BULATS Speaking Part II: Sample Answer 1
Describe a business meeting that you have attended. You should say:
Ok, so I’d like to tell you about a meeting I attended last week, which was held in my company’s Head Office. The meeting involved discussion of the English training program which is currently under review. It was attended by six people, including the Head and Deputy Head of Human Resources, as well as a representative from an English training company. This meeting was of course very important because it marked a significant step in deciding the next English program for our company.
Would you change anything about the meeting?
I don’t like to criticize things inside my company so I wouldn’t change too much about it! But, if I had to say something, I would say that maybe the meeting was too long. We discussed the same things over and over again, and I thought a faster conclusion would have been better. That said, the longer discussion did produce some interesting comments, so it wasn’t all bad.
- Where it was
- Who was there
- Why it was important
Ok, so I’d like to tell you about a meeting I attended last week, which was held in my company’s Head Office. The meeting involved discussion of the English training program which is currently under review. It was attended by six people, including the Head and Deputy Head of Human Resources, as well as a representative from an English training company. This meeting was of course very important because it marked a significant step in deciding the next English program for our company.
Would you change anything about the meeting?
I don’t like to criticize things inside my company so I wouldn’t change too much about it! But, if I had to say something, I would say that maybe the meeting was too long. We discussed the same things over and over again, and I thought a faster conclusion would have been better. That said, the longer discussion did produce some interesting comments, so it wasn’t all bad.
BULATS Speaking Part II: Sample Answer 2
Describe someone who you currently work with. You should say:
So, I’d like to talk about my co-worker Mr Tsuchiya. He is about 35 years old, and he is quite tall for a Japanese guy. As for his character, I’d say he is reasonably hardworking, and he has an eye for detail: he is very good at spotting mistakes in my report. My interaction with him is by way of team meetings and one-on-one consultations. We work in the same team and sometimes work together on the same project, meaning I need to ask him for some advice. And, of course we sometimes meet at the team drinking parties, which happen maybe twice a month.
Would you change anything about this person?
Well, I don’t like to criticize fellow staff members so I probably wouldn’t want to change too much. But, if I had to say one thing, I’d say that he is perhaps a little too serious. He is a friendly guy, but I rarely see him truly smile. I think it is because he loves little details so much and is always worried that something is not right. If he could just relax a little more, especially at the drinking parties, he could be much more liked by others.
- What this person’s job is
- What their character is like
- How you interact with them
So, I’d like to talk about my co-worker Mr Tsuchiya. He is about 35 years old, and he is quite tall for a Japanese guy. As for his character, I’d say he is reasonably hardworking, and he has an eye for detail: he is very good at spotting mistakes in my report. My interaction with him is by way of team meetings and one-on-one consultations. We work in the same team and sometimes work together on the same project, meaning I need to ask him for some advice. And, of course we sometimes meet at the team drinking parties, which happen maybe twice a month.
Would you change anything about this person?
Well, I don’t like to criticize fellow staff members so I probably wouldn’t want to change too much. But, if I had to say one thing, I’d say that he is perhaps a little too serious. He is a friendly guy, but I rarely see him truly smile. I think it is because he loves little details so much and is always worried that something is not right. If he could just relax a little more, especially at the drinking parties, he could be much more liked by others.
BULATS Speaking Part II: Sample Answer 3
Describe the area around your office. You should say:
So, I’d like to describe the surroundings of my office, if I may. Firstly, the office is located in the Otemachi area, also known as the major financial district in Tokyo. It is a bustling and lively area, very close to the Imperial Palace and Tokyo’s main station, which is one of the oldest and busiest in the city. The Palace is a particularly beautiful area to go walking or jogging in any time of year, and especially when the Cherry Blossom comes out. The location is indeed very convenient because Otemachi is served by numerous metro stations, and Tokyo station has many Japan Rail lines. It also has the bullet train – but not many workers at my company can afford that every day!
Would you see any advantages in moving your office away from this area?
I wouldn’t see too many advantages in it because a lot of our customers are also based in Otemachi – within walking distance. In Japan, more so than most places, face-to-face contact is essential to keep trust and continue business – even in the day and age of the internet and smartphones. A lot of our business involves taking customers out to dinner, and this is much more easy if we work physically very close to each other. The only advantage I could see in moving away would be cost savings on rent, but that would have to be balanced against the more inconvenient commute and probable loss of business due to relocating away from our main customers.
- Where your office is located
- If there are any landmarks in the area
- If the location is convenient
So, I’d like to describe the surroundings of my office, if I may. Firstly, the office is located in the Otemachi area, also known as the major financial district in Tokyo. It is a bustling and lively area, very close to the Imperial Palace and Tokyo’s main station, which is one of the oldest and busiest in the city. The Palace is a particularly beautiful area to go walking or jogging in any time of year, and especially when the Cherry Blossom comes out. The location is indeed very convenient because Otemachi is served by numerous metro stations, and Tokyo station has many Japan Rail lines. It also has the bullet train – but not many workers at my company can afford that every day!
Would you see any advantages in moving your office away from this area?
I wouldn’t see too many advantages in it because a lot of our customers are also based in Otemachi – within walking distance. In Japan, more so than most places, face-to-face contact is essential to keep trust and continue business – even in the day and age of the internet and smartphones. A lot of our business involves taking customers out to dinner, and this is much more easy if we work physically very close to each other. The only advantage I could see in moving away would be cost savings on rent, but that would have to be balanced against the more inconvenient commute and probable loss of business due to relocating away from our main customers.