【B2-Listening】01 A business interview-商务面试

【B2-Listening】01 A business interview-商务面试

Listen to the business interview to practise and improve your listening skills.
聆听商业采访来练习和提高您的听力技巧。

Do the preparation task first. Then listen to the audio and do the exercises.
先做好准备工作。然后听音频并做练习。

A business interview – preparation

Match the words with the definitions.

• Question

Vocabulary
1.a remote area
2.pre-approved
3.the founder
4.a predicament
5.numerous
6.obvious

Definition
a. someone who starts a business
b. many
c. already officially recognised and accepted
d. far away from towns or other populated places
e. a difficult or challenging situation
f. easy to understand or notice

• Answer

1. someone who starts a business the founder
2. many numerous
3. already officially recognised and accepted pre-approved
4. far away from towns or other populated places a remote area
5. a difficult or challenging situation a predicament
6. easy to understand or notice obvious

1. a remote area - d. far away from towns or other populated places

   • 偏远地区 - 远离城镇或其他人口稠密地区

2. pre-approved - c. already officially recognised and accepted

   • 预先批准的 - 已经正式认可和接受的

3. the founder - a. someone who starts a business

   • 创始人 - 开办企业的人

4. a predicament - e. a difficult or challenging situation

   • 困境 - 困难或具有挑战性的情况

5. numerous - b. many

   • 许多的 - 很多

6. obvious - f. easy to understand or notice

   • 明显的 - 容易理解或注意到的

Transcript

English

Presenter: So, today’s expert teacher is Gabriella, a university English teacher from Leeds. Gabriella, hi and thanks for joining us today.

Gabriella: Thanks for having me!

Presenter: So, I have to confess today’s topic is something I am really bad at: listening. Most people say speaking is the most stressful part of learning a new language but, for me, with my B2 German, speaking isn’t so bad. At least I’m in control of it. But listening … woah … people speak so fast and it’s like my brain just shuts down. Am I just really strange and bad at listening? Tell me, honestly, I can take it.

Gabriella: No, you’re not strange. In fact, it’s really common. You know, in exams most people do pretty well in speaking compared with listening. Of course, exams are a different situation from real life because in an exam you can’t ask for something to be repeated or explained. You usually have just one or maybe two opportunities to listen to the dialogue and then it’s gone.

Presenter: Right, but in real life I feel stupid always saying, ‘Sorry, can you repeat that, please?’, especially if I still don’t understand even when they repeat it. And people out there listening, I hope you don’t do this – quite often the person just repeats what they said equally as fast and I’m still lost!

Gabriella: They do, don’t they? In real life, you’ve got two strategies. One is to pretend to understand and get out of the conversation as fast as you can.

Presenter: Yep, sounds familiar!

Gabriella: But, obviously that’s not going to help if it’s a conversation with high stakes. It might have important consequences. I mean, if you’re just chatting with a stranger at the bus stop, it doesn’t matter. But imagine you’re at a government office or a bank, trying to find out what paperwork you need to get your ID or open a bank account. What can you do then?

Presenter: I hope you’ve got the answer, Gabriella, because I’m coming out in a cold sweat just thinking about either of those situations!

Gabriella: The other strategy is to summarise what they said.

Presenter: But how can you do that if you didn’t understand what they said?

Gabriella: Ah, well, you only start the summary, so you might say, in German in your case, ‘OK, so the first thing I have to do is …?’ and make it a question. Or, for example, ‘And which office is that again?’ Break it down into smaller questions and the other person will naturally start answering them. That way you’re controlling the conversation a bit more.

Presenter: I get you …

English-Chinese

Presenter: Welcome to today’s show. We’re very happy to have Anna Oliveira as our guest today. Anna is the creator and founder of HomeworX – spelled with an ‘x’ we should note – an app which helps teenagers with their homework. Thanks for coming in, Anna.主持人：欢迎来到今天的节目。我们很高兴今天有安娜·奥利维拉作为我们的客人。 Anna 是 HomeworX（我们应该注意拼写为“x”）的创建者和创始人，这是一款帮助青少年完成家庭作业的应用程序。谢谢你的光临，安娜。

Anna: Thanks for having me.安娜：谢谢你邀请我。

Presenter: So, tell us about your app. How does it work?演示者：请告诉我们您的应用程序。它是如何工作的？

Anna: Well, teenagers and their parents have numerous challenges when it comes to homework these days. In many families both parents work and don’t have much available time to help their kids with their homework. And even if they do have time to help, they may not be able to offer support with the content. What I mean is, they may not know, or at least remember, enough in any given subject to support.安娜：嗯，现在青少年和他们的父母在家庭作业方面面临着许多挑战。在许多家庭中，父母双方都工作，没有太多时间来帮助孩子做作业。即使他们确实有时间提供帮助，他们也可能无法提供内容支持。我的意思是，他们可能不知道，或者至少记得，在任何给定的主题上都没有足够的支持。

Presenter: You mean they might not be able to remember complex maths or might have never studied certain subjects, such as biology or economics, themselves?主持人：您的意思是他们可能无法记住复杂的数学，或者他们自己可能从未学习过某些科目，例如生物学或经济学？

Anna: Exactly. So they might want to support their children with their homework, but have neither the time nor the knowledge to do so.安娜：没错。因此，他们可能想支持孩子完成家庭作业，但既没有时间也没有知识这样做。

Presenter: I see. So the app helps solve this problem?主持人：我明白了。那么该应用程序有助于解决这个问题吗？

Anna: Yes, and more. The next issue is that tutors can be expensive, and there may be long waiting lists for specialist tutors in the town or region you live in. Our HomeworX app brings students and tutors together online. Students can search a database of pre-approved tutors and sign up for live online support. They don’t need to be in the same town or city.安娜：是的，还有更多。下一个问题是辅导老师可能很昂贵，而且您居住的城镇或地区可能会有很长的等待名单，等待专业辅导老师。我们的 HomeworX 应用程序将学生和辅导老师在线聚集在一起。学生可以搜索预先批准的导师数据库并注册获得实时在线支持。他们不需要在同一个城镇或城市。

Presenter: That sounds really great.主持人：听起来真的很棒。

Anna: It is. And this approach also enables us to offer the tutoring services at lower prices because there’s no travelling time involved for the tutor to get to the student’s home. And tutors who live in remote areas are happy to get access to more students, and be able to work from home, even at lower rates.安娜：是的。这种方法还使我们能够以更低的价格提供辅导服务，因为导师无需花费时间到达学生家中。居住在偏远地区的导师很高兴能够接触到更多的学生，并且能够在家工作，即使费用较低。

Presenter: This all sounds great. So, how did you come up with the idea?演示者：这一切听起来都很棒。那么，你是怎么想到这个主意的呢？

Anna: Well, as you might guess, I was one of those parents I described earlier. I really wanted to help my son with his homework, but I was either too busy with work or I didn’t actually know anything about the subjects he was having difficulty with. Also, we live in an area where there aren’t many tutors and the ones that are there are either very expensive or have long waiting lists.安娜：嗯，正如你可能猜到的，我是我之前描述的那些父母之一。我真的很想帮助儿子做作业，但我要么工作太忙，要么对他遇到困难的科目一无所知。此外，我们生活的地区没有很多辅导老师，而且那里的辅导老师要么非常昂贵，要么等待名单很长。

Presenter: Yes. I can understand your predicament. Well, it sounds like a very useful app that is clearly meeting a need. And its popularity obviously speaks for itself.主持人：是的。我能理解你的困境。嗯，这听起来像是一个非常有用的应用程序，显然可以满足需求。它的受欢迎程度显然是不言而喻的。

Anna: Thank you.安娜：谢谢。

Presenter: So, do you have plans for the future?主持人：那么，您对未来有什么计划吗？

Anna: We’ve just secured some funding and hope to expand the range of services we offer using the app.安娜：我们刚刚获得了一些资金，希望扩大我们使用该应用程序提供的服务范围。

Presenter: We wish you the best of luck. Thanks again for coming in. That was Anna Oliveira, founder of the tutoring app HomeworX (with an ‘x’, don’t forget!), which is available for both Apple and Android devices. Join us again next week for another business interview. Have a great week, everyone. 主持人：祝您好运。再次感谢您的光临。我是 Anna Oliveira，她是辅导应用程序 HomeworX（别忘了带一个“x”！）的创始人，该应用程序适用于 Apple 和 Android 设备。下周再次加入我们进行另一次商业采访。祝大家这个星期快乐。

Task1

A weather forecast – 1

Put the words in the correct group.

• Question

Choose the correct answer.

1. Anna …
   a. didn’t start the company but manages it now.
   b. started the company and manages it now.
   c. started the company but doesn’t manage it any more.
2. The app …
   a. is for parents to learn from.
   b. is for students to learn from.
   c. is for students who want to find a tutor.
3. Many parents …
   a. don’t have the time or knowledge to help with their children’s homework.
   b. think that schools should help with their children’s homework.
   c. don’t want to help with their children’s homework. 
4. The app …
   a. has student exercises on it.
   b. is only for people in remote areas.
   c. offers live online support from tutors.
5. On the app, tutors who live in remote areas …
   a. often charge lower rates.
   b. often charge higher rates.
   c. don’t like to work too much.
6. The app …
   a. is new and not many people know about it.
   b. is already popular.
   c. is not very successful.

• Answer

Choose the correct answer.

1. Anna …
   a. didn’t start the company but manages it now.
   ✔b. started the company and manages it now.
   c. started the company but doesn’t manage it any more.
2. The app …
   a. is for parents to learn from.
   b. is for students to learn from.
   ✔c. is for students who want to find a tutor.
3. Many parents …
   ✔a. don’t have the time or knowledge to help with their children’s homework.
   b. think that schools should help with their children’s homework.
   c. don’t want to help with their children’s homework. 
4. The app …
   a. has student exercises on it.
   b. is only for people in remote areas.
   ✔c. offers live online support from tutors.
5. On the app, tutors who live in remote areas …
   ✔a. often charge lower rates.
   b. often charge higher rates.
   c. don’t like to work too much.
6. The app …
   a. is new and not many people know about it.
   ✔b. is already popular.
   c. is not very successful.

Task2

A weather forecast – 2

Are the sentences true or false?

• Question

Verbs

1. to solve
2. to come up with
3. to meet
4. to speak for
5. to secure
6. to expand

Nouns
a. funding
b. a need
c. a problem
d. itself
e. the range of services
f. an idea

• Answer

1. …… to solve a problem

   • 解决一个问题

2. …… to come up with an idea

   • 想出一个主意

3. …… to meet a need

   • 满足需求

4. …… to speak for itself

   • 不言自明

5. …… to secure funding

   • 获得资金

6. …… to expand the range of services

   • 扩大服务范围

Discussion

What’s your favourite app for learning and why?
您最喜欢的学习应用程序是什么？为什么？

Vocabulary

shower

• 简易

  英/ˈʃaʊə(r)/美/ˈʃaʊər/
  n.淋浴器，花洒；淋浴间，淋浴室；淋浴，洗澡；阵雨，阵雪；（落下的东西）一大批，一阵； 流星雨；<美>（为即将结婚或分娩的女子举行的）送礼聚会；<英，非正式> 一群乌合之众，一群笨蛋

  v.淋浴，洗澡；洒落，（使）纷纷降落；朝……阵雨般地扔（大量小东西）（shower sb. with）；大量给予，慷慨给予

  初中 | 高中 | CET4 | CET6 | 考研 | TOEFL | 商务英语
  复数showers第三人称单数showers现在分词showering过去式showered过去分词showered

• 《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》

  shower/ˈʃaʊə/|CET4 TEM4
  showering showered showers

  1. N-COUNT A shower is a device for washing yourself. It consists of a pipe which ends in a flat cover with a lot of holes in it so that water comes out in a spray. 淋浴器
     • She heard him turn on the shower.
     她听见他拧开了淋浴器。

2. N-COUNT A shower is a small enclosed area containing a shower. 淋浴间
   • Do you sing in the shower?
   你在淋浴间里唱歌吗？

3. N-COUNT The showers or the shower in a place such as a gym is the area containing showers. (体育馆等的) 浴室
   • The showers are a mess.
   那些浴室一片狼藉。

4. N-COUNT If you take a shower, you wash yourself by standing under a spray of water from a shower. 淋浴
   • I think I’ll take a shower before dinner.
   我想晚饭前我要来次淋浴。

5. V-I If you shower, you wash yourself by standing under a spray of water from a shower. 洗澡
   • There wasn’t time to shower or change clothes.
   没时间洗澡或换衣服了。

6. N-COUNT A shower is a short period of rain, especially light rain. 阵雨
   • There’ll be bright or sunny spells and scattered showers this afternoon.
   今天下午将放晴，间有零星阵雨。

7. N-COUNT You can refer to a lot of things that are falling as a shower of them. 大量下落
   • Showers of sparks flew in all directions.
   无数火星儿向四处飞溅。

8. V-T If you are showered with a lot of small objects or pieces, they are scattered over you. 抛撒
   • They were showered with rice in the traditional manner.
   人们按照传统习俗朝他们抛撒大米。

9. N-COUNT A shower is a party or celebration at which the guests bring gifts. 送礼会
   • …a baby shower.
   …为婴儿举行的送礼会。

10. N a derogatory term applied to a person or group, esp to a group considered as being slack, untidy, etc 懒散邋遢鬼

11. N a large number of particles formed by the collision of a cosmic-ray particle with a particle in the atmosphere 镞射粒子

shower/ˈʃəʊə/
N a person or thing that shows 演出者; 展示物品

lunchtime

• 简易

英/ˈlʌntʃtaɪm/美/ˈlʌntʃtaɪm/
n.午餐时间

复数lunchtimes

• 《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》

lunchtime/ˈlʌntʃtaɪm/
N-VAR Lunchtime is the period of the day when people have their lunch. 午餐时间
• Could we meet at lunchtime?
我们能在午餐时间见个面吗？

drizzle

• 简易

英/ˈdrɪz(ə)l/美/ˈdrɪz(ə)l/
v.下毛毛雨，下蒙蒙细雨； （毛毛雨似的）洒落；（毛毛雨似的）洒落

n.毛毛细雨，蒙蒙细雨；（烹）（浇在食品上的）液态调料细流

GRE | GMAT
第三人称单数drizzles现在分词drizzling过去式drizzled过去分词drizzled

• 《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》

drizzle/ˈdrɪzəl/|CET6+ TEM4
drizzling drizzled drizzles

1. N-UNCOUNT Drizzle is light rain falling in fine drops. 毛毛雨
   • The drizzle had now stopped and the sun was breaking through.
   细雨已经停了，太阳露出了脸。

2. V-I If it is drizzling, it is raining very lightly. 下毛毛雨
   • Clouds had come down and it was starting to drizzle.
   云压了下来，开始下起了毛毛雨。

foggy

• 简易

英/ˈfɒɡi/美/ˈfɑːɡi/
adj.有雾的，雾气茫茫的；迷糊的，朦胧的；模糊的，糊涂的

高中 | CET4 | CET6 | SAT
比较级foggier最高级foggiest

• 《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》

foggy/ˈfɒɡɪ/|CET4 TEM4
foggier foggiest

1. ADJ When it is foggy, there is fog. 有雾的
   • It’s quite foggy now.
   现在雾很大。

2. PHRASE If you say that you haven’t the foggiest or you haven’t the foggiest idea, you are emphasizing that you do not know something. 压根儿不知道
   • I did not have the foggiest idea what he meant.
   我压根儿不知道他是什么意思。

coast

• 简易

英/kəʊst/美/koʊst/
n.海岸，海滨；（车辆的）滑行

v.（人，车辆）滑行；毫不费力地做，（尤指）轻松获胜；不够努力，应付；沿海航行

【名】 （Coast）（英、美）科斯特（人名）

初中 | 高中 | CET4 | CET6 | 考研
复数coasts第三人称单数coasts现在分词coasting过去式coasted过去分词coasted

• 《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》

coast/kəʊst/|CET4 TEM4
coasting coasted coasts

1. N-COUNT The coast is an area of land that is next to the sea. 海岸

   • Campsites are usually situated along the coast, close to beaches.
   宿营地通常都在海岸边，靠近沙滩的地方。

2. V-I If a vehicle coasts somewhere, it continues to move there with the motor switched off, or without being pushed or pedalled. (车辆的) 惯性滑行

   • He pushed in the clutch and coasted to a halt.
   他踩下离合器，滑行了一会儿便停下来了。