Unit 20
The budget meeting
Modals
1. Listening
Listen to the extract from a budget meeting. Peter, John and Susan are discussing next year’s departmental budgets. As you listen, indicate their opinions on the table below. Use these symbols:
+ = more money should be spent
- = less money should be spent
OK = the proposed figure should remain the same
Budget proposals
请见附图20-1
Listening Task
P: Right, let’s get started. Now, you’ve all seen the budget proposals for next year. Have you got anything to say?
J: I think the research figure is too low. We should increase it by at least 5%.
P: Well, we could do that, but it means less money for the other departments. I think it should stay the same.
S: I agree with John. We could reduce the figure for marketing-that would allow us to increase the budget for research.
P: I felt marketing needed a good figure this year. They’ve got a big launch mid-year. I think they couldn’t manage with less.
J: I’m sure they could and…
P: Just a moment. Let’s look at the other two department budgets. That’s production and sales.
J: Well, we can’t cut the production budget, that’s for sure. I don’t know about sales.
S: Why do you say we can’t cut production’s budget? They had a big investment last year. Well, surely they could manage on less this year?
P: Yes, I think I agree. Production ought to manage with less this year, having spent so much last year.
S: A small cut in the production budget might mean we could increase the research figure.
P: Right, I’ll put that to the Production Manager. Finally, what about sales?
S: I think it’s a bit high. They might save a bit by spending less on the after-sales side.
P: John, any views?
J: Well, I think we should spend more on sales.
P: That’s out of the question. The figure shouldn’t be changed.
2. Presentation
Modal verbs(such as should, ought, can, could, might) can be used to indicate speakers’ attitudes or opinions. These can be categorized as follows:
# strong recommendation
# possibility
# slight possibility
# impossibility
Now look at the modals used to express opinions in the meeting and notice how the strength of the opinion can be varied by using these modal verbs.
2.1 Strong recommendation
We should increase the research budget.
The figure shouldn’t be changed.
Production [colour=blue]ought[/color] to manage with less.
2.2 Possibility
We could reduce the figure for marketing.
2.3 Slight possibility
We might save a bit on after-sales.
2.4 Impossibility
We can’t cut the production budget.
3. Controlled practice
Use the language in the Presentation section to transform the sentences. The first one has been done for you.
1. I strongly recommend we reduce the sales budget.
We should/ought to reduce the sales budget.
2. There’s a small chance that marketing would acc
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