OBJECTIVES
1. To practice expressions in giving options
2. To produce the / k / and / g / consonant sounds
3. To improve one’s rhythm of speech through proper phrasing 4. To review the different forms and functions of verb tenses
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PREPARE TO SPEAK
A. Dialogue
A: Thank you for calling IMI Travel. This is Kenneth. May I help you?
B: I need a direct flight to Houston. What do you have available?
A: I’m checking to see what’s available…Okay, I found one on Cargo Air for $417, direct flight.
B: No, way! That’s unreasonable. Give me some other options.
A: Okay, sir. I’ll check with other airlines. Would you mind holding?
B: Good. I don’t mind waiting.
A: There are three other flights from San Francisco to Houston. Please take note of these flights and the rates:
Continental Airlines: Direct Flight: $346 1. Depart 12:33PM
Arrive 6:06PM 2. Depart 6:30AM
Arrive 12:14PM
San Francisco, CA Houston, TX San Francisco, CA Houston, TX
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United Airlines: Direct Flight: $346
3. Depart 11:16AM Arrive 5:06PM
San Francisco, CA Houston, TX
B: The price is the same. I’ll take the United Airlines and book me on this flight.
A: I’ll do that. Sir, let me give you s brief rundown of your flight schedule. You’re asking United Airlines leaving San Francisco at 11:15AM and arriving Houston at 5:05PM. Airfare is $346.
B: Thank you. Can I pay cash at the airport?
A: Yes, you may, but please confirm your flight and pay at least a day before departure. Anything else, sir?
B: That’s all. Thank you.
A: You’re welcome. Happy trip, sir.
B. Pronunciation
Directions: Go over the text again. List down some of the words that represent critical sound in the text. Write your answers in the box.
/ k / / g /
C. Practice Producing the following:
/ k / / g /
Akin Against
Carry Ago
Coin Beg
Keep Begin
Kind Eager
Leak Gain
Maker Gold
Rock Good
Seek Gun
Take mug
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D. Pronunciation Exercises
1. I’m hoping nobody here is against gun ban.
2. There were really good packages offered last month.
3. Our tourist guide was very kind and eager.
4. Should our policy makers be lawyers?
5. Always remind the clients to keep their valuables in a safe place.
6. I bought you a Parisienne souvenir mug.
7. What do you actually gain from travelling?
8. The new batch of agents is going to begin receiving official calls next week.
9. Do you mind carrying my luggage to the counter?
10. Please encourage your customers to take the evening flights this week.
E. Phrasing (Making Pauses and Stops) Phrasing:
The rhythm of speech can be improved through proper phrasing or dividing the words according to related thought units. The following selection is marked with a single bar like this (/) and double bars like this (//) to indicate pauses. The single bar (/) is a brief pause to group together related ideas and the double bar (//) is a longer pause marking the end of the thought unit. At this point, you can breathe before you proceed to the next line.
Practice reading. Observe correct phrasing:
Each language / has its own music / with characteristic cadence / rhythm / and inflection // and if an adult is to learn to speak a new language correctly / he must give full value to these peculiar qualities. // It is as if he were learning to play / a new musical instrument. //
English is a formidable language / filled with tongue twisting combinations of vowels and consonants / that may be pronounced quite differently / as they occur in various words / that look alike. //
Foreigners / well educated in their own language / and sensitive to its beauty and grace, / have a natural desire to speak the language of their adopted country / not only with grammatical correctness and precision / but also with proper pronunciation, / accent and intonation. // Others not so well educated / need to know how to speak clearly / for their own protection and comfort. // Too often / embarrassing mistakes in pronunciation / result in unfortunate misunderstanding and setbacks.
It is almost impossible / to acquire this skills from books alone. // it is difficult to acquire from listening to casual conversations. // it must be gained by painstaking effort / through continuous drill and practice.
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Exercise:
(Read the following selection and put the correct mark – single (/) or double (//) to indicate proper phrasing.)
“They gave their lives foe their country, and gained for themselves a glory that can never fade, a tomb that shall stand as a mark forever. I do not mean that in which their bodies lie, but in which their renown lives after them to be remembered forever on every occasion of speech or action which calls it to mind. For the whole earth is the grave and monument of heroes. It is not their deeds; but even in lands where they were strangers there lives an unwritten record in every heart – felt, though never embodied.”
-Pericles
COMMUNICATIVE FUNCTIONS
A. Exercise: Practice reading the dialogue in Prepare to Speak with a partner. Pay attention to the common expressions used in giving options.
B. Techniques: Use the following expressions when giving options:
“There are (three) flights available…”
“Let me give you a brief rundown of your…”
C. More Practice
Giving Options
D. Vocabulary and Idioms
Exercise 1: Go over the dialogue again. Can you identify some of the idiomatic
expressions used? Do you know what they mean? List down the idioms you found in the text and explain how you understand each.
Idioms Used in the Dialogue Possible Meaning
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Exercise 2: Complete the dialogue below with the appropriate vocabulary and idiomatic expressions from the box:
direct flights day off connecting flights time’s gold up to our necks in a rush inviting me out up to something
to treat raring agree with make a lot of
difference A: What calls did you handle today?
B: Mostly questions on __________. Seemed everybody was ____________.
A: Because there’s a three-day weekend and vacationers can’t afford to waste time on _______________.
B: Yeah, I agree with you ____________ an want to get the most of our vacation.
Why, even an hour saved on flights can __________!
A: I think so, too.
B: By the way, when’s your __________?
A: Thursday. Are you _____________?
B: Yeah, we have been __________lately, and I believe, we deserve __________ourselves to some fun.
A: Of course! Hmmmm…wait, do you mean to say you’re __________?
B: If you want. You know I was just thinking of a two-day cruise along the harbor sunset. Then we’ll have a dinner at the Manila Bay Restaurant. I’m __________
to eat some seafood.
A: Seafood is great, but I don’t think they ____________ me. You know…allergies.
I’m sorry.
B: No cause for worry. There are other restaurants. Okay?
A: Sure. That’s very nice of you.
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GRAMMAR
Verb Tenses
The different tenses refer to the time when an action happens. Thus, is speaking and in writing, we have to indicate whether something is happening at the moment, or it happened in the past or will happen in the future.
Tenses of verbs
Verbs tenses can be expressed in two different forms. Please memorize how each box develops the verb.
VERB TENSE PAST PRESENT FUTURE
Simple The client called the CSR yesterday.
The client calls the CSR.
The client will call the CSR tomorrow.
Progressive The client was calling the CSR yesterday.
Perfect The client had called the CSR.
Progressive The client had been
calling the CSR. The client has been calling the CSR.
The client will have been calling the CSR.
Now using the above sample table, you try to develop the verb of these sentences and supply the rest of the blank boxes below.
1. She worked at a call center
2. The English subject provides hope to many skilled workers.
3. I have trained to be a Call Center Agent for almost one rigorous month.
VERB TENSE PAST PRESENT FUTURE
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The Principal Parts of Verbs
Present Past Present
Participle
Past Participle
call called calling Called
speak spoke Speaking spoken
Regular Verbs vs. Irregular Verbs
Regular verbs form their past and past participle by adding –ed or –d to the present form.
Present Past Present
Participle
Past Participle
talk talked talking (has/have) talked
book booked booking (has/have) booked
reserve reserved reserving (has/have) reserved
Irregular Verbs
Irregular verbs do not form their past and past participle by adding –ed or –d to the present form. Note the following verbs.
Present Past Present Participle Past Participle
put put putting (has/have) put
burst burst bursting )has/have) burst
Irregular verbs with the same past and past participle
Present Past Present Participle Past Participle
buy bought buying (has/have) bought
deal dealt dealing (has/have) dealt
think thought thinking (has/have) thought
Irregular verbs that Change in Other Ways
Present Past Present Participle Past Participle
choose chose choosing (has/have) chosen
come came coming (has/have) come
go went going (has/have) gone
eat ate eating (has/have) eaten
write wrote writing (has/have) written
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Exercise
A. Tenses. Fill in the blanks with a correct form of the verb in parenthesis.
1. The number of clients ________ (increase) in the last three years.
2. There ______(be) more applicants this year than last year.
3. ____________ (do) you attend the orientation last week?
4. This company __________ (operate) in the Philippines for five years now.
5. Mont of the people in our Department _________ (work) in the office more than eight hours a day.
6. She _______ (leave) with the company for ten years next month.
7. Our President ________ (have) with the company for ten years next month.
8. I ________ (work) at another call center when I met him.
9. We __________(have) a training soon.
10. I ______________ (write) that kind of report before.
B. Regular vs. Irregular Verb
1. The trainer _________ (teach) the participants the different kinds of American accent.
2. My Manager was the only one who _____________ (deal) with the problem in composure.
3. I have not __________ (see) a thing like that before.
4. The special guests of the President have just ___________ (come).
5. I wonder why all the Managers are __________ (go).
6. I’m sorry about the trouble. I must have ______________ (mistake) your luggage for mine.
7. The child looked really scared when he was ________________ (catch) stealing a bag of goodies from one of the passengers.
8. She must have ____________ (put) the reports in her drawer.
9. The reports explain how the poor old man was _____________ (strike) by the mugger.
10. Our closing ceremony will be ________________ (lead) by the Senior Vice President herself.