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Đây là chương trình Anh ngữ Sinh động New Dynamic English bài thứ 22. Phạm Văn xin kính chào quí vị thính giả.
Chủ đề của bài học hôm nay là phần CULTURE TIP-mách giúp về văn hóa. Trong phần này là phần SMALL TALK=nói chuyện xã-giao về những đề tài thân mật (như hỏi thăm về chuyến bay, thời-tiết) trước khi bàn chuyện chính. Vây, SMALL TALK= câu chuyện xã giao, mào đầu, qua loa, trước khi bàn chuyện chính.

IN BUSINESS PHONE CALLS, WE RARELY GO DIRECTLY TO THE MAIN TOPIC= trong khi nói chuyện bằng điện thoại về thương mại, chúng tôi hiếm khi nói thẳng ngay vào vấn đề chính.
RARELY (adv.)=hiếm khi, họa hoằn.
GIVE THE CONVERSATION A FRIENDLY START=bắt đầu câu chuyện bằng một chuyện vui hay thân mật.
COMFORTABLE=dễ chịu, thoải mái
BUILD PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS=gây thêm tình thân.
AVOID TALKING ABOUT VERY PERSONAL TOPICS=tránh bàn về những đầu-đề có tính cách rất riêng tư.
Hãy nghe ông Gary Engleton chỉ cho ta cách nói chuyện.
TOPIC=đầu đề, đề tài
COMMON=thông thường
IMMEDIATELY=lập tức, ngay.
PERSONAL=có tính cách riêng tư.
HOBBY, HOBBIES=thú tiêu khiển, khác công việc hàng ngày.

Xin mời quí vị nghe:

CUT 1

Larry: Culture tips.
Eliz: Hello again. We're here with Gary Engleton, our business language expert. Let's look at our e-mail question, Gary.
Gary: All right.
[Tiếng bàn máy điện tử]
Eliz: Well, today we have a very important e-mail question about business culture.
Gary: What is it?
Eliz: The question is: “In a business telephone call, should you immediately begin talking about business?”
Gary: That is a good question. Actually, in business phone calls, we rarely go directly to the main topic.
Eliz: Really?
Gary: Before talking about business, we usually talk about a friendly topic. Talking about friendly topics is called “small talk”.
Eliz: Can you give us an example?
Gary: Yes, when Mr. Epstein talks with Mr. Blake, he first asks Mr. Blake about his flight.
Eliz: Oh, I see.
Gary: It gives the conversation a friendly start.
Eliz: What are some good topics for small talk?
Gary: Common small talk topics are weather, hobbies, and travel. These topics are usually very comfortable.
Gary: But you should avoid talking about very personal topics.
Eliz: I see.
Gary: Small talk helps people in business build better personal relationships.
For example, if someone comes to town by airplane, you can ask,"How was your flight?”
If they say their flight was terrible, you can say,"That's too bad,” or “I'm sorry to hear that.”
And if their flight was good, you can say,"I'm glad to hear it.”
This shows that you're interested in personal feelings, and not just business.
Eliz: That's very interesting, Gary. Thank you again for your culture tips!
Gary: My pleasure!

Music

Vietnamese explanation

Sau đây là phần thực tập. Xin nghe một câu, rồi định xem câu đó có thuộc loại “small talk” (câu chuyện thân mật để khơi mào) bằng cách trả lời YES hay NO sau khi nghe tiếng chuông.

CUT 2

Language Focus: Small talk.
Larry: Is this a good topic for small talk? Yes, or No?
Eliz: Nice weather we're having, don't you think? (ding) (pause for answer)
Eliz: Yes. The weather is a comfortable topic for small talk. (short pause)
Eliz: Did your company make much money last year? (ding) (pause for answer)
Eliz: No. Money or business is not a good topic for small talk. (short pause)
Eliz: Is this your first time in San Francisco? (ding) (pause for answer)
Eliz: Yes. Travel is a good topic for small talk. (short pause)
Eliz: Do you have any children? (ding) (pause for answer)
Eliz: No. In the U.S. marriage and family are not good topics for small talk, when meeting someone for the first time.

Vietnamese explanation

Business Dialog: Making an Appointment.

Tiếp sau đây, quí vị nghe một mẩu đàm thoại về thương mại.
Henry Michaels thuộc hãng Stetson Industries xin gặp ông Bob Harmon, làm quản đốc sản xuất của một hãng kỹnghệ. Hãy nghe những câu Henry dùng để xin hẹn.

DELIVERY SCHEDULE=thời-biểu giao hàng.
I WAS WONDERING IF WE COULD GET TOGETHER SOMETIME THIS WEEK=Tôi muốn hỏi xem chúng ta có thể gặp vào một lúc nào đó trong tuần này không.
I'M FREE ON THURSDAY AFTERNOON=tôi rảnh lúc xế trưa hôm thứ năm.
DISCUSS=thảo luận, bàn về.
HOW DOES THAT SOUND?= Như vậy có tiện không?
FIRST PART OF THE WEEK=mấy ngày đầu tuần lễ.

CUT 3

Eliz: Let's listen to today's Business Dialog.
We'll hear a young businessman calling to make an appointment with the production manager of another company.
[Phone call=tiếng điện thoại reo]
Mr. Harmon: Bob Harmon.
Henry: Hello. Mr. Harmon. This is Henry Michaels...Of Stetson Industries.
Mr. Harmon: Oh, hello, Henry.
What can I do for you?
Henry: I was wondering if we could get together sometime this week. I'd like to discuss our delivery schedule.
Mr. Harmon: Well, let's see. I'm busy the first part of the week. But I'm free on Thursday afternoon. How does that sound?
Henry: That's good to me. What time?
Mr. Harmon: How about 3:00? At my office.
Henry: That's great.

Music

Vietnamese explanation

Trong phần kế tiếp, Focus on Functions, quí vị học cách hỏi lịch sự, lễ phép, nhã-nhặn (Polite suggestions). Thí dụ như câu:
I was wondering...if we could get together...sometime next week, thì câu này bắt đầu bằng “I was wondering... tôi tự hỏi... if we could get together..chúng ta có thể gặp nhau... sometime this week”...lúc nào đó trong tuần này.
Để ý đến chữ COULD... một lối nói lễ phép.
Thay vì hỏi thẳng,"Can we get together next week?” tuần tới chúng ta gặp nhau được không? muốn lễ-phép hơn, ta dùng “I was wondering if we could get together next week.”

Xin nghe đoạn kế tiếp.

CUT 4

Larry: Focus on Functions: Suggestions.
Eliz: Let's focus on Polite Suggestions. Polite suggestions are often long and use difficult language. Here is an example from Business Dialog.
Eliz: I was wondering...if we could get together...sometime this week.
Larry: Listen and repeat.
Eliz: I was wondering... (pause for repeat)
Eliz: if we could get together... (pause for repeat)
Eliz: sometime this week. (pause for repeat)
Eliz: I was wondering...if we could get together...sometime this week. (pause for repeat)
Eliz: I was wondering if we could get together sometime this week. (pause for repeat)
Eliz: I was wondering if we could get together sometime this week. (pause for repeat)

Music

Vietnamese explanation

Sau đây là phần Gary's Tips: Suggestions. I was hoping that...I was wondering if...
Phần này chú trọng đến vài cách đề nghị gặp lúc nào và nơi nào.
Muốn hỏi xem ngày và giờ và nơi hẹn có tiện không thì hỏi,"How does that sound?”

FORMAL=nghiêm trang, chính thức;
INFORMAL=thân mật.
POLITE=lịch sự, lễ phép, nhã nhặn.
Nghe câu:
I was hoping that we could perhaps arrange a meeting for tomorrow sometime. Trong câu đề nghị lịch sự này, quí vị để ý đến câu mở đầu, “I was hoping that..,” hay “I was wondering if...” Cũng để ý đến những chữ như “perhaps” (có thể), “sometime” (một lúc nào đó), như vậy, người nghe được tự do lựa chọn về đề nghị của ta.
Và khi nghe rồi, ta cũng phải đề nghị lúc và nơi hẹn rõ rệt bằng cách hỏi lại một câu như, “How about two-thirty tomorrow at your office?”=Thế thì gặp lúc hai giờ rưỡi chiều mai ở văn phòng của ông có được không?

CUT 5

UPBEAT MUSIC

Larry: Gary's Tips.
Eliz: Now it's time for Gary's tips with Gary Engleton!
Gary: Hello, Elizabeth.
Today we'll look at some more ways to suggest the time and place for a meeting. First let's review some expressions we discussed on our last show. One way to make a suggestion is to say,"How does that sound?” Let's listen.

Mr. Harmon: Well, let's see. I'm busy the first part of the week. But I'm free on Thursday afternoon.
How does that sound?

Gary: You can also use the expression “How about...”
Let's listen.

Henry: What time?
Mr. Harmon: How about 3:00? At my office.

Gary: A more formal and more polite way to make a suggestion is to use the expression,"I was wondering if...” Listen to the following example from the Business Dialog.

Henry: I was wondering if we could get together sometime this week.
Gary: This is a difficult sentence, but it is a very polite way to make a suggestion. In Mr. Blake's conversation with Mr. Epstein, he uses a similar expression-"I was hoping that....”

Let's listen.

Epstein: Say, when shall we get together?
Blake: Well, I was hoping that we could perhaps arrange a meeting for tomorrow sometime.
Gary: Let's hear that again, more slowly. I was hoping...that we could perhaps arrange a meeting... for tomorrow sometime.
This is a very polite suggestion.
We'll talk more about polite expressions on our next show.
Thanks for joining us today for Gary's Tips. We'll see you again next time.
Eliz: Thanks, Gary.

Music

Eliz: Well, our time is up. Tune in again next time for Functioning in Business. See you then!

Music

Vietnamese explanation

Quí-vị vừa học xong bài số 22 trong chương trình ANH NGỮ SINH ĐỘNG NEW DYNAMIC ENGLISH. Phạm Văn xin kính chào quí vị thính giả và xin hẹn gặp lại trong bài học kế tiếp