مکالمه ی دوم

Conversation 2 - Get Information About A Program

Narrator: Listen to a conversation between a student and her economics professor.

Professor: Excellent presentation you made at the end of class yesterday.

Student: Oh, thanks.

Professor: I’m so glad you volunteered to present first. Starting out by outlining what you were going to say, then at the end summarizing the key points.It was a very effective way of getting your points across.

Student: I’m glad you think so. I was afraid it might come across as too formal.

Professor: Not at all. In fact, I think it’s a great approach in general for these presentations. So I hope the others were taking note, and the economic model you discussed: build operate transfer. I think everyone was quite interested.

Student: Yeah. It makes so much sense. If governments allow private companies to build public works like a power plant and then operate it for a decade or two before transferring ownership to the government, everyone benefits.

Professor: Yes, the private companies make a profit. The public gets immediate infrastructure.

Student: And all without the government having to spend any money up- front, which is amazing.

Professor: Right.

Student: Anyway as I said in my presentation, this model is being used in Turkey right now and you said when you handed out that brochure in class last week, about the university’s global enrichment initiative. You said one of the countries involves in that is Turkey.

Professor: Yes, that’s right.

Student: So I wanted to see if there’s a chance the university sends fifteen students overseas to study.

Professor: Fifteen students per country, fifteen for Turkey, fifteen for Brazil, fifteen for Russia. We’ve got a total of six countries participating next summer.

Student: Oh!

Professor: Yeah. And you spend six weeks in whichever country you are selected for. The classroom component consists of seminars on that country’s culture, politics and economy. Most sessions are taught in English by local professors. But two of our faculty accompany each group and also give seminars. I’ll be going to Brazil to teach a seminar on coffee next summer.

Student: But you’re an economist.

Professor: Coffee’s played a central role in Brazil’s economic development for over 200 years. About a third of the coffee consumed worldwide is produced in Brazil.

Student: Oh I had no idea. Hmm…So if I applied, I mean, can students pick the country they want to go to ‘cause if I could go to Turkey…

Professor: Well, the primary goal of the Global Enrichment Initiative is simply cultural exchange. So students who’ve never been overseas before can broaden their perspective. This is why on the application you are asked to indicate your first, second and third choice countries.

Student: I’m only interested in Turkey, though. I’m studying both Turkish and Turkish history this term.

Professor: I see.

Student: And maybe I could learn more about how they’re implementing the build operate transfer model there. Plus, I wouldn’t want to take a spot away from someone who really wanted to go to one of the other countries.

Professor: Well. I guess you could leave the second and third choices blank.