Unit 3
First Contact
Social English 1
1. Listening When you meet someone for the first time and start up a
conversation, it is important to find points of common interest so that the
conversation can run smoothly. Listen to the five dialogues on the tape.
Decide if you think they are successful (Y) or not (N) in making initial contact.
Dialogue 1 ( )
Dialogue 2 ( )
Dialogue 3 ( )
Dialogue 4 ( )
Dialogue 5 ( )
Now listen again and note down the answers to these questions.
Dialogue 1: Has the visitor been to Japan before?
Dialogue 2: Which hotel is the visitor staying in?
Dialogue 3: What topic of common interest do they find?
Dialogue 4: What topic of common interest do they find?
Dialogue 5: What topic of common interest do they find?
Listening task
Dialogue 1
A: Is this your first trip to Japan?
B: Yes, it is.
A: Do you like it here?
B: yes, it seems interesting.
A: Would you like another drink?
B: Thank you.
Dialogue 2
A: How was your trip?
B: Fine, thanks.
A: How do you find Tokyo?
B: Very interesting.
A: Which hotel are you staying in?
B: The Sheraton.
Dialogue 3
A: Is this your first trip to Japan?
B: Yes, but hopefully not my last.
A: I'm pleased to hear that. Have you found time to see much?
B: Well, I visited the gardens.
A: Oh, are you interested in gardens?
B: Actually, yes, it's my hobby.
A: Mine too…
Dialogue 4
A: Are you staying long?
B: No, unfortunately only a couple of weeks.
A: Business or pleasure?
B: Business, I'm afraid. My company is setting up an office here in Tokyo.
A: Really? Where is your company based?
B: In Detroit, sort of north mid-west of the States.
A: Yes, I know it. I visited it two years ago.
B: Ah, really?…
Dialogue 5
A: I believe you're in fashion.
B: Yes that's right- on the design side.
A: That's a coincidence. My wife's a fashion designer.
B: Oh, I'd like to meet her.
A: You must come round to dinner one evening.
B: That would be nice.
A: Good, I'll fix it up later this week.
2. Presentation Successful conversation depends on finding a topic both people
can easily talk about. One-way of reaching this point is to follow a number of
steps until a topic of common interest is found. A typical sequence might be:
1. opening question
2. immediate answer
3. follow-up question
4. immediate answer + additional comment
5. next question or comment on topic of common interest
6. Answer or further comment on topic of common interest
Now look more closely at the typical sequence of conversation.
2.1 Opening question
Is this your first trip to________________?
How was your trip?
2.2 Immediate answer
Yes, it is.
Fine, thanks.
2.3 Follow-up question
Are you staying long?
Business or pleasure?
2.4 Immediate answer
No.
Business.
Note: These answers are not helpful in finding a common interest. You need to
make an additional comment.
2.5 Additional comment
But hopefully not my last.
Unfortunately only a couple of weeks.
Business, I'm afraid. My company is setting up an office here in Tokyo.
2.6 Next question
Have you found time to see much?
Really? Where is your company based?
2.7 Establishing topic of common interest
Are you interested in gardens?
Oh, I visited Detroit a couple of years ago.
That's a coincidence. My wife is in fashion, too.
3. Controlled practice
The following four dialogues are in the wrong order. Rearrange them to make a
natural flow of conversation.
Dialogue 1
( ) Really? What did you expect?
( ) No, I've been to the States before, but this is the first time in Atlanta.
( ) So, what do you think of Atlanta?
( ) Fine, I'll see what I can arrange.
( ) Well, it's not what I expected.
( ) There is a part like that. You must let me show you around.
( ) Well, I suppose I thought it would be more traditional.
( ) That would be interesting.
( ) Is this your first trip over here?
Dialogue 2
( ) I'm sure. I hope to get back here again
( ) That's a pity. There's a lot to see.
( ) Good. Are you here on business then?
( ) Are you staying long?
( ) Really? That's interesting. What line are you in?
( ) No, just a couple of days.
) Yes, we're thinking of setting up an office here.
Dialogue 3
( ) That would be nice.
( ) That's interesting. My son is an editor on the local paper.
( ) I believe you're in journalism.
( ) Really? I expect I'll meet him.
( ) Yes, that's right -on the editorial side.
( ) Yes, what about coming round for a drink? I could introduce you to him.
Dialogue 4
( ) Scotland. This time of year it's pretty cold.
( ) A bit warmer than back home.
( ) Well, if you do come across, you must visit us.
( ) Oh, so where do you come from?
( ) Yes, that's right. The best time to visit is in the summer.
( ) I can imagine. I've never been but people tell me it's very beautiful.
( ) How do you find the weather here?
( ) Maybe I'll get across next year.
课文注释及词汇讲解
* try 试图
try to do sth. 尽力做某事
e.g. We'll try to meet the customers' demands
我们将尽力满足客户的需求。
* common interest 共同兴趣
e.g. Two strangers are trying to find topics of common interest.
两个陌生人正在尽量寻找双方都感兴趣的话题。
* trip 旅行
e.g. This is my second trip to the United States.
这是我第二次来美国。
* Do you like it here?
你喜欢这儿吗?
注意：
代词"it"在这里没有什么实际意义，但必不可少。因为here为副词，like
为及物动词，所以需要有it做宾语。
* How do you find Tokyo?
你觉得东京怎么样?
也可以说成 "What do you think of Tokyo?"或 "How do you like Tokyo?"
* interesting 令人感兴趣的
e.g. The film is interesting.
这部电影很有趣。
Interested (人对某事或某物)感受到有兴趣的
E.g. I'm interested in the film.
我对这部影片感兴趣。
* another 另一(个，件…)
e.g. Would you like another cup of tea?
你还要一杯茶吗?
I need another day to finish the work..
我还需要一天才能完成工作。
* stay 停留，暂住
e.g. Are you staying long?
你逗留的时间长吗?
Which hotel are you staying in?
你住在哪家旅馆?
注意：
stay为不及物动词，所以在第二个例句中一定要接介词in ,这样才能带宾
语。
* unfortunately 令人遗憾，运气不好地
e.g. Unfortunately, I can only stay for a week.
真遗憾，我只能呆一周。
* Business or pleasure?
出差还是度假?
本句为 "Do you come here for business or for pleasure?"的省略句。在口语
中经常用省略句。
* I'm afraid… 我恐怕……，恐怕是……[有时可以不直译]
该句式用于缓和语气或婉转地表达想法，也可以用于表示不肯定的语
气。
E.g. I'm afraid I can't come on Friday afternoon, because I will be having a meeting
then.
因为要开个会，周五下午我恐怕不能来。
* set up 建立，设立
e.g. We are going to set up a new plant in this area.
我们打算在这个地区建一座新工厂。
* be based 总部设在……
e.g. Where is your company based?
你们公司的总部设在哪儿?
* sort of 有点，稍微 [多用于口语]
e.g. I'm sort of surprised.
* north mid-west of the States 美国中西部的北部
mid-west 中西部
注意：
在英语中东北、东南、西北、西南分别为northeast, southeast, northwest,
southwest, 与汉语习惯不同。
* be in fashion [在本课指]从事时装行业;(通常指)时髦，流行
e.g. I'm in fashion-on the design side.
我从事时装行业-搞设计的。
Mini-skirts were in fashion last summer.
去年夏天流行迷你裙。
* coincidence 巧合
e.g. You are also from New York? That's really a coincidence.
你也从纽约来?真是太巧了。
* fix up 安排，定好(时间、地点等)
e.g. Let's fix up a date to have dinner together.
我们定个日子一起吃饭吧。
* traditional 传统的
e.g. I thought Atlanta world be more traditional.
我原以为亚特兰大会更加传统一点儿。
注意：
这里 I thought 为过去时，表明"我原以为，现在不这样认为了"。若用了
I think则意味着"我一直这样认为，现在也是"。
* show sb. around 带某人参观
e.g. The visitors are shown around the new plant by the director himself.
来访者由厂长亲自带着参观新工厂。
* That's a pity.
真可惜。
* line (一般在商务英语中)行业
e.g. What line are you in ?
你从事什么行业?
* local papers 当地的报纸
paper是newspaper的省略说法。Paper当"报纸"的意思讲时是可数名词，
此处的复数形式表明是"各种各样的报纸"。
Unit 3
听力译文：
对话1
A：你第一次来日本吗?
B：是的。
A：你喜欢这儿吗?
B：是的，我觉得很有趣。
A：再喝一杯吗?
B：谢谢。
对话2
A：旅途愉快吗?
B：很愉快，谢谢。
A：你觉得东京怎么样?
B：很有趣。
A：你住在哪家旅馆?
B：谢拉顿旅馆。
对话3
A：你第一次来日本吗?
B：是的。希望不是最后一次。
A：很高兴听你这么说。有时间到处看看吗?
A：嗯，我参观了园林。
A：哦，你对园林感兴趣?
B：对。实际上，这是我的业余爱好。
A：也是我的业余爱好……
对话4
A：你呆的时间长吗?
B;不长，真遗憾，只呆两周。
A：出差还是旅游?
B：很可惜，是来出差的。我们公司想在东京设一个办事处。
A;是吗?公司总部在哪儿?
B：在底特律，差不多在美国中西部地区的北部。
A：对，我知道那个城市。两年前我去过。
B：呀，是吗?……
对话5
A：我想你是搞时装的吧。
B：对，搞设计的。
A：太巧了。我妻子也是搞时装设计的。
B：哦，希望能见到她。
A：你一定要找个晚上来吃饭。
B：好呀。
A：嗯，本周过些时候我们定个日子吧。
Exercises-A
匹配练习。请从a-h的回答中找出1-8问题的得体应答。
1. How 's business?
2. How do you like it here?
3. How was the conference?
4. What did you think of the meeting?
5. What was the hotel like?
6. How are the job interviews going?
7. How did the exam go ?
8. How's the stock check getting on?
a. Not bad. It was quite comfortable.
b. Terrible! I could answer only one question.
c. So so. Our sales are down this year.
d. Not very useful-a lot of talk, but no decisions.
e. OK. We have only two more candidates to deal with.
f. Quite good. There were some interesting speakers there.
g. It's great! I'll be sorry to go back.
h. Very well. We hope to finish Warehouse B this afternoon.
Exercises-B
用括号中的词或短语翻译下列句子。
1. 两个陌生人在尽量寻找双方都感兴趣的话题。(try to, of common interest)
2. 你觉得伦敦怎么样?(find)
3. 你住在哪家旅馆?(stay)
4. 你有时间游览纽约吗?(find time)
5. 很遗憾，我只能在中国呆两周(unfortunately, a couple of)
6. 我们将在东京设办事处。(set up an office)
7. 你们公司的总部在哪儿?(based)
8. 太巧了!我也是设计师。(coincidence)
Exercises-C
在会议室晨，你与一位美国客户邻座。休息的时候你想和她交谈，但你们并不认识，该用哪句开场呢?
1. Hello. Where are you from?
2. Hello. Where are you going?
3. Hot weather, isn't it?
Exercises-D
在飞往纽约的飞机上，A、B两人尝试着开始交谈。请问，为什么他们的谈话进行不下去了?如果你是B，你将怎么样推动谈话?
A：Are you going to New York too?
B：Yes.
A;For pleasure?
B：No. For business.
A：Is it your first to America?
B：Yes.
A：Have you been to many other places in the world?
B：Not many.
( silence )
Translation
在商品交易会的休息室里，两个素不相识的人交谈起来。
甲：这是你第一次参加这个交易会吗?
乙：对，希望不是最后一次。
甲：有时间看所有的展品吗?
乙：嗯，只看了中国产的丝绸。
甲：有兴趣吗?
乙：有。实际上，我是丝绸进口商。
甲：真的吗?太巧了，我的厂子生产高质量的丝绸。
乙：太好了，我们定个时间看一下样品吧。你们工厂在哪儿?
甲：在苏州。我可以带你参观一下。
Key to Exercises-A
1-c 2-g 3-f 4-d 5-a 6-e 7-b 8-h
Key to Exercises-B
1. Two strangers are trying to find topics of common interest.
2. How do you find London?
3. Which hotel are you staying in?
4. Have you found time to see much in New York?
5. Unfortunately, I can only stay a couple of weeks in China.
6. Our company is setting up an office in Tokyo.
7. Where is your company based?
8. That is a coincidence! I'm also a designer.
Key to Exercises-C
3比较合适。
分析：1和2担的总是都有些唐突，特别是2显得不太礼貌，对方心里也许会说"it's none of your business."[不关你的事]3是从谈论天气开场，这在许多场合都是可以用的。
Key to Exercises-D
答案：B 没有为推动谈话做积极的努力，只是被动地回答问题。A在尽力找话题以避免沉默，但B的配合很不够。一问一答的对话是很难进行下去的，除非是在面试或审讯。
请参考改进过的对话：
A：Are you going to New York too?
B：Yes. I'm going there on business. What about you?
A：Me too. Our Company is setting up an office in New York?
B：I see. So you must have been to New York several times.
A：yes. Is it your first trip to America?
B：Right. I'd like some advice from you.
A：Well……
这样一来谈话就可以进行下去了。当然你可以构思别的谈话内容。
Key to Translation
In the lounge of a trade fair, two strangers start talking.
A：Is this your first visit to the trade fair?
B：Yes, hopefully not my last.
A：Have you find time to see all the exhibits?
B：Well, I've just seen Chinese silk.
A：Are you interested in it?
B：Yes. Actually I'm a silk importer.
A：Really? That's a coincidence. My factory produces high quality silk.
B：Good. Let's fix a time to see the samples. Where is your factory based?
A：In Suzhou. I can show you around.