Business (Expert Chapter 1)｜ビジネス会話（上級１章）Lesson58: Talking about technology's impact on office communication

PART A_1

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

PART A_2

1.　repercussion
	-the effect that an action, event, or decision has on something, especially a bad effect
	We have to deal with the repercussions of the delayed delivery.
2.　optimize
	-to make something as good or effective as possible
	Successful organizations know how to optimize the use of available resources.
3.　suppress
	-to prevent something from being expressed or known
	Poor marketing strategies can suppress profits.
4.　obstacle
	-something that blocks you so that movement, going forward, or action is prevented or made more difficult
	We need to face this obstacle as a team.
5.　revolutionize
	-to make a big change or improvement to the way something works or looks, or to the way that people do a particular activity
	I believe that Amazon has revolutionized the shipping industry.

PART A_3

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

PART A_4

1.　repercussion
Answer:
2. optimize
Answer:
3. suppress
Answer:
4. obstacle
Answer:
5. revolutionize
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

Ana (sales representative)

Thank you Mr. Frank for accepting this interview. We congratulate you on the release of your book.

Tom

Thank you for having me.

Ana (sales representative)

Now, in your book, you mentioned that effective communication is key to increasing
productivity in the office. What are the repercussions of poor communication?

Tom

Well, poor communication limits a company’s ability to optimize performance. It reduces efficiency and suppresses innovation in the workplace. It’s something that most organizations underestimate.

Ana (sales representative)

Technology has revolutionized the way companies improve efficiency. For you, what is the most important contribution of technology to the workplace?

Tom

Well, of course, we had the fax first, but I would say e-mail is the most important contribution. It’s easy, quick, and paperless. In fact, two chapters of my book discuss its significance and utilization.

Ana (sales representative)

And does technology have any disadvantages at all?

Tom

Of course, in my book, I argue that technology can also serve as a barrier to face-to-face communication.

Ana (sales representative)

What could be the solution to this?

Tom

It would be great for employees to schedule meetings in person. I also highly encourage a monthly get-together for employees.

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 are a speaker at a business convention. You will talk about the importance of technology in the workplace. Please use the following expressions in your talk:
– Technology allows employees to~
– Technology increases~
– Without technology~

PART C_3

PART D_1

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

PART D_2

1.	Do companies in your country still use fax?
2.	How often do you schedule meetings online?

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 in 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.