Using English at Work：18 Attending the Morning Meeting(4)

I'll have to talk to my wife about taking turns!

At my meeting, we're taking turns giving a quick rundown.

A "rundown" is a very short explanation of the most important points of something.

If your boss doesn't have time to read a long report, she might ask you to read it for her and then give her a rundown of what it's about.

It's a brief presentation, a summary.

Our status reports are quick rundowns, quick summaries of what we've done since the last meeting. "Rundown" (rundown) is one word.

Not everyone, however, is paying attention at the meeting.

"To pay attention to something" means to listen carefully and try to understand what someone else is saying.

At the meeting, some people aren't paying attention because they're thinking about their own status reports and what they are going to say when it's their turn - when it's their time to talk.

Sometimes our manger makes some comments or gives us some feedback¹, but there's usually not very much discussion² at the meetings.

"Feedback" is either positive or negative comments that are made in response to what someone has done or, in this case, said.

If you write a story and ask a friend to read it and let you know what he thinks, then you are asking him to give you feedback.

The idea is that feedback will help make it better.

Sometimes people will write a draft³ of their report, give it to their colleague, and ask for feedback so they can make the report better.

Our meetings always end the same way, meaning it's the same ending every time we meet.

Our manager gives a short summary of how our department is doing.

A "summary" is, as you know, like a rundown; it's a short description of the most important points.

After my manager gives a summary of how our departments are doing, he gives a little pep talk to get us motivated.

A "pep (pep) talk" is a short speech that is supposed to encourage people, helping⁴ them to do something better, faster, or with more enthusiasm⁵.

1 feedback   

n.回授，反馈，反应

参考例句：

• I was getting great feedback from my boss.老板对我的评价很高。
• You need feedback to monitor progress.你需要利用反馈信息来监控进展。

2 discussion   

n.讨论，谈论；论述

参考例句：

• It is certain he will come to the discussion.他肯定会来参加讨论。
• After months of discussion,a peace agreement is gradually taking shape.经过几个月的商讨，和平协议渐渐有了眉目。

3 draft   

vt.起草，作...的草稿；n.草稿，草图，草案

参考例句：

• He's now revising the first draft of his essay.他目前正修改他的文章初稿。
• The draft of this article has been done。这篇文章已经定稿。

4 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

5 enthusiasm   

n.热情，激情；巨大兴趣；热衷的事物

参考例句：

• We set about our task at once with great enthusiasm.我们立刻兴致勃勃地干起来。
• A team which is full of enthusiasm is more likely to win.情绪高涨的球队更可能获胜。