English for Business

Speaking
Section 1-Networking
Unit 7 Exchanging information

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 Outline
A. Warm up (4min)
B. Useful tips (5min)
C. Conversation (13min)

D. Further reading (after-class)

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 Suggested time: 4min

A. Warm up

To begin with this unit, try to

answer this question:
Do you always chat with your
In our daily life, we always need to
colleague or classmate in your
get information we want from our
workplace or school? What do
colleagues, classmates, friends or
you often talk about?
someone else. So it is important to
know how to effectively get
In this unit, you will learn: information from others.

 Tips how to get information

from your partner.
 How to create intimacy (亲近)
with your partner.

© 2017 Acadsoc Limited TI: Discuss the question with S. And then introduce the topic to S. 2
 Suggested time: 5min

B. Useful tips
First offer appropriate information of yourself to show that you can
1 be trusted. Think carefully about what information is appropriate to
pass on to others.

Ask questions indirectly. Use statements with question tags rather than
2 direct questions.

3 Create intimacy. Drop their name into conversation more than usual and
use we, us and our as often as possible.

Why should we ask questions indirectly rather than asking directly

when getting the information you want?

© 2017 Acadsoc Limited TI: Guide S to learn the tips. Ask S to answer the question. 3
 Suggested time: 5min
C. Conversation
Michael (M) is driving with his colleague, Candy (C), to a meeting. They are talking
about a colleague of theirs, Christine. Listen to the three dialogs and figure out
how they exchange information with each other.

(25s) http://www.acadsoc.com.cn/IES/Aplayer.aspx?code=112A26BDD3E48324

Dialog 1
. C: By the way, I heard on the grapevine (从别人那里听到消息) that she’s going
to move to our New York office next.
M: Yes, I heard that too. I wonder how her husband feels about it. He’s a
journalist, I think.
C: Well, according to Christine’s assistant, Mrs Weber, that’s not a problem.
He’s going to write articles about New York nightlife. Although I can’t
imagine who’s going to look after the children then.

What strategy did Candy use ?

© 2017 Acadsoc Limited TI: Both T and S listen to the audio. Ask S to answer the above question. 4
 Suggested time: 4min

(22s) http://www.acadsoc.com.cn/IES/Aplayer.aspx?code=2F1CC9C047238EF8

Dialog 2
C: I really want to thank you, Michael, for taking me with you to the meeting.
I just can’t get used to driving on the left.
M: No problem.
C: You used to work for our new chief legal officer, Christine Bender,
didn’t you?
M: Yes, that’s right. She and I started together in the legal department five
years ago. Then I changed over to IT.

• How did Candy get information from Michael?

© 2017 Acadsoc Limited TI: Both T and S listen to the audio. Ask S to answer the above question. 5
 Suggested time: 4min

(16s) http://www.acadsoc.com.cn/IES/Aplayer.aspx?code=7B402C72E2893410

Dialog 3
C: Christine is so successful. She did an amazing job for us dealing with that
whole corruption scandal last year, don’t you think?

M: Yes, she did. But, between you and me, Christine could never have
managed that without her team.

• What strategies did Candy use to exchange information?

• How did Michael create intimacy with Candy?

© 2017 Acadsoc Limited TI: Both T and S listen to the audio. Ask S to answer the above two questions. 6
 After-class
D. Further reading
How to build intimacy with your partner except saying “we, us, our ”? They
are as follows:
 Be open and honest when sharing your personal information.
 Invite your partner into your life as a guest. While your partner is in your life, you
want to be a good host to them, helping them to achieve their goals and dreams.
 Express gratitude for something thoughtful your partner did.
Please remember: The conversation should go both ways, meaning you should mutually be
discussing and fulfilling the other’s wants and needs rather than focusing on what you want
from them.

Cultural note:
If you work in international teams, you will need to find out the best way to get
information from colleagues. It may be that there is not a lot of office gossip and
that it is inappropriate to talk about individuals in the way the people do in the
dialogues in this unit. Privacy may be an important part of the culture.

© 2017 Acadsoc Limited TI: This slide is only for S. If time allows, explain this part to S. 7
 ￥2

See you the next unit!

We’re going to continue our learning of this topic. In Unit8, you are going
to do some exercises and speaking practice to improve your spoken
language skills. Can’t wait to start a new journey with you!

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