Hello everyone! This week we will again join together for a listening from BBC Learning English – English at work and follow along to see what interesting things Anna's start with her new job entails! Thanks to her quick-thinking ability, Anna has secured the job she wants; however, adapting to the new job and environment is a completely different challenge. What Anna is worried about right now is how to make a good first impression with those around her. She begins by getting to know Tom, a senior manager at the company, but the timing isn’t quite right as Tom is busy dealing with an important deal. Tom tells Anna to get together later and invites her to “do lunch.” Anna feels strange thinking that Tom is asking her to prepare lunch for the next day, but wanting to make a good impression, she goes through the effort of bringing pots and pans to the office to prepare an elaborate meal with everything from spring rolls to crispy duck. This surprises and confuses everyone until Tom himself has to explain to Anna that “do lunch” doesn’t mean asking her to make lunch but actually inviting her to join him for lunch. Anna's misunderstanding this time is not only endearing but also shows her enthusiasm towards her colleagues, even creating an opportunity for everyone to have an “office picnic.” So, if someone invites you to “do lunch,” they are inviting you to eat together, not asking you to cook for them. “Do lunch” or “get coffee” is a suitable way to get acquainted with new colleagues, allowing us to better understand people and their styles.

Everyone, let's listen carefully to learn different ways to get acquainted when we first step into a new environment!