【一起听英语】新的同事

公司来了新同事，或者有公司的客户来了，谈论什么话题最合适呢？

Feifei: Hello, I’m Feifei and this is 6 Minute English.

Neil: And I’m Neil.

Feifei: How are you Neil and do you have a business fact for us today?

Neil: I’m very well, thank you, and today, I am going to tell you the

number of different jobs the average person has in their whole

lifetime.

Feifei: The number of different jobs the average person has in their lifetime:

Come on then… how many?

Neil: Well, it’s a bit tricky 1 to find a number that everyone agrees on, but

most sources seem to say it’s between 10 and 15 jobs. How many

jobs have you had so far in your life Feifei?

Feifei: I’ve only had three.

Neil: Only three – that’s not many for someone as old as you!

Feifei: What! You know I’m not old!

Neil: Only joking! But with so much job-hopping…

Feifei: ‘Job-hopping’ means moving from job to job…

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Neil: Yes, it does - with so much job-hopping, it’s important to know what

to say when you’re showing new colleagues around the office.

Feifei: Yes, showing them where everything is and how everything works 3

and stuff 4 like that. That’s important not just for colleagues but for

visitors too.

Neil: Yes and I’ve got a clip 5 for you of our friend Derm showing a new

colleague round their new office. Have a listen to this!

Derm: OK, so this is the main entrance, and you just have to swipe in here

and just go through, and we’ll just go up to the third floor… right so

here we are, now, we sit just over here, and the lockers 6 are on the

left, the loos are over there and your desk is this one. This is your

computer, and the printer’s just in the far corner. Let me show you

how the coffee machine works. OK? Right, well, I’ll leave you to it.

I’m just over here if you need anything, just give me a shout, OK?

Feifei: Well, there’s quite a lot of language there Neil.

Neil: I know.

Feifei: So we really need to hear from the expert.

Neil / FF: It’s Business Betty!

BB: Hello Neil, hello Feifei! What can I do for you today?

Feifei: Hello Betty, we’re talking about showing new colleagues and visitors

around the office. Can you give us some tips?

BB: I most certainly can! When you’re showing someone round your

workplace, it’s important to tell them the main things they need to 

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know, but don’t confuse them with too much information. Just tell

them the basics. So, they’ll need to know how to get into the

building:

Neil: You just have to swipe in here and just go through,

BB: Good. Tell them where exactly they’ll be working:

Neil: Right, so here we are, now we sit just over here,

BB: Tell them where everything is:

Neil: The lockers are on the left, the loos are over there and your desk is

this one.

BB: Tell them where their equipment is:

Neil: This is your computer, and the printer’s just in the far corner…

BB: And tell them how things work!

Neil: Let me show you how the coffee machine works.

BB: And don’t forget to tell them how to get help if they need it!

Neil: I’m just over here if you need anything, just give me a shout, OK?

BB: Very good Neil! English speakers use the word ‘just’ a lot in

situations like this. It helps keep the conversation light. Here are

some examples.

Neil: You just have to swipe in here and just go through; we’ll just go up

to the third floor; now we sit just over here; the printer’s just in the

far corner.

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BB: So: that’s how you show a visitor or new colleague round the

workplace. Tell them the basics, use the word ‘just’ to keep things

relaxed and tell them how to get help if they need it.

Neil: Thanks Betty!

Feifei: Yes, thanks Betty.

BB: You’re welcome. Bye for now!

Neil / FF: Bye!

Neil: Business Betty. Brilliant.

Feifei: I know! So Neil should we practise that?

Neil: I think you should practise that!

Feifei: Me?

Neil: Most definitely 7. Let’s imagine that we’ve never met before, and I’ve

come here to the BBC Learning English offices. You have to show

me around and tell me where everything is, ok?

Feifei: OK, let’s give it a go. Are you ready!

Neil: I’m ready!

Role-play

Feifei: Right, so, welcome, err… What did you say your name was?

Neil: It’s Neil.

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Feifei: Oh yes, Neil. Welcome Neil to the BBC Learning English offices and

as you can see we’re on the fifth floor. And our desks are just over

here, OK?

Neil: OK…

Feifei: And you can use this desk here if you like, and if you look to your

left the photocopier 8 is just over there, can you see it?

Neil: Yes, I can see it, it’s just over there.

Feifei: And the loos are over there and the canteen is on the ground floor.

Is that OK?

Neil: Yes, lovely, thank you. Can I get a cup of coffee?

Feifei: Oh yes, of course, let me show you how the coffee machine works.

Neil: Thanks very much.

Feifei: And if you need anything else, just ask.

Neil: If I need anything else, I’ll just ask.

Feifei: Oh yes, and welcome to the BBC.

Neil: Thank you!

Feifei: So that was today’s role-play – how did I do?

Neil: I think you were pretty good Feifei. You told me where everything is

and you kept it light. And you said ‘welcome’ which was very

friendly surprisingly.

Feifei: It was good fun actually Neil. I enjoyed it and that word ‘just’ is very

useful.

Neil: Yes, it is very useful but we’ll just have to finish there.

Feifei: Yes it’s goodbye and good luck to you if you’re showing any visitors

or new colleagues round your workplace. Join us again for more 6

Minute English!

Neil / FF: Bye!