Unit 1.

Describe your company’s current position

1
Pathway International is a travel agency that specializes in walking and hiking
tours. Pauline Robertson, a senior manager at the company, recently hired an
external consultant, Don Gray, to help analyze Pathway's current position.  
– So, Don. You’ve completed your analysis, … how bad is it?
– Well, Pauline, as you are aware, the recent economic situation has affected not
only your business, but also that of everyone in the tourism and travel industry.
But the economy alone doesn’t entirely explain the recent fall in sales at
Pathway. One of the major issues we’ve noticed is a lack of direction. The
company needs clear goals and long-term objectives for the future.
– Yes, we know. Things have been difficult since the previous owner, Mr. Travers,
retired. And with the economic downturn, we’ve just been focusing on surviving.
– Yes, I can understand that. But that brings me to my next point. Because of the
poor economy, pricing has become more critical. Customers still want to go on
walking tours, but they want to spend less. That’s why your packages to the Alps
are more popular nowadays—the destination is closer and offers good value for
the money. It also explains why sales of your farther away destinations are down
so much. And your recent launch of the Andes destination, which targeted the
domestic UK market, was not only poorly timed, it was also badly marketed. It’s
just too expensive for your average British consumer.
– So, we wasted a lot of money on that?
– Well, maybe not. Let’s look at one of your biggest competitors, Alpine
Excursions. They noticed this trend early, and they began promoting their tours
more aggressively in countries nearer the target destinations. They have
attractive packages that offer value for money to mixed-nationality groups. This
tells us that the market is there for the farther-flung destinations, but Pathway is
not reaching it at the moment.
– So, we need to do something similar.
– Right, but you do have a competitive advantage over Alpine.
– In what way?
– The quality of the tours you offer and your customer service. The customers
we spoke to rated Pathway extremely highly in both these areas. And this is
where you have the edge on Alpine.

Unit 3. Describe changes and trends

1
– Who here likes ice-cream? I thought so. And don’t you think our Cadtree
chocolate bar would make a good ice cream? We do, too, … and we think there is
a major opportunity for Cadtree, with its strong brands, to develop a high-quality
Cadtree chocolate ice cream bar. Technically, we know it can be done, and the
responses to the samples have been positive. But is it worth it? Well, let’s take a
look at some figures for the domestic ice cream market.
As you can see in this graph, the total ice cream market last year was worth 12.4
billion dollars. This can be divided into two major sectors: the impulse buying, in-
hand sector—in other words, the hot, sunny day, let’s get an ice cream sector—
and the take-home, multipack sector. As you can see, the in-hand sector has
 been flat over the last several years, averaging about a five percent increase in
value per year. But look at the take-home market! This sector has risen by about
40% in value, and it is predicted that this upward trend will continue.
So, why would it be advantageous for Cadtree to enter this market? Well, we all
know the highest costs in our business are connected with establishing a brand.
But the Cadtree brand is already well-established. In fact, it’s one of the biggest-
selling brands in the region. With a Cadtree ice cream, we’d be building on both a
name (Cadtree) and a product (the Cadtree chocolate bar), which already have a
tremendous following, and this would mean a relatively modest advertising
budget …

Unit 4. Make forecasts and projections

1
– OK, everyone. I’d like to start with the regional forecasts for the coming year.
Although the market is pretty tight at the moment, I know you have been out
there pitching pretty hard. Jim, what do you have for us?
– OK, the East Coast. Well, as Joe said, competition is quite stiff out there, but
I’ve got a good sales team. So, for next year I’d say we are definitely going to
increase sales by 5%.
– So, you’re sure you can make 5%?
– That’s my minimum. If one or two of our prospects come through, then we’re
likely to hit 6%, or we could even reach 7%.
– Excellent, Jim. Thank you. Karen, what about the Midwest?
– Well, as I’m sure you know, the Midwest is very slow right now.
– Yes, but we have a lot of loyal customers out there.
– That may be, Joe, but many of our manufacturing customers are really
suffering.
– Which means?
– It means that for next year I don’t expect sales to increase at all. If my
calculations are correct, we might just manage to repeat this year’s sales.
– Is it still that bad? I thought things were beginning to turn around.
– Somewhat, but it’s going to take time. In fact, I think we’re unlikely to see any
real improvement until the last quarter of next year. If things pick up sooner, we
might see an increase of 1 or 2% for the year. That’s our best-case scenario. If
nothing happens, we may actually be looking at a 1 or 2% decrease in sales.
– Alright, Karen. We can discuss that later. George, how are things on the West
Coast?
– We’re doing fine. Our region is fairly small, but our customers are holding up
well. So, sales are bound to increase by at least 7%.
– George, the region may be small, but you’re in a prime area with some of our
best customers. I think your forecast is a bit too modest.
– Well, that’s my worst-case scenario.
– Think bigger, George! Modest forecasts didn’t get us where we are today!
– OK, but we definitely can’t increase business by more than 10%. That’s the
best scenario.
– And what do you think you could realistically achieve?
– Let’s say…8.5%?
– That’s much better, George. Keep up the good work. Right, Paul, over to you for
the operations report…

©2018 Berlitz Languages, Inc. Audio Script | A-2

 Unit 5. Discuss market research plans
1
– Today, our guest is Jennifer Riley, a marketing consultant with The Leaders
Consultancy Group in London. Good morning, Jennifer. Thanks for coming in. So,
what can you tell our listeners about market research?
– Good morning, Kevin, and thank you for inviting me. The primary goal of
market research is to help businesses understand the market they’re operating
in. Much market research focuses on learning about current and potential
customers: who they are, how many there are, and what their needs and wants
are. Equally important is learning what kind of competition there is. This helps
businesses to position themselves and their products within their market.
 
Starting a new business or launching a new product or service can be risky.
Market research can reduce the level of risk by providing information on how big
a demand there is for a product (if any), or whether it may require changes to
better meet consumer needs. Customer satisfaction surveys are also an
example of how market research can reduce risk. When problems are identified
early, they can be dealt with before customers decide to go somewhere else.
 
Market research can also help companies improve their return on investment.
For example, if a company knows that only certain segments of the market
purchase its products, it can then focus its marketing efforts on only those
segments rather than the entire market. By targeting those specific customers
and their needs, there is a greater chance of making a sale than if they were to
create a generic campaign aimed at everyone.
 
Additionally, market research can be used to make forecasts about what may
happen to the business in the future. For example, looking at past research can
show how a particular market—or market segment—reacts to changes in the
season or changes in the economy. This information helps companies. For
example, to predict and plan for increases and decreases in sales volumes. And
finally, market research is used for exploiting new market opportunities by
identifying gaps in the market—consumer needs that are not being met by other
products or services. If a company can fill a niche, it can grab a large portion of
market share before its competitors do. And this is what we are mainly …

Unit 7. Suggest courses of action

1
The results of our research are disappointing, but not entirely unexpected. As we
suspected, our distribution network is too limited—and we can’t get stores to
carry the line because it’s overpriced and lacking some features that competing
brands have.
As far as advertising is concerned, too much emphasis is on print advertising.
And the results of the questionnaire indicate that it is misdirected, appealing
primarily to middle- and upper-income people in their forties and fifties. And
although our most loyal customers have traditionally been in this segment, they,
too, are beginning to look elsewhere for home audio systems. At the other end of
the age spectrum, Tru-Tone has practically no following. It just doesn’t appeal to

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 the younger market. A recurring comment was that it is too big and bulky. Young
people want the very latest technology in the most appealing package. They
don’t feel they’re getting it from us, and they’re not impressed with the fact that
we were innovators in the field 20 years ago. Beyond this, our advertising has
never really been targeted toward young people. And considering their income
level has risen sharply over the past few years, we can’t afford to ignore them
any longer.

Unit 8. Report market research results

1
– So, Ellen, you have the results of the video game survey?
– I sure do, and I’m sure it’s got a couple of surprises in it. Let’s look first at
who’s actually playing. The survey data was gathered from 2,000 households
during a random telephone survey. Just fewer than 60% of those households
report having at least one member who played video games, and there is an
average of two gamers per household. The ratio of male to female video gamers
is 55:45.
– Hmm, I didn’t think so many women were interested in gaming.
– And I bet you thought most gamers were under 25, too. In fact, the average
gamer is 30 years old. Here’s the breakdown: 32% of the gamers are under 18,
another 32% are in the 18 to 35 range, and 36% are over the age of 35. And more
women aged 18 or older play games than boys who are 17 or under.
– And do they play the same types of games?
– I don’t have the game-type-by-gender breakdown, but I will look that up for you.
What I can give you is a comparison of online versus mobile games. The most
popular types of online games are in the puzzle, board game, trivia or card game
category, at 34%. That’s followed by action, sports, strategy, and RP—role-playing
—games, with 26%. 
– Aren’t the figures the same for mobile devices?
– You would think so, but nowadays it seems that different games are played on
different devices. The percentage of puzzle, board, and card games—at 35%—is
similar to the online results I mentioned earlier. But on mobile devices, casual
and social games also make up 35% of games played (compared with just 19%
online), and action / role-play games are played by 13% of mobile gamers. It’s
important to note here that 36% of all gamers also use their smartphones to play,
and 25% use other wireless devices—and these numbers are sure to grow in the
future.
– You also asked people why they like certain games, didn’t you?
– Well, we asked their reasons for purchasing a game. The top four responses
we got were the quality of the graphics, an interesting story line, that it’s a sequel
to a favorite game, or word-of-mouth. Now, let’s look at how much people spend
on video games …

Unit 9. Handle problems in telephone and online meetings

1
– Jeff isn’t available.
– Jeff isn’t available.
 

©2018 Berlitz Languages, Inc. Audio Script | A-4

 – Is he busy?
– Is he busy?
 
– Can I have a copy?
– Can I have a copy?
2
– I met you last year.
– I met you last year.
 
– What did you ask me?
– What did you ask me?
3
– I’ll go over that later
– I’ll go over that later.
 
– We are finished now.
– We are finished now.
4
– Is everyone here?
– Is everyone here?
5
– Who are we waiting for?
– Who are we waiting for?
6
– Could you hold on a moment?
– Could you hold on a moment?
7
– I sent you the file in the morning.
– I sent you the file in the morning.
8
– Just ask if you have a question.
– Just ask if you have a question.

Unit 10. Review

1
– Look at this! You can buy a two-bedroom house in Smallville for what it costs
to buy a tiny apartment here in the city.
– Well, yeah. But Smallville is way out in the countryside. It would take hours to
get to work every day.
2
– So, what do you think of the new Tru-Tone phone?
– To be honest, I liked the old one a whole lot better.
3
– It says here that people last year ate out an average of ten times a month. The
year before, they ate out just five times a month.
– Really? How come?

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 – Well, some people say it’s because they have less time, others say they want
to spend that time with friends.
4
– So, how do we compare to the competition?
– Not bad. Our prices and market share are very similar, but our quality is
definitely better.
5
– How did George do last month?
– He made 125 sales.
– That’s not bad. And Karen?
– Her sales were good, too. She made 120 sales last month.
– Excellent Next month she may even beat George!

Unit 11. Interrupt to ask a question or make a comment

1
– Hello, everyone. This is Carla Ramirez from headquarters. I think we’re all here
now. Since we don’t all know each other, I’d like you to say a few words about
yourselves: who you are, what branch you work in, your position. So, Harry, would
you like to start?
– Yes, hello. I’m Harry Nordstrom …
– Excuse me, but I can’t hear you.
– Yes, sorry, let me start over. I’m Harry Nordstrom, the assistant manager at the
Greenwich branch.
– Thank you, Harry. Becca?
– Hello, everyone. Becca Hardy here. I’m the senior account manager in
Sunderland.
– Matt?
– Hello, everybody. Nice to meet you. My name is Matt Clark. I’ve just taken over
the branch manager position in Springfield.
– Michael?
– Good day, everyone. I’m Michael Longwood. I’m the customer service manager
in Overland.
– And lastly, Jennifer?
– Hello, everyone. I think I’ve met all of you. I’m Jennifer Benson, the HR training
specialist at headquarters.
– Great, thank you. Before we get started, I’d like to remind you please to mute
your phone or microphone when you are not speaking, and if you have a question
or comment, please wait until the speaker has finished before jumping in. And
one more thing, if you can, do say your name when you speak—that way we all
know who it is we’re listening to. Now, as you can see from the agenda I sent, I’ve
asked you all to share how the new automated tracking system is working at
your branches. We’ll begin by …

Unit 12. Make apologies and excuses

1
I really made a fool of myself last month. I was one of several people scheduled
to participate in a conference call. I was slated to present some information to
the group about halfway through the call. I forgot all about the meeting. I heard

©2018 Berlitz Languages, Inc. Audio Script | A-6

 afterwards that Edward, who was leading the call, asked, “Has Rebecca joined us
yet?” every ten minutes or so. Edward called me later that day. He was not
happy.
2
I once missed a conference call with one of our partners in New York. I had
received a reminder and had even put a note on my monitor so I wouldn’t forget.
What I didn’t know was that their clocks had changed the weekend before—and
ours hadn’t. I ended up calling in an hour late! Was it my fault? I don’t think so. In
any case, we were able to reschedule the call. Since then, though, I always
double-check that I have the time right!
3
I was actually late for my own conference call once. Just before the call, one of
the younger members of my staff came in extremely upset because of some
incident between her and another staff member. What could I do? Tell her to go
away and come back later? I don’t think so. Instead, I asked my assistant to take
over for me and to give my apologies to everyone on the call. I joined the call
later—and discovered what a terrific facilitator my assistant is!

Unit 13. Describe working conditions

1
– Good morning and welcome once again to World of Work. I’m your host,
Jeffrey Knowles. Joining us today to talk about the importance of color in the
office is the owner of Office Interiors, Lena Andrews. Lena, welcome to the
program.
– Thank you for inviting me, Jeffrey. I’m glad to be here.
– For many of us, the office is our home away from home. And because we
spend so much time there, it is important for the office, like a home, to be a place
where we can feel comfortable and relaxed. Numerous studies have shown that
such an atmosphere encourages employees to perform more efficiently and
productively. It’s surprising to note how important a simple detail like the color
scheme of an office can be, isn’t it?
– Yes, it is. And according to psychologists, colors can have a major influence on
our behavior.
– Meaning different colors affect us in different ways?
– That’s right. For instance, subtle shades of pink and rose usually have a
calming effect. Cool or pale colors are ideal for office walls because they
encourage feelings of confidence and well-being.
– And I suppose warm colors wake us up?
– Precisely. Vibrant reds and yellows encourage both physical and mental
activity. Brightly colored items—such as lamps, wall hangings, or pencil holders
—catch our attention and produce a surge of energy. Particular attention should
be paid to the color of the carpeting, which, in addition to providing visual
softness, also helps to reduce the noise level.
– Is adding a bit of color all it takes? What else can be done to improve the
working environment?
– Well, research shows, for example, that small, dull, gray offices with metal
furniture tend to feel cold and impersonal. People become bored, tired, and
irritable in such an atmosphere. Large, attractive rooms furnished with

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 comfortable chairs and personal belongings, on the other hand, encourage
feelings of pleasure, ambition, and a desire to be an effective member of the
workforce.
– What advice would you give to businesses considering redecorating or moving
their office?
– I’d tell them to remember that a comfortable workspace is an important part of
any business. When people are happy at work, they do a much better job. And
the rewards of a thoughtfully decorated office can be more than just cosmetic.
– Thank you for joining us, Lena. Up next on World of Work is Professor John
Peterson who …

Unit 14. Talk about job satisfaction

1
My wife and I have three young children, and I don’t want to miss seeing them
grow up. So, for me, work-life balance is critical. Without that, I’m sure I’d feel too
tired at the end of the day to spend any quality time with my kids—and I’m sure
they’d be disappointed.
2
I love my job—there’s always something new: new people to talk to, new events
to write about. The variety is what keeps me excited about my work. If I had to do
the same thing every day, I’m sure I’d become bored and disinterested very
quickly.
3
For me, the bottom line is the salary. You can have the most enjoyable and
interesting job in the world, but if the compensation is too low, then you will feel
dissatisfied and start looking elsewhere for a better-paying position. I know I
would.

Unit 15. Describe job perks and benefits

1
– What benefits do you offer your employees?
– Well, of course, we provide all the benefits required by law, and all employees
are eligible for our retirement plan. In addition, we have a health plan, with all the
costs paid for by the company, and we offer optional life insurance, with the
costs shared by the company and the employee.
– So far, that sounds like a standard benefits package. Do you provide fringe
benefits, as well?
– Well, yes. To address some of our employees’ work-life balance issues, we
subsidize the costs related to day care and after-school care for younger
children. And because we know family life can be unpredictable, we also offer
flexible work and leave schedules.
– Having such a young staff, I’m sure that’s popular. But what about
performance-linked perks?
– Well, we don’t offer bonuses or commissions, if that’s what you’re referring to.
What we do have, instead, is a profit-sharing plan where we distribute a part of
the profits to employees each year. And we offer a stock-purchase program,
giving employees the opportunity to buy shares of the company’s stock at a
lower price. I think these motivate employees not only to do their own jobs well,

©2018 Berlitz Languages, Inc. Audio Script | A-8

 but also to work together so the whole company does well. And if the whole
company is performing well, then everybody benefits.

Unit 17. State concerns and discuss causes of production problems

1
Maintenance.
Our biggest problem is that we’re working with 20-year-old machines that are
constantly breaking down, hard to repair, and dangerous. Sometimes we’re faced
with a couple of breakdowns at the same time, and we don’t have enough people
to take care of all the repairs. By the time we get one problem solved, something
else goes wrong. We spend so much time on repairs, we don’t have time for
routine maintenance. We’re understaffed and overworked—it’s a nightmare.
2
Loading dock.
I worry about safety. One man was seriously injured here in the loading area just
last week because of faulty equipment—he’ll be out for at least a month. The
maintenance guys never do any preventive maintenance work—they just fix
things after they’ve broken down. The procedures and safety regulations just
don’t cover the situations we get into. We’re being asked to do the impossible.
3
Assembly line.
We know the plant’s falling short of its quota, and we’re as unhappy about that
as anybody. But what can we do? If the equipment’s not working, neither are we.
… It’s really frustrating! But we don’t dare complain. Our supervisor told us if we
complained, we’d be replaced by robots. We’re in a difficult position—we can’t
afford to lose our jobs.

Unit 20. Review

1
– How do you get to work, Steve?
– Well, I only live a couple of blocks from the office, so I walk to work.
2
– What do you think has helped improve job satisfaction the most at your
company?
– Oh, that’s easy. Letting people work from home has made a huge difference.
3
– Any ideas on how we can attract more highly-qualified job candidates?
– Well, I think we should look at our benefits package. It’s pretty standard at the
moment.
4
– How did you get along with the new system? Did you have any problems?
– Since I was unfamiliar with it, there were a couple of issues. I just asked a
colleague of mine for help.

Unit 21. Present ideas for promoting safety at work

1
Andrew

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 This happened some years ago when I was helping out at a woodworking shop.
We were moving one of the worktables, … the thing must have weighed several
hundred kilos. To this day, I don’t know exactly what happened, but somehow the
table slipped and fell—right onto my hand! A couple of my fingers were crushed—
the bones weren’t broken, but my fingertips were flattened a bit. My fingers were
in bandages for weeks and were bruised for months. I’m lucky it wasn’t more
serious than that.
2
Brenda
This incident didn’t happen to me, but to a colleague. … And it was fairly bizarre.
We were standing around the photocopier talking. My colleague, Janice, likes to
move her hands about when she talks. Unfortunately, on this particular occasion,
she was holding a piece of paper and while she was talking, she managed to cut
her eye with it. We rushed her to the company doctor. There was no serious
damage, thank goodness. She was fine within a couple of days.
3
Sharon
I was working on a big project a while ago, which kept me at my computer for ten
to twelve hours a day. Everything seemed fine until one night I woke up and
literally could not move because of an excruciating pain and cramps in my back.
In the morning, I immediately went to see my doctor. He told me the problem
was a repetitive stress disorder, caused by too many hours of typing and using
the mouse. He ordered me to lie flat on my back for a week. I learned the hard
way the importance of taking regular breaks and not overdoing things.

Unit 22. Describe reactions to stress

1
– So, Mr Wilson, what brings you in today?
– Actually, I’ve been meaning to see you for a couple of weeks now, but I just
haven’t found the time—work, you know. But this morning, my heart was
pounding so hard and so fast, I thought I’d better come in.
– Yes, your pulse does seem a bit elevated. Let’s check your blood pressure, OK?
Hmm … your blood pressure is a bit on the high side, too. What were you doing
when this happened?
– Nothing. I was just thinking about the project I’m working on at the moment.
I’ve got a big deadline coming up—it’s all I think about these days.
– Are you working longer hours because of that?
– That’s all I do now—work, work, work.
– And what are you doing to relax?
– Relax? I don’t have time to relax! If I don’t finish this project on time, I might as
well start looking for a new job!
– I see. Do you have any other symptoms or complaints?
– I’m not sleeping too well. I keep waking up in the middle of the night. And
because of that, I feel tired all the time, and that makes it difficult to concentrate.
– And how long has this been going on?
– For about four or five weeks.

©2018 Berlitz Languages, Inc. Audio Script | A-10

 – Mr Wilson, it sounds like you had a panic attack this morning. This and your
other symptoms are most likely due to the stress you are experiencing at work.
Your body is telling you that you need to slow down, to relax.
– But like I said, I don’t have time. My deadline …
– Mr Wilson, I suggest you make time. Or find a way to share some of your
workload. If you don’t, you may end up in hospital. Here is a booklet on work-
related stress I’d like you to read …

Unit 24. Describe management styles

1
Yoshio
I can’t say enough about my supervisor. She’s excellent. She knows how to bring
out the best in people. She worked her way up to her current position in our
department from staff level. That makes a big difference—she knows our jobs
inside and out. The work isn’t always easy. There are plenty of stressful
moments. But when things get really difficult, she rolls up her sleeves and
pitches in with us. We know that we can go to her anytime we have a question or
problem. She’s supportive and knows how to motivate us. The bottom line is that
she’s committed to her team, and we all know it.
2
Shirley
A few years ago, I had a manager who—how can I say this?—who left a lot to be
desired. He was rather disorganized, and he wasn’t very reliable. Half the time, he
didn’t even answer my email. When I would ask him a question, he was evasive—
I almost never got an answer out of him. It was stressful at times because all of
us in the department needed guidance in our work and we weren’t getting it. We
sometimes wondered if he knew what he was doing. It sure didn’t seem like it.
3
Simon
My current manager is a bit of a tyrant. She makes all the important decisions
herself. She would never dream of asking us for input. It’s a shame because
some of us have ideas, and we’d love to share them. The fact that our opinions
mean nothing has gradually eroded the morale of our entire group. How would
you feel in our shoes? She doesn’t trust us, she doesn’t support us, and she
doesn’t respect us. It’s not a great situation.
4
Helga
I once had a manager who was too friendly with us. She acted as though she
was our buddy. She also had a hard time directing us in our work. That was a
problem. Some people took advantage of her management style and didn’t really
do their jobs, but she never said anything to them. That made us feel that it
didn’t matter if we were doing our job or not. We also discovered that when it
came to discussions with upper management, she suddenly wasn’t our buddy
anymore. She never stood up for us. When we found that out, some of us left the
company. It shows that one person can make a big difference, either in a positive
way or in a negative way.

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 Unit 25. Describe ambitions and aspirations
1
Kevin
– What are your ambitions for the future, Kevin?
– I’d like to become a partner in the firm. But that probably won’t happen for
another few years, at least.
– And if that doesn’t happen? I mean, I’ve heard that it’s pretty tough to get a
partner position.
– Well, I figure if I’m not made partner by the time I’m 40, I’ll set up my own
practice. I have a couple of acquaintances who might be interested in joining me.
And you?
– I don’t have any real plans other than to continue …
2
Nadia
– Nadia, how long have you been in nursing?
– For just over ten years.
– Have you ever thought about becoming a nurse practitioner?
– Eventually, yes.
– What’s holding you back?
– Well, I’ve talked this over with my husband, and he supports me 100%. But I’ve
decided to wait a couple more years until the kids are a little older.
– It’s a smart career move, considering the shortage in doctors they’re
predicting.
– I know. But for now, I’ll go on trying to provide my patients with the best
nursing care available.
3
Jim
– How far do you run every day, Jim?
– At least ten miles. And once a week I do a 20- mile run.
– Twenty miles! You’re crazy!
– Not crazy—I’ve got a goal. I’m going to win the Philadelphia Marathon this
year.
– That sounds ambitious! Have you run it before?
– Several times. Last year, I came in fourth for my age category.
– Well, I must say I admire you. Good luck!
– Thanks.

Unit 26. React to ideas, comments, and suggestions

1
– What do you think makes a good team player?
– By definition, a team is a group of people working together toward a common
goal. And team members have different tasks that will help the team meet that
goal. Therefore, team players must be reliable. Everyone must be able to count
on the other members to do their fair share of the work and to get that work done
on time. Almost nothing will hurt a team faster than the feeling that someone
isn’t pulling his or her weight.
– I think we’ve all been in that kind of situation before. It’s dreadful.

©2018 Berlitz Languages, Inc. Audio Script | A-12

 – It sure is. Good team players also participate actively. They take the initiative,
volunteer—they don’t sit around waiting to be assigned something to do. They
are willing to share their ideas, knowledge, and experience with others.
– So, someone who believes information is power might not make the best team
player?
– Well, that type of person is usually more interested in his own agenda than
that of the team. And this brings me to the next quality of effective team players.
They need to have good communication skills, during both formal and informal
discussions with other team members. They need to be able to express their
thoughts and opinions clearly, honestly, and in a positive way. But not only that,
they also know how to listen, and I mean actively listen, to others’ ideas. They
can take what they’ve heard and use it to engage in a useful discussion, not a
debate or an argument.
– And what about personality types?
– Teams can be made up of all kinds of people, and this variety can lead to
better, more balanced discussions. But what is important is that each person is
respectful of others on the team, independent of differences in personality.
Without that, there may be arguments or worse, a complete breakdown in team
communication.
– Any last thoughts before we move on to our next topic?
– Yes, one. When working on any team project, changes in the scope or direction
of the project happen. So flexibility is a key quality. Good team players don’t get
stuck on an idea and try to defend it to the death; they adapt to change and then
move forward.

Unit 27. Delegate tasks

1
– Nell, can I have a quick word?
– Sure, Ed. What’s up?
– What’s your workload like next week? Do you have any trainings going on?
– No, it’s a quiet week. Why do you ask?
– I need to talk about the interviews we have scheduled for Monday and
Tuesday. I was planning to conduct them myself, but, unfortunately, I’ve got to
go to Greenville. Do you think you could handle them for me?
– Sure, no problem. These are first interviews, right?
– That’s right. I’d like you to write up your impressions and recommendations for
each candidate and email them to me on Wednesday. We’ll discuss them when I
get back on Friday.
– And if they ask when they will hear back from us?
– Just tell them we’ll get back to them by the 15th. Please don’t make any
promises to any of them until we’ve had a chance to talk.
– All right. Can you send me their résumés?
– Of course. I’ll also give you the schedule. Room 10 has been reserved for both
days.
– Fine. Is there anything else I should know?
– That’s it. If you need anything else, just ask. And thanks for your help.
– Not at all.

A-13 | Audio Script ©2018 Berlitz Languages, Inc.

 Unit 28. Discuss travel arrangements
1
Thomas
I make all my own travel arrangements, whether for business or pleasure. I
always book online using one of the more popular travel sites. The prices I get
are almost always lower than those I could get through a travel agent or through
the airline. I like being able to compare prices. Sure, it takes a bit of time, but if
you want the best deal, it’s the only way to go, really.
2
Elena
I go through a travel agent. I tried doing it myself online once, but it was just too
time-consuming for me to compare different offers for different airlines on
different sites. There are simply too many variables. I remember being on one
site that listed over 20 pages of flights for one trip, including absurd things like
going through Paris with a 20-hour layover. Never again. It’s more convenient
and a better use of my time to just walk into an agency, tell them where I want to
go and when, and then let them tell me what my options are.
3
Jeffrey
How do I make travel arrangements? It depends. If I’m going on a business trip,
then the company arranges my travel for me. We have a contract with a travel
agency, and they give us a corporate rate. If I’m traveling for pleasure, then I
usually book online. I like to travel by train, and the rail company has a great
website. If I’m flying, I tend to book directly through the airline. I prefer booking
directly because if there’s a problem, I know who to turn to.

Unit 29. Comment on service delivery

1
1. The room’s being cleaned.
2. Your bag’s been inspected.
3. The flight’s been cancelled.
4. My passport’s being checked.
5. John’s being picked up at the airport.
6. Selena’s been upgraded to business class.
7. The plane’s being held on the runway.
8. The meal’s been served.

Unit 30. Review

1
– We’re conducting a survey on travel preferences. Would you mind answering a
few questions?
– Not at all.
– Great, thank you. So, the first question is: When traveling, do you prefer to
leave early or late?
– I prefer leaving as early as possible.
– And where would you prefer to stay: in a hotel, a motel, or a B&B?
– I would rather stay at a B&B.

©2018 Berlitz Languages, Inc. Audio Script | A-14

 – And do you prefer flying to taking a train?
– Yes, I do.
– And my last question: Where do you prefer to sit on the plane, next to the
window or the aisle?
– Nowadays, I prefer window seats.
– Thank you very much for your time.
– My pleasure.

Unit 32. Discuss how to build customer loyalty

1
Frank
I just love A&M Motors. I’ve bought my last four cars from them. Not only do they
give me a competitive price, but they contact me personally when I’m due for
service, and they always give me a courtesy car when I take my car in for service.
Last time, they even fixed a small scratch on one of the doors—at no extra
charge!
2
James
My favorite dealer is Adamsville Motor Collection. I received a $500 voucher
online, which I could use toward any new or used car. They also offered me a
20% discount on a two-year service plan. I ended up buying a new sedan that
was on sale because they were making room for the new models.
3
Grace
Have you been to the new EcoCar dealer in Middleburg? They have the latest
two-person green cars that are all over television and the Internet. I just bought
one last week, and my friend, Elaine, is looking at them too. It has the best
mileage available and all the latest safety features.
4
Lisa
I’ve been going to the same dealer that my family has used for years. It’s about a
mile from my home. They sell new and used cars and have a full-service repair
facility that is open from Monday through Saturday. They’re convenient, and they
appreciate my business.

Unit 33. Talk about what annoys or frustrates you

1
What I really hate is when people don’t let me know they have received
something I sent them. Last week, for example, I was asked to put together a
report on recent changes in customs regulations by Friday. I worked like a dog to
meet that deadline, but I did it. After I submitted it, I didn’t hear anything back.
Nothing! Finally, I called the person who had requested the report to ask whether
he’d received it. What did he say? “Oh, yes. Thank you. I’ll take a look at it later
this week.” So, not only had he not bothered to send me a quick, “Thanks, got it,”
but also apparently, the deadline itself wasn’t that urgent. I was furious.
2
What I find annoying is when people send email using a distribution list, even if
the message isn’t relevant to everyone on the list. I get hundreds of emails a day
A-15 | Audio Script ©2018 Berlitz Languages, Inc.
 already. I don’t need to waste my time opening and looking at stuff that has
nothing to do with me. The same goes for using “Reply All.” If you want to
respond to the sender of the message, just reply to him or her—unless your
comments are relevant to the whole group.
3
What really frustrates me is when I get emails about issues that need immediate
attention. I check my mail three times a day: when I start in the morning, then
again around midday, and once more about a half hour before I leave the office.
It’s possible I will not see your email for four or five hours. If you have an urgent
problem, for goodness’ sake, call me, text me, or send me an instant message, so
I at least know your email is there. Otherwise, don’t be surprised if you don’t get a
response right away.

Unit 37. Assess (your) performance

1
John
– So, Linda, tell me about your assessments so far. Let’s start with John. He’s
been with us for six months, right?
– That’s right, Steve. In general, John does excellent work.
– I remember his interview. He was very impressive.
– Yes, well. His attendance, I’m afraid, is a matter for concern.
– Hmm?
– In the past two months, he’s missed ten days of work. And although he does
call in, these absences have created problems for his team. They say they can’t
rely on him, they never know if he’s going to be in. Because of that, they only
assign him non-critical tasks.
– Which is not why we hired him.
– No, and I think he’s capable of a lot more.
– Do we know why he’s been absent?
– Not really. He just says it’s “a family matter.”
– Why don’t you ask him what the problem is? If we know that, maybe we can
find a way to solve it.
2
Dana
– Right, then. What about Dana?
– Dana is a real pleasure to work with. She knows her job inside and out and
consistently produces outstanding work.
– Yes, I’ve worked with Dana before. That’s pretty much what I’d expect from her.
– She’s also been taking on extra tasks, and she frequently volunteers to assist
newer colleagues. I think she’s a valuable asset to the company.
– Do you think she’s ready to move into management?
– I think she’d be thrilled.
– OK, then. Maybe you should consider working on a career development plan
with her.
3
Colleen
– How is your new assistant working out? Colleen, right?
– Oh, Colleen.

©2018 Berlitz Languages, Inc. Audio Script | A-16

 – That bad?
– Oh, no, absolutely not. Colleen is passionate about her job and has extremely
high standards for herself. She’s incredibly organized; the department has never
run so efficiently.
– That’s excellent.
– Yes, but Colleen expects everyone to meet her standards. If they don’t, she can
be hypercritical. What’s more, she has criticized people in front of others on more
than one occasion. She doesn’t take the time to think before reacting. This has
upset several people in the department.
– I can imagine. Do you think the promotion was a mistake?
– No. This is the first supervisory position Colleen’s had. Perhaps we just need to
find a way to help her improve her interpersonal skills.

Unit 38. Give an employee a warning

1
Jane
– Jane, I need to talk to you about your attendance. Do you realize that you have
been more than half an hour late for work five times in the last two weeks?
– I know, Kathy, but I did have a reason every time.
– That’s not the point, Jane. As a customer-service rep, it is important for you to
be on time. When you arrive late for your shift, we are forced to ask someone
else to cover for you. This is an inconvenience for your coworkers and shows a
complete lack of respect for their schedules. And if we can’t find someone to
cover for you, then customers end up having to wait longer for a representative
to become available. How do you think that makes them feel about the
company?
– Not too good, I suppose.
– Certainly not. Now, Jane, I want you to accept this as a verbal warning. If you
are late again, I will be forced to issue you a written warning, which could lead to
your termination. Do you understand what I’m saying?
– Yes, ma’am.
2
Richard
– Richard, can I have a word with you?
– Sure, Sally. Is there a problem?
– Richard, it has come to my attention that you shared some confidential
information about an employee with other staff members. Do you know what I
am referring to?
– I think so.
– This kind of behavior undermines your relationship with your team. How do
you expect them to do their jobs well if they don’t trust you?
– I’m sorry, Sally. It was something that just slipped out.
– I’m afraid that’s just not good enough, Richard. As a manager, you must realize
that this is a serious breach of company policy.
– It won’t happen again, I assure you.
– It had better not. But because of the seriousness of this incident, I will have to
issue a written warning, which will be placed in your personnel file.
– I understand. It was my fault. And as I said, it won’t happen again.

A-17 | Audio Script ©2018 Berlitz Languages, Inc.

 3
Cindy and Tom
– Cindy, Tom. Thanks for coming to see me. I’m afraid I need to talk to you about
a somewhat delicate matter.
– Is it about us?
– Yes, Cindy. About you two. There have been some comments made about your
behavior. Now, I realize you two are very fond of each other, but certain behavior
is just not appropriate in the pharmacy.
– You’re not talking about our public displays of affection, are you?
– Well, yes, Tom. It makes some staff members feel uncomfortable. I gather it’s
still early days in your relationship?
– We’ve been dating for a couple of weeks.
– And that’s fine. There’s no policy against employees seeing each other.
Outside of work, you can do whatever you want, but in the pharmacy, we need to
keep things professional. Do you think you can do that?
– We’ll certainly try.
– Thank you. I hope this is the last I will need to speak on this matter.
4
– Did you hear the news? Allen was canned this morning.
– What?
– You know—axed, sacked, let go.
– You mean he lost his job?
– That’s it! Given the pink slip, made redundant, told his services were no longer
required.
– Got it. Understood. Message received.

Unit 39. Give praise and compliments

1
– Welcome back to The HR Update. I’m your host, Gary Wheeler, and in today’s
broadcast, we’ll be talking about rewards and recognition in the workplace.
Joining us is human-resource management consultant, Josh Littman. Josh, I’m a
bit confused. What exactly is the difference between a reward and recognition?
– Your confusion is understandable, Gary. Very often organizations use these
two terms together when, in fact, there are some very clear differences. First, let
me ask you a question: What do you think of when you hear the word reward?
– Personally, I think of money.
– And, in fact, many rewards are monetary in nature—bonuses, gift certificates,
profit-sharing plans.
– But there are nonmonetary rewards, as well, such as trips, gifts, and paid time
off.
– Of course. But notice, even the examples you mentioned could be given a
dollar value. And here we already see a couple of differences between rewards
and recognition. Rewards are tangible and consumable—once you’ve spent the
cash, gone on the trip, used your time off, the reward itself is gone. Recognition
is intangible and lasting—the feelings you get from recognition cannot be used
up. That’s yours forever.
– So, certificates and trophies are forms of recognition, not rewards.

©2018 Berlitz Languages, Inc. Audio Script | A-18

 – They are physical representations of recognition, although rewards may be
tied to them.
– OK, so in what other ways do the two differ?
– Rewards are a transaction: If you do x, you will get y.
– As we see in sales—if you exceed your quota, you will get a bonus.
– Exactly. And if we meet the criteria, we expect to receive our reward.
Recognition doesn’t work like that. You rarely hear someone say, “If you do x, y,
and z, you will be named employee of the month.” Recognition—especially
formal recognition—tends to come as a surprise.
– So, a simple “well done” could give someone the recognition they need.
– Verbal praise is one of the most common forms of recognition.
– Is there a difference between what we give rewards for and what we give
recognition for?
– Yes. It’s important to bear in mind that rewards are output-driven and tied to
performance. Recognition, on the other hand, is behavior-focused. It’s used to
reinforce positive behaviors in everyone—not just top performers.

Unit 40. Review

1
– Hi, Liz. This is Tony. When are you going to send me that information I
requested?
– Oh, sorry Tony. I forgot. I’ll send it to you later today.
2
– Have you ever been to Greenville, Mr. Hall?
– Yes, I have. In fact, I was there last year.
3
– Willis, have you spoken to the people at LCS yet?
– No, not yet. I have an appointment to see them tomorrow.
4
– Hello, Nancy! When did you get back from Rome?
– The day before yesterday, but I took a day off before coming back to work.
5
In general, the quality of my work is outstanding, and my organizational and
planning skills are quite good. If there’s one thing I excel at, it’s compiling and
analyzing information. I consider myself to be a fairly quick learner—it only took
me a matter of hours to become comfortable with the new reporting system we
implemented last month. One area I would like to work on is my communication
skills. I can get rather impatient with people if things aren’t going as quickly as
I’d like–and I tend to show this. For the most part, though, I get along pretty well
with everyone.

A-19 | Audio Script ©2018 Berlitz Languages, Inc.