COURSE 4

WEEK 1 – JOBSIntroductionHow to select the best candidates – and avoid the worstBy Adrian FurnhamInvesting thousands of pounds in the recruitment and training of each new graduate recruit may be just the beginning. Choosing the wrong candidate may leave an organization paying for years to come.Few companies will have escaped all of the following failures: people who panic at the first sign of stress; those with long, impressive qualifications who seem incapable of learning; hypochondriacs whose absentee record becomes astonishing; and the unstable person later discovered to be a thief of worse.Less dramatic, but just as much a problem, is the person who simply does not come up to expectations, who does not quite deliver; who never becomes a high-flyer or even a steady performer; the employee with a fine behind them.The first point to bear in mind at the recruitment stage is that people don’t change. Intelligence levels decline modestly, but change little over their working life. The same is true of abilities, such as learning languages and handling numbers.Most people like to think that personality can change, particularly the more negative features such as anxiety, low esteem, impulsiveness or lack of emotional warmth. But data collected over 50 years gives a clear message: still stable after all these years. Extroverts become slightly less extroverted; the acutely shy appear a little less so, but the fundamentals remain much the same. Personal crises can affect the way we cope with things: we might take up or drop drink, drugs, religion or relaxation techniques, which can have pretty dramatic effects.Skills can be improved, and new ones introduced, but at rather different rates. People can be groomed for a job. Just as politicians are carefully repackaged through dress, hairstyle and speech specialists, so people can be sent on training courses, diplomas or experimental weekends. But there is a cost to all this which may be more than the price of the course. Better to select for what you actually see rather than attempt to change it.From the Financial TimesVocabularyOppositesA) You can from a word of opposite meaning by adding a prefix, such as:un- in- im- ir- dis-(un)impressive (in)efficient (im)mature (ir)responsible (dis)respectfulClick on two adjectives formed in this way in this paragraph of the article you read.Click on a place in the picture to answer question correctly.1.Few companies will have escaped all of the following failures: people who panic at the first sign of stress: those with long, impressive qualifications who seem incapable of learning;1. incapable2. hypochondriacs whose absentee record becomes astonishing; and the unstable person later discovered to be a thief of worse.

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2. unstableFind correct opposites of the following adjectives.3. movable3. immovable4. moral4. immoral5. satisfied5. dissatisfied6. effective6. ineffective7. flexible7. inflexible8. steady8. unsteady9. reliable9. unreliable10. rational10. irrational11. resistible11. irresistible12. capable12. incapableSometimes you cannot form a word of opposite meaning by adding a prefix – you just have to find another word:right wrong13. - shy…outgoing- take up…drop- busy…idle- succeed…fail- complex…simple14. – hard-working…lazy- accept…refuse- presence…absence- find…lose- improve…worsenCollocations – word partnersSome verbs and nouns are frequently used together in business English.E.g. choose + the (right) candidatelook for + a jobMatch the following verbs and nouns, which are frequently used when talking about jobs15. – interview…job applicants- deal with…a problem

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- attend…a meeting- ask for…a raise- enclose…the C.V.16. – apply for…a job- take…a day off- enjoy…working with people- learn…new skills - provide…trainingVerbs and prepositionsChoose the right preposition:17. She forgot to enclose___the C.V. with her job application.17. -18. Having considered all the options, I’ve decided to apply___the job.18. for19. I must say I really enjoyed___the dinner.19. -20. We are going to interview___job applicants tomorrow at 10 a.m.20. -21. He called to inform you that he will not be able to attend___the meeting this afternoon.21. -Meanings of adjectivesWrite the adjectives next to their definitions:22. Someone or something that can be trusted or depended on.22. reliable23. Successful, and working in the way that was intended.23. effective24. Having the qualities or ability needed to do something.24. capable25. Pleased because something has happened in the way that you want or because you have got what you want.25. satisfied26. Thoughts, decisions etc. based on reasons rather than emotions.26. rationalListeningUnderstanding spoken English – Minimal pairsMinimal pairs are pairs of words that differ only in one sound. Look at this table and listen to some examples of minimal pairs in English:

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1.sleep slipheel hillseat sitleave livefell fill

2.bill bellpin penchick checkfill fellwrist rest

3.pen painwet waittell tailtest tastepepper paper

4.bet batpen panmen mansaid sadleg lag

5.cap cupbag bugsack suckban bunrag rug

6.look lukepull poolfull foolsoot suit

Now click on the word you hear in these sentences:1. When did he___?1. live2. How did you___last night?2. slip3. How did you like the___you saw?3. staff4. I had the___responsibility for quality control.4. full5. ___free to take a sample.5. Feel6. My___is much better, thank you.6. uncle7. Don’t throw that___.7. rug8. Office workers are paid better___factory workers.8. thanUnderstanding spoken English – Minimal pairsHere is a list of word pairs that Business English students often find confusing:accept/exceptAccept is a verb, which means to agree to take somethingExcept is a preposition or conjunction, which means not including.affect/effectAffect is a usually a verb To affect something or someone.Meaning: to influence or change something or someone, to have an effect on something or someone.Effect is usually a noun Effect means influence, or the end result. It is usually followed by the preposition on and preceded by an article (an, the)complement/complimentComplement is a verb, which means to make something seem better or more attractive when combined.

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Compliment is a noun, which means a remark that expresses approval, admiration or respect, or it is often used in plural to express praise or good wishes, especially when a company or organization sends goods or information.Example: “It was the nicest compliment anyone had ever paid me”.or“With the compliments of Coca Cola”.loose/loseLoose is an adjective. If something isn’t fixed properly or it doesn’t fit, because it’s too, large, it’s loose.Lose is verb that means to no longer possess something because you do not know where it is, or because it has been taken away from you.For example:“A lot of people will lose their job if there is a recession”.personal/personnelPersonal is an adjective. It can mean relating to or belonging to someone. It can relate to the private parts of someone’s life, including their relationships and feelings. It can also mean something that is designed for or used by one person. And it can relate to your body.For example:“Your personal belongings are the things that belong to you.If you have personal problems, it means you have problemsthat are private and sensitive to you.…a personal computer or stereo.…when talking about personal hygiene.”Personnel is a noun and means the same as’staff’ The people who work for an organization are the personnel.The department of an organization that deals with finding people to work there, keeping records about them, etc is the Personnel Department.Today, Personnel Department is frequently renamed ‘Human Resources Department’For example:military personnel are the members of an army.“I need to speak to someone in Personnel”.principal/principlePrincipal as an adjective means first in order of importance.Principal as a noun can mean the head teacher in a school or college.Principal as a noun can also mean the original amount of a debt on which interest is calculated.For example:‘The company’s principal source of revenues are its consulting activities.The teacher sent the unruly student to see the principal.She lives off the interest and tries to keep the principal intact’.Principle is a noun which means a basic idea, standard of behavior or rule that explains or controls how something happens or works.For example:

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“If we stick to our business principles, we will reach our goal of becoming the best financial services company in the world”.raise/riseRaise (v) Something else is needed to raise something.Raise is a regular verb: raise / raised / raisedFor example:“Lynne raised her hand.The government is going to raise taxes”.Rise (v) Something rises by itself Rise is an irregular verb: rise / rose / risenFor example:“The sun rises in the east.The chairman always rises to the occasion.I will rise tomorrow morning at 6 a.m. to finish the report”.stationary/stationeryStationary means standing still or not moving.Stationery means the items needed for writing, such as paper, pens, pencils and envelopes.Talking about a jobLook at the list jobs. Listen and identify which of the jobs the speaker describes:9. Personnel OfficerNow listen to the next conversation and complete the sentences.10. Peter works as ___10. a computer technician11. He’s responsible for___11. systems administration and in-house programming12. On a day-to-day basis, he has to deal with___12. developing in-house programs for special company tasks13. He provides___13. information on a need-to-know basis for employees14. His job also involves___14. small system glitchesVacanciesVocabulary checkMatch words with definitions15. – vacancy…available job- staff…people who work in a company- shift…one of the periods during each day or night when people workYou will hear a manager telephoning Human Resources about vacancies in his department. Listen to the conversation and choose the correct answer.16. The start date is___16. 6th October17. The line manager is___

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17. Sue Blackmann18. Customer Services department needs___telephone operators.18. 819. Starting salary is___19. 1695020. Holiday for telephone staff is___20. 33 days21. The reference number for these posts is___21. CSO08011ReadingSpot the Clue You will see a notice for employees and three statements below it. Only one of them means the same as the notice. You can figure out which one it is by finding ‘clues’, or key words, in the notice and in the correct answer.NoticeStaff are reminded that all arrangements for leave must be approved in advance by line managers.Choose the correct answer:1. Staff must___1. get permission from their manager for time offThe correct answer is:Staff must get permission from their manager for time off.Look at the key words that help you to find the correct answer:Staff are reminded that all arrangements for leave must be approved in advance by line managers.Staff musta) inform their manager that they are absent.b) get permission from their manager for time off. c) remind their manager of when they are on leave.Now choose the correct answer:Office Staff RequiredExperience essentialFull training given (leading to recognized qualifications)2. Applicant must have___2. previous experienceTo: Unit ManagersSubject: TrainingPlease contact Personnel regarding supervisors still requiring quality control training.3. Unit Managers should inform Personnel which staff___3. are in need of trainingAccounts clerk wanted.£12,000 per year. Experience an advantage. Full training provided. Immediate availability. Call 01636-619423 now.4. Applicants for the above post___

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4. must be able to start work straightawayFor more information about any of the job vacancies on this list, phone 0845 1234, quoting the reference number.5. Phone 0845 1234 for___5. details about jobs on the list.6. Looking for a top job? Contact Jobservices.com for a better presented CV.6. Improve the look of your CV with the help of Jobservices.com.People and departments Employees encounter various problems or needs in their day-to-day activities. Match scenarios in the table with people or departments that deal with each of them.Match scenarios in the table with people or departments that deal with each of them.7. We need 5000 components for Production.7. Sales Department 8. The photocopier has broken down again.8. Service Engineer9. We need to know when the components we ordered will arrive.9. Inbound Logistics Department10. The goods have not arrived yet and we need them urgently.10. Despatch Department11. There’s mistake on my pay slip.11. Salaries and Wages Department12. One of the machines has stopped.12. Maintenance Department13. We have paid for the goods, but have received a reminder from our supplier.13. Customer Accounts Department14. My computer has crashed.14. IT support15. Our customer has not paid for the goods we supplied four months ago.15. Legal Department16. I don’t get on well with my colleagues.16. Personnel ManagerGrammar reminderRead the article about attending job interviews and choose the correct word to fill each gap:How to succeed at interviews17. Preparation for interviews is essential. Interviewers like to see people that___prepared to ask questions about the company.17. are18. ___good interviewer is going to be looking for candidates 19. ___demonstrate that they will 20. ___something new to the company.18. Any19. who20. bring

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21. Think of the things you___contribute to the organization.21. could22. Looking good is also very important. ___many companies now allow 23. ___formal clothes in the workplace, this does not mean it is no 24. ___essential to wear a suit for an interview. The most important thing is to be yourself.22. Although23. less24. longer25. The most important thing is to be yourself. ___you must never do is 26. ___to be something you are not, in order to get the job. If you have to do 27. ___, then you will probably not enjoy working in the position, 28. ___will the job be suitable for you.25. What26. try27. this28. norWritingMatch each word in the box to its definition below.appraisal-commitment-deadline-etiquette-insight-outcome-overview-predecesso-threaten-workload1. The amount of work that a person has to do:1. workload2. A description of the main features of something:2. overview3. The person who had a job before someone else:3. predecessor4. A set of rules for behaving correctly:4. etiquette5. An opinion about how successful someone is:5. appraisal6. Enthusiasm, determination and loyalty:6. commitment7. An ability to understand something clearly:7. insight8. The final result of a process, meeting, etc.:8. outcome9. To tell someone you might cause them harm:9. threaten10. A date by which you have to do something:10. deadlineCurriculum vitae (c.v.)When you apply for a job, you must send your CV (or resume, as it is called in North America). Here is a sample of how you CV should look like:Exercise:

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Now write your own c.v. (in Microsoft word) after the same model.Your CV should be:- word-processed,- laser printed on good quality paper,- no longer than two pages of A4 paperYou should include:1. Personal Details - The employer wants to know who you are and how to contact you (essential information only)2. Education3. Work experience- Don’t just describe the job – stress what you achieved and what you learnt.4. Positions of responsibility- If you don’t have a lot of work experience, this section will show employers your potential.5. Skills- Be positive about your ability – never undersell your experience.6. Interests- Stress any significant achievements related to your interests.7. Referees:- Current students and recent graduates should choose an academic referee and a personal one (this could be an employer)- Get your referee’s permission first and tell them what you are applying for and what you would like them to stress in a reference.

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WEEK 2 – TRAVELIntroductionHow to turn a business trip into a vacationTips, ideas for workers looking to add personal days to their tripsEach year, Dr. Slim Feriani and his five colleagues visit 20 countries looking for the next hot economy. As specialists for Progressive Developing Markets Limited, a London-based boutique investment group, they travel to places like Brazil, Vietnam and Russia in search of emerging markets.Though it sounds glamorous, the grueling meeting schedule and fast pace often leave the two-person teams exhausted. That’s why once business is finished, Dr. Feriani encourages the staff to take a few days to leisurely explore the area. During this time, they take in a museum, visit shopping centers or see nearby ruins. It may feel like a vacation, but such experiences better inform their understanding of a potential market.“It’s quite enriching to the individual and to the team”, says Dr. Feriani, Progressive’s managing director and chief investment officer. They gather first-hand information about local purchasing power while shopping; at the hotel, they take mental notes on other patrons; and, while enjoying the night life, they’ll chat up taxi drivers to gain an insider’s perspective.The experts at Progressive aren’t the only business travelers taking a few vacation days onto a trip. About half of the 2,000 road warriors surveyed by Deloitte last year said they had extended a business trip for vacation.With investment opportunities growing in emerging and frontier markets, business travelers are also frequently landing in lesser-known countries and trying to take advantage of a unique travel experience. That can be easy to do-even in countries like Croatia, Malaysia and Namibia-with just a little preparation.Be preparedResearch is important. At first blush, some destinations might seem lacking in cultural or recreational offerings. For instance, Croatia, which is an S&P frontier market, boasts extensive national parks, beautiful reefs and islands and the Istrian thermal springs, where several resort-style spas have popped up in recent years.Jordan lacks neither accommodations for the business traveler or the tourist. In the capital city of Amman, there are more than two dozen four-and five-star hotels. There’s plenty to experience in Jordan outside of business, though, including the ancient city of Petra, the Dead Sea, and the mountainous region of Wadi Rum, where tourists can hire a local Bedouin guide to help them explore the area.Malaysia, an S&P emerging market, is home to the vibrant capital of Kuala Lumpur, where global street-food has become a culinary highlight for many tourists. There are also opportunities for adventure travel in the Mulu caves or the jungles of Endau Rompin, both located in national parks.International SOS, a company that provides medical and security assistance to employees abroad, noticed a 44 percent increase between 2004 and 2007 in the number of business travelers who extended their program coverage for personal travel. Richard Culver, senior director of security services, says companies often provide their employees the coverage as a benefit, but when they don’t, individuals can purchase services at a 20 precent discount, starting at $80 a day.For the business traveler-turned-tourist, an emergency assistance plan is a crucial part of preparedness. Culver says the company rescued employees stranded by the 2005 tsunami and employees stuck in Lebanon during the 2006 war.

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“Everyone we helped during the tsunami was on vacation,” he says. “Let’s face it.”VocabularyVocabulary buildingSomebody said that Great Britain and the USA are two countries divided by the same language. Try to find American travel-related words on the right that mean the same as British ones on the left.1. – timetable…schedule- car park…parking lot- return ticket…round-trip ticket- motorway…freeway- luggage…baggage- steward/stewardess…flight attendant2. – holiday…vacation- petrol…gasoline- lorry…truck- taxi…cab- tube…subway- queue…lineMeans of travelStudy the chart below, which shows some words related to various means of travel:By rail By bus/coach By air By seastation bus terminal airport porttrain bus aircraft shipcatch/get on catch/get on/ get on/board embark

boardget off get off get off/disembark disembarkplatform departure gate departure gate quay/

dockpassenager coach/bus passenager jet/ liner

airplanejourney journey flight voyagedepart/leave depart/leave take off sailarrive arrive land dockengine driver’s seat cockpit bridgeengine driver bus driver pilot captaincorridor/ aisle aisle gangwayaisle

Try to fill in the blanks:By rail By bus/coach By air by seastation ___ airport port

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train bus shipcatch/get on ___ get on/board embarkget off get off get off/disembarkplatform departure gate departure gate ___passenager train coach/bus passenager jet/airplane ___journey flight voyage___ depart/leave take off sailarrive arrive dockengine ___ cockpit ___engine driver bus driver captain___ aisle aisle gangway3. ___ depart/leave take off sail3. depart, leave, depart/leave4. arrive arrive ___ dock4. land5. train bus ___ ship5. aircraft6. engine driver bus driver ___ captain6. pilot7. get off get off get off/ ___

disembark7. disembark8. engine ___ cockpit bridge8. drivers seat, driver’s seat9. station ___ airport port9. bus terminal10. catch/get on ___ get on/board embark10. catch, get on, board, catch/board11. platform departure departure ___

gate gate11. dock, quay/dock, quay12. passenager coach/bus passenager jet ___train /airplane12. liner13. ___ aisle aisle gangway13. corridor, aisle, corridor/aisle14. journey ___ flight voyage14. journeyTravel CollocationsRail travelMatch words on the left with words on the right to make rail-travel collocations.15. – computer…train

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- season…ticket- train…fare- departures…board- lost…property16. – ticket…office- waiting…room- buffet…car- left…luggage- travel…enquiriesAir travelNow do the same with the words relating to the air travel.17. – baggage… claim- hand…luggage- jet…lag- boarding…pass- emergency…exit18. – aisle…seat- overhead…compartment- ticket…counter- flight…attendant- seat…beltWhat do the pictures below show?19. What do the pictures below show?19. Ticket office20. What do the pictures below show?20. Departures board21. What do the pictures below show?21. Buffet carNow, complete the sentences below with the best answer:22. The ___ will be serving food and beverages after the plane reaches its cruising altitude.22. flight attendants23. When you travel to another continent, you may suffer from ___.23. jet lag24. If the cabin loses pressure during flight, you should put on your ___ so you can breathe comfortably.24. oxygen mask25. You will get a ___ at the check-in counter.25. boarding pass26. After the plane lands, you can pick up your luggage at the ___.26. baggage claimWrite the nouns next to their definitions:27. The tired and confused feeling that you can get after flying a very long distance, especially because of the difference in time between the place you left and the place you arrived at.

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27. jet lag28. A board in an airport or station that shows the times at which plains or trains leave.28. departures board29. A special door used only when there is danger.29. emergency exit30. A belt attached to the seat of a car or phone which you fasten around yourself for protection in an accident.30. seat belt31. A part of a train where you can buy food and drink.31. buffet carWrite both British and American versions of the words next to their definitions:32. The cases, bags etc. that you carry when you are travelling.32. luggage33. A person whose job is to serve food and drinks to passengers on a plane or ship.33. steward, stewardess34. A list of the times at which buses, trains, planes etc. arrive and leave.34. schedule35. The cases, bags etc. that you carry when you are travelling.35. baggage36. A very wide road for travelling fast over long distances, especially between cities.36. motorway37. A railway system that runs under the ground below a big city.37. tube38. A person whose job is to serve food and drinks to passengers on a plane or ship.38. flight attendant39. A very wide road for travelling fast over long distances, especially between cities.39. freeway40. A list of the times at which buses, trains, planes etc. arrive and leave.40. timetable41. A railway system that runs under the ground below a big city.41. subwayListeningUnderstanding spoken English-Homophones and homographsHomophones are words that sound the same but have different meanings. Look at some examples of such words in English:ad/addit’s/itscite/siteguessed/guesthear/hereknew/newplain/plane

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sun/sonwar/worewear/whereYou should understand the context to be able to write the correct word.Now listen to the following sentences and click on the correct word to write.1. I had a___of fie after dinner.1. piece2. That’s___house on the corner.2. their3. Our sales were___last month.3. weak4. Let’s go to the___at the supermarket.4. sale5. There’s a___in the wall we need to repair.5. hole6. I don’t know___he’s coming or not.6. whether7. He will be the___speaker at the dinner tonight.7. guest8. He used the___to stop suddenly.8. brake9. They___their office for three months.9. leased10. I took a country___instead of highway.10. roadHomographs are words that are spelled the same but pronounced differently. Here are some examples:read I read newspapers every day.

I read a good book last week.lead I’ll lead our team at the next competition.

We should replace these lead pipes.desert To desert military is a crime.

The Gobi is a large desert in Asia.Now match the underlined words with their pronunciation:11. – If you refuse to work on Sundays, we can’t hire you…/re’fju:z/- Please clean up all your refuse…/’refju:z/12. – Guests are coming any minute now…/’minit/- The difference is so minute, I can’t see it…/mai’nju:t/13. – Could you close the window, we’ll freeze?.../kleuz/- We’re close friends…/kleus/14. – The wind is blowing really hard…/wind/- Can you wind up the window, please?.../waind/15. – A kind nurse bandaged his wound…/wu:nd/

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- He wound up the scarf round his neck…/waund/In English, there are also many words which have the same spelling, but whose part of speech changes with the word stress. Listen to these examples. The verb form is read first, followed by the noun. Can you hear the difference in word stress?record

progresspresent

permitNow listen to these words. Do you hear a verbs or a noun?16. Progress…verb17. Produce…verb18. Progress…noun19. Export…verb20. Produce…noun21. Record…verb22. Conduct…noun23. Export…nounNow you will hear some verbs followed by adjectives or nouns. Can you hear the difference in pronunciation?alternatearticulateassociatedeliberateduplicateelaborateestimategraduatemoderateseparateListen to these words. Do you hear a verb or a noun/adjective?24. Aggregate…noun/adjective25. Duplicate…noun/adjective26. Associate…noun27. Elaborate…verb28. Associate…verb29. Separate…verb30. Graduate…verb31. Moderate…adjectiveAnnouncementNow listen to the announcement and answer the questions on your screen.32. What is the ultimate destination of the flight?32. Caracas

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33. The ground crew is33. removing ice from the wings34. What change has been announced?34. the gate number35. What time will the plane depart?35. 8:45 PM36. The airline is offering36. later flights to passengers with ticketsListenListen to the interview with David Keith, Customer Service Manager for an international airline, who talks about problems he has to solve for business travelers, and fill in the missing information in the table.37. David Keith works for___37. British Airways38. He works in Terminal___38. four39. He works at___Airport.39. heathrow40. The main problem he has to solve is___requests.40. seating41. Sometimes, his company has to oversell flights due to___pressure.41. commercial42. The opposite thing to downgrading is an___.42. upgrade43. Gold Card is part of B.A.___scheme.43. frequent flight44. Passenagers’ baggage may have been I___44. lost45. or d___.45. damagedReadingTravel messages and noticesRead the following messages and notices and find the sentence that means the same thing.1. Telephone messageBill Ryan caught 9.30 flight – due here 11.30 now, not 12.30.1. Bill Ryan is expected to arrive at 11.30.2. The Airport Express departs from Platform 3 every 20 minutes during the day (every 30 minutes at night)2. The train service to the airport runs 24 hours a day.3. For economy reasons, employees traveling to the USA will fly overnight to Baltimore rather than Washington3. Employees flying to the USA will no longer land in Washington.

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4. Don’t forget – flight BA692 6.45 pm4. The plane arrives at quarter to seven in the evening.Letters and memosRead the part of the letter and the memo below, and complete the form by writing a word, phrase or number.With regard to our conversation on the phone yesterday, I can confirm that, due to serious illness, John Brookes has to cancel his flight to Madrid on Saturday 22 June and I therefore request a refund. I enclose the ticket: First Class, flight number UA 453, booking reference 3434/4.Travelgo Ltd.MemorandumTo: JuliaFrom: LukeDate: 6June 2005Could you please fill in a refund from for this client? Note that the booking reference number is actually 01/3434/A. It was a company booking for a Business Class (not First Class) UATAUR flight from Heathtrow. They paid by credit card but it’s easier if we send them a cheque for £525.00.Complete the form by writing a word, phrase or number.Travelgo Ltd. Refund No: 0055 78ABooking referenceTicket details:Date of Departure 22/06/05Flight number UA 453 (UATAIR)Departure from HeathrowDestinationTicket classRefund due:Method of refundReason for cancellation5. Booking reference5. 01/3434/A6. Destination6. Madrid7. Ticket class7. Business8. Refund due £8. 525.009. Method of refund9. cheque10. Reason for cancellation10. illnessGrammar reminderRead the advertisement about an exhibition and choose the correct word to fill each gap.

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11. Business show of the year 14-18 september 2009 LondonBusiness 2009 is a key event aimed at people intending to set up their own business. This year’s exhibition___provide visitors with valuable information on…11. will12. …products and service essential for___a small business.12. running13. ___is also free advice on…13. There14. …is also free advice on___to obtain finance, getting the best out of Information Technology and deadling with…14. how15. …and deadling with the___problems of health and safety in the workplace.15. many16. Entrance to the exhibition is free and Business 2009 hopes to___at least 5,000 visitors a day.16. attract17. Companies___took part last year said it was well worth the cost.17. that18. If you would like further information___having a stand at the Business 2009 exhibition…18. about19. …having a stand at the Business 2009 exhibition, contact___on 020 5493 7721 for an exhibitors’pack.19. us20. We___arranged special reduced travel and hotel rates for standholders.20. have21. So don’t___the opportunity, book a stand now.21. missWritingMaking notes – using notesMaking notesRead the two e-mails below and complete the notes about Robert Short’s itinerary Itinerary for Robert Short1. Monday See___(p.m.)1. local politicians2. Tuesday Meet___(a.m.)2. architects3. Tuesday Visit___(p.m.)3. suppliers 4. Wednesday Attend___meeting (all day)4. planning 5. Thursday Meet trade union at___.5. 9 a.m.Complete the text with words belowalthough

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as ofat possiblebecause someby stilldo theirfor themfrom thenhowever usedin welllike werenearest whatnext whenWeather MytsThere are many myths and superstitions connected with the weather. In the past people 6.___to think that storm clouds were the transport of the gods and that the gods showed 7.___anger in thunder and lightning. Elements of nature and the weather such 8.___the sun or winds were thought to be gods and 9.___given names.People prayed to these gods to give 10.___the weather they needed for farming or for safe journeys.Even today many people 11.___pay attention to myths concerning the weather. Fishing-boats, 12.___instance, are often still painted with an eye to watch for the sea gods and to warn 13.___likely storms.If they are outside in an electric storm many people try to find a stinging nettle 14.___of the ancient belief that a nettle gives you protection 15.___lightning.Farmers and fishermen are always particularly anxious to know what the wather will be 16.___. They have found many signs in nature which, they believe, predict 17.___the weather is going to do next. It is, thus, said that cows lie down before it rains and that 18.___swallows fly high the wather is going to be good. There does not, 19.___, seem, to be any scientific basis for the idea that animals and birds can predict the weather 20.___such ways.Nor is it 21.___to make realistic long-term predictions about the weather by observing 22.___aspect of nature though people in Britain often say that when there are lots of berries on trees and bushes in autumn, the winter is going to be a hard one or if it rains on the 15th of July, 23.___it will rain each day for the next forty days.24.___looking at clouds can help people to make realistic predictions about what the wather is going to do in the 25.___few hours, modern scientific techniques are the only reasonably reliable way of predicting the weather over a period of several days.6. used7. their8. as9. were10. them11. still12. for

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13. of14. because15. from16. like17. what18. when19. however20. in21. possible22. some23. then24. although25. next

WEEK 3 – COMPANIESIntroductionAfizz with competitionCoca-Cola and Pepsi are fighting around the world to gain supremacy in newly open territory

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Coca-Cola has operated outside the U.S. since 1897, at first with only marginal competition from Pepsi, and in the process it has become the world’s best-known trademark. More than any other product – even Levi’s or McDonald’s Big Mac – it is an American emblem*. It is also, a Harvard Business School study has found, the second best-known word in the world – after OK.Today Coke outsells Pepsi around 3 to 1 outside the U.S. The domestic race is closer, with a 42%-32% ratio in Coca-Cola’s favor. While Pepsi’s parent company makes most of its profit from its snack-food and restaurant operations, Coca-Cola gains 80% of its operating profit from its overseas beverage business. Last year’s take in the international soft-drinks race was $2.5 billion for Coke, vs. $112 million for Pepsi.In part, Coca-Cola can thank the U.S. government for its success abroad. During World War II, the U.S. military built more than 60 Coke bottling plants outside the U.S. to supply American troops. This gave the company a leg up* in Europe and Asia once the conflict was over. (In the 1943 North Africa campaign, General Dwight D. Eisenhower communicated in a military cable* with Washington:On early convoy request shipment three million bottled Coca-Cola, (filled)… ship without displacing other military cargo.Pepsi got its international marketing break in 1959 when then chairman Donald Kendall handed Soviet President Nikita Krushchev a bottle as cameras clicked: that gave the company an entree into Eastern Europe. In 1972 Leonid Brezhnev gave Pepsi exclusive franchise in the Soviet Union.Since the collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989, Coca-Cola has moved swiftly to overcome Pepsi’s edge in Eeastern Europe. Coke claims the lead in Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria and the former Yugoslavia. Pepsi is fighting especially hard in the former Soviet Union where it claims to retain the lead.Coke, however, now outsells Pepsi by more than 13 to 1 in eastern Germany.Pepsi’s strongest recent showing has been in Mexico where the company’s reports its market share has jumped from 28% to 33% during the past two years. “They’re fighting over every extra case*”, says consultant Daniel Caraco of Arthur D. Little Mexicana. With its $ 750 million investment Pepsi intends to double plant* capacity by 1998.However the Coke-Pepsi battle turns out, people the world over will probably drink more of the beverages. “Both companies are going to make their products more available. They’re also going to lower prices. That means more consumers buying more soft drinks”, says Joseph Doyle, who follows the industry for Smith Barney in New York City. The average American consumes 720l of soft drinks a year – more soft drinks in fact than water. Non-Americans have a long way to go before they reach that level – and that would translate into booming business for the two giants.- emblem: symbol- leg up: some extra help- cable: cables were used to communicate before telex or fax- case: container- plant: factoryVocabularyCompound nouns and adjectivesCompound nouns and adjectives are words made up of two parts.Example:

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trademarkoverseasWhich ones are adjectives and which ones are nouns?1. best-known1. adjective2. trademark2. noun3. snack-food3. adjective4. overseas4. adjective5. soft-drinks5. adjective6. chairman6. noun7. Global companies have many___branches.7. overseas8. Nestle is well-known for its___operations.8. snack-food9. The UK___sector is growing rapidly.9. soft-drinks10. A___is a symbol used by a company to identify and advertise its goods.10. trademark11. OK is the___word in the world.11. best-known12. The___is the most senior person in the company.12. chairmanDependent prepositionsWhen you learn a new verb it is important to know which preposition can follow it. Some verbs always or typically have a particular preposition after them:insure/plot/react againstprofit/stem/suffer frombelieve/invest/result inconcentrate/insist/rely onamount/object/refer todeal/part/sympathise withOther verbs may be followed by one or another preposition, depending on the meaning:Our problems result from past errors.The change has resulted in chaos.Our success consists in our ability to react rapidly to changing circumstances.(i.e. is based on/depends on)The team consists of four Europeans and two Americans. (i.e. is made up of)

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We’ve agreed on a date for the meeting.We’ve agreed to see her today.I agree with you entirely.Complete this letter to shareholders.Dear Shareholder;I write to inform you that the Board has received information of a takeover bid for your company. This 13.___an attempt by Thor Engineering to acquire a controlling interest by offering to purchase shares at a price of 650 pence. We have brought in a team of consultants to 14.___the tactics we should use to resist the bid.Although the offer seems attractive, it does not reflect the true value of the company or take into account our future prospects. We have 15.___a major programme of expansion. During the next two years we plan to 16.___new plant and equipment. we have also allocated funds to 17.___a new computerized stock control system which will allow us to 18.___our much larger rivals.Furthermore, we plan to 19.___a machine tool company in a joint venture in China. We are confident this will allow the company to 20.___opening up new markets in Asia. Policies like these 21.___our success to date and contribute to our vision of the future. Therefore, we strongly advise you not to accept Thor Engineering’s offer.You can 22.___ the Board to keep you fully informed of any future developments, but for the present we advise you to take no action in relation to the offer.Yours faithfullyDerek HammondChairman13. consists of14. advise us on15. budgeted for 16. invest in17. spend on18. compete with19. combine with20. succeed in21. account for22. rely onListening1. Understanding spoken English – SentencesWhen people speak, they do not pronounce each words separately, like in this example:The company has launched a new product.The company has launched a new product.Most sentences have two types of words:- content words- structure wordsContent words are the key words of a sentence. They are the important words that carry the meaning.

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Structure words are not very important words. They are small, simple words that make the sentence correct grammatically. They give the sentence its correct form or “structure”.If you remove the structure words from a sentence, you will probably still understand the sentence.If you remove the content words from a sentence, you will not understand the sentence. The sentence has no sense or meaning.The basic rules of sentence stress are:- content words are stressed- structure words are unstressedThe following tables can help you decide which words are content words and which words are structure words:Content words – stressedWords carrying the meaning Examplemain verbs sell, give, employnouns car, music, maryadjectives red, big, interestingadverbs quickly, loudly, nevernegatives not, don’t, aren’t, can’twh-question words how, whodemonstratives this, thoseNote: In content words of more than one syllable, only the appropriate syllable is stressed.Structure words – unstressed and weakened or reduced:Words for correct grammar Examplepronouns he, we, theyprepositions on, at, intoarticles a, an, theconjunctions and, but, becauseauxiliary verbs do, be, have, can, mustNote: Structure words are sometimes stressed, for example to correct information.Listen how native speakers weaken or compress structure words:Articesa a mistakethe in the cityan an emergencyPrepositionsof volume of salesto gone to lurchfor call for Johnat at homeConjunctionsor pass or failand ups and downsPronouns

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him tell himher introduce herthem warn themyou you seeAuxiliary versdo what do you want?be we’re leavinghave she’s goneNow listen to a talk about the early history of the LEGO company and fill in the missing structure words in the text.We 1.___been in business 2.___over 70 years. 3.___company was founded 4.___Denmark by Ole Krik Christiansen.5.___was the village carpenter and he always had 6.___lot of little bits 7.___wood left over, so he started making 8.___into wooden toys.When Ole Kirk died, he 9.___succeeded by his son, Godtfred Kirk, 10.___this was a real turning point for the company.1. have2. for3. the4. in5. He6. a7. of8. them9. was10. andBecause structure words are reduced in spoken English, you may have to listen carefully to understand the meaning of the sentence.Listen to the following three sentences and click on the one you hear.11.She likes pineapples./She likes pie and apples.11. She likes pie and apples.12. Would you like some soup or salad?/Would you like some Super Salad?12. Would you like some soup or salad?13. Wood and matches are used to start fires./Wooden matches are used to start fires.13. Wooden matches are used to start fires.ListeningKevin Warren, a Vice President at Coca-Cola and Schweppes Beverages (UK), is talking about competition.Answer the questions below. Then listen to the first part of the interview and check your answers.14. How many servings of Coca-Cola are sold world-wide?14. one billion a dayComplete the chart. To be successful you need:

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15. a portfolio of pr____15. products16. an efficient manu____g and dist____n operation16. manufacturing and distribution17. the best br____17. brands18. the most recognizable pack____18. package19. Choose the correct answer. Kevin thinks the way to stay ahead is to focus on:19. Your own products and customers.InterviewI: The soft drinks market is one of the most competitive in the world. How do you stay ahead of your competitors?We grow our business one bottle at a time. Now behind this you need an efficient manufacturing and distribution operation. All the glamorous TV advertising in the world won’t sell your product if Tesco’s has run out. And of course advertising, especially for a company like the Coca-Cola Company has a major part to play in ensuring the consumer is aware of the intrinsic values of our brands, a good example of which is refreshement. So, in summary, the way to stay ahead is to focus on delivering to the consumer a product that adds value to their lives rather than simply focusing upon the actions of your perceived competitor.I: Does competition always lead to better products and better value for customers?Who hasn’t suffered the 2 a.m. flight time, the delayed departure and so on? Dependent on your needs as a consumer, you will therefore have a different view on whether you think this is better value. So I guess the point is that better doesn’t necessarily mean cheaper. Although price as an element of value is very important, and the key challenge is to maintain a balance.Which of these statements more accurately reflects Kevin’s views?20. Price is the most important element when you are talking about value./Value for money is not only about price. Cheaper is not always better.20. Value for money is not only about price. Cheaper is not always better.Listen to the third part of the interview. What changes in consumer habits does Kevin predict?I: How do you see competition affecting the way your business operates in the future?Will they not even go to the store? i.e. Will they shop from home? There will definitely be continued increase in leisure time, so we need to be where the consumer is, whether that be the sports centre or the multiplex cinema, for example. Will the increase in out-of-home eating, especially snacking, for example, sandwich bars, continue? We think it will. So clearly, whilst it’s important to keep improving our core offerings, our product portfolio, our packaging, our operational efficiency, most importantly we have to prepare for the needs of our future consumer.What changes in consumer habits does Kevin predict?21. More than one answer is correct.21. continued increase in leisure, increase in out-of-home, shopping from home time activitiesListen to a business analyst and complete the table below.

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BA: Right, so the first company I want to look at is a pharmaceuticals company. It develops and manufactures a wide range of medicines and it’s currenly developing a new drug against asthma.Well, as you all know, more and more people are suffering from asthma so they hope to make a healthy profit from this drug. This company preparing to launch a TV advertising campaign. As you may know, it is illegal to show drugs on TV, so the campaign focuses on the illnesses not the drugs. It will be interesting to see public reaction to this.BA: So, let’s have a look at the second company. This company is a cable operator. Well, it provides cable television to thousands and thousands of homes but it wants to expand and it’s developing a new high-speed Internet service.Now, this service uses cables not phone wires and this means it is very fast, 100 times faster than a normal phone line. As you know, the number of people who are using the Internet is growing and everyone wants instant information so this is a company with a great future.What the company does?22. Pharmaceutical company (1/2)22. It develops and manufactures a wide range of medicines.23. Pharmaceutical company (2/2)23. It is currently developing a new drug against asthma.24. Cable operator (1/2)24. It provides cable television to thousands of homes.25. Cable operator (2/2)25. It is developing a new high-speed Internet service.Reading1. Shaking Up the BusinessSince becoming Chief Executive of the Star City shopping center and exhibition halls, Peter Maurice feels he has done a lot. Now, though, he wants to change the whole feeling of the business. ‘Visitors should feel we are looking after them’, he says. ‘Very often the public go into a shop and find so much there that they can’t decide what to buy, so they don’t buy anything. Keep it simple, that’s the key to retailing.’At Star City, staff are encouraged to tell managers, including Maurice himself, what they think of them. ‘The things they say about me are what I expect, because I’m fairly self-aware – I know what I’m like and that I can make people a little angry. But I’m very much in favour of change, and everyone knows that a lot needs to be done.’He learnt his management technique the hard way. ‘At 23 I went into business and lost money. I had to learn fast. Then, at 32, I won an export contract to Hong Kong. I admire the strength of character and the ambition of the people there, and brought back two very significant words: “No problem”. Then I took a course at Harvard Business School. It was very hard work, but worth it.’As well as running Star City, Peter Maurice controls Big Events, which organizes exhibitions. At the moment, Big Events is working on plans for a boat show to rival the Capital Boat Show, which in 2004 is moving from its traditional site at Star City to a new venue.Maurice has created an unusual company structure. ‘The financial director and commercial director are responsible to me directly, but in my first week here, the head of Marketing resigned. Then the same happened with Human Resources. I said to both teams: “Do you want to self-manage?” That’s what they

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decided to do – it can work if you have people who work well together and can report to you as a team,’ he explains.For the immediate future, Maurice will continue with the essential work of updating the centre. After that, he plans to look at ways of expanding Star City beyond the present conferences and exhibitions, to include major shows and concerts. ‘I want a lively centre full of exciting events, where my well-trained staff are ambassadors for the company.’Choose the correct answer for each question. Mark one letter (A;B; or C).1. In Peter Maurice’s opinion, what prevents many customers form making purchases?1. There is too much to choose from.2. Maurice’s staff say that he2. sometimes annoys them.3. What does Maurice say he learnt from his experience in Hong Kong?3. The importance of being confident and having a positive attitude.4. Which of these departments has a director who reports to Peter Maurice?4. Finance5. Maurice’s long-term ambition for the centre is to 5. bring entertainment to the centre.2. Team-building through activitiesNowadays, company bosses are increasingly trying to find unusual team-building events as part of their training programme. An activity park 6.___Fast-track has just opened to offer 7.___events. It specializes 8.___events to attract the corporate entertainment market, 9.___is growing all the time.The park is situated just a few kilometers outside the city centre 10.___it provides events that 11.___entertain as well as train. Clients can try outdoor attractions such as sailing or climbing, 12.___availability clearly depends entirely 13.___the weather. Activities of 14.___kind are perfect team-building exercises.‘I’d 15.___been to an activity park before,’ explained James Black, a company manager. ‘Before we came, I didn’t think we 16.___enjoy ourselves so much and I didn’t expect the huge difference that Fast-track’s programme has 17.___to my team. Now we work better together than we did before.’6. called7. such8. in9. which10. and11. will12. although13. on14. a15. never16. would17. madeWritingRead the definitions and complete the words by filling in the missing letters.

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1. Computer screen: m___r1. monitor2. A row of icons on a computer screen: to ___r2. toolbar3. Something you hope your computer doesn’t do: c___h3. crash4. Make a computer more powerful: u___de4. upgrade5. Something that goes in a printer: ca___dge5. cartridge6. Connect to the electricity supply: p___g in6. plug in7. Send a document with an email: a___ch7. attach8. Someone who a business sells to: c___r8. customer9. Someone who a business buys from: s___r9. supplier10. A written promise that a company will repair something you buy form them: g___e10. guaranteeDragon boat racingMake the story of a boat race by finding the next sentence:11. A company decided to buy a rowing boat and enter a team for a boat race.11. The company put together a team of rowers and the team trained hard for two months.12. The company put together a team of rowers and the team trained hard for two months.12. Despite this, the company came last in its first race by more than 200 metres.13. Despite this, the company came last in its first race by more than 200 metres.13. The management called in an internal consultant to analyze the situation.14. The management called in an internal consultant to analyze the situation.14. Her report stated that of the ten people on the boat, only two had actually been rowing. The other boats in the race had at least eight rowers, with one drummer and one oarsman to steer the boat.15. Her report stated that of the ten people on the boat, only two had actually been rowing. The other boats in the race had at least eight rowers, with one drummer and one oarsman to steer the boat.15. Based on the these preliminary findings, the consultant delivered her advice: to increase the number of rowers on the boat.16. Based on the these preliminary findings, the consultant delivered her advice: to increase the number of rowers on the boat.16. The management decided to implement the consultant’s recommendations.17. The management decided to implement the consultant’s recommendations.17. The new team was made up for one executive director, one deputy director, one manager, one supervisor, one coordinator, one drummer and four rowers.

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18. The new team was made up for one executive director, one deputy director, one manager, one supervisor, one coordinator, one drummer and four rowers.18. With this new team, the company entered a new race. Again, they lost the race by a huge distance.This time, the management made a quick decision. They fired the four rowers and the durmmer and sold the boat. They stopped all further investment straightaway. Then, with the money from the sale they gave the managers and supervisors a bonus, and raised salaries of the directors in recognition for completing the project under budget.

WEEK 4 – PRODUCTSIntroduction

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Products are fine,but packaging…Wrap rageSurveys show that intense frustration and even injury caused by modern packaging is on the increase, especially among seniors. Seventy per cent of over 50s admit to suffering cuts, sprains and bruises to fingers, hands and shoulders as a result of ‘wrap rage’, a new term used to describe the irritation and loss of self-control experienced when struggling to open wrapping.In recent years manufacturers have been under increasing pressure to keep food items sterile, to provide child-proof packaging for dangerous or toxic household cleaning products, to protect products during transport and to reduce in-shop shrinking due to pilfering. At the same time, they are forced to keep costs to a minimum. As a result, packaging has become ever more resistant to fingers, nails and even teeth.In their frustration with blister packs and welded plastic, which defeat all attempts to be pulled, torn or even cut open with scissors, consumers resort to stabbing with screwdrivers, twisting with pliers or slashing with knives. At best , the product inside the packaging is at risk; at worst, it is hardly surprising that 60,000 people a year are injured in Great Britain alone.Some of the most common triggers of wrap rage are processed cheese packages, tightly wrapped CDs, child-proof tops on medicine bottles, and milk and juice cartons. Ring-pull cans are particularly problematic for arthritic fingers and delicate skin. Even wrestling to remove price tags from items bought as gifts can raise blood pressure, and unnecessary overpackaging is a red rag to the ecologically-minded bull.However, it seems there’s light at the end of the tunnel. Manufacturers are listening to customers’complaints, and some have begun to research and invest in more consumer-friendly packaging.The bottom line is that if they don’t react, they risk losing sales if consumers simply stop buying products with packaging that offers too much resistance.VocabularyWord definitionsMatch these words from the article to their definitions1. - without any hair…bald- increasing the quality or amount of something…enhancing- a particular kind in a range of products…variety- to keep or continue to have something…to retain- a symbol on a product to show a company’s ownership…trademark2. – to try hard to sell a product by advertising or other activities…to promote- each year…annual- to say that something is particularly important…to emphasise- person in charge of a particular area…regional manager- improved…picked up- money received from selling goods…profitsPassivesWe make passive verb froms with the verb to be + past participle.

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Zespri Gold is marketed in south Korea and Taiwan.We often choose a passive structure when we are not interested in or is not necessary to know who performs an action.Kiwfruit are grown in New Zealand.If we want to mention who performs an action, we can use by. All selling rights have been retained by the Kiwifruit Marketing Board.We can use the passive to describe a process, system or procedure.At the final stage of the process, the kiwifruit are packed into containers.Change these active sentences into the passive so that they sound more natural.The gold variety of the kiwifruit is planted worldwide.ExampleWorkers plant the gold variety of the kiwifruit worldwide.3. Workers in France make these Renault cars.3. These Renault cars are made in France.4. Farmers grow this rice in India.4. This rice is grown in India.5. The employers asked the staff for their opinions.5. The staff were asked for their opinions.6. A mechanic is repairing my car at the moment.6. My car is being repaired at the moment.7. Somebody has found the missing file.7. The missing file has been found.8. Somebody made this toy in Japan.8. This toy was made in Japan.How to answer.Each car in our fabric___1(make) by hand, so every car___2(purpose) to every one customer specifically. (is made, is purposed)The article below describes how a health care company develops new products. Complete the article with passive forms of the verbs in brackets.9. The idea for how our company’s new products___1(develop) is not new – it___2(model) on the well-known example of the Body shop.9. are developed, is modelled10. When a new product___1(plan), the first step is to send Product Development Agents to the region of the developing world chosen for the project. They start by finding materials that___2(use) in the product. Then links___3(arrange) with local suppliers.10. is planned, are used, are arranged11. Wherever possible, products___1(manufacture) locally as well, although the finished product___2(export) for sale mostly in the developed world. Normally, products___3(ship) in large containers and___4(package) in their final form only when they reach their destination.11. are manufactured, is exported, are shipped, are packaged

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12. The Product Development Agent identifies and establishes links with local material suppliers. After that he or she ensures that these links___1(maintain). The agent is also responsible for producing the goods safely so that human rights___2(respect) and local workers___3(not exploit).12. are maintained, are respected, are not exploited ListeningI – Understanding spoken English – Sentence focusAny word in the sentence can be a focus in a message. You can focus on a noun, a verb, an adjective, an adverb, a preposition, or an auxiliary. The speaker uses focus to emphasize a certain part of his/her message. The use of focus can indicate the speaker’s intended meaning of a message. The focused word needs to be stressed, so it louder and longer than other words in a message. Thus, instead of using special expressions or grammatical devices to emphasize a certain part of the message, we can also stress the most important word more than others. Thus, sometimes we can emphasize a structure word if it is the most important one in the sentence.Look and listen to these examples and find the different emphasis in each sentence:1. John is leaving Paris next week. (Emphasize the time)2. John is leaving Paris next week. (Emphasize the place)3. John is leaving Paris next week. (Emphasize the action)4. John is leaving to Paris next week. (Emphasize the truth)5. John is leaving to Paris next week. (Emphasize the person)Now match these pairs of sentences with the correct responses:1. – They bought two bottles of Coke.…Not three?- They bought two bottles of Coke.…Not cans?2. – I think her new car is a Ford….Not an Audi?- I think her new car is a Ford.…Aren’t you sure?3. – Frank wanted to go early….When?- Frank wanted to go early….Who?4. – Sally develops marketing plans….No, she reviews them.- Sally develops marketing plans….No, Bob does.5. – We want to buy a lot of desktops….Not laptops?- We want to buy a lot of desktops…How many?Choose the correct ending for the following sentences:6. He told me Peter was going to buy a new car,6. not a second-hand one.7. I wish you hadn’t her about the money,7. I wish someone else had.8. I think he said he worked in France,8. not lived there.9. I haven’t seen their new product yet,9. but I’ve heard about it.10. Jeff says coffee is good in the new restaurant, 10. not in our cafeteria.How to answer on next question.

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Each car in our fabric___1(make) by hand, so every car___2(purpose) to every one customer specifically. (is made, is purposed)II – Changes to order11. Complete the sentence below by filling in the blanks. Changes to orderCustomer: Amstel Machine ToolsProduct: Workshop tablesOrder reference number, width, length, height, quantity, price per item, new discount, contact name11. /Reading1. Save money and keep your staff happyIt can be expensive to keep the canteen open to serve drinks to your staff through the day. Our QVM hot drinks machine replaces this service, so that you can close the canteen between mealtimes.You can install the QVM hot drinks machine anywhere in the building. One machine is suitable for a staff of tne to fifteen people. It costs £ 1300 to buy, or £ 11.00 per week to rent over 60 months. It is not expensive to operate: for example, the cost of power for one day is 30 p, nearly as cheap as the price of one hot drink from the machine.Our company will carry out a weekly service, at a charge of £ 10.00. We can also refill the machine with drinks ingredients for an extra charge of £ 8.00. Some customers prefer to do this themselves, however.There are eight choices of hot drink available from the QVM machine, and our company offers one month’s trial free of charge, so that you can estimate how popular the machine will be and see what the actual savings are.1. With a QVM machine, companies can avoid having a canteen altogether.1. Wrong2. The QVM machine provides enough hot drinks for up to fifteen people.2. Right3. Most customers prefer to rent the QVM machine over sixty months.3. Doesn’t say4. The electricity used daily by the machine costs less than the price of a hot drink.4. Wrong5. The machine company empties the money from the machine as part of its service agreement.5. Doesn’t say6. Customers can refill their machines with drinks ingrediants, if they want to.6. Right7. During the trial period, the customer pays a reduced amount to rent the machine.7. Wrong2. OpenOfficeOpenOffice is the leading open-source office software suite for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, graphics, databases and more. It is available in many languages and works on all common computers. It stores all your data in an international open standard format and can also read and write files from other common office software packages. It can be downloaded and used completely free of charge for any purpose.

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OpenOffice is the result of over twenty years’software engineering. Designed from the start as a single piece of software, it has a consistency other products cannot match. A completely open development process means that anyone can report bugs, request new features, or enhance the software. The result: OpenOffice does everything you want your office software to do, the way you want it to.8. How much does OpenOffice cost?8. It’s free9. Does it work on laptops?9. It works on all common computers including laptops10. What types of documents can you create or edit using OpenOffice?10. All office software documents11. Who can use OpenOffice free of charge?11. There are no limits to this12. Who are the people who can participate in development process?12. Anyone3. Grammar reminder13. Look at the photographs of the briefcases. Match the description of the briefcases to the photos.13. An elegant leather briefcase with a beautiful metal handle.14. Look at the photographs of the briefcases. Match the description of the briefcases to the photos.14. A stylish cylindrical light brown leather bag with a brass lock.15. Look at the photographs of the briefcases. Match the description of the briefcases to the photos.15. An interesting sporty two-colour bag with long shoulder strap.16. Look at the photographs of the briefcases. Match the description of the briefcases to the photos.16. An elegant light brown briefcase with a brass lock and a long shoulder strap.17. Look at the photographs of the briefcases. Match the description of the briefcases to the photos.17. A durable leather briefcase with a brass locks.How to answer The table shows the order of adjectives in front of a noun. For each of the briefcases, complete the table with words from the sentences under these headings.Opinion/Shape-Width/Colour/What it’s made ofThis guide shows you how to answer on next fill in questions. Separate each answer by comma, as in video. Use picuture to help you.2. Fill inThe table shows the order of adjectives in front of a noun. For each of the briefcases, complete the table with words from the sentences under these headings.

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Opinion Fact Size/Lenght Shape/width Colour Where it’s from What it’s made of Noun

1. elegant leather briefcasebeautiful metal handle

2. ? ? ? ? briefcase ? lock

3. ? ? bag

? ? strap

4. ? ? briefcase ? Lock ? ? strap

5. ? ? briefcase ? locks

18. stylish, cylindrical, light brown, leather19. interesting, long, shoulder, two-colour20. elegant, long, shoulder, light brown21. durable, leatherWritingComplete the sentences using words from the box: chance – communication – field – issues – needs – sale – solution – view1. Packaging is the manufacturer’s last___to seduce the customer.1. chance2. Many products are identical from the customer’s point of___.2. view3. Most purchasing decisions are made at the point of___.3. sale4. The principal problem is a lack of___between the people involved in the design and development process.4. communication5. There are different groups of experts, all working in their own specialized___.5. field6. Production people know nothing about consumer___.6. needs7. The manufacturing people deal with the technical___as and when they arise.7. issues8. Our task forces can deliver an optimal___in one week, sometimes less.8. solution

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WEEK 5 – TRENDSIntroductionThe Future of Oil“As Oil Prices Surge, Theories Fall Away”People who have spent their careers tracking the ups and downs of the global oil markets say their compasses are spinning. Oil prices rise for reasons they cannot quite understand, and where prices will be a year from now has become, literally, anybody’s guess.Those uncertainties have left regulators, oil companies and suppliers worldwide uncertain whether increases in supply of declines in demand will affect prices as they have in the past. Some wonder whether the market is broken in some way, creating a bubble of artificially expensive oil, which has reached about $ 137 a barrel.“This whole industry has absolutely been turned on its head”, said Stephen Schork, who edits an energy newsletter.A major factor behind the steady price rise, virtually everyone agrees, is that energy consumption is surging in high-growth countries, and oil supplies are not growing fast enough to keep up. But what confounds many experts is that the price of oil seems to be changing much faster than the world is changing.For example, it took five years, from 2002 to 2007, for oil to go up by $ 60 a barrel. In just the last year, it galloped another $ 60 higher. For the first time since oil drilling began in the 1850s the price has climbed for seven consecutive years.Old assumptions that once helped traders foresee the direction of prices no longer seem to work. And energy experts offer radically diverse predictions.One of the guideposts that no longer seems to provide much guidance is that the price of oil any given day was usually higher than the price of oil delivered at some point in the future. But, with increasing frequency, the future price is higher than the spot price.That development usually signals concerns over future supplies, encouraging refiners to stockpile oil, which has not happened yet. It also typically signals that prices are likely to fall, and that has not happened, either.Many economists see a straightforward explanation for rising prices: Global oil supplies remain tight and there is a fear that demand will grow faster than new production for years to come.But it still does not explain why prices have risen as fast as they have.One popular theory is that a falling dollar has driven investors to commodities. But experts say that there had been little correlation between the dollar and oil prices over the last 30 years.Another theory is that energy subsidies are distorting the market. Developing countries are beginning to address that problem. Recently, China cut some of its subsidies, effectively raising the price of gasoline and diesel. But other subsidy cuts in Malaysia and India have been met with street protests.A senior executive at Inlnad Oil, a fuel retailer in Ephrata, Washington, said, “Prices are becoming completely disconnected from the real market”. (Adapted from The New York Times)VocabularyVocabulary building1. Describing changeUps and Downs

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Look at the article again. Words that describe trends have been highlighted yellow for you.The Future of Oil“As Oil Prices Surge, Theories Fall Away”People who have spent their careers tracking the ups and downs of the global oil markets say their compasses are spinning. Oil prices rise for reasons they cannot quite understand, and where prices will be a year from now has become, literally, anybody’s guess.Those uncertainties have left regulators, oil companies and suppliers worldwide uncertain whether increases in supply of declines in demand will affect prices as they have in the past. Some wonder whether the market is broken in some way, creating a bubble of artificially expensive oil, which has reached about $ 137 a barrel.“This whole industry has absolutely been turned on its head”, said Stephen Schork, who edits an energy newsletter.A major factor behind the steady price rise, virtually everyone agrees, is that energy consumption is surging in high-growth countries, and oil supplies are not growing fast enough to keep up. But what confounds many experts is that the price of oil seems to be changing much faster than the world is changing.For example, it took five years, from 2002 to 2007, for oil to go up by $ 60 a barrel. In just the last year, it galloped another $ 60 higher. For the first time since oil drilling began in the 1850s the price has climbed for seven consecutive years.Old assumptions that once helped traders foresee the direction of prices no longer seem to work. And energy experts offer radically diverse predictions.One of the guideposts that no longer seems to provide much guidance is that the price of oil any given day was usually higher than the price of oil delivered at some point in the future. But, with increasing frequency, the future price is higher than the spot price.That development usually signals concerns over future supplies, encouraging refiners to stockpile oil, which has not happened yet. It also typically signals that prices are likely to fall, and that has not happened, either.Many economists see a straightforward explanation for rising prices: Global oil supplies remain tight and there is a fear that demand will grow faster than new production for years to come.But it still does not explain why prices have risen as steadily as they have.One popular theory is that a falling dollar has driven investors to commodities. But experts say that there had been little correlation between the dollar and oil prices over the last 30 years.Another theory is that energy subsidies are distorting the market. Developing countries are beginning to address that problem. Recently, China cut some of its subsidies, effectively raising the price of gasoline and diesel. But other subsidy cuts in Malaysia and India have been met with street protests.A senior executive at Inlnad Oil, a fuel retailer in Ephrata, Washington, said, “Prices are becoming completely disconnected from the real market”.Mark the word highlighted yellow with the correct meaning:1. DownsExample: Surge > Ups1. downs2. Ups

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2. ups3. Rise3. ups4. Increases4. ups5. Fall5. downs6. In surging6. ups7. Are (not) growing7. ups8. Go up8. ups9. Has climbed9. ups10. Falling10. downs11. Will grow11. ups12. Have risen12. ups13. Declines13. down14. Rising14. upsNouns and verbsChange can be described by nouns and verbs.E.g.Verb: Oil prices rise for a number of reasons.Noun: Oil prices have registered a steady rise.Note: Verb participles can be used as adjectives.E.g.Rising oil prices worry experts.The increased prices resulted in lower sales.Fill in the blanks in the table:15. a rise16. to improve17. an increase18. to grow

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Rising No change FallingVerb Noun Verb Noun Verb Nounto rise ? to stagnate a fall

an to mantainimprovement (position) to decrease

to increase to remainstable/steady a drop

a growth to level off to go downto climb a declineto peak to slide

to surge a diveto go up to sink19. Use the verbs below to label the pictures.- fall…a- rise…b- level off…c- remain steady…d- recover…e- peak…fAdjectives and adverbsLook at the adjectives (highlighted blue) and adverbs (highlighted green) in the text you read, and complete the information below.20. Adjectives give additional information about___.20. nounsE.g. The steady price rise surprises everybody.21. Adverbs give information about___and <2>.21. verbsE.g. The prices have risen steadily. Artificially expensive oil reached $ 137 a barrel.22. Adverbs give information about<1> and___.22. adjectivesE.g. The prices have risen steadily. Artificially expensive oil reached $ 137 a barrel.Look at the graphs below and complete the description of Millenium Software’s net sales and net income.Net sales remained 23.___ at £ 17m in 1994 and 1995 and then rose 24.___ in 1996 to reach £ 21m. This was followed by further growth as sales 25.___ at £ 22m in 1997. However, as a strong pound began to affect exports to Europe, net sales fell 26.___ in 1998.23. steady24. sharply25. peaked26. slightly

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After net income 27.___by £ 0.25m in 1995, there was a strong 28.___in 1996 due to increased sales and reduced costs. This was followed by a further 29.___in net income of £ 0.7m over the next two years: it grew 30.___from £ 1.4m in 1996 to £ 2.1m in 1998.27. fell28. growth29. increase30. steadilyPrepositionsUnderline the prepositions in the previous exercise, and then complete the following sentences.31. There was a fall___operating costs.31. fromOperating costs fell 32.___£12m 33.___£10m32. from33. to34. Operating costs fell___£2m.34. by35. There was a fall___£2m.35. ofNow complete the sentences with one of the following prepositions.Last year there was a drop 36.___net sales 37.___9%.36. in37. of38. Market share increased___3%, up to 8%.38. by39. Net sales peaked___22m in 1997.39. at40. Europen sales went___4.2m to 3m.40. from41. Sales leveled off___5m in 1998.41. atCosts rose 42.___3.3m. This was a rise 43.___10%.42. by43. of44. Office software sales fell___10% in 1997.44. by45. A strong pound meant a fall___exports in 1998.45. inListeningUnderstanding spoken English – Pausing and thought groupsWhen we write, from thought groups by using grammatical units such as phrases, clauses and sentences. We separate thought groups using punctuation marks and conjunctions.

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When speaking, we use pauses to separate thought groups. Thus, using pauses in different places can give a sentence different meanings.Listen to these two sentences. Can you find the difference in meaning?(A) The teacher said, “That student is lazy.” (The teacher was speaking.)(B) “The teacher,” said that student, “is lazy.” (The student was speaking.)Now listen to the sentences and click on the one you heard.1. We have to pay John./We have to pay, John .1. We have to pay John.2. John said, “Our boss is out for lunch.”/”John”, said our boss, “is out for lunch.”2. ”John”, said our boss, “is out for lunch.”3. The CEO said, “That reporter is lying.”/”The CEO,” said that reporter, “is lying.”3. ”The CEO,” said that reporter, “is lying.”4. “Linda believes,”I said, “that Jim’s story’s true.”/Linda believes I said that Jim’s story’s true.4. Linda believes I said that Jim’s story’s true.5. He sold his house, boat and car./He sold his houseboat and car.5. He sold his houseboat and car.6. Panda is a Chinese animal that eats, shoots, and leaves./Panda is a Chinese animal that eats shoots and leaves.6. Panda is a Chinese animal that eats shoots and leaves.7. We need to see, Ms. Miller./We need to see Ms. Miller.7. We need to see, Ms. Miller.8. We wrote three-hour-long exams./We wrote three-hour-long exams.8. We wrote three-hour-long exams.Describing graphsLook at the graph showing car sales from 1991 to 2000 and listen to the sentences describing it. Are they true or false?we express our gratitude to our sponsors and supporters?9. Sales increased slightly from 1991 to 1992.9. False10. Sales decreased dramatically from 1992 to 1993.10. True11. In 1993, sales improved significantly.11. False12. Sales rose from 1993 to 1994.12. True13. Sales grew steadily from 1994 to 1997.13. True14. Sales fell sharply from 1999 to 2000.14. FalseDrawing graphsBefore listening to a report, check your knowledge of following words by matching them to their definitions:

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15. – bid…an offer to buy the shares in a company and take control of it- acquire…buy- takeover…a situation in which one company takes control of another try buying the majority of its shares- alliance…an agreement between two or more organizations to work together- dip…decrease slightly- soar…increase quickly to a high levelDescribing graphs Listen to a radio stock market report and complete the graph of Fraxis Corp’s share-price history.ReadingLook at the charts below. They show the orders for eight different companies (A-H) over three years.Which company (A-H) does each sentence (1-5) describe:1. After a sharp drop in 1999, orders recovered for twelve months and then fell again in 2001.1. f2. Orders rose sharply in 2000 but peaked at the end of the year and then leveled back to their 1999 levels.2. h3. Orders remained steady between 1999 and 2001.3. g4. The order books showed strong growth throughout the three year period.4. c5. After decreasing steadily for two years, orders finally leveled off and began revcovery in 2001.5. aThe Wall Street CrashThe stock market crash in the United States in 1929 was huge and led to a severe and lasting economic crisis in the world. Many bankers and industrialists lost their money and reputations. Some went to prison and others committed suicide.Share prices on the New York stock exchange had begun rising in 1924, and in 1928 and 1929 they rocketed to unbelievable levels. In spring 1929 there was a break in the rising prices when the Federal Reserve Bank said it might raise interest rates to slow down the boom. However, a major bank, National City Bank, assured investors that it would continue to lend money to them at affordable rates.Soon the market took off again. People could buy stock for 10% of its value and borrow the remaining 90%. The lending rate varied from 7% to 12%. Almost everyone was optimistic. One economist, at the peak of the boom, said that people generally agreed’stocks are not at present overvalued’.It all ended on 21 October, 1929. The market opened badly and there was heavy selling. Confidence in the market disappeared. There was a rumour that the big bankers were getting put of the market. Share prices fell dramatically and kept on falling. The boom was over. But its consequences would last for years to come.Find words or phrases in the text which are similar in meaning to the definitions below:6. a powerful business person controlling lagre companies6. industrialist7. went up very fast

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7. rocketed8. a change for a short period8. break9. became very active9. took off10. highest point10. peak11. sold at too high a price11. overvalued12. selling all of their shares12. getting out of the marketIII Grammar reminderRead the article about a retailer and choose the correct word to fill each gap:Hocking, the High Street retailer, yesterday published figures indicating a 13.___in sales for the first month of the year. This pleased the company’s shareholders, who 14.___had a difficult time since last year. The news was not all good, 15.___.Sales at Hocking’s sister company, Hocking’s Pharmacy, were disappointing, improving 16.___only 0.7 per cent during the period.James Bowen, the company chairman,, said, ‘The retail climate is improving 17.___. Our retail business found that trading conditions were 18.___in April, very poor in May, then improved considerably in June, with this improvement continuing in July. Operating costs are growing more slowly 19.___sales, so our profit forecasts for the rest of the year are good.’ The company said that it will install customer computer kiosks in more then 250 stores by Christmas, after sales 20.___by 5 per cent during a trial period in 21.___than 20 stores in the north of England. These computer kiosks allow specially targeted discounts and promotions to be 22.___to individual customers.13. recovery14. have15. however16. by17. slowly18. reasonable19. than20. rose21. more22. offeredWritingPresentation slidesRead the two presentation slides. Which is the better way of presenting the information?Side AGuidelines for slidesYou shouldn’t use more slides than necessary: one or two per minute of your presentation will be enough. Don’t present information in sentences and paragraphs, divide it up into individual points. Try not to present more than six points on one slide. You should reduce text to keywords and phrases: try to

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have no more than six words per line. Don’t forget, a graph or chart is much easier to understand than a text.Side BGuidelines for slides- 1-2 slides per minute of presentation- Information in points, not complete sentences- Maximum six points per slide- Reduce to key words and phrases- Maximum six words for each point- Graphs and visuals wherever possible1. Which is the better way of presenting the information?1. Slide B2. Click on the key words in each extract to include on a slide about writing presentations.2. One of the most challenging aspects of writing a presentation is the need to organize the information in a logical way.3. Click on the key words in each extract to include on a slide about writing presentations.3. Choose attractive background and text colors that are comfortable for the audience to read.4. Click on the key words in each extract to include on a slide about writing presentations.4. Presentation software can be fun to use. Be creative, but do not include too many effects which may distract your audience from your content.5. Click on the key words in each extract to include on a slide about writing presentations.5. Make sure the text is large enough that the audience can read it easily from the back of the room. Also, use a standard font that is not too complicated or distracted.6. Click on the key words in each extract to include on a slide about writing presentations.6. Use positive statements like ‘The figures show…’ rather than vague language like ‘The data could possibly suggest…’.Causes and effectsA cause is something that makes something else happen. Out of two events, it is the event that happens first. To determine the cause, ask the question “Why did it happen?”An effect is what happens as a result of the cause. Of two related events, it’s the one that happens second or last. To determine the effect, ask the question “What happened?”Look at the following pairs of events:Cause EffectOil prices are rising. Experts are worried.Energy consumption is high. Oil prices are rising.The company cut its production costs. The profits increased.The price of raw materials went down. The company managed to cut its production costs.The cause and effect are linked with connecting words. Examples of connecting words are:because, because of, so, consequently, therefore, hence, due to, thanks to, owing to, since, as a result, as a result of, as a consequence, as a consequence of, thus, that is whyMove these expressions into the appropriate column: one for those that introduce causes, and one for those that introduce effects (results).

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7. – because… introduces cause- as a result… introduces effect8. – thanks to…introduces cause- so…introduces effect9. – because of… introduces cause- consequently… introduces effect10. – due to… introduces cause- therefore… introduces effect11. – since… introduces cause- as a consequence… introduces effect12. – as a result of… introduces cause- thus… introduces effect13. – as a consequence of… introduces cause- for this reason… introduces effect14. – owing to… introduces cause- hence… introduces effectThese connecting words belong to different parts of speech and are thus used in different ways. Look at the chart to see how.Adverbs (followed by a clause) because since Our sales rose because we introduced

a few new products.Prepositions (followed by a because of Our sales rose because of the introduction ofnoun or a noun phrase) due to new products.

thanks toowing toas a consequenceofas a result of

Connectors (connect two so far We introduced a few new products, so our salesindependent clauses) rose. Sentence Transitions (used Therefore. We introduced a few new products. Therefore, in the beginning of the next Consequently, our sales rose.sentence, followed by a Thus Hence.comma) For this reason. As

a result15. – There was a considerable improvement in the company’s image…/- JTL Holding’s Brazilian subsidiary went bankrupt:…/- The company enjoyed moderate growth…/- After the merger, our profitability will improve significantly…/

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- Due to lower labour costs,…profits will grow dramatically.- They saw a slight increase in sales…as a consequence of their diversification into new markets.- Share prices went up sharply…because of excellent third quarter results.- We plan to acquire new technology;…/

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WEEK 6 – MOCK-UP TESTReadingPart oneQuestions 1-5Look at questions 1-5.In each question, which sentence is correct?For each question, choose the correct answer, A, B, or C.1. We guarantee delivery to your door within 24 hours, if the goods are in stock.1. Goods are delivered next day, depending on availability.2. Fashion MasterIndia-based manufacturer of fashion items wishing to do business in Europe is looking for importers.Fashion Master wants to:2. sell its products abroad.3. Telephone messageSue Giles missed 8.30 flight – due here 12.30, not 11.30.When is Sue Giles expected to arrive?3. 8.304. SchrodersSpecial Offer on photocopier rentals.First 3000 copies free. After that each copy costs just 3p.4. For the first 3000 copies, Schroders make no charge.5. Telephone interviewers wanted$ 7.50 an hour. Experience an advantage. Paid training provided.Immediate availability essential. Call 416-9327764 now.Applicants for the above job:5. must be able to start work straightaway.Part 2Look at the business advertisements below, and choose which company each person needs to consult.6. A human resources manager has to urgently find an executive secretary for the Managing Director.6. Pronto Secretarial Services-Office tasks quickly completed.7. A marketing director requires five hundred leaflets to promote a new product.7. Rapidprint-For all your printing needs.8. A publishing company wants to select a computer course for new staff.8. In Trainers-Leaders in the training field9. The sales manager of a software company has to arrange several trips abroad for her staff.9. Thorn’s travel agency-Experts in foreign business travel.Part 3Look at the chart below. It shows a retail store’s income, total expenditure and advertising costs over an eight-month period. Which month (A-H) does each sentence describe?10. In this month, total expenditure, like income, showed a fall, while spending on advertising demonstrated the opposite trend.10. February

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11. Total expenditure rose slightly in this month, while advertising costs reached their peak, leading to a higher income in the following month.11. June12. Despite a decline in advertising costs in this month, expenditure as a whole rose.12. July13. This month’s improvement in income was particularly welcome, as it was not matched by an increase in expenditures.13. August14. While this month a low point in the restaurant’s income, expenditures continued to fall.14. MayPart 4Read the article about a hair products business. Are sentences about the article True or False? If there is not enough information for you to decide, choose ‘Doesn’t say’.Louise Wood’s Success StoryThree years ago, Louise Wood set up her own hair products company. She soon found she had more orders than she could handle by herself, and now employs ten people. Her turnover last year was $ 5.8 million.‘I used to work as a rep, selling hair products to people like famous hairdressers. One day someone suggested to me that I should make and sell similar products myself, and I thought, “Why not?”’‘Before I started, I thought running my own business would be similar to my previous job, but straight away I had problems I’d never dealt with before. I’m glad I took the risk, though.‘I’ve always insisted on 90 days’credit to make the company self- supporting, without huge loans from banks. Luckily my manufacturers agreed!’Louise uses local suppliers and expects them to come to her if they want to do business with her. ‘I rarely leave the office and try to fit everything into normal working hours. I’m no good at working late.’So what are Louise’s plans now?‘My friends predicted I wouldn’t keep this business for long as I’m always having new business ideas, but at the moment I want to see this project through.’15. Louise Wood recruited her staff as soon as she set up her business.15. False16. As a rep, Louise enjoyed meeting famous hairdressers.16. Doesn’t say17. Louise’s first few months of business were less difficult than she had expected.17. False18. Her suppliers have complained about having meetings at her office.18. Doesn’t say19. Louise regularly works overtime.19. False20. Louise feels committed to this business for the present.20. TruePart 5

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Read the text below, which is part of the annual report of a retail company called Bennets. Its customers order goods from catalogues and collect them from the company’s stores.It is true that this has been a difficult year, with a fall in trading profits, largely resulting from weaker consumer spending, but not helped by disappointing productivity levels in the stores. It is also a cause of worry that production costs are continuing to rise. However, changes in the way we deliver to stores have led to considerable savings.With the aim of improving customer service and shopping convenience, we have introduced a number of new services in the last twelve months. Shopping over the Internet was added to the existing telephone ordering facility, and the early response to this has been good. In stores, there are now information screens for customers to check availability of goods they want to purchase. Together with other existing systems, which reduce queues and tell customers when their orders are ready for collection, this is giving positive results.Another change has been the replacement of the Traditional and Modern catalogues with a single catalogue. As a result, customers who use the Modern Catalogue now have over 30% more products to choose from, although we have dropped the less popular lines. Annual printing costs already show the benefit of this move, and sales are expected to start growing within the next year.We have to change our plans for the coming year. It is clear that shoppers expect staff in stores to be both friendly and efficient. A major programme to raise standards will be introduced at once, while the planned improvements to store facilities will be delayed for twelve months. The proposed interactive TV shopping service will not now go ahead, and neither will the planned redevelopment of the corporate headquarters.Bennetts is changing fast, and we are confident that the newly appointed members of the management team will help us to improve sales within the next twelve months even if, as expected, there is no recovery in economic climate. Our aim is to spend this time making sure that the company is as efficient as possible, and to delay our strategy of considering mergers and takeovers.Choose the correct answers to questions to questions about the text.21. In the last year Bennetts has21. opened a number of new stores.22. One improvement in the last year is that Bennetts has managed to 22. reduce distribution costs.23. As a result of developments in the last year, customers can now23. collect their orders without queuing in stores.24. Replacing two catalogues with one has meant that24. the catalogue has now become cheaper to produce25. Bennetts’main aim for the next year is to improve25. customer service in stores.26. Bennetts is hopeful about the future because26. it has made changes to its management team.Part 6Read the article about a sportswear company and choose the correct word to fill each gap.How to answer.

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Each car in our fabric___1(make) by hand, so every car___2(purpose) to every one customer specifically. (is made, is purposed)Read the article about a sportswear company and choose the correct word to fill each gap.27. Tony Pearson was appointed to the board of Greens, the sportswear company, as Chief Executive Officer nine months ago.He has___(taken, passed, spent) almost 27 years in clothes retailing, previously___(held, holding, holds) a senior position with Munroes, a company with as___(much, most, many) as 300 retail outlets across the UK.27. spent, holding, many28. Pearson is responsible for the company’s latest five-year plan. His general strategy has been to increase profits by expanding Greens’ product___(variety, range, collection), and so far the policy has worked. Stores___(have, should, ought) report a sales growth___(in, till, of) about 20% this year.28. range, should, of29. Thirty-five more stores___(have, were, did) redesigned in the current year___(at, from, by) a cost of $ 23 million. In addition, ten new stores are expected to open___(another, any, each) year for the next three of four years. Two of___(these, they, them) new stores will be outside the UK. Mr. Pearson says the company___(ever, too, also) intends to increase the___(number, figure, sum) of distribution centers, and improve customer services.29. were, at, another, these, also, numberPart 7Read the memo and note below and complete the claim form.To: Barbara SinclairFrom: Peter RogersDate: 14 June 2008Subject: Insurance ClaimCould you deal with this? it’s our insurance claim, for the damage at the weekend. The insurance policy is in my name, and we bought the carpet for $ 300, although it will cost at least $ 500 to replace. Luckily our office carpets seem fine. ThanksPart 8Read the memo and note below and complete the claim form.Owen Smith insurance companywith compliments_____________Thank you for your recent phone call regarding flood damage in your photocopy room.Could you please complete the attached form and return it to me as soon as possible.John MartinFill in the blank to complete the claim form.

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Insurance claimName of policy holderPolicy number LD4757093CItem(s) to be replacedLocation of item(s)Value when purchasedCause of damageDate of damage Sunday, 3 June, 200830. Name of policy holder:30. Peter Rogers31. Item(s) to be replaced:31. a carpet32. Location of item(s):32. photocopy room33. Value when purchased:33. $30034. Cause of damage:34. floodWritingCommon mistakes You are going to see the next from three e-mails that contain words which can often be confused.In each e-mail, select the most appropriate word.How to answerI am writing with___to our telephone conversation this morning about year order 7895LG. I must___for the delay in processing this order. I can now confirm that the goods have been shipped and should___you within 10 working days. We have taken special___to make sure that the items are exactly as you requested. Once again, please___our apologies. If you have any further questions, do not___to contact me again.connection reference regarding/regret apologise sorry/reach arrive deliver/care attention caution/take have accept/stop fail hesitateThis guide shows you how to answer on next fill in questions. Enter only one from which you think is correct into fill in box. Separate each answer by comma, as in video.1. Email 1I am writing with___to our telephone conversation this morning about your order 7895LG. I must___for the delay in processing this order. I can now confirm that the goods have been shipped and should___you within 10 working days. We have taken special___to make sure that the items are exactly as you requested. Once again, please___our apologies. If you have any further questions, do not___to contact me again.1. reference, apologise, reach, care, accept, hesitate2. Email 2I was___to hear about the damage to the products you have received this morning. However, I am___that we cannot___responsibility in this___. All our products are___very carefully before leaving

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the factory, and the damage in this case must have been caused in transit. I___that you contact the shipping company directly about possible compensation. In the meantime, we can ship the same order to you again, if it would help. If you give us a firm instruction to do so___the next few days, it should reach you___the end of the month.2. sorry, afraid, accept, matter, checked, suggest, within, by3. Email 3I am writing to you___the meeting that we___for this Friday. I am afraid something urgent has come up and I will not be able to attend. Can we___the meeting until next week? I can make any time Wednesday or Thursday. I apologise for any___this may cause, and I___to___from you.3. concerning, arranged, postpone, inconvenience, look forward, hearing

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