Ðây là chương trình Anh Ngữ Sinh Ðộng New Dynamic English bài số 61. Phạm Văn xin kính chào quí vị thính giả. Bài học hôm nay bắt đầu bằng phần Variations-giúp quí vị biết cách nói một ý bằng hai cách và dùng những chữ đồng nghĩa. Sau đó là phần Culture Tips về Offices and Status (văn phòng và địa vị). Tiếp theo là phần giúp quí vị biết cách đổi một buổi hẹn và cuối cùng là cách từ chối nhã nhặn. Mở đầu bài học, xin để ý mấy chữ mới: technology=kỹ thuật; Impressed=phục, cảm kích, có ấn tượng tốt. Aftersales service=dịch vụ bảo trì sau khi đã giao hàng.
Specific=rõ-rệt, rành mạch. Could you be more specific ? bạn làm ơn nói rõ thêm.
Detail=chi tiết. Could you give more details about the project?= xin cho biết thêm chi tiết về dự án.
Phần đầu bài học là variations, nói một ý bằng hai cách.

Xin nghe.

CUT 1

Language Focus: Listen and Repeat
Larry: Variations.
Larry: Listen to these variations.
Eliz: Mr. Epstein was very impressed by their technology.(pause)
Larry: Mr. Epstein thought that their technology was very good.(pause)
Eliz: We agreed to meet with Mr. Blake.(pause)
Larry: We told Mr. Blake that we would meet with him.(pause)
Eliz: Had you ever done business with a Chinese company(pause)
Larry: Had you ever worked with a Chinese company before?(pause)
Eliz: Could you be more specific?(pause)
Larry: Could you please give me more details about that?(pause)
Eliz: My concern was with aftersales service.(pause)
Larry: I was concerned about aftersales service.(pause)
MUSIC

Vietnamese Explanation

Tiếp theo là phần Culture Tips, trong đó Gary chỉ cho quí vị biết những liên hệ giữa cỡ lớn hay khoảng rộng của văn phòng và địa vị của viên chức (workspace and status). Sign of status=dấu hiệu của địa vị. High level employees=nhân viên cấp cao.

Culture Tips: Offices and Status
Larry: Culture Tips
This Culture Tip answers the question: “Do most American executives have private offices?” Phần Culture Tip trả lời câu hỏi:“Có phải phần lớn các viên chức điều hành (tức là cấp giám đốc) Hoa Kỳ đều có phòng làm việc riêng không?”
 workspace= cỡ lớn của văn phòng làm việc.
 a private office =Văn phòng riêng.
 an executive =Viên -Chức điều hành, quản-trị (từ cấp giám đốc trở lên).
 a cubicle =phòng hình vuông, không có cửa riêng.
 an office= văn phòng
 coffee area=chỗ uống cà phê hay trà hay hâm nóng đồ ăn; cafeteria là phòng
ăn bán đồ ăn nóng, lớn hơn nữa là restaurant=nhà hàng
 privacy=sự kín đáo, riêng tư; quyền riêng tư; private office=phòng riêng có cửa.

Cut 2

Eliz: Hello everyone and welcome again to “Culture Tips”. We’re here with our business language expert Gary Engleton.
Gary: It’s nice to be back!
Eliz: We have an e-mail question about American workspaces and offices.
Gary: Oh, good. What’s the question?
Eliz: The question is: “Do most American executives have private offices?”
Gary: Good question. In most companies, executives and managers--high-level employees--have private offices. By a private office, I mean a room with a door, a door that closes.
Eliz: And they don’t share the office with a co-worker [người cùng làm một sở].
Gary: That’s right. In general, the more important the person, the larger the office. Americans are concerned about personal space, and a large comfortable office is a sign of status.
Eliz: What about other workers... workers who don’t have private offices?
Gary: Well, most American workers like to have their own work space, so company work areas are often divided into cubicles. Each worker has his or her own cubicle.
Eliz: What exactly is a cubicle?
Gary: Cubicles are small, square work areas. They have low walls that can be moved easily. And cubicles usually don’t have doors.
Eliz: So there’s not much privacy. [rising intonation cao giọng]
Gary: No, there’s not.
Eliz: Where can people meet, if they want to talk? Cubicles are too small for meetings, aren’t they?
Gary: Most companies have common areas [nơi công cộng, như chỗ uống nước lạnh] or meeting rooms for groups to get together. And in American companies, informal meetings [họp mặt bán chính thức] are held everywhere: in cubicles and offices, in the coffee area or cafeteria, wherever people meet.
Eliz: Thanks again for your interesting comments, Gary.
Gary: My pleasure!

MUSIC

Vietnamese Explanation

Bây giờ để kiểm điểm lại xem quí vị có nhớ những điểm chính của đoạn trên không, xin nghe phần True or False Ðúng hay sai. Quí vị nghe một câu rồi trả lời True hay False khi nghe tiếng chuông.

CUT 3

Language Focus: True/False

Larry: True or False.
Larry: Listen. Is this statement true or false?
Eliz: The employees in many American companies work in large open spaces. (ding) (pause for answer)
Eliz: False. Most Americans work in private offices or cubicles.
Eliz: People in cubicles don’t have a lot of privacy. (ding) (pause for answer)
Eliz: True. Cubicles usually have low walls and no doors.
Eliz: People don’t have a lot of privacy.
Eliz: Important American executives usually work in big cubicles. (ding) (pause for answer)
Eliz: False. Important executives usually have large private offices.

MUSIC

Vietnamese Explanation

Trong phần tới, quí vị học cách xin đổi một buổi hẹn. Quí vị sẽ nghe những câu mở đầu lịch sự như, “If it’s convenient for you....nếu tiện cho ông/bà...” hay “Could we change the appointment to....chúng ta có thể đổi buổi hẹn vào....”

Business Dialog: Changing an Appointment
Larry: Business Dialog - Changing an Appointment
In this Business Dialog we’ll hear Sandra Powers calling Bob Myers to change an appointment. Trong phần Business Dialog-Ðàm thoại thương mại, ta nghe Sandra Powers gọi cho Bob Myers đổi ngày giờ hẹn.
If it’s convenient for you, could we change our appointment to 1:00 on Friday? Nếu tiện cho ông, chúng tôi có thể đổi buổi hẹn của chúng ta vào 1 giờ thứ sáu được không?
I think we should meet as soon as possible. Tôi thiết tưởng chúng ta nên gặp nhau càng sớm càng tốt.
I’ll be expecting your call later today. Tôi chờ ông/bà/cô sẽ gọi lại cho tôi hay chiều nay
We have some serious problems=chúng ta có vài vấn đề nghiêm trọng.

CUT 4

Eliz: Let’s listen to today’s Business Dialog. We’ll hear Sandra Powers calling Bob Myers to change an appointment.
SFX: phone call
Myers: Hello. This is Bob Myers speaking.
Powers: Hello. This is Sandra Powers from Delta Electronics. I’m sorry, but Mr. Malone is busy on Wednesday.
Powers: If it’s convenient for you, could we change our appointment to 1:00 on Friday?
Myers: I understand that you’re very busy, but Friday is too late. We have some very serious problems. I think we should meet as soon as possible.
Powers: I see. Could I call you back later today? I want to check our schedule for Thursday.
Myers: Good. I’ll be expecting your call later today.
MUSIC

Vietnamese Explanation

Trong phần Language Focus sắp tới, chúng ta học về cách từ chối nhã nhặn.
Ðó là những câu như: I’m sorry, but...tôi ân hận, nhưng...I understand you’re very busy, but...tôi hiểu rằng ông rất bận, nhưng... hay I’m afraid...tôi e rằng...

CUT 5

Language Focus: Focus on Functions: Refusing
Larry: Focus on Functions: Refusing.
Eliz: Now let’s focus on Refusing.
Larry: Listen to these variations.
Eliz: I’m sorry, but Mr. Malone is busy on Wednesday.(pause)
Larry: I’m afraid that Mr. Malone is not free on Wednesday.(pause)
Eliz: I understand that you’re very busy, but Friday is too late. (pause)
Larry: I realize that you’re very busy, but Friday is too late. (pause)
MUSIC

Vietnamese Explanation

Trong đọan tới quí vị nghe Gary chỉ thêm về cách từ chối nhã nhặn.

Gary’s Tips: Refusing: I’m afraid not. I’m sorry but...
Larry: Gary’s Tips

Gary explains about polite refusals. Gary giải thích về những cách từ chối nhã nhặn.

 a refusal=lời từ chối.
 an apology =lời xin lỗi. [động từ to apologize]

Ms. Powers and Mr. Myers both show concern for the other person’s situation. Cô/bà Powers và Ông Myers đều quan tâm đến hoàn cảnh của người kia

Their direct statements sound rude and demanding =Câu trả lời thẳng của họ có vẻ thô lỗ và hách dịch.

CUT 6

Eliz: Now it’s time for Gary’s Tips with Gary Engleton!
Gary: Hello, Elizabeth. Today I’ll be talking about how to make polite refusals. To refuse means to say no. Let’s listen to the Business Dialog and see how Ms. Powers and Mr. Myers say no in a polite but clear manner.
Myers: Hello. This is Bob Myers speaking.
Powers: Hello. This is Sandra Powers from Delta Electronics. I’m sorry, but Mr. Malone is busy on Wednesday. If it’s convenient for you, could we change our appointment to 1:00 on Friday?
Gary: Ms. Powers begins her refusal with an apology “I’m sorry but...”and then says that Mr. Malone is not free to meet with Mr. Myers on Wednesday.
Let’s listen again:
Powers: I’m sorry, but Mr. Malone is busy on Wednesday.
Gary: Then she suggests another time for the meeting. She begins her suggestion with the very polite expression “If it’s convenient for you...”
Powers: If it’s convenient for you, could we change our appointment to 1:00 on Friday?

Gary: Ms. Powers would like to meet on Friday, but Mr. Myers thinks that is too late. He begins his refusal by showing he understands Ms. Powers’ situation.
Myers: I understand that you’re very busy, but Friday is too late.
Gary: And then he gives his reason for refusal.
Myers: We have some very serious problems. I think we should meet as soon as possible.
Gary: Ms. Powers and Mr. Myers both show concern for the other person’s situation. Now let’s listen to another version of this conversation. In this conversation, both people are too direct.
Myers: Hello. This is Bob Myers speaking.
Powers: Hello. This is Sandra Powers from Delta Electronics. Mr. Malone is busy on Wednesday. We need to change our appointment to 1:00 on Friday.
Myers: Friday is too late. We have some very serious problems. We should meet as soon as possible.
Gary: In this conversation, Ms. Powers and Mr. Myers do not show concern for the other person’s feelings. Their direct statements sound rude and demanding. So if you have to say No to someone, be sure to show that you understand their situation. Thanks for joining us today for Gary’s Tips. We’ll see you again next time.
Eliz: Thanks, Gary.

MUSIC

Eliz: Well, our time is up. Tune in again next time for Functioning in Business. See you then!

Vietnamese Explanation

Quí vị vừa học xong bài học 61 trong chương trình Anh Ngữ Sinh động. Phạm Văn xin kính chào quí vị thính giả và xin hẹn gặp lại trong bài học kế tiếp.