Welcome to ESLPod.com's “Business Meetings" course: lesson eight.

I'm your host, Dr. Jeff McQuillan, coming to you from the Center for Educational Development in beautiful Los Angeles, California.

In the seventh lesson of “Business Meetings,” we learned business vocabulary for managing discussions.

In this eighth lesson, we're going to learn how to take questions.

That is, how to accept and answer questions from the audience.

First we'll listen to the formal meeting at a slow speed.

Mr. Hanson, was Ms. Graff able to allay your concern? Good.

Now we have time for only two more questions.Ms. Graff?

My question is for Mr. Hanson.

I was wondering whether you could expand on the section regarding product design.

Am I correct in assuming that you want to offer the product in more colors?

Let me see if I can shed better light on that.

Although colors may not be as important to consumers, we are of the opinion that having more variety will increase sales….

Is that the only reason?

Please let me finish my thought.

Another reason, which may be beyond the scope of your question, is that the increase in our costs will be small.

Have I answered your question?

Yes, certainly, Chris.

You've made it clear for all of us. And now for our final question.Mr. Aurora?

Given the growing competition, is it possible for us to drop this product and move into a different market? Can you speak to the implications this would have on our strategy?

We did consider that option, but we quickly dismissed it.

We believe that we should stick to our core competencies and improve the product we currently have.