Monday, July 29, 2024

Asking a Favour







Noelia: Hey, Paul, ____   ____   ____ a minute?

Paul: ____ on, _____.

Noelia: I've got a _____ _____ ____ ask you. 

Paul: Right.

Noelia: So … _____ would you _____ about DJ___ at the office party next week? 

Paul: Office party? I _____ usually ____ work parties. 

Noelia: Oh, right. So where do you usually DJ ____? 

Paul: No, I _____ I don't usually go to work parties, ____ ____ DJ at them. 

Noelia: ____ on, I think you'd ____ brilliant ____ it! 

Paul: Oh, I don't know … 

Noelia: _____, I _______ usually ask, _____ you are the only DJ I know.

Paul: I'm not a very good one ______. My music taste is … quite strange. Everyone will probably hate it. 

Noelia: Come on! These guys will dance to anything when they are at a party! Why don't you ____ ___ __ ___? You'll be great!

Paul: Urgh … I think I'm _______ busy that day anyway.

Noelia: Come on! There's ______ to ____!

Paul: _______ my reputation and credibility …  

Noelia: Paul, you'd really ____ _____ me ____. 

Paul: OK, I'll ____ _____ it. 

Noelia: Great! Thanks, Paul! 



 

 



Match the three stages of asking for a favour with the phrases.

 

1. Set the Stage

2. Give a Reason

3. Provide an Escape Clause

 

A) “If you can’t help out, I completely understand, but I thought I’d ask.”

B) “something really unexpected has happened”

C) “I have a favour to ask you”

 

Consider the following:

A) Anthony, can you please cover for me at the client dinner tonight, I’m not going to be able to break away from the office?

B) Anthony, I have a favor to ask you… by any chance could you cover for me at the client dinner tonight? I’m not going to be able to break away from the office.

 

Quickly after making your request, be sure to add the following:

I completely _________ if you can’t make it; I _____ it’s a busy week for everyone.

I’d love an introduction to Katherine, but if you don’t feel ________ passing along her information for any reason that’s _____. I don’t _____ to create an uncomfortable situation for you.

 

Role plays:

 

1. Your child refuses to tidy up their room.

2. You need someone to give you a ride to the airport at 4a.m.

3. You've got a heavy couch that you need to move from one house to another. Your friend has a van.

4. You're going away for a week and need someone to feed your cat.

5. You have a great neighbour and you're good friends, but lately he's been using his barbeque every night and the smoke comes into your house if you have the windows open.

6. Someone you know is starting a new job at a company you want to work for. You've sent them your CV twice, but they've never replied. You want to ask them to recommend you for an interview.



Here are ten ways of persuading (or forcing) someone to do you a special favour. Rank them from the most acceptable to the least acceptable method.

Flattery
Bribery
Threatening
Flirtation
Charm
Pleading
Begging
Demanding
Blackmail
A polite request


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10



Role plays:

Your child refuses to tidy up their room.

You need someone to give you a ride to the airport at 4a.m.

You've got a heavy couch that you need to move from one house to another. Your friend has a van.

You're going away for a week and need someone to feed your cat.

You have a great neighbour and you're good friends, but lately he's been using his barbeque every night and the smoke comes into your house if you have the windows open.

Someone you know is starting a new job at a company you want to work for. You've sent them your CV twice but they've never replied. You want to ask them to recommend you for an interview.


Asking for a favor which is granted

Peter: Hi Anna. I've got a f___ to ask. Would you m____ cooking dinner tonight? I'm kind of busy.
Anna: Sure, Peter. What w____ you like for dinner?
Peter: Could I tr____ you to make some pasta?
Anna: That s_____s good. Let's have pasta. Which type of sauce should I make?
Peter: W____ it be too m___ trouble to make a four cheese sauce?
Anna: No, that's easy. Yum. Good idea.
Peter: Thanks Anna. That really h__ps me out.
Anna: No pr_____.

Mark: Hey, could you please help me w____ the homework?
Susan: I'd be gl___ to help out. What s___s to be the problem?
Mark:: I don't get this equation. Would you ___d explaining it to me?
Susan: No pr____. It's difficult!
Mark: Yeah, I know. Thanks a lot.
Susan: Don't w____ about it.

Asking for a favor which is refused

Employee: Hello, Mr. Smith. C____ I ask you a question?
Boss: S__, w___ do you need?
Employee: Would it be t__ much trouble f__ you to l__ me come in at 10 tomorrow morning?
Boss: Oh, that's a little d_____.
Employee: Yes, I know it's last moment, b__ I have to go to the dentist.
Boss: I'm afraid I can't let you come in late tomorrow. We r____ need you at the meeting.
Employee: OK, I just th____ I'd ask. I'll get a different appointment.
Boss: Thanks, I appr____ it.

Brother: Hey. W____ you mind letting me watch my show?
Sister: Sorry, but I c___ do that.
Brother: Why n__?
Sister: I'm watching my favorite show now.
Brother: B___ I'm going to miss my favorite game show!
Sister: Watch it online. Don't bo___ me.
Brother: Could you pl____ watch your show online, it's a rerun!
Sister: Sorry, but I'm un____ to do that. You'll j___ have to watch it later.





Part 2 - Use your "
Pākehā" Voice 


Language: 

to mute (turn the sound off)

you owe me (I'm doing you a favour)

Lickity-split (very quickly, very soon)

Pakeha (Non-Maori, usually English speaking, NZer)

all good (it's alright)



Watch and answer these questions:


1. What problem are the flatmates having?

2. What excuse does the person on the phone give for failing to activate the broadband?

3. What does Paul do for a living?

4. What is a Pakeha voice and why do you need to use it?

5. How does Joan manage to get Caleb to send someone over immediately?

6. What do Caleb and his friend say after the call is over?



Watch:

Get you a pakeha voice



Discuss:


Why do we need to use different 'voices' for different situations?



Language focus: kiwi English / politeness and assertiveness / formal and casual


1. Come on ____! This is the fourth time I've called and it's ____  _______ stupid!"

2. ___  ______ we failed to connect you ____, but _________ no one was home when we came to the _______.

3. Hi ______ Caleb ___  _____  _____? We're just having a little bit of a _____________ about our connection and I'm hoping that you could _____ us ____.

4. Yes, it ____ no one was home when we came to the address.

5. ____ and ____ both know that that's not true, and we ____ call on Wednesday, _____. So if we don't _____ this out now, I think you and I going to have a _____ ____ of a problem.

6. Well, ___ don't want that. So ____ about I put you on our priority list for an appointment.

7. Will tomorrow at 10am _____ for you?

8. No it ______ actually. I'm ______ that's not good enough.

9. How about I _____  ____  ________ with a technician and ____ someone out to your place, lickety-split - in the next, ___,  60 minutes?

10. That _____ be wonderful.

11. Once _____, thank you ___ much for your help, Caleb.

12. Hey ___ a problem. Sorry for ____ ______________.


Part 3 Advertising



We all know smoking harms us and others, but many do it anyway. There are lots of examples of this in a consumer society. List some others....













1. Who will notice this ad? What's their life situation?

2. What other things might be influencing their life choices?

3. What feelings are evoked through the ad? How does the ad try to speak to group of people it is targeting?







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