Practice Listening Business English Exercises for A2 – Visitors

1

Person	A	B	C
Works in	Finance	Logistics	HR
Usually works with	Accounts	Production and Sales	all departments
Meeting today with	IT	Purchasing	Director of HR

2

1 work, with   2 responsible for   3 charge of

4 contact with   5 report to

Audioscript

A

In our department we do reports at the end of each month which show all the money going into and out of the company. We work closely with the Accounts Department, which gives us all the financial information we need. I have a meeting today with Anna Neves in IT, who’s responsible for all our software. She’s coming to show me a new program she wants to buy. She says it will help us a lot with all our financial reporting.

B

I organize all the transport from suppliers to our factories, and from our factories to customers. So we work a lot with Production, but also with the Sales Department. Today I have a meeting with Ralf Ehrling. He’s the person in charge of purchasing for the whole company. He wants to use just three or four big international transporters for all three of our business units. He thinks it will cost less to have a small number of suppliers.

C

I’m in charge of recruitment, so I have frequent contact with all the different departments to find out their recruitment needs. I report to the HR Director, and I have a meeting with her today to discuss our recruitment strategy for the year ahead.

1

Extract 1 Finance

Extract 2 HR

Extract 3 Customer service

Extract 4 Sales

2

1   How often does he work in this office? (about one day a week)

2   Where does he come from? (New York, America)

3   How long are you staying here? (two days)

4   How many people work in Human Resources? (six)

5   When did you open this building? (two months ago)

6   Are all the staff fluent in English? (no)

7   Who chooses your sales markets? (markets and sales director)

8   Which countries are interested in your products? (Sweden and Denmark, some interest from Poland)

9   Do you know the Polish market well? (no)

Audioscript

1

A   So here on the first floor we have all the financial offices. This is the Financial Director’s office just here on the right. He’s not here today. He’s working in Head Office.

B   How often does he work in this office?

A   Oh, he’s only here about one day a week on average …

B   Where does he come from? Isn’t he American?

A   Yes, he’s from New York.

2

A   This is our HR Manager, Carla Brookes. Carla, this is Istvan Sieliki. He’s interested in doing some marketing work for us in Poland.

C   Ah, that’s good news. Nice to meet you, Mr …

B   Sielike. But please call me Istvan. Nice to meet you too, Carla.

C   So how long are you staying here … Istvan?

B   Just two days – today and tomorrow. So how many people work in Human Resources, Carla?

C   There are six of us in all, but two people are part-time.

3

A   We’re now going into the new part of the company.

B   When did you open this building?

A   Just two months ago. I’ll show you our new call centre. Our staff here take calls from customers all over the world.

B   And are all the staff fluent in English?

A   Not all, but a lot of them are taking English lessons at the moment.

4

A   Can I introduce you to Alex Fenton? Alex is responsible for new business in Northern Europe. He’s on the road most of the time, talking to new customers.

B   Hello, Alex. So who chooses your sales markets?

D   Well, we get information from a lot of markets and then the sales director develops a sales strategy depending on which countries are interested in our products.

B   So which countries are interested in your products?

D   Sweden and Denmark mostly. But there’s some interest from Poland, too.

B   Do you know the Polish market well?

D   No, but I want to have a sales rep there soon. I’d be very happy to hear your ideas.

1

1   She asks him to show some identification and to sign in. She gives him a visitor’s pass.

2   His flight arrived on time, but he was a little late because of the bad traffic. Olivia takes him to her office.

3   He asks for a coffee, a socket to plug in his computer and an Internet connection. He wants to check his email first.

2

1   an appointment with (V)

2   identification (R)

3   here’s your; visitor’s pass (R)

4   good trip (H)

5   for inviting (V)

6   let’s go to (H)

7   I get you (H)

8   plug in (V)

9   Help yourself (H)

10   just need to (V)

3

1 j   2 d   3 f   4 b   5 c   6 i   7 h   8 e   9 a   10 g

Audioscript

Jim   Good morning. I have an appointment with Olivia Gonzalez.

Receptionist   OK. Can I have your name, please?

Jim   Jim Berman, from Trollberg International.

Receptionist   OK. You need a visitor’s pass. Can I see some identification, please?

Jim   Sure. Here you are.

Receptionist   Thanks. Can you sign in just here, please?

Jim   Yes, of course.

Receptionist   So here’s your passport, and this is your visitor’s pass.

Jim   Thank you.

Receptionist   Ms Gonzalez will be right there. Please take a seat.

Jim   OK, thank you.

…

Olivia   Hello, Jim.

Jim   Hi, Olivia. Nice to see you again.

Olivia   You, too. Did you have a good trip?

Jim   Yes I did, thanks. My plane arrived on time. And my hotel’s very nice.

Olivia   That’s good. And did you have any trouble finding us?

Jim   No, but the traffic was bad. Sorry I’m a bit late.

Olivia   No problem. Thank you for coming.

Jim   Thank you for inviting me.

Olivia   It’s a pleasure. So let’s go to my office. It’s this way.

Jim   After you.

…

Olivia   So, here’s my office. Please take a seat.

Jim   Thanks.

Olivia   Can I get you something to drink? A coffee or tea maybe?

Jim   Yes, please. A coffee would be nice.

Olivia   OK. And do you need anything else?

Jim   Yes. Can I plug in my computer somewhere?

Olivia   Yes, of course. There’s a socket just there.

Jim   And do you have a wi-fi connection here?

Olivia   No, we don’t. Just use this cable. You’ll need the password. Here you are.

Jim   Thanks.

…

Olivia   OK, coffee’s ready. Help yourself to milk and sugar.

Jim   Great, thanks. I just need to check my email, then I’ll be ready.

Olivia   No hurry. Let me know if you need anything else.

Jim   I will. Thanks.