Ðây là Chương Trình Anh Ngữ Sinh Ðộng, New Dynamic English, bài 103. Phạm Văn xin kính chào quí vị thính giả. Trong bài trước ta đã nghe chuyện bà Graham thuộc hãng Advanced Technologies tính mua người máy điện tử kỹ nghệ industrial robots của hãng International Robotics của ông Blake.
You know, we’ve never done business with a Chinese company before, so it’s quite an undertaking.= Như ông biết, chúng tôi chưa bao giờ buôn bán với một công ty Trung Hoa, nên đây là một vụ đầu tư rất lớn. Ta hãy một câu hỏi rồi nghe một mẩu đối thoại trong đó có câu trả lời. Quí vị thử trả lời, và sau khi nghe câu trả lời đúng, xin lập lại.
Cut 1
Language Focus: Questions Based on FIB Dialog
Larry: Questions.
Listen to the question.
Eliz: Has Ms. Graham’s company ever done business with a Chinese company?
(short pause)
Larry: Now listen to the dialog.
Graham: Okay. Well, that sounds fine.
Even then, Mr. Blake, I can’t make any guarantees.
You know, we’ve never done business with a Chinese company before, so it’s quite an undertaking.
Eliz: Has Ms. Graham’s company ever done business with a Chinese company?(ding) (pause for answer)
Eliz: No, it hasn’t.(short pause)
Larry: Listen to the question.
Eliz: Does Mr. Blake understand Ms. Graham’s position?(short pause)
Larry: Now listen to the dialog.
Graham: You know, we’ve never done business with a Chinese company before, so it’s quite an undertaking.
Blake: Oh, I can certainly understand.
Graham: So I hope you will understand.
Blake: Sure.
Graham: Okay.
Eliz: Does Mr. Blake understand Ms. Graham’s position?
(ding) (pause for answer)
Eliz: Yes, he does.
(short pause)
MUSIC
Vietnamese Explanation
Trong phần Mách Giúp Văn Hóa Culture Tip, Gary chỉ cho ta cách hỏi lại cho chắc mình hiểu một đề nghị. His Culture Tip is about asking questions in a business discussion.
When I’m making a proposal to Americans, they always interrupt me with questions=khi tôi trình bầy một đề nghị cho người Mỹ, họ thường ngắt lời tôi bằng những câu hỏi.
Why won’t they let me finish what I want to say? Tại sao không để tôi nói xong điều tôi muốn nói? Rude=thô lỗ, thiếu lịch sự. Irritation=sự bực bội. Americans aren’t trying to be rude. Người Mỹ không phải muốn tỏ ra thiếu lịch sự.
They are trying to be effective and polite=họ muốn tỏ ra hữu hiệu và lễ độ. You can’t respond to a proposal if you don’t understand it.=Bạn không thể trả lời một đề nghị nếu không hiểu rõ đề nghị đó.
Americans like a two way communication=người Mỹ thích có người hỏi người đáp trong một cuộc nói chuyện. A two way communication=một cuộc đối thoại hai chiều, có người hỏi người đáp. Asking questions is a good way to keep both people talking.= đặt câu hỏi là một cách tốt để có khiến cả hai bên tiếp tục đàm thoại.
Culturally speaking, Americans in business situations expect questions=Ðứng về mặt văn hoá, người Mỹ trong môi trường kinh doanh, mong có những câu hỏi. To expect=mong chờ, chắc rằng, tưởng rằng một chuyện sẽ xẩy ra. We expected you yesterday=hôm qua chúng tôi tưởng anh tới mà anh không tới.
Confirm understanding=kiểm chứng, hay hỏi lại cho chắc là mình hiểu người khác nói gì.
Cut 2
Culture Tips: Confirming Understanding of a Proposal
Larry: Culture Tips
Eliz: Welcome once again to “Culture Tips” with Gary Engleton.
Gary: Hello everyone!
Eliz: Today’s question is “When I’m making a proposal to Americans, they always interrupt me with questions.”
“That seems very rude to me.”
“Why won’t they let me finish what I want to say?”
Gary: Well, I can certainly understand your irritation.
But the Americans aren’t trying to be rude.
They are trying to be effective and polite.
Eliz: Effective and polite?
Gary: Yes, Americans ask questions for two reasons.
Eliz: What are they?
Gary: First, to see whether or not they have understood what was said.
Eliz: Do you mean that they are confirming understanding?
Gary: Yes, exactly. You can’t respond to a proposal if you don’t understand it.
Eliz: That’s certainly true!
Gary: Second, asking questions shows that you are interested, which is the polite thing to do.
Eliz: So silence would be impolite?
Gary: Yes, sometimes it would.
Culturally speaking, Americans in business situations expect questions.
It is also a good way to keep both people talking.
Americans like two way communication.
Eliz: Thanks Gary!
Gary: My pleasure!
MUSIC
Vietnamese Explanation
Trong phần tới, quí vị nghe một câu rồi trả lời Ðúng hay Sai, True or False tùy nghĩa trong bài.
Cut 3
Language Focus: True/False
Larry: True or False.
Larry: Listen. Is this statement true or false?
Eliz: Americans don’t like people who ask a lot of questions. (ding) (pause for answer)
Eliz: False. In business situations, Americans expect a lot of questions.(pause)
Eliz: Before you respond to a proposal, you should confirm your understanding. (ding) (pause for answer)
Eliz: True. Asking questions is a good way to confirm your understanding. (pause)
Eliz: For Americans, asking questions is a way to show interest. (ding) (pause for answer)
Eliz: True. Americans like two way communication.
MUSIC
Vietnamese Explanation
Trong phần tới ta học về cách tóm tắt điều mình hiểu. Mr. Davis and Mr. Jones are in final stages of a negotiation=ông Davis và Ông Jones đang ở giai đoạn cuối của cuộc thương lượng. Mr. Davis wants to sell his product to Mr. Jones=Ông Davis muốn bán sản phẩm của mình cho Ông Jones.
Mr. Davis is summarizing the situation=Ông Davis đang tóm tắt tình trạng vụ kinh doanh. To summarize=tóm tắt. To sum up. The price is higher than we expected and we need delivery within six months at the latest=Giá cao hơn mức chúng tôi dự trù (phỏng chừng), và chúng tôi cần được giao hàng trễ nhất là trong vòng sáu tháng. Delivery date=ngày giao hàng. Discount=giá bớt, chiết khấu.
There are still problems with the delivery date and the size of the discount.=vẫn còn vấn đề về ngày giao hàng và giá bớt (số tiền bớt còn quá cao). I’ll check and see if it’s possible=tôi sẽ kiểm soát lại và xem có thể giao hàng đúng hẹn không. Everything else is okay=mọi chuyện khác thì không có gì trở ngại.
Cut 4
Business Dialog: Summarizing
Larry: Business Dialog
Eliz: Let’s listen to today’s Business Dialog.
Mr. Davis and Mr. Jones are in final stages of a negotiation.
Mr. Davis wants to sell his product to Mr. Jones.
Mr. Davis is summarizing the situation.
SFX: office sounds
Davis: To summarize, there are still problems with the delivery date and the size of the discount, but everything else is okay.
Is that right?
Jones: Yes. That’s right.
The price is higher than we expected, and we need delivery within six months at the latest.
Davis: I see. Well, I’ll see what I can do.
The delivery date is going to be a problem, but I’ll check and see if it’s possible.
Can we get together again? How about later this week?
Jones: Okay, but I’m afraid I won’t be free except for tomorrow afternoon.
Is that too early?
Davis: No, that’ll be fine. How about 3:00?
Jones: Okay, good. I’ll see you tomorrow, Mr. Davis.
Davis: See you then.
MUSIC
Vietnamese Explanation Trong phần kế tiếp, xin chú ý vào cách nói những câu dài và cách tóm lược.
Cut 5 Focus on Functions: Summarizing
Larry: Focus on Functions: Summarizing
Eliz: Now let’s focus on Summarizing.
Larry: Listen carefully to this summary of Mr. Davis’s position.
Eliz: the delivery date
Eliz: There are still problems with the delivery date.
(pause)
Eliz: the size of the discount
Eliz: There are still problems with the delivery date and the size of the discount.
(pause)
Eliz: everything else is OK
Eliz: There are still problems with the delivery date and the size of the discount, but everything else is okay.
(pause)
Eliz: To summarize, there are still problems with the delivery date and the size of the discount, but everything else is okay.
(pause)
Larry: Now listen to this summary of Mr. Jones’s position.
Eliz: the price
Eliz: The price is higher than we expected.
(pause)
Eliz: delivery
Eliz: We need delivery within six months.
(pause)
Eliz: The price is higher than we expected, and we need delivery within six months.
(pause)
MUSIC
Vietnamese Explanation
Trong phần cuối bài học, Gary chỉ cho ta cách tóm tắt lập trường của mình. Ðể ý đến câu hỏi, “Is that right?” Vậy có đúng không? để xem người nghe có hiểu ý mình nói không.
The delivery date is going to be a problem, but I’ll check and see if it’s possible. Ngày giao hàng sẽ là một vấn đề, nhưng tôi sẽ xét xem có thể lo được không. I’ll see what I can do=tôi sẽ cố xem có thể giúp giải quyết được không.
Cut 6 Gary’s Tips:
Larry: Gary’s Tips.
UPBEAT MUSIC
Eliz: Now it’s time for Gary’s Tips with Gary Engleton!
Gary: Hello, Elizabeth!
Today I’ll be talking about how to summarize your position at the end of a meeting.
In today’s Business Dialog, Mr. Davis summarizes his understanding.
He uses the expression, “To summarize.”
Davis: To summarize, there are still problems with the delivery date and the size of the discount, but everything else is okay.
Is that right?
Jones: Yes. That’s right.
Gary: He confirms his understanding by asking Mr. Jones “Is that right?”
Mr. Jones confirms, “Yes, that’s right.”
Then Mr. Jones summarizes his position in more detail.
Jones: The price is higher than we expected, and we need delivery within six months at the latest.
Davis: I see.
Gary: Mr. Jones cannot promise that he will be able to meet the delivery schedule.
He offers to do his best.
Davis: Well, I’ll see what I can do.
The delivery date is going to be a problem, but I’ll check and see if it’s possible.
Gary: He qualifies his answer, because he isn’t sure if he can deliver the products on time.
They agree to meet again to try to solve these problems.
(pause)
Gary: In a similar way, Ms. Graham qualifies her response to Mr. Blake.
She cannot promise that they will be able to come to an agreement.
Graham: Even then, Mr. Blake, I can’t make any guarantees.
You know, we’ve never done business with a Chinese company before, so it’s quite an undertaking.
Gary: In summarizing your position in a business discussion, it is best to be honest about any problems.
Most importantly, you shouldn’t make promises that you can’t keep.
Thanks for joining us today for Gary’s Tips.
Eliz: Thanks Gary!
MUSIC
FIB Closing
Eliz: Well, our time is up. Tune in again next time for Functioning in Business. See you then!
Vietnamese Explanation
Quí vị vừa học xong bài 103 trong Chương Trình Anh Ngữ Sinh Ðộng. Phạm Văn xin kính chào quí vị thính giả và xin hẹn gặp lại trong bài học kế tiếp.
