jack: Good. What about print and radio?
John: We’ve taken out full-page ads in two large trade magazines. And more importantly, our press releases have been well received.
Jack: Any larger ads?
John: Yes. We’re putting the same full-page ad in the Sunday edition of three major newspapers.
Jack: Sounds perfect.
Video Episode 4
Tom is a new salesman, and his colleague Jimmy is talking with him about the actual sales status.
Jimmy: Have you reached this month’s sales target?
Tom: No. The eye drops were only sold 15 units last week. And 88% of the consumers are young people.
Jimmy: What seems to be the problem?
Tom: I think it was my approach that wasn’t totally convincing.
Jimmy: Well, I could give you some help if you need it. I’ve been doing this job for 7 years, and never have I once not reached my sales target.
Tom: I’d really appreciate it if you could give me a few pointers.
Jimmy: Now, you are given ten minutes to make your pitch. Afterwards I can give you some advice on what you did right or wrong.
Tom: That would be good if you could do that. In addition, our price is on the high side. The price of the supplier had increased by 10% last month, so we also increased the price.
Jimmy: You can negotiate with suppliers or choose another supplier with competitive price.
Tom: Thanks a million. I really appreciate it.
Video Episode 5
Tom is recommending products to Alex, who is a drugstore manager.
Tom: I understand your company is in need of some new nutrition products.
Alex: Yes, we’re planning to increase our business.
Tom: Well, I might be able to help you there. The company I represent is a major provider of a wide range of high-quality nutrition products.
Alex: Oh, yeah? There are 500 more drug companies out there, and what makes your products special?
Tom: Not only do we build the products to your requirements but our after-sales service is first-class.
Alex: That sounds great. I haven’t heard that offered before.
Tom: I can say you won’t find better. Can I give you a few brochures that will further explain what we can offer?
Alex: Sure.
Tom: Well, how many products do you want? We will give you a discount if you order more.
Alex: It’s very kind of you. About 68 units.
Tom: OK. Hope you will be our long-term business partner!
Video Episode 6
Tom is talking about renewing agency agreement with his supplier, Mr. Brown.
Tom: Mr. Brown, I’ve come again to renew our agency agreement for another 3 years.
Mr. Brown: We shall be pleased to talk the matter over with you. You’ve done very well.
Tom: I’m glad you’re satisfied with our work. We have spent a large sum of money in pushing the sales of your products.
Mr. Brown: Yes, we appreciate your efforts in pushing the sales of our Chinese herbs. We can see you are experienced in this particular line.
Tom: Thank you.
Mr. Brown: You sold around 12,000 pieces there last year. You can sell more this year according to the marketing conditions at your end.
Tom: That is the result of our hard work. Well, what annual quantity would you suggest for the new agreement then?
Mr. Brown: 15,000 pieces.
Tom: No, no. That’s too big. Let’s put it at 14,000 pieces. And we’ll try our best to sell more, of course.
Mr. Brown: All right.
Tom: Thank you, and we hope that the cooperation will be happy!
Passage
In recent years, most major retailers have opened extremely early and offered promotional sales to kick off the holiday shopping season, similar to Boxing Day sales in many Commonwealth Nations.
Black Friday is the day following Thanksgiving Day in the United States, often regarded as the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. Black Friday is not an official holiday, but many non-retail employees and schools have both Thanksgiving and the day after off, followed by a weekend, thereby increasing the number of potential shoppers. It has been the busiest shopping day of the year.
Retailers may spend an entire year planning their Black Friday sales. The contents of Black Friday advertisements are often highly anticipated that retailers will do their best to ensure that they don’t leak out publicly in advance. They use the day as an opportunity to offer rock-bottom prices on overstock inventory and to offer door busters and discounts on seasonal items, such as holiday decorations and typical holiday gifts. Retailers also offer large discounts for highpriced items as well as the best-selling brands of TVs, smart devices and other electronic products to attract customers, hoping that once they enter, they can buy more profitable items.Consumers usually buy the most popular items when shopping on Black Friday.
News Broadcast
Recently, the voice of saving food has been increasing. For this, Meituan co-published a proposal with a number of business organisations, including the China General Chamber of Commerce and China Cuisine Association, calling on restaurants to stop food waste and help cultivate new eating habits for customers.
“Restaurants should innovate means of publicity using official accounts on social media and live-streaming to promote food-saving actions,” the proposal said.
Meituan and the organisations are proposing that businesses offer guidance for consumers,including reminding them during the ordering process about the taste of the ingredients,portion sizes and other information about the dishes, to help them avoid food waste due to misleading information.
Catering associations in more than 18 provinces have also joined the campaign to reduce food waste. The China Cuisine Association announced that it had teamed up with Ele.me, the Alibaba Group holding-owned food delivery platform, to launch a “half-dish plan”, encouraging restaurants to provide customers with the option to order smaller portions.
To stop food waste on social media platforms, popular Chinese video platforms such as Douyin and Kuaishou have stepped up content reviews of food-related live streams and carried out regulation of online eating shows.
Now if users search certain keywords, such as “eating show” or “competitive eaters”, a prompt message pops up to remind them to cherish food and maintain a reasonable diet.
Unit 8
Vocabulary
1. complaint and claim 投诉与索赔
2. customer satisfaction 顾客满意度
3. receive a refund 接受退款
4. a tax refund 退税
5. WCRD ( World Consumer Rights Day) 国际消费者权益日
6. file a complaint 进行投诉
7. Claim settlement 理算索赔
8. protect the guests’ right 维护客户权益
9. all-round service 全方位服务
10. service foremost 服务至上
11. settle the guests’ complaints 处理客户投诉
12. customer first 顾客至上
13. legal dispute 法律纠纷
14. full refund 全额退款
15. after-sales service 售后服务
Video Episode 1
Mr. Smith is making a claim for his lost goods with the customer service officer Eric.
Eric: Good morning, sir. May I help you?
Mr. Smith: Yes. I’d like to speak to the manager, please.
Eric: I’m sorry our manager has been out. What can I do for you?
Mr. Smith: We are sorry that the goods you sent us are not the same as the specifications of the contract. 35 tons is missing.
Eric: You don’t say.
Mr. Smith: As soon as the shipping arrived at our port, we had it checked.
Eric: That’s very strange. 35 tons is not a small quantity and can’t get lost on route. Where can these parts have gone?
Mr. Smith: Our clients expressed their dissatisfaction. They strongly demand that you compensate for the loss.
Eric: We’re sorry for this. We’ll find out the reason soon, and give you a reply immediately.
Video Episode 2
Eric is talking with his manager Clive Harris about a claim.
Clive Harris: Have you found out where the lost products are? We must keep track of where they are. Contact our shipping agent to make sure the products are on their way.
Eric: The shipping company said the products haven’t been picked up from the factories yet.
Clive Harris: Are you kidding? Mr. Smith was supposed to receive the shipment two weeks ago!And you’re telling me they still haven’t left the factories! Contact the manufacturer and see what’s holding our order up.
Eric: Well, I did that. And the manufacturer said they had made a mistake when confirming the order.
Clive Harris: Well, he should take responsibility here. How is Mr. Smith? Would he agree on a replacement?
Eric: I have made an appointment with him for you. It will be at 3 p.m. tomorrow.
Clive Harris: OK. Leave it to me.
Video Episode 3
Clive Harris is explaining the reason for the lost goods to Mr. Smith and apologising for this matter.
Clive Harris: Our investigation results tell us that the factory party is responsible for the cargo damage. We are so sorry for the inconvenience we brought to you in this matter.
Mr. Smith: Well, that’s all right.
Clive Harris: The factory party has agreed to compensate for your damage.
Mr. Smith: Thanks. I would like to know the details about the plan of compensation.
Clive Harris: We are going to sent you the rest 35 tons of products as soon as possible. Would you accept to buy them at half price? We’d like to use the payment as our compensation fee.
Mr. Smith: I’m for your idea.
Clive Harris: We are completely responsible for this accident. We promise we won’t make this kind of mistake again.
Mr. Smith: I really appreciate your attitude in this case. And I sincerely hope that everything will be smooth in our future business.
Clive Harris: Please believe me that this is a singular case. I’m sure that everything will be smooth in our future business.
Video Episode 4
Bob finds there is something wrong with his dish and he calls the waiter.
Bob: Excuse me! Could you tell me who the cook is?
Waiter: What’s the matter, sir? Is there anything I can help you with?
Bob: Well, as you can see, I ordered a chicken soup and the chicken is not well-cooked.
Waiter: I really apologise for the mistake. Please let me serve you a better dish.
Bob: That’s alright, but you people have been running this restaurant for so long! This is no way to happen here.
Waiter: I’m sorry for this on behalf of my chef.
Bob: I would appreciate if you can replace it with a well-cooked dish.
Waiter: Sure. Thank you for your patience.
Video Episode 5
Bob wants to get a refund in the shopping mall.
Bob: Excuse me...
Clerk: Yes, sir. How may I be of service?
Bob: I would like to return this coat... Are refunds allowed?
Clerk: Certainly. The customer is always right, and we are here to serve you. Is there a reason that you would like to return it? Are there any problems with our products or services?
Bob: No, no... It was just the wrong size.
Clerk: Would you be interested in an exchange as opposed to a refund? I think I can help you to find the proper size.
Bob: No. I would rather just return it.
Clerk: Sure, no problem. Do you happen to have the receipt?
Bob: Yeah, right here.
Clerk: OK, just a moment, please. Here you are. I need you to sign here, please. And here is your refund. Is there anything else I can help you with?
Bob: No, thank you.
Clerk: You’re welcome. Have a nice day!
Video Episode 6
Bob is calling the front office and making a complaint.
Clerk: Good evening. Front Office. Can I help you?
Bob: This is Bob Stevenson, Room 1503. I’ve just checked in and I’m not happy with my room.
Clerk: May I know what is wrong?
Bob: The room is smelly and there is someone’s hair on my bed! I didn’t expect such things would happen in your hotel.
Clerk: I’m sorry to hear that, Mr. Stevenson. I’ll send a housemaid to your room at once. She will bring air freshener and make up the bed again for you. We do apologise for the inconvenience.
Bob: That’s fine. Thank you.
Clerk: You’re welcome, Mr. Stevenson. My name is Jim, and if there is anything else I can do for you,please don’t hesitate to call me.
Passage
Environmental Emergency—If your complaint is concerning an environmental emergency,please call 911 to report the incident.
Foodborne Illness—If you believe you are sick from food you ate at a restaurant, grocery store,or public event, please complete an electronic food-borne illness complaint submission or call the health department’s Environmental Health Division at 906-482-7382.
Western Upper Peninsula Health Department responds to public health-related complaints and other issues involving unsanitary conditions that may cause illness or spread disease. Examples of common complaints WUPHD investigates include restaurant employees not wearing gloves while handling food, sewage surfacing from a failing septic system, and tattoos being performed in someone’s home.
To file a complaint, please complete the online Complaint Form to provide us with the information we need to investigate your concern. Complaint Forms before an investigation will be started. You may be contacted by an Environmental Health Sanitarian for additional information, so be sure your day time contact information is accurate. If we cannot verify your identity or contact you for follow-up, your complaint will not be investigated.
News Broadcast
American Sued in Thailand over Negative Tripadvisor Review
An American has been sued by an island resort in Thailand over a negative Tripadvisor review,authorities said Saturday, and could face up to two years in prison if found guilty.
Domestic tourism is still happening in Thailand, where coronavirus numbers are relatively low,with locals and expats heading to near-empty resorts—including Koh Chang Island, famed for its sandy beaches and turquoise waters. But a recent visit to the Sea View Resort on the island landed Wesley Barnes in trouble after he wrote unflattering online reviews about his holiday.
“The Sea View Resort owner filed a complaint that the defendant had posted unfair reviews on his hotel on the Tripadvisor website,” Colonel Thanapon Taemsara of Koh Chang police told AFP.Barnes, who works in Thailand, was arrested by immigration police and returned to Koh Chang where he was briefly detained and then freed on bail. The Sea View Resort said legal action was only taken because Barnes had penned multiple reviews on different sites over the past few weeks.
At least one was posted in June on Tripadvisor accusing the hotel of “modern day slavery”—which the site removed after a week for violating its guidelines. “We chose to file a complaint to serve as a deterrent, as we understood he may continue to write negative reviews week after week for the foreseeable future,” the hotel said.
Thailand’s notorious anti-defamation laws have long drawn scrutiny from human rights and press freedom groups, who say powerful players use it as a weapon to stifle free expression.
The maximum sentence is two years in prison, along with a 200,000 baht fine.