You're listening to Business English Pod, the Business English podcast for professionals on the move.
Welcome back again to Business English Pod.
Today is the second in a two-part series on the basics of networking.
In our last episode, you learned ways to start and finish a conversation appropriately.
Today, you'll be studying how to keep a conversation going by maintaining interest.
Today's listening continues Dialogue 1 from our last episode.
As you'll remember, it takes place at the Asia-Pacific HR Conference for Multifresh, a global producer of health beverages.
Penny, an HR officer from Kuala Lumpur, has struck up a conversation with George, the Regional Learning and Development Manager.
Where we left off last time.
Penny had just used a tag question interesting speech, wasn't it to help get the conversation started?
Now, let's listen to how she maintains interest to keep the discussion going.
As you listen, try to answer the following questions.
First, near the beginning of the dialogue, Penny changes the subject.
What was the old subject and what is the new subject?
Two, where has Penny seen George before?
Three, what is George's hobby?
Four, what does George mean when he says, it's not really such a big deal?
And last, Is Penny going to join George in next year's event?
Interesting speech, wasn't it?
Yes.
Looks like we have a few challenges ahead.
Speaking of challenges... Uh-huh.
Was that you I saw in the talent showcase yesterday?
Yes.
I'm afraid it was.
Did you really run a marathon?
I sure did.
Nearly killed me.
What was it like?
Well, it was tough.
I trained for a year.
A year?
Did you really?
That's a long time.
How about the actual marathon?
How did that feel?
Well, towards the end, I thought I was going to die.
You poor thing.
It's not really such a big deal.
Lots of people run marathons.
Yeah, I'd like to give it a try someday.
You should.
Why don't you sign up for next year's event?
It certainly seems as though George and Penny are hitting it off, doesn't it?
Remember, to hit it off means to get along.
Penny is doing a good job of keeping the conversation going.
After using a tag question to get the discussion started, interesting speech, wasn't it?
She skillfully changes the subject to something of more interest to George.
Interesting speech, wasn't it?
Yes.
Looks like we have a few challenges ahead.
Speaking of challenges.
Uh-huh.
Was that you I saw in the talent showcase yesterday?
As we've seen in BEP 39 reporting and BEP 42 opening meetings.
Speaking of is a way of directing the conversation.
It connects to what was just mentioned in order to bring up a new topic.
George has just mentioned challenges.
Penny says, speaking of challenges to bring up a different kind of challenge, George's marathon.
What does she mean by talent showcase?
Showcase can be a noun or a verb.
To showcase your talent means to display it or put it on show.
For team building.
It sounds like MultiDrinks has probably created a presentation or a video showcasing staff hobbies and talents.
Now, let's practice more ways to direct the discussion.
You'll hear a series of short dialogues.
As you listen, pay attention to the key phrase used in each dialogue to change the topic.
So, I try to get out to a club once a week to listen to some live music.
That reminds me.
Haven't I heard somewhere that you play piano?
Yes.
How did you know?
Basically, lower taxes are not always better for business.
While we're on the subject of taxes, what do you think about the new tax on beer and wine?
It's been busy, busy, busy, busy.
No rest for me at all.
So I understand you are getting a promotion.
Congratulations.
Yes, how did you know?
Thank you.
Lovely weather, isn't it?
Yes, beautiful.
By the way, you haven't heard anything about this new training program that they're starting in Europe.
Have you?
So then, she actually told the boss that she thought he was a big dumb idiot.
Right to his face.
That's too funny.
Speaking of stupid things to say, you should have heard what Jackie said to Mike the other day.
And in my free time, I like to cook.
What kind of food?
Oh, lots of kinds.
But I really like Italian food.
Funny you should say that, because Italian's my favorite too.
Really?
Do you like to cook too?
Did you hear the key phrase used in each dialogue to change the topic?
Let's listen again to just these key phrases.
That reminds me, haven't I heard somewhere that you play piano?
While we're on the subject of taxes, what do you think about the tax on beer and wine?
By the way, you haven't heard anything about the new training program that they're starting in Europe.
Have you?
Speaking of stupid things to say, You should have heard what Jackie said to Mike the other day.
Funny you should say that, because Italian is my favorite, too.
Now you try.
Imagine you're speaking to George.
He's talking about his business trip to Beijing.
Use this chance to ask him whether he's planning on going to the 2008 Olympics.
So after two days in Shanghai, we flew to Beijing.
How did you do?
Listen to a possible answer.
So after two days in Shanghai, we flew to Beijing.
Speaking of Beijing, how about the 2008 Olympics?
Are you planning on going?
Good.
So we've looked at the language Penny uses to direct the discussion to something more interesting for George.
Now, how do Penny and George keep the conversation going?
Throughout the dialogue, they use several active listening strategies.
Let's look at these one by one.
Saying, uh-huh, is a simple way to show attention.
Of course, each language has its own sounds and expressions for showing attention.
To make people feel comfortable and to make your English sound more fluent, it's important to use the expressions that native speakers typically use.
Let's practice some basic sounds for showing attention.
Right, right, right.
Hmm, hmm, mm-hmm.
Sure, uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh.
Yes, yeah, mm, uh-huh.
How does that feel?
If you're not already used to making these sounds, uh-huh, mm-hmm, yeah, it can feel pretty strange.
But using them a lot when you speak is one of the most basic ways to maintain interest in a conversation.
There are also many other ways.
As the dialogue continues, how does Penny show active interest in what George is saying?
Did you really run a marathon?
I sure did.
Nearly killed me.
What was it like?
What was it like? is one of the best questions you can ask to keep a conversation going.
As an open question, that just means, how was it?
Tell me something about it.
This gives your partner a lot of freedom to respond.
Well, it was tough.
I trained for a year.
A year?
Did you really?
That's a long time.
How about the actual marathon?
How did that feel?
Here, Penny uses several strategies. she echoes the word year.
Echo means to say again.
After using the echo word a year, she uses an echo question.
Did you really?
Then she finishes with an open-ended question.
How did that feel?
Each of these techniques is good used on its own.
They're also often used in combination, as you'll hear now on some examples.
First, an echo word, then an echo question, then an open-ended WH question.
I went to Bali last week.
Bali?
Did you really?
What was it like?
Serena's getting married.
Married?
Is she really?
When?
We had 10,000 sales last month.
10,000?
Did we really?
What's the total amount?
In addition to these strategies, Penny has one more great way to keep the discussion going.
How about the actual marathon?
How did that feel?
Well, towards the end, I thought I was gonna die.
You poor thing.
It's not really such a big deal.
Lots of people run marathons.
You poor thing is a personal comment.
Reacting personally is another important way to maintain interest by listening actively.
In this case, Penny is showing sympathy or empathy with George.
What does George mean by it's not really such a big deal?
This is an idiom meaning that something is not extraordinary.
It doesn't deserve a lot of attention.
George is being modest about his marathon.
What other types of personal reactions can you make?
There are many.
You can show interest.
Really?
How about that?
That sounds interesting.
Surprise.
The last one, dude, is an informal American expression of surprise.
Dude is also used as an informal form of address, usually among friends.
You can also react to something that is not surprising.
Mm-hmm.
That's not a surprise.
Typical.
I'm not surprised.
It's always that way, isn't it?
Here are some ways to show pleasure.
Really?
Fantastic.
Great.
Wonderful.
Terrific.
Agreement.
Exactly.
Of course.
Sure.
Or, as we've seen, sympathy.
How awful.
What a pity.
Poor you.
Now it's your turn to practice.
Imagine you're talking to Penny.
Listen to what she has to say, then react appropriately by showing interest.
I can't believe it.
The weather report said it's going to be 40 degrees tomorrow.
Now listen to a possible answer.
I can't believe it.
The weather report said it's going to be 40 degrees tomorrow.
40 degrees?
Did it really?
No way!
How long is it going to last?
Now try with George.
Listen to what he says, then show interest appropriately.
Sandra lost her new Nokia cell phone.
Listen to a possible answer.
Sandra lost her new Nokia cell phone.
Her new Nokia?
Did she really?
How awful.
Where did it happen?
Well, that about does it for today's show.
You've practiced many ways of directing the conversation and keeping it going, including changing the topic and showing active interest.
Thanks for listening, and we'll see you next time.
