English Listening Practice B2–C1: Building Talent Instead of Just Hiring It

 

Vocabular 1

A. Impressive (adjective) [French: impressionnant]: Very good or special in a way that makes people admire you. Example: She gave an impressive presentation to the international team. (Elle a fait une présentation impressionnante devant l’équipe internationale.)

B. Sing decently (verb expression) [French: chanter assez bien]: To sing reasonably well, but not exceptionally well. Example: My brother can sing decently, but he prefers playing the guitar. (Mon frère chante assez bien, mais il préfère jouer de la guitare.)

C. Spectacular (adjective) [French: spectaculaire]: Extremely impressive, beautiful, or exciting. Example: We enjoyed a spectacular view from the top of the mountain. (Nous avons admiré une vue spectaculaire depuis le sommet de la montagne.)

D. Logic might suggest (expression) [French: la logique pourrait laisser penser que]: It seems reasonable to think that something is true. Example: Logic might suggest that higher prices will reduce sales. (La logique pourrait laisser penser que des prix plus élevés feront baisser les ventes.)

E. Iconic (adjective) [French: emblématique]: Very famous and easily recognized by many people. Example: The Eiffel Tower is an iconic symbol of Paris. (La tour Eiffel est un symbole emblématique de Paris.)

F. Undeniable (adjective) [French: indéniable]: Clearly true and impossible to reasonably deny. Example: Her progress in mathematics is undeniable. (Ses progrès en mathématiques sont indéniables.)

G. Mediocre (adjective) [French: médiocre]: Average or below average, not particularly good. Example: The restaurant received mediocre reviews from its customers. (Le restaurant a reçu des avis médiocres de la part de ses clients.)

H. Artistry (noun) [French: talent artistique]: Skill and creativity shown when making or performing something. Example: The artist's artistry is visible in every painting. (Le talent artistique de cet artiste se manifeste dans chaque tableau.)

I. Taboos (plural noun) [French: tabous]: Subjects or actions that society considers unacceptable to discuss or do. Example: The documentary discusses taboos surrounding mental health. (Le documentaire aborde les tabous liés à la santé mentale.)

 

Business English Listening Practice: R&D Meeting Expressions and Vocabulary (B2), Exercise 2

 

Exercise 2: Discussing Research Projects and New Ideas

Situation: A research team is evaluating different technologies for a new product.

Key expressions: investigate, explore options, potential, data, conclusions

Comprehension questions
1. What is the main objective of the research project?
2. What two options are being considered?
3. Why does the team need more data?
4. What problem does the existing product have?
5. Has the team confirmed that the new material will solve the problem?

Participants: Research Lead (woman), Researcher (Indian man), Product Engineer (British woman)

Business English Listening Practice: R&D Meeting Expressions and Vocabulary (B2), Exercise 1

 

Exercise 1: Opening an R&D Meeting and Setting the Agenda

Situation: An R&D manager opens a weekly meeting to review a new research project.

Key expressions: agenda, research activities, project status, priorities

Comprehension questions

1. What is the main purpose of the meeting?

2. What does the research team need to resolve?

3. What additional topic does the product engineer want to discuss?

4. How will the manager organize the meeting?

5. Which expression does the manager use to invite other participants to suggest topics?

Participants: R&D Manager (man) and Research Lead (woman)

B2 English Listening: Why Talking About Your Goals Can Stop You from Achieving Them

Inspired by Derek Sivers' speech “Keep Your Goal to Yourself” at TED Talk

PART 1: WHY ANNOUNCING YOUR GOALS CAN BE A PROBLEM

Vocabulary 1
A. Congratulate (verb) [French: féliciter]: To tell someone you are happy about their success. Example: I congratulated my sister on passing her driving test. (J’ai félicité ma sœur pour la réussite de son examen de conduite.)

B. Psychological research (noun phrase) [French: recherche en psychologie]: Studies about how people think, feel, and behave. Example: Psychological research helps us understand why children learn differently. (La recherche en psychologie nous aide à comprendre pourquoi les enfants apprennent différemment.)

C. False feeling of success (noun phrase) [French: faux sentiment de réussite]: A feeling of success without real progress or achievement. Example: Buying expensive sports equipment gave him a false feeling of success. (L’achat de matériel de sport coûteux lui a donné un faux sentiment de réussite.)

D. Praise (noun) [French: éloges]: Words that show approval or admiration for someone. Example: Example: The teacher gave her praise for her excellent presentation. (Le professeur lui a fait des éloges pour son excellente présentation.)