商务英语初级口语素材：工作之余_BEC口语

    lesson seven工作之余  (after-work entertainments, choosing and developing topics of conversation)
    introducing topics/agendas
    i’m glad to bump into you. i wanted to ask you about…
    while we’re on the subject…
    i just wanted to mention…
    you know you mention…?
    there were a couple of points i wanted to mention…
    the other point was…
    there’s just one thing i wanted to say…
    changing/ending a topic
    anyway, let’s talk about something else.
    so, let’s leave that (for later).
    changing the subject for a moment…
    by the way…
    talking of…
    that reminds me…
    checking and clarifying
    do you see what i’m getting at?
    is that clear?
    do you mean…?
    are you saying…?
    let me see if i get it clear/correctly. do you mean…?
    asking about hobbies and interests
    do you have any hobbies and interests?
    what do you do in your spare/free time?
    expressing likes and dislikes
    i like football.
    i love reading.
    i enjoy cooking.
    i adore tom cruise.
    i’m interested in antiques collections, especially chinese antique furniture.
    i’m quite into golf.
    i’m crazy/mad about rock’n’roll.
    i fall for folk dance.
    john is enthusiastic about hiking.
    i don’t like soccer.
    i hate boxing.
    expressing preferences
    i prefer jazz to pop.
    i prefer staying at home to going out with him tonight.
    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.
    classical music is my favorite music.
    hip hop is my least favorite.
    as far as i am concerned, poetry reading is for the birds.
    for me, the best time is to sit back with a cold beer in my hand.
    i’d rather take the bus home.
    sample dialogue
    a: have you watched any movie lately?
    b: not really. i have been kept busy recently.
    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?
    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.
    b: it sounds really exciting. i should try to find some time to go.