Language Focus A   Factory tour

Showing visitors around a factory 

• I'll show you around and explain the process.

• I'll guide you through the factory and give you a demonstration of our most recent models.

• I'll take you around the factory and give you an idea of how our machines operate. 

• That'll be helpful. 

• That'll be very interesting.

• We'd like that very much.

Talking about the size of a factory

• How many square metres does this warehouse cover?

• How large is the machine shop?

• How large is the plant?

• It covers an area of 75,000 square metres.

• Its total area is 4 square kilometres.

• It covers a total area of 5,000 square metres.

Talking about the history of a factory

• When was the plant set up?

•  When did you start operations?

• How long has your factory been established?

• The plant was set up in the early 1970s.

• The factory was established some 20 years ago by merging two small-sized operations. 

• We've been operating for about 10 years.

Follow-up Practice

1. You will hear a dialogue between Thomas and Richard when they have a factory tour. Listen to the dialogue and choose the correct answer to each question.

2. Listen again and answer the following questions.

(1) What will be the outuput in November?

(2) What's the usual percentage of rejects?

(3) How do they control the quality of the products?

For reference:

(1) 6,000 units

(2) only 1%

(3) First, they will confirm the quality of each part according to the regulations at every point in the process. Also, they have computer-controlled equipment to test the quality of the semi-finished product and of the final product. Lastly, they send some products to the public quality-control centre for checking.