Feifei: Hello, I’m Feifei and this is 6 Minute English.
Neil: And I’m Neil.
Feifei: How are you Neil and what have you been up to?
Neil: I’m very well, thank you. I’ve been listening to the news a lot this
week.
Feifei: Oh yeah?
Neil: Yes, there are all kinds of things going on, lots of important people
getting together, discussing important things... and it got me
thinking about meetings and what it’s like trying to arrange a time
and place to suit everyone.
Feifei: Oh it’s such a pain trying to get people together: if it’s only a couple
of people it’s not too bad but when you need four or five people
there’s always someone who wants a different time or a different
place or a different date.
Neil: And you’re not the only one who feels that way Feifei - let’s hear
from some of our friends and colleagues talking about arranging
meetings. How easy is it to find a time and place that everyone’s
happy with?
Voice 1: In Brazil it’s very easy to arrange a meeting because Brazilian
people aren’t very formal, we can have a meeting anywhere: on the
corridor or in a room or around a desk, so it’s very easy to arrange
a meeting in Brazil.
Voice 2: In China if you have a meeting, you would usually call people to say
we have a meeting by phone, or if you see them in the office you
would say we have a meeting, that’s about it. It’s normally quite
easy to fit in a meeting.
Voice 3: In Indonesia the manager would normally arrange a meeting, he or
she will have to check if everyone can attend. It’s quite tricky to set
up a time that suits everyone due to different schedules, so
sometimes not everyone can attend.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2013
Page 2 of 5
Feifei: Ooh you’re right Neil. I’m not the only one who thinks it’s a pain.
Neil: Well, like it or hate it, arranging meetings effectively is a really
important business skill.
Feifei: I guess so.
Neil: I think I feel a role-play coming on…
Feifei: We’re going to practise setting up meetings, aren’t we?
Neil: We are! We’re talking on the phone and we need to set up a
meeting. And I think I should be the boss this time.
Feifei: We don’t need a boss Neil: we can just be colleagues.
Neil: Grrrr...
Feifei: Are you ready?
Neil: I’m ready!
Role-play
Neil: Feifei, we need to set up a meeting. Are you available this afternoon?
Feifei: Er, sorry no... I’m in a meeting all afternoon.
Neil: OK, no problem. What about tomorrow morning? Shall we say 10
o’clock?
Feifei: Tomorrow morning at 10. Let me check my diary... No, sorry I can’t
do 10. How does 2 o’clock suit?
Neil: 2 o’clock’s good.
Feifei: Do we need to be face to face for this one?
Neil: No, I don’t think so. Let’s do this one on the phone.
Feifei: Great!
Neil: I’ll call you at 2.
Feifei: Speak to you soon.
Feifei: How did we do?
Neil: I think we were pretty good! But we need to hear from the lady who
knows all about business language.
Neil / FF: It’s Business Betty!!
BB: Hello you two!
Neil: How are you Betty?
BB: Fine, thank you Neil.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2013
Page 3 of 5
Neil: So what did you think of our role-play Betty?
BB: I thought it was rather good! And here’s why:
First, you used lots of direct questions - and in British business
culture, when you’re arranging a meeting, it’s OK to ask direct
questions about people’s availability. Neil, you asked: Are you
available…?
Neil: Are you available this afternoon?
BB: And you said ‘What about…?’
Neil: What about tomorrow morning?
BB: Neil, you also said ‘Shall we say…?’
Neil: Shall we say 10 o’clock?
BB: And finally, Feifei, you said ‘How does 2 o’clock suit?’
Feifei: How does 2 o’clock suit?
BB: So I liked that a lot: you both used simple, direct questions to agree
the time. That was very good. And, as well as agreeing the time, I
liked that you discussed and agreed the type of meeting. Feifei, you
asked Neil if she wanted to meet in person. You said ‘Do we need to
be face to face for this one?’
Feifei: Do we need to be face to face for this one?
BB: And Neil’s answer was ‘I don’t think so. Let’s do this one on the
phone.’
Neil: I don’t think so. Let’s do this one on the phone.
BB: So, you both asked nice, simple, direct questions, and you agreed
the type of meeting. I’d say that was a job well done! Now, I must
be off, I’ve got a meeting to go to. Bye!!
Neil / FF: Thanks Betty, bye!!
Neil: Ahhh, she’s so good that Betty, a real top-notch professional.
Feifei: She does know her stuff - and she really liked our role-play…
Neil: She did! I’m feeling quite proud right now.
Feifei: Shall we go over it again?
Neil: I think we should! Are you ready?
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2013
Page 4 of 5
Feifei: I am!
Role-play
Neil: Feifei, we need to set up a meeting. Are you available this afternoon?
Feifei: Er, sorry no... I’m in a meeting all afternoon.
Neil: OK, no problem. What about tomorrow morning? Shall we say 10
o’clock?
Feifei: Tomorrow morning at 10. Let me check my diary... No, sorry I can’t
do 10. How does 2 o’clock suit?
Neil: 2 o’clock’s good.
Feifei: Great! Do we need to be face to face for this one?
Neil: No, I don’t think so. Let’s do this one on the phone.
Feifei: OK, speak to you later.
Neil: I’ll call you at 2.
Feifei: Bye.
Neil: And that’s the end of today’s role-play… and it’s also the end of
today’s programme!
Feifei: So it’s goodbye from both of us – and please make sure you arrange
to meet us again for another episode of 6 Minute English!
Neil / FF: Bye!!
