Business (Expert Chapter 1)｜ビジネス会話（上級１章）Lesson96: Ideas from a teleconference

PART A_1

Let’s learn vocabulary. Listen and repeat the words and the sentences with your tutor.

PART A_2

1.　where one stands
	-one’s opinions or feelings about something
	I’m not sure where I stand on the issue of relocating our headquarters.
2.　reservation
	-a doubt or feeling of not being able to agree with or accept something completely
	Many reservations have been raised regarding the company’s expansion.
3.　two cents
	-an unsolicited opinion about a certain topic
	My two cents on this matter is that we could not pull off this project if we wouldn’t be given ample budget.
4.　situate
	-to put something in a particular position
	Kopi Inc.’s headquarters is situated in Melbourne, Australia.
5.　final word
	-a final decision in a discussion
	The final word on the current management issue rests with the board.

PART A_3

Let’s make sentences using the vocabulary we’ve just learned.

PART A_4

1. where one stands
Answer:
2. reservation
Answer:
3. two cents
Answer:
4. situate
Answer:
5. final word
Answer:

PART B_1

Let’s read the dialogue. After that, we’ll switch roles.

以下の会話文を読みましょう。終わったら交代してもう一度読みましょう。

PART B_2

Harry

Lisa, I just got off a call with the other members of the amusement center project in the Philippines. At this point, we are still deciding whether to go with a theme park or a waterpark.

Lisa

Hmmm… So, what is the popular opinion?

Harry

Well, most of them are keen on the idea of a theme park. How about you, where do you stand on this issue?

Lisa

I think a waterpark would work better considering the country’s tropical climate.

Harry

You’ve got a point there.

Lisa

Do you have any reservations about the idea?

Harry

None at all. My two cents about the matter is that either of the two options would be okay since there is only one famous theme park in the Philippines, which is the Enchanted Palace.

Lisa

Yes, that’s true. Actually, we could build a theme park and then include a waterpark attraction. And let’s situate it in Manila, the capital city of the Philippines.

Harry

That’s an excellent idea since the Enchanted Palace is located in the province, which is a bit far from the capital. Although it would be more costly, let’s look into it.

Lisa

So, should we share this with the team?

Harry

Definitely. After all, a consensus will be the final word on this matter.

PART B_3

Please summarize the conversation using your own words and expressions.

PART B_4

PART C_1

Let’s do a roleplay. Talk with me according to the situation below, using the expressions you just learned.

PART C_2

You participated in a conference call about your company’s high product defect rate. Discuss the ideas from the call with your tutor, who will be your coworker. Please use the information below in your discussion:
– Recap of the topic: 20% increase in product defect rate in the past three months
– Express of opinion: increasing manpower to improve quality control
– Gather insight from your coworker (tutor)
– Resolution: consensus/majority’s opinion

PART C_3

PART D_1

Let’s discuss today’s theme. Please answer the questions below.

PART D_2

1.	Do you prefer conference calls to face-to-face meetings? Why or why not?
2.	What are the advantages and disadvantages of teleconferences?

REVIEW AND FEEDBACK

Now, let us review the things that you learned in this lesson.

ではこのレッスンで学んだことを振り返りましょう。

(Please give a short feedback on how your student did on your class.)

	Grammar 文法	Pronunciation 発音	Vocabulary 単語	Comprehension 理解
GOOD	文法の誤りはほとんどなく、完全な文章で話すことができる	ほとんどの単語をはっきりと正しく発音することができる	習った表現を適切に使うことができる	文章を理解し、質問に正しく答えることができる
FAIR	文法の誤りはあるが、完全な文章で話すことができる	発音の練習が必要な言葉がいくつかある	たまにミスはあるが、習った表現を適切に使うことができる	文章を完全に理解するのは難しく、質問に正しく答えられないときもある
POOR	文章で話すのは難しく、単語だけで話すことができる	発音の練習が必要である	習った単語と表現を少しだけ使うことができる	文章を理解するのは難しく、質問に答えるのは難しい

TUTOR FEEDBACK

GRAMMAR
Good:	Was able to speak in complete sentences with minimal grammatical errors.
Fair:	Was able to speak in complete sentences with evident grammatical errors.
Poor:	Was able to speak using words only.
PRONUNCIATION
Good:	Was able to pronounce most of the words clearly and correctly.
Fair:	Mispronounced a few words.
Poor:	Mispronounced most of the words.
VOCABULARY
Good:	Used appropriate expressions learned in class.
Fair:	Used appropriate expressions learned in class and made a few errors in word choice.
Poor:	Used only a few words and expressions.
COMPREHENSION
Good:	Was able to understand the passages and answer the questions correctly.
Fair:	Had a little difficulty in understanding passages and answering questions.
Poor:	Had a hard time understanding passages and answering questions.