Text Box: Revised January 2006PE8-5        Going on a Business Trip

 

 

Lesson Objectives

After completing this lesson, students should be able to:

-understand and describe common travel situations encountered by business travelers.

-comprehend and use travel-related vocabulary.

-use professional, formal register in communication more fluently.

-ask for and give clarification.

 

WARM-UP

 

Discuss these questions with a partner or in groups:

 

1.      Which countries have you been to? Which countries would you like to visit? Are there any countries you wouldn’t want to visit? Why?

2.      Do you know anyone who travels frequently on business (e.g., your uncle?

         your friend's father? etc.) What kind of business is s/he in?

3.    How often does s/he travel? Which countries does s/he travel to?

4.    What do you think are some of the problems a business traveler might face?

5.    Would you like to travel as a businessperson someday? Why or why not?

 

Tips For Business Travelers: Things To Know Before You Go

 

John Thompson is an international sales representative for a large multinational corporation with its main office in San Francisco. He often has to travel overseas to visit factories and meet with foreign clients. Next week, he will be visiting his client in Taipei for three days before going on to Shanghai to visit another client.

 

His secretary, Tina, usually handles his travel arrangements. She calls the travel agency to make the reservation.  She has to consider factors such as the check-in time, departure and arrival times, and visa requirements (if any). Once he has his tickets and travel documents in order, she calls the travel agency again to confirm his reservation.  Tina is also responsible for making his hotel reservations. Since Mr. Thompson often has to entertain guests at his hotel, he wants her to make sure that a large suite will be ready for him when he arrives at his destination.

 

When he goes abroad for business, his company pays for his flights. Mr. Thompson usually travels in business class. When he has enough frequent flier miles, he can upgrade to first class. He is such an experienced traveler that when there is turbulence, he usually sleeps right through it. His only complaint is that he often suffers from jet lag, especially on long trips.

 

He usually arrives at the airport two hours before his flight is scheduled to depart. There, he checks in and receives his boarding pass. He is also informed of his gate number and seat number. If he has enough time, he may visit the duty-free shops in the airport.

 

When he arrives at his destination, he makes sure his passport, visa, and arrival card are in order so he can quickly go through customs and immigration. He has the following advice for business travelers:

 

“Always pack lightly. I usually take one check-in and one carry-on baggage. As a business traveler, you will constantly be on the move. You don’t want to worry about lugging heavy bags with you everywhere you go. Just bring the essentials and leave the rest at home.”

 

“Don’t carry a lot of cash.You should take most of your money in traveler’s checks. Keep your receipts in a safe and separate place so if you lose your traveler’s checks, you can quickly get replacements. Credit cards can also be used almost anywhere.”

 

“Try to get plenty of rest before and after your flight. If you are traveling from NewYork to Taipei, you don’t want to suffer from jet lag.”

 

“Last but not least, remember the old saying - 'When in Rome, do as the Romans do.' Try to learn as much as possible about the country you are traveling to and follow the local customs."

by Roman Yamsuan and Shelby Largay

VOCABULARY

 

Nouns

boarding pass           class (economy, business, first)                  customs

immigration                suite                            travel agency

 

Verbs

arrive (arrival time, arrival card)                   check in (check in baggage)

confirm                       depart (departure time)

 

Adjectives

carry-on (carry-on baggage)            duty-free

 

Phrases

check-in time                         suffer from jet lag       take in the sights      

 

Word Bank

essentials                   frequent flier miles                 lug       multinational corporation

replacements             saying                                     traveller's checks       turbulence

upgrade

                                                                       

EXERCISES

 

A.   Comprehension questions

1.       What is Mr. Thompson’s position?

2.       What factors does Mr. Thompson’s secretary have to consider?

3.       What does Mr. Thompson do before his flight?

4.       What is jet lag?  How can you avoid it?

5.       Explain the saying, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”

6.       What does Mr. Thompson need upon arrival?

7.       What advice does he give other travelers?

8.       Why does he need a hotel suite?

 

B.  Multiple choice 

Find the best choice to make the sentences even clearer.

 

____   1.   Mr. Joseph Lee has been an international ...... for many years.

                a) travel agency                 b) multinational corporation c) sales    representative

 

____   2.   How many pieces of baggage will you be ......, Miss Agustiady?

                  a) leaving us                    b) suffering from                                c) checking in

 

____   3.   Mr. Takashimaya will be sitting in ...... when he flies to Bangkok.

                  a) duty-free                       b) first class                                       c) his clothes

 

____   4.   Make sure that all your ......  are in order before you travel overseas.

                  a) travel documents        b) flier miles                                       c) family members

 

____   5.   Traveler's checks and ...... are much safer than bringing a lot of cash.

                  a) credit and debit                       b) credit cards                       c) credit unions

 

____         6.   Mr. Abdul Mohammed requested a large ...... to privately entertain his customers.

                  a) suite                             b) carry-on baggage             c) medium or small

 

____   7.   It’s okay for you to ...... to First Class, Mr. Domingo. Have a nice flight!

                  a) entertain                       b) depart                                            c) upgrade

 

____   8.   Please make sure that Mr. Singh has enough time to ...... through our catalogue.

                  a) browse             b) pack                                               c) advise

 

C.    Compound nouns  

Match words from the Column A to words on Column B to make 15 compound nouns. Each of the words in Column A can should only be compounded once to a word in Column B. The first one has been done for you (ex: sales representative).

 

            Column A                                                                 Column B

 

1.         sales ...           _d__                                       a.         lag

2.         travel ...           ____                                       b.         reservations

3.         duty ... ____                                       c.         card

4.         jet ...                ____                                       d.         representative

5.         business ...     ____                                       e.         checks

6.         customs & ...  ____                                       f.          arrival

7.         hotel ...            ____                                       g.         free

8.         carry-on ...      ____                                       h.         customs

9.         economy ...    ____                                       i.          agency

10.       boarding ...     ____                                       j.          number

11.       traveler's ...     ____                                       k.         baggage

12.       departure & ..____                                        l.          class

13.       credit ...          ____                                       m.        immigrations

14.       gate ...            ____                                       n.         flier miles

15.       frequent ...      ____                                       o.         pass

 

D.  Vocabulary

Rectangular Callout: CHECKLIST: Put a check (ü) on the following tasks if you have done them: ____ 1. I found the meaning of all of these words in my dictionary. ____ 2. I know how to pronounce them and where their stress [´] marks are. ____ 3. I know each word’s noun, verb, and adjective forms. ____ 4. I made a grammatically correct sentence for each word. ____ 5. I understand how these words are used in the reading. ____ 6. I know how to pronounce these words correctly. ____ 7. I know how to paraphrase the vocabulary.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


E.  Appropriate answer  

Choose the most appropriate answer or reply to these. Some answers may even be repeated more than once. The first one has been done for you.

Rectangular Callout: a) "I usually go to a tea shop." b) "It must be the jet lag." c) "For how long?" d) "Seven in the evening." e) "We'll try to get you a closer one." f) "Just one." g) "May I know who is calling?" h) "Better early than late, right?" i) "For about a week." j) "Most of them can, but not very well." k) "A thousand, please." l) "Yes, there's a nice Italian place on Chung Shan N. Rd. Sec 6." m) "About two hours before your flight." n) "It was pleasant." o) "Yes, but he is in a meeting right now." p) "Please, just call me Tina."
 


_e__   1.    "My hotel is far from your office!"

____   2.    "I think I'm too early."

____   3.    "My flight has been delayed."

____   4.    "What do you usually do after work?"

____   5.    "Can your staff speak English?"

____   6.    "How long do you plan to stay?"

____   7.    "You look very tired."

____   8.    "May I speak to your boss?"

____   9.    "What time is your flight?"

____   10.  "How many bags do you want to

                     check in?"

____   11.  "Can you recommend a good restaurant?"

____   12.  "How was your flight?"

____   13.  "What time should I check in?"

____   14.  "Nice to meet you, Miss Wu."

____   15.  "Is Mr. Young in?"

 

 

 

F. Registering for a hotel stay

Your manager is going to attend a trade show in San Diego, California. The organizers of the show have made special arrangements for participants to stay at the San Diego Paradise Point Resort. To complete the registration form on the next page, you will need to check his business card, credit card and flight itinerary below. He is traveling alone and he is a non-smoker.

 

RT International, Ltd.

14F No.333 Keelung Rd. Sec. 1

Taipei 104 Taiwan  R.O.C.

Tel: 886-2-2745-9870  Fax: 886-2-2745-9800

 

Kevin Kai-Ya Wei, Sales Manager

Email: kwei@rt_intl.com.tw
 

RELOC #:          SN25745

   1PAX:           WEI, KAI-YA   MR.

  

UA844    TPE-SAN              06/06/03       1235-1425     Y       OK

UA845    SAN-TPE              06/11/03       1225-1840     C       OK

 

   REMARKS:      MILEAGE PLUS MEMBER (PREMIER)

   STAFF:          MICHELLE <EMPLOYEE #2768617>

   ISSUE DATE:  05/12/03           TIME:    1015
 
 



Hotel Registration Form

San Diego Paradise Point Resort

1404 West Vacation Road, San Diego, CA 92109-7905

Phone: (858) 274-4630/800-344-2626 Fax:  (858) 581-5924

 

Guest Name: ___________________________________________________________________

                            First                                                        Middle                                                   Family Name

 

Arrival Date: ____________________Time:________ Departure Date:____________________

 

Address to which confirmation should be sent (please type or print):

 

Name:_______________________________________________________________________

 

Company/Organization:_________________________________________________________

 

Address:______________________________________________________________________

 

City:_______________________________________State:______________Zip code:________

 

Country:____________________________________Phone:_____________________________

 

Fax:_______________________________E-mail:_____________________________________

 

Room preference:         ____Single                   ____Double    

                                    ____Smoking               ____Non-smoking

 

I have the following special needs:__________________________________________________

 

To guarantee with a credit card:  circle one

 

Visa                 Mastercard       American                      Diners              Carte                JCB

                                                Express                        Club                 Blanche

 

Card Number:___________________________________________Expiration date:__________

 

Print the name as shown on the card:________________________________________________

 

I authorize the hotel to charge one night’s room rate plus tax to this credit card if I fail to show up without canceling my reservation by 4:00pm on the arrival date.

 

Signature:________________________________________________Date:_________________

 

Please return by mail or fax by 5:00pm Pacific Time, September 29, 2001 To:  San Diego Paradise Point Resort 1404 West Vacation Road, San Diego, CA 92109-7905, USA   Fax:  (858) 581-5924

 

 

COMMUNICATION

 

A.  Giving and receiving clarification

 

Giving Clarification

When you are speaking and you can see that someone is not following you, you

can give him or her clarification, that is, check if they really understood you.

Instead of using the very common way of giving clarification – “Do you

understand?” – which is considered informal or impolite, you can use other more

formal expressions.

 

The expressions below are appropriate for most situations. Put a check (ü) on at

least three (3) expressions you would like to use from now on:

 

___  1. Have I made myself clear?  ___ 2.  Does that make sense to you?

___  3. Do you see what I mean?                ___  4. Am I making sense?    

___  5. Do you understand so far?             

 

The following expressions are also used for clarification but are inappropriate for formal situations.  Put a check (ü) by at least three (3) expressions you would like to use more often.

 

___1.  Did you catch that?               ___2. Is that clear?               ___3.  Right?

___4. Okay, so far?                         ___5.  Did you get that?       ___6.  Got it?                                                

Requesting Clarification

If you don’t understand something that the speaker is talking about, you may

have to interrupt him or her to repeat or explain something.  You cannot wait for

the speaker to stop and ask you; maybe he or she doesn’t even know you have

question.

 

Here are some polite ways to request clarification:

 

USE ONE OF THESE:                               FOLLOWED BY ONE OF THESE:

 


__ 11.   Excuse me.                                __ 16.  What was that again?

__ 12.   Pardon me.                                __ 17.  Could you repeat that please?

__ 13.   I beg your pardon.                     __ 18.  Would you mind repeating that?

__ 14.   I’m sorry.                                     __ 19.  I didn’t get the last part.

__ 15.   May I interrupt?                          __ 20.   Could you say that again please?

 

 

In more informal situations (ex: talking to your friends), you may ask for

clarification in these ways:

 


USE ONE OF THESE:                               FOLLOWED BY ONE OF THESE:

 


___ 21.   What?                                             ___ 25.   I didn’t catch that.

___ 22.   What did you say?                        ___ 26.   I didn’t get the last part.

___ 23.   Huh? (very informal)                      ___ 27.  You lost me.

___ 24.   I didn’t get that.

 

 

Now, here is a situation on an airplane that shows us how to use these phrases.

 

            Example:

 

Flight attendant:         Excuse me, sir, could you please pull down your window shade?

            Passenger 1:             I'm sorry, what was that again?

Flight attendant:         Could you please close your window so the other passengers could watch the movie without the sun shining through your window?

            Passenger 1:             I’m sorry,but I prefer to keep it open.

            Flight attendant:         Pardon me, would you mind repeating that?

Passenger 1:             I said I don’t want to close my window. You see, I wanted this seat   because it’s next to the window, ... and I like to keep my window open.

            Passenger 2:             Sir?

            Passenger 1:             Yes??

Passenger 2:             If you don't close your window, I can't see the movie clearly. If my wife, son, and I can't see the movie clearly, they will complain to me. That makes me angry. And if I get angry, I can break your eye-glasses, and you won't see clearly either. Are you following me?!!

Passenger 1:             Uh, yes, I am! I'm closing the window now, ... enjoy your movie!

            Passenger 2:             Thank you for being so kind ...

 

Below are some other situations wherein you can practice these phrases.

 

A foreign client calls your office and needs your help. Now, you must do two things: 1) help the client; and  2) report to your boss when he comes into the office what you did.

 

a)  They are lost and ask for directions to your office.

b)  They are stuck in traffic and will be later than expected.

c)  They would like to reschedule for tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

B.  What to pack?

You are going on a ten-day business trip. You will be traveling around quite a bit and must pack lightly. In fact, you can only bring 15 of the following items. Decide which items you will take. Compare your answers with a partner.

 

___ traveler's checks                                    ___ underwear

___ shampoo                                                ___ soap / deodorant

___ business cards                                      ___ cellular phone / mobile phone

___ sneakers                                                ___ aspirin

___ camera                                                   ___ alarm clock

___ diary                                                        ___ video games

___ toothbrush                                              ___ adaptor

___ wallet                                                       ___ travel documents

___ Walkman / Discman                              ___ hairdryer

___ briefcase                                                ___ gifts for hosts

___ jeans                                                       ___ socks

___ laptop computer                                    ___ travel iron

___ English dictionary                                  ___ t-shirts

___ credit cards                                            ___ a novel

___ calculator                                                ___ printer

___ neckties                                                  ___ formal shoes

___ belt                                                          ___ dark pants

___ briefcase                                                ___ hair brush / comb

 

 

C.  Using formal English

We change the way we speak to other people according to their age, position or status.  When speaking to someone who is older or has a higher status than you, it is proper and polite to use formal expressions.  When speaking to your friends it’s okay to use a more informal register. 

 

1. Which expression is appropriate when speaking to a child?

a.  It’s a pleasure to meet you          b.  Hi there.

 

2. Which expression is appropriate when speaking to your classmate?

a.  May I trouble you for a pencil?      b.  Can I borrow a pencil please?

 

3. Which expression is appropriate when speaking to your teacher or business associate?

a.