Ðây là chương trình Anh Ngữ Sinh động New Dynamic English bài 63 . Phạm Văn xin kính chào quí vị thính giả. Bài học hôm nay bắt đầu bằng phần Câu đố trong tuần-Question of the Week về thời biểu hàng ngày của phần đông người Mỹ. Tiếp theo là phần câu chuyện giữa bài Kathy ăn tối ở tiệm The Garden và cuối cùng là phần Anh ngữ Thương mại trung cấp-Functioning in Business.

CUT 1

Question of the Week: answer
Larry: Question of the Week!

UPBEAT MUSIC

Max: It’s time to answer last week’s question. The question was: When do they do it? Are you ready to play, Kathy?
Kathy: Let’s go.
Max: OK. The first question is: When do most Americans eat dinner? Do they eat at one o’clock in the afternoon or at six o’clock in the evening?
Kathy: Well, let’s see. Most Americans eat dinner in the evening, after work and school is over. So... six o’clock in the evening.
Max: That’s right. Americans eat dinner in the evening.
Question 2. When do most Americans work? Do they work Monday through Friday or Monday through Saturday?
Kathy: Well, some Americans work on the weekends, on Saturday or Sunday. But most Americans work Monday through Friday. So, my answer is: Monday through Friday.
Max: Right. Now the last question: When do most Americans watch television? Do they watch television in the morning or in the evening?
Kathy: OK. I know that some Americans watch television in the morning. But most Americans.... most Americans watch in the evening.
Max: Yes, that’s right. Thanks for playing.
Kathy: You’re welcome, Max.

MUSIC

Vietnamese Explanation

Trong phần hai bài học, quí vị nghe Kathy nói chuyện về bữa ăn tối của cô ở một nhà hàng bán đồ ăn chay. Kathy tells about her dinner at a vegetarian restaurant. The meeting took place at the train station in Washington, D.C. Câu chuyện xẩy ra ở nhà ga xe lửa ở Washington, D.C.

Nghe mấy chữ mới:

The front page=trang nhất tờ báo.
A dessert=món ăn tráng miệng.
A pizza=bánh mì nướng lò kiểu Ý trên mặt có rắc thịt bò nghiền hay sốt-sít (pepperoni), phó mát vụn (grated cheese), nấm (mushroom) và sốt cà chua (tomato sauce).
Cheese=phó mát.
How was your dinner?=bữa tối của bạn ra sao?
The industrial spies are in jail=những người gián điệp kỹ nghệ hiện ở trong nhà giam.
Jail=nhà giam, nhà tù.
lasagna=một kiểu bánh mì Ý mềm, gồm nhiều lớp, có sốt cà-chua, thịt nghiền, và phó mát.
Thank goodness!=[tiếng tán thán] cám ơn trời đất!

CUT 2

Story Interlude: Kathy’s dinner at the Garden
Larry: A-a-a-nd that’s it. We’re off the air.
Max: Well, what a weekend! Did you see the newspaper?
Kathy: Yes, I did. The two industrial spies were on the front page. When I told my friend Anne about it, she couldn’t believe it.
Max: She’s your friend... she’s moving to San Diego, right?
Kathy: Yes, that’s her.
Max: How was your dinner?
Kathy: At the vegetarian restaurant... The Garden? Oh, it was delicious.
Max: What did you have?
Kathy: I had a vegetarian lasagna, and Anne had some fish.
Max: How was it?
Kathy: Well, everything was delicious. The desserts were wonderful, too.
Max: Sounds great. Maybe my wife and I will try it sometime. But I don’t think we could take our son. There’s nothing for him to eat there!
Kathy: Oh, I saw some good-looking pizzas. Big pizzas with lots of cheese.
Max: Pizza, huh? He loves pizza!
Kathy: Elizabeth! I want to know all about you, and Boris, and the industrial spies!
Eliz: Hi, folks. Well, I can’t tell you much. Really, it’s all over. Boris is fine. The industrial spies are in jail. Thank goodness. So it’s on with the show.
Larry: Alri-i-i-ght. Quiet please, everyone. Ready for Functioning in Business. Cue Music...

MUSIC

Vietnamese Explanation

Phần tới là phần Anh Ngữ Thương Mại Trung Cấp Functioning in Business chú trọng về các tập tục kinh doanh Hoa Kỳ. Bài học phần này nói tiếp về cách kiểm chứng lại cho đúng các điều dự trù – Confirming plans, part 4. Phần này chú trọng về cách cho ý kiến (offering an opinion). Cô Elizabeth sắp phỏng vấn Ms. Graham qua điện thoại, về dự án mua người máy của hãng International Robotics của Charles Blake.

Xin nghe mấy câu dài:

-Today we are going to listen to your meeting with Mr. Epstein on Tuesday, June 11 last year=hôm nay chúng ta sẽ nghe cuộc nói chuyện đã thâu băng giữa bà (Shirley Graham) và ông Epstein hôm thứ ba, 11 tháng 6, năm ngoái. “June 11” đọc là “June the eleventh” hay “June eleventh.”
-Mr. Epstein had met with Mr. Blake earlier that day=Hôm ấy trưóc khi gặp bà thì ông Epstein đã gặp ông Blake.
-And they had discussed your plans to build a new factory=và họ đã thảo luận về dự án của bà xây một xưởng máy mới.
Nhận xét: Trong câu Mr. Epstein had discussed the project with Mr. Blake before he met with Ms. Graham—ông Epstein đã bàn về dự án với Ông Blake trước khi ông họp với bà/cô Graham-- thì had discussed ở thì past perfect tense và met ở thì simple past. Dùng past perfect để tả hành động hay tình trạng xẩy ra trước một hành động khác trong quá khứ. [hình thức của past perfect là Had + past participle].
-I wanted to be sure that Mr. Blake was aware of my concerns about the October deadline and aftersales service= Tôi muốn biết chắc rằng ông Blake biết rõ mối quan tâm của tôi về hạn chót vào tháng 10 và các dịch vụ sau khi giao hàng.

Xin nghe phần ba bài học.

CUT 3

Eliz: Hello, I’m Elizabeth Moore. Welcome to Functioning in Business!
Larry: Functioning in Business is an intermediate level business English course with a focus on American business practices and culture. Today’s unit is “Confirming Plans, Part 4.” This program focuses on Offering an Opinion.

MUSIC

Interview: Graham: her meeting with Epstein
Larry: Phone interview
Eliz: On today’s program I’ll be talking with Shirley Graham. She is calling from her office at Advanced Technologies in San Jose, California.
Eliz: How are you, Ms. Graham?
Graham: Fine, thanks.
Eliz: Today we are going to listen to your meeting with Mr. Epstein on Tuesday, June 11th last year. Mr. Epstein had met with Mr. Blake earlier that day. And they had discussed your plans to build a new factory.
Graham: Yes, that’s right. And I wanted to be sure that Mr. Blake was aware of my concerns about the October deadline and aftersales service.
Eliz: Let’s listen to the conversation.
Graham: Okay.

MUSIC

Vietnamese Explanation

Trong phần tới ta nghe cách hỏi lại cho chắc những dự tính, trong đó ông Epstein gặp bà Graham ở phòng làm việc của bà ấy.

Deadline= hạn chót.
excellent meeting=buổi họp có kết quả tốt đẹp
Impressed=có ấn-tượng tốt, cảm phục. Flexibility=mềm dẻo, linh động.
I think I can work things out with him= tôi nghĩ là tôi có thể tìm ra giải pháp cho vấn đề khó khăn với ông ta.
Work things out=solve, find out the solution=tìm ra giải pháp.
The States=the United States=Hoa Kỳ.
As long as=miễn là, chừng nào, provided that.
Reservation=sự dè dặt. [Nhớ là đã học một nghĩa của reservation là dành chỗ trước, đoạn tới reservation là sự dè dặt]
The technology of their product is excellent=Kỹ thuật của sản phẩm của họ rất tốt.
Let’s discuss further tomorrow=mai chúng ta sẽ lại bàn thêm.
Go ahead=tiến hành, khởi sự.

CUT 4

Dialog: Dialog, Confirming Plans 2

Larry: Dialog
Larry: Mr. Epstein is meeting with Ms. Graham in her office.
Graham: Now, have you already discussed any of the project with him?
Epstein: Yes, I had an excellent meeting with him this afternoon.
Graham:And did you tell him about my main concerns?
Epstein: Do you mean the October deadline?
Graham:Yes, and the fact that they have no aftersales service in the States.
Epstein: Yes, I did, and again I was very impressed with his flexibility. I think that we can work things out with him.
Graham: Okay. As long as it’s clear to both of you that it has to be worked out, and before October, because that’s our deadline.
Epstein: Well, again, I understand your reservations, Shirley, but again the technology of their product is really excellent. I think we really have to go ahead with this.
Graham: Yes. All right. Well, let’s discuss it further tomorrow. All right?
Epstein: Okay. All right. Thank you. We’ll see you tomorrow.
Graham: We’ll see you around 12:00.
Epstein: Okay.

MUSIC

Vietnamese Explanation

Tiếp theo đây quí vị nghe rồi lập lại những câu có những chữ khó vừa học. Thí dụ: I was impressed with his flexibility=tôi có ấn tượng tốt (hảo ý) về thái độ mềm dẻo của ông ta.

CUT 5

Language Focus: Listen and Repeat

Larry:Listen and Repeat:
Eliz: Have you discussed the project with him? (pause for repeat)
Eliz: Did you tell him about my main concerns? (pause for repeat)
Eliz: Do you mean the October deadline? (pause for repeat)
Eliz: I was very impressed with his flexibility. (pause for repeat)
Eliz: I think that we can work things out with him. (pause for repeat)

MUSIC

Vietnamese Explanation

Trong phần tới của bài học quí vị nghe mấy chữ khó:
To deliver=giao hàng.
To install=ráp, lắp máy vào.
Begin operation=bắt đầu hoạt động.
Adequate maintenance=bảo trì đầy đủ.
To be convinced=tin.
I’m convinced of his honesty=tôi tin ở sự thành thật của ông ta.
I wanted to be sure that the robots could be delivered and installed on time=tôi muốn chắc là người máy tự động sẽ được giao và ráp đúng hẹn.

CUT 6

Interview: Graham Eliz: Ms. Graham, let’s talk about your conversation with Mr. Epstein. Your main concerns were with the October deadline and aftersales service.
Graham: Yes, that’s right. I wanted to be sure that the robots could be delivered and installed on time.
Eliz: By October.
Graham: Yes. The factory had to begin operation in October. I also was concerned about aftersales service. International Robotics is a Chinese company. I wasn’t sure that they would be able to provide adequate maintenance and repair service.
Eliz: Mr. Epstein seemed pleased with Mr. Blake’s responses to these questions.
Graham: Yes. Mr. Epstein was convinced that we should buy Mr. Blake’s robots. I wasn’t so sure.
Eliz: I see. Well, thank you very much for being on our show.
Graham: It’s been my pleasure.
Eliz: Let’s take a short break.

MUSIC

Vietnamese Explanation

Quí vị vừa học xong bài số 63 trong chương trình Anh Ngữ Sinh Ðộng New Dynamic English. Phạm Văn xin kính chào quí vị và xin hẹn gặp lại trong bài học kế tiếp.