Wednesday, 27 April, 2016

Task 1:

Listen to a talk and take notes of seven key points and supporting details. Compare your notes with a partner. 

Before you consider signing a contract ...  1. Make sure you shop around. 2. Know who you are dealing with. Research the company.

When signing a contract ...  3. Never feel pressure when you sign the contract. 4. Always get the contract in writing. 5. Read the fine print. 6. Ask the layer’s  advise to know how to get out the contract. 7. Get and keep the copy of any contract.

Task 2:

Listen again and answer the questions. 

1.     What can prevent you from getting the best possible service and price?

 Go to the first place and sign your contract.

At least you should compare prices, guarantee and warrantee with three places.

2.     What are the potential consequences of not performing due diligence?

You may be waste your time and money.

3.     What signals should you be wary of when a contract is involved?

If someone press you, that’s the signal you should step back.

4.     What can help prevent misunderstandings or fraud when you sign a contract?

You should research the reputation of the company and check up on the business bureau. You should clarify all terms and condition.

5.     What is contained in “the fine print” and what are the consequences of not reading it?

You’re responsible for what you sign and the contract can’t be change or broken.

Maybe get penalty and locked in.

6.    What points does the speaker make about the language of contracts?

     Because of the businessmen like to use vague or overly complicated words and there are lots of jargon in the contract. The consumer would be misunderstood. So they should use plain language that everyone can understand  and comprehensible.

6.     Explain the term direct agreement and give an example of a personal development service agreement. What do both of these agreements have in common?

All direct agreements that are the contract that signed in the door to door to sell situation in your home. The cooling-off period is ten days with more than 50 dollars.

 A personal development service agreement, such as a gym membership card, is subject 10 days cancellation period. On the hands, cancel can be done before over both parties have agree.

7.     What are the potential consequences of cancelling a contract?

It will cost you money.

8.     What will help protect you if there is a breach of contract?

Keep a copy and make sure it’s a writing document.

Task 3:

Fill in the following table and add any new idioms/vocabulary that you have picked from the talk.

Key vocabulary	Meaning	Sentences
party	One side of the contract
offer
acceptance	Mutual agreement	Mural
consideration	Small payment
terms	Specific details
conditions	A requirement stated in
disclaimer
cooling-off period
regulated sectors
small claims court	The civil court
estimate	To price
recourse	Access or resort to a people for help or protection
buyer’s remorse	To regret
arbitration
retainer fee	The money you pay for a person to help you
Verbs and verb collocations
to be bound by	To be tied by
to be subject to
to breach	To break up
to sue
to file a complaint
to resolve	To reach a conclusion after a discussion	After negotiating, they decided withdraw their sue.
to perform due
diligence	Conscientiousness in paying proper attention to a task	His diligence won him quick promotions.
to disclose
information
be liable for
to reserve the right

Monday, 25 April, 2016

Task 1:

Listen to a dialogue between a customer and a restaurant manager. Answer the questions below.

1.     What product or service does the customer enquire about? What are her general requirements?

She books a reservation of the restaurant.  

It is a special function.

2.     What are the specific items that the customer would like to have included in her order? How will the manager accommodate those needs?

One is for her grandmother in wheelchair.

The other is for veggie menu.

The last one is for the cake.

3. Underline the items from the menu that are not mentioned in the conversation:

• Mini pizzas • drinks • steak • Caesar salad • cream filling

4. What is the final order that the manager wants the customer to confirm?

They are her name and phone number.

5. How and when will the order be finalized?

One hour later he will recall.

6. How would you describe the manager’s style of customer service? Give reasons.

Professional and flexible.

Task 2:

Listen to the recording again. Record the phrases and expressions you hear. Then, with a partner, add your own expressions to the list.

Asking for information: I’d like to known…what about menu?

Clarifying information: let me repeat the number. Would that okay?

Changing the topic: that’s true, but… so how much… shall we talk about…

Closing the conversation: Thank you for …

Task 3:

Locate information relating to each of the situations above. Go to the home page of the Ontario Ministry of Small Business and Consumer Services, and then click on then Your Rights. There are four categories, within your groups, write a quick summary, and then present your findings to the class.

Friday, 22 April, 2016

Your Voice on the Telephone: Tone, Intonation and Emphasis

The way you use your voice on the telephone will impact on how the message is received. Tone of voice, intonation and emphatic stress all carry meaning and can affect the way the other person perceives your message.

Tone: Because there are no visual cues, a listener must rely on the tone of your voice to determine the mood and intent of the call. For example, if you are making a complaint, your tone will be serious. If you feel that your concerns are not being addressed, your tone may change to one of frustration. If you have complained about the same problem to several people, your voice will probably have an angry tone.

Intonation: Intonation refers to the way your voice goes up and down when you are speaking. It’s important to vary your pitch to maintain the listener’s interest. Having a monotonous or flat voice makes the conversation boring for the listener. It also sends the message that you are bored with what the other person is saying.

Emphasis: Emphasis refers to the way certain words are stressed to convey meaning. For example, in each of the following sentences different words are stressed, and the meaning of each sentence is different because of it.

I was told you did the work. vs. I was told you did the work. vs. I was told you did the work.

Task 1:

Listen to segments of eight telephone conversations. Discuss the questions below.

Conversation 1: What message does the tone of the speaker convey? Why?

Her tone is shark and angry.

Conversation 2: Describe Elena’s tone. Describe Adam’s tone at the end of the conversation.

Elena’s tone is accusatory. Her tone shows she didn't believe.

Adam’s tone is tiresome.

Conversation 3 and 4: Compare the tone in the two conversations. How are they different?

His tone is very seriously.

First conversation is a talk between the supervisor and the inferior.

Second conversation is a talk between the two colleagues.

You can identify by their tone.

Conversation 5: Describe Greg Milne’s intonation. What impression of Greg would you have if you received this message on your answering machine?

His tone is monotone.

Conversation 6: Describe the caller’s tone. What kind of impression does she make?
Would you consider ordering this product based on the sound of her voice? Why?

His tone is very excited and perky with high pitched.

She isn't interesting in that product because her impatient voice.

Conversation 7, 8: Which words are emphasized in each conversation? Why? How would you emphasize the words in Tom’s sentences?

The first one emphasized the date. The second one emphasized the name.

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Informal Calls: Calling a Friend

Task 1:

Click here to listen to two friends talking on the phone. Write the phrases you hear:

1.      A phrase the caller uses to identify herself:

 It’s Jane. 


2.      A phrase the caller uses to find out if the recipient is free to chat:

Is this a good time? 

3.      Phrases the two friends use to change the topic:

So, listen. By the way..

4.      A phrase the recipient of the call uses to signal that she wants to end the conversation:

Thanks. Well…


5.  A phrase the caller uses to cooperate in ending the conversation: 


I should let you go.

Task 2:

Listen to the recording again. Listen for the phrases below and write their meanings.

1.      In ages 

It means there are a long time they don’t connect with each other.

2.      I'm off until January 


I will be free until January.

3.      Time for yourself 

It means you can do anything in this time.

4.      Have someone over 

It means to invite someone over to your home.

5.      Seeing a man/woman 


It means you have the relationship with someone.

6.      Kind of faded away 

It means there no more passion between them.


7.      He was in IT 

It means his work is Information Technology .

8.      I should let you go 


It means I'm finish.

9.      Take care 

Bye bye.


International student

International student
In recent years, studying abroad has flourished. More and more people choose to go abroad to learn. Consequently, international students have to pay additional tuition fees to be able to join a school in Canada. When the people were asked the international students' extra charge whether or not be fair, the reactions of people generally fall into two categories. Some of them think it's unfair because the education should not be the business. While the others believe it's fair enough because the international students consume the local students' educational resource.
People believe that the international students' extra charge is fair for good reasons. First of all, these schools were built by the government funding, which is earned by paying the tax of the local people. But the international students' parents did not have to pay any tax to support the school in Canada. So, of course the government would lower the price for the local students. Secondly, the additional tuition fees paid by the international students can be used to support their educational programs. Having more money, these schools can attract better teachers and update the superior lab facilities or advanced teaching equipment. They can also offer a scholarship for the excellent international students to overcome their financial difficulties.
However, there are many people who don't agree with that. Firstly, they think that these schools should be fairly and squarely for everyone. Because the international students use the same facilities and the same space with the local students. It turns out to be discriminatory pricing. Secondly, such a high tuition fees don't guarantee the good education. Because the international students have to find some illegal jobs to solve their financial problem.
In my opinion, I believe that studying abroad have to pay extra money is reasonable. Because in Canada, the educational resource is limited. Although the international tuition fees are much more expensive as compared with the domestic school, there is no lack of application for enrollment. So if you want to  be welcome at the school in Canada, money is quite essential.

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Calling About a Missed Appointment

Missing a scheduled appointment without providing notification is considered rude. If you inadvertently miss an appointment with a service provider or someone you’ve arranged to meet with, you should call to apologize and offer an explanation.

If you miss an appointment with a healthcare provider, you may have to pay for the missed appointment. Many healthcare providers require 24 hours’ notice to cancel an appointment.

Task 1:

Listen to the following telephone conversation in which a patient is apologizing for missing an appointment. As you listen, fill in the blanks.

Hospital: Good morning. Princess Margaret Lung Scan Study.

Patient: Oh, hello. I had an appointment for a lung scan on Monday and I’m terribly sorry but I missed the appointment. I apologize. I just didn’t notice it on my calendar.

Hospital: Okay.  I have your name, please?


Patient: Yes, it’s Vivian Bryce – that’s B-R-Y-C-E. My appointment was for 9:45 a.m. on Monday the 12th. I was wondered if I could possibly reschedule?

Hospital: Let’s see. How about Wednesday the 21st at 9:15 am.?

Patient: No, I’m not available on the 21st. Do you have anything on Friday the 23rd?

Hospital: 
Yes,  how about 10:30 a.m.?

Patient: Perfect. Friday the 23rd at 10:30 a.m. Bye.

Hospital: Bye.

Task 2:

Complete the table below with the expressions used to apologize and the explanation used in the above telephone dialogue.

Apology	Explanation
I'm terribly sorry. I apologize. Please accept my apology. I'm sorry about...	I just didn't notice it on my calendar. Because the traffic jam.

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

If you know a person’s name, you can look up a phone number on the Internet at www.canada411.ca. It’s free! (If you call the operator, you’ll be charged for the service.)

Look up your phone number or your friends’ numbers on www.canada411.ca.

Task 1:

Use the Blue Pages to find the number you would call in the following situations.

1. You want to find a recreation centre near your home.

Heading and level of government:

Department/Phone #:

2. You need to find a long-term care facility for an elderly relative.

Heading and level of government:

Department/Phone #:

3. A car ran over a squirrel in front of your house and the squirrel is dead. You need to call someone to come and remove the animal.

Heading and level of government:

Department/Phone #:

4. You want to find out where you can take a road test to get your driver’s license.

Heading and level of government:

Department/Phone #:

5. Your employer asked you to work overtime but has not paid you anything extra. You want to know what your rights are.

Heading and level of government:

Department/Phone #:

6. You have a temporary disability (you broke your leg) and you need to get an accessibility sticker for your car that allows you to park in accessible parking places.

Heading and level of government:

Department/Phone #:

7. You received a notice with your automobile plate renewal notification that your car has to have an emissions test before you can renew your plate this year. You need to find a garage in your area that does emissions tests.

Heading and level of government:

Department/Phone #:

8. The snow has not been removed from your street for several weeks and you can’t get your car out of the driveway.

Heading and level of government:

Department/Phone #:

Task 2:

Read the following article about deceptive telemarketing.

What is Deceptive Telemarketing? Using the phone to obtain payment from you for a non-existent or misrepresented product, service or charitable gift is deceptive telemarketing. Using the phone to obtain your private banking information or credit card number to steal is deceptive telemarketing. Offering you a prize for which you must pay is deceptive telemarketing. Using the phone to obtain your money fraudulently in any way is deceptive telemarketing. It is a serious crime punishable by jail. Telemarketing, the use of telephones to market goods and services, has rapidly expanded in recent years. Sales in Canada now exceed $500 billion dollars a year. Most of these telemarketing activities are legitimate but some are not. Deceptive telemarketing practices have been a problem in Canada, with cross-border implications, since the early 1970s. Telemarketing fraud has now become one of the most pervasive forms of white-collar crime. In 1998, law enforcement and other agencies reported over 45,000 complaints about fraudulent telemarketing. Since 1995, Canadians have lost approximately $200 million as a result of this activity. Criminals are drawn to the offence by large proceeds and relatively low risks of detection, prosecution and punishment. Since the 1980s, low-cost telecommunications have created economies of scale and provided offenders with effective means of conducting potentially massive frauds. A single telemarketer with a well-organized scheme can easily extort several hundred thousand dollars per year from unsuspecting victims. In some cases, the high profits have also attracted organized crime.

Target Groups and Victims

Offenders maximize their profits by focusing on vulnerable target groups. Victims are not chosen at random but rather are methodically selected because they have savings or assets and are perceived to be susceptible. Fraudulent telemarketers often prey on seniors on the assumption that they may be more trusting and polite toward strangers. Offenders have told police their ideal target is an elderly person, home alone, with little or no contact with family members. Another higher risk group is past victims. Once an individual has been identified as being vulnerable, they are repeatedly targeted. Victim information is often sold in the form of "sucker lists" or "hot lists" to other offenders. The Effects of Telemarketing Fraud The estimated $200 million lost by Canadian victims of telemarketing fraud is only a small part of the cost of this pervasive crime. Research conducted by North American law-enforcement and police officials indicates that the elderly are not only more susceptible, but they tend to be more seriously affected. Some have lost their life savings and have been forced to sell their homes. Seniors are often reluctant to report the crime to the authorities or even to family fearing they will be blamed for being “careless” or “greedy.” Some fear they will be seen as incompetent and lose control over their affairs.

Source: PhoneBusters: The Canadian Anti-fraud Call Centre, www.phonebusters.com; extracted June 22, 2009, with permission.

A- Find synonyms in the article for the following words.

1. get      obtain                           7. Profits                       proceeds

2. dishonestly         fraud           8. very large; huge       massive

3. increased in size     expend   9. Vulnerable               susceptible

4. are more than     exceed      10. Victimize                 prey

5. honest      legitimist              11. Unwilling                 reluctant

6. common      pervasive          12. the object of attention     target

B-  Choose True or False.

1. Fraudulent telemarketers sometimes pretend to be legitimate charities seeking a donation. T F

2. All telemarketing is dishonest. T F

3. Many fraudulent telemarketers are never caught and punished. T F

4. Fraudulent telemarketing is attractive to criminals because of the potential to make 

large amounts of money with little investment. T F

5. Organized crime is responsible for most telemarketing fraud. T F

6. Fraudulent telemarketers target seniors because they have more money. T F

7. A victim of telemarketing fraud is at higher risk of being victimized again. T F

8. Seniors may not report being victimized by a telemarketing fraud because they

are afraid of what their family will say. T F