Learn about sound and spelling patterns
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| INTRODUCTION |
| Braden: Do You Like Making Cold Calls in English? |
| Braden: In this lesson, you’ll learn about Sound and Spelling Patterns and Cold Calling. |
| Barbara: This conversation takes place in the morning at the store. |
| Braden: And it’s between June and Cody. |
| Barbara: The speakers are co-workers and June is trying to get to know Cody a bit better, so they are speaking causally. |
| Braden: Let’s listen to the conversation. |
| DIALOGUE |
| June: What exactly is it like to work in sales? |
| Cody: It's been a bit odd, honestly, since I'm a guy who sells beauty products. As a salesman, I have to present and even demonstrate the products to the customers. You imagine the problems when it comes to makeup and nail polish. |
| June: So why does Big John have you selling beauty products? |
| Cody: I don't know. I think it's because the novelty brings in customers. I have customers who come in just to see whether it's really true that a guy is selling beauty products. |
| June: Wow. I guess it works as a sales strategy, in an odd, twisted kind of way. |
| Cody: It's been fun. I have clients who call in to order things for their salons or boyfriends. |
| June: Do you do any outbound sales? I mean, cold calling? |
| Cody: I do. That's how so many people found out about a guy selling beauty products. |
| June: What's it like? |
| Cody: It was pretty hard, but I got used to it. I do about fifty cold calls a day now. |
| June: Wow, that must be very tiring. |
| Cody: Yes, it is, but I like the job. We get a few extra breaks because of the type of work, and I always try to keep |
| things positive. Plus, I don't have to clock in as early as you do. |
| June: Aren't the customers who come into the store enough to keep you busy? |
| Cody: Not really. People don't really come to Big Buys to buy beauty products. They're usually looking for electronics or home appliances. |
| POST CONVERSATION BANTER |
| Braden: So in this lesson, we wanted to talk a little bit about Cold calling. |
| Barbara: Cold calling is a marketing and sales process of approaching prospective customers or clients. Typically, the interaction is initiated via the telephone–hence the term calling. |
| Braden: The prospective customers or clients typically are not expecting said phone call and that is why the term “cold” is used. |
| Barbara: The practice and permissibility of “cold calling” varies by state, region, and even by country. |
| Braden: For example the United States has a national do not call list which is a master list managed by the Federal Trade Commission of phone numbers that telemarketers are not permitted to call. |
| Barbara: Canada also has a similar national do not call list. The UK and the European Union also have similar prohibitions against general cold calling and using automated recorded messages for direct marketing purposes via the telephone. |
| VOCAB LIST |
| Braden: Let's take a look at the vocabulary for this lesson. |
| The first word we'll look at is... |
| Barbara: sales [natural native speed] |
| Braden: the activity or business of selling products |
| Barbara: sales [slowly - broken down by syllable] |
| Barbara: sales [natural native speed] |
| Next: |
| Barbara: representative [natural native speed] |
| Braden: a person chosen or appointed to act or speak for another or others |
| Barbara: representative [slowly - broken down by syllable] |
| Barbara: representative [natural native speed] |
| Next: |
| Barbara: beauty [natural native speed] |
| Braden: that which pleases the senses |
| Barbara: beauty [slowly - broken down by syllable] |
| Barbara: beauty [natural native speed] |
| Next: |
| Barbara: products [natural native speed] |
| Braden: a substance that is manufactured or refined, typically for sale |
| Barbara: products [slowly - broken down by syllable] |
| Barbara: products [natural native speed] |
| Next: |
| Barbara: department [natural native speed] |
| Braden: a division of a large organization |
| Barbara: department [slowly - broken down by syllable] |
| Barbara: department [natural native speed] |
| Next: |
| Barbara: stores [natural native speed] |
| Braden: a location where things are sold |
| Barbara: stores [slowly - broken down by syllable] |
| Barbara: stores [natural native speed] |
| Next: |
| Barbara: advertise [natural native speed] |
| Braden: attract attention in order to sell |
| Barbara: advertise [slowly - broken down by syllable] |
| Barbara: advertise [natural native speed] |
| VOCAB AND PHRASE USAGE |
| Braden: Let's have a closer look at the usage for some of the words and phrases from this lesson. |
| Barbara: In the dialogue, we heard the phrase “clock in.” |
| Braden: This phrase refers to an old custom of “punching the clock.” years ago in the United States, a special type of clock was used to register when employees started and stopped working. |
| Barbara:Usually, The employee would be given a card which this special clock would either stamp or punch a hole in to register the time the employee arrived at work. this card was then kept In the “in” area. When the worker left work she would “clock out” or put her card in the special clock again which would register when she left work. |
| Braden: After a specific period of time had passed, typically two weeks, the timecard would be taken by the company and the employee would be paid according to the time Registered on the timecard. |
| Barbara:The same idea of registering arrival and departure of employees is still common practice in the United States. However, this is usually handled by software in modern companies. |
| Braden: Could you break this down for us? |
| Barbara: clock in (slowly) |
| Braden: And one time fast? |
| Barbara: clock in (fast) |
| Braden: Excellent! What’s next? |
| Barbara: Our next word is “novelty.” |
| Braden: Which means “new” or “previously unknown. “Novelty” is used to describe things that are new to the individual or region where it is currently being found. |
| Barbara: For example, If an ice cream company begin selling in a new region of the world they can be considered a novelty in that region of the world even though the company has been around for several decades. |
| Braden: Could you break this down for us? |
| Barbara: novelty (slowly) |
| Braden: And one time fast? |
| Barbara: novelty (fast) |
| Braden: Excellent! |
Lesson focus |
|---|
| Braden: Let’s take a look at the grammar point. |
| Braden: So, Barbara, what’s the focus of this lesson? |
| Barbara: The focus of this lesson is sound and spelling patterns |
| Braden: In the dialogue, we heard the phrase… |
| Barbara: You imagine the problems when it comes to make-up and nail polish. |
| Braden: One of the most confusing aspects of English pronunciation is spelling. Because English has been influenced by so many other languages, sound/spelling relationships are irregular. |
| Barbara: Some pronunciation problems are related to differences recognizing sound/spelling patterns. This lesson will clarify some consonant sounds and spellings that are especially troublesome. |
| Braden: The following spelling patterns are common in business, academic, medical, scientific, and technical terms. Like most rules of English, these patterns will be true most of the time, not all of the time. |
| Barbara: Rule one - The traditional rule is that the "SH" sound is commonly spelled "S-H" as in "shoe." A more complete rule would include the -t-i-, -c-i-, -s-s-i-, and -s-s-u- suffixes as additional spellings for the "SH" sound. |
| Braden: The "SH" sound can be made by -ti-. For example, national debt, essential details, next-generation, and ratio of seven. |
| Barbara: Also, the "SH" sound can be made by -ci-. For example, Social event, special project, efficient way, and suspicious person. |
| Braden: And last "SH" sound can be made by -ssu- and -ssi-. For example, I assure you, blood pressure, serious issues, and severe recession. |
| Barbara: Rule two - The "CH" sound is commonly spelled CH as in "choose." However, a more complete rule would include "T-U" in suffixes and word endings as another spelling for the "CH" sound as in choose. |
| Braden: So, the "ch" sound can be made by the -tu-. For example, serious situation, the near future, natural ingredients, and 21st century. |
| Barbara: To finish things off let's take a look at some example phrases that use the new pronunciation rules learned in this lesson. |
| Braden: For example, negotiated contract, very professional, social event, wedding ritual, poor vision, mutual friend, long division, departure time. |
| Barbara: Our quick tip for this lesson is about the "SH" sound and the "zu" (azure) sound sound. As far as tongue placement and lip position, these two sounds are produced identically. |
| Braden: The only difference lies in the voicing. Voicing is whether a consonant requires that the voice or vocal cord vibration occurs to produce the sound properly. |
| Barbara: In the "SH" sound, the voice is not needed; there is no vocal cord vibration. With the "zu" sound, the voice is needed; there is vocal cord vibration. For example, "pleasure." |
| Braden: If you have trouble distinguishing between voiceless unvoiced sounds try covering your ears with your hands. This increases your perception of the vocal chords and makes it easier to hear the voicing. |
Outro |
| Braden: That just about does it for today. Thanks for listening. |
| Barbara: See you later! |
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