Wednesday's assignment

Contracts

Task 1:

Listen to a talk and take notes of seven key points and supporting details. Compare your notes with a partner.

Before you consider signing a contract ...

When signing a contract ...

Task 2:

Listen again and answer the questions.

1.    What can prevent you from getting the best possible service and price?

2.    What are the potential consequences of not performing due diligence?

3.    What signals should you be wary of when a contract is involved?

4.    What can help prevent misunderstandings or fraud when you sign a contract?

5.    What is contained in “the fine print” and what are the consequences of not reading it?

6.    What points does the speaker make about the language of contracts?

7.    Explain the term direct agreement and give an example of a personal development service agreement. What do both of these agreements have in common?

8.    What are the potential consequences of cancelling a contract?

9.    What will help protect you if there is a breach of contract?

Task 3:

Fill in the following table and add any new idioms/vocabulary that you have picked from the talk.

Key vocabulary	Meaning	Sentences
party
offer
acceptance
consideration
terms
conditions
disclaimer
cooling-off period
regulated sectors
small claims court
estimate
recourse
buyer’s remorse
arbitration
retainer fee
Verbs and verb collocations
to be bound by
to be subject to
to breach
to sue
to file a complaint
to resolve
to perform due
diligence
to disclose
information
be liable for
to reserve the right

Friday, April 29th Field Trip

Eight months before it's all over, we'll be visiting one of Toronto's most interesting institutions, Honest Ed's (flyer), and its closest neighbourhood, Koreatown.

Let's arrive by 10:30 a.m. at the Bloor and Bathurst entrance and leave for lunch in Koreatown around 11:30 a.m. from the Markham Road exit. Be sure to be in the photo session at 11:35.

Please arrange with your classmates to ride the subway there! Those leaving from Don Mills Station should board the 9:38 a.m. train. If you are joining those going for lunch, we should finish no later than 1:30 p.m. and could get back to Don Mills from either Bathurst or Christie station.



What are you most excited to find out? What are you most hungry for?

Post your comments below!

Monday's assignment

Task 1:

Listen to a dialogue between a customer and a restaurant manager. Answer the questions below.

1. What product or service does the customer enquire about? What are her general requirements?

2. What are the specific items that the customer would like to have included in her order? How will the manager accommodate those needs?

3. Underline the items from the menu that are not mentioned in the conversation:

• mini pizzas • drinks • steak • Caesar salad • cream filling

4. What is the final order that the manager wants the customer to confirm?

5. How and when will the order be finalized?

6. How would you describe the manager’s style of customer service? Give reasons.

Task 2:

Listen to the recording again. Record the phrases and expressions you hear. Then, with a partner, add your own expressions to the list.

Asking for information:

Clarifying information:

Changing the topic:

Closing the conversation:

Task 3:

Locate information relating to each of the situations above. Go to the home page of the Ontario Ministry of Small Business and Consumer Services, and then click on then Your Rights. There are four categories, within your groups, write a quick summary, and then present your findings to the class.

Friday's assignment

Your Voice on the Telephone: Tone, Intonation and Emphasis

The way you use your voice on the telephone will impact on how the message is received. Tone of voice, intonation and emphatic stress all carry meaning and can affect the way the other person perceives your message.

Tone: Because there are no visual cues, a listener must rely on the tone of your voice to determine the mood and intent of the call. For example, if you are making a complaint, your tone will be serious. If you feel that your concerns are not being addressed, your tone may change to one of frustration. If you have complained about the same problem to several people, your voice will probably have an angry tone.

Intonation: Intonation refers to the way your voice goes up and down when you are speaking. It’s important to vary your pitch to maintain the listener’s interest. Having a monotonous or flat voice makes the conversation boring for the listener. It also sends the message that you are bored with what the other person is saying.

Emphasis: Emphasis refers to the way certain words are stressed to convey meaning. For example, in each of the following sentences different words are stressed, and the meaning of each sentence is different because of it.

I was told you did the work. vs. I was told you did the work. vs. I was told you did the work.

Task 1:

Listen to segments of eight telephone conversations. Discuss the questions below.

Conversation 1: What message does the tone of the speaker convey? Why?

Conversation 2: Describe Eleni’s tone. Describe Adam’s tone at the end of the conversation.

Conversation 3 and 4: Compare the tone in the two conversations. How are they different?

Conversation 5: Describe Greg Milne’s intonation. What impression of Greg would you have if you received this message on your answering machine?

Conversation 6: Describe the caller’s tone. What kind of impression does she make?
Would you consider ordering this product based on the sound of her voice? Why?

Conversation 7, 8: Which words are emphasized in each conversation? Why? How would you emphasize the words in Tom’s sentences?