Unit6 Investigating rumors and gossip

Expressions More company changes

Read the email about company changes. Select the two correct options.

From
Hi, team.

I'd like to let you know about a few changes at the company. Thanks to a great year of sales and growth, we're expanding our business and opening new offices in Asia.

To help us achieve this, we're recruiting two new teams to help run the new offices in Hong Kong and Singapore. More news to come soon.

I'd like to say thanks to everyone. It's your hard work that's made this possible.

Best,

Sandra

Reasons for change

You can use phrases like due to and because of to give reasons for change.For positive changes,you can also use thanks to.

Thanks to great sales and growth,we're opening new offices.

Here are some frequent reasons for change in a company.

...because the company lost money last year.

...thanks to great financial results.

...due to your hard work and effort.

...because we need to make cost savings.

Wider company changes

We've already looked at staff changes.Now let's look at some larger changes that may be announced by a company.Notice these are continuous,due to their ongoing nature.

IXW is buying out its biggest competitor.

Management is shutting down the project.

We're kicking off a new project in the second quarter.

Saled is recruiting a new team to drive growth.

we're making some staff redundant.

redundant 被解雇的，被裁员的

Our team is expanding,and we're moving to new offices.

The company is downsizing the sales department.

pronounce

We're shutting down the project.

Management is making several staff redundant.

We're buying out two competitors.

Our team is recruiting ten more developers.

We're downsizing the marketing team.

The company is expanding the Boston team.

Grammar Causative verbs

Use the causative verbs let,make,have and get to show that a person or thing helps to make something happen.

The causative verb let means to allow someone to do something.The form is let + person + verb.

kick off 开始干某事

My manager let me kick off the meeting.

The causative verb make means to force someone to do something
The form is make + person + verb.

My boss made me work on the weekend.

The causative verb have means to give someone the responsibility to do something.The form is have + person + verb.

She has her assistant make coffee every morning.

The causative verb get means to persuade someone to do something.Notice that the form is different from let,make and have.Use get + person + to + verb

My best friend got me to tell her the rumor.

Causative verbs

My manager is letting me expand my department.

His boss has him prepare financial reports every month.

Last night,I got her to tell me the latest rumor.

He made me write a detailed report on the conference.

They are going to have employees reduce their overtime hours.

Pronounce

My boss had me work late yesterday.

I got Alan to agree to the recruitment plan.

Management got everyont to agress to the cost savings.

He made me review the financial report.

She wouldn't let me tell anyone the news.

Expressions Rumors and gossip

Asking questions

When you want to ask about something sensitive like a rumor , you might want to prepare the person you're asking first. Use expressions like these:

Can I ask you a question?
I'd like to ask you about something.

Investigating rumors

Use phrases like these to refer to the rumor you've heard.

Is it true that we're closing the Shanghai office?

There's a rumor going around that we're kicking off a new project.

I heard that we're buying out Supa Systems.

Everyone seems to think the company is shutting down the project.

Responding to rumors

Here are some ways to confirm or deny rumors:

Yes, it looks like it's true.

Yes, it's looking quite likely.

No, it's not happening.

No, I think you're mistaken.

If you don't want to make any comment, you can say something like this:

I'm sorry. I can't say anything about that.

Or if you want to indicate more information will be given soon, say something like this:

I'm going to announce it to everyone on Thursday.

I'll let everyone know what's going on soon.

Pronounce

Can I ask you a question?

Everyont seems to think we're downsizing the team.

Is is true that we're closing the Shanghai office?

There're a rumor going around.

I heard that we're buying out Supa Systems.

Final Task Talking about rumors

regarding 关于，至于

Ask your boss about the rumors you heard regarding company expansion and a new manager. Listen and record the correct response.