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Welcome back to Business English Pod for the second episode of our two-part series on English gambling idioms.
Any time we take a risk with money, we’re gambling. Whether it’s a card game, a horse race, or a game of dice, we bet money in the hopes of winning more. Business also involves taking risks with money, and for this reason gambling idioms have become very common in business. They are especially common in the world of investing. If you think about it, betting money on cards is a lot like making a high-risk investment.
For today’s lesson, we’ll continue our look at gambling idioms and explore how they are used in business discussions. As you listen to the dialog, you might hear some phrases that are new to you. Keep a note of these expressions and we’ll go over them in the debrief and explain what they mean and how they can be used.
In our last episode, we heard Kevin and Dan talking about investing their money. Kevin likes to invest in stocks, but Dan normally prefers safer methods. However, Kevin tells Dan that he has just found out about an investment opportunity that might be very profitable. Today, we’ll hear Kevin try to convince Dan to accept some risk and take the opportunity.
Listening Questions
1. Why is Kevin excited about the company called Golem Mining?
2. What does Kevin say about the amount Dan would have to invest?
3. What does Dan finally decide to do about the investment opportunity?
Download: Podcast MP3
This is the first in a two-part Business English Pod series on idioms related to gambling.
As gambling involves money and risk, it’s not surprising that we use gambling idioms in business. The verb “gamble” itself is very common. We often talk about “gambling” money on an idea or “taking a gamble” to mean taking a risk. Another very common one is “bet,” both as a verb and a noun. When we gamble, we “bet” money in the hopes of winning and getting more money back. In a way, business is one big bet.
In English, gambling idioms come from a few common types of gambling. Card games, especially poker, and horse racing give us the most idiomatic expressions, but we also get some from games such as dice and marbles.
In this lesson, we’ll hear a conversation between Kevin and Dan, two colleagues who are talking about investing. Kevin actively invests in the stock market, while Dan is more cautious and usually avoids risk.
Listening Questions
1. Which person thinks that luck is important in investing?
2. What did Kevin do when the stock market crashed?
3. What does Kevin want to tell Dan about at the end of the conversation?
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Business English for Telephoning
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Welcome back to Business English Pod. This is the second part of our look at answering the phone and taking a message. In this lesson, we’ll focus on taking a message.
Today’s lesson is also featured in our new eBook: Business English for Telephoning. This eBook covers essential language for many different types of business calls, including dealing with customers and complaints, making arrangements and checking on orders.
In our last lesson (BEP 69 A – Answering a Call), we looked at answering a call effectively. We heard an example of poor telephone skills and started in on a dialog that demonstrated good telephone skills. Today, we’re going to continue with that dialog and look at how to take a message. Have you ever missed a telephone message? Or have you received a message that didn’t contain the necessary information? If so, then you understand how important it is not just to take a message, but to do it right.
We’ll look at ways to ask someone to leave a message, information that should be included in a message, and how to offer help. You will also learn how to acknowledge, check back and confirm information that a caller gives you.
Now, let’s rejoin Mark, who works for a company called Trivesco. He is calling a shipping company, Daneline, hoping to speak with someone named Sylvie Petersen. Sylvie is not there, so Mark has to leave a message with Amy, the receptionist.
Listening Questions
1. How does the tone of Amy’s voice sound?
2. What information does Mark include in his message?
3. How does Amy make sure she has Mark’s phone number correct?
Download: Podcast MP3
