B2 Listening in Context: Following Discussions in Professional Meetings
Welcome! In this lesson, we will focus on a specific professional context: understanding conversations and discussions in meetings1. This is a crucial skill for career success.
1. The Language of a Professional Meeting
Meetings use specific language to stay organized. Recognizing these phrases helps you follow the discussion.
| Function | Common Phrases |
|---|---|
| Stating the Objective | "The purpose of this meeting is...", "We're here today to discuss..." |
| Presenting a Point | "My first point is...", "Regarding the budget..." |
| Agreeing / Disagreeing | "I agree with that.", "I see your point, but..." |
| Assigning an Action Item | "So, the next step is...", "Could you please handle that?" |
2. Practice Meeting Dialogue
Let's practice. You will hear a short meeting between three colleagues: Dara (the manager), Lina, and Vuthy. They are discussing a marketing campaign4. As you listen, take notes on who says what and the final action items3.
Dara: "Alright everyone, let's begin. The main objective2 of this meeting is to finalize the new marketing campaign for the 'Discover Siem Reap' tour package. Lina, can you give us an update?"
Lina: "Of course. My main update is that the promotional video is almost finished. However, we still need to decide on the background music."
Vuthy: "I agree with Lina, the video looks great. Regarding the music, I have a contact at a local music studio. I can reach out to them this afternoon."
Dara: "That's a great initiative, Vuthy. Please do that. So, the action items are: Lina, you will send me the final draft of the video. Vuthy, you will contact the music studio. Let's follow up tomorrow morning."
3. Analyzing the Meeting
Now, let's use your notes to break down the meeting's key information.
- What was the main objective of the meeting?
- What was the problem Lina identified?
- What solution did Vuthy propose?
- What were the two final action items assigned by Dara?
Click to Show Answers
Answers: 1. To finalize the new marketing campaign. 2. The promotional video still needed music. 3. He offered to contact a music studio. 4. Action 1: Lina sends the video draft to Dara. Action 2: Vuthy contacts the music studio.
Final Quiz: Follow the Meeting
Listen to this short discussion about a customer complaint. Identify the key pieces of information.
Manager: "The next item on the agenda is the customer complaint from yesterday. Srey, can you summarize?"
Srey: "Yes. The customer, Mister Smith, was unhappy because his room service was thirty minutes late."
Manager: "I see. That's not acceptable. What is our proposed solution?"
Srey: "I spoke with him this morning and offered him a voucher for a free breakfast. He seemed satisfied with that."
- Who was the customer?
- Why was he unhappy?
- What was the solution?
Click to Show Answers
Answers: 1. Mr. Smith. 2. His room service was 30 minutes late. 3. He was offered a voucher for a free breakfast.
Homework Task
1. Watch a Business Meeting: Search on YouTube for "business English meeting roleplay." Watch a short video. Try to identify the objective of the meeting and one action item that is decided.
2. Plan Your Own Agenda: Imagine you are leading a meeting to plan a party for a friend. Write a simple agenda with 3 points to discuss (e.g., 1. Choose a date. 2. Decide on food. 3. Plan activities.).
Vocabulary Glossary
- Meeting (noun) - Khmer: ការប្រជុំ - A planned occasion when people come together to discuss something, especially in a professional context. ↩
- Objective (noun) - Khmer: វត្ថុបំណង - A goal or purpose that you are trying to achieve. ↩
- Action Item (noun phrase) - Khmer: รายการการกระทำ - A specific task that is assigned to a person during a meeting, with a clear outcome and often a deadline. ↩
- Campaign (noun) - Khmer: យុទ្ធនាការ - A planned series of activities designed to achieve a specific goal, such as in marketing or politics. ↩