初级商务英语（9）

Unit 9  Job routines
Present simple and expressions of frequency

1. Listening
You will hear an interview between a journalist and a top businessman. The journalist is going to write an article called ‘A day in the life of Paul Johnson’.
First look at the different activities below. Then, as you listen, number the sequence of events in Paul Johnson’s typical day. Some of them have been done for you.

a. ( ) Visit the plant
b. ( ) Look at the post
c. ( ) Have breakfast
d. ( ) Meetings with Finance and Sales Directors
e. ( ) Read a book
f. (1) Get up
g. ( ) Dinner engagement
h. ( ) Leave for the office
i. ( ) Go for a jog
j. ( ) Lunch in the canteen
k. (11) Management/Board meetings
l. (4) Read the newspapers
m. ( ) Meeting with deputy
n. ( ) Finish work
o. ( ) Go to sleep

Listening Task
PJ：Oh, I usually get up about five, go for a jog before breakfast. We usually have breakfast around 6.30. Then I have time to read the papers.
J：Which papers do you take?
PJ：Well, The Financial Times, The Times and The Independent. I don’t exactly read them from cover to cover.
J：No, of course not.
PJ：Well, after the papers, I leave for the office. I’m usually behind my desk by 7.30. The first job of the day is the post. My secretary sorts out those letters, which need immediate attention. Then round about 9.00, I have a daily meeting with Pete Sykes, he’s my deputy. We run through the agenda for the day.
J：What about lunch?
PJ：Well, I try to have lunch in the company canteen as often as possible. But, of course, sometimes I have lunch out with customers or the bank manager. People like that.
J：What about the afternoons?
PJ：If I’m in the country, I often go down to our plant and see how things are going. We have weekly management committee meetings on Friday afternoon. Then, of course, there are monthly board meetings, usually the first Monday of the month.
J：When do you finish work?
PJ：Round about seven. Then, if there’s nothing on in the evening, I’ll go home. More often than not, there’s a dinner engagement. My wife comes to quite a lot of these, so at least we see each other.
J：When do you get to bed?
PJ：Rarely before midnight. I always read a book for half an hour before going to sleep.
J：Right, thank you, Mr. Johnson…

2. Presentation
There are two important features of the language used in the interview:
# the present simple tense
# expressions of frequency

2.1 The present simple tense
This is used when we talk about characteristic/typical actions.
e.g. He gets up at 5.
I read the newspapers after breakfast.
Note: The third person singular form ends in s.
We form questions in the present simple by using the auxiliary do.
e.g. When do you go to bed?
    Does your wife work too?
Note: The third person singular form is does.

2.2 expressions of frequency
Expressions of frequency are divided into indefinite and definite frequency.
请见附图

Notes:
1. The percentage triangle shows the relative frequency of these expressions. Of course, these percentages are only a general indication, not exact values.
2. Expressions of indefinite frequency are usually used with the present simple.
e.g. I often go down to our plant.
3. Notice the position of the adverbs of indefinite frequency with the verb to be and other verbs.
e.g. I’m usually behind my desk by 7.30.(adverb after verb ‘to be’)
   We usually have breakfast around 6.30. (adverb before the verb)
   Some times I have lunch out with customers. (adverb at the beginning of the sentence)

Definite frequency
Every day or daily
Every week weekly
Every month monthly
Every year yearly/annually
Once/twice/three times a day /week /month/year etc.

3. Controlled practice
A. Complete the dialogue with an appropriate question. The first one has been done for you.
A: When do you get up?
B: Usually at six. At least, my alarm clock goes off at six!
A:
B: No, I don’t have breakfast straight away; first I go for a run.
A:
B: I sit down for breakfast about seven.