1. Business Role Play 3

2. Tomorrow's Meeting
Alice: We're having a meeting tomorrow. Can you make it?
Kevin: When is it taking place?
Alice: We're planning on 10 o'clock. Is that OK?
Kevin: Yes, that'll be fine.
Alice: We're going to go over last quarter's sales figures.
Kevin: Good. I have some input I'd like to make.
Alice: Frank is also going to make some suggestions on improving the bottom line.
Kevin: That'll be interesting. He's got keen insights.
Alice: Yes, he's going to outline some new sales strategies.
Kevin: Is Alan attending?
Alice: No, he's flying to San Francisco and won't be able to make it.
Kevin: Oh well, maybe he'll phone in.

3. Key Vocabulary 1. To make a meeting 2. To take place 3. Sales figures
4. Quarter
5. Bottom line
6. Insight
7. Strategy
8. To phone in

4. Comprehension 1. When is the meeting? a) Next Monday at 10
b) Tomorrow at 10
c) This afternoon
2. What's the subject of the meeting?
a) The San Francisco accounts
b) Last quarter's sales figures
c) This year's budget
3. What type of suggestions will Frank make?
a) Improving research
b) Improving the bottom line
c) Sales on the east coast

5. 1. When is the meeting?
a) Next Monday at 10
b) Tomorrow at 10
c) This afternoon
2. What's the subject of the meeting?
a) The San Francisco accounts
b) Last quarter's sales figures
c) This year's budget
3. What type of suggestions will Frank make?
a) Improving research
b) Improving the bottom line
c) Sales on the east coast

6. 4. What is Frank going to outline?
a) Keen insights
b) New sales strategies
c) San Francisco partners
5. Who isn't going to attend?
a) Kevin
b) Frank
c) Alan

7. 4. What is Frank going to outline?
a) Keen insights
b) New sales strategies
c) San Francisco partners
5. Who isn't going to attend?
a) Kevin
b) Frank
c) Alan

8. Discussing Ideas at a Meeting
Chairman: I'd like to open today's meeting. Robert?
Robert: First, I'll quickly go over the main points of the last meeting.
Chairman: …. (finishes) , if no one has anything to add, let's move on to today's agenda.
Robert: I suggest we each give a little background on the suggestions we discussed last
week.
Chairman: Could you repeat that, please?
Robert: Let's start by going over the research you've done on the suggestions.
Chairman: You'll find most of the information outlined in the summary documents in front
of you.
Robert: These figures are interesting. It's clear to me that customer communications are
not working as they should.

9. Chairman: Yes, our marketing efforts really haven't been effective to date.
Robert : I suggest we break up into groups and discuss how we can improve our
message.
Chairman: Unfortunately, we're almost out of time. I suggest you submit your ideas on
marketing and we can discuss the best next week.
Robert : Before we close, could we quickly discuss the Armstrong situation?

10. Key Vocabulary
1. To open a meeting 2. To go over 3. Main points 4. To add something to a discussion 5. Agenda 6. To move on 7. To give some background 8. Outlined 9. Summary documents

11. 10. Figures 11. Communications 12. Marketing efforts 13. To date 14
10. Figures 11. Communications 12. Marketing efforts 13. To date 14. To break up into groups 15. Out of time 16. To close a meeting

12. Comprehension 1. What's the first order of business a) New suggestions
b) Quick review of last meeting
c) Marketing ideas
2. What would Robert like to hear?
a) Some new suggestions
b) Background on the suggestions
c) Ideas on marketing
3. How is the summary information presented?
a) By PowerPoint
b) Orally
c) In a summary document

13. 1. What's the first order of business
a) New suggestions
b) Quick review of last meeting
c) Marketing ideas
2. What would Robert like to hear?
a) Some new suggestions
b) Background on the suggestions
c) Ideas on marketing
3. How is the summary information presented?
a) By PowerPoint
b) Orally
c) In a summary document

14. 4. What seems to be the main problem?
a) The Armstrong situation
b) Research and development
c) Customer communications
6. What hasn't worked well until now?
b) The main points of last week's meeting
c) Marketing efforts
6. Why can't they break up into groups?
a) That's not the purpose of this meeting.
b) They're running out of time.
c) They need to go over other information.

15. 4. What seems to be the main problem?
a) The Armstrong situation
b) Research and development
c) Customer communications
6. What hasn't worked well until now?
b) The main points of last week's meeting
c) Marketing efforts
6. Why can't they break up into groups?
a) That's not the purpose of this meeting.
b) They're running out of time.
c) They need to go over other information.

16. Happy Shareholders Director: Can we go over some figures please?
Assistant: Yes, our shareholders' meeting is soon. I think it'd be a good idea to review
the key numbers.
Director: What has our total outlay been this year?
Assistant: Our expenditures are estimated at $4,320,000.
Director: What percentage is that in research and development?
Assistant: About 27%. We've invested heavily in developing some new technologies.
Director: What is our gross operating profit?
Assistant: Approximately 1.4 million.
Director: What kind of margin does that represent?
Assistant: The gross operating margin is at 24% for the year.
Outlay - outlay (on something) the money that you have to spend in order to start a new project
Go over - go over something
 to examine or check something carefully

17. Director: That's impressive. That's up from last year, isn't it
Director: That's impressive. That's up from last year, isn't it? About 10 points I think.
Assistant: That's right. We're solidly in the black. As a matter of fact, this is our fifth year
straight.
Director: Shareholders will be happy.
Assistant: They should be! This kind of growth in the current market is remarkable.
Director: Hopefully the shareholders won't veto any further R & D allocation. 
Assistant: I think they trust the board to continue.

18. Key Vocabulary
1. Shareholders 2. Key numbers 3. Outlay 4. Expenditure 5. R & D - Research and Development 6. Gross operating profit 7. Margin 8. Gross operating margin

19. 9. To be up 10. In the black - in the red 11. Remarkable 12. To veto 13. Allocation 14. The board 15. Figures

20. Comprehension 1. What is coming up soon?
a) An important presentation to other colleagues
b) The shareholders' meeting
c) A research and development conference
2. How much are expenditures?
a) More than four million dollars
b) Approximately 1.4 million dollars
c) 27% of research and development
3. What's the gross operating margin?
a) More than the amount spent on R & D
b) Less than the amount spent on R & D
c) They are in the red.

21. 1. What is coming up soon?
a) An important presentation to other colleagues
b) The shareholders' meeting
c) A research and development conference
2. How much are expenditures?
a) More than four million dollars
b) Approximately 1.4 million dollars
c) 27% of research and development
3. What's the gross operating margin?
a) More than the amount spent on R & D
b) Less than the amount spent on R & D
c) They are in the red.

22. 4. How much have they improved over last year?
a) About 24%
b) They haven't improved over last year.
c) About 10%
5) Which sentence best describes the company?
a) They've been in the black for a long period of time.
b) They've been in the black recently.
c) They're in the red.

23. 4. How much have they improved over last year? a) About 24%
b) They haven't improved over last year.
c) About 10%
5) Which sentence best describes the company?
a) They've been in the black for a long period of time.
b) They've been in the black recently.
c) They're in the red.
HOME -ASSIGNMENT
1)Give synonym: business 
2) Give antonym:  interesting
3) Give meaning :  
a)expenditure b ) Outlay  c) break into groups d) Outlined
4) Make a sentence using the following words:
a)To be in the in the black for a long period of time. b)to run out of time c) Research and development d) To add something to a discussion

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