A. Use business recordings

B. Speak slowly and clearly

C. Learn telephone manners

D. Practice often with a friend

E. Always be considerate of your friends

F. Make sure you understand the other speaker

Telephone tips

If the phone rings and someone speaks in English, don’t be afraid to answer it! The fear of talking on the phone in a second language will disappear if you practice often. Here are a few tips for helping you improve your ability to answer a call in English.

1._______________

  Listening to someone speaking in a second language over the telephone can be very challenging because you cannot see the person you are trying to hear. However, it may be even more difficult for the person you are talking with to understand you. You may not realize that your pronunciation isn’t clear because your teacher and fellow students know and understand you. Pay special attention to your weak areas of your pronunciation when you are on the phone.

2._______________

  Don’t pretend to understand everything you hear over the telephone. Even native speakers ask each other to repeat and confirm information from time to time. This is especially important if you are taking a message for someone else. Learn the appropriate expressions that English speakers use when they don’t hear something properly. Don’t be afraid to remind the person to slow down more than once. Keep your telephone in an area that is away from other noise distractions such as a radio or television.

3._______________.

  Ask another student to practice talking on the phone with you. You might choose one night a week and take turns phoning each other at a certain time. Try to talk for at least fifteen minutes. You can talk socially, or role play different scenarios in a business environment. The most important thing about practicing telephone English is that you are not able to see each other’s mouths.

4. _______________. 

  There are many ways to get free telephone English practice. After business hours, you can call and listen to recorded messages. Write down what you hear the first time, and then call back and check if your notes are accurate. Make sure you have a pen handy so that you can repeat the information and check your comprehension.

5._______________.

  The way that you speak to your best friend on the phone is very different from the way you should speak to someone in a business setting. Many speakers make the mistake of being too direct on the telephone. It is possible that the person on the other line will think that you are being rude on purpose if you don’t use formal language in certain situations. Sometimes just one word such as could or may is necessary in order to sound polite. Take the time to learn how to answer the phone and say goodbye in a polite manner, as well as all the various ways one can start and end a conversation casually.

Listening to someone on the telephone is like listening to a taped recording in class. The only difference is that you have to talk back! Follow the tips above and remember that practice makes perfect!

 

A marketing director for a famous computer manufacturer was designing a new advertisement for his company. While researching consumers’ response to his product, he asked, “Ships are commonly referred to as ‘she’ or ‘her’. What gender （性别）would you give to your computer? Give four reasons to support your answer. ”

A large group of women reported that the computers should be referred to as “he” or “him” because:

①In order to get their attention, you have to turn them on.

②They have a lot of data, but are still hard to understand.

③They are supposed to help you solve problems, but half the time they are problems.

④As soon as you buy one, you realize that if you had waited a little longer, you could have had a better model.

The men, on the other hand, said that computers should be referred to as “she” or “her” because：

①The language they use to communicate with other computers is impossible to understand for most men.

②Even your smallest mistakes are stored in the long-term memory and will be remembered forever.

③As soon as you get one, you find yourself spending half your money on accessories (附件) for it.

1．In fact, computers really _______.

       A．should be referred to as “she”

       B．should be talked about as “he”

       C．are neither “she” nor “he”

       D．are either “he” or “she”

2．Why did the man ask people such a strange question?

       A．Because he was a marketing director of a computer company.

       B．Because he was not sure whether to use “she” or “he” for his computer.

       C．Because he wanted to make special computers for men and women.

       D．Because he was planning an advertisement for his computer.

3．From the women’s answers, we can see _______.

       A．they generally don’t know as much about computer as men do

       B．they want to use a computer without turning it on

       C．they can’t make up their minds when to buy a new computer

       D．they love computers as much as they love their husbands

4．Which of the following is NOT implied in the reported answers?

      A．Women think computers can solve problems.

       B．Women are likely to remember their husbands’ small mistakes.

       C．Some women’s computers usually work half the time.

       D．Some women believe they might find a better husband if they wait a little longer.

A. Use business recordings

B. Speak slowly and clearly

C. Learn telephone manners

D. Practice often with a friend

E. Always be considerate of your friends

F. Make sure you understand the other speaker

Telephone tips

If the phone rings and someone speaks in English, don’t be afraid to answer it! The fear of talking on the phone in a second language will disappear if you practice often. Here are a few tips for helping you improve your ability to answer a call in English.

61._______________

Listening to someone speaking in a second language over the telephone can be very challenging because you cannot see the person you are trying to hear. However, it may be even more difficult for the person you are talking with to understand you. You may not realize that your pronunciation isn’t clear because your teacher and fellow students know and understand you. Pay special attention to your weak areas of your pronunciation when you are on the phone.

62._______________

Don’t pretend to understand everything you hear over the telephone. Even native speakers ask each other to repeat and confirm information from time to time. This is especially important if you are taking a message for someone else. Learn the appropriate expressions that English speakers use when they don’t hear something properly. Don’t be afraid to remind the person to slow down more than once. Keep your telephone in an area that is away from other noise distractions such as a radio or television.

63._______________.

Ask another student to practice talking on the phone with you. You might choose one night a week and take turns phoning each other at a certain time. Try to talk for at least fifteen minutes. You can talk socially, or role play different scenaries in a business environment. The most important thing about practicing telephone English is that you are not able to see each other’s mouths.

64. _______________.

There are many ways to get free telephone English practice. After business hours, you can call and listen to recorded messages. Write down what you hear the first time, and then call back and check if your notes are accurate. Make sure you have a pen handy so that you can repeat the information and check your comprehension.

65._______________.

The way that you speak to your best friend on the phone is very different from the way you should speak to someone in a business setting. Many speakers make the mistake of being too direct on the telephone. It is possible that the person on the other line will think that you are being rude on purpose if you don’t use formal language in certain situations. Sometimes just one word such as could or may is necessary in order to sound polite. Take the time to learn how to answer the phone and say goodbye in a polite manner, as well as all the various ways one can start and end a conversation casually.

Listening to someone on the telephone is like listening to a taped recording in class. The only difference is that you have to talk back! Follow the tips above and remember that practice makes perfect!

Become a confident speaker. How to improve your English speaking skills and make you able to communicate more easily and effectively? The following tips will help you to become a more confident speaker.
Practice where you can and when you can. And practice is good — whether you speak to someone who is a native English speaker or not.
It’s important to build up your confidence. If possible, use the simple sentence structure that you know is correct, so that you can concentrate on getting your message across.
Try to experiment with the English you know. Apply (应用) words and phrases you know to new situations. Native English speakers are likely to correct you if you use the wrong word. They usually don’t mind if you use wrong grammar.
Try to respond to what people say to you. You can often get clues to what people think by looking at their body language. Respond to them in a natural way.
Never translate everything into your own language. It takes you much time and you’ll find it difficult to find an English answer right away. You don’t know how to do well. The more you want to act well, the more slowly you act. This will make you hesitant.
If you forget a word, do what native English speakers do all the time, and say things that ‘fill’ the conversation. This is better than remaining completely silent. Try using ‘um’, ‘er’, if you forget the word.
Don’t speak too fast! It’s important to use a natural rhythm (节奏) in speaking English, but if you speak too fast it will be difficult for people to understand you.
Try to relax when you speak, and you’ll find that your mouth does most of the pronunciation work for you. Speak English at a normal speed.
Final tips: Try to become less hesitant. Don’t be shy to speak — the more you do it, the more confident you’ll become. Remember to be polite — use “please” and “thank you” if you ask someone to do something for you.
【小题1】What is the text mainly about?

A．Good ways of studying English well.

B．Suggestions on becoming a confident speaker.

C．Things to pay attention to when speaking English.

D．How to correct your mistakes as you speak English.

【小题2】How many tips does the author offer in this text?

A．9.

B．10.

C．11.

D．12.

【小题3】In this passage, the underlined word “hesitant” in the sixth paragraph means “________”.

A．sure about what to do

B．fast to make a good decision

C．successful in answering questions

D．uncertain about how to express yourself

【小题4】This text is most probably written for ________.

A．English beginners	B．native English speakers
C．English teachers	D．language experts

Become a confident speaker. How to improve your English speaking skills and make you able to communicate more easily and effectively? The following tips will help you to become a more confident speaker.

Practice where you can and when you can. And practice is good — whether you speak to someone who is a native English speaker or not.

It’s important to build up your confidence. If possible, use the simple sentence structure that you know is correct, so that you can concentrate on getting your message across.

Try to experiment with the English you know. Apply (应用) words and phrases you know to new situations. Native English speakers are likely to correct you if you use the wrong word. They usually don’t mind if you use wrong grammar.

Try to respond to what people say to you. You can often get clues to what people think by looking at their body language. Respond to them in a natural way.

Never translate everything into your own language. It takes you much time and you’ll find it difficult to find an English answer right away. You don’t know how to do well. The more you want to act well, the more slowly you act. This will make you hesitant.

If you forget a word, do what native English speakers do all the time, and say things that ‘fill’ the conversation. This is better than remaining completely silent. Try using ‘um’, ‘er’, if you forget the word.

Don’t speak too fast! It’s important to use a natural rhythm (节奏) in speaking English, but if you speak too fast it will be difficult for people to understand you.

Try to relax when you speak, and you’ll find that your mouth does most of the pronunciation work for you. Speak English at a normal speed.

Final tips: Try to become less hesitant. Don’t be shy to speak — the more you do it, the more confident you’ll become. Remember to be polite — use “please” and “thank you” if you ask someone to do something for you.

1.What is the text mainly about?

A．Good ways of studying English well.

B．Suggestions on becoming a confident speaker.

C．Things to pay attention to when speaking English.

D．How to correct your mistakes as you speak English.

2.How many tips does the author offer in this text?

A．9.               B．10.               C．11.              D．12.

3.In this passage, the underlined word “hesitant” in the sixth paragraph means “________”.

A．sure about what to do

B．fast to make a good decision

C．successful in answering questions

D．uncertain about how to express yourself

4.This text is most probably written for ________.

A．English beginners                       B．native English speakers

C．English teachers                        D．language experts