Business English

Material
Level 1 – Rank C
Level 1 – Rank C – Lesson 1: Talking About Yourself

See Read the story aloud.

Jason was born in Shanghai. He lived there until he was 15

years old. Then he moved to Hong Kong. He has a lot of friends
in Hong Kong, but his close friends are in Shanghai. Jason
majored in engineering in university and works for an
electronics company now. He is pretty busy during the week,
but on the weekends he likes to play tennis. He’s a really good
tennis player.

Jason has a younger brother and an older sister. His brother is

a university student in Hong Kong. His sister is married with
two children. Jason often sees his sister because she lives in
Hong Kong too. Jason can see his parents only once or twice a
year because they live in Shanghai. He would like to live closer
to his parents in the future.
Level 1 – Rank C – Lesson 1: Talking About Yourself

Complete the tasks below.

Try
1. Practice answering and asking Yes-No-Key questions.
Example:
• Was Jason born in Shanghai?
• Was he born in Seoul?
• Where was he born?
2. Summarize the story above.

Act
Level 1 – Rank C – Lesson 2: Talking About Your Company

See Read the story aloud.

Jason works for TRITEC. TRITEC is a company that makes

electronic goods. TRITEC’s head office is in Shanghai. It has
over 2,000 employees, and 10 offices in China. TRITEC was
founded in 1989. TRITEC’s three main business divisions are
TVs, stereos, and computers. TRITEC has plans to open offices
in other countries in Asia in the future.

Last year TRITEC had a very good year. The Chinese economy
continued to grow. TRITEC’s sales jumped 10%. TRITEC’s
computer division got a very big contract with a Taiwanese
company. The client purchased 5,000 computers from TRITEC.
So, Jason got a big bonus.
Level 1 – Rank C – Lesson 2: Talking About Your Company

Complete the tasks below.

Try
1. Practice answering and asking Yes-No-Key questions.
Example:
• Does Jason work for TRITEC?
• Does he work for LGC?
• Which company does he work for?
2. Summarize the story above.

Act Consider the points below as you talk about your company.

• Nature of business
• The date it was founded
• The industry it belongs to
• Local and overseas offices
• Some examples of products and services.
Level 1 – Rank C – Lesson 3: Talking About Your Job

See Read the story aloud.

Jason works as a sales representative in the computer division

at TRITEC. Jason visits clients and introduces his company’s
products. Jason always listens carefully to his customers’
needs. He hopes that he can be promoted to manager next
year.

Jason usually gets to his office at 8:30AM. He always checks his

e-mails from clients in the morning. He usually has lunch at his
desk, but he sometimes has lunch at a restaurant with his
colleagues. In the afternoon, he visits clients and makes
presentations. He’s really busy, but he likes his job.
Level 1 – Rank C – Lesson 3: Talking About Your Job

Complete the tasks below.

Try
1. Practice answering and asking Yes-No-Key questions.
Example:
• Does Jason work as a sales rep in the computer division at TRITEC?
• Does he work as a sales rep in the automotive division at TRITEC?
• Which division does he work in as a sales rep?
2. Summarize the story above.

Act Consider the points below as you talk about your job.

• Your main responsibilities

• Your daily tasks
• Number of years in this position
• What you like about your job
• Plans of promotion
Level 1 – Rank C – Lesson 4: Talking About Your Business Travel

See Read the story aloud.

Jason has a business trip about once a month. He rarely goes

overseas, but he often goes to other major cities in China. His
business trips are usually just day trips, but he sometimes has
to stay overnight. Most of the time, he visits clients in other
cities. He sometimes goes to his head office to attend
workshops. Jason hopes he can work overseas someday.

Last week, Jason visited a client in Shanghai. He took a

morning flight from Hong Kong and arrived at 11:30AM. The
flight was about two and a half hours. His appointment with
the client was from 2:00 PM. He met with his client and made
a presentation on his company’s new product. The client liked
the product a lot. Jason thinks they will place an order soon.
Level 1 – Rank C – Lesson 4: Talking About Your Business Travel

Complete the tasks below.

Try
1. Practice answering and asking Yes-No-Key questions.
Example:
• Does Jason have a business trip once a month?
• Does he have a business trip twice a month?
• How often does Jason have a business trip?
2. Summarize the story above.

Act Consider the points below as you talk about your business trips.

• How often you have business trips

• Purpose of your business trips
• The places you’ve been to
• Your last business trip
Level 1 – Rank C – Lesson 5: Talking About Your Customers

See Read the story aloud.

TRITEC has two types of customers which are electronic stores

and corporations. Electronic stores buy products from TRITEC.
Then they sell them to consumers at their stores. Corporations
buy products from TRITEC for their employees to use for
business. The electronic stores make up about 70% of TRITEC’s
sales. Corporations make up about 30%. Both are important
customers.

Jason’s biggest client is Audio 101, a discount electronics

company. It has over 200 stores in China. Audio 101 sells all
kinds of electronics, such as computers, cameras, TVs, and so
on. They offer low prices, so Jason needs to give them a big
discount. Audio 101 plans to open 100 new stores next year.
Jason hopes that this contract will grow.
Level 1 – Rank C – Lesson 5: Talking About Your Customers

Complete the tasks below.

Try
1. Practice answering and asking Yes-No-Key questions.
Example:
• Does TRITEC have two types of customers?
• Does it have five types of customers?
• How many types of customers does it have?
2. Summarize the story above.

Act Consider the points below as you talk about your customers.

• Types of customers
• Your biggest client
• The usual products they buy
• The importance of your customers
Level 1 – Rank C – Lesson 6: Talking About Your Products

See Read the story aloud.

TRITEC sells all kinds of electronic goods. TRITEC’s most

popular products are cameras and computers. Their products
are low-priced and reliable. Their products only have a few
functions, but they are easy to use. TRITEC is planning to make
more expensive products in the future.

Jason sells computers to discount electronic stores and

corporations. TRITEC has seven models of computers. Jason’s
best-selling product is the “TRITEC Light” laptop computer. It
is TRITEC’s lightest computer. Many businessmen in China have
this computer because it’s light, low priced, and reliable.
Jason usually recommends the “TRITEC Light” to corporate
customers.
Level 1 – Rank C – Lesson 6: Talking About Your Products

Try Complete the tasks below.

1. Practice answering and asking Yes-No-Key questions.
Example:
• Does TRITEC sell all kinds of electronic goods?
• Does TRITEC sell a few kinds of electronic goods?
• How many types of electronic goods does TRITEC sell?
2. Summarize the story above.

Act Consider the points below as you talk about your products.

• General overview of your products

• The features of your products
• Your best-selling product
• What you like most about your products
Level 1 – Rank C – Lesson 7: Talking About Your Colleagues

See Read the story aloud.

There are 25 sales representative in the computer division at

TRITEC. Jason has a good working relationship with all of
them. His closest colleagues are Sam and Tony. Sam and Tony
are the same age as Jason. They joined TRITEC in the same
year. They usually don’t work together because they all have
different customers, but they sometimes go for drinks after
work.

Jason’s boss is Ms. Chang. Ms. Chang is 42 years old. She has
worked for TRITEC for over 10 years. She was the top
salesperson in her division many years ago. She got promoted
to manager last year. Jason gets along with her very well. She
is a strict boss, but she’s fair.
Level 1 – Rank C – Lesson 7: Talking About Your Colleagues

Try Complete the tasks below.

1. Practice answering and asking Yes-No-Key questions.

Example:
• Are there 25 sales reps in the computer division at TRITEC?
• Are there 50 sales reps in the computer division at TRITEC?
• How many sales reps are there in the computer division at TRITEC?
2. Summarize the story above.

Act Consider the points below as you talk about your colleagues.

• The number of people on your team

• The way you work as a team
• Your closest colleagues and your boss
• Your working relationship with them
Level 1 – Rank C – Lesson 8: Talking About Your Weekend

See Read the story aloud.

Jason loves to play golf on weekends. Last Saturday, he went

to a golf course with his colleagues. He got up really early and
picked his colleagues up in his car. They drove for about two
hours to the golf course and played a round of golf. After golf,
Jason and his colleagues had lunch at a café. They talked
about work for a couple of hours. Then, Jason dropped them
off at home. They all had a good time.

Jason is thinking of what to do this weekend. If it’s sunny this

weekend, he’ll go jogging. There’s a big park near his house.
It’s a nice place for jogging. If it rains, he’ll just stay home
and watch TV. If there’s nothing interesting on TV, he’ll rent a
DVD. There’s a new action movie he really wants to see.
Level 1 – Rank C – Lesson 8: Talking About Your Weekend

Try Complete the tasks below.

1. Practice answering and asking Yes-No-Key questions.
Example:
• Does Jason love to play golf on weekends?
• Does he love to watch movies on weekends?
• What does he like to do on weekends?
2. Summarize the story above.

Act Consider the points below as you talk about your weekend.

• What you usually do on weekends

• What you did last weekend
• Your plans next weekend
Level 1 – Rank C – Lesson 9: Talking About Complaints

See Read the story aloud.

Jason is happy at TRITEC, but he sometimes gets complaints

from his customers. Jason always tries to address them, but
some customers have many requests. The complaints are
usually about late delivery or quality. He wants to do
everything he can to keep his customers happy.

Last week, Jason received a big complaint from an important

customer. There was a mistake in the customer’s order. The
wrong model was sent to the customer. The shipping
department at TRITEC made a mistake. It was their fault, but
Jason felt really bad about it. He promised the customer a big
discount for their next order. Jason will work hard to rebuild
their trust.
Level 1 – Rank C – Lesson 9: Talking About Complaints

Try Complete the tasks below.

1. Practice answering and asking Yes-No-Key questions.
Example:
• Is Jason happy at TRITEC?
• Is he sad at TRITEC?
• How does he feel at TRITEC?
2. Summarize the story above.

Act Consider the points below as you talk about your complaints.

• The most common complaints in your company

• Causes of these complaints
• The actions you need to take
 Level 1 – Rank C – Lesson 10: Review
 Lesson 1: Talking about yourself
Tell me about yourself and your family
 Lesson 2: Talking about your company
Tell me about your company
 Lesson 3: Talking about your job
Tell me about your job and your schedule
 Lesson 4: Talking about business travel
Tell me about your business trips
 Lesson 5: Talking about your customers
Tell me about your company’s customers
 Lesson 6: Talking about your products
Tell me about your company’s products or
services
 Lesson 7: Talking about your colleagues
Tell me about your colleagues and your boss.
 Lesson 8: Talking about your weekend
Tell me about what you did last weekend and
what you will do this weekend
 Lesson 9: Talking about complaints
Tell me about the kinds of customer complaints
in your company
Level 1 – Rank C – Lesson 11: Talking About Your Competitors

See Read the story aloud.

TRITEC’s two main competitors are Compu Asia and CE Corp.

Compu Asia is the biggest company in the industry in China.
Compu Asia has sales offices and factories all over Asia. Compu
Asia sells all kinds of electronic goods for home use and
business use. CE Corp is the oldest company in the industry and
sells very high quality products. It specializes in the corporate
market.

Compu Asia has a wider selection of products than TRITEC. It

also has a stronger brand image than TRITEC, but its prices are
higher. CE Corp makes very expensive computers for the
corporate market. Its computers have many features and are
also used by designers and engineers.
Level 1 – Rank C – Lesson 11: Talking About Your Competitors

Try Complete the tasks below.

1. Practice answering and asking Yes-No-Key questions.
Example:
• Does TRITEC have two main competitors?
• Does TRITEC have three main competitors?
• How many main competitors does TRITEC have?
2. Summarize the story above.

Act Consider the points below as you talk about your competitors.

• Your main competitors

• What they specialize in
• What makes your company different
Level 1 – Rank C – Lesson 12: Talking About Projects

See Read the story aloud.

Jason is a member of a new project. The goal of the project is

to open TRITEC’s first overseas office. Jason is working with
two other colleagues on this project. They have a small budget
and a tight deadline. They need to do market research in
several countries and make a recommendation to their boss by
next week.

Jason thinks that TRITEC should open an office in Taiwan. He

thinks it will be easier to sell products in Taiwan. Rent and
labor costs are lower compared to Hong Kong. However, his
project members disagree. They think that the first office
should be in Singapore. If they can open an office in Singapore,
it will be easier for TRITEC to expand to other countries in
Asia.
Level 1 – Rank C – Lesson 12: Talking About Projects

Try Complete the tasks below.

1. Practice answering and asking Yes-No-Key questions.
Example:
• Is Jason a member of a new project?
• Is Sara a member of a new project?
• Who is a new member of a new project?
2. Summarize the story above.

Act Consider the points below as you talk about your projects.

• The goal of your project

• The deadline, project members, and current status
• The challenges ahead
Level 1 – Rank C – Lesson 13: Talking About Motivation

See Read the story aloud.

Keeping employees motivated is very important at TRITEC.

TRITEC tries to make sure all of its employees are happy. The
company offers a good salary and a bonus to employees who
perform well. TRITEC also holds a company dinner every year
at a nice hotel for employees and their families.

Jason has a lot of motivation in his work. He has a good boss

and he likes his colleagues. His company pays him a good
salary. If Jason can meet his targets, he gets a big bonus. Jason
also feels like he can improve his skills through employee
workshops at the head office. However, Jason gets the most
motivation from making his customers happy.
Level 1 – Rank C – Lesson 13: Talking About Motivation

Try Complete the tasks below.

1. Practice answering and asking Yes-No-Key questions.
Example:
• Is keeping employees motivated very important at TRITEC?
• Is keeping employees demotivated very important at TRITEC?
• What is very important at TRITEC?
2. Summarize the story above.

Act Consider the points below as you talk about motivation.

• How your company motivates its employees

• How your boss motivates his/her staff
• Three things that motivate you the most
Level 1 – Rank C – Lesson 14: Talking About Dress Code

See Read the story aloud.

A dress code helps employees dress comfortable while looking

professional. However, more companies have begun to allow
casual business attire. These days, it is OK to wear jeans, T-
shirts, and sneakers at many IT companies or start-up
companies. Some people say that casual clothes help
employees relax and keep them happy. However, others say
that it’s unprofessional.

TRITEC has separate dress codes for employees. Factory

workers must wear a uniform and safety equipment.
Employees working at the head office are allowed to dress a
little more casually. However, all the sales reps wear suits and
ties because they need to visit their customers.
Level 1 – Rank C – Lesson 14: Talking About Dress Code

Try Complete the tasks below.

1. Practice answering and asking Yes-No-Key questions.

Example:
• Does a dress code help employees dress comfortable while
looking professional?
• Does a dress code help employees dress comfortable while
looking unprofessional?
• What does a dress code do?
2. Summarize the story above.

Act Consider the points below as you talk about dress code.

• The typical dress code in your company

• Your usual cool and warm biz attire
• How do you feel about your company’s dress code
Level 1 – Rank C – Lesson 15: Talking About Hiring

See Read the story aloud.

TRITEC gets about 2,000 applicants each year, but they can
only hire 100 of them. All applicants must take a written test.
The applicants who pass the written test have two interviews.
The first interview is with the HR manager, and the second
interview is with the division manager. The HR manager asks
questions about work experience and personality. The division
manager asks questions about career goals.

When Jason applied to TRITEC, there were over 2,500

applicants. The written test was really difficult, but Jason
passed the test. Jason felt the interview with the HR manager
was easy, but the interview with the division manager was
difficult. Jason was surprised that he got the job.
Level 1 – Rank C – Lesson 15: Talking About Hiring

Try Complete the tasks below.

1. Practice answering and asking Yes-No-Key questions.

Example:
• Does TRITEC get about 2000 applicants each year?
• Does TRITEC get about 5000 applicants each year?
• How many applicants does TRITEC get each year?
2. Summarize the story above.

Act Consider the points below as you talk about hiring.

• The hiring process in your company

• How you felt when you were being interviewed
• How you felt when you got the job
Level 1 – Rank C – Lesson 16: Talking About Company Rules

See Read the story aloud.

TRITEC has some rules for its employees. Employees must wear
their name tags at the office. Employees have to work
between 10AM and 5PM. Employees must maintain a smoke-
free building. Employees have to leave confidential documents
at the office. Employees don’t have to wear ties on Fridays.

Jason always follows the work rules at TRITEC, but there is

one rule that he sometimes breaks. Employees at TRITEC have
to work from 10AM to 5PM, but if Jason has a client visit late
in the afternoon, he sometimes goes home after visiting his
client. Jason’s boss knows that he and other sales reps do this.
It’s no big deal.
Level 1 – Rank C – Lesson 16: Talking About Company Rules

Try Complete the tasks below.

1. Practice answering and asking Yes-No-Key questions.

Example:
• Does TRITEC have some rules for its employees?
• Does TRITEC have some food for its employees?
• What does TRITEC have for its employees?
2. Summarize the story above.

Act Consider the points below as you talk about company rules.

• Some examples of your company’s rules

• The most rigid rule in your company
• How you feel about some of these rules
Level 1 – Rank C – Lesson 17: Talking About Your Office

See Read the story aloud.

Jason walks 15 minutes to the train station each morning. It

takes about 20 minutes to get to the next station. His office is
only a 5-minute walk from the nearest train station. His office
is located in the financial district of Hong Kong. Jason is lucky
to work in such a convenient place.

Jason’s office is on the 10th floor of a 25-storey building. From

his office, he can see Victoria Harbor and tall buildings. He
doesn’t have his own office, but he has a small desk. TRITEC
and two other companies have their office on the 10th floor.
There are many nice restaurants near his office. So, Jason
sometimes has lunch there with his colleagues.
Level 1 – Rank C – Lesson 17: Talking About Your Office

Try Complete the tasks below.

1. Practice answering and asking Yes-No-Key questions.

Example:
• Does Jason walk about 15 minutes to the train station each morning?
• Does Jason walk about 35 minutes to the train station each morning?
• How long does Jason walk to the train station each morning?
2. Summarize the story above.

Act Consider the points below as you talk about your office.

• Location of your office

• Nearby establishments or landmarks
• How far your office is from the nearest station
• What your building and office look like
Level 1 – Rank C – Lesson 18: Talking About Your Guests

See Read the story aloud.

Guests often visit TRITEC’s Hong Kong sales office. These

guests are usually vendors or people from head office.
TRITEC’s sales director comes to the office once a month. The
sales manager presents the monthly sales figures to the
director and the director asks a lot of questions. The sales reps
also bring up any problems that they have.

Last week, a vendor came to the office to meet with Jason.

The vendor works for a company that sells stationery. The
vendor wanted to sell the stationery, such as pens, folders,
and notebooks. The vendor offered a big discount. Jason said
he would think about it and contact the vendor in the future.
Jason has to speak to his boss about this.
Level 1 – Rank C – Lesson 18: Talking About Your Guests

Try Complete the tasks below.

1. Practice answering and asking Yes-No-Key questions.

Example:
• Do guests often visit TRITEC’s Hong Kong sales office?
• Do guests often visit TRITEC’s Shanghai sales office?
• Which of TRITEC’s sales office do guests often visit?
2. Summarize the story above.

Act Consider the points below as you talk about your guests.

• The typical guests who visit your office

• How often people visit your office
• The usual purpose of their visit
Level 1 – Rank C – Lesson 19: Talking About E-mails

See Read the story aloud.

Jason gets about 50 e-mails everyday. Jason reads urgent e-

mails first. These e-mails are usually from customers or his
boss. After going through the urgent e-mails, he reads e-mails
from his colleagues or announcements from the head office.
Jason also gets a lot of junk mail, which he deletes.
Sometimes he gets an e-mail from his family or friends.

Yesterday, Jason received an e-mail from a new customer. The

customer wanted information on TRITEC’s products. The
customer works for a big company, so this could become a big
contract. Jason sent an e-mail to the customer right away to
set up an appointment. Jason hopes that the customer will
reply soon.
Level 1 – Rank C – Lesson 19: Talking About E-mails

Try Complete the tasks below.

1. Practice answering and asking Yes-No-Key questions.

Example:
• Does Jason get about 50 e-mails every day?
• Does Jason get about 100 e-mails every day?
• How many e-mails does Jason get every day?
2. Summarize the story above.

Act Consider the points below as you talk about the e-mails you
receive.

• The people you receive e-mails from

• The types of e-mails you receive
• Some examples of urgent e-mails
 Level 1 – Rank C – Lesson 20: Review
 Lesson 11: Taking about your competitors
Tell me about your company’s competitors
and compare one of you company’s products
to a competitor’s product
 Lesson 12: Talking about projects
Tell me about your projects in your company
 Lesson 13: Talking about motivation
Tell me how your company motivates its
employees.
 Lesson 14: Talking about dress code
Tell me about the dress code in your office.
 Lesson 15: Talking about hiring
Tell me about when you were hired.
 Lesson 16: Talking about company rules
Tell me about some of your company’s rules.
 Lesson 17: Talking about your office
Tell me about your office.
 Lesson 18: Talking about your guests
Tell me about some guests who visit your
office.
 Lesson 19: Talking about e-mails
Tell me about the different types of e-mails
that you get at work.