Listening skill - ENGLISH FOR BUSINESS AND COMMERCE

A. Listening

Change is typical of Nature. Weather is changeable, moods
are changeable, ……. Where else could change be more evident
than in the stock market where men become bulls, bears, stags
and lame ducks.

Task 1:Listen to some excerpts from stock analysis reports from
the newspaper. The teacher will read them. Listen
carefully. As you listen, complete the following headlines
and match them with the reports:

(The teacher reads)

A. Sensex gains 36 points
B. …………, ……….. stocks shine in a dull market
C. Govt. grants …………… freedom to fix fuel prices
D. ………… ……….. suffer setback

Task 2: The teacher will read the stock analysis reports again.
Listen carefully. As you listen, fill in the blanks given
below:

(The teacher reads)

1. Banking shares suffered ……………. on the Bombay Stock
Exchange today due to ……….. selling.
2. The Sensex ……… 4973.88 and …………. a high of 5041.19.
3. The market ended fractionally lower in …………. activity
amidst alternate …………. of buying and selling by foreign
institutional investors.
4. Oil PSUs ………….. smartly and scored …………… gains as
the decision to allow state-run oil companies to fix petrol and
diesel prices within a narrow …….. ……… was in the interest of
the sector.

Glossary

holding - something owned such as shares in a
company, or buildings or land which is
looked after and owned or rented
hogged the limelight - draw more than one’s share of attention
rally - to return to a better condition

B. Speaking

And whatsoever Adam called every living creature,
that was the name thereof.

If there is one thing that every individual takes pride in it is one’s
name – be it the name in full, in its clipped or diminutive form –
‘My name is My name’. A name doesn’t end with you and me,
with a pet or with a place. ‘Everything’ has a name. Beginning
from food products, clothing, electrical gadgets, household utilities,
cosmetics, stationery, footwear, ….. Mind you what we are
referring to is not the mere common noun, but the proper noun.

In these days of consumerism, unless one knows enough brand
names/labels one would be a Rip VanWinkle.

What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;

I. Read the following conversations:

A: Would you like to try Van Heusen, Louise Philippe, Peter
England, John Players, S. Kumar’s, Vimal …….?
B: I’d just like to try a size 42 shirt, please. Something of
moderate price.
......
A: You can take a look at Samsung. In fact Onida should be
better. It could make your neighbour envy you. You can think
about BPL too. How about Philips? And don’t forget LG and
Sony.
B: (Looks around silently)
A: What exactly do you want?
B: ATV.
…….
A: Gosh! I forgot to bring water.
B: Doesn’t matter I can get you a water sachet.
A: No! No! No! I don’t want that. Get me a Bisleri pet bottle.
B: What if it isn’t available?
A: It should be. Otherwise, try Kinley, Aquafina, Team …. See
that it is cold. Oh my! I also left behind our dinner packets.
Pick up something from Planet Yumm. Maybe a couple of
Marry Brown burgers or Domino’s Pizzas or even Saravana
Special Dinner Thali. Also get me a Revlon lipstick 201
Cherry Red – if it isn’t available Lakme Forest Fire 207. Wait
a minute …. I’ve left behind my mobile recharge card too.
Get a 540 Aircel recharge card. Remember, Aircel not Airtel.
Yours is Airtel, mine is Aircel. Get back soon, the train leaves
in 40 minutes.
B: (thinks) How I wish I had spent my honeymoon at home!
(B returns after 38 minutes)
A: What took you so long? You almost missed the train.
B: (thinks – ‘I would have definitely missed the train if I had gone
shopping your long list.’)Well, here’s a bottle of boiled water
from our refrigerator, here’s the dinner that you’d left behind,
here’s your Revlon whatever it is, the Aircel card that you’d
bought and here I am all in one piece and on time.

Task 1: In each of the three pieces of conversation above, who is
A and who is B? Where does each conversation take
place?


Task 2:Practise the above conversations taking turns. You can
add more brand names for more products.

Task 3:You are planning to buy a two-wheeler. Discuss the
different makes and models with a friend before deciding
to buy.


II. The following is a conversation between a tele-marketing
personnel (TM) and a prospective client (PC):


TM : Hello! Good morning! This is Mr. Alex Graham from Bell
Resorts. I would like to let you know about our special
scheme.
PC : Excuse me. But you know, I’m a little busy.
TM : Could you just spare two minutes? I won’t take much of
your time, Ma’am. This is a special offer for college
students as part of friendship day celebrations. You can
enjoy a free holiday with your friends.
PC : I see. That sounds interesting. How many friends can I
bring along?
TM : Well, you can bring along two friends.
PC : What’s the duration of this holiday package?
TM : Five days and four nights. It costs Rs.12,000/- for a family
of four. This includes food, stay and sight-seeing.
PC : Wait, wait, wait …..you said it costs Rs.12,000/- for a
family of four?
TM : Oh! Didn’t I mention it? This is a family cum friends
holiday.You pay for your family and your friends can come
along for free.
PC : But you didn’t mention it earlier. Anyway, where is this
resort? And where do we get to sight-see?
TM : It’s a package tour to all the ancient temples in Madurai,
Kancheepuram and Thanjavur. Can I register you for this
scheme, Ma’am?
PC : Uh ….. no, I may have to think it over.
TM : Shall I call you up again tomorrow?
PC : No ….. I don’t think ….. Sorry, there’s somebody at the
door. Excuse me, I’ll have to go. Thank you.

Task: Practise the above conversation taking turns.