Real Talking at Wotk- ABE Volume 1 . Program 1

Are you ready? Remember: You have to start the conversation.

In this first programs, we're going to concentrate on some basic language functions:

In Case Study 1, we will meet some members of the Olympic Hotel's management team.

"Hello, my name's Irene Aroner. I'm the Hotel Concierge at the Four Seasons Olympic Hotel in Seattle."

"There are so many ways... You have to be really attuned to the economy - locally, as well as nationally."

"Well, there are always some little things that happen along the way - wedding cakes that come close to falling over, people slipping and dropping food on guests - and they're all things that you have to handle as they come along."

"well, I've got a client coming in about an hour, and I need to show them some guest rooms..."

First Listen to the whole conversation. Then practice it talking to Irene.

In may of 1982, the Olympic Hotel was completely renovated. The cost of renovation was 55 million dollars.

Let’s interrupt the program at this point for a few minutes and talk directly with Irene Aroner, the Concierge. We’ll take turns. I’ll talk with her first, then you can interview her yourself.

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HOST: Excuse me. Hello.
IRENE: Hello.
HOST: Could you tell me what your job is here at the hotel?
IRENE: I’m the Head Concierge at the Four Seasons Olympic Hotel in Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.
HOST: This is a very beautiful hotel.
IRENE: Thank you.
HOST: What do you call this style of architecture?
IRENE: This is Italian-Renaissance-style architecture. The building was originally constructed in 1924, and in 1981 underwent an enormous renovation.
HOST: What kind of wood is this?
IRENE: It’s English oak.
HOST: Tell me…. What does a concierge do?
IRENE: Well. We do anything you can possibly think of in the world.
HOST: Oh, really?
IRENE: Yes, just about.
HOST: Well, you must have some help with all that.
IRENE: Yes, I supervise approximately twenty individuals.
HOST: That’s quite a few.
IRENE: Well, that includes bell attendants as well as concierges who work at the desk in the lobby.
HOST: What do your assistants do?
IRENE: They carry guest’s luggage and they orientate guests to the hotel and explain all the hotel’s services and amenities to guests.
HOST: You must get a lot of phone calls from guests all the time.
IRENE: We spend a lot of time on the telephone, but we also have guests who come and visit us in person at the desk. We’ll sometimes spend up to an hour discussing Seattle with them

Listen as the host interview Irene. Follow the conversation.

Now it’s your turn. You do the interviewing. Unfortunately, Miss Aroner is “canned,” not live in person, so she can’t wait for you speak. That means you can’t hesitate; you have to speak up right away. Are you ready? Remember - you have to start the conversation.

YOU: Excuse me…. Hello.
YOU: Could you tell me what your job is here at the hotel?
YOU: This is a very beautiful hotel.
YOU: What do you call this style of architecture?
YOU: What kind of wood is this?
YOU: Tell me…. What does a concierge do?
YOU: Oh, really?
YOU: Well, you must have some help with all that.
YOU: That’s quite a few.
YOU: What do your assistants do?
YOU: You must get a lot of phone calls from guests all the time.

The hotel Sales Manager talks to the desk clerk.

WISTAR: Hi, Julia
JULIA: Hi, Wistar.
WISTAR: How full are we running right now?
JULIA: We’re fine right now. We are going to to be fairly full tonight.

Now pretend you are Wistar. Speak to Julia. Use the following dialogue.

YOU: Hi, Julia
YOU: How full are we running right now?

HOST: How did you do? I hope you didn’t have too much trouble speaking at the right time. Well, let’s get on with the lesson now. We’re going to meet Wistar and Julia.

Two business men meet for an appointment.

Now pretend you are Dennis. Speak to Carl. Use the following dialogue.

CARL: *
You: Carl….
CARL: *
You: Nice to meet you.
CARL: *

CARL: Dennis….
DENNIS: Carl….
CARL: Carl Hicken. Nice to meet you.
DENNIS: Nice to meet you.
CARL: Come on upstairs.

Are you ready? Remember: Carl will start the conversation.

TOM: I would tell them to read as many business-oriented publications as I could find… because in there you will find English or American-English-style idioms - what do you call it? Slang? - and things that are related to specific industries. And it’s kind of like someone coming to the U.S. from a foreign country who speaks no English: watching television is probably one of the best ways to learn English, because you pick up all the natural flow of English rather than the grammatical-syntax type of structure.

HOST: I hope you enjoyed today’s lesson, and I hope you’ll join us next time for Program 2 in this series. Goodbye for now.

Are you ready? Remember: You have to start the conversation.

Now pretend you are Michael. Speak to Irene. Use the following dialogue.

What are your suggestions for students of English?

- Greeting and Introductions
- Listening and Questioning
- Making requests
- Solving problems

Greeting and Introductions. (1)

Greeting and Introductions. (2)

Greeting and Introductions. (3)

Greeting and Introductions. (4)

Greeting and Introductions

YOU: HI!
YOU: My name’s Michael Peterson. I’m a guest here in the hotel.
YOU: Thank you. I have some secretarial work that I need to have done.
YOU: And I would like a couple of Xerox copies of this if I could, please
YOU: Two would be fine.

The setting for these programs is the Four Seasons Olympic Hotel in Seattle, Washington.

Now, take over the role of Irene and talk directly to the Host. Remember, the Host will star the conversation.

----
IRENE: Hello.
IRENE: I’m the Head Concierge at the Four Seasons Olympic Hotel in Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.
YOU: Thank you.
YOU: This is Italian-Renaissance-style architecture. The building was originally constructed in 1924, and in 1981 underwent an enormous renovation.
YOU: It’s English oak.
YOU: Well. We do anything you can possibly think of in the world.
YOU: Yes, just about.
YOU: Yes, I supervise approximately twenty individuals.
YOU: Well, that includes bell attendants as well as concierges who work at the desk in the lobby.
YOU: They carry guest’s luggage and they orientate guests to the hotel and explain all the hotel’s services and amenities to guests.
YOU: We spend a lot of time on the telephone, but we also have guests who come and visit us in person at the desk. We’ll sometimes spend up to an hour discussing Seattle with them

Hello, welcome to American Business English, volume one basic communication. I'm your Host Russ Fast. And now in these first programs we're going to concentrate on some basic language functions. Greeting and Introductions (today's lesson), Listening and Questioning, Making Requests, Solving Problems and other important functions. The setting for these programs is the Olympic Hotel in Seattle, Washington. So, let's get started with today's lesson.