Ⅱ Discussion Topic
Entertaining Foreign Clients
Your company is entertaining a group of foreign clients for three days, including one non-working day.
You have been asked to plan a programme for the visit.
Discuss the situation together, and decide:
l What kinds of activities would be suitable for the visit
l What information it would be useful to know about the clients before finalizing the programme
Interlocutor: [Select one or more of the following questions as appropriate, to redress any imbalance or to broaden the discussion.]
l What kinds of arrangements need to be made before foreign visitors arrive? (Why?)
l Are there any disadvantages for a company in having a visit from foreign clients? (Why / Why not?)
l Where would you take foreign visitors in your home town? (Why?)
l Would you enjoy looking after business visitors for a few days? (Why / Why not?)
l What problem might there be when socializing with foreign business people? (Why?)
l What are the long-term benefits of establishing personal contacts with foreign clients?
Thank you. That is the end of the speaking test.
[Retrieve materials.]
Ⅲ Discussion Functional Sentences
（一） 开始某个话题
Let’s start with …
Shall we begin with …
So, the first item on the agenda is …
Linda, would you like to kick off?
（二） 结束某个话题
Right, I think that covers the first item.
Shall we leave that item?
If you don’t have anything else to add, …
（三） 转移话题
Let’s move on to the next item …
The next question on the agenda is …
Now let’s come to the question of …
（四） 打断对方
Excuse me, may I interrupt?
Just a moment, but …
Can I say something here?
Mark, sorry, …
Sorry to interrupt, but …
