BUSINESS ENGLISH 14/2019 Spotlight 41
Contacting people
Read the short scenario below and
match the highlighted phrases in
the sentences (A–D) to their mean-
ings (1–4).A. Jane reached out to William
yesterday to find out more
information about a new
proj ect.
B. William then touched base
with Catherine to order
some brochures for Jane.
C. When Jane received the
materials, she saw her boss,
Chris, and gave him a heads-
up that William had respond-
ed.
D. Chris said he’d read the ma-
terials, but a week passed and
Jane hadn’t heard from him.
So, she e-mailed Chris again,
and he finally got back to her.- informed someone
- made first contact with
- answered
- contacted
Understanding and agreeing
Read the following short text and
answer the questions about the
highlighted phrases.Chris asked Jane if everyone was
aligned on the project. Jane told
Chris that she and William were on
the same page. But Jane also said
that William’s boss, Catherine, was
still out of the loop.A. Two of the three highlighted
phrases basically mean the
same thing. Find them and
try to think of a standard
verb or phrase that has the
same meaning.B. Which of the three highlight-
ed phrases is the odd one
out? What does it mean?up to date [)Vp tE (deIt]
, modern, zeitgemäßH
ave you ever no-
ticed that in busi-
ness situations,
most people speak
differently from
when they’re not
in the office? That’s probably because the
world of business is so fast, and no one
wants to give the impression of not being
able to keep up. One way of demonstrat-
ing that you’re up to date is to use the
most current or trendy language — even
if that’s not always the simplest way to
communicate your ideas.
Sometimes, it’s difficult enough to fol-
low a business conversation in your own
tongue. In a foreign language, it often be-
comes a real challenge. But don’t worry.
On the next few pages, you have a chance
to brush up your business jargon and
learn some words and phrases you might
not have heard before.
Meet colleagues Jane, William, Cath-
erine, and Chris. Listen to their conver-
sations and test your understanding of
what’s going on in their working lives.A–2B–4C–1D–3Answers
A.
“To be aligned on s
th.” and “to be on the same page” mean “to agree” or “to have the same ideas.”
B.^When you’re “out of the loop,” you’re not informed and don’t know what’s going on.AnswersAre we
all aligned
on this?