商务英语辅导：工作之余

会计考友

　　工作之余　　(after-work entertainments, choosing and developing topics of conversation)
) ~, |' ^: T9 W　　Introducing topics/agendas
1 M$ q3 }! N. [& U4 ?6 P　　I’m glad to bump into you. I wanted to ask you about…
　　While we’re on the subject…
　　I just wanted to mention…
: i$ W& E* i7 H& M8 q　　You know you mention…?
/ Z; \) Y0 V2 B! w' ~# b7 t　　There were a couple of points I wanted to mention…
　　The other point was…
1 l# K3 d; P+ x/ R9 A2 x7 Q　　There’s just one thing I wanted to say…
# q  ^2 S1 H' B; N　　Changing/ending a topic
) S$ `+ I7 ]1 n9 j7 A- s% s  D　　Anyway, let’s talk about something else.
　　So, let’s leave that (for later).
% n; a# B' C' `+ ]$ Q( Y　　Changing the subject for a moment…
　　By the way…
　　Talking of…
* w5 @, Z" _% B6 I　　That reminds me…
　　Checking and clarifying
　　Do you see what I’m getting at?
, H  K4 c+ j' V9 y　　Is that clear?
　　Do you mean…?
　　Are you saying…?
  Q: ], g1 W5 T$ L. F5 Q( a　　Let me see if I get it clear/correctly. Do you mean…?
( T: e$ J  B/ y% a3 |3 V- M& j3 F　　Asking about hobbies and interests
　　Do you have any hobbies and interests?
8 \4 Y1 h' ?- W　　What do you do in your spare/free time?
% `# S; o$ O) k3 Y/ s　　Expressing likes and dislikes
　　I like football.
- g# P' I7 S' r6 R　　I love reading.
　　I enjoy cooking.
　　I adore Tom Cruise.
5 t7 [/ P5 B( R/ C9 t0 U: Z9 f6 H　　I’m interested in antiques collections, especially Chinese antique furniture.
8 g1 @; j  a* f7 h8 p　　I’m quite into golf.
　　I’m crazy/mad about rock’n’roll.
+ E2 ]* B% ?0 n( @# m　　I fall for folk dance.
　　John is enthusiastic about hiking.
, I: y- ~" N/ R% f: q- ~　　I don’t like soccer.
　　I hate boxing.
　　Expressing preferences
) }- }" W9 t8 v5 i6 L　　I prefer jazz to pop.
　　I prefer staying at home to going out with him tonight.
/ F9 L6 _% E' ?* w　　I prefer to play badminton rather than play basketball.
　　Joe has a preference for European movies.
　　Of all kinds of music, I like R&B best.
; Q! k1 f' E) S; |+ v　　Classical music is my favorite music.
　　Hip Hop is my least favorite.
4 T( X9 h* `9 o　　As far as I am concerned, poetry reading is for the birds.
! q7 @1 X; _, m3 q5 j' P  h　　For me, the best time is to sit back with a cold beer in my hand.
/ Q# K2 ^  a0 G3 l: ^$ I4 L　　I’d rather take the bus home.
$ }4 p! \2 a5 f/ s　　Sample Dialogue
　　A: Have you watched any movie lately?
　　B: Not really. I have been kept busy recently.
  d% R* V& x1 v1 k. y2 P5 l　　A: That’s too bad. I went to watch the Red Dragon the other day. It’s really fantastic.
　　B: Red Dragon? I haven’t even heard about it.
　　A: What are you? From the cave? It has been an instant hit after it was put on show in the theatre.
　　B: Well, I told you I was busy. So what was it about?
, ?. F. m0 |. j4 h　　A: It’s actually the prequel to The silence of the Lambs. In this one, the story of a former FBI agent Will Graham, who was nearly killed by Hannibal Lecter, is told, and it includes the initial capture of “the Cannibal”.
　　B: Really? I have watched The silence of the Lambs. It features Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster, right?
　　A: You are right. But the new movie has a stronger cast, including young talents like Edward Norton and Ralph Fiennes. Of course, Anthony Hopkins stays and still plays Dr. Lecter.
) C( ]6 R( {! r2 d　　B: It sounds really exciting. I should try to find some time to go.