ESL商务英语: ESL Podcast 244 – Critiquing Someone’s Work

 

 

ESL Podcast 244 – Critiquing Someone’s Work

GLOSSARYto look over – to quickly review something; to quickly read something to giveone’s opinion about it* Do you think you’ll have time this afternoon to look over this report before I giveit to the company president tomorrow morning?

to give (someone) (one’s) two cents – to let someone know what one thinks about something* Nicole gave me her two cents about my ideas, but I just don’t agree with her.

shoot – go ahead; continue; a word used to let someone know that one wants the other person to say or do something* Anis, I’d like to hear your thoughts about this project.  Shoot.

to envision – to imagine; to have an idea about how something will be before itis made or happens* When she planned their vacation, she had envisioned a week of resting on thebeach, but her husband wanted to go to a different museum everyday.

charge – responsibility for some work or project; control over a project* Why did Zayed give Bill charge of the new account?  Everyone thought Clarrisawould lead the project.

to not be crazy about (something) – to not like something; to not be pleasedwith something* Rachelle wasn’t crazy about the idea of going to Florida for Christmas, but herhusband and children really wanted to go.

off the mark – wrong; incorrect; not matching what is needed or expected* Your comments to Anita about her behavior at the ceremony were really off themark.  I don’t think she behaved inappropriately at all.

to come up with something – to make something; to create something; toproduce something; to think of something* Yung came up with a great way to increase the company’s sales.

out in left field – not rational or logical; crazy; not useful or effective* When he was younger, everyone said that his business ideas were out in leftfield, but today he’s a millionaire!

to need work – to need improvement; to not be finished or completed* The story is interesting, but the ending still needs some work. Let’s just say that... – An expression meaning that the words that follow are anunderstatement (the feelings are stronger than the words)* Do I want to make more money?  Let’s just say that I wouldn’t say “no” if thecompany offered it to me.

room for improvement – not perfect; can be improved* Even though everyone said that her paintings were beautiful, the artist still sawroom for improvement.

comment – something that is said or written to give one’s opinion aboutsomething* Don’t you know that you should never make a comment about a woman’s weight or age?

to hold off – to wait to do something later; to delay something* I know we had planned to study for the exam tonight, but can we hold off untiltomorrow?  I’m really tired.

feedback – one’s opinion about whether something is good or bad and how itcan be improved* Receiving negative feedback is difficult, but it’s usually helpful.

to take the reins – to lead something; to be in control of something* When Danitsa got sick, her co-worker had to take the reins on all her projects.

big deal – something that is very important* Graduating from a university with honors is a big deal.  You must be so proud ofyour granddaughter!

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS1.  What does Walt like best about Russ’s new design for the brochure?

a)  The left field.

b)  The featured old products.

c)  The cover.

2.  Why does Walt thank Noriko?

a)  Because she is going to give Russ all of Walt’s feedback.

b)  Because she is going to arrange a meeting with Russ.

c)  Because she is giving Walt very good feedback.

______________WHAT ELSE DOES IT MEAN?

to look overThe phrase “to look over (something),” in this podcast, means to quickly review awritten document to give one’s opinion: “Clementine looked over hundreds ofresumes before she decided to interview these three candidates.”  The phrase“to look into (something)” means to examine or investigate something: “Is anyonelooking into the reasons why students don’t graduate?”  The phrase “to look back on (something)” means to think about something that happened in the past:

“Looking back on my childhood, I can clearly see how wonderful my parents were.”  The phrase “to look ahead to (something)” means to think aboutsomething that will happen in the future: “Kristin is only 12 years old, but she’s already looking ahead to college.”  The phrase “to look forward to (something)”

means to think with pleasure or happiness about something that will happen inthe future: “We’re all looking forward to our summer vacation in Hawaii.”

shootIn this podcast, the word “shoot” is used to let someone know that one wants himor her to say or do something: “Ivan, it’s your turn.  Shoot!”  The word “shoot” is also used to show disappointment or frustration: “Oh, shoot! I left my jacket at theoffice.”  As a verb, “to shoot” means to use a gun: “The policeman shot thecriminal in the leg” (“shot” is the past tense of “shoot”).  “To shoot” can also meanto make a movie or a photograph: “Where did you shoot this photo?”  “To shootdown” means to disapprove of or say no to someone’s idea: “At the meeting,Erma wanted to change the project deadline, but Irma shot down that idea rightaway.”  

CULTURE NOTEIn the United States, most companies have similar “corporate structures,” whichare the titles and positions of the people who work in the company.  A company is led by a “board of directors,” a small group of people who have responsibility for the company, but do not work there every day.  The “board of directors”

manages the company “president,” who has more responsibility than anyone elsewho works in the company.

The president usually works closely with the CEO (chief executive officer), CFO(chief financial officer), COO (chief operating officer), and CIO (chief informationofficer).  In a very large company with “many locations,” or offices in differentplaces, there are also “regional managers” who are responsible for thecompany’s work in each “region” or area, such as the West Coast or the South.

Each region has many stores or “branches” (office locations).  Each of theselocations has a “store manager” or “branch manager” who is responsible for allthe business in that location.  The branch manager or store manager “hires” orselects people for the jobs in the branch or store.

A large company often has many “management layers,” meaning that the lowestemployee and the president are separated by many managers.  This can makecommunication difficult, and many companies are now trying to reduce thenumber of management layers that they have.

One good thing about working for a large company with a “standard” or normalcorporate structure is that if you do your work well, it is relatively easy to “moveup” in the company and get a better job with more responsibility and a highersalary.

______________Comprehension Questions Correct Answers:  1 – c; 2 – b

COMPLETE TRANSCRIPTWelcome to English as a Second Language Podcast number 244: CritiquingSomeone’s Work.

This is English as a Second Language Podcast episode 244.  I'm your host, Dr.

Jeff McQuillan, coming to you from the Center for Educational Development inbeautiful Los Angeles, California.

Remember to visit our website at eslpod.com, and download the Learning Guidefor this episode.  It contains all of the vocabulary, definitions, additionaldefinitions, cultural notes and a complete transcript of this episode. Our episode is called “Critiquing Someone’s Work.”  We'll hear a conversationbetween two people talking about a third person's work and how it has to beimproved.  Let's get started.

[start of story]

Noriko:  Have you had a chance to look over Russ’s project?

Walt:  Yeah, I took a look at it yesterday.  If you have a couple of minutes, I cangive you my two cents.

Noriko:  Sure.  Shoot.

Walt:  Well, it’s not what I envisioned when we gave him the charge to come upwith a new design for the brochure.  The cover isn’t bad, but I’m not crazy aboutthe rest of it. Noriko:  Why?  What don’t you like?

Walt:  Well, I think Russ is off the mark to feature our older products, rather thanour new ones.  When I saw what he had come up with, I thought he was out inleft field.  We told him to focus on the latest products, didn’t we?

Noriko:  Yes, we did tell him that.  I haven’t had a chance to look at the brochureclosely myself, but I plan to this afternoon.  So you think it needs work, huh?  Alot of work?

Walt:  Let’s just say that there’s a lot of room for improvement.  I’d be happy tomeet with him to give him my comments, if you think that would help.

Noriko:  Why don’t you hold off until I’ve had a chance to go over the brochurethis afternoon.  I’ll set up a meeting for tomorrow and we can both give him somefeedback on how to proceed.

Walt:  That’s okay with me.  Thanks for taking the reins on this.

Noriko:  It’s no big deal.  I’ll let you know later today about that meeting.

[end of story]

The title of this episode is “Critiquing Someone’s Work.”  To critique, “critique,”

means to criticize - to say what is wrong, sometimes what is right, aboutsomeone's work.  Usually though, you are telling the person what they did wrong. This is a difficult thing to do, especially with someone that you work with.

Noriko begins by saying to Walt, “Have you had a chance to look over Russ’s project,” Russ is the name of the person about whom they're talking - about his project.  To look over means to look at something quickly - to review somethingquickly - to read it through, usually so you can give an opinion about it.  This expression, to look over, has a couple of different meanings; take a look at theLearning Guide today for the additional definitions of this expression.

Walt says, “Yeah” - yes - “I took a look at it yesterday.  If you have a couple ofminutes,” he says, “I can give you my two cents.”  To give someone your twocents, “cents,” means to give someone your opinion - to tell someone what youthink.  Sometimes we use that expression when we're not sure if the other personwants our opinion; it's also used when we want to say that, well, my opinion may not be the most important or the correct opinion.  So, it's a somewhat humbleway of saying, “Here is my opinion.”  A cent is the same as a penny.  In theAmerican dollar, there are 100 cents.  So, two cents is not necessarily worth alot, and that's, again, this idea that, well, I'm not sure if my opinion is worth allthat much, but here it is.

Noriko responds to Walt by saying, “Sure.  Shoot,” “shoot.”  Shoot is an informalway of saying go ahead; continue talking.  You're telling someone that you wantthem to say something - to continue talking about what they want to talk about. You may say to your friend, “I'd like to ask you a question,” and your friend says,“Shoot,” meaning go ahead, ask me your question.  Shoot has other meanings inEnglish; again, take a look at the Learning Guide for some additional definitions of this word.

Walt then gives Noriko his opinion.  He says, “Well,” Russ's project is “not what Ienvisioned when we gave him the charge to come up with a new design for thebrochure.”  To envision, “envision,” means to imagine - to have an idea abouthow something will be before it is actually done - before it is made.  In this case,Walt is envisioning what the project should be, and when he looked at it, it wasn'twhat he envisioned.

He also uses the expression, “we gave” Russ “the charge to come up with.” When we say, “You give someone the charge,” “charge,” you mean you givethem the responsibility - the control over the project.  It can also be used as averb, “I charge you,” but it's sort of an old use of that word.  If you say, “I chargeyou to do this project,” that would be very old-fashioned English.  To charge has a couple of other meanings as well.  For example, with your credit card to pay forsomething you charge it.  But here, charge as a noun, means responsibility.

Walt says that “The cover” of the brochure - the front of the brochure, “isn’t bad,”

meaning it's okay - it's not great - “it isn't bad,” Walt says, “but I’m not crazy aboutthe rest of it” - the rest of the brochure.  The expression to be not crazy, “crazy,”

about something means that you are not enthusiastic - you don't really like it -you're not happy with something.  You can say, for example, “I'm not crazy aboutthat movie” - I don't like it very much.  Or, “I'm not crazy about skiing” - I don't liketo ski.  Actually, I don't know how to ski, so maybe I would like it if I tried it.

Noriko asks Walt why he doesn't like Russ's project.  He says, “Well, I think Russ is off the mark to feature our older products.”  To be off the mark, “mark,” means to be wrong - to be incorrect.  Usually, it means that someone didn't quiteunderstand what was needed or expected - wasn't able to do when he shouldhave done.  So, off the mark is wrong - it's incorrect.  Walt is saying that Russ's use of the old products from their company in the brochure was “off the mark,” itwas a wrong decision. He says, “When I saw what he had come up with, I thought he was out in leftfield.”  To come up with something means to make something - to createsomething or to think of something.  You may say, “I've come up with some ideasabout how to improve ESL Podcast” - I've thought about it - I've created or madein my mind some ideas.  You can also, come up with something that is physical,“I came up with a new kind of pencil that always writes, it never runs out of lead,”

“lead,” which is what the pencil uses to make its mark on the paper.

Walt thinks that Russ is “out in left field.”  To be out in left field means to be crazy- not rational - not logical, in this case, probably not very useful - not very effective.  Someone says, “Oh, I want to run my car on water instead of gas.”  

You may say, “You are out in left field” - you're crazy - you have the wrong idea. I am told this many times!

Noriko says well, “we did tell him” to use the latest products.  “I haven’t had achance to look at the brochure closely,” she says, and then she asks Walt, “Soyou think it needs work, huh.”  To need work means it needs improvement - itneeds to get better.  “My car really needs work,” that means there's somethingwrong with it, it needs to be fixed - it need to be made better.

Notice that Noriko uses a very common way of asking a question, “huh,” whichwe normally spell, “huh.”  It's sort of an informal word.  You may say to someone,“You don't really want to go the movie, huh?”  It's a way of asking a question.

Walt says, “Let’s just say that there’s a lot of room for improvement.”  Theexpression, let's just say that, is one we use when we are introducing an opinionabout something that is going to be less strong then what you really think, wewould use the word understatement.  An understatement is that you say something is not as bad as you really think it is or you are not expressing youropinion as completely as you could.  So Walt says, “Let’s just say that there’s alot of room for improvement.”  When we say something has room forimprovement we mean that it is not perfect - it can be made much better.

Walt says, “I’d be happy to meet with” Russ and “give him my comments, if youthink that would help.”  Your comments are your suggestions - something thatyou tell someone that, in this case, will help them make it better.

Noriko says, “Why don’t you hold off until I’ve had a chance to go over thebrochure this afternoon.”  When you tell someone to hold, “hold,” off (two words),you're telling them to wait and do what they are planning on doing later.  You'reasking them to delay it - to wait before they do it.  So, Noriko's asking Walt tohold off, to wait until after she has read through the brochure.

She says, “I’ll set up a meeting for tomorrow and we can both give” Russ “somefeedback on how to proceed.”  Feedback, “feedback,” is giving your opinionabout something - telling someone if it is good or if it is bad and, often, how tomake it better.

Walt says, “That’s okay with me.  Thanks for taking the reins on this.”  Theexpression to take the reins, “reins,” means to be in control of something - to takethe leadership - to be in the lead or to lead something.  In this case, Noriko is taking over - taking the lead with this project with Russ.  The word reins refers towhat you use to control a horse.  When you are riding on a horse and you want the horse to stop or to go left or go right, you use the reins that are attached tothe horse to control it.  So, when you take the reins, that means you are takingcontrol - you are taking command of something.

Noriko says to Walt, “It’s no big deal.  I’ll let you know later today about themeeting.”  A big deal is something that’s very important.  So, when someonesays, “It's no big deal,” they mean it's not very important.

Now let's listen to the dialogue, this time at a normal speed.

[start of story]

Noriko:  Have you had a chance to look over Russ’s project?

Walt:  Yeah, I took a look at it yesterday.  If you have a couple of minutes, I cangive you my two cents.

Noriko:  Sure.  Shoot.

Walt:  Well, it’s not what I envisioned when we gave him the charge to come upwith a new design for the brochure.  The cover isn’t bad, but I’m not crazy aboutthe rest of it. Noriko:  Why?  What don’t you like?

Walt:  Well, I think Russ is off the mark to feature our older products, rather thanour new ones.  When I saw what he had come up with, I thought he was out inleft field.  We told him to focus on the latest products, didn’t we?

Noriko:  Yes, we did tell him that.  I haven’t had a chance to look at the brochureclosely myself, but I plan to this afternoon.  So you think it needs work, huh?  Alot of work?

Walt:  Let’s just say that there’s a lot of room for improvement.  I’d be happy tomeet with him to give him my comments, if you think that would help.

Noriko:  Why don’t you hold off until I’ve had a chance to go over the brochurethis afternoon.  I’ll set up a meeting for tomorrow and we can both give him somefeedback on how to proceed.

Walt:  That’s okay with me.  Thanks for taking the reins on this.

Noriko:  It’s no big deal.  I’ll let you know later today about that meeting.

[end of story]

The script for today's episode was written by Dr. Lucy Tse.

If you have a question, comment or suggestion, send us an email.  Our emailaddress is [email protected].

From Los Angeles, California, I'm Jeff McQuillan.  Thanks for listening.  We'll seeyou next time on ESL Podcast.

English as a Second Language Podcast is written and produced by Dr. Lucy Tse,hosted by Dr. Jeff McQuillan.  This podcast is copyright 2007.