Reading and Vocabulary

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1. Work with a partner and discuss these questions:

1) What types of employee appraisal systems do you know?

2) How can employee appraisal system help an employer?

2. Read the text and decide if these statements are true (T) or false (F):

1) The system depends on colleagues speaking to the facilitator.

2) The facilitator eventually speaks to the member of staff in question.

3) The facilitator tells the person exactly what has been written about him/her.

4) Staff members don’t have to participate if they don’t want to.

5) Participants will always be able to choose their appraisers and facilitator.

6) The process should help people understand themselves better.

7) The new system is an opportunity to take your revenge on colleagues.

8) There will be a single meeting where people can express their ideas.

Memo

To: Sales and Marketing staff.

From: Heidi Bauer. Head of Human Resources.

In last year’s questionnaire concerning existing appraisal procedures we detected a generally negative perception of how the process was conducted. Accordingly, and in a spirit of openness we will be introducing a new method of appraisal to replace or sit alongside the existing system and we will be trialing it this year with the Sales and Marketing Departments.

This new method is commonly called 360-degree feedback and gives more than just our line manager a say in how we are performing. With your agreement and participation, it will form part of our desire to create a more open, participative, and supportive working culture. This proposal has already been discussed with the union and staff association, and neither body has raised any substantial objection to the scheme. If you have any immediate misgiving then you should contact your representative directly.

This short summary explains a little about how the process works:

360-degree feedback is a paper-based system where your co-workers, above, below, and alongside you will give their candid assessment of you and your work in the form of a questionnaire. You will also have the opportunity for self-assessment. The appraisals are entirely anonymous and will be filtered by a facilitator. The facilitator will then give feedback to the member of staff concerned. This will be a totally private and confidential meeting. The underlying idea is to give an appraisal that draws out general points about a person’s performance and general behaviour.

In accordance with the wishes of staff representatives, it has been decided that this system will be on an entirely voluntary basis during the experimental and introductory stage. In addition, participants will be allowed to select their own appraisers, and where possible, facilitator. If this experiment is successful it is envisaged that this could eventually replace our existing forms of appraisal throughout the whole company.

We would like to assure everybody involved that designated facilitators will receive the necessary training to lead the feedback. We have drawn on the advice and expertise of a leading firm of human resources experts. We have also spoken to other organizations where this appraisal method is in place and the response to it has been overwhelmingly favourable.

The aim of the exercise is to help all of us perform better through being more self-aware. It is not intended to intimidate or undermine individuals. Appraisals will focus on people’s perceived strengths as well as their weaknesses. Appraisers should not use the process as a way of mounting a personal attack.

There will be a series of meetings scheduled where we can discuss this proposal further. Nothing has been settled and everybody will have the opportunity to make his or her opinion heard.

3. Work with a partner. Create a flow chart of how the system works.

4. Word-building. Follow the instructions for 1–3:

1) Make nouns from these verbs: appraise, perform, facilitate, participate, behave, represent.

2) Make adjectives from these verbs: participate, support, introduce, experiment, volunteer.

3) Make nouns from these adjectives: strong, weak.

5. Complete the sentences by solving the anagrams:

1) Have you had any _______ about the new proposals yet? FECDEBAK

2) We _____ a lot of people resisting the suggested changes. EINASGVE

3) You can’t repeat exactly what was written, you need to _____ it first. ITLFER

4) Her constant criticism has ______ his self-confidence. DUNERMIEND

5) As far as I am concerned, the subject is _____, I don’t want to talk about it any more. ESTLTED

6) What is the _____ philosophy behind this change? DUNELRYIGN

6. The Scottish poet Robert Burns thought that self-knowledge was a good thing. What do you think he meant when he wrote this? How far do you agree with him?

_“ Oh would some power the gift give us, to see ourselves as others see us. _”

PART 2

SPEAKING

GETTING INFORMATION BY PHONE

1. Look at the brochure and read the telephone conversation. Complete the conversation using the information in the brochure.

The 18^th Annual National ABC Exhibition THE MATTANO EXHIBITION CENTRE November 9–12 Transport to hotel From train station: The hotel is very near the railway station: about ten minutes` walk and three minutes by bus or taxi. Taxi service costs the minimum fare of €2.00 plus a charge for luggage (approx. one or two euros more). To receive additional information please call Thomas Stark, Customer Service Manager, (650) 223-8831, or email tstark@mattano.org

THOMAS	Good morning. Mattano Exhibition Centre. Thomas Stark speaking. How can I help you?
EXHIBITOR	I`m an exhibitor at the ABC Exhibition, but I`m afraid I`ve lost the brochure you sent me, so I`m calling for some more information. Could you tell me how far the hotel is from the main train station and the best way to get there?
THOMAS	Just a moment, please. I`ll check. The hotel is (1)__________ the station, so you can gat a taxi or a bus, or even (2)__________.
EXHIBITOR	Do you know how much the taxi costs?
THOMAS	The taxi would be about (3)_________ euros.
EXHIBITOR	I`m sorry, I didn’t catch that.
THOMAS	The taxi would be about (4)_________ euros. Is there anything else you need?
EXHIBITOR	No, thanks. That`s all. You’ve been very helpful.
THOMAS	Thank you for calling. Goodbye.

2. Work in pairs.

Speaker 1

Call the exhibition centre and ask for this information.

- How much/ rooms? Breakfast/ included?

- How far/ hotel from airport? Walk?

- How long/ bus journey? How much/ ticket?

Now change roles. Use this brochure to answer B`s call.

EXHIBITION CENTRE Exhibitor registration & badges All exhibitor personnel must register as soon as they arrive at the main lobby. Registration is from 09.00 to 21.00. On registration, they will receive an Exhibition Folder with information, maps, and their identification badges. Payment Cancellations or reductions in space must be made in writing and postmarked or faxed by June 1. A refund will be given, minus a service fee of 50%. Special Services and Equipment Rental price of exhibit space does not include the cost of furniture, equipment, labour, electricity, water, gas, telephone, or other special services. Order forms for all services will be sent by the Exhibit Organization Department in advance.

Speaker 2

Use this information to answer Speaker`s 1 call.

Hotel Reservations Single room: € 145 Double room: € 165 Prices include continental breakfast. Guests must check out by 12.00 noon on the day they are leaving the hotel. Transport to hotel From airport: Airport bus service every half hour. Journey takes 20 minutes. Taxi service costs between eight and ten euros, depending on luggage. Bus service numbers 125, 130, and 145 all stop outside the hotel. A ticket costs € 0,85.

Now change roles. Call the exhibition center to find out this information:

- Services/ included in rental? How/ order extra furniture?

- When/ register? What time/ registration desk open?

- When/ I have to pay? Refund if/ cancel?

PART 3

WRITING

CONFIRMING AN ORDER

1. Work with a partner and discuss the following questions:

1) Have you ever ordered one thing and received another?

2) Why do you think that orders sometimes go wrong?

2. Read the email confirming an order and answer the following questions:

1) What has been ordered?

2) How many have been ordered?

3) How much will it cost?

4) When will it be delivered?

Dear Mr Adams

1. Thank you for your order. Your purchasing information appears below. Please take a moment to read through this email and check that the order details are correct.

2. You have placed an order for 25 of our new OP245Y laptops. The cost after discount is 900 euros per laptop. The total cost of the order is 22,500 euros. This is the amount we will issue an invoice for.

3. You will be pleased to know that we have the laptops in stock and can have them ready to be shipped within 24 hours of you confirming your order.

4. If you are happy with all these details, please send me an email to confirm the order and we will process it straight away.

Best regards

Nemone Skolska

3. Read the letter again and decide if these statements are true or false:

1) Nemone is writing to confirm the details of the order.

2) Mr Adams’ company will pay full price for the goods.

3) Some of the laptops are out of stock.

4) Mr Adams has to reply to this email.

4. Match paragraphs 1–4 in the email to functions a–d:

a) Invite a response: ___

b) Introduce the reason for writing: ___

c) Confirm details: ___

d) Give information / news: ___

5. Read the following paragraph. Which paragraph in the email could it replace? How would the other paragraphs need to change if you used this alternative paragraph?

Unfortunately the model you have ordered is currently out of stock. We are expecting a delivery in five days, but if you prefer we could send you the OP245Z model which we have in stock now.

6. Match the words in bold in the email to definitions 1–8:

1) a reduction in the usual price: ___

2) facts / information about something: ___

3) be present / be noticeable: ___

4) when a shop / factory has something available for sale / use: ___

5) an official list of items or work done plus the cost: ___

6) to deal with something in an official way: ___

7) to produce / provide something official: ___

8) to make certain that something is correct: ___

7. Look at the order form and the notes made on it. Use the information to plan an email to Ms. Mitchell. Decide what information you will give in each section of your email.

Order form

Date: 10.04.2015

Name: Helen Harper

Company: Samsung

Quantity: 30

Item: OP250YZ tablets

Price per item: 500 Euro

Total Price: 15000 Euros

Regular customer

Quantity over 20 = discount 10% (total price 13500 euros)