UNIIT 3 Airport Pick-up
Focus
● Meeting guests at the airport
● Making small talks on the way to the hotel
Warming Up
The following questions may help you understand what you are going to learn in this unit. Work in pairs or groups and try to answer the following questions：
1. What preparations should you make before leaving for the airport to meet your client？
2. What should you do after you arrive at the airport to meet the client？
3. What topics can you choose to make the small talks on the way to the hotel？
4. How can you start your conversation and keep your conversation going on when you meet the client？
Part 1 Meeting at the airport
Linda Zhang from Wuhan ProStar Electronics Co., Ltd comes to Wuhan Tianhe International Airport to meet Mr.FranckRibery from AuchanGroup in France.Sheis holding a sign board, waiting for Mr.Ribery.
Linda: Excuse me! Are you Mr. Ribery from France？
Mr. Ribery: Yes, I am Franck Ribery, from Auchan Group in France.
Linda: Ah, Mr. Ribery, nice to meet you. I'm Linda Zhang from Wuhan ProStar Electronics Co., Ltd.
Mr.Ribery: Nice to meet you, too.Ms Zhang.Thank you for meeting me at the airport.
Linda: My pleasure.How's your flight, Mr.Ribery？
Mr. Ribery: Fine. The flight was smooth and the service was satisfactory.
Linda: I'm glad to hear that. Welcome to Wuhan. I hope you'll have a pleasant stay here.
Mr. Ribery: I'm sure I will.
Linda: Our car is out in the parking lot. Shall we go to the hotel? We have already booked a room for you. I think you need a good rest after the long journey.
Mr. Ribery: Thank you very much.
Linda: Is this all your baggage？
Mr. Ribery: Yes, it's all here.
Linda: Let me take this bag for you.
Mr. Ribery: Oh, thank you.
Linda: let's go. This way, please.
Target Vocabulary
sign board 标志牌
flight 飞行，航班，班机
smooth 顺利的
stay 逗留，停留；逗留时间
parking lot 停车场
journey 旅行；行程
baggage 行李
Notes
1. Excuse me! Are you Mr. Ribery from France？对不起。请问您是来自法国的列贝利先生吧？
通过手中的指示牌以及之前的电话或邮件交流，接机的人判断来者可能是要迎接的客人但还不太确定，所以这么说，而不是直接上前问好。还可以这么说：
You are Mr. Ribery from France, aren't you？
You must be Mr. Ribery from France. Am I right？
2. Thank you for meeting me at the airport．谢谢你来机场接我。
to meet sb./collect sb./pick up sb．这几个短语都是“接某人”的意思。
这一句话用于表达被迎接者对来迎接他（她）的人的感谢，类似的表达方式还有：
Thank you for picking me up at the airport.
Thank you for spending time picking me up here.
You are so kind to pick me up here. I really appreciate it.
Thank you for coming and meeting me here.
Thank you for being so kind to pick me up here.
3. How's your flight? /How was your flight？旅途顺利吗？
这一句用来询问旅途情况以表达对来客的关心。还可以说：
How was your trip?（旅途还顺利吗）
可以这么回答：
Fine, the service on board was excellent, especially the food.
On the whole, it's not bad.
类似的表达方式还有：
Did you have a good flight？
Did you have a good trip？
Did you have a pleasant journey？
Did you have a nice trip/voyage？
可以这么回答：
Yes, Very pleasant and I enjoyed it very much. Thank you.
Yes, it was a good flight.I was a little tired, but I'll be fine tomorrow.
No.I'm afraid not.I've got j et lag（时差）/I feel a little airsick（晕机）
4.I hope you'll have a pleasant stay here．希望你在这儿过得愉快。
类似的说法还有：
I hope you'll have a wonderful time here.
I hope you'll enjoy your stay here.
5. Let me take this bag for you．让我帮你拿这个包。
接机时可以向客人提供一些帮助，比如主动提出帮忙提行李，还可以说：
Let me help you with your luggage (that suitcase）.
Shall I help you with the luggage？
如果客人愿意接受你的帮助，会说：Oh, thank you.
如果客人不愿意接受你的帮助，会说：No, don't bother. I can manage it．这时，接机的人则不必坚持，因为很多西方人喜欢独立，特别是年长者希望自己表现得年轻健康，精力充沛。
6. Our car is out in the parking lot. Shall we go to the hotel？我们的车在停车场。咱们上车去酒店好吗？
接到客人后，不宜在机场久留或长谈，要立即引导客人出去或上车，类似的表达方式还有
We'd better start for the hotel.
This way, please.Our car is waiting over there.
Please come this way.
Comprehension Questions
1.Is it the first time for Linda to meet Mr.Ribery？
2.Where will Linda take Mr Ribery？
Part 2 Driving to the hotel
After getting into the car, Lindaand Mr.Ribery are chatting.
Linda: Mr. Ribery, now we are driving straight to your hotel, Ramada Plaza, Wuhan Optics Valley Hotel. It's one of the best five-star hotels in the city. I hope you will enjoy your stay there.
Mr. Ribery: Thank you. I'm sure I will.
Linda: My pleasure. Well, Mr. Ribery, have you ever been to Wuhan before？
Mr. Ribery: No, I haven' t. This is my first time to Wuhan. But I heard it is called the River City.
Linda: Yes. The Yangtze, the world's third longest river and its largest branch Han River meet in Wuhan and cut the city into three parts: Hankou, Hanyang and Wuchang, namely, three towns of Wuhan.
Mr.Ribery: Two rivers and three towns, how interesting! So your company is in…？
Linda: Our company and your hotel are in Wuchang, and now we're in Hankou. It may cost us more than one hour from here to your hotel.
Mr. Ribery: Quite large really.
Linda: Wuhan is an industrial and commercial center in central China. And it has a convenient transportation network leading to other parts of the country, so it's called the thoroughfare to nine provinces.
Mr. Ribery: Yes, very convenient, indeed. It is said that it's just one hour and forty minutes' flight from Beijing to Wuhan.
Linda: That's true. And it is a pleasant place to visit as well as to do business. There are many famous scenic spots and historic sites in Wuhan, such as the Yellow Crane Tower, the East Lake, etc. We've arranged one day on the time schedule to show you around.
Mr. Ribery: Thank you very much. It's so considerate of you. I hope I can learn more about this city.
Linda: I'm glad to hear that. And we'll help you to learn more about the city in the following days. By the way, Mr. Ribery, would you like to take a look at the itinerary we've arranged for you, and if there's anything inconvenient for you, please let me know.
Mr. Ribery: OK. Thank you very much for the arrangement.
（They continue talking.Aftera while, the car pulls up at the gate of the hotel.）
Linda: Mr. Ribery, here we are at the hotel. This is the Ramada Plaza, Wuhan Optics Valley Hotel. Let's get off and go to the reception desk.
Mr. Ribery: Oh, It's very beautiful.
Target Vocabulary
Ramada Plaza, Wuhan Optics Valley Hotel 华美达武汉光谷大酒店
the thoroughfare to nine provinces 九省通衢
scenic spot 旅游景点
historic site 古迹；历史遗迹
Yellow Crane Tower 黄鹤楼
the East Lake 东湖
itinerary 旅行日程；旅行计划；预定行程
inconvenient 不方便的
reception desk接待处；前台（等于front desk）
Notes
1. Have you ever been to Wuhan before？您以前曾经来过武汉吗？
也可以这么说：Is this your first time to Wuhan? Is it the first time that you have been to Wuhan？或Is this your first visit to Wuhan？
在送客人去酒店的路上，或带客人去办公室的途中，都要找些话题谈论一下，以消除由于沉默带来的尴尬。谈论的话题可以是双方的旅行经历、天气、爱好、各地的介绍等，这在英语里叫small talk。
2. The Yangtze, the world's third longest river and its largest branch Han River meet in Wuhan and cut the city into three parts: Hankou, Hanyang and Wuchang, namely, three towns of Wuhan.
世界第三长河长江和它的最大支流汉水在武汉交汇，把武汉分成三部分：汉口、汉阳和武昌，即武汉三镇。
3. And it has a convenient transportation network leading to other parts of the country, so it's called the thoroughfare to nine provinces.
这儿有着便利的交通网络可以通向全国各地，所以被称作“九省通衢”。
所谓“九省通衢”，有人说实指通过水陆交通，武汉可与四川、陕西、河南、湖南、贵州、江西、安徽、江苏以及湖北九省相通。也有人说是泛指武汉通向外界的交通非常便利，并非实指九个省。但是不论泛指、实指，都是指武汉处于交通枢纽地位。
Comprehension Questions
1. Why doesn't Linda take Mr. Ribery directly to their company？
2. What questions shouldn't be asked when meeting a foreigner for the first time？
Oral Practice
Individual Work
1. Substitution Exercises
Drill 1 Thank you for…
Complete the above sentence by using the following：
—meeting me at the airport
—collecting my son at his school
—picking me up at the railway station
Drill 2 Did you have…？
Complete the above sentence by using the following：
—a good flight
—a pleasant journey
—a nice trip
Drill 3 Let me….
Complete the above sentence by using the following：
—help you with the luggage
—take this suitcase for you
—help you carry this bag
Drill 4 If there' s…, please let me know.
Complete the above sentence by using the following：
—anything inconvenient for you
—any problems
—any suggestions
Drill 5 I hope you'll have….
Complete the above sentence by using the following：
—a pleasant stay here
—a wonderful time here
—a nice holiday here
2. Practice Sentences
1）I'm here to meet you on behalf of the ABC company.
2）It's so kind of you to come here to meet me.
3）Let me help you with your luggage.
4）I hope you aren't too tired after such a long journey.
5）I hope you had a pleasant journey.
6）Have you had a pleasant journey？
7）You may take a rest today and we'll talk about our business tomorrow.
8）I think we'll have a chance to talk.
9）Miss Lin will give you a guided tour around the city.
10）I hope you can enjoy your stay here.
3. Oral Translation Exercises
1）抱歉，打扰一下，请问您是英国百布利集团（Bibury Systm）的格林先生吗？
2）您好，张女士，非常感谢您来这儿接我们。
3）一路上很顺利，很愉快，所以我一点也不觉得累。
4）你有多少件行李？
5）如果你准备好了，我们最好现在出发去宾馆。
6）我们经理李先生本来打算亲自来接你的。
7）他因公务缠身，才由我替代。
8）格林先生，我们的经理李先生会在晚些时候来酒店问候你的。
9）请把您的行李放进后备箱并确保没有拉下什么东西。
10）咱们下车去前台办理登记手续吧。
Pair Work
Work in pairs.Construct dialogues based on the following situations.
Task 1
Student A: You are Lily Chen, the secretary of the president of Wuhan Bora Trading Company Ltd, Mr.Xu Peng.Your company and Dickenson Electrics Company from Great Britain are going to reach a deal.Today, you are going to Wuhan Tianhe Airport to meet Mr.Dave Arden, the sales manager of Dickenson Company and his assistant, Mr.Jerry Hill.You have never seen each other before.Now you see Mr.Dave Arden and talk to them.
Student B: You are Mr.Dave Arden, the sales manager of Dickenson Company.You've just arrived at Wuhan Tianhe Airport.Now you've just got off and see that a lady holding a sign board with your name and country name on it.You are going over to talk to her.
Task 2
Student A: You are from Wuhan Yangtze Food Company Ltd..You've just received Mr.Smith and now you are sending him to the hotel.On the way to the hotel, you ask Mr.Smith about the journey, talk about the weather first and then the development of Wuhan in recent years.You can talk about a lot of things to keep the conversation going.
Student B: You are Mr.Smith.You come to Wuhan to have business talk with Wuhan Yangtze Food Company Ltd.The representative from that company meets you at the airport and then drives you to the hotel.On the way to the hotel, you are talking a lot with him.
Group Work
Students will work in groups of 5-6 and have a discussion on the following questions：
1.When you meet a westerner for the first time, what's the proper way to greet others？
2.When you meet a westerner for the first time, what's the right title you may use？
3. When you meet a westerner for the first time, what may you talk about with him or her？
Cultural References
● How to Make Small Talk
When you meet others on the way, on the car, even on the lift, making small talks may be a very good way to fill the silence or break up the embarrassing situation. But small talk may be a big challenge to some people Then the following tips may be of some help to you.
1. Practice. Converse with everyone you come across: cashiers, waiters, people you're in line with, neighbors, co-workers and kids. Chat with folks unlike yourself, from seniors to teens to tourists.
2. Read everything: cookbooks, newspapers, magazines, reviews, product inserts, maps, signs and catalogs. Everything is a source of information that can be discussed.
3. Force yourself to get into small talk situations, like doctors' waiting rooms, cocktail parties and office meetings. Accept invitations, or host your own gathering.
4. Immerse yourself in culture, both high and low. Television, music, sports, fashion, art and poetry are great sources of chat. If you can't stand Shakespeare, that too is a good topic for talk.
5. Keep a journal. Write down funny stories you hear, beautiful things you see, quotes, observations, shopping lists and calls you made. That story of the longdistance operator misunderstanding you could become an opening line. Talk to yourself in the mirror. Make a random list of topics and see what you have to say on the subj ects. Baseball, Russia, butter, hip-hop, shoes…the more varied your list, the better.
6. Expand your horizons. Go home a new way. Try sushi. Play pinball. Go online. Paint a watercolor. Bake a pie. Try something new every day.
7. Be a better listener. Did your boss just say she suffers from migraines? Did your doctor just have twins? These are opportunities for making small talk.
8. Work on confidence, overcoming shyness and any feelings of stage fright. Remember, the more you know, the more you can talk about.