<01>
1.1WORKING FROM HOME
I: Ok, Michela. You work from home now. Can you tell me about a typical day?
M: Sure, I always get up aroud 7 and the first thing i do is get the kids ready for school.I take them at eight thirty and then i always start work at 9.
I: Do you ever have a day where you decide to have the morning off and start work at nine.
M: No,you can't do that. It's important with home-working off and have a timetable and stick to it. If you end up watching TV or doing the cleaning then it isn't for you. SO I have lunch at 12 and finish work at 2:30 to get the children.
I: Was that why you gave up your office job?
M: Yes, I wanted to spend more time with the children. It gives me more flexibility. Sometimes I need to work in the evening but usually it isn't a problem.
I: So how long have you been doing this kind of work?
M: For about five years. I've been with the same company since I left school but with the Internet and technology it's easy now to be at home.
I: So your employer doesn't mind.
M: No. It means the company saves money on office space and as long as I get the work done, they're happy.Sometimes I still go into work to meet clients and so on. For example, I'M going in nearly every day this week because we have visitors from another company and I can't really invite them overto my house. Besides, it's nice to go in every so often. I like to see people and catch up on the gossip and the news with my colleagues. I miss that side of going into work every day.
I: is there anything else you miss?
M:ERMM,no, not really. And I'll tell you what I really don't miss and that's having to spend 2 hours commuting on the bus and train every day
<02>
conversation 1
R=Richard W=Woman M=Marek
R:Hello?
W:Hello,Richard. I'd like to introduce you to Marek.
R:Oh yes. Hello,Marek. How do you do? Nice to meet you at last.
M:Hello,Richard.Pleased to meet you too.
W:Oh,do you two know each other already?
M:Well, we've spoken on the phone a few times.
R:But we've never actually met. Anyway, take a seat. Would you both like a coffee?
Conversation 2
A:Would you like a coffee?
B:Oh,thanks.
A:Milk?
B:Yes,please,and a suger...thanks.
A:So have you enjoyed this moring?
B:Yes,it was very interesting. The first speaker was particularly good.
A:Is this your first time at one of these events?
B:Yes,it is. And you?
A:No. I've been coming for years.The company pays and if the location is good then I come.I remember the best year we had was in Monaco...
Conversation 3
M=Marie W=Woman
M:May I join you?
W:Sure.
M:You're a colleague of Martion Obach, aren't you?
W:That's right. He works in our Barcelona office. How do you know him?
M:We were both at Elcotil together. He left about a year before me.
W:Oh, are you Mandy?
M:Marie.
W:Marie.That's right.Sorry,I knew it began with an M.Yes,Martin said you were doing this course and that I should say hello...
Conversation 4
A:Well,this is nice.
B:Well,it's quite simple but the food is very traditional and it's popular with the locals. On Sundays I often bring the family here.
A:That's nice. How many children do you have?
B:Two. Twins. A boy and a girl. They've just started school.
A:Wow. Twins.
B:And you?
A:No, not yet. And have you always lived in Lille?
B:Yes, most of my life. I worked in Paris for a while and in your country, of course. But all my relatives are here.What about your family?
A:Oh,they're spread out. I see my parents from time to time but my sister lives in Norway with her husband so we dou't get together much. Anyway, I know your company is looking for a partner on this Thai project.
B:Yes.Is that something you might be interested in...
<03>
Examed butterlight.
And where do you live exactly?
I’m from a small town in North Switzerland. But at the moment I am studying for a business degree. So I live in .
What type of business seems the most successful in your town?
Well, I suppose that tourism is quite important to the area and many small farms, so algricuture also. Youric where I study is more famous of course for banking and financial services.
How is working life changing in your country?
Sorry, can you repeat the question, please?
Yes, how is working life changing in your country?
I think that more and more people are moving to the cities. Or they are community in everyday. In my opinion, the biggest change has coming from technology. But then that's probably true everywhere, not just in my country.
<04>
Benefits and incentives
Speaker one:
It is great. Because usually you meet my wife can use one of the home. And we also even take mina I work.
I work for quite a relax company.
And they don’t seem to mind how I use for leisure.
I thought it won’t change the way I worked after the first 6 months. But as they got older after they come more complemented with getting them to school or they want to do activities in the afternoon. But my boss is being really good about it. And some days I can do a half of day if I want. Then I might work later other days. Or I take work home. Would check out let it doing.
I’ve just been promoted as a system IT techni to achieve operational network administrator. It means I get a big pay rice. and a new business card with my name on. I am not sure if I will get my own office so.
It’s actually the lown now. So let me have to load it. It was only two weeks, but at least that had time to have my wife out. Mind you? After all the late night cry, I was really happy to get back to work for a while.
The problem for me is that one of them have to leave on. but I am sixty. and I can’t afford private plan. So I will probably try and keep working for a few more years. And that anyway, I had the government is planning to raise his rage and
<05>
2.2 Presentations
Extract 1 Good morning and thanks for coming. Today I’d like to tell you about the world’s largest document management company. With a turnover of nearly sixteen billion dollars the Xerox Corporation develops and markets innovative technologies with products and solutions that customers depend upon to get the best results for their business. In my brief presentation we’ll begin by looking at some of the key figures behind the company’s success and how the company is structured. Then I’ll give an overview of Xerox around the world and finally I’d like to talk about some of the trends affecting our market and its future growth. If you have any questions, I’ll be happy to answer them at the end. So, here you can see, the turnover for last year was nearly sixt