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Introducing Your Idea: English Handouts 2 Second Semester I. Expressing Ideas
Introducing Your Idea: English Handouts 2 Second Semester I. Expressing Ideas
Introducing Your Idea: English Handouts 2 Second Semester I. Expressing Ideas
SECOND SEMESTER
I. EXPRESSING IDEAS
A)
B)
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Neither…nor…
Otherwise…
C)
D)
E)
Concluding
To conclude/ In conclusion…
As a conclusion, I would say that…
One may conclude that…
All things considered…
Finally…
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As a matter of fact/ Actually…
To summarize…
In a word…
F)
Eng. Rom.
He gets his knowledge across well.
We are overworked.
He graduated from Harvard.
I try to keep myself informed.
They don’t take part in class discussion.
He is a hard worker.
She is head and shoulders above the others.
The situation is giving cause for concern.
They adopted a series of measures.
They took long-term/ short-term measures.
It gave rise to many objections.
The predictions have turned out wrong.
There is a boom in sales.
Inflation has come down considerably.
Business is slack.
It’s an area with good prospects.
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Competition brings prices down.
It represents a major economic challenge.
They are burying their heads in the sand.
1) Customer Service
What is good customer service? Is responsibility over once the sale is made? If estimates
are correct that it costs five times as much to acquire a new customer than to keep an
existing one, then achieving customer satisfaction should be the goal of every
organisation.
2)Business Etiquette
On the whole, the Romanian speaker will find fewer differences when conducting business
in the UK and in the US than with the business cultures of other countries. A less formal
approach may be adopted in some areas – Americans will usually apply first name terms –
but there are many similarities. Punctuality is expected – particularly in the US – and
lateness will meet with disapproval. The personal zone- that is, the distance we feel most
comfortable with when standing next to someone at a social engagement or business
meeting – is similar, at between 50 cm and 120 cm.
In the UK, there will be some small talk before turning to business matters; in the US, they
will quickly get down to business. In the UK and in the US, the hand is generally offered
in greeting, only on the first introduction and not at subsequent encounters.
Public relations have gained a poor reputation, but is it entirely fair? When things go
drastically wrong, there is little doubt that someone needs to pick up the pieces and in
many cases, this will be the public relations specialist. Better, then, to have one focal point
for disseminating information rather than a series of sometimes conflicting and potentially
misleading interviews with assorted spokespeople.
Crisis management is one aspect of public relations that has a high profile in many leading
organisations. Deciding on a comprehensive strategy that can be applied in the event of a
crisis, will allow senior management to concentrate on tackling the problem rather than
simply fire-fighting. A carefully planned and properly executed crisis management plan
may make all the difference!
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IV. TEXT COMPREHENSION
Creating the right image. Look at the various aspects of your business that customers use to
form their view of you. These might include your premises, the telephone manner of staff, and your
publicity materials. Examine each of them in detail and work out what kind of image is being
conveyed to your customers. Is that the image you want to put across? If not, draw up a plan of
action for bringing your desired image into line with your actual image.
Fitting PR into the mix. Public relations (PR) is often regarded as the fifth ‘P’ of the
marketing mix, standing for perception. A good image is a prerequisite for successful marketing.
An attractive product at the right price will not guarantee a sale. Customers do not like to buy from
companies with poor reputations. Use PR techniques to enhance your image and shape positive
customer perceptions. Consider ways of boosting your image: perhaps your organization could
support or sponsor a charity, a worthwhile cause, or local venture, for example.
Collecting data. Many organizations have huge customer bases, but it is those who respond
to customers’ needs to be treated as individuals who are most likely to succeed. By collecting and
processing customer data to produce a customer profile and identify customer segments, you can
tailor-make products and services for particular groups of key customers. Meet identified customer
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need and you will sell more products and lose fewer customers. A better understanding of your
customers will also enable you to target publicity more accurately.
2) ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS
Taking Action
On taking action to reach your goals, you have two options. One is to follow your chosen
path regardless of events. The other is to observe all the outcomes, and to adapt your plan, radically
if need be, to improve the chances of success. The first sometimes works, but equally can lead to
disaster. The second course contains the risk that, by pulling back in the face of adversity, you will
miss the initial objective when it could have been reached. The correct approach uses elements of
both options. Provided the objective still makes sense, concentrate your drive on reaching that goal.
Being Positive
Any decision, from starting an enterprise to accepting a new job, has an upside and a
potential downside. When facing any risk, adopt the best mental attitude and concentrate on the
positive potential, the upside. But be aware that there is always a downside. It is best to always
consider, even if subconsciously, what will happen if the worst comes to the worst. If the downside
is personally unacceptable, look for ways of limiting the risk.
Mastering Mindset
Drive and energy suggest physical attributes. It is true that, just as some people are born
with greater physical powers, so certain psychological gifts are innate. But there is a critical
similarity between the physical and the mental. Everybody can choose and reach a target for
personal success. By concentrating on that objective, you will generate drive towards achieving the
end. You can multiply your energy by channeling it towards the purpose on which your mind is set.
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V. LEXICAL FAMILIES
High
Aware
Deep
Power
Energy
Explain
Entertain
Pursuit
Understand
Competition
Rely
Apologize
Hinder
Inhabit
Reason
Redeem
Threat
Breath
Account
Persuade
Get it down to When you learn to do e.g. Entertaining his business associates is not a
a fine art something perfectly, you get problem; he’s got that down to a fine art!
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it down to a fine art.
Get the show on the If you manage to put a plan e.g. Ok! We’ve got all we need, so let’s get the
road or idea into action, you get show on the road!
the show on the road.
If something takes a
Take a nosedive nosedive, it drops or e.g. The stock market took a nosedive when the
decreases in value very property market began to weaken.
rapidly.
Think outside the People who think outside the e.g. Our competitors are more creative than us –
box/ out of the box box, try to find innovative they really think outside the box.
ideas or solutions.
Nothing ventured, This expression means that e.g. He’s going to ask his boss for a promotion
nothing gained you cannot expect to achieve even though he has little chance of obtaining
anything if you risk nothing. satisfaction – nothing ventured, nothing gained!
The term win-win refers to a e.g. There were smiles all round when the contract
Win-win situation or proposition was signed – it was a win-win situation.
where both or all parties
benefit from the outcome.
Make headway If you make headway, you e.g. Investigators have made little headway in their
make progress in what you research for the causes of the catastrophe.
are trying to achieve.
If someone or something
Make inroads e.g. Foreign cars have made inroads into the
makes inroads, for example
in a new field or area, they European market.
advance successfully or
make progress.