10 бизнес-идиом с кошками и собаками

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English Central

В прошлый раз мы рассказывали о несложных интернет-играх для изучения новых английских слов, сегодня же обратим ваше внимание на мощный ресурс, предлагающий полноценные курсы для улучшения произношения и увеличения словарного запаса.

Итак, на English Central вы найдете огромное количество видеофайлов — иногда собранных в полноценные курсы, иногда — нет, но всегда в сопровождении расшифровок, упражнений и словарных статей по каждому использованному в клипе слову. После просмотра видео и выполнения упражнений вы примените полученные знания на практике и проверите свое произношение — а система подскажет, каким звукам стоит уделить особое внимание. Да, здесь скорее американский вариант произношения, но изучать язык со Стивом Джобсом и Мартином Лютером Кингом, не выходя из дома, — не худший вариант, не правда ли? Преподаватели же могут использовать материалы сайта для домашних заданий и как основу для дальнейший обсуждений в классе.

Резюмируя, скажем, что English Central — мощный многофункциональный ресурс для улучшения уровня владения английским языком, который можно использовать как отдельно, так и совместно с иными курсами.

Параллельные тексты: Английский язык (Triplingo — удобное приложение для бизнес-поездок)

Travel App for Better Business Trips	Приложение, облегчающее  бизнес-поездки
These days, it’s easy to clutter your smartphone with apps that are designed to help you to get from point A to point B. And with so many options to help you plan and execute your trip, finding an elite toolkit to make your next business trip a little less painless can be a hassle in itself.	Сегодня очень просто накачать ваш смартфон приложениями, облегчающими вам сам процесс поездки из пункта А в пункт Б. При этом в будете иметь множество опций, помогающих вам спланировать вашу поездку и совершить ее, по возможности, наиболее комфортным образом.
Triplingo has the potential to be invaluable addition to your traveling arsenal. You may have maximized your trip for business efficiency, it takes care of the little things that can knock your experience out of the park.	Triplingo – приложение, которое может стать очень ценным дополнением к вашему «походному» набору. Вы сможете максимально повысить эффективность от вашей поездки, так как оно возьмет на себя решение маленьких проблем, позволит расширить ваш опыт в путешествиях.
Triplingo is a personalized language guide for any user. The app begins with a few questions about your trip and uses the answers to create a customized list of phrases to learn beforehand.	Triplingo — это ваш персональный гид-переводчик. Он задаст несколько вопросов о цели вашей поездки и потом использует ваши ответы для составления списка полезных фраз, которые вам необходимо выучить прежде всего.
Phrases are presented as flashcards with a special «slang slider» that ranges from formal to informal, meaning there’s an opportunity to speak like the locals really do. A structured badge-based reward system and a 2,000-word dictionary make the app a great way to get by in a new country.	Фразы представлены в виде флэш-карт со специальным «сленг-помощником», включающим фразы для формального и неформального общения, принятого в разговорах с местными.  Структурированная система напоминаний с помощью баджей и словарик из 2000 слов делают приложение исключительно полезным при поездках в новую страну.

The Coca-Cola story

Do you know how old Coca Cola is? More than a hundred years! It was invented in 1886 by a chemist called John Pemberton, who lived in Atlanta, in the South of the USA. (Its name comes from two of its ingredients- coca leaves and kola nuts.) Pemberton tried to sell Coca Cola as a medicine. He told his customers that it was good for headaches. They didn’t believe him, and they didn’t buy it.

After John Pemberton died, in 1888, a man called Asa Candler bought the recipe for Pemberton’s medicine He decided to sell it, not as a medicine but as a drink. In 1892, he spent $ 12,000 on advertising it. The Coca Cola advertising campaign hasn’t stopped since then! And it has worked brilliantly. Coke has been the most popular drink in the USA for more than sixty years.

In 1941, when the USA entered World War II, American soldiers began to travel all over the world .The President of the Coca Cola Company promised to send their favourite drink wherever they went, Five billion bottles of Coke were sent around the world to the soldiers! And that’s why, since the War, Coke has been famous everywhere. if you look on a bottle of Coke you will find that one of the ingredients is called simply ‘natural flavourings’. What are those flavourings? No one will tell you! The recipe for Coke has been a secret for a century. The Coca Cola Company keeps it in a safe in Atlanta. In 1985, the company made a small change to its famous drink. Millions of people complained. The company had to go back to the recipe in the safe!

Текст. Job Interview Skills (Intermediate level)

When you’re job hunting, you need the right skills, education, and experience. Take a look at the following list. Don’t be freaked out by the length. Read through it. Think about how you rate on each item and how you could improve. It could be the best thing you ever do for your job hunt.

1.      Energy. Humans are drawn to energetic people because energy is contagious. Job interviewers are human.

2.      Good manners. Dressing appropriately, maintaining eye contact, waiting to sit until your interviewer is seated—these things all show respect for the person and the situation.

3.      Maturity. Mature people know how to focus on the needs of others. Immature people are just wrapped up in themselves. Employers really prefer the first one.

4.      Judgment. When interviewers start questions with “tell me about a time when you,” that’s your opening to bring up examples of when you showed excellent judgment.

5.      Problem-solving skills. The “tell me about a time” question is also an opportunity to talk about how you effectively approach problems.

6.      Loyalty. Employers seek candidates who can demonstrate loyalty to something—a cause, colleagues, a company, your profession.

7.      Cheerful nature. A positive attitude, a smile, and an easygoing attitude tell an employer you will be a pleasure to have around. That’s important.

8.      Good health. Employers need to believe that you can physically do the job. If you have visible health issues, you might consider think how to talk about them.

9.      Financial responsibility. Lots of jobs involve a credit check. So if you have a problem in this area, start working now to fix it!

10. Demonstration that you finish what you start. This is one reason many employers require a college degree. If you don’t have one, look for other examples of your stick-to-it-iveness.

11. Follow-through. Not quite the same as #10. Follow-through is a habit of mind highly valued at most companies. A good example is writing a thank-you note after the interview.

12. Demonstration of an ability to go above and beyond. Employers dream about these kinds of employees. Think of a time you’ve shown this quality and find a way to talk about it.

13. Ability to handle criticism. When interviewers ask about “your greatest weakness,” they want to see that you’re capable of recognizing you do have weaknesses, and that you’re willing to put in the work to correct them.

14. Ability to cooperate with others. Be nice to receptionists/assistants/colleagues. Show that you would be an asset to the team.

15. Intelligence. For example, in interviews, employers notice how well you appear to understand questions and whether you answer them clearly, in complete sentences, using reasonably good grammar.

16. Demonstration that you know something about the employer’s business. Perfectly understandable. At least it should be.

17. A career line that makes sense. Learn to talk about your career in a way that shows you have a plan. Ideally, you’ll be able to show continuous improvement.

18. Long-term goals and objectives. What you want to do here demonstrates that you are a thoughtful person with goals. It ties in with #18.

19. Solid, thought-through reasons for leaving past jobs. Even if you’ve had 10 jobs in the past six years, it doesn’t have to hurt you if you can show good smart reasons for why.

20. Punctuality. The reason you need to be on time for interviews is that this is the employer’s first clue that you can meet a deadline.

21. Under pressure. Can you still perform when the going gets tough? Think of examples from your personal and work life, and try to work them into the interview.

22. Flexibility/adaptability. Interviewers sometimes ask an unexpected or even “crazy” question just to see how you react. This is a time to be at your most cool-headed.

23. Some evidence of achievement and commitment in your personal life. Employers ask about your hobbies and passions as a way of getting to know you, and because they like to see some success here, too.

Source

Текст. Business English (Intermediate level)

10 Tips to Help Get Over Your Fear of Presentations

People often have a fear of presentations. Perhaps it is because they are afraid of not doing well or simply because they are afraid of large crowds. Here are ten tips to help you get over your fear of presentations.

1. Make sure to always remind yourself that you are an expert. It will make a presentation easier for you when you pretend that you are the best expert out there. Remind yourself that you are a professional in the field and that you know what you are doing and you know what you are talking about. This will help you feel more secure when doing a number of presentations.

2. Make sure to always dress professionally when doing presentations. When you dress professionally then it will help you stay in the mode of being professional. You feel better about yourself since you are dressed professionally. People generally tend to act more professionally when they are dressed professionally.

3. Try to memorize the words that you want to say and other steps involved in the presentation. You can memorize what you want to say and know exactly the order of each step in the presentation. You want to be able to know what to say word per word without having to look at an index card.

4. Try to keep the presentation interesting to everyone. You want people to be interested in hearing, watching, and listening to what you to have to say or show. You want them to view you as an expert. You can ask people if they have any questions regarding the presentation. Always be prepared to answer their questions.

5. Always be prepared to answer questions. People expect you to know the answers regarding products or projects. They want to know that you know what you are talking about. They need to know that you are very informed with knowledge about the subject that you talk about in your presentations.

6. Remember that the people at the presentation aren’t your enemies. Don’t be afraid of them. They are there to be educated and learn something new from you.

7. The more presentations you do the more comfortable you will become. You will probably actually enjoy doing presentations after a few experiences. You will become more confident each time that you do a presentation.

8. Make sure to give out business cards. Depending upon what type of presentation it is. Business cards show people that you are serious about it.

9. Make sure to give out freebies. It will help make you more confident in you since people will talk about the freebies that they received such as a free pen or whichever and they will remember your presentation. They will think of you as an expert and remember your presentation whenever they use the freebies.

10. Don’t quit doing presentations. The more presentations you do the more people realize that you are very good at what you do.

Бизнес-лексика. Упражнение. Вставьте слова

Provide, bookcase, phone number, mobile phone, factory,  desk, wall, responsible, projector,  screen, weekend, meeting, conversation, printer

Note that the words are in their 1^st form.

Hey! My ______________ doesn’t work! I can’t print the documents!

I can’t talk now, I am on the ______________.

Our __________ can be very easy and fast or hard and long….

What does he plan to do this ______________?

Do you have a room with _____________ . I would like to show you my presentation.

Your TV-___________ is so dirty. Clean it, please!

She is ___________ for her job, and this is her problem.

The contract is on my ___________. You need to sign it.

We paint the _________ in light-pink colour. I also want to hang some photos on it.

Our company __________ technical equipment for chemical __________.

He has got a new ________. I think it’s IPhone.

The folder you need is in the __________ in the corner.

He doesn’t have his boss’s ____________.

Ответы: printer, meeting, conversation, weekend, projector, screen, responsible, desk, wall, provides, factories, mobile phone, bookcase, phone number.

Офисные демотиваторы на английском с переводом

Things you’d love to say out loud at work:

Фразы, которые вы бы с удовольствием сказали бы вслух на работе:

 

1. I can see your point, but I still think you’re full of s**t.

Я понимаю, что вы имеете в виду, но по-прежнему думаю, что вы урод.

 

2. How about never? Is never good for you?

Как насчет никогда? Никогда вам подойдет?

 

3. I’m really easy to get along with once you people learn to see it my way.

Со мной очень легко ладить, как только вы, люди, научитесь видеть вещи моими глазами.

 

4. I’ll try being nicer if you’ll try being smarter.

Я постараюсь быть вежливее, если вы постараетесь быть умнее.

 

5. I’m out of my mind, but feel free to leave a message.

Я не в своем уме, но вы можете оставить сообщение.

 

6. I don’t work here. I’m a consultant.

Я здесь не работаю. Я консультант.

 

7. I like you. You remind me of myself when I was young and stupid.

Вы мне нравитесь. Напоминаете мне меня, когда я был молодой и глупый.

 

8. The fact that no one understands you doesn’t mean you’re an artist.

Тот факт, что вас никто не понимает, не означает, что вы – непонятый художник.

 

9. What am I? Flypaper for freaks!?

Я что, липучка для придурков?

 

10. Do I look like a people person?

Я похож на всеобщего любимца?

 

11. This isn’t an office. It’s Hell with fluorescent lighting.

Это не офис. Это ад с флюоресцентным освещением.

 

12. Sarcasm is just one more service we offer.

Сарказм – это еще одна из наших услуг.

 

13. Too many freaks, not enough circuses.

Слишком много клоунов, слишком мало цирков.

 

14. I thought I wanted a career; turns out I just wanted a salary.

Я думал, что хочу карьеру. Оказалось, я просто хочу зарплату.

Текст — Business English

Nine Things Successful People Do Differently

Why have you been so successful in reaching some of your goals, but not others? If you aren’t sure, you are far from alone in your confusion. It turns out that even brilliant, highly accomplished people are pretty lousy when it comes to understanding why they succeed or fail. The intuitive answer — that you are born predisposed to certain talents and lacking in others — is really just one small piece of the puzzle. In fact, decades of research on achievement suggests that successful people reach their goals not simply because of who they are, but more often because of what they do.

1. Get specific. When you set yourself a goal, try to be as specific as possible. «Lose 5 pounds» is a better goal than «lose some weight,» because it gives you a clear idea of what success looks like. Knowing exactly what you want to achieve keeps you motivated until you get there. Also, think about the specific actions that need to be taken to reach your goal. Just promising you’ll «eat less» or «sleep more» is too vague — be clear and precise. «I’ll be in bed by 10pm on weeknights» leaves no room for doubt about what you need to do, and whether or not you’ve actually done it.

2. Seize the moment to act on your goals. Given how busy most of us are, and how many goals we are juggling at once, it’s not surprising that we routinely miss opportunities to act on a goal because we simply fail to notice them. Did you really have no time to work out today? No chance at any point to return that phone call? Achieving your goal means grabbing hold of these opportunities before they slip through your fingers.

To seize the moment, decide when and where you will take each action you want to take, in advance. Again, be as specific as possible (e.g., «If it’s Monday, Wednesday, or Friday, I’ll work out for 30 minutes before work.») Studies show that this kind of planning will help your brain to detect and seize the opportunity when it arises, increasing your chances of success by roughly 300%.

3. Know exactly how far you have left to go. Achieving any goal also requires honest and regular monitoring of your progress — if not by others, then by you yourself. If you don’t know how well you are doing, you can’t adjust your behavior or your strategies accordingly. Check your progress frequently — weekly, or even daily, depending on the goal.

4. Be a realistic optimist. When you are setting a goal, by all means engage in lots of positive thinking about how likely you are to achieve it. Believing in your ability to succeed is enormously helpful for creating and sustaining your motivation. But whatever you do, don’t underestimate how difficult it will be to reach your goal. Most goals worth achieving require time, planning, effort, and persistence. Studies show that thinking things will come to you easily and effortlessly leaves you ill-prepared for the journey ahead, and significantly increases the odds of failure.

5. Focus on getting better, rather than being good. Believing you have the ability to reach your goals is important, but so is believing you can get the ability. Many of us believe that our intelligence, our personality, and our physical aptitudes are fixed — that no matter what we do, we won’t improve. As a result, we focus on goals that are all about proving ourselves, rather than developing and acquiring new skills.

Fortunately, decades of research suggest that the belief in fixed ability is completely wrong — abilities of all kinds are profoundly malleable. Embracing the fact that you can change will allow you to make better choices, and reach your fullest potential. People whose goals are about getting better, rather than being good, take difficulty in stride, and appreciate the journey as much as the destination.

6. Have grit. Grit is a willingness to commit to long-term goals, and to persist in the face of difficulty. Studies show that gritty people obtain more education in their lifetime, and earn higher college GPAs. Grit predicts which cadets will stick out their first grueling year at West Point. In fact, grit even predicts which round contestants will make it to at the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

The good news is, if you aren’t particularly gritty now, there is something you can do about it. People who lack grit more often than not believe that they just don’t have the innate abilities successful people have. If that describes your own thinking …. well, there’s no way to put this nicely: you are wrong. As I mentioned earlier, effort, planning, persistence, and good strategies are what it really takes to succeed. Embracing this knowledge will not only help you see yourself and your goals more accurately, but also do wonders for your grit.

7. Build your willpower muscle. Your self-control «muscle» is just like the other muscles in your body — when it doesn’t get much exercise, it becomes weaker over time. But when you give it regular workouts by putting it to good use, it will grow stronger and stronger, and better able to help you successfully reach your goals.

To build willpower, take on a challenge that requires you to do something you’d honestly rather not do. Give up high-fat snacks, do 100 sit-ups a day, stand up straight when you catch yourself slouching, try to learn a new skill. When you find yourself wanting to give in, give up, or just not bother — don’t. Start with just one activity, and make a plan for how you will deal with troubles when they occur («If I have a craving for a snack, I will eat one piece of fresh or three pieces of dried fruit.») It will be hard in the beginning, but it will get easier, and that’s the whole point. As your strength grows, you can take on more challenges and step-up your self-control workout.

8. Don’t tempt fate. No matter how strong your willpower muscle becomes, it’s important to always respect the fact that it is limited, and if you overtax it you will temporarily run out of steam. Don’t try to take on two challenging tasks at once, if you can help it (like quitting smoking and dieting at the same time). And don’t put yourself in harm’s way — many people are overly-confident in their ability to resist temptation, and as a result they put themselves in situations where temptations abound. Successful people know not to make reaching a goal harder than it already is.

9. Focus on what you will do, not what you won’t do. Do you want to successfully lose weight, quit smoking, or put a lid on your bad temper? Then plan how you will replace bad habits with good ones, rather than focusing only on the bad habits themselves. Research on thought suppression (e.g., «Don’t think about white bears!») has shown that trying to avoid a thought makes it even more active in your mind. The same holds true when it comes to behavior — by trying not to engage in a bad habit, our habits get strengthened rather than broken.

If you want change your ways, ask yourself, What will I do instead? For example, if you are trying to gain control of your temper and stop flying off the handle, you might make a plan like «If I am starting to feel angry, then I will take three deep breaths to calm down.» By using deep breathing as a replacement for giving in to your anger, your bad habit will get worn away over time until it disappears completely.

Текст — Business English

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