English Listening Training: Comparing Services and Features of Three Venues

A lot of times we need to compare services to decide which one is right for us. Later, if we're negotiating for those services, it's very helpful to know what different companies offer. So now you're going to listen to someone describe a service and make notes to compare those different companies. Then we'll look at the language we can use to compare them. In lesson one, we met Trey McAvers who was planning a product launch party. One of the first things he wants to do is find a venue for that event. A venue is a place where an event happens. It can be as big as a convention center or even an outdoor park. It can also be as small as a meeting room. Emily Hamilton has sent Trey the description of two venues. She includes several features. Features are the important parts of something. For example, the room size is a feature of a venue. The features are what we compare when we look at several services. When you read the two descriptions, you should take notes on the features of each one. What would be the most important information to remember? Now, read about two venues. Make notes as you listen.

Enjoy your event from the top floor of Historic Sky Tower in the heart of downtown Seattle. The views in all directions are something your guests will never forget. This gorgeous room has a beautiful wood interior and warm lighting. It is ideal for everything from weddings to business meetings. The room holds up to 200 guests. The space is available on weekends for $4,000, which includes chairs, tables, and cleanup. We provide complimentary Wi-Fi, but there is an extra charge for an audiovisual package. Parking is available nearby for very reasonable rates. For a truly memorable event, the Sky Tower is the right choice.

Misha's gallery, Seattle's newest and hottest events venue. Are you looking for something trendy and interesting? Our large artist studio is available for events for 200 people. The gallery opens onto a lovely garden for relaxing and chatting. We have one thing that makes our venue special, art. You can choose artwork from many different artists in our collection. Then we will decorate the room with the artwork that you like. The space is available for $200 per hour. Table and chairs are provided, but cleanup is not included in the price. We offer cleanup services for $175. You may also choose to do the cleanup yourself. Technology and audiovisual systems are available for an additional fee. Misha's gallery is located just 20 minutes from downtown Seattle. There is free street parking in the area. We look forward to helping you create your one-of-a-kind event.

These are two very different venues. To decide which one we prefer, we need to compare the features. Usually when you compare two things, you look at the features that are most important to you. If one venue has a special feature, you might want to write that down too. Let's look at how we can compare Misha's gallery and Sky Tower. Making a chart makes it easy to compare features. Usually the most important thing about a venue is the size of the place or number of guests that can come to the event. Also, the price is important to most people. We see that both venues are about the same size. The price is different. Misha's gallery seems much less expensive. Both include tables and chairs in their price. Unlike Misha's gallery, Sky Tower provides cleanup and free Wi-Fi. Misha's doesn't include cleanup. This is an extra cost. Both charge for audio-visual equipment. Parking is free on the street at Misha's gallery while guests have to pay for parking at Sky Tower. Each place has something special to offer. The tower has a great view, and Misha's gallery has original art.

Now, listen to a voicemail that Emily left for Trey. She has information about another venue. As you listen, you'll need paper and pencil. Add notes to the chart about this new place, Cascade Gardens. Hi, Trey. This is Emily again. I just thought of another venue that would be great for your event. It's outdoors, so the party would need to be in the daytime. The place is really beautiful, and there's a great view of the Cascade Mountains. It's called Cascade Gardens, and it's about an hour from Seattle by car. We could provide transportation for an extra charge. There's a large, open, grassy area for about 400 guests. They charge $2,500, and that includes the tables and chairs. It doesn't include cleanup, however. There's a stage outside. I know that's important to you. Since your launch party will be in September, the weather will probably be nice. But if it rains, we can move indoors into the large, open, beautiful farmhouse. Of course, there's plenty of free parking. Let me know what you think. We can drive out there and take a look if you want. Talk to you soon.

Take a minute to compare your notes with the chart on the screen. Now, let's compare these three venues. You can see that Cascade Gardens is more expensive than Misha's Gallery, but not as expensive as Sky Tower. All three venues include tables and chairs, but only Sky Tower includes cleanup. Cascade Gardens is the only one that isn't in Seattle. Misha's Gallery is close to downtown, but Sky Tower is the closest venue. Unlike Cascade Gardens, guests must pay for parking at Sky Tower. Most Sky Tower and Cascade Gardens have views.