Exercise 1
1. Listen and match the four speakers to situations a-d.
Speaker 1 ……
Speaker 2 ……
Speaker 3 ……
Speaker 4 ……
a Phone interruptions
b Administrative tasks
c Meetings
d Difficult deadlines
2. Listen again and complete sentences 1-8.
1 There’s always one person who arrives ……………… .
2 To ……………… time, we’ve tried introducing a one-hour limit.
3 We always ……………… ……………… of time.
4 I know reports ……………… a long time to do, but I never ……………… time for them.
5 I always leave paperwork until the ……………… minute.
6 We even thought we could deliver ……………… of time.
7 It was really difficult to get the job done ……………… time.
8 I ……………… so much time answering calls. It really ……………… you down.
Answer & Audioscript
1
Speaker 1: meetings
Speaker 2: administrative tasks
Speaker 3: difficult deadlines
Speaker 4: phone interruptions
2
1 late 2 save 3 run out 4 take, allow 5 last
6 ahead 7 in 8 waste, slows
Audioscript
1
First of all, there’s always one person who arrives late, and everything has to be repeated. And then certain people like to talk a lot, even about subjects that aren’t on the agenda. To save time, we’ve tried introducing a one-hour limit, but it isn’t enough. We always run out of time. Some of our meetings are more like two hours.
2
I have to write quality reports and send them to the quality manager at the end of each month. I know reports take a long time to do, but I never allow time for them. So then I have everything to do on the last day of the month. I always leave paperwork until the last minute.
3
The customer told us the product had to be ready by the end of March. Things went very well for the first two months. We even thought we could deliver ahead of time. But then in the middle of February, they asked us to change the design of the product. But they said the deadline was the same, the end of March. It was really difficult to get the job done in time.
4
I waste so much time answering calls. It really slows you down when your phone rings every 15 or 20 minutes. If it’s customers calling, that’s OK, but more often it’s work colleagues. First, they send you an email. Then if you don’t reply immediately, they call your office number. Thirty seconds later, they try your mobile.
Exercise 2
1. Silvia has just returned to Argentina after three months working on a project in New York. Listen and answer the questions.
1 Did she enjoy her time in the USA?
2 Would she like to work there?
2. Listen again and underline the words in italics you hear.
1 I’ll / I’d go crazy if I lived / live in the USA.
2 What would / will you do if they offer / offered you a job there?
3 If it is / was only for a year or two, I would / might say yes.
4 If they want / wanted me for longer, I wouldn’t / won’t accept it.
Answer & Audioscript
1
1 Yes 2 Only for a short time
2
1 I’d, lived 2 would, offered 3 was, might
4 wanted, wouldn’t
Audioscript
A Hi, Silvia. So you’re back from New York. How was it?
B Good. It’s a great city to visit. And I met some really interesting people at work. But I’d go crazy if I lived in the USA.
A Why’s that, then?
B Well, it’s the pace of life there. Everybody’s always running, running, running. No time to stop and drink. Do you know what I mean?
A Yes, of course. So what would you do if they offered you a job there? It’s quite possible. They’re looking for new people all the time.
B Well, if it was only for a year or two, I might say yes. It would be good for my CV.
A But only for a short time?
B Yes. If they wanted me for longer, I wouldn’t accept it. It would be too stressful.
Exercise 3
1. Listen to two conversations about deadlines. In each conversation, what work do they have to do?
2. Listen again and match 1-7 to a-g.
1 by ……
2 within ……
3 before ……
4 as soon ……
5 right ……
6 on ……
7 when you ……
a away
b as possible
c have time
d Monday
e the end of next week
f a week
g Friday
Answer & Audioscript
1
Conversation 1: finish a report
Conversation 2: send a quotation, send the results for June
2
1 g 2 f 3 e 4 b 5 a 6 d 7 c
Audioscript
1
A Can you finish the report by Friday?
B Well, I’m not sure. There’s a lot to do on it.
A Well, within a week, then.
B I’ll do it before the end of next week, I promise. Would that be OK?
A Well, I suppose so.
2
A When do we need to send the quotation?
B They asked for it as soon as possible.
A OK, I’ll start working on it right away.
B Do you think it’ll be ready on Monday?
A Yes, I think so.
B Oh, just one other thing – can you send me your results for June when you have time?
A Yes, sure.
Exercise 4
1. Hans-Peter Berg receives a phone call from one of his foreign suppliers, Luca Peretti. Listen and complete the information.
Problem: …………………………………………
First solution: …………………………………………
Disadvantage of first solution: …………………………………………
Second solution: …………………………………………
Who will pay? …………………………………………
2. Match 1-10 to a-j to make complete sentences. Then listen again and check.
1 We have an issue ……
2 Basically, ……
3 Would it be OK ……
4 Yes, that might ……
5 What if ……
6 Could you ……
7 I think we ……
8 That would allow us to ……
9 Would you agree to ……
10 Sorry, that wouldn’t ……
a be possible.
b pay the extra cost?
c with delivery.
d we’ve got a lorry drivers’ strike.
e get the parts to the factory in time.
f be acceptable.
g we transported them by train to the border?
h send a lorry to pick them up?
i if we sent them by train?
j could do that.
Answer & Audioscript
1
Problem: a lorry drivers’ strike. Luca won’t be able to deliver the order on time.
First solution: sending the goods by train
Disadvantage: the order won’t arrive in time for production.
Second solution: train to the border, where a lorry from HansPeter’s company will pick it up.
Who will pay: Luca’s company, the supplier
2
1 c 2 d 3 i 4 a 5 g 6 h 7 j 8 e 9 b 10 f
Audioscript
Luca Hi, Hans-Peter. It’s Luca. I’m calling because we have an issue with delivery.
Hans-Peter Oh, tell me more.
Luca Well, basically, we’ve got a lorry drivers’ strike here. They’re blocking all the major roads. I can’t guarantee that we can deliver today’s order on time.
Hans-Peter Oh no! We need those parts by tomorrow.
Luca Yes, I know. But I have another solution. Would it be OK if we sent them by train?
Hans-Peter Yes, that might be possible. But would they get to us in time?
Luca Yes, I’ve checked. They’d arrive at about 6 p.m. tomorrow.
Hans-Peter Six o’clock! But we need to start production mid-afternoon.
Luca Ah, I didn’t know that. Well, what if we transported them by train to the border? Could you send a lorry to pick them up?
Hans-Peter Yes, I think we could do that. What time would the driver need to be there?
Luca The train gets in at … er, 5.35 in the morning.
Hans-Peter OK, good. That would allow us to get the parts to the factory in time.
Luca Of course, rail transport is more expensive than road. Would you agree to pay the extra cost?
Hans-Peter No, sorry, Luca, that wouldn’t be acceptable. This lorry drivers’ strike is your problem, not ours.
Luca OK, I understand.
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