L12 U4 Business communication

Module 1 Facilitating an online meeting

1. Online meetings在线会议

这是一些在一个在线会议上你可能听见的单词和短语。注意mike是microphone的缩写形式。你也可能看见这个缩写形式mic，它的发音和mike一样。

• What's the time difference between here and Paris? 这和巴黎的时差是多少？
• There's a 15-hour time difference between Los Angeles and Shanghai.
  洛杉矶和上海之间有15个小时的时差。
• We had some problems with the connection in the meeting.
  我们在会议的线路连接上有些问题。
• We had a terrible connection in the meeting.
  我们有很糟糕的会议线路连接问题。
• Sorry, but I'm hearing an echo. Can you call back?
  对不起，我听见回声。你能打回来吗？
• Could you please mute your mike when you're not speaking?
  请你不说话的时候把麦克静音好吗？
• Excuse me, but I can hear someone typing.对不起，但是我听见有人在打字。
• Give me a minute while I adjust my headset.请给我一分钟调整我的耳机。

2. Opening an online meeting 打开一个在线会议

在你开始一个在线会议时，你可能需要弄清楚谁在参加。

• Good afternoon. Who's on your end? 下午好。你那边都有谁？
• Good morning, Karen. Who's in the room with you?
  早上好，卡伦。谁和你在房间里？
  你也可能要确认每个人都没有技术问题。
• Can everyone hear all right? 每个人都能听见吗?
• Can everyone see all right? 每个人都能看见吗?

然后你可以开始。

• OK, so let's get started. 好吧，让我们开始吧。
• We have three items on the agenda today. 今天我们的议程上有三个事情。
• Does anyone have anything they'd like to add to the agenda?
  有谁有事要加到议程上吗？

3. Conducting an online meeting 主持在线会议

一旦会议开始进行，你可以使用像这样的表达方式使会议继续：

• OK. So, point number one – the software project.
  好吧。那么，第一点—软件项目。
• Any other questions? 有别的问题吗？
• Let's move on to the second point on the agenda.
  让我们继续看议程上的第二点。

结束一个在线会议
用这样的表达方式来结束会议：

• Did anyone have anything else? 有人还有别的事要说吗？
• So, just to recap, we're looking for a new HR director.
  那么，总结一下，我们要一招个新的人事主管。
• I always enjoy speaking with you. 我总是喜欢和你说话。
• I'll be talking with you soon. 我会很快与你再聊。

Module 2 Writing an effective email

1. Emails

Reply, Reply All, subject line, bullet points,
Cc and Bcc, attachment, emoticon /ɪˈməʊtɪkɑːn/

2. Effective emails 写有效的邮件

这里有一些在正式的或与工作相关的电子邮件中可以使用的标准表达式:

• I am writing with regard to … 我写信是关于…
• I'm Cc-ing Tom on this, as he will be in the meeting.
  我抄送汤姆，因为他也要参加会议。
• Please find attached this month's report. 请查收附件中这个月的报告。
• I'm forwarding the email I received from the client.
  我转发我从客户那里收到的邮件。
• Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
  如果你有任何问题或者担心请尽管来联系我。
• Best regards, 此致，

3. Writing effective emails

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From:
kelly.bright@technoright.com
To: chris.bosno@technoright.com

Hey, Chris.
We just had a great training session at work on writing effective emails, and I thought I'd share some of it with you. You're always saying you need help.
First, make a list using bullet points, like this:

• Subject lines should be clear and concise.
• Be very careful choosing 'Reply' or 'Reply All.'
• Understand the difference between Cc and Bcc, and maybe mention in the email, 'I'm Cc-ing …'
• Check any attachments before you hit 'Send,' and a good expression to use is 'Please find attached …'
• Some other great expressions are 'I'm forwarding …' and 'Please don't hesitate to contact me.'
• Be polite. Avoid too much humor or sarcasm. This can easily be misunderstood.
• And remember, emoticons are only appropriate for informal emails. You love to use them, maybe too much!;-)
  Hope this helps!

Kelly

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Module 3 Communicating across cultures

1. Cross-cultural communication 跨文化交流

理解跨文化交流对于任何一个在多元化的群体或在不同的文化背景下工作的人来说是非常重要的。

• Cultural sensitivity is important any time you're operating in a different culture.
  任何时候当你在一个不同的文化中运营时文化敏感度是很重要的。
• Cultural sensitivity is important in business. 在商业中文化敏感度很重要。
• In some cultures, it's considered rude to maintain eye contact.
  在一些文化中，保持眼神交流被认为是粗鲁的。
• People from that culture tend to gesture a lot with their hands.
  那个文化中的人们往往用很多手势。
• They tend to gesture a lot with their hands. 他们往往用很多手势。
• My host told me that pointing with my finger was rather impolite.
  招待我的主人告诉我用我的手指指指点点是相当不礼貌的。
• She was completely comfortable with the silence, but I wasn't.
  她对沉默完全没有问题，但是我不行。
• Not everyone was comfortable with the silence. 不是每个人都能从容对待沉默。
• Indirect communication can be difficult to understand. 间接沟通可能很难理解。
• Indirect communication can be hard to understand. 间接沟通可能很难理解。

2. Cultural tendencies 解释文化倾向

当谈论一个民族或者文化时，你可以使用像这样的短语使你所说的话不太直接。

• We tend to avoid conflict in my culture. 在我的文化中我们往往避免冲突。
• We have a tendency to think first and talk later. 我们有先想后说的倾向。
• People here have a way of speaking with their hands.
  这里的人们有一种用手说话的方式。
• Some people are apt to be offended by that. 那容易冒犯一些人。

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Alice's Blog
I work for a global company.
I've been lucky enough to travel around the world and do business with many different people in many different countries.
What I've learned is that understanding cross-cultural differences is critical for successful communication.

For example, people from my culture are apt to maintain eye contact in a conversation.

• In some countries I've visited, however, maintaining eye contact can be considered rather rude or even aggressive.
• I also have a way of gesturing a lot – you know, like moving my hands and pointing.
• In one country, I learned that pointing with a finger is somewhat impolite.
• Oh, yeah – and I have a tendency to talk a lot and be quite direct.
• I also tend to be a little uncomfortable with silence.
  There are a lot of countries where just the opposite is true.

I guess my point is that it's important to be sensitive to the culture you're working in.
You don't have to be perfect, but a little understanding goes a long way!

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Module 4 Negotiating a purchase

1. Negotiating vocabulary 谈判词汇

这是一些当你谈判产品价格时使用的单词和短语。

• This ergonomic desk is top of the line.
  这个符合人体工学原理的桌子是同类产品中的极品。
• This model normally retails for $799. 这一款通常零售价为799美元。
• A bulk discount applies to orders of 100 units or more.
  100台或以上的订单享受批发价。
• There's a bulk discount on one hundred units. 一百件有批发价。
• Just so you know, we are talking with other vendors.
  只想让你知道，我们在和其他厂商谈。
• That price would leave me with a razor-thin margin.
  这个价格会让我们的利润微薄。

2. Negotiating 用作谈判的表达方式

谈判的一个重要部分是能够礼貌地拒绝一个出价，然后给出一个合理的还价。

• So, you're saying $285 per unit? 那么，你是说一件285美元吗？
• I'm sorry, but that's just too high. 对不起，但是那太高了。
• Perhaps you'd consider another model. 你也许可以考虑另外一款。
• Thanks, but I think we'll talk with other vendors.
  谢谢，但是我想我们会和其他厂商谈谈。
• What's your best price? We have other vendors.
  你最好的价格是什么？我们还有其他的厂商。
• Thanks, but no. What would you say to 200? 谢谢，但是不行。200怎么样？
• You've got to help me out here. 你一定要帮我哦。
• The best I can do is $225. 最多225美元。
• Is that your final offer? 那是你的最后出价吗？
• I'm afraid it is. I just can't go any lower. 恐怕是的。我们不能再低了。
• In that case, I think we have a deal. 那样的话，我想我们成交了。