ROMÂNIA MINISTERUL EDUCAŢIEI,

CERCETĂRII, TINERETULUI ŞI
SPORTULUI UNIVERSITATEA
„VASILE ALECSANDRI” DIN BACĂU

FACULTATEA DE ŞTIINŢE ECONOMICE

Str. Spiru Haret, nr. 8, Bacău, 600114

Tel. ++40-234-542411, tel./ fax ++40-234-516345 www.ub.ro;

e-mail: [email protected]

ENGLISH FOR ACCOUNTING AND BUSINESS

ADMINISTRATION

Lector.dr. Culea Mihaela

Lector.dr. Galiţa Raluca

Bacău

2012
REFERENŢI:

Conf.univ.dr. Elena Bonta

Lector dr. Nadia Morăraşu

Descrierea CIP a Bibliotecii Naţionale a României

CULEA, MIHAELA
English for accounting and business administration / Culea Mihaela, Galiţă
Raluca ; referenţi şt.: conf. univ. dr. Bonta Elena, lect. univ. dr. Morăraşu Nadia
Nicoleta. - Bacău : Alma Mater, 2012
ISBN 978-606-527-229-3

I. Galiţă, Raluca
II. Bonta, Elena
II. Morăraşu, Nadia Nicoleta

811.111:657

CONTENTS

FOREWORD 5

QUICK PLACEMENT TEST 7

UNIT 1. MAKING NEW CONTACTS AND SOCIALIZING 13

UNIT 2. COMPANY STRUCTURE, TYPES AND ACTIVITIES 25

UNIT 3. MOTIVATION, COMPETITION AND PERFORMANCE 38

UNIT 4. TIME MANAGEMENT 51

UNIT 5. COMMUNICATION AT WORK 62

UNIT 6. SPENDING AND SAVING MONEY 75

UNIT.7 FINDING A JOB. JOBS AND CAREERS. RECRUITMENT 89

UNIT 8. STARTING A BUSINESS 101

UNIT 9. BUSINESS TRAVEL AND COMMUTING 112

UNIT 10. BUSINESS AND GENDER. BUSINESS AND AGE 125

UNIT 11. TAKEOVERS AND MERGERS 136

UNIT 12. WORKING FROM HOME 147

UNIT 13. E-COMMERCE 157

UNIT 14: REVISION TEST 169

APPENDIX 175

BIBLIOGRAPHY 181

3
4
 Foreword

This course is meant to be a resource pack and a study tool for students in economic
sciences who are familiar with the English language at an intermediate level. It aims at enriching
students’ knowledge of economic matters and at improving their language skills by adapting and
contextualizing the theoretical and practical aspects for language study to the themes specific to
accounting and business administration. Thus, the set of lectures offers students the possibility to
practice in English the specialized vocabulary introduced by the economic disciplines. This way,
students consolidate their knowledge of economic issues while enriching their knowledge of
English.

The main objectives of this course are:

Acquiring and understanding concepts, theories and methods specific to accounting,

economic-financial analysis and business administration in the English language

Acquiring specific language skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing

Using the basic knowledge for the description, explanation, interpretation and analysis of
economic phenomena

Using English in various socio-professional contexts

Operating with economic concepts introduced by the specialized disciplines from the
syllabus

Performing comparative evaluation of some principles and basic methods for the analysis
of specific economic phenomena

The specific competencies targeted at are:

- developing/improving the fluent reading of texts in English
- developing/improving listening and speaking skills
- developing/improving grammar skills
- developing/improving writing skills
- developing/improving vocabulary for specific purposes
- promoting integration and coordination of different skills and subject areas
- enhancing critical thinking
- developing capacities for systematization
- raising students’ awareness of concepts and phenomena specific to accounting and
business administration
- encouraging research in English.
The textbook is structured on 14 units dealing with both general and specific topics related
to accounting, economic-financial analysis and business administration, such as: Making new
contacts and socializing; Company structure, types and activities; Motivation, competition and
performance; Time management; Communication at work; Spending and saving money; Finding a
job, careers and recruitment; Starting a business; Business travel and commuting; Business and
gender issues; Takeovers and mergers; E-commerce etc. The Quick placement test preceding the

5
first unit aims at identifying students’ level of English, while the last chapter (Revision test)
assesses students’ knowledge after studying the previous 13 units proposed by this course.
Each unit engages students in a wide range of activities and exercises and is structured on
the following pattern: I. Lead-in discussion; II. Reading and comprehension; III. Communication
skills; IV. Language study (IV.1. Grammar practice and IV.2. Vocabulary practice); V. Writing
practice.
The bibliographical references are based on various up-to-date resources, including
specialized books, English for economics students, articles from economic newspapers, interviews
or reports, websites or case studies.
The course represents a very useful tool for students beginning undergraduate courses
with an economics focus, especially in accounting and business administration areas.

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 QUICK PLACEMENT TEST
Grammar and vocabulary
You have 25 minutes. Complete as much of the test as you can. Complete the sentences with
answer a, b, c or d. See the example. 7 I’m afraid I can’t _____ the
meeting at three.
Example: a to make b
A: Are you Mr Jensen? made c
B: Yes, I a. make d
a am making
b ’m not c do d are
8 He _____ in when I rang.
1 A: Is this the right place for British a wasn’t b
Airways? isn’t c
B: Yes, it _____. weren’t d
a isn’t b are didn’t
c is it d
is 9 Henry _____ school at fifteen.
a has left b
2 Roger is _____ Switzerland. a leave c left
with b from c d leaved
not d a
10 A: When _____ he phone?
3 A: Do you smoke? B: At around three.
B: No, I _____. a was b
a don’t b ’m time c
not c not did d do
d doesn’t 11

4 A: _____ does he work? How

B: In a hospital. _____
a Why b When time off
c What d do you
Where get a
year?
5 How _____ do they play golf? a many b
a usually b much c any d
every c often d some
time
12 It’s hotter today _____ yesterday.
6 Are there _____ messages for me? a as b the c
a got b any c a d have more d than

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13 I go to work _____ foot. 21 Who _____ the first e-mail?
a by b to c a did send b did
on d from happen c sent d
was sent
14 I _____ on an important project
at the moment. a going to work b 22 I’ll _____ with the e-mail straight
worked c work d ’m away.
working a send b
deal c go
15 I _____ the report yet. I need a d write
couple more hours. a didn’t finish
b don’t finish c haven’t finished 23 It’s the _____ meal I’ve ever eaten!
d ’m not finishing a expensive than b
more expensive c
16 I _____ a profit this year. expensivest
a set up b d most expensive
made c did d
ran 24 I’ll have breakfast sent _____ to
your room.
17 A: Can I have extension 315? a up
B: I’ll just _____ you through. b out of c in d
a put b connect at
c call d play 25 Prices have remained _____ in the
first quarter.
a increase b
stable c
18 Could I _____ a message? a same
speak b leave c d steadily
tell d say
26 I’m writing to _____ the refund
19 A: What’s he like? for damaged goods. a claim b
B: He _____ a works tackle c take d book
for the National Bank of Poland.
b ’s the Public Relations 27 35,000 people _____ in the last
Manager. c ’s a nice man. d five years.
plays golf. a were been laid
off b lay off c
20 A: How do you do? are laid off
B: _____ a d have been laid off
Pleased to meet
you. b I’m pleased 28 It cost one hundred euros! What a
too. c Nice to have met complete _____ of money. a invest
you. d Good to see b spent c waste d lot
you too.

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29 He _____ me that he was happy in Didn’t you hear? d Aren’t
his new department. a said b told c you hearing?
speak d asked
37 Let’s move _____ to the next
30 We _____ less time travelling, if we point of my presentation.
worked from home. a about b
a spend b ’d up c for d
spend c would on
spent
d are spending 38 I’m sorry, but can I just _____ in
here?
31 Does the conference centre have a come
internet _____? b interrupt c move d
a access b speak
location c
centre d 39 So, let’s sum _____ what we’ve
transfer 32 discussed so far.
Sorry, a about b up
I didn’t c with d for
_____ that.
Could you 40 I _____ from you. a look
say it again? forward to hear b looking
a not with b forwards to hearing c look
explain c forward to hearing
catch d miss d look forwards for hearing

33 Would you mind _____ , please? 41 How are things _____ you? a
a not to smoke with b to c at a of
b not smoking
c didn’t 42 I think it’s _____ of fish with
smoking cream and white wine.
d if not smoking a kind b
made c like
34 You _____ be tired after your long d sort
journey.
a can b 43 I’m sorry for the _____ in getting
let c must back to you with the quote.
d ought a wait b
hold c late d
35 I agree with you up to a delay
_____. a question b position
c point d view 44 I suggested _____ the whole thing
forward by a week. a bringing b
36 _____ I thought everyone to bring c that bring d we
knew. a Won’t you hear? b bringing
Haven’t you heard? c

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45 With _____ I think that’s a little too
low.
a frank b respect c
honesty d
unfortunately 46
_____ no see.
You haven’t changed
a bit!
a Long time b
Long wait c
Long listen d
Long view

47 Are you saying they’ve fallen _____

of projections again?
a down b
decrease c
short d
rapidly

48 It was a very _____ meeting in the

end.
a achievement b
smoothly c
success
d fruitful

49 I’ve just _____ a job with Bill Gates!

a landed b
run c set d
caught

50 Can I get hold _____ the organisers?

a to b
of c for
d up

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Scoring:
1-14 Elementary
15-29 Pre-intermediate
30-44 Intermediate
45 + Upper Intermediate

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12
 UNIT 1. MAKING NEW CONTACTS AND SOCIALIZING

I.LEAD IN DISCUSSION
1. How important is learning English for you?

2. Which are the reasons that make you want to learn English? Which of the skills
below would you like/do you need to improve and why?
e.g. improving my vocabulary reading more easily understanding spoken
communication making less grammar mistakes improving my listening abilities
writing without using a dictionary so much speaking more fluently

3. In which situations have you used English so far?

4. When was the last time you made a new contact at work/at the university?

5. Do you also mix socially with the people you work with? How?

6. When was the last time you attended an office party/conference/teambuilding

activity? In what ways can meeting new people be good for yourself or your
business/the business you are in?

II.READING AND COMPREHENSION

1
Read the following conversation taking place at a corporate event and then answer the
questions below:
A: Hi, mind if I join you?
B: Er, not at all. Be my guest.
A: If they are going to play Rule Britannia again I think I’ll scream...
B: But I thought you Americans liked all that traditional British stuff.
A: Well, you know what they say, sometimes you can have too much of a good thing. So I
thought I’d come out here and enjoy this spectacular view. I must say, though, it was an
excellent dinner. Oysters, sea food, champagne...I hadn’t expected that much, you know...
B: You know the Japanese care a lot about these things...
A: Mmm, fabulous ship, too.
B: Yes, isn’t it? I’m Jim McPherson, by the way. Biotronic, engineering division.
A: Hello, Jim. I’m ...

1 Adapted from Powell, Mark, In Company, Upper Intermediate Student’s Book, Macmillan, Oxford, 2004, p. 140.

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B: Helen Keting. Exxon Mobil.
A: Yes, how did you...oh...? Have we met somewhere before?
B: We have indeed, but I obviously did not manage to make much of an impression... A: Wait a
minute... It’s not like me to forget a face. I remember now – Philadelphia. The Petrochemicals
conference. I thought I recognized you!
B: As a matter of fact, we even had dinner together.
A: You must be kidding! I can’t have forgotten that, you know?
B: Well, actually, there were a lot of us in the group. At least twenty, so I don’t think we even
got the chance to speak to each other.
A: Aha. Yes, it’s all coming back to me now. I seem to remember spending most of the evening
fighting off some creepy little guy called Peter...
B: Peter Smith. He’s my boss.
A: Oops! I am sorry. I didn’t mean to sound rude...
B: Don’t worry, he’s not one of my favourite persons, either. Anyway, Helen, it looks like we’ve
got the best part of the Royal Yacht to ourselves this evening. Shall we return to our seats or....
how about something to drink? And there’s plenty of caviar left...
A: Ok, why not? I’ll have a glass of Chardonnay for now. Oh, look, the fireworks are starting!
B: So they are. I’ll be right back and we’ll enjoy the view.
1. Where exactly are the two speakers?

2. What topics do the participants speak about?

3. Have the speakers met before?

4. What nationalities are they? What other nationalities does the text mention?

5. Do they manage to communicate effectively? How would you describe the

relationship they establish along the conversation?
e.g. warm cordial amicable
tense frosty intimate

III.COMMUNICATION SKILLS
1. How many expressions do you know in English which are used when meeting someone/
being introduced to someone? Write them down.

2. Now imagine the following situation: you are attending a business meeting where you
don’t know too many people. Before the meeting starts, you are chatting for a few minutes,
introducing yourself to the others. Work in pairs or groups.
Useful expressions:

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Introducing yourself
Hello, my name is …
Hello, let me introduce myself, I’m ..
I’m from …
I work for …
I’m a (title) for (name of the company)
I’m in charge of …
My job is to …
Making acquaintance
How do you do!
I’m (very) pleased/delighted to meet you!
It’s (very) nice to meet you!
Nice to meet you!
Pleased to meet you! Getting
to know the others What is
your name?
Where are you from?
Who do you work for?
Where is your company based?
What (exactly) do you do?/What’s your job?/What does your job involve?
How many employees does your company have?

3. Use the following conversation starters with another student so as to keep up a short
conversation:
an event How are you enjoying ...?
Are you enjoying it, by the way?
Do you find ... interesting?
work and the workplace How’s business?
I hear...
I know you work in (domain)..., isn’t that right?
the economy I see the economic situation is getting better/worse.
They say inflation is rising dramatically...
Investments have deteriorated recently...
The economic crisis is raging across the world...
holidays I have just returned from....It was great!
So, how was your holiday?
I have heard you’ve just returned from…How was it?
I was planning to go to...
Have you been on holiday this year?
mutual friends/acquaintances I suppose you know/you’ve met...
Do you know..., by the way?
He/She is very...., isn’t he/she?
Have you heard of… lately?
recent news They say...

15
 It is ..., isn’t it?
Have you heard about…?
sports Are you into sport?
What’s your favourite team?
Did you see the game last night?
Do you think... will win the championship?
gadgets I’m really fascinated by/with everything that’s new.
Have you seen that new...?
I’ve heard Sony has launched…
I adore small electronic stuff, but I wonder if they’re any
good…
the weather Isn’t this weather…(awful/great/surprising)?
This rain/snow/heat is absolutely terrible!
I heard the weather here can be…
We’ve certainly had better days…
food Shall we get ourselves anything from the buffet?
How about some...?
Shall I get you some...?
Do you fancy something to drink?
How about another drink?

4. Generally speaking, the topics above are also called safe topics. On the other hand, when
meeting someone there are themes which are not safe or taboo because they might be
offensive or too intimate. Imagine someone you have just met starts discussing about one of
these topics. Starting from the following examples, try to keep up the conversation
amicably.
e.g. political interests intimate affairs
religion racial issues
family gender issues

IV.LANGUAGE STUDY
IV.1 GRAMMAR PRACTICE
Present Simple
FORM

The pattern, followed by all verbs (except the verb to be and the modals) is:

Affirmative Negative Interrogative

I/you/we/they work I/you/we/they do not (don't) Do I/you/we/they work?

He/she/it works* work. Does he/she/it work?**
He/she/it does not
(doesn't)** work.

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TO BE Affirmative Negative Interrogative
I am I am not Am I?
He/she/it is He/she/it is not (isn’t) Is he/she/it?
We/you/they are We/you/they are not (aren’t) Are we/you/they?

TO HAVE Affirmative Negative Interrogative

I/you/we/they have I/you/we/they have not Have I/you/we/they? (Do
He/she/it has (haven’t/ don’t have) I/you/we/they
He/she/it has not have?) Has
(hasn’t/doesn’t have) he/she/it?(Does
he/she/it have?)

* All verbs (except modals) must end in –(e)s in the third person singular affirmative. A
common mistake is to forget to put the –(e)s ending at IIIrd person singular (on the he/she/it
forms):

WRONG: Tom work in the Accounts department.

RIGHT: Tom works in the Accounts department.

** For the negative and interrogative forms, the –(e)s ending is added to the auxiliary (do),
and not to the main verb (work):
WRONG: Tom doesn't works in the Accounts department. RIGHT:
Tom doesn't work in the Accounts department.

USES

The present simple is used to refer to: Example:

actions and situations that are generally or Microsoft is one of the largest companies in
permanently true: the world.

routines and regular activities: We talk to our sales representatives every

day.

scientific or other facts: Conventionally a computer automatically

carries out a sequence of arithmetic or logical
operations.

programmes and timetables (in this case it The flight to London is at 4 o’clock tomorrow.
has a future time reference):

Exercises
1. Underline the correct form:
1. He don’t know/doesn’t know why the contract hasn’t been signed.

17
2. You often travel/Do you often travel abroad on business trips?
3. She always pay/pays the invoice on time.
4. We not sign/don’t sign any contract before we talk to the lawyers.
5. They usually work/works a lot.

2. Write sentences using the present simple:

1. who / go /to the meeting?

2. he / not/ be / fluent in English

3. Judy Garner / work / in purchasing

4. she / live / in Australia

5. your company / supply / technical products?

6. you/ work / on Saturdays?

7. they / not / sell / computers

8. my boss / not / speak English

9. what / you / do?

10. what languages / she / speak?

3. Ask for the bold part of the sentence.

1. Our factory produces bottles.

2. Our new customer comes from Switzerland.

3. They usually hold the meeting in the conference room.

4. Michael works as an accountant.

5. I fly to Madrid on Monday.

6. We go to Paris to negotiate a contract.

7. Jim checks our computers twice a month.

8. A stock broker buys and sells stocks and shares.

18
9. David replies to emails every day.

10. Peter goes to Spain this week.

4. Answer the following questions, using the present simple.

1. How do you get to classes/work in the morning?

2. How long does it take to get to classes/work?

3. What do you do in the mornings?

4. What do you do for lunch?

5. What do you do in the afternoons?

6. What time do you usually finish?

7. What do you do at the weekends?

5. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form:

Businesses (be) run for profit; without it they (not survive). Profit (be) generated by selling a
product or service for more than the total cost of making or buying it. The more a company
(sell), the more profit it (make). Measuring the exact amount of profit, however, (be not) easy.
Measuring profit (be) the main purpose of accounting. As well as measuring profit, accounting
also (measure) the amount of capital invested in a business. Accounting (keep) a record of all
the different types of assets a business (own).

6. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form:

Business Reporter: Thank you for taking the time to meet with me today.
Manager: It (be) my pleasure.
Business Reporter: Who you (work) for?
Manager: I (work) for Springco.
Business Reporter: What Springco (do)?
Manager: Springco (distribute) health products throughout the United States.
Business Reporter: Where the company (be) based?
Manager: Springco (be) located in Vermont.
Business Reporter: your company (be) public?
Manager: No, we (be) a privately held company. 2

7. Write three sentences about what happens in you company/school/university,

using these adverbs: quite often, at least three times a week, never.

2 Adapted from http://esl.about.com/od/beginningreadingskills/a/d_wered.htm, accessed April 24, 2012.

19
1. 2.
3.

8. Use question words like who, what, where, when, why, how and translate the questions
below:
1. Cum ma conectez la reteaua de Internet?

2. Ce produce firma la care lucrezi ?

3. Cu cine doriti sa vorbiti ?

4. Cand luati pauza de masa ?

5. De ce nu mai functioneaza masina de eliberat bilete ?

6. Unde se afla departamentul de marketing ?

9. Use there is/ there isn’t or there are/ there aren’t and make sentences about the following
facilities related to the workplace:
1. good transportation to work – yes

2. conference centre in the building – no

3. canteen on the premises– yes

4. car park for staff – no

5. wireless Internet connection – yes

10. Make questions for the same information in exercise 9.

1.
2. 3.
4.
5.

IV.2. VOCABULARY PRACTICE

1. Fill in the gaps so as to form useful phrases in making conversation. They were all used in
the conversation from the Reading section:
1. ............................................if I join you?
2. Not at all. ..............................my guest.
3. I’m Jim McPherson, ...............................................
4. Have we ........................................................before?
5. I thought I ..................................................you.

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6. It’s all ....................................................................to me now.
7. Shall we...............................................................?
8. How about..........................................................?

2. Rearrange the following words so as to make correct sentences:

1. believe – to be involved – company’ s - I – your – about – in a merger.

2. I – as a matter – before – think – of - we’ve met – fact.

3. Dan – call – please – me.

4. meet – last – to – both – pleasure – at – a – you

5. John – calling – me – mind – do – don’t – you – you – you?

6. excuse – would – me – you – a moment?

7. will – catch – you – later – I.

8. you – enjoying – are - the – conference – how?

9. nice – you – it’s – been – talking – to.

10. this – isn’t – awful – weather?

3. Study the following expressions which can be used when exchanging opinions or gossiping
at a public event and then fill in the gaps below: at a loss for words unable to think of
anything to say in the soup in trouble food for thought sth. to ponder about to whet one’s
appetite to make sbd. want to experience/taste more of sth. to pull a few strings to use
influence and connections to accomplish sth. sour grapes bitterness because of jealousy to go
downhill to get worse in status/health etc. touch and go dangerous, risky and uncertain in
nature or result a dead end sth. which has no future to keep one’s head above water to
survive despite financial difficulties

1. Unfortunately, she told me that her business had reached .....................................and

they would have to close it.
2. Maria was certainly unqualified for the position but it was ................................... for her
to criticize the management.
3. The latest economic difficulties in the euro zone have certainly given many politicians
and economists plenty of ......................................................... concerning the future.
4. After the embezzlement situation he really felt...................................................
5. When she was asked about the missing funds she was simply...............................
6. Seeing that film really ....................................................................for romantic stories.
7. Of course James did not have the qualifications for the post, but he just

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......................................... and got it.
8. Since the senior editor left the team, the newspaper’s sales ..................................
9. Choosing to go international was a rather ..............................................decision for the
brand.
10. They are not sure how long they will still manage to .........................................
considering the economic situation.

4. Form another word from the one given so as to complete the sentences below:
SOCIALIZE ..............................................at public events is vital for companies as well as for
individuals in general.
RESPECT Looking at someone for a long time may be considered ............
ECONOMY The entire Europe suffers from the effects of severe...........................
deterioration.
DIFFER Cultural ............................................ should be respected rather than denigrated.
ASSIST Mr. Ishida, let me introduce you to my personal ........................

5. Make up sentences which are suitable to use in the following situations:

1. Welcome a visitor, Mr. Parks

2. Introduce your partner to someone

3. Asking about the journey/flight to your town

4. Offering help with the luggage

5. Asking for help with information about transportation

6. Introduce yourself before a speech

7. Introduce someone to the public

8. Ask if the visitor is for the first time in Romania

9. Ask if the visitor has a room booked at a hotel

10. Offering a drink to the visitor

11. Ask how far it is to the station

12. Show visitor to the fax machine

13. Offer to show the town

14. Decline the offer to be driven to the hotel; you prefer a taxi

22
15. Accept offer to go out to dinner.

V.WRITING PRACTICE
1. Follow-up activity
You must attend a business conference in Krakow next week and you need some help from
a business partner who lives there. Use the following phrases 3 and write an email. There is
one thing I need…. Could you help me arrange a drive to…?
Could you get me… Can you recommend a good restaurant?
Could you book me a taxi/hotel…? I’d need someone to show me where the
conference venue is…
2. Writing Formal/Business Letters
The elements of a letter
a) The date (left corner up)
- D-M-Y (BrE): 14 April 2012
- M-D-Y (AmE): April 14th 2012
b) The heading (left corner up)
- the identity of the sender
– the name, title and address of the recipient
- Mrs Mary Stewart,
Managing Director,
Spot Cleaning
Services, 72 North
Street, Leeds.
c) Salutation Dear Mr(s). X
Dear Customer
Dear Client
Dear Colleague
d) Body of the letter
Beginning
I was delighted to receive your letter about ...
I was very sorry to see from your letter that ...
Thank you for taking the trouble to write and tell me about ...
I was concerned to read your letter and to see that you have been having
problems with ...
I have thought carefully about the points you raised in your letter and ...

Ending
I hope this has helped you to understand our position.
I think you will agree that this is a very special offer.
I am sure you will appreciate our concern about this matter.
I would be grateful if you could let me know as soon as possible what action you
intend to take.
3 Expressions adapted from Sweeney, Simon, English for Business Communication, Cambridge UP, Cambridge,
1997, p. 7.

23
I look forward to hearing from you.
Perhaps you could give me your views on these proposals as soon as possible.
I will thoroughly investigate the problem and contact you as soon as I have an
answer.
I will consider your proposal carefully and let you have my response within the next
few days.
If you need any further information, please let me know.
If I can be of further assistance, please get in touch .
If I receive any further information, I will let you know.

e) Close
Sincerely
Best regards
Cordially yours
Cordially
Respectfully yours
Respectfully
Yours faithfully
f) Signature

A. Example 4
Nighty-Night
24 Green Street, Cambridge, Ontario
Tel: 517-124-9780
May 8th, 2012
Dear Valued Customer,
Our records show that you have been a customer of Nighty-Night Inc. since we opened
last year. We would like to thank you for your business by inviting you to our preferred
customer Spring Extravaganza this Friday.
Friday's sales event is by invitation only. All of our stock, including pajamas and bedding
will be marked down from 40-70% off.* Doors open at 8:00 AM sharp.
Complimentary coffee and donuts will be served. Public admission will begin at noon.
In addition, please accept the enclosed $15 gift certificate to use with your purchase of $50 or
more.
We look forward to seeing you at Nighty-Night’s on Friday. Please bring this invitation
with you and present it at the door.
Sincerely,
Mary Stuart
Mary Stuart
Store Manager [email protected] *All sales are final. No exchanges.
Enclosure: Gift Certificate #345 (not redeemable for cash)

4 Adapted from http://www.englishclub.com/business-english/correspondence-invitation.htm, accessed May 22,

2012.

24
 B. Assignment
You are a sales representative for your company. Write a letter to the manager of the
main TV station in your town, introducing one of your new products or services. Be sure to
give important details about your product/service.

UNIT 2. COMPANY STRUCTURE, TYPES AND ACTIVITIES

I. LEAD IN DISCUSSION 1.
What types of companies can you name?

2. Do you work for any of these companies?

3. Can you think of a company which you consider to be successful? Why is it successful?

4. Can you name a famous company which is/was unsuccessful? What

contributes/contributed to its decline?

5. Which firms/companies seem to work best in 2012 Romania?

e.g. food industry/services financial services
retailers supermarkets/ hypermarkets
factories car manufacturing and car sales
pharmaceuticals companies book shops
electronics manufacturers fast food delis
street corner shops hotels
wholesalers insurance companies

6. Do you think that small corner shops are more profitable than big companies or the
other way round?

II.READING AND COMPREHENSION

Read the text below describing company types and then answer the questions:

25
 TYPES OF BUSINESS ORGANISATIONS IN THE UK5
Business organisations take various forms. However, it will be useful first to clarify
certain terms often used when discussing business behaviour.
Unincorporated businesses are sole traders and partnerships. This form of ownership
is called unincorporated because:
- They have no separate legal identity. It is the owner who makes contracts on behalf of the
business and it is the owner that is legally responsible for the debts of the company.
- There is unlimited liability for business debts, which means that the owner can be declared
bankrupt and any personal property may be taken and sold to pay off the debts of the
business.
- An advantage is that there are few formalities when it comes to setting up the business.
Incorporated businesses mainly refer to private and public limited companies. They
are incorporated because:
- They have a separate identity from the owner and therefore can sue and be sued in their own
right (that is under the name of the company).
- There is limited liability for business debts, which means that the owners are legally
accountable only up to the sum they have themselves invested in the business. For example, if
a company becomes bankrupt, and a shareholder owns £1,000 of shares in the company, then
he or she will only lose the £1,000 invested.
- There are many formalities required to found a company.
Sole traders
Sole traders or sole proprietors represent the most common form of business
organisation in the UK. Many sole traders work on their own, although they sometimes make
use of other people. They can be found in all sectors of the economy, such as manufacturing,
retailing and services. Partnerships
Partnerships have almost the same features as sole traders. This form of business
relationship is usually preferred by individuals who wish to take advantage of the combined
capital, administrative skills and experience of two or more people.
Ordinary partnerships
These types of business are allowed to have up to 20 partners, although banks are not
permitted to have more than 10 partners. Within a partnership there can be a ‘sleeping
partner’, meaning a person who invests money in the partnership but does not get involved in
the daily running of the partnership. Most partnerships will begin with a deed of partnership,
which is a written agreement that mentions specific aspects of mutual interest to the partners.
These often consist of:
- the amount of capital presented by the partners;
- the division of labour and profits;
- the rules for taking on new partners; - how the partnership could be dissolved;
- the distribution of votes to each partner.
Limited partnerships
In case of limited partnerships the liability of at least one of the partners is limited to
the amount of money invested in the partnership. These partners have a share in the profits
but cannot make any decisions in the running of the business. However, at least one other

5 Adapted from Griffiths, Alan and Wall, Stuart (eds.), Economics for Business and Management. A Student Text,
Prentice Hall, Pearson Education Limited, Harlow, Essex, England, 2005, pp. 130-137.

26
partner must have unlimited liability. Limited partnerships are not very common and have to
be registered with the Registrar of Companies.
Limited company
The structure of a limited company is different from that of sole traders and
partnerships because ownership and control are separated. Ownership is in the hands of the
shareholders (principals) who appoint directors to report, usually on an annual basis, at the
Annual General Meeting (AGM). However, the directors and managers (agents) are
responsible for the daily administration of the business and report back to the shareholders
(principals) at the AGM. A limited company (whether private or public) must issue a
Memorandum of Association describing its relationship with the outside world and Articles of
Association defining its internal administration. The AGM is the occasion where shareholders
can vote for directors and also vote to dismiss directors and auditors. Shareholders are
compensated for investing in companies by receiving a dividend on each share. In some cases,
shareholders do not check the performance of managers very meticulously and managers who
control the company on a regular basis may have motives which are different from those of
shareholders. When there is a manager disagreement resulting from the division between
ownership and control, we call this the principal–agent problem.
Private limited company (Ltd)
This is a company whose shares cannot be sold to the general public. The name always
ends with ‘Ltd’. The minimum number of members is one, while the minimum number of
directors is also one. There is no minimum condition for the value of issued share capital.
Shareholders are usually family members, business partners and employees.
Public limited company (PLC)
This is a company which has its shares listed on the London Stock Exchange. The name
must always end with ‘PLC’ The minimum number of members is two and the minimum
number of directors is two. The company must have an authorised share capital of at least
£50,000. Shareholders usually consist of large institutions such as insurance companies,
pension funds and trade unions as well as the general public.
The most important characteristics of a public limited company are:
1. Access to funding – much more funding is available as compared to sole traders or
partnerships. This makes the development of the company more realistic.
2. Shareholders –own the business in cooperation through the acquisition of shares.
3. Limited liability – for each shareholder.
4. Separate legal existence – which means the company can sue or be sued under its own
name.
5. Continuity – the running of the business is not affected by events and the personal state of
affairs of its individual shareholders.
Holding company
A company is said to be a ‘holding’ or ‘parent’ company in that it owns a majority (over
50%) of the voting shares in a subsidiary firm or group of firms. In this way the holding
company can control the organization and operations of any constituent firm by having the
right to assign its board of directors.
1. What is the difference between unincorporated and incorporated businesses?

27
2. What does unlimited liability mean?

3. What does limited liability signify?

4. What does it mean when we say that a company has no separate legal identity?

5. What is a sole trader?

6. What is a ‘sleeping partner’ in an ordinary partnership?

28
 7. What is specific about limited partnerships?

8. Which is that specific feature defining the structure of limited companies?

9. What two important documents must be issued by a limited company?

10. Describe the major difference between a private limited company and a public limited
company.

11. What is a holding company?

III.COMMUNICATION SKILLS
1. Speak about the company you work in/a company that you know, using the following
words and expressions: main products/services headquarters subsidiary/subsidiaries employees
Useful expressions:
It was founded in … Our competition is...
It manufactures/sells … The management consists of...
It is based in ... Our target customers are...
The type of company is ... The quality of our products/services...

2. Make a SWOT analysis for the company you work in/a company that you know, writing
at least one item for each element of SWOT:

S = strengths/strong points W = weaknesses/weak points

O = opportunities/future chances T=
threats/future dangers

Useful expressions:
Boom/slowdown in the economy
Good/small market share
Efficient/poor manufacturing process
Good/poor brand image
Success/failure of existing competitors
Changing consumer tastes
Possible new markets

29
Possible new competitors
Developments in economy
Lack of modern technology
Good/poor distribution channels

3. Could you summarize the qualities or values of your company/ a company you know?
Are any of the following suggestions impossible to apply?
e.g. we put product/service quality first we offer bonuses to employees we make
sure the customer is satisfied we organise team building activities we make
regular checks on customer loyalty we offer price reductions regularly we listen to what the
employees have to say we organise strong advertising campaigns we give employees
price reductions for our products/services

4. What would you change about your company? Why?

VI. LANGUAGE PRACTICE

IV.1 GRAMMAR PRACTICE
Present Continuous
FORM

The present continuous is formed with the help of the auxiliary verb to be (at present tense) and
the -ing form of the verb*:
Affirmative Negative Interrogative
I am working. I am not working Am I working?
He/she/it is working. He/she/it is not (isn't) Is he/she/it working?
You/we/they are working. working. Are you/we/they working?
You/we/they are not (aren't)
working.

*The verbs which describe states (rather than actions) are not normally used in the continuous
form. These verbs can be included in the following categories:
Verbs of thinking:believe, doubt, guess, imagine, know, realize, suppose, understand
Verbs of the senses: hear, smell, sound, taste
Verbs of possession: belong to, have (meaning possess), own, possess Verbs
of emotion: hate, like, love, prefer, regret, want, wish
Verbs of appearance: appear, seem
Others: contain, depend on, include, involve, mean, measure, weigh, require

These verbs are normally used in the present tense simple: Ex:
I'm sorry, I don't believe you.

30
USES

The present continuous is used to refer to: Examples:

a) activities taking place at the moment of My boss is meeting a new customer in the
speaking: conference room right now.
b) actions or activities and current projects We are currently working on a new project.
that are taking place over a period of time
(not necessarily at the moment of speaking):
c) temporary (rather than permanent) actionsMary usually writes the minutes of our
or activities. meetings, but today she is ill, so I’m writing
them.
d) current trends and slow changes that are Ex: Inflation is falling at the moment, so the
taking place: economy is growing at an annual rate of 1.5%.

Exercises
1. Write sentences using the present continuous. Mention the type of activity in each sentence:
1. my boss/have/a meeting/creditors/right now

2. John/close/a negotiation/the conference room/now

3. what/you/do/these days?

4. we/test/the new product/at the moment

5. the strike/cause/chaos/the city/these days

6. I/deal/the complaints/from customers/this week

7. cheap imports/lead/to the closure of a number of shops/nowadays

8. exports/not do/very well/at the moment

9. what/you/do/here?

10. she/attend/a conference/these days

2. Ask for the bold part of the sentence:

1. I’m writing the report at the moment.

2. These days we are selling more and more of our products.

31
3. She is reading the details right now.

4. I’m looking for my secretary.

5. They are working at home today.

3. Answer the following questions, using the present continuous:

1. What are you doing at school/work these days?

2. What examinations or professional qualifications are you studying for?

3. What objectives are you trying to achieve outside school/work?

4. Decide which sentences are correct:

1. I’m having ten employees.

2. He hates staying late at work.

3. He’s having problems with his computer.

4. She is liking her job.

5. My boss is usually working hard.

6. I normally work 8 hours a day.

7. I don’t understand what he’s saying.

8. I’m not knowing what you mean.

5. Which expressions would you use with the present simple and which with the present
continuous? Make your own sentences to illustrate their use: at the moment, normally, right
now, every summer, as a rule, generally, often, currently.
1. 2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

6. Work with a partner. Suppose you work for different companies, you meet for the first time
and you want to find some things about each other. Ask and answer questions to find out
about:

32
a) the field of activity

b) the employer(s)

c) the responsibilities at work

d) the daily routine

e) a temporary activity

f) a current project

7. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form (present simple or present continuous):
Barbara: Hi, Katherine, how you (be) today?
Katherine: I (be) great and you?
Barbara: VERY busy! I (jog) now, but later I have to do a lot!
Katherine: What you (have) to do?
Barbara: Well, first of all, I have to do the shopping. We (not have) anything to eat at home.
Katherine: ... and then?
Barbara: Little Johnny (have) a basketball game this afternoon. I (drive) him to the game.
Katherine: Oh, how his team (do)?
Barbara: They (do) very well. Next week, they (travel) to Toronto for a tournament.
Katherine: That's impressive.
Barbara: Well, Johnny (like) playing basketball. I'm happy he (enjoy) it. What you (do) today?
Katherine: I (not do) much. I (meet) some friends for lunch, but, other than that, I (not have)
much to do today.6

8. Write a verb from the list in the correct form, present simple or present continuous, in each
pair of sentences: appeal, be, consider, depend, feel, have, look, think.
1. A I .......................... for a book on accounting. Do you have any in stock?
B The boss...................like he's in a bad mood this morning.
2. A How..........................you ...........................about inviting Mike to attend the meeting?
B My secretary........................very well, so I've told her she can go home.
3. A Tom and I.......................opening a new business.
B Why..........................you ...........................his offer to be better than ours?
4. A We..........................a meeting right now, so can you call back later?
B...........................you ........................................a large office?
5. A The idea of moving to Italy really...............................to me. B Police..........................
for witnesses to the robbery.
6. A We all................. on you, John. Don't let us down!
B Whether I get to work by eight ................on the traffic.
7. A The manager............. a bit busy at the moment.

6 Adapted from http://esl.about.com/od/beginningreadingskills/a/d_busy.htm, accessed May 15, 2012.

33
B Guys, you .........................too noisy! Can't you keep it down, please?
8. A ...........................you ........................... they accept our offer? B Mary said
she........................about resigning.

9. Circle the correct word or phrase:

1. Could you explain what ‘overdraft’ means / is meaning, please?
2. Each share only costs / is only costing 50 cents at the moment.
3. It doesn't matter / isn't mattering which company he chooses.
4. It's only a quick call as I ring / I'm ringing from my mobile.
5. I think I recognise / I'm recognising this signature.
6. I really don't agree / I'm really not agreeing with your decision.
7. Stay out of this, Michael, it doesn't concern / isn't concerning you at all.
8. The number you have dialled does not exist / is not existing. Please try again.
9. I want everyone to give me a written statement, and that includes / is including you too, Jane!
10. Right now, my job involves / is involving a huge amount of work.

10. Write three sentences about what is happening in your company/school/university, using
these adverbs: at present, currently, now.
1. 2.
3.

IV.2. VOCABULARY PRACTICE

1. Look back to the text in section II and check the meaning of the underlined words or
phrases. Then study the explanations below and fill in the gaps with the suitable forms:
ownership the state of being an owner; you use to start a business or invest to make
proprietorship, legal right of possession more money
liability legal responsibility for paying sth. or to run a business to manage/administer
for causing injury or damage; liabilities debts a business
to be declared bankrupt/ to go bankrupt to to take on (a partner, employees) to accept;
officially admit that the company has no to start to employ people to have a share
money and cannot pay what it owes debt an (in) to benefit from; to use sth. with
amount of money that you owe to pay off someone else to make a decision to make
(debts) to return money borrowed to set up up one's mind to appoint (a director) to
a business to establish or found a business choose someone to do a particular job or
to sue to make a legal claim/lawsuit against have a particular position
someone share one of the equal parts of a to issue a document to officially make things
company that you can buy as a way of available for people to use; to launch
investing money shareholder someone who officially
owns shares in a company to invest (in) to to dismiss sbd. to fire from a position
use your money with the aim of making a to compensate for to pay someone because
profit from it, for example by buying a they have suffered loss or injury dividend a
property or shares in a company to take share of the profits of a company paid to
advantage of to profit by; to use to one's those who own the shares once or twice a
advantage capital money or property that year trade union an organization of workers
aiming to improve work conditions and

34
payment acquisition (of) the process of
buying sth. subsidiary a company that is
owned by a larger company board of
directors the most important people in a
company, who make decisions about the
management of that company

35
1. Texaco had to reduce costs drastically so they decided to .................................... some of the
workforce.
2. It is certainly difficult to .....................such a huge business.
3. All the three owners ................................................... in profits because they have decided to
be equal partners in the business.
4. There is no time left for hesitations, we have to ....................................................now or we'll
lose the deal.
5. ........................................................leaders are now negotiating with the board about a salary
increase.
6. Next month all shareholders are invited to collect their...............................................
7. Finally, the Swiss partners announced giving up ....................................................of the
company.
8. The business has ........................................................ of £2 million.
9. Maria Totti will be ......................................... director of the new subsidiary in Rome.
10. Mr. Sparks denied any .............................................. for the damage caused.
11. He ...................................................... in 2005 and it has flourished ever since.
12. Do you really intend to .................................. them for damages?
13. Employees were encouraged to buy their own ..............................in the company.
14. Some critics of the system believe that insurance companies .............................of the people's
fear of illness, accident or death.
15. We're afraid we're not ............................................any more staff at the moment.
16. They asked officially that they should be ......................................... for all the losses caused by
the firm.
17. The new documents......................................... by the accounting department will be used
starting tomorrow.
18. They began .................................. heavily in that Aeolian farm some ten years ago.
19. Our new ........................................in Bacau is subordinate to the bigger one in Iasi.
20. Without the expected profits, many small companies were
...................................during the economic crisis.
21. How much ........................................ are you ready to invest in the flower shop?
22. Considering the amount of money borrowed, the house will be .............................in 20 years.
23. They needed new equipment so they insisted on the ..................................of modern
technology.
24. The ...........................................holds a meeting every month to check on the company's affairs.

2. Study the meaning of the following expressions which refer to work-related activities or
situations and then fill in the gaps with the suitable ones:
a project/plan goes wrong or it fails it goes belly up people compete for success in business or
careers they are working for the rat race to transfer an incompetent employee from one
department to another (informal) a turkey trot situation a moment when you suddenly
realise you have a made a mistake an ohnosecond if one does a lot of different types of work
in an office for very low payment (informal) that person is a dogsbody
when one phones to work and says that she/he is not coming because she/he is sick but
she/he is not she/he is throwing a sickie work which offers the same money for less effort

36
than another similar job a doddle when someone is dismissed from their job they get the
boot if an employee is excluded from decision-making processes they are left out of the loop a
new product which has some major defects a lemon

1. It is so difficult to keep your job nowadays, especially with so many demands and people who
always ........................................................................................
2. She’s our company’s .................................................., ask her anything and she’ll do it for you
without complaining.
3. Unfortunately, many people ......................................... after the management’s decisions to
close two of the factories.
4. When Janice was moved to Human Resources from the Marketing Department we all realised
it was a kind of .......................................................... situation.
5. The shareholders complained that the new car model was already proving to
be.................................
6. Here we go again! Whenever there’s a project to do she calls and ..........................
7. We regret to announce you that the South Sea project we’ve all worked so hard on has
................................................
8. I had an ............................... when I realised I had sent the email to someone else.
9. As compared to my previous managerial position, the new one is just a ...............
10. She complained to the board that whenever there is a decision to make her superior is
deliberately ................................................

3. Choose the correct answer below7:

1. Limited liability describes a situation where:
(a) all shareholders are equally responsible for all the debts of the company
(b) the responsibility of shareholders for the debts of a company is limited to the amount they
agreed to pay for the shares when they bought them
(c) the responsibility of shareholders for the debts of a company is limited to the number of
debentures they hold in the company
(d) the responsibility of shareholders for the debts of a company is limited to the value of their
personal wealth
(e) all shareholders must hold a minimum of 20 shares in a company.
2. Which of the following is a quality enjoyed by a form of enterprise called a partnership?
(a) Shares can be issued to the general public.
(b) The partnership usually consists of up to 30 people.
(c) The owners are not jointly liable for the repayment of the debts of the partnership.
(d) The owners of such enterprises do not need to publish their accounts.
(e) The action of one partner is not binding on another.
3. Which of the following describes a holding company form of business organisation? (a)
A company that controls more than 33% of the equity of another company
(b) A company that usually acts as market leader in an industry

7 Griffiths, Alan and Wall, Stuart (eds.), Economics for Business and Management. A Student Text, Prentice Hall, Pearson
Education Limited, Harlow, Essex, England, 2005, pp. 163-164.

37
(c) A company that often exists only to hold over 50% of the equity of a group of subsidiary
companies
(d) A single company that organises its activity into a matrix format (e) A single company that has
been divided into many divisions.
4. Which document issued by a limited company defines its internal government? (a)
Articles of Association
(b) Memorandum of Association
(c) Shareholder Certificate
(d) Profit and Loss Accounts
(e) Balance Sheet
5. A difference between a public limited company (PLC) and a private limited company (Ltd) is
that:
(a) the PLC has limited liability
(b) the PLC has shareholders
(c) the PLC has a limited number of shareholders
(d) the PLC can only raise a limited amount of capital
(e) the PLC can sell shares on the open market such as the London Stock Exchange.

V.WRITING PRACTICE
1. Follow-up activity
Look around your local town or village for sole traders and partnerships and then look
through recent copies of the financial press (e.g. Ziarul financiar). Find examples of each of
the types of companies described in this unit. What do you notice? Which sector do they
belong to (agriculture, production, construction, services)? Write a brief report about your
findings.

2. Writing a Memo
A memo is an internal document (used to communicate within an organization) sent from
one member of the organisation to another (others).
The elements of a memo are:
a) The heading – some basic information (the name of the sender,of the addressee) b)
The date
c) The subject
d) The body of the memo

A. Example
HAPPY TOYS Inc.8

MEMORANDUM
TO: All Staff
FROM: Management J.B.
DATE: April 9th, 2012
SUBJECT: STAFF EASTER PARTY
8 Adapted from http://www.englishclub.com/business-english/correspondence-memo.htm, accessed April 24,
2012.

38
 Easter is coming. As you all know, it is one of our busiest seasons of the year. Every year it is a
struggle for management and supervisors to find the time and energy to organize a staff
Easter party. This year, we have decided to postpone the Easter party until after our busy
season. Party Details
• Date: First Saturday after Easter
• Theme: Beach
• Food: Turkish
• Special events: Karaoke and belly dancing
Anyone interested in volunteering to help out with the event is encouraged to call Pam, our
events coordinator. Pam's cell phone number is 444-6094. Please contact Pam outside of
business hours regarding this matter.
Thank you.
J.B.

B. Assignment
You run the subsidiary of a big company with its headquarters in Bucharest. The
president of the company will be visiting your town next week. Write a memo to your
employees, announcing his visit and the arrangements for his stay.

39
 UNIT 3. MOTIVATION, COMPETITION AND PERFORMANCE

I.LEAD IN DISCUSSION
1. Why do people need to be motivated at work?

2. What motivates you in your work? Why?

e.g. work programme superiors’ praise and recognition benefits
like company car, phone or free meals free training courses
the reputation of the company promotion possibilities
salary stability of workplace/job security

3. Why are people generally motivated especially by financial rewards for work?

4. What dissatisfies you about your work/company?

e.g. work programme work colleagues
salary – low payment the management
relation with customers location of workplace/distance to work
difficulty of the work absence of extra benefits
work environment/space absence of lunch room/canteen

5. Motivation also depends on the type of work performed. Think of factors/elements

which motivate the people doing the following jobs:
a lawyer an accountant in a big firm an
ER doctor an engineer in a power plant a
highschool teacher a cook a mayor
a manager of a huge company
a nurse working with disabled children a cashier in a hypermarket
IT technician a baker a
lorry driver a pilot
a sailor a mechanic

6. How competitive do you think you are? Why?

7. What would you do to improve your work?

e.g. go to training courses respect superiors’ decisions
maximize my uptime implement new work rules and practices meet
deadlines improve my skills
improve relations with colleagues improve customer satisfaction/ relations with
customers

40
 II.READING AND COMPREHENSION
1. Read the short text below describing two theories related to work and motivation and
then answer the questions:
Theory X and Theory Y9
In his book The Human Side of Enterprise, Douglas McGregor speaks about two
differing theories of work and motivation, namely Theory X and Theory Y. Theory X is the
traditional view on workers and working which claims that people are lazy and dislike work in
general. As a result, they have to be threatened (for instance, with losing their job) and also
rewarded in order to work. It also suggests that people are unable to take responsibility for
themselves and have to be looked after and supervised. On the contrary, Theory Y presumes
that people have a psychological need to work and look for responsibility, achievement and
other kinds of non-tangible rewards.
Later theorists added that Theory Y asks for much more from both workers and
managers than McGregor realized. Abraham Maslow, for instance, investigated the
application of theories in a Californian company that used Theory Y, and concluded that its
requirements of responsibility and accomplishment are excessive for many people. He
showed that there are also weak and vulnerable people, or others who lack self-discipline and
need to be protected against the weight of responsibility. Even strong and healthy people
sometimes need the safety of order and direction. Therefore, it is not easy for managers to
substitute one theory with another. They have to replace the security promised by Theory X
with a different structure of security and certainty. 1. Which are the main claims of the two
theories?

2. Which theory do you agree with/which makes more valid assumptions?

3. Which attitude to work do you observe at your workplace/your parents’/friends’

workplace?

4. How would you characterize your own attitude to work?

2. Read the text below concerning work satisfiers and motivators 10 and then answer the
questions:
People have their own needs which must be satisfied at their workplace. In Work and
the Nature of Man, Dr. Frederick Herzberg (1959) launched a two-dimensional theory

9 Adapted from MacKenzie, Ian, English for Business Studies, Cambridge UP, Cambridge UK, 1997, p. 25. 10
Adapted from MacKenzie, Ian, English for Business Studies, Cambridge UP, Cambridge UK, 1997, p. 26,
http://www.12manage.com/methods_maslow_hierarchy_needs.html, http://pareonline.net/getvn.asp?
v=5&n=11, accessed June 25, 2012.

41
describing the factors which affect people's attitudes about work. His study focused on the
activities of accountants and engineers. He concluded that factors like company policy,
supervision, interpersonal relations, working conditions, job security and even good wages
and benefits are hygiene factors/satisfiers rather than motivators. Certainly, the absence of
such hygiene factors can lead to job dissatisfaction, but their presence does not motivate or
create satisfaction either.
In contrast, he observed that motivators were aspects that augmented a person's job
to a significant degree. He identified five factors that were strong determiners of job
satisfaction: achievement, recognition, the work itself, levels of responsibility and
advancement. People are motivated by having a challenging and interesting job, recognition
and responsibility, the prospect of promotion etc. These motivators are associated with
longterm positive results in job performance while the hygiene factors generally produce only
short-term changes in job attitudes and performance.
In 1954, psychologist Abraham Maslow first published his study Motivation and
Personality, which included his theory about how people satisfy various personal needs in
relation to their work environment. He observed that there is a general model of needs
recognition and satisfaction that people follow in generally the same sequence. He also
theorized that a person could not recognize or pursue the next higher need in the hierarchy
until her or his currently recognized need was considerably or totally satisfied. Maslow's
hierarchy of needs is often illustrated as a pyramid with layers of needs, such as physiological
needs (thirst, sex, hunger), safety needs (security, stability, protection), love and belonging
needs (to escape loneliness, love and be loved, and gain a sense of belonging), esteem needs
(self-respect, the respect of others), or self-actualization needs (fulfilling one’s potentialities).
The survival need is at the broad-based bottom and the self-actualization need is at the
narrow top.

Maslow's hierarchy of needs

1. What is the difference between satisfiers and motivators?

2. What examples of motivators does the text mention?

42
3. Discuss the top 10 satisfiers and motivators below. Is this top available to you, too?
Would you change the rankings?
1. Good chance for advancement
2. A job with good pay
3. A job with pay tied to performance
4. Recognition for good work
5. A job which allows me to develop my abilities
6. A challenging job
7. A job where I can think for myself
8. A great deal of responsibility
9. Interesting work
10. A job requiring creativity

4. How can you motivate people involved in boring, mechanical repetitive jobs where
creativity is excluded (e.g. cashiers, drivers)?

3. Read the text below 10 related to competitiveness in case of supermarkets and then
answer the questions below:
Competitive supermarkets
In the UK and all over Europe, competition between supermarkets is very strong. In the UK
there are four major supermarkets and Morrisons is number four. Morrisons stays
competitive by keeping low prices, offering a wide range of food and hiring friendly staff.
Tesco, the number one supermarket, owns small shops in towns and big shops outside towns.
They have launched a healthy eating range of food and a loyalty card for regular customers.
Another range of products includes non-food, such as TVs, washing machines, or even
furniture. Sainsbury’s has an expensive image, but it also has some economy products. The
well-known English chef Jamie Oliver helped promoting the company, and more people shop
there now. It has also included green products while insisting on their quality. The company
trains all its staff so as to boost efficiency.
1. How do the supermarkets mentioned in the text stay competitive?

2. Which supermarkets do you shop at? Why?

3. Which techniques or aspects are important for you when you shop at a supermarket?
e.g. product range origin of products
product price staff attitude
discounts on large orders company image and reputation

10 Adapted from Grant, David; Hughes, John and Turner, Rebecca, Business Result, Elementary Student’s Book, Oxford
UP, Oxford, 2009, p. 59.

43
 III.COMMUNICATION SKILLS
1. A competitive advantage is an advantage over competitors gained by offering consumers
greater value, either by means of lower prices or by providing greater benefits and
service that justifies higher prices11. What competitive advantages do the following
companies/institutions need in order to be competitive on the market?
5-star hotel greenhouse factory business centre
bank transport company
furniture manufacturer car showroom cars
wash cash & carry store
flower shop luxury restaurant
university travel/tourism agency
catering firm fast food restaurant

2. What makes the following famous firms competitive on the local market?
Pambac Aerostar
Conextrust WMW
Dedeman Barleta
Agricola Farbe
Decebal Hotel Desteptarea
TTB/CCB Sonoma
Soma Luceafarul

3. What makes the following famous brands competitive on the international market?
Coca Cola Volvo
Microsoft Citizen
Lufthansa Siemens
Apple Pirelli
Adidas Bosch Marriott McDonald’s
Gucci Louis Vuitton

4. Within a company, workers also compete for success. What exactly do they do in order to
be efficient and successful? Consider the following positive and negative strategies they
might adopt:
e.g. work hard comply with regulations meet
demands they are very well-organized flatter
the boss act in a selfish way achieve targets
work overtime
do volunteer work spread rumours and gossip discredit
their colleagues keep information for themselves

4. Except for some requirements which generally guarantee performance, there are also
some factors which depend on the type of work done. What does it mean for the following
professionals to be competitive at work?

11 http://tutor2u.net/business/strategy/competitive_advantage.htm, accessed June 25, 2012.

44
miner sales representative race driver policeman
surgeon reporter
bus driver singer

IV.LANGUAGE PRACTICE
IV.1. GRAMMAR PRACTICE
Simple Past
FORM

As far as the form is concerned, the simple past divides the verbs into regular and irregular.
a) Regular verbs add -d or -ed to the bare infinitive to form the past tense. For negatives and
questions the auxiliary did and the infinitive of the verb are used:

Affirmative Negative Interrogative

I/you/he/she/it/we/they I/you/he/she/it/we/they did Did I/you/he/she/it/we/they
worked. not (didn't) work. work?

! A common mistake is to use the past tense form in negatives and in questions. We use the auxiliary
did and bare infinitive:
WRONG: Did you checked their prices? No, I didn't checked them. RIGHT:
Did you check their prices? No, I didn't check them.

The verb to be follows a different pattern:

Affirmative Negative Interrogative

I/he/she/it was I/he/she/it was not Was I/he/she/it... ?
We/you/they were (wasn't)... Were we/you/they...?
We/you/they were not
(weren't)...

b) Irregular verbs do not add -ed to the bare infinitive to form the simple past, but change in other
ways. They have independent forms for the simple past.*
Ex: I went to a very interesting conference last month. (BARE INFINITIVE: go)
I rang her yesterday, but she wasn't at work. (BARE INFINITIVE: ring, be) *
For a list of irregular verbs, see the Appendix.

USES

The simple past is used: Examples:

a) to talk about completed actions in the Our business expanded in 2009 and became

45
past: well-known all over the country.

b) with expressions that refer to points of at 6 o'clock/1.15/the end of

time in the past. the year/Christmas
on the15th of May/the 21 st/New Year's
on January/1987/fhe 1980s/summer no
preposition yesterday/yesterday
morning/last Monday

Exercises
1. Underline the correct form:
1. Did he got/get the report I sent him yesterday?
2. I didn’t understand/understood her decision to leave the company.
3. Did you asked/ask your boss for a pay rise?
4. She didn’t told/tell him the truth.
5. We didn’t see/saw him yesterday.

2. Write sentences using the simple past:

1. I/go/an interesting presentation/last week

2. he/ring/her/yesterday/but/she/not be/her/office

3. the business/expand/and/become/famous in the country

4. I/not realize/you/have/a meeting

5. last week/the customers/complain/about our business

6. you/visit/any museums/when you/be/in Paris/for business?

7. he/not accept/the job/because the salary/be/too low

8. you/study/economics/when you/be/at university?

9. when/you/write/the report?

10. how much/you/pay/for this product?

3. Ask for the bold part of the sentence:

1. I graduated in 2010.

2. This company’s products were very expensive.

3. Tom changed his job.

46
4. I started working as an accountant in 2011.

5. I left my old job because of the salary.

6. They went abroad last summer.

4. Answer the following questions, using the simple past:

1. What highschool did you graduate?

2. When did you graduate?

3. When did you last have a holiday?

4. Where did you go for the holiday?

5. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form:

As you can see from my curriculum vitae, I (study) accountancy for the last three years. After I
(graduate) in 2010, I (work) for a bank in Spain for three years and (become) fluent in Spanish.
Working in this bank (give) me considerable experience, as I (work) closely with the customer
service department. I also (have) the chance to travel in Europe where we (open) new
branches.

6. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct past tense form:
1. He (wait) in the conference room all afternoon.

2. I (buy) some new shares yesterday.

3. They (build) a new bulding next to the old one.

4. I (be) in London last week.

5. I (get) the parcel on time.

6. She (ask) a lot of questions after the meeting.

7. They (clean) our office.

8. He (have) some problems with his boss in the past.

9. You (pay) the workers last week.

10. He (choose) a new department to work in.

47
7. Indicate whether the verbs in the above sentences are regular or irregular.
1. 2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

8. Make the sentences above negative and interrogative.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

9. Write sentences about what you did, using: last week, two months ago, last week-end, in
2001.
1. 2.
3.
4.

48
 IV.2. VOCABULARY PRACTICE
1. Study the meaning of the following words and expressions 12 which refer to earnings,
rewards and benefits and then fill in the gaps with the suitable forms:
income money people receive for work expenditure money spent from salaries
wage money paid to an employee on a weekly basis salary money paid to an
employee on a monthly basis hourly/daily/weekly rate the amount of money an employee
receives each hour, day, week etc.
remuneration the formal word for money that an employee receives for doing his/her
job increment an automatic and regular increase in payment deduction money
removed from our salaries/earnings to pay for tax, insurance etc.
to dock one’s wages to remove money from sbd.’s wages (for instance, because they are
late)
advance/ sub (informal) payment asked for or given before the usual pay day
payslip a note which shows an employee how much pay they have received, and how much
has been removed for tax, insurance etc.
payroll the list a company keeps that shows all the people employed and paid by that
company rewards package money and other benefits offered with a job leave entitlement
the right given to employees to take paid holidays
stock options option given to employees to buy stocks at a lower price than the normal one
incentive plans extra rewards given by companies for good attendance, increased productivity
etc.
relocation allowance money given to an employee if asked to take a job in another
town/place danger money extra money paid to employees who work in jobs with a high risk
of personal injury
gross salary/wages/income earnings before tax, national insurance etc. have been removed
net salary/wages/income earnings after tax, national insurance etc. have been removed
arrear wages are paid in arrears, which means they are paid at the end of the working period
(the end of the week/month) to be paid by direct deposit to receive payment in one’s bank
account performance related wages/salaries money based on how well one carries out their
duties acceptance bonus/ golden hello money given to someone when they are new in the
company production bonus reward given to employees who need less than the standard time
to finish a task profit sharing the practice of dividing profits among employees

1. When he was asked to move to the new job in another city with his family he was
given....................................................
2. The management was particularly keen to recruit that management specialist, so they offered
her a .......................................
3. Depending on the company’s profitability, employees may also benefit from
............................ in addition to regular salary and bonuses.
4. The miners were offered ............................................... to compensate for the risks involved in
their job.

12 Terms selected from Wyatt, Rawdon, Check Your English Vocabulary for Business and Administration, 4th edition, A & C
Black, London, 2007, p.15.

49
5. The management is now struggling to pay off the ............................................. for the last
several months.
6. Employees now have .................................... and thus they can have a share in the company.
7. They ....................................................her salary for failing to meet targets for the third time
this year.
8. The .......................................... for seasonal agricultural workers in Spain is a lot better than in
Romania.
9. The .................................................... for this kind of job is usually very satisfactory.
10. Now we no longer have to collect our salary from the bank, it is
paid..................................
11. The union pleaded for an................................... of 10% for salaries.
12. Carter was in desperate need for money to pay his rent, so he asked the management
for ...................................
13. His team finished the task earlier than planned, so they were
given a...................................
14. Our salaries are no longer fixed because the new management wants to boost efficiency by
promising ........................................................
15. The difference between the ................................ and the ................................ is sometimes
huge in Romania because there are so many taxes to pay.
16. Her ......................................................... increased as compared to 2009.
17. When she saw her ....................................... for that month she nearly fainted because the
payment was much better than she expected.
18. British companies are obliged by law to give their employees the right to take paid holidays,
which is known as ..........................................
19. Tax .................................. have become a real burden for many Romanian employees.
20. When she was hired she was guaranteed a fabulous ........................................ so she accepted
the job easily.

2. Translate the following sentences in English using the vocabulary from exercise 1 and
the proper forms of Simple Past:
1. Venitul nostru pe familie a scăzut dramatic anul trecut.

2. Cheltuielile lor au depășit cu mult venitul lunar în 2009.

3. În anul 2009, când a început criza economică, salariile erau mai mari decât în anul precedent.

4. Creșterea salarială a înregistrat o stagnare în anul 2010.

5. Deducerile personale au fluctuat în urmă cu 2 ani.

6. Directorul a ameninţat-o că îi va tăia salariul dacă va mai lipsi nemotivat.

7. Luna trecută au adăugat noi impozite pe fluturașul de salariu.

8. Acum un an, ei primeau salariul în arierate direct în cont.

50
9. Echipa de conducere a decis acordarea de salarii în funcţie de performanţă.

10. Guvernul a ordonat tăierea stimulentelor pentru bugetari în 2011.

3. Study the meaning of the following words and expressions which could be used to refer
to competition/competing firms and performance and then fill in the gaps with the suitable
forms: to fight a losing battle to struggle against sth. with little chance of success to put heads
together to discuss sth. so as to solve a problem the bare bones the most important
aspect/part of sth.
to rock the boat to disturb a good situation or to ruin a
relation to come under fire to be criticized to toe the line
to obey rules/orders
to go up in smoke to have a negative result, to result in failure a step in the right direction a
positive action, esp. towards a good result the law of the jungle a situation in which the law is
disrespected and the most aggressive/the strongest succeed
as clean as a whistle very clean

1. Unfortunately, I must let you know that all our efforts to attract more customers with the price
reductions launched ...............................................
2. Listen, why should we insist so much on trifles and leave out....................................?
3. Mark was fired precisely because he did not want to.............................................
4. Our competitors denied having done such a thing! They say they are .......................
5. Finally, after so many errors we managed to take a ....................................................
6. Come on, you know how powerful they are on the market, confronting them would be
to ...........................................
7. Mrs Sparks’ bad decision to collaborate with the French .................................... at the meeting
yesterday.
8. After having collected your separate opinions by email, I have invited you all here to
..................................... and reach a decision.
9. When the case was taken to court they observed that ....................................... was a custom in
the firm.
10. After years of successful collaboration with them, you can’t just ask me to
....................... now!

V.WRITING PRACTICE
1. Follow-up activity
Study the words in the box below related to earnings, rewards and benefits and check their
meaning. Then use them to write a short report including this type of information about one
of your parents’ work/a friend’s work:
salaried (adj.) redundancy pay
earnings take- work overtime
home pay well- weighting
paid/ low-paid gainsharing

51
 pension status
contributions attendance bonus
accrual rate benefit in kind
hourly/daily rate health insurance
perks increments a holiday pay
year/per annum sick pay golden
on-target earnings handshake duvet
motivation days
schemes

2. Writing/Placing an Order
An order has a similar format with the business letter.

Useful expressions:
Asking
I would like to place an order with you for …
Could you give me a price for …
Could you tell me if you have product X in stock?
Could you give me a delivery date for …
I am pleased to place an order with your company for
… I would like to cancel my order from/number …
Please confirm receipt of my order.
Answering
I am pleased to acknowledge receipt of your order number ...
Your order will be processed as quickly as possible.
It will take about … weeks to process your order.
We can guarantee delivery before ...
Unfortunately these articles are no longer available/are out of stock.

A. Example13 Mini
Prix
1923 Moon Drive
Blairsville, GA 247890

Dear Mini Prix,

My name is Jane. I would like to order a pair of boots from your catalogue. Their item number
is #46789937. They are listed at $ 20 a pair. I would like a black pair, number 38.
I have included a certified check for $30.
The address I would like the pair of boots shipped to is:
Jane D. Smith
4560 River Drive
Monroeville, PA 13456

13 http://www.howtowritealetter.net/Letter-of-Ordering-Goods.html, accessed June 23, 2012.

52
 Please use FedEx Express as your shipping method. They seem to be the most reliable delivery
courier for my area.
If you have any questions or if any issues arise with my order, please do not hesitate to contact
me at 567-457-3905.
Thank you,
Jane

B. Assignment
Write an order for some products you saw in a catalogue (cosmetics, furniture, electronics,
etc.).

UNIT 4. TIME MANAGEMENT

I.LEAD IN DISCUSSION
st
1. The 21 century is also called the age of speed. Why?

2. Do you feel there is less time than in the past for people to complete all the daily
activities? Why?

3. Think of some factors that may have affected our attitude to time and ability to deal with
time efficiently. How did this happen?
e.g. technological and scientific progress social demands
economic factors political changes
people’s mentality people’s needs
work conditions and requirements the urbanization of society

4.The famous Bill Gates recently declared that he has slowed down. Now he works around
12 hours a day, and 8 hours at the weekends. What do think about such type of work
programme?

5.Do you feel time’s pressure at home or at work?

6.Do you know anyone whose agenda is particularly busy?

53
7.How busy are you? Tick the following activities you regularly do as a part of routine (not as
a hobby):
I go to work/I attend classes at the university. I tidy up the house.
I wash the dishes. I do the shopping.
I do the cooking. I pay the bills.
I take care of someone. I do the washing up. (old
person, little brother etc.) I do volunteer work.

8. How much time do you have for yourself? How do you spend it?

II. READING AND COMPREHENSION

1. Time spent at work sometimes exceeds leisure time for many employees. Read the
following short text14 and answer the questions below:
Work-life balance is now the widespread debate on how to allow employees more
control over their work activities so that they might have more time for their other activities
and responsibilities, but in a way that will still benefit the organisations they work for. The
focus of debates lies on flexible working practices and family-friendly policies which could
ensure a harmonious work-life balance.
In Britain, the Working Time Directive of 1998 (based on guidelines established by the
European Union) sets out the following regulations: 1. Employees should not work more than
48 hours a week, and should receive at least 4 weeks’ paid leave a year. 2. They should have a
weekly rest period of at least 24 consecutive hours, a daily break of a minimum of 20 minutes
for every six hours worked, as well as a rest period of 11 consecutive hours every day. There
are some different rules for more stressful jobs, which demand greater concentration, or
whose performance might affect other people.
1. What does work-life balance mean?

2. What is the target of the British Working Time Directive?

3. Does your company ensure a harmonious work-life balance for its employees?

4. Are the same regulations set out by the Working Time Directive respected in your
company/a company you know?

5. Does your company provide any facilities for staff recreation during breaks?
e.g. nap room sports field (tennis court etc.)
gym restaurant
reading lounge
14 Wyatt, Rawdon, Check Your English Vocabulary for Business and Administration, 4th edition, A & C Black, London, 2007,
p. 76.

54
 6. How many hours a week do you think it is reasonable to work?

2. Read the following short text15 and then answer the questions below:
Poor time managers
Tomorrows: They cause themselves problems because they tend to think about work
rather than doing it. Such people put off decisions and tomorrow often becomes the busiest
day of the working week. Our recommendations for this type are:
• Break huge tasks into smaller ones. Set a clear deadline for finishing the entire task and work on it a
little bit daily.
• Draw up lists of things to do as follows: short-term tasks (priorities to be completed within the next
week), medium-term tasks (for the next month), and long-tem activities. Also consider a list of things
to carry out daily: make up a to do today list.
• When planning your work schedule, try to set a balance between routine tasks and more agreeable
activities.
• Handle each paper only once. Read it, act on it, file it or throw it away.
Disorganised types: You can easily identify them by the piles of papers on their desks. They are
always late for meetings and often spend a large part of their day digging for files on their
desk, or for messages and phone numbers scattered everywhere in the office. As a result, they
are always trying to make up for the time wasted on such things. They strongly believe that
creative minds are rarely tidy. Here are some tips:
• Prioritize your work. Colour-code your files and use a weekly, monthly and yearly planner chart.
• Do a list of things to be solved every day and check it at the end of each day.
• Stick to one task at a time and make sure you draw it to an end before starting another one.
• Identify your best time for working, and deal with the complex tasks when your energy levels are high.
Save the trivial or less urgent matters for non-prime time.
• Make sure you keep all messages, notes and phone numbers in the same place.
• Try to group trivial and routine tasks and tackle them as one task.
Poor delegators: They waste time on work that could easily be done by someone else. This is
because they do not trust the others or simply because they cannot say no, and so they take
on too much work. For people working at home or on their own, it could be useful to set up a
network of people who might help them with less important tasks. Some tips include:
• Delegation does not mean abdication!
• Delegate a job and leave that person handle it to the end.
• Take time to explain what is necessary and expected. Invite them to ask you if problems arise.
• When you realize you cannot cope with a deadline, ask for help: re-negotiate, delegate or announce
the others involved.
• Avoid to accept unnecessary work and learn to say no politely and assertively.
15 Adapted from Naunton, Jon, Head for Business, Upper Intermediate Student’s Book, Oxford UP, Oxford, second
edition, 2004, pp. 28 – 29.

55
1. What types of time wasters does the text identify?

2. Name the typical features to recognize each of them.

3. What recommendations does the author make for each stereotype?

4. Give paraphrases/ explanations for the words and phrases underlined.

5. Are you included in any of these categories?

6. Think of someone who fits in one of these classes.

III.COMMUNICATION SKILLS
1. How well do you manage your time? Work with a partner, talking about the time you
spend on different activities such as: reading, learning, working, going out with friends,
watching a movie, going shopping.
Useful expressions
How much time do you spend on …?
I usually spend …
I normally spend …
I don’t usually … too much. Only once/twice/three times … a week/month Also
consider describing your daily routine:
I wake up at... I finish work/classes at...
I have breakfast at... I come home around...
I go to work/the university at... In the evening I ...
Then I start + vb. – ing I go to bed at around...

2. How is the lack of time or the fast pace of time affecting your personal or professional
life?
a high level of stress neglecting friends or family
little time for hobbies being always on the run
multitasking others

3. When you have a busy programme, what activities do you leave out? Can you think of
others, too?
e.g. going out with my friends visiting someone dear
watching TV chatting with a friend
listening to music practising sport

56
4. Experts say that in the future the working week will get even longer. How will this
affect the following aspects:
salaries work satisfaction
the economy (employment rates) workers’ health
competitiveness workers’ personal life
5. Specialists talk about time management techniques which show us how to make use of
time more efficiently. Which of the techniques below do you use?
e.g. make lists of things make a clear division work – leisure
wake up early in the morning throw away useless things
take regular breaks do hard things first
maximize my uptime avoid interruptions
keep a close record of time plan ahead

6. When do you feel like you are wasting time at work or at home? What solutions can
you think of/do you adopt?

IV.LANGUAGE PRACTICE
IV.1. GRAMMAR PRACTICE
Past Continuous
FORM

The past continuous is formed with was/were + the -ing form of the verb:

Affirmative Negative Interrogative

I/he/she/it was working. I/he/she/it was not (wasn't) Was I/he/she/it working?
You/we/they were working. working. Were you/we/they working?
You/we/they were not
(weren't) working.

USES

The past continuous is used: Examples:

a) to talk about an action or activity that was At 1 o’clock yesterday afternoon, my boss was
in progress at a particular moment of time in seeing some clients in Madrid.
the past
b) to talk about an action or activity that was We were discussing our plans for a merger
already in progress, and which was when the chairman suddenly announced his
interrupted by another action resignation.
c) to talk about two actions or activities I was writing the report while my associate
simultaneously in progress in the past was negotiating with the client.

57
Exercises
1. Write sentences using the past continuous (or simple past, when necessary) :
1. at 9 o’clock yesterday/my boss/discuss/a new client/Paris

2. we/have/a negotiation/when he/interrupt us

3. the secretary/write/the minutes/while we/discuss/the new business plan

4. when the boss/enter/my office/I/talk/to a client

5. she/meet/an old colleague/while/she/travel/to London for business

6. when he/give/his presentation/someone/interrupt/him/to ask a question

7. when the new client/get/to the airport/a car/wait/for him

8. I/close/the deal/when my business partner/arrive

9. Jane/write/the report/when her boss/ask/her/about the invoice

10. I/visit/Mexico/this time last month

2. Ask for the bold part of the sentence.

1. I was writing a cheque when my telephone rang.

2. They were discussing the merger of their companies at two o’clock yesterday.

3. I was having lunch while the new client was waiting for me.

4. She was writing her resignation when her boss entered the office.

3. Write a short paragraph about one of the following events, using the simple past and the
past continuous. Say what you were doing when it happened and what you did next.
Write about the time …
… when you decided to get a job

…when you heard about or saw a big event

…when you experienced an earthquake

4. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form (simple past or past continuous):

58
Betsy: I (telephone) you yesterday afternoon but you (not answer). Where you (be)? Brian:
I (be) in another room when you (call). I (not hear) the phone ringing until it (be) too late.
Betsy: What you (work) on?
Brian: I (photocopy) a report that I (need) to send to a client. What you (do) when you (telephone)?
Betsy: I (look) for Tom and (not find) him. Where he (be)? Brian:
Tom (drive) to a meeting.16

5. Write the verb in brackets in the correct form, past simple or past continuous, in each
gap. You may have to use the passive form.
1. When the explosion happened, hundreds of people (pass) through the subway station.
2. When I heard the bell ring, I (stop) writing to answer it.
3. The secretary (write) the report, so she didn't see me walking past.
4. The Industrial Revolution (attract) many people from the country to the city.
5. The Hubble Space Telescope (put) into orbit around the Earth in 1990.
6. Sorry I couldn't come on Monday, but I (work) on my project.
7. By the time I (arrive), the meeting was almost over.

6. Put the verbs in brackets into the past continuous form:

1. Last Friday at 8 o’clock the boss (pay) the employees.
2. He (repair) my car at this time yesterday.
3. You (spend) too many hours on the internet.
4. Our train (leave) at ten o’clock.
5. It (rain) this time yesterday.

7. Make the sentences above negative and interrogative.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

8. Write sentences to express what you were doing at a particular time in the past, using: at
this time yesterday, while, this time last week.
1. 2.
3.

16 Adapted from http://esl.about.com/od/beginningreadingskills/a/d_wered.htm, accessed April 14, 2012.

59
 IV. 2. VOCABULARY PRACTICE
17
1. Study the following phrases related to working hours and time off work and then fill in the
gaps below: allowed time/idle time paid time an employee can spend on rest and other
activities but not work, often as a result of work stoppage from any cause to clock off to put a
card into a special machine so as to record the time you leave work; also to end the daily work
programme core time a period when employees working under a flexible time (also known as
flexitime) system must be present at work fixed hours the opposite of a flexible time system
flexileader (informal) a company that puts a lot of emphasis on flexibility in its employment
practices flexilagger (informal) a company that puts too little emphasis on flexibility in its
work practices full-time work a normal work programme - about 8 hours a day 5 days a
week graveyard shift an informal expression for night shift
homeworking a working method where employees work at home and keep a connection with
the office by electronic means job-share/job-sharing a form of employment in which two or
more people do a single job or take on a specific role in which each person works part-time
overtime work hours which exceed the normal working hours duty roster a list recording the
times when each employee is on duty
unsocial hours work at times such as in the evening or during the night or at the weekends when
people are generally off work
time sheet a record of the times when employees arrive at and leave work job rotation
moving systematically an employee from one job to another time and a half the normal pay
rate plus 50% extra (for instance, when an employee works overtime or in the evenings)

1. I’ve given up working part-time because of the low payment and started
...........................................
2. I’m tired of doing so many jobs. This .............................................. system is getting on my
nerves!
3. His wife has worked overtime a lot this month so she expects being paid
...........................
4. My husband never gets home earlier than 5 pm because he
works...................................
5. That’s it! I. ............................................... for the day.
6. Even if you will have a flexible work schedule, your ................................. at the office is
between 10 and 14.
7. You must sign the ............................................... every time you come to work and leave work.
8. I need a .....................................partner for the new project.
9. For many employees, doing ........................................... work is a good possibility to increase
their salary.
10. The director checked the ............................................ to monitor if the normal work
programme is respected.
11. After 20 years of work, my mother simply hates the......................................................

17 Definitions adapted from Wyatt, Rawdon, Check Your English Vocabulary for Business and Administration, 4th edition, A
& C Black, London, 2007, pp.62-63.

60
12. The ...................................... and the ................................................ represent two opposite
views on work flexibility.
13. In order to reduce downsizing and reduce costs, many companies now encourage their staff to
start......................................
14. His work style is absolutely chaotic. He often prefers to work ........................................ and
sleep in the morning!
15. You have 1 hour of ..........................................each day to attend to your personal needs.

2. Match the words in the two columns so as to make useful expressions related to time
and work schedules:
busy holiday
annual period
tight off
public schedule
busy period
time deadline
quiet leave

3. Use the following time prepositions to describe schedules and plans and then translate
the following sentences:
in spring/autumn at eleven in July at the weekend on the
twenty-first of November on Monday in the morning at
midday in an hour

1. Zborul către Roma este la ora 11 am.

2. Întâlnirea cu noii parteneri de afaceri a început la prânz.

3. În compania noastră cea mai aglomerată perioadă a a anului este primăvara.

4. Noi închidem magazinul în iulie deoarece majoritatea rezidenţilor sunt plecaţi în concediu.

5. Firma lor nu lucrează în weekend.

6. Revizuirea proiectului a început pe 21 noiembrie.

7. Secretara mi-a promis că mă va suna într-o oră.

8. Concediul meu anual începe luni, 2 august.

9. Am sunat-o dimineaţă să îi comunic veștile legate de parteneriat.

10. Toamna lansăm reduceri de preţ pentru produsele de vară.

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4. Cross out the word that does not match with the noun below:
tight/ busy/ public schedule
public/ time/ annual holiday
busy/ annual/ quiet period
tight/ busy/ hard deadline
annual/ time/ period off
public/ annual / tight leave

5. Use the expressions formed in exercise 4 to replace the words in bold below:
1. They have established a close final date for submitting the papers on the online platform.

2. There’s a lot of work to do at the end of the financial year.

3. The government has increased the number of national days off.

4. She needs a break from work, she feels exhausted.

5. My holiday is generally in August.

6. My programme looks very busy with the preparation for the presentation, but I will try to help
you.

V.WRITING PRACTICE
1. Follow-up activity
Except for work, people also need to spend time on leisure activities. Write an extended
paragraph describing the activities that help you wind down (choose at least 3 below or give
other examples of your own).
e.g. cooking chatting on the phone
going out with friends reading
going for a run playing tennis
going to the gym watching TV
listening to music having a relaxing bath
visiting a relative/friend taking a walk

2. Giving (Good/Bad) News

Useful expressions
Good news
We are pleased to announce that ...
I am delighted to inform you that ...
You will be pleased to learn that ...

Bad news
We regret to inform you that ...
I'm afraid it would not be possible to ...

62
Unfortunately we cannot/we are unable to ...
After careful consideration we have decided (not) to ...

A. Examples18 Mrs.
Thomas
Baker Street A 20
New Jersey
USA

Dear Mrs. Thomas,

Further to our telephone conversation this morning, we are delighted to let you know you that we
are able to reduce the price of our lampshades by 10% .
We look forward to receiving your order.
Yours sincerely
Anthony Jones
Marketing Manager

Mrs. Thomas
Baker Street A 20
New Jersey
USA

Dear Mrs. Thomas,

Further to our telephone conversation this morning, we regret to inform you that we are
unable to reduce the price of our lampshades by 10% . With apologies.
Yours sincerely,
Anthony Jones
Marketing Manager

B. Assignment
You are a public relations specialist in a company which has just organized an
interview for an accountant position. Write a letter of acceptance/rejection to one of the
candidates.

18 Adapted from http://www.business-letter-samples.com/good-news.html, accessed April 25, 2012.

63
 UNIT 5. COMMUNICATION AT WORK

I.LEAD IN DISCUSSION
1. How would you describe successful communication? What features should be
respected?

2. We live in the age of fast communication. How is it achieved?

3. How important is communication at your workplace? What about your personal life?

4. How is communication achieved at your workplace?

e.g. by company phone by email by
face-to-face interaction by fax
by mobile phone by postal mail

5. What type of correspondence do you use in your job?

e.g. letters emails

64
 faxes memos
short text messages others

6. What type of papers/ documents do you use in your job?

receipts financial statements and records
invoices certificates delivery notes
shipping notes order forms
statistical records
reports questionnaires

7. How much time do you spend daily on paperwork?

8. There is a tendency for firms to reduce the amount of paperwork. How do they do it?

II.READING AND COMPREHENSION

Read the text below on how the latest technology makes our work easier and then answer
the questions below:
Technology and the workplace19
The average employee is often interrupted every day by a wide range of factors:
instant messages and texts, e-mails or the phone. Employees are so distracted by the various
methods people use to get in touch that they often blame technology for little productivity
and longer hours to achieve a target. However, if it is used right, many of today’s
etechnologies can help spending less time working, not more. Here are some strong points
about the top productivity savers, many of which are available online at little or no cost.
Video calls: Gathering employees in one location can sometimes be expensive and
time-consuming. Similarly, the telephone does not offer the same level of intimacy for a
conversation and the business people involved cannot provide a demonstration. Skype is a
free online service which is available in 28 languages, allowing you to connect visually with
anyone all over the world. All you need is a Webcam and a microphone. Holly Bornstein,
director of marketing for CleanWell, a producer of environmentally friendly cleaning products,
telecommutes all over the country and uses Skype to help launching and developing new
products. "We were creating a new set of cosmetics for Bath & Body Works, and I was unable
to get to the San Francisco office," she says. "Using Skype, our senior designer could show us
different bottle options and discuss the pros and cons for each. He revealed the advantages
that a particular bottle or label design would have on the shelf, showing how it would look
from different angles and next to other products, and all commented and shared our ideas."
Webinars: Webinar technology permits communication from an individual speaker to
an audience, and it can include votes and electronic questions and answers. It helps saving

19 Adapted from http://www.forbes.com/2009/03/17/work-life-technology-leadership-careers-online.html, accessed

June 27, 2012.

65
time and money, just like video calling. You can now avoid travelling long distances for an
instructional conference, which is a major advantage if you are a working parent.
Businesses that normally spend thousands of dollars paying for expensive lunch linens
and glossy event programs are grateful for having this option, too. Cisco declared that more
than 2 million people take part in WebEx sessions every day. Services like WebEx do not call
for any special software or hardware. You just have to launch your Web browser from your
home office and you can carry out real-time training, seminars and presentations for
individuals and groups in remote places.
Google applications: Experts believe that Google applications, including Gmail, Google
Docs, Google Calendar and Google Sites, are considered best-in-class because of how they
make tasks more efficient and facilitate collaboration among people working together on
projects. Many applications are free, and the information is securely backed up and available
everywhere you have access to an Internet connection.
"Gmail is by far the most significant instrument in my arsenal," says Steve Rubel, senior
vice president of Edelman Digital. "I tie Gmail's integrated instant messaging into a service
called notify.me, which sends me alerts when blogs talk about me or CNN broadcasts some
news. Since Gmail has plenty of storage capacity and wonderful search capabilities, I also keep
my personal library there and always use it to access articles, statistics and case studies that I
want employ in my work for and with clients."
Networking services: Everyone has heard of Facebook and LinkedIn, but what about an
online service that can really help you keep informed of the people you know and the
interactions you have with them? Due to products like Jibber Jobber, you no longer have to
spend immeasurable time looking through business cards or old notebooks searching for
phone numbers or bits from an old conversation. The information you need is all in one place
and easy to access. The CEO of Jibber Jobber said that by using this service one can quickly
and confidentially retrieve contacts from a variety of sources, rank relationships, or register
notes about them.
By selecting the right combination of services for your type of work, technology can
become your best assistant once more. However, be prudent because there are potential
drawbacks or risks. For example, when working with Web-based applications, choose those
that are not likely to fail, look for those that have positive returns and a stream of new
features. On the other hand, in order to sustain a high level of productivity, focus on carrying
out one important task at a time.
Finally, do not allow these useful services to become more important than your faceto-
face meetings and relationships. Sometimes they are not that useful or urgent. You do not
need to have a Webinar session for the team downstairs, and you should avoid the
temptation to send lots of e-mails to your manager instead of occasionally having a talk in his
office. After all, human beings are social creatures, and simply talking to a colleague or client is
sometimes the best way to communicate a clear message. 1. What types of interruption from
work does the text mention?

2. What e-technologies described in the text make our work faster and more efficient?

3. What does video calling involve and which are its advantages?

66
4. In what ways are webinars different from conferences?

5. Would you like to take part in a webinar? Why?

6. Do you use any of the Google applications referred to in the text?

7. Do you use any of these applications? Do you use others?

8. The text also makes reference to some networking services. Are you familiar with
any of them?

9. What are the risks of overusing these resources in our work?

III.COMMUNICATION SKILLS
1. What type of technology do you use at work?
personal computer video projector laptop/
notebook printer
tablet fax machine xerox copier scanner e-
reader type writer

2. Phoning or sending a written note also depends on the type of activity. Do you prefer the
phone, the email or some other kind of communication in the following situations:
order furniture confirm receipt of order arrange
a business meeting apply for a job
complain about a product/service invite someone to an official reception
cancel a meeting clarify a misunderstanding announce
emergency make an offer

3. What basic rules should callers and receivers respect when making a call to/ within a
company?

4. Answer the phone in English in the following situations: you are at work
you are in a hotel room you are at home you are in the bus
you are a nurse in a hospital you are an accountant for a firm

5. What do you say in the following situations on the phone? you can’t hear the receiver
properly you are not sure you called the right office you get the wrong number the person

67
 you want to talk to is busy you need a reference number urgently the receiver seems to be
talking to someone else, too there is an emergency but the receiver just won’t listen you are
asked for confidential personal information you are invited to an event but you don’t want
to go you were sent the wrong order
you want details about a delivery

6. You want to talk on the phone with Mr. Marco Torucci, the manager of Inditex, in order
to arrange a business meeting with him. He is not in his office. Imagine the dialogue with
his secretary. Work in pairs and use the information below:

Caller: Kim Gissing from Apsa Consulting

Message for: Marco Torucci
Calling about: order discount needs renegotiating; a meeting must be established
Phone number: 004434567890
Urgent? – yes

Useful expressions
Caller
Can/Could I speak to …, please?
I’d like to speak to..., please.
Is ... there?
Can/Could you put me through to …?
Can/Could I leave a message?
Can/Could you take a
message? Can/Could you tell
him … Can he call me back?
I’m phoning to/for/about …
My number is …
Can you tell him it is urgent?

Receiver
I’m sorry, he’s not here/in at the moment.
I’m afraid he’s away on business.
Can I take a message?
Can/Could you repeat that, please?
Can/Could you read that back to me?
How do you spell that/your name?

IV. LANGUAGE PRACTICE

IV.1. GRAMMAR PRACTICE
Present Perfect Simple
FORM

68
The present perfect tense is formed by using the present tense of the auxiliary verb have and
the past participle of the verb (- ed form for the regular verbs, third form for the irregular
verbs):

Affirmative Negative Interrogative

I/you/we/they have I/you/we/they have not Have I/you/we/they
worked/taken (haven't) worked/taken. worked/taken?
He/she/it has worked/taken He/she/it has not (hasn't)
worked/taken Has he/she/it worked/taken?

USES

The present perfect is used: Examples:

a) to talk about a present situation which is a I have handed in my report to my boss. (I gave
result of something that happened at an him my report and he has it now.) You have
unspecified time in the past (there aren’t any sent me the samples I wanted. (You sent
specific time expressions such as yesterday, them. They are in the post now.)
last week, etc.)
b) with the word just to talk about actions that We have just signed a new contract.
have taken place very recently. The exact time
is not mentioned
c) with the words ever and never to talk about Have you ever been to London? (In all your life
general life experience up to now)
I have never worked abroad.
d) with already (in positive sentences) and We have already talked to the suppliers but
yet (in questions and negatives) we haven’t signed any contract yet.
e) with prepositions or prepositional phrases This week we have sold a lot of new products.
indicating periods of time that have not
finished yet: today, this morning, this month,
this year, so far, to date, over the last few
weeks, up to now, etc
d) with for (duration) and since (when a period I have had shares in this company for several
started) and stative verbs to talk about things months / since I started work here.
that began in the past and have continued up
to now

Exercises
1. Write sentences using the present perfect simple:
1. you/ever/work/abroad?

2. I/not gain/experience of managing people/yet

69
 3. she/study/accountancy/for three years

4. this/be/an excellent year/so far

5. we/just/speak/to our shareholders

6. they/operate/as joint directors/since 1999

7. how long/the office/be/vacant?

8. you/be/in charge of the Finance Department/for two years

9. I/not look/at their proposal/since last year

10. he/never/have/a pay rise

2. Rewrite the sentences using the present perfect simple:

1. The last time she met the new client was in May.

2. The last time I had a bank statement was several weeks ago.

3. The last time I went to London was last year.

4. The last time this company raised the prices was in 2007.

5. The last time the workers went on strike was in June.

3. Complete the sentences with for or since:

1. Things have changed ………….. I worked here.
2. My boss has been very patient with me ….…..several months.
3. I’ve been awake ………… a long time.
4. I’ve been awake …………. five o’clock.
5. Nobody has heard about him …………. he left the company.
6. I have been very busy ………….. two weeks.
7. She earned her own living ………….. she left school.
8. The strike has lasted …………. three days.

4. Write sentences, using the present perfect simple: Mention:

- something you have never done

- something you haven’t done yet

- something you have just done

70
- something you have done this week

- something you have done this month

5. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form (present perfect simple or past tense):
Betsy: Hi Brian, this is Betsy. How are you doing?
Brian: I just (return) from the Head Office. The weather is great! Boston is a great city!
Betsy: you (meet) Frank yet?
Brian: No, I (see) him yet. We have a meeting at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning. We are going to
meet then.
Betsy: you (make) your presentation yet?
Brian: Yes, I (make) the presentation yesterday afternoon. I (be) very nervous, but everything (go)
well.
Betsy: management (give) you any feedback yet?
Brian: Yes, I already (meet) with the sales director. We (meet) immediately after the meeting and
he (be) impressed with our work.
Betsy: That's great Brian. Congratulations! you (visit) any museums yet?
Brian: No, I'm afraid I (not have) any time yet. I hope to take a tour around town tomorrow.
Betsy: Well, I'm happy to hear that everything is going well. I'll talk to you soon. Brian:
Thanks for calling Betsy. Bye.
Betsy: Bye.20

6. Circle the correct word or phrase:

1. You should know about the meeting because I told / have told you about it yesterday.
2. Did you meet / Have you met last month while you were both in Asia for business?
3. I'm resigning because the pressure at work has become / became too much for me.
4. A month ago, I got / have got a letter from Nora, but I haven't replied.
5. Jessica was / has been anxious to speak to you since she heard about your problems at work.
6. I had / have had no idea you were such a good acountant.
7. There were / have been a number of different reasons for this takeover.
8. I don't know who's responsible because I didn't work / haven't worked here long.

7. Put the verbs in brackets into the present perfect simple:

1. I (visit) Austria.
2. Our business partner (arrive).
3. The police (arrest) the thieves.
4. The bank managers (suggest) that the meeting be postponed.
5. His flight (land).
6. They (prepare) all the papers to be signed.
7. I (write) three reports today.
8. They (receive) our e-mail.

20 Adapted from http://esl.about.com/od/beginningreadingskills/a/d_bizpres.htm, accessed March 13, 2012.

71
8. Make the sentences above negative and interrogative.
1. 2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

IV. 2. VOCABULARY PRACTICE

1. Complete the following dialogues 21 related to making calls using the words and
expressions in the box:
on behalf of; extension; get back; junk calls; zeroing out; engaged; voicemail; direct
line; cut off; hang on; put through; convenient; call back; speaking; hold the line;
message; automated services; dead; tone; connect; hung up; switchboard
1. A: Could I speak to Maria Valles in Accounts, please?
B: I’m afraid her line is .............................. at the moment. Do you want her to
............................ you ........................... when she gets here?
2. A: Hello, could you ............ me ................... to Acquisitions, please?
B: Certainly. ............................... please.
3. A: Hello! I’d like to speak to Kim Harrison, please.
B: She’s out of the office, I’m afraid, but I can .......................... you and you can leave a
................................. on her ...................................., if you like.
A: No, that’s OK, I’ll try again later today. When would be a ............................. time?
4. A: Oh no, not again! B: What’s up?
A: I’m trying to call the bank for an emergency and I’ve got one of those annoying
.............................
B: Well, try ........................................... You might get through to a real human being. A: OK.
Oh, the line’s gone ......................... now. I’ve been ...........................
5. Answering machine: Hello. This is James Carter. I’m not in the office at the moment, but if you
leave your name and your number after the ....................., I’ll ............................ to you as soon
as I can.
6. A: (answering the phone) Hello?
B: Hello there. I’m Mike from Moneybuy International, and I’m delighted to let you know
that you have been selected from a list of 50,000 people to receive an amazing prize as a
reward for your loyalty....
C: Who is it?
A: (putting down the phone) Oh, you know, just one of those irritating
................................
7. A: (answering the phone) Hello?

21 Adapted from Wyatt, Rawdon, Check Your English Vocabulary for Business and Administration, 4th edition, A & C
Black, London, 2007, p. 55.

72
 B: Hello. Could I speak to Mr Clark, please?
A: ...........................................
B: Good evening, Mr Clark. I’m Tim Jones and I’m calling ........................ Sun Systems. I was
wondering if.....
A: (says nothing and puts the phone down)
B: Oh, dear... That’s the third one who ................................. on me today.
8. A: Hello, could I have Janet Franks’ ................................... please?
B: Well, actually, she has a ..................................... now, which means you can by-pass
the ..................................... the next time you call. If you ................................, I’ll give you her
number.

2. Many people now use abbreviations to communicate more quickly. They are also used in
business, especially in emails and handwritten notes and messages. Decide what the
abbreviations below mean:
1. We haven’t made any profit over the last months. AAMOF, we’ve lost almost £5000.
2. Roger, I need to talk to you urgently. Please call me ASAP.
3. Must leave now. BRB
4. Thanks for confirming receipt of order. BTW, have you received the bill, too?
5. I’m sorry the boss didn’t accept your ideas. FWIW, I think you’ve done a great job.
6. Here are the documents you need (see attachment). HTH
7. You asked me what we should do about the failure of the advertising campaign. IMO, you should
talk to the Marketing Manager.
8. The last fax has finally arrived. IOW, we can call everyone and start discussing it.
9. You can’t tell me what to do, so MYOB!
10. You could be wrong. OTOH, you’re probably right.
11. WRT your request of advance payment, I’m afraid our answer is no.

3. Match the verbs and the nouns below to make collocations used in communication and the
use of technology:
insert icon
print the screen
save an email
open a folder
attach an order form
send a document
forward a laptop
click a website
enter the internet
log on to an email
connect to a credit card
touch a password
insert the button
switch on/off an invoice

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 push a hard copy

4. Translate the following short conversation about asking for and offering help on the
phone : A: Buna, Elena ! Scuza-ma, ma poti ajuta?
B : Sigur, ce s-a intamplat ?
A : Cum accesez Intranetul?
B : In primul rand, acceseaza pagina de Intranet. Apoi vei introduce numele utilizatorului si parola.
Nu uita se folosesti numai litere mici. Apoi gasesti casuta de mesaje. De aici poti trimite si poti
primi mesaje de la colegi. La urma te deconectezi de aici. E in regula? A : E foarte bine,
multumesc !

5. Complete the dialogue with the suitable expressions introduced in this unit: A: SJC. Good
morning. How can I help you?
B: Hello. ................................... from A&A Consulting. ............................ Ji Ming, please?
A: ............................................ in the office right now. He’s in a meeting.
B: Oh, I see. Could I..............................................?
A: Certainly. Can I have your ...................... name again and your .....................?
B: Oh, right. My name’s ............................... . ....
A: Can you spell your name for me?
B: Yes, it’s............................. and my phone number is ...........................
A: So that’s Mr........................... telephone number ...................... Is that right?
B: ......................................... . .................................. as soon as possible?
A: I’ll give him your message as soon as he gets in.
B: Thank you! Good bye!
A: Have a nice day, Mr.....................

V.WRITING PRACTICE
1. Follow-up activity
Write an internal message email22 using the suggestions/ ideas below. Adapt and change
them as you wish:
a) An email to your line manager about a training course you would like to attend.
Suggestions: what the course will teach you; why you are motivated to go; how you and your
organisation will benefit; information on location, cost and dates; specify whether you want
your company to pay all or just cover a part of the cost etc.
b) An email to all staff announcing a change in policy or procedure.
Suggestions: changes related to: security procedures in the building/ break times/ health and
safety procedures/ office hours/ incentives scheme / personal use of the phone and the
Internet during working hours etc.

2. Writing a report
The basic pattern of a report is:
1. Preliminary information
- the title of the report
22 Adapted from http://www.businessenglishonline.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Internal-messages.pdf, accessed
June 28, 2012.

74
 - who wrote it
- the date it was written
- the distribution
- a summary and a table of contents (if it is a long report)
2. Introduction
- why it was written
- what it is about
- who it is intended for
- who asked for it
- the methods used
3. Body
4. Conclusion, recommendation or main findings

Useful expressions
Introduction
This report is meant to …
The aim/purpose of this report is to examine/evaluate/describe/outline …
This report is intended as a …
It will also include/consider/suggest/recommend …

Conclusions and recommendations

We need to …
We recommend that …
We should …
My conclusions and recommendations are …
I would (strongly) recommend that … should …
I feel it would be to our advantage if …

A. Example23
Report on Eco-Homes Project

1. Title of Business Report

• Title: Eco-Homes Project Initiative
• Objective: Compile data and analysis for development for housing project Eco-Homes at
location and address of the project.
• Report by: Dr. Stephen Lang, CEO EcoVision Projects, Empire Construction and Infrastructure
Group.
23 Adapted from http://www.buzzle.com/articles/business-report-example.html, accessed April 25, 2012.

75
• Key Contents: A Detailed plan, proposition, execution schedule and analysis of the project idea
of an eco-friendly settlement put forth by Dr. Taylor Francis, New Projects Department, Empire
Construction and Infrastructure Group (mother company).
• Reporting and Analysis Time: 1 month
• Project Implementation Time: 17 months
• Assumptions: The time frame and execution is framed, taking into consideration the seasonal
elements of climate and other turnover ratios, experienced in the previous financial year.
2. Letter of transmittal

Attached, letter of transmittal, conveying the idea by Dr Francis, consisting of the core features
of report.

3. Table of Contents
• Summary and Synopsis of the Project
• Introduction
• Discussion and Details
• Conclusion
• Recommendations
2. Summary and Synopsis

The Eco-Homes Project Initiative is an underway project which has been conceived by the
Empire Group. The basic ideology of the initiative is eco-friendly living. The Empire group
intends to build a mega residential complex which is spread over 35 acres of land, and house
around about 150 households, which are self-sufficient in several ways. The complex thrives
on the basis of inbuilt agricultural center, animal husbandry center, building gardens, fuel cell
and bio-gas-propane generators of electricity, massive solar panels which provide heat to the
homes and also electricity. The complex will span over the 35 acre premise and will consist of
3 core residential centers, 15 solar panel driven green houses, 2 orchards, 5 gardens, 3
pastures and 3 animal husbandry centers cum dairies and a staff of 33 people.

3. Discussion and Details

Some common points, details and conclusions that were drawn in the meeting of project engineers,
company architects and cost accountants go as follows.
• The project will bring a substantial revenue if all 150 houses are sold off at a price of amount
per house hold. The project will be a highly big commercial success as it is not just situated in
the city but, once the customer buys the housing facility, his usual bills that include electricity
and water bill will be cut down to half.
• There are 5 phases of the project, namely, the basic foundation phase, housing complex 1
phase, followed by 2 and 3, with the last phase being the development of all the support and
infrastructure facility. It is estimated that every phase would go on for 3 months plus a backup
of 2 months has been provided.

76
• The sales for real estate would begin with the completion of housing complex 1, followed by
complex 2 and 3. By the end of complex 3, the real estate market rates would have increased
by 7.8%. This price escalation however is not included in any of the calculations.
• The cost sheets showing cost projections for the project have been attached.

2. Conclusion

The project team recommends that this project should be taken up and executed as fast as
possible as the real estate market is and the eco-friendly products have been consistently
showing positive rises in the past 5 years.

3. Recommendation

In order to reduce operational cost of $500 for every two months, which is incurred by the
residents, the project team recommends more research and development. It is a selling point
that can be put forth to boost sales.

B. Assignment
You are working for a company that is considering opening a business in another
country. Write a report, analyzing possible accounting problems the company might
encounter and offer possible solutions for overcoming these problems.

UNIT 6. SPENDING AND SAVING MONEY

I.LEAD IN DISCUSSION
1. Money is a key-concept in the contemporary society. Can you think of some causes
that made money so important for our lives?

2. Comment on the following quotations related to money. What different perspectives

can you identify?
When I was young I thought that money was the most important thing in life; now that I am old I
know that it is. (Oscar Wilde)
Money, not morality, is the principle commerce of civilized nations. (Thomas Jefferson)

77
I can raise no money by vile means. (William Shakespeare)
My favourite things in life do not cost any money. It is really clear that the most precious resource we
all have is time. (Steve Jobs)

3. How important is money for you/ your family?

4. Do you know anyone who values money more than anything else and would do anything
for money? What about someone who cares little about money?

5. (if you work) How much money do you earn a month?

6. What do you think about the ratio prices/salaries in Romania?

7. How much money do you spend a month?

8. What do you spend your money on daily?

e.g. a sandwich/food fruits
mineral water coffee
cigarettes transport
bread others

9. What do you spend your money on weekly?

e.g. food transport
beverages leisure activities

10. What do you spend your money on monthly?

e.g. transport food
bills (electricity, gas, phone etc.) leisure activities
education taxes clothes medicines
books others

11. Do you manage to save any money every month or at least occasionally? Useful
expressions:
I sometimes save... I rarely save...
I generally save... I never save any money because...
I always manage to save...
I need to save at least... for...

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 II.READING AND COMPREHENSION
1. Read the following interviews 24 related to people who end up in debt and then answer
the questions below: Being in debt Interview 1:
Interviewer: I know you are an insolvency specialist, Mrs. Abbot.
Mrs. Abbot: I help companies terminate their operations when they stop trading. I make up a
list of creditors, liquidate the firm’s assets and decide who gets paid.
Interviewer: I understand.... So, tell me, when business go bankrupt, is it because the idea was
bad right from the beginning?
Mrs. Abbot: Not necessarily, even businesses based on good ideas and plans can go broke
if they don’t have the money to deal with their immediate financial commitments. In fact, this
is what insolvency means. If firms could have the ability to raise money to help them with
their cash-flow difficulties, then the story would be different.
Interviewer: What is the most dangerous aspect or time for small businesses?
Mrs. Abbot: This is when they start to grow. They do their businesses on bigger premises,
hire more staff, and their outgoings increase dramatically. They have a level of overheads
which gets harder and harder to handle.
Interviewer: So the business needs to generate a lot of extra business.
Mrs. Abbot: Yes, but unfortunately firms sometimes invest too much in equipment with
the assistance of one or two powerful customers. But one of them can soon change the
supplier or fails to pay his bills and this is how they head for bankruptcy.
Interviewer: Can’t they sell the equipment bought?
Mrs. Abbot: Of course they can, but they will only get a portion of what they originally paid.
Interviewer: I see. What else do small businesses need to think about?
Mrs. Abbot: They should be very aware of the business environment they are operating
in. Let me give you an example. I had some clients who owned a small CD shop in a town. They
were doing quite well until a big chain store opened a branch very close to that small shop.
The independent retailer was convinced his local customers would remain loyal to him, but
the customers eventually deserted to the big shop where goods were cheaper. In the end,
they went bankrupt. In my view, they should have sold everything as soon as the chain
arrived, and started up their business in another town.

Interview 2:
Interviewer: Bill Adamson, you are a debt counsellor for individuals. How do people manage to get
into such a mess in the first place?
Bill Adamson: Well, there are people who overuse their credit cards or gamble their
money or properties. But it is also common to happen when people lose their jobs. People
who had managed to live with their means simply cannot pay the bills anymore.
Interviewer: But there are plenty of jobs available, right?
Bill Adamson: It may be true in some areas. However, a skilled factory worker who had
earned good money working overtime may not be able to earn the same elsewhere. Now he
24 Adapted from Naunton, Jon, Head for Business, Upper Intermediate Student’s Book, Oxford UP, Oxford, second
edition, 2004, pp. 153-154.

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cannot earn enough income to provide for his basic needs, and each month he falls further
behind. He fails to pay his mortgage and other loans at the appointed time and ignores
unpleasant letters. In the end, he comes to me because the warnings turn into threats.
Interviewer: And what can you do, in a concrete sense, to help these people?
Bill Adamson: I advise them on how to prioritize debts, starting with the most important ones
like mortgage or rent, or electricity and water bills.
Interviewer: What about those things they’ve bought on hire purchase or with credit cards?
Bill Adamson: One option is to let the company take its products back. Another alternative
is to offer a smaller repayment under the form of smaller instalments. This is what most firms
prefer. After all, you can’t do much with a second-hand washing machine or TV set.
Interviewer: Does this mean that these situations affect mostly ordinary workers?
Bill Adamson: Far from it. Managers with well-paid jobs in high-tech industries were
deeply affected by the recession. They suddenly found themselves out of work, and the debts
were certainly more serious.
Interviewer: Is there any other group which is particularly vulnerable?
Bill Adamson: For instance, small businesspeople like builders. I had a client who built
extensions. When interest rates were low, he made a fortune, but when they rose his business
collapsed overnight. Many people borrow to finance a building project, and when interest
rates go up they wait.
Interviewer: What solution did he have?
Bill Adamson: In his case, he sold his house and his Mercedes to meet his liabilities. He had
to choose between this and going bankrupt. Interview 1:
1. What do both interviewees commonly deal with in their jobs?

2. What does insolvency mean?

3. What is the major difficulty or risk faced by small businesses?

4. What is the last recommendation Mrs. Abbot makes for small businesses?

Interview 2:
1. What causes does Bill Adamson mention for individual debts?

2. What is the normal outcome when people lose their jobs?

3. What does prioritizing debts mean?

4. What solutions can people have when their debts are pressing them?

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5. What three groups of employees or firms who face debt are referred to in this
interview?

6. Do you know anyone who had to face one of the situations described in the
interviews?

2. Read the following short text25 related to a company which promotes ethical business and
then answer the questions below:
Tribes Travel
The company’s core business revolves around fair trade, ecotourism and responsible
travel. In fact, we use a Fairtrade travel mark for all our ecotourism. This involves paying
people a fair wage for the services they provide, ensuring they are not taken advantage of,
and making sure that our tourism has a positive effect on the local people and the
environment. We also bridge cultures because we promote learning about each other’s
cultures through local guides and we also invite local people to join us in our trips.
We keep our tourist groups small to reduce the impact on the wildlife to a minimum, as
well as the impact on the environment and local communities. We also work with an affiliated
charity to support poverty reduction, education, cultural preservation and conservation
projects implemented in those areas where tourism is active.
1. What is the company’s field of activity?

2. What does the Fairtrade travel mark entail for a business?

3. What does ecotourism represent and involve?

4. What types of customers are attracted by these services? What kinds of things
matter for them?

5. In what ways is ecotourism different from tourism?

6. Is there a connection between being moral and making money? Is it possible to do

both?

25 Adapted from Duckworth, Michael and Turner, Rebecca, Business Result, Upper Intermediate Student’s Book, Oxford
UP, Oxford, 2009, p. 41.

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7. Do you think investment in ethical businesses, that is greener, environmentally
friendlier business could make the world a better place?

8. Are there any businesses you wouldn’t like to invest your money in?
e.g. guns gambling
alcohol cigarettes

III.COMMUNICATION SKILLS
1. How do you say the following in English?
37% €7,000
15% €8,673
50% $500,000
£100 $456,789
£207 $9,000,000
£654 $89,234,000

2. Speak about the budget, the spendings, wastings and savings of the company you work
for/a company that you know (or invent a company).
Useful expressions:
Last year the company X spent a lot of money on . . .
Last year the company X wasted a lot of money on . . .
Last year the company X saved a lot of money by . . . (+ -ing)
Last year the company’s profit was of …

3. Have you ever been in debt/ has anyone in your family been in debt? How serious was
it? What caused it and how did you manage to deal with it?
Useful expressions:
The last time I was in serious debt was in I tried to solve it by ....
..../ X years ago It was great that I could...
What happened was .... It was unfortunate that I couldn’t...
The main cause of it all was ...
Finally I managed to borrow some money Finally I managed to convince the bank from...
to...

4. Many people now loan money from the bank to purchase certain goods like cars or
houses. Imagine the conversation with a bank officer in which you try to obtain a loan of
€20,000. You are married, you have three children, and you have been working as a
nurse at the local hospital for ten years.

IV.LANGUAGE PRACTICE
IV.1. GRAMMAR PRACTICE
Present Perfect Continuous

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FORM

The present perfect continuous is formed with the present perfect of the auxiliary verb be (have
been) and the -ing form of the verb.

Affirmative Negative Interrogative

I/you/we/they have been I/you/we/they have not Have I/you/we/they been
working (haven't) been working. working?
He/she/it has been working. He/she/it has not (hasn't) Has he/she/it been working?
been working.

USES

The present perfect continuous is used: Examples:

with for, since, and how long and other We have been selling computers for 2 years /
expressions of duration (ex. all day), to talk since 2010.
about activities that started happening in the
past and are still happening now

Exercises
1. Write sentences using the present perfect continuous:
1. they/produce/computers/here/for 10 years

2. I/try/to ring you/all day

3. she/write/the report/since this morning

4. he/not feel well/recently

5. Mr. Jones/run/this company/since 2000

6. I/work/in this company/for two years

7. she/have/a lot of problems/recently

8. I/make/contribution to my pension/since 2004

2. Starting from the facts given below, write questions and answers using the
present perfect continuous:
Compac is an American company that manufactures computers.

83
 2001 Peter Jones becomes chairman of the company

2003 Compac starts exporting computers to Europe

2004 Compac starts selling computers in Asia

2005 Compac starts a partnership with a company in Hong Kong

3. Write sentences, using the present perfect continuous. Mention:

- how long you have been attending the university

- how long you have been living in Bacau

- how long you have been studying English

- how long you have been working

4. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form (present perfect simple or present perfect
continuous):
Bruce: you (finish) the balance sheets yet?
Alice: I (work) on them since 10 this morning. I'm almost done.
Bruce: No need to rush. I don't need them until tomorrow morning.
Alice: Janet told me you (look) for a new bookkeeper. Is that true?
Bruce: Yes, We (look), but no luck yet.
Alice: I know someone who'd be perfect.
Bruce: Oh really, does she have any experience?
Alice: Of course, she (work) for Smith CPA and Co. since 2004.
Bruce: Great. Ask her to come in for an interview.
Alice: Sounds good. She's not too happy in her current position. I'm sure she'll be interested in
interviewing for the job.
Bruce: Oh, I almost forgot to ask ... you (open) the new accounts at Wells Fargo?
Alice: Yes. Here are the account numbers, PIN number, and paperwork.
Bruce: Thanks. Well, let me know when you finish those balance sheets. Alice:
Sure, I should be done soon.26

5. Write the verb in brackets in the correct form, past continuous or present perfect
continuous, in each gap: 1. 'Why are you out so tired?'
'Because I (write) a long report for the last hour.'
2. 'Your light was on when I walked past last night.'
'Yes, I (talk) online to my boss in America.'

26 Adapted from http://esl.about.com/od/businessreading/a/d_bkeeper.htm, accessed March 16, 2012.

84
3. 'You've really improved your work.'
'Well, I hope so because I (work) a lot lately.'
4. 'Did you quit your job in the end?'
'I (think) of doing so for a long time, but then I decided not to.'
5. 'Why is your street such a mess?'
'Oh, the council (dig) up the roads, but they should finish this weekend.'

6. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct present perfect continuous form:
1. He (wait) in the conference room since 2 o’clock.
2. You (work) hard all day.
3. Sue (try) to get a job.
4. Mike (write) all day.
5. Jane (answer) the phone.

7. Make the sentences above negative and interrogative.

1. 2.
3.
4.
5.

IV. 2. VOCABULARY PRACTICE

1. Study the meaning of the following collocations related to money 27 and then fill in the
gaps with the suitable forms: to borrow money (from sbd.) to take or obtain money/some
other thing with the promise to return the same or an equivalent; to lend money (to sbd.) to
give money on condition that it is returned; to pay off debts to pay back in full; to be in debt
to owe money; the condition of being under obligation to pay for sth. to spend money to
dispose of/use money; to save money to lay up money as a result of economy or thrift; to
earn money to get money in return for one’s labour or service; to gain money to obtain
money as a profit.
1. The money she .........................for her work every month is barely enough to survive.
2. The company didn’t manage to ................................. and was soon declared bankrupt.
3. I ................................... € 2000 by this deal.
4. The Petrescus have managed to buy a new car only after .......................... for five years.
5. They knew very well they ................................... but continued to invest.
6. I ................................. her 300 lei yesterday on promise she’d return it by next week.
7. Unfortunately, I ................................. more money than I earned last month.
8. There are many possibilities for people to make their way out of debt by
...................... money .......... the bank, relatives or friends.

2. Look back to the words underlined in the interviews in II.1. Study their meanings
below28 and then translate the sentences into English using the suitable forms:
insolvency specialist a specialist who deals with the firms’ condition of bankruptcy/ the
inability to satisfy creditors; creditors a firm or person that gives credit in business
27 Definitions adapted from http://www.macmillandictionary.com/, http://www.merriam-webster.com/.
28 Definitions adapted from http://www.macmillandictionary.com/, http://www.merriam-webster.com/.

85
 transactions; assets items of ownership convertible into cash; total resources of a person
or business, as cash, notes and accounts receivable, securities, inventories, fixtures,
machinery, or real estate (the opposite of liabilities);
liabilities money owed; debts or pecuniary obligations; to liquidate to clear debts or
accounts; to go into liquidation; to terminate the operations of a firm by evaluation of
liabilities and appropriation of assets for their settlement; to go bankrupt/ to be declared
bankrupt to be declared insolvent because of inability to discharge debts; financial
commitments financial obligations; to raise money to collect money; to obtain money;
cash-flow problems a movement of money into and out of business; the rate at which a
business takes in money through sales and pays it out for the things it needs to continue
operating, premises the building and land used by a firm; outgoings amounts of money
spent by a firm regularly, for example on rent, electricity or salaries (the opposite of
income); overheads the regular payments as costs of operating a business; debt counsellor
someone who advises people in situations when they owe money to other people; to pay
bills to give money to buy a service/product; to overuse to use to excess; retailer a person
or company that sells goods directly to the public for their own use (as opposed to
wholesalers) ; to fall behind to fail to pay sth. at the appointed time; loan amount of money
borrowed especially from a bank; mortgage a legal agreement in which you borrow money
from a bank in order to buy a house;
hire purchase/ instalment plan a method of purchasing expensive goods in which you pay
small regular amounts of money until you have paid the whole amount; instalment monthly
payment for a loan; one of several payments an amount is divided into; interest rate the
percentage that an institution such as a bank charges or pays you in interest when you
borrow money from it or keep money in an account.

1. Am plătit calculatorul în 12 rate lunare.

2. Rata dobânzii a crescut atât de mult încât a descurajat cumpărătorii.
3. Salariul meu nu îmi permite să obţin o ipotecă.
4. Comerciantul cu amănuntul poate obţine un profit mai mic decât cel cu ridicata.
5. Firma se va muta în noua locaţie anul viitor.
6. Cred că iarăși ai întârziat cu plata chiriei!
7. Am obţinut un împrumut considerabil datorită veniturilor mari pe care le avem.
8. Am sfătuit-o să se consulte cu un consilier în problem de datorii sau cu un specialist în
insolvenţă.
9. Modalităţile de plată prin Internet sunt acum utilizate în exces.
10. Fluxul de numerar nu mai satisface nevoile companiei.
11. Ți-ai achitat factura?
12. Cheltuielile cu facturile curente au determinat firma să facă eforturi mari de supravieţuire.
13. Cheltuielile generale ale firmei au depășit cu mult așteptările consiliului de administraţie.
14. Deoarece nu a mai putut să facă faţă obligaţiilor financiare, firma a fost declarată
falimentară.
15. Firma datorează mii de dolari creditorilor.
16. Au fost analizate în detaliu atât activele cât și pasivele companiei înainte de a se lua o decizie
finală.
17. Multă lume apelează la plata în rate pentru achiziţionarea unor bunuri.

86
 18. Firma intră în lichidare în scurt timp.
19. Au adunat bani pentru a lichida contul deschis la banca Raifeissen.

3. Complete the definitions29 below with words or expressions from the box:
deposit; subsidize; working capital; audit; sponsor; inflation; refund; withdraw;
dividend; deflation; venture capital; budget; rebate; royalty; credit; debit

1. When you ............................ an account, you put money into it. When you
................... an account, you take money out of it.
2. A ................................. is part of a company’s profits shared among shareholders. A ............ is
money paid to the author of a book, an actor etc. as a percentage of sales.
3. If you........................ money in an account, you put money into that account. If you...............
money, you take it out your account.
4. A .......................... is money paid back to a customer when, for example, returning sth. to
a shop. A .................... is money that someone gets back as a result of paying too much tax
or rent etc.
5. ................... is a state of economy where prices and wages go up. ....................... is a
reduction of economic activity, usually accompanied by a decrease in prices, salaries etc.
6. ....................... is the money that is needed or available for running a business or
organisation. .............................. is the money that is needed or available for starting a
business or organisation.
7. An ............................ is an official examination of the financial records of a company,
organisation or person. A ......................... is the amount of money a company
,organisation or person has available to spend on sth.
8. If you ...................... goods or services, you pay part of the costs so that they can be sold to
people at a lower price. If you ................ sth. (an event), you pay for all or part of it.

4. Make your own sentences using the words in exercise 3.

V.WRITING PRACTICE
1. Follow-up activity
Imagine you are a debt counsellor. Consider the following information 30 on a debt situation
and write your advice in a detailed letter.
The person in debt:
The company you work for has recently reduced the amount of overtime available. You
depended heavily on this because it increased your salary with 25%. Background to the
problem:
• A year ago, you bought a new TV, washing machine and new furniture for your apartment on hire
purchase over 5 years. Now you have fallen behind with the payments/instalments and have
received threatening letters from the bank which gave you the loan.

29 Adapted from Wyatt, Rawdon, Check Your English Vocabulary for Business and Administration, 4th edition, A &
C Black, London, 2007, pp. 29-30.
30 Adapted from Naunton, Jon, Head for Business, Upper Intermediate Student’s Book, Oxford UP, Oxford, second
edition, 2004, pp. 127 and 138.

87
• You also have a family car which is rarely used. You go to work on public transport.
• You have a rent to pay, too. You are not sure whether to pay the rent first, or the utilities bills
(electricity, gas etc.)
• You also have credit card bills of €2,000 and you pay 2% interest on them monthly.
• You go to a private gym which costs around €50 per month.
• You have a taste for clothes and use a charge card in a large department store. You pay 11% interest
a month.
Debt counsellor – suggestions:
• Cut monthly costs immediately, such as the gym subscription or expenses on clothes; • Destroy all
credit or charge cards, especially those with a high interest rate;
• Ask the bank to reduce the monthly instalments.
2. Job application letters
Job application letters (cover letters) usually accompany the CV, explaining to the
employer why you are qualified for the position and why you should be selected for an interview.
A cover letter follows the basic format of a typical business letter and it should address three
general issues:

1. Why you are writing

2. What you have to offer
3. How you will follow-up

The parts of a cover letter:

1. Contact Information
- Your Name
- Your Address
- Your City, Code
- Your Phone Number
- Your Cell Phone Number
- Your Email Address
2. Employer Contact Information
3. Cover Letter Salutation
Useful expressions
Dear Mr. Jones, Dear
Hiring Manager:
To whom it may concern,
Dear Human Resources Manager,
Dear Sir or Madam,
4. Body of Cover Letter
- First Paragraph - Why you are writing
- Middle Paragraphs - What you have to offer the employer
- Final Paragraph - How you will follow-up
5. Closure
Useful expressions
Sincerely
Sincerely yours

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Regards
Best regards
Kind regards
Yours truly
Most sincerely
Respectfully
Respectfully yours
Thank you
Thank you for your consideration
6. Signature

A. Example31
26 Bond Street
75008 London
England tel:
+34567288219
email: [email protected]
Date 24 June 2012
The Manager
DLL Bank
77 Riverside Street
75006 London
Dear Madam
Manager of the bank
I am interested in working as accountant for your bank. I am an accountant with nearly 10
years' experience to offer you. I enclose my resume as a first step in exploring the
possibilities of employment with DLL Bank.
As accountant with your bank, I would bring a focus on quality and effectiveness. Furthermore, I
work well with others, and I am experienced in accounting.
I would appreciate your keeping this enquiry confidential. I will call you in a few days to
arrange an interview at a time convenient to you. Thank you for your consideration. Yours
faithfully
Miriam Smith
Miriam Smith

B. Assignment
Read the following job offer and then write your application letter: Accountant32
I. Job Summary
Applies principles of accounting to analyze financial information and prepare financial reports,
and coordinates the implementation of accounting control.

31 Adapted from http://www.englishclub.com/business-english/correspondence-cv-covering-letter.htm,

accessed March 23, 2012.
32 http://www.accountingclassifieds.com/jobsearch/jobsearch_displayjob.asp?jobid=49890, accessed March
22, 2012.

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II. Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following.
* Collects and analyzes financial data and prepares monthly combined financial statements and
reports. Performs additional analysis for explanatory text required for reports and statement.
Coordinates preparation of monthly financial package and reviews for accuracy. * Participates in
monthly financial meetings for discussion and review of monthly financial reports.
* Assists with the preparation of year-end closings.
* Provides guidance to other Finance personnel for proper internal and external financial accounting
procedures and their application.
* Assists with the preparation of annual budgets, updates, and strategic plans assigned
areas.
* Prepares quarterly consolidation report for consolidation.
* Assists with the maintenance and application of internal controls.
* Prepares basic financial reports in a timely and accurate manner; and completes individual
analytical projects in a satisfactory manner given abstract project guidelines.

III. Work Environment

Listed below are key points regarding environmental demands and work environment of the
job. * Required to use motor coordination with finger dexterity (such as keyboarding,
machine operation, etc) most of the work day;
* Required to exert physical effort in handling objects less than 30 pounds rarely; * Required to be
exposed to physical occupational risks (such as cuts, burns, exposure to toxic chemicals, etc) rarely;
* Required to be exposed to physical environment which involves dirt, odors, noise, weather
extremes or similar elements rarely;
* Normal setting for this job is: office setting.

IV. Qualifications
The requirements listed below are representative of the qualifications necessary to perform the
job.

Required: Associates Degree, or equivalent experience, in Accounting, Business Administration

or similar area of study, and zero to three years previous experience.

Preferred: Bachelors Degree, or equivalent experience, in Accounting, Business Administration

or similar area of study, and zero to three years previous experience.

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 UNIT.7 FINDING A JOB. JOBS AND CAREERS. RECRUITMENT

I.LEAD IN DISCUSSION
1. In our society it seems harder and harder to find a job. Why is that?

2. Which sectors of the economy suffer most from staff and skills shortages?

3. What does your job involve/your father’s/mother’s/friend’s job involve exactly? e.g. I
work for/in...
I am a/an.../ my job title is...
I am in charge of/... I am responsible for/with.../ I deal with...
My activities include...
I produce/deliver/develop/sell/prepare/work with...

4. What do the following job titles mean and involve? Discuss the activities involved,
qualifications and experience needed.
sales representative engineer pharmacist biologist
shop assistant financial director policeman technical manager lawyer
high school teacher nurse web designer
personal assistant director of market development accountant librarian
human resources manager journalist

5. Which is the ideal job for you? Why?

6. Would you like to have a stable job or do you think you will change your career often?
7. If you were to choose a different career than the one you are pursuing now, which
would that be?
Useful expressions:
I would have liked to be/ become a...
If I had the opportunity I would also like to become a.../work as a ...

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If I were to start all over again I would like to be trained in becoming a ...

II.READING AND COMPREHENSION

Read the following biographical excerpt about a successful businessman and then answer
the questions below:
Ray Kroc, McDonald’s fast food restaurant entrepreneur
Born - October 5, 1902 Chicago, Illinois, USA/ Died - January 14, 1984 of old age, in the United
States of America.
Why is he famous? He is famous for making the fast food franchise McDonald’s one of
the leading and most popular chain of fast food restaurants in the United States and around
the world, nicknamed the Hamburger King. Kroc also owned the Major League baseball team
the San Diego Padres.
Business ascension: Ray Kroc was born in a family of Czech-Americans in Chicago, Illinois.
At the age of four, Kroc's father took him to a phrenologist – a person who determines fate
based on the shape of someone's skull. This man told young Ray that he would work in the
food service. But, because World War I erupted, Kroc showed more interest in learning how
to drive ambulances for the war instead. However, the war ended before he had a chance to
put his training in practice and he looked for some other type of employment.
During the late 1950s, Kroc tried several jobs: he sold paper cups and even worked as a
pianist for a short period of time; then he worked as a milkshake machine salesman. He
travelled around the country and sold milkshake machines to various different cafes and
restaurants, also observing the arrangement and management of the industry. Kroc believed
that many restaurants were poorly managed and were not living up to their potential.
One day he visited a small hamburger restaurant in San Bernardino, California named
McDonald's. The restaurant, owned by the McDonald brothers, Richard and Maurice, used
eight of the same milkshake machines sold by the young Kroc. Since each machine could spin
five milkshakes at once, Kroc was amazed that a restaurant needed to make forty milkshakes
at a time. He travelled to California and saw the tidy and efficient restaurant that served a
huge community, so he was soon convinced he could sell the machines to every new
McDonald store.
In order to get the most out of this project, Kroc proposed a business plan to the
brothers and they eventually made a deal. As a result of the partnership, Kroc was to receive
only 1.4% of the profit, giving 0.5% to the two brothers. Kroc soon realized that his profit
would be minimal so he managed to convince the brothers to sell him the rights to the
McDonald's name.
Kroc imagined a restaurant that produced hot food, delivered fast service with unfailing
quality no matter where he opened a new restaurant. He saw food preparation as a process
and thus broke it into steps that could be reproduced in any of his delis. This way, he wanted
to keep the product the same no matter where the McDonald's was situated.

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 Low franchise33 fees made it easy for him to open new stores, but cut into any possible
profits for Kroc. As a result, he decided to purchase the land on which McDonald's would
open. He set up the Franchise Realty Corporation in 1956 and was able to buy strips of land
in order to help him obtain a profit for his company. By 1960 there were over 200
McDonald's around the United States.
Kroc said that his franchise was a way to sell a service, not food. Big Boy, Dairy Queen,
and A&W were already well-known restaurant chains. That is why Ray Kroc needed
McDonald's to be different and unique. Constancy was the key aspect and he made sure that
every McDonald's ran the same. He paid national advertising campaigns to support his
restaurants and took the brand international in 1971 to Japan and then Germany.
Worth: At the time of his death he was worth an estimated $500 million 34.
1. Name three reasons why Ray Kroc is famous.

2. What jobs did he have in his youth?

3. What problems did Kroc observe related to the food industry?

4. Did the McDonald's restaurants face the same difficulties?

5. How did he manage to become the owner of McDonald's?

6. What was innovative about his business concept/vision?

7. Which key-feature did he insist on?

8. When did his brand become internationally active?

III.COMMUNICATION SKILLS
1. How would you describe Kroc's professional ascension?

2. Can you think of some personal qualities he possessed that contributed to his success?

33 A franchise is a form of business organization in which a firm which already has a successful product or
service (the franchisor) enters into a continuing contractual relationship with other businesses (franchisees)
operating under the franchisor's trade name and usually with the franchisor's guidance, in exchange for a fee.
Some of the most popular franchises in the United States include Subway, McDonald's, and 7-Eleven -
http://www.investorwords.com/2078/franchise.html
34 Adapted from http://www.woopidoo.com/biography/ray-kroc/index.htm, accessed June 20, 2012.

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 3. Do you think there is a clear recipe for professional success? Could you adapt the
following factors to your own career prospects? Which are necessary and which are not?
e.g. strong educational background courage
ambition steadiness
hard work loyalty
determination trust in your own abilities perseverance
patience
intelligence luck
experience the necessary qualifications

4. According to specialists, successful people possess the following strengths. Do you think
they are essential? Would you add others? they combine activities that work well
together they set themselves clear goals they prioritize tasks efficiently
they control events and not the other way round
they are good listeners
they always keep their skills up to date
they find solutions that suit everyone

5. Which of the qualities below do you possess or need in your (future) job?
to be energetic to be determined to
be friendly to be practical to be
imaginative to be careful
to be helpful to be conscientious/meticulous

6. Look at this list of ways to find a job or get an interview. Do you have personal
experience of any of them? careers and placement services family contacts networking
and professional contacts responding to advertisements in newspapers
Internet announcements or ads
headhunters
applications made by approaching organizations directly

7. Work with a colleague, pretending that you are during an interview for a job. Ask and
answer the following questions:
What can you tell me about yourself? What have you learnt in your
What are your strong points? current/previous job?
What are your weak points? What are your career objectives?
Why do you want to leave your current Name three reasons why you should be
job? hired and not someone else.

IV.LANGUAGE PRACTICE
IV.1. GRAMMAR PRACTICE
Past Perfect Simple

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FORM

The past perfect simple is formed with the past tense form of the auxiliary verb have and
the past participle of the verb (-ed form for regular verbs and III from in the list for irregular
verbs).

Affirmative Negative Interrogative

I/you/we/they/he/she/it had I/you/we/they/he/she/it Had I/you/we/they/he/she/it
taken. had not (hadn't) taken. taken?

USES

The past perfect is used: Examples:

a) to refer back to completed actions that When the boss entered the office, the
happened before other events in the past secretary had completed the report.
b) with adverbs like just, already, yet, ever, I was angry because he hadn’t told me about
never. the delay.

Exercises
1. Complete each of the following sentences in two ways: using because + past perfect and
so + past tense:
1. She couldn’t get into her office yesterday because … / so …

2. Tom found out about the vacancy too late because … / so …

3. The bank returned the cheque to me because … / so …

4. We couldn’t sell all the shares because … / so …

5. My boss was in a very good mood because … / so …

2. Change the following sentences using past tense and past perfect:
1. Mary is really hungry because she hasn’t eaten all day.

2. They don’t give me the job because I haven’t got enough experience.

3. I want to let you know that the contract has just been signed.

4. She isn’t coming with us because she hasn’t finished working yet.

5. I’m looking forward to my trip because I’ve never been to London before.

3. Put the verbs in brackets into the gaps in the correct form (past perfect or simple past):

95
1. After Jim (go) on a business trip to Italy he (decide) to learn Italian.
2. I (phone) at my office before I (leave) for my trip.
3. When he (arrive), the meeting already (start).
4. I (be) very tired because I (work) too much.
5. Mike (write) the report after the meeting (end).
6. I (live) in Paris before I (move) to Madrid.
7. He (call) Sam before he (go) to see her?

4. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form (simple past or past perfect simple):
I can't believe I (get) that apartment. I (submit) my application last week, but I didn't think I
had a chance of actually getting it. When I (show) up to take a look around, there were at least
twenty other people who (arrive) before me. Most of them (fill, already) out their applications and
were already leaving. The landlord said I could still apply, so I did. I (try) to fill out the form, but I
couldn't answer half of the questions. They (want) me to include references, but I didn't want to
list my previous landlord because I (have) some problems with him in the past and I knew he
wouldn't recommend me. I (end) up listing my father as a reference. It was total luck that he
(decide) to give me the apartment. It turns out that the landlord and my father (go) to high school
together. He decided that I could have the apartment before he (look) at my credit report. I really
lucked out!35

5. Write one verb in each sentence in the past simple and the other verb in the past
perfect.
1. I (leave) by the time the manager (get) to the office.
2. Before I (hire) Jane, I (see) many other candidates.
3. It (be) the first time I (ever / be) on a plane.
4. Up to the moment when my boss (say) 'You're fired', I (have) no idea why he wanted to see me.
5. Luckily, I (just / reach) the end of my report when the boss (tell) me to give it to him.
6. We (do) everything we had to do by four, so we (decide) to go out for a drink.
7. I (not want) you to touch my files because I (just / put) them in order.
8. I (get) Michael a book for his birthday, but he (read) it before.

6. Write one verb in each sentence in the past simple and the other verb in the past
perfect.
1. Sonia (work) as an assistant before she (open) her own business.
2. He (call) earlier in the day, so we (know) he was on his way.
3. They (start) their business long before they (resign) from their current job.
4. You (find out) about his requirements long before you (sign) the contract.
5. Mike (begin) to study English a year before he (move) to London.

7. Make your own sentences using past tense and past perfect and the following
expressions: immediately after …, long before …, many times before …, two years after …
1. 2.
3.
35 Adapted from http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbs11.htm, accessed March 12, 2012.

96
4.

IV. 2. VOCABULARY PRACTICE

1. Make new words from the verbs below and then make your own sentences with the
new words formed:
to plan to organise
to deal with to
to manage develop
to produce to sell to
to purchase control
to deliver to work

2. Match the verbs in bold below with their definitions on the right and then make your
own sentences using the collocations in the first column:
to manage a team To organize (a project) in advance
to be in charge of financial results To make sure information is correct
to plan a strategy To be the boss of people or a company
to check accounts To become bigger and more successful
to be responsible for new business ideas To manage sbd. or sth.
to control the movement of goods To do the tasks of a job
to develop a business To be the person in charge of sth.
to deal with delivery To make sth. or sbd. do what you want

3. Make sentences about these jobs using the verbs in exercises 1 and 2 and other
suitable verbs:
an air traffic controller movement of airplanes
teacher students
doctor patients
mechanic cars
engineer projects
team leader team
CEO company
production manager factory IT
specialist websites customer services
assistant customers R&D manager
new products recruitment officer
new employees
marketing director sales and advertising

4. Complete the career profile for an accounting position in a medium-sized company.

You will also need these qualities and qualifications as a future accountant or business
manager after you graduate university:
personal qualities

97
 job-related skills
qualifications
experience (if the case)
Useful expressions:
The candidate must be very sociable/friendly/reliable/practical...
He/she must be very good at...
His/her other skills include...
He/she must have a degree in/a qualification in...
Experience is not required/ He/she must have experience in ... for at least 3 years.

5. Explain the difference between: a challenging job and a demanding job a job which is
rewarding and one which is worthwhile a skilled person and a talented person to pull strings
for someone and to headhunt them a dead-end job and one with prospects
the next rung on a ladder and a stepping stone

6. Study the phrases36 below characterising people’s state or skills at the workplace or
people doing certain jobs and then fill in gaps with the suitable ones:
off colour to feel or look unwell and pale full of beans lively and
energetic a shadow of one’s former self weaker or less capable than one
used to be up an about active after an illness as strong as an ox very
fit and powerful to run out of steam to lose the energy that one used
to have as straight as a die completely honest and fair
a wet blanket a miserable person who doesn’t like others to have fun
to do one’s thing to do as one pleases
to play with fire to take dangerous risks

1. James from Marketing is again ............................................... Thank God he recovered

after that illness!
2. I am sorry to observe that the department is in a mess; it seems that everyone
....................................... now.
3. When she received the terrible news she simply turned....................................
4. In my youth I used to be very lively, but now after 40 I feel I ..........................
5. After 30 he gave up all his vile means and became ..............................
6. I have often told her that her approach to doing business is very unsafe, so she should
stop...............................
7. Now that she’s back from holiday she feels..................................
8. I don’t want to be a ................................. but you should really play your music more
quietly.
9. He’s one of our best players this season! He’s ............................
10. Poor Margaret, now that she’s out of work she is just a ................................

36 Phrases selected and adapted from Evans, Virginia and Milton, James, A Good Turn of Phrase, Express Publishing,
Berkshire, 2000, pp. 52-54.

98
 V. WRITING PRACTICE
1. Follow-up activity
Reply to the following job ad 37 and explain why you are the suitable candidate for
the post:
The Beacon Organization seeks young enthusiastic people to administer their
international summer camps for disadvantaged teenagers. Ideal candidates must
have experience of working with children and young people. They should be
sensitive to other cultures and cultural differences and expectations. They should
have an intermediate level of English and leadership and organizational abilities so
as to be able to lead an international team of co-workers. They should be in shape
and active and eager to participate in all aspects of the camp’s sporting and
cultural activities.
Write to Maria Paley at PO Box 876 Leicester UK.

2. Writing a CV38
A. Example

37 Adapted from Naunton, Jon, Head for Business, Upper Intermediate Student’s Book, Oxford UP, Oxford, second
edition, 2004, p. 102.
38 http://www.europass-ro.ro/.

99
 Europass A
Curriculum Vitae picture is not
essential in a CV,
unless requested
by the employer
Personal information
Surname(s) / First name(s)Surname(s) (capitals) First name(s) (lower case)

Nationality

Gender

Address(es)House number, street name, postcode, city, country

Telephone(s)Indicate the number in its Mobile:Indicate the
international form number in its
international form

Fax(es)Indicate the number in its international form

E-mailWrite your professional e-mail

Date of birthdd/mm/yyyy

100
 Desired employment / Specify your job target or occupational field
Occupational field

Work experienceAdd separate entries for each relevant post occupied, starting from
the most recent.

DatesWrite the dates to show how long you held the job in question

Occupation or position heldState your job title or the nature of your occupation

Main activities and State your main activities and responsibilities

responsibilities
Name and address of employerState the name and address of the employer

Type of business or sectorState the nature of the employer’s business or sector

Education and trainingMake a separate entry for each course completed (each course
leading to a qualification) starting with the most recent.

DatesWrite the dates to show how long the course in question lasted

Title of qualification awardedWrite the exact title of the qualification awarded

Principal subjects/occupational Summarise the main subjects or occupational skills taught during
the skills coveredcourse in question, grouping them together if necessary for the
sake
of brevity

Name and type of organisation State the name (and if appropriate, the address) and type of
the providing education and institution attended training
Level in national or
international classification

Personal skills andDelete any heading under which you have nothing relevant to say
competences

Mother tongue(s)Specify mother tongue

101
Other
language(s) Understanding Speaking Writi
Self- ng
assessment Listening Reading Spoken Spoken
interaction production
European level
(*)

102
 Language
Language
(*) Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
- Basic user (levels A1 and A2); -
Independent user (levels B1 and B2);
- Proficient user (levels C1 and C2).

Social skills and competencesReplace this text by a description of these competences and indicate
where they were acquired. (Remove if not relevant)

Organisational skills andReplace this text by a description of these competences and indicate
competenceswhere they were acquired. (Remove if not relevant)

Technical skills and Replace this text by a description of these competences and
indicate competenceswhere they were acquired. (Remove if not relevant)

Computer skills and Replace this text by a description of these competences and
indicate competenceswhere they were acquired. (Remove if not relevant)

Artistic skills and competencesReplace this text by a description of these competences and indicate
where they were acquired. (Remove if not relevant)

Other skills and competencesReplace this text by a description of these competences and indicate
where they were acquired. (Remove if not relevant)

Driving licenceState here whether you hold a driving licence and if so for which
categories of vehicle. (Remove if not relevant)

Additional informationInclude here any other information that may be relevant, for
example contact persons, references, etc. (Remove heading if not
relevant)

AnnexesList any items attached. (Remove heading if not relevant)

B. Assignment
Study the sections of the Europass CV and write your own CV.

103
 UNIT 8. STARTING A BUSINESS

I.LEAD IN DISCUSSION 1.
What common ways of making money can you think of?

104
2. Have you heard of any unusual ways of making money?

3. Do you know anyone who runs his/her own business? Which is its profile? How difficult
is it to keep its head above water?

4. What attracts people to starting up their own businesses?

5. How difficult is it in Romania to set up your own business? What challenges or obstacles
are there?
e.g. high start-up costs unfair competition economic
instability corruption
high taxes low revenue
high interest rates high staff turnover
increasing prices/costs little customer loyalty

6. Which of the following businesses thrive in your town? Why?

malls book shops bars fast foods
supermarkets pastry cook’s shop
furniture shops textile manufacturers
green grocer’s others

7. What qualities does one need in order to be a good businessman? What does spirit of
enterprise mean? Do you possess it?

8. What can be the causes of business failures?

II.READING AND COMPREHENSION

1. Read the short text39 below describing the ways in which successful entrepreneur John
Graham manages his investments and then answer the questions below:
When I was 18 I inherited £1000 from my grandmother. I invested half of the sum on
the Stock Market and the rest I put in the bank. I bought shares in three different export
companies and each one pays me a dividend every year. I also have a 20% stake in a small IT
company started by a friend of mine. There are other three shareholders in the company. I
also invested in a fish farm which seems to be quite profitable for there is a strong demand
for fresh fish on the market.
39 Grant, David and McLarty, Robert, Business Basics, Student’s Book, Oxford and New York, Oxford University Press,
2001, p. 94.

105
 I have a small house in London which is probably worth £200,000 now. I borrowed
£100,000 from the bank when I bought it. I work as an accountant for many firms and earn a
reasonable salary. However, I have to pay a lot of taxes. My father lent me a lot of money
during my studies and I still owe him about £5,000, so I pay him back about £100 a month. I
spend a lot on my favourite sport, skiing, but I also try to save for my old age.
1. Did John Graham make his first money all by himself or was there an event which
contributed to this?

2. What businesses did he invest in?

3. What properties does he have?

4. What about his debts?

5. Is there any money left for entertainment?

6. Do you think his investments were cleverly chosen?

2. Read the text40 below related to successful business ideas in an international context
and then answer the questions:
Lu Min, an engineering graduate, resigned from her safe office job and started
running her own New York bagel 41 company right in the centre of Tokyo. It was a pretty
chancy decision because bagels were not well-known in Japan when she came up with the
idea. At the beginning, the firm struggled because of lack of advertising. But everything
changed when an enthusiastic customer wrote a positive review on a website which rates
the bagel bakeries in Japan. What makes Lu Min’s bagels different from others in Tokyo is
the genuine choice of toppings – she does not adapt bagels to Tokyo cultural styles but
offers exactly what you would expect to get in New York.
1. What was Lu Min’s business idea? Do you think it was a good one?

2. Did she have any qualifications in the field?

3. Were there any obstacles after setting up the business?

40 Adapted from Duckworth, Michael and Turner, Rebecca, Business Result, Upper Intermediate Student’s Book,
Oxford, Oxford UP, 2009, p. 65.
41 A bagel is a glazed, ring-shaped roll with a tough, chewy texture, made from plain yeast dough that is dropped briefly
into nearly boiling water and then baked (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/bagel).

106
4. Can you think of any European products that have been successfully introduced into
Western culture and vice versa?

5. What factors do businesses need to consider when introducing a product from

another culture?

3. Read the newspaper article42 below and then answer the questions related to it:
Why are nations like Germany and the U.S. rich? It’s not primarily because they
possess natural resources, because many nations do so. It’s chiefly due to habits, values and
social capital. Many people in these countries believe in a simple ethical procedure: effort
should lead to reward as often as possible.
People who work hard and respect the rules should have a fair chance at prosperity.
Money should go to people depending on merit and enterprise. Discipline should be
rewarded while idleness and self-indulgence should not. Community institutions should
cultivate responsibility and justice. This philosophy is not an unchangeable genetic property,
which can carelessly be taken for granted. It’s a valuable social construct, which can be
destabilized and degraded.
Currently, this ethos is being damaged from all directions. People see lobbyists
sidetracking finances on the basis of connections; they see traders making millions off of
short-term manipulations; they see governments stealing money from future generations to
compensate for votes received. The result is a crisis of legality and social trust is shrinking.
Prosperity withers.
The attack on these values continues, especially in Europe. Over the past few
decades, some European nations, like Germany and the Netherlands, have played by the
rules and good governance dominated. They have lived within their means, undertaken
painful reforms, improved their competitiveness and toughened good values. Now they are
criticized and intimidated for not wanting to bail out nations like Greece, Italy and Spain,
which did not apply these things, which instead borrowed huge amounts of money that they
are planning not to repay. The approximate costs of these bailouts vary enormously and may
end up being greater than the cost of German reparations after World War I.
They are being asked to bail out nations with enormous public sectors and terrible
demographics. They are being asked to cover their economic problems with a mountain of
currency. It’s true that Germans benefited a lot from the euro zone and the southern
European effervescence, and that German and French banks are far from innocent. It is also
true that the consequences for the world would be calamitous if the euro zone collapsed.
But our understanding should be with the Germans. They are not behaving egoistically by
insisting on structural reforms in exchange for bailouts. Many blame their so-called rigid
ideology, but they are only defending the values, habits and social contract upon which the
entire wealth of the West is built.

42 Adapted from the article The Spirit of Enterprise, by David Brooks, in The New York Times, December 1,
2001, available at http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/02/opinion/brooks-the-spirit-of-enterprise.html,
accessed July 4, 2012.

107
 Those who criticize the Germans have very little commitment to the effort-reward
formula that underlies capitalism. There are people who see the European crisis through the
lens of some enormous class war. What matters is not how people behave, but whether they
are a have or a have-not.
The real lesson from any financial crisis is that, in the climax of the crisis, you do what
you have to do. You can bail out the banks and the weak European governments. But, at the
same time, you insist on policies that strengthen the fundamental link between effort and
reward. And, as soon as the crisis passes, you start repairing the legality of the system.
Europe’s challenge is not only to turn away from the financial meltdown but to do it
in a way that doesn’t kill the foundation of prosperity. Which values will be rewarded and
reinforced? Will it be effort, productivity and self-discipline? Or will it be bad governance,
now and forever?
1. What topical political and economic subject does the text introduce?

2. Which is the most important aspect contributing to national welfare?

3. Extract the key-words of this ethical theory.

4. What nations are given as a positive example for the theory exposed?

5. Which are seen as negative examples? Which are the causes for their current
financial difficulties?

6. Which is the lesson to be learnt from a financial crisis?

7. Do you agree with the journalist’s views?

III.COMMUNICATION SKILLS
1. Imagine you have a great idea for a company. Ask a venture capitalist for the necessary
capital. Explain your business idea to him and specify the following aspects:
The name of the company:
Its product/service:
The number of employees:
Its potential market:
Its competition on the market:
Its competitive advantage:
The investment needed:

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2. Use the expressions below in a conversation with a student fellow about his/her
business idea. Ask and answer using these prompts:
I have this idea for setting up a/an ...
I got this idea from.../when …
I have to borrow €... to set up my business.
The start-up costs are low/high...
It will produce/sell...
I will begin by...
There is a strong market for it because...
There will be a healthy demand for my service/product because...
My future plans include...

3. Which of the following business ideas could be profitable in Romania?

solar energy entrepreneur adventure park
trout farm bio products shop car
rental service beauty shop pretzels
bakery fruit warehouse
beer producer music shop

4. Discuss the following business ideas:

a) a collapsible scooter that you can take on the train or put in the boot of your car to use
in busy cities to avoid traffic. You plan to import these scooters from the US and sell them to
customers from your country. One piece costs about €1000.
b) a coat which keeps heat away from the body; it is waterproof, as well. It can be used
both on torrid and rainy days. You want to import it from China and sell it in your town. One
item costs €8.
c) an electric car used by urban people from a rental service provider. They receive a
special card and will pay depending on the amount of time they use the car. One hour costs
€50.
d) an all-in-one phone which would contain all technological breakthroughs invented
before. You import it from the US and will be the exclusive retailer for Romania. One item
costs €1500.
1. What do you think of each business idea? Do you think it could be successful?
2. What financial help would someone need to set up each of these businesses? What
advice would you give them?
3. What problems or challenges might each of these businesses face? Why?

IV.LANGUAGE PRACTICE
IV.1. GRAMMAR PRACTICE
Past Perfect Continuous
FORM

The past perfect continuous is formed by using the past perfect of the auxiliary verb be (had been)
+ the -ing form of the verb.

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 Affirmative Negative Interrogative
I/you/we/they/he/she/it had I/you/we/they/he/she/it had Had I/you/we/they/he/she/it
been taking not (hadn't) been taking been taking?

USES

The past perfect continuous is used: Examples:

to talk about the duration of an activity up When Tom left his previous job, he had been
to a point in the past (with since and for). working there for 10 years / since 2002.

Exercises
1. Fill in with the past perfect continuous:
1. Mary was angry because she (wait) in the conference room for three hours.
2. My car broke down, but I was not surprised, as it (not run) well for a long time.
3. I was very tired as I (work) all day.
4. When I arrived, Tom (write) the report for two hours.
5. They (negotiate) for four hours before the boss called.

2. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form (past perfect simple or past perfect
continuous):
I'm sorry I left without you last night, but I told you to meet me early because the
show started at 8:00. I (try) to get tickets for that play for months, and I didn't want to miss
it. By the time I finally left the coffee shop where we were supposed to meet, I (have) five
cups of coffee and I (wait) over an hour. I had to leave because I (arrange) to meet Kathy in
front of the theater. When I arrived at the theater, Kathy (pick, already) up the tickets and
she was waiting for us near the entrance. She was really angry because she (wait) for more
than half an hour. She said she (give, almost) up and (go) into the theater without us. Kathy
told me you (be) late several times in the past and that she would not make plans with you
again in the future. She mentioned that she (miss) several movies because of your late
arrivals. I think you owe her an apology. And in the future, I suggest you be on time! 43

3. Put the verbs in brackets into the past perfect continuous form:
1. Lucy (talk) to the boss before the meeting began.
2. I (think) of changing my job before my boss fired me.
3. They (keep) good financial records before they hired an accountant.
4. They (plan) to open two more subsidiaries before the economic crisis began.
5. We (live) in London before we decided to move to Paris.

4. Make the above sentences negative and interrogative.

1.

43 Adapted from http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbs13.htm, accessed May 15, 2012.

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2.

3.

4.

5.

5. Put the verbs in brackets into the past perfect continuous form:
1. Sue (write) all day, so she didn’t want to go to the movie.
2. Tom (live) in Cambridge for 2 years when he lost his job.
3. When we met, he (work) in that company for 6 years.
4. I was really tired because I (study).
5. We (discuss) this idea for 2 months when we decided to start our business.

6. Put the verbs in brackets into the past perfect continuous (negative) form:
1. She (not work) there long when she resigned.
2. He (not work) but he felt exhausted anyway.
3. He was in trouble with his boss because he (not attend) all the meetings.
4. He didn’t feel tired because he (not go) to the gym.
5. My boss and his business partner (not discuss) for a long time when I entered the office.

7. Put the verbs in brackets into the past perfect continuous (interrogative) form:
1. Why you (work) so hard?
2. You (travel) that day?
3. Did he know what she (do) all day?
4. How long you (wait) before the manager could see you?
5. When you got sick you (eat) enough?

IV. 2. VOCABULARY PRACTICE

1. Form the corresponding nouns and adjectives of the following verbs:
verb noun adjective
acquire
reject
grow
succeed
benefit (from)
innovate
operate
profit (from)
increase
fall

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 install

2. Study the meaning of the words44 underlined in the text from II.3. above and then fill in
the gaps with the suitable forms:
prosperity the situation of being successful and having a lot of money
enterprise/spirit of enterprise the ability to think of new ideas and make them succeed to
live within one’s means to lead a way of life in which you spend less than you earn to bail
out (verb) – bailout (noun) to help a person, organisation or even nation when they
have financial problems
currency the money system used in a country wealth a large amount of money and valuable
things; the state of being rich reform a change that is intended to correct a situation which
is wrong or unfair or to make a system work more efficiently the haves/the have-nots the
people in a society who have a lot of money and properties/who do not have much money

1. She showed extraordinary ...................... for such an inexperienced director.

2. Many countries reject the idea of introducing a single European ......
3. Germany’s economic ............................ keeps it away from financial tribulations.
4. The Italian government made an urgent appeal for ................. from the other European countries.
5. The ................................. of Europe refuse to help their poor or to distribute their wealth.
6. The pensioners call for an urgent and radical .......................... of the pension system.
7. Hard working people normally acquire ......................... as a reward for their effort.
8. We have managed to .................................and even started saving a bit.

3. Match the words in the box with their definitions below:

gap in the market; business plan; venture capitalist; stake; return on
investment; turnover; business model; business angel; start-up capital; network
of contacts; financial backing; loan
1. someone providing money for a business:
2. share in a business – you gain it if it succeeds:
3. profit from shareholding:
4. opportunity to sell sth. not yet available:
5. document containing financial estimates for a business:
6. a group of people who can be helpful for your business:
7. sbd. providing money and experience for a business:
8. support in the form of money:
9. money to fund a new company:
10. amount of business done in a given period of time:
11. money which is lent or borrowed:
12. the way a business operates to make money:

44 Meanings adapted from http://www.macmillandictionary.com/.

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4. Study the following words and idioms 45 related to business and make your own
sentences with them:
Synonyms: business, industry, commerce, trade, traffic
These nouns apply to forms of activity that have the objective of supplying commodities.
Business pertains broadly to commercial, financial, and industrial activity: they decided to go
into the oil business.
Industry entails the production and manufacture of goods or commodities, especially on a large
scale: the computer industry.
Commerce and trade refer to the exchange and distribution of goods or commodities: laws
regulating interstate commerce; involved in the domestic fur trade.
Traffic refers to businesses engaged in the transportation of goods or passengers: they
renovated the docks to attract shipping traffic.
The word may also refer to illegal trade: they discovered a brisk traffic in stolen goods.
Idioms: to be in business (informal) to be able to do/start sth. because you have everything
you need to do it
e.g. As soon as I find my map and my keys we're in business.
business as usual doing things as usual
e.g. Right after the fire, it was all business as usual in our town.
business is business an expression meaning that business is profit and personal feelings must not
be involved
e.g. Business is business, and if your friend can't produce the work on time, I'll have to find someone
else.
to mean businesss to be extremely
serious e.g. Stop that! I mean business!
(It is) none of your business! it is none of your concern
e.g. A: What were you doing there? B: None of your business!
monkey business silly or dishonest behaviour
e.g. When investigating the accounts they realised some monkey business had been going on.
to mix business with pleasure to combine work with enjoyment (usually negative)
e.g. Let’s keep it professional. I really don’t want to mix business with pleasure.
Let’s get down to business an expression marking the transition from small talk to business or a
serious talk
e.g. OK, everybody, if you have finished your coffee we can get down to
business. That’s show business/biz (for you) that is the way life really is e.g.
A: I am sorry you lost that deal. B: That’s show business.

V.WRITING PRACTICE
1. Follow-up activity
Do some research on the best business ideas ever, choose two or three and write a short
report on your findings. Write a paragraph for each and include the following sections:
nature of the business sources of finance
problems encountered
current situation

45 Meanings and examples adapted from http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/business.

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2. Writing Enquiries (Letters of Request)46 Structure:
a) The date
b) The heading
c) Salutation
d) The body
- asking for catalogues, price-lists, samples, etc.
- asking for details
- suggesting terms, methods of payment, discounts e) Closing Useful expressions:
I am writing to request …
I am interested in obtaining/receiving …
Could you please send me the catalogue/price-list…?
I was wondering if you could send me ….
I would be grateful if you could send me …
I would (highly) appreciate if you would send me …
I have recently read/heard about … and I would like to know …
Could you possibly tell me …
It would be helpful if you could send me …

A. Example
Universal Movies Ltd
24 Oxford Road
Tel: 0223 123 4567 Fax: 0223 765 4321
Email: [email protected]
Date 25 May 2012
Quick Translations Ltd
78 Dream Street
LONDON SW7 6AW
Dear Sirs,
Translation Brochure
I would be grateful if you could send us your brochure and price list about your translation services.
We are currently developing our sales literature and web sites and are interested in translating
these into three languages apart from English.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours faithfully,
Jennifer Barkley
Jennifer Barkley
Marketing Manager

B. Assignment
a) Write a letter to a respected teacher asking for advice and assistance in a matter
regarding your future career.

46 Adapted from http://www.englishclub.com/business-english/correspondence-information-requesting.htm,

accessed May 15, 2012.

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b) Write a letter to the producer of one the products mentioned in exercise III.4. Ask for
samples, catalogue, details etc. depending on the type of product.

UNIT 9. BUSINESS TRAVEL AND COMMUTING

I.LEAD IN DISCUSSION
1. Why do people enjoy travelling?

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2. Have you ever travelled for pleasure? Where have you travelled? What can you say
about your travelling experience?

3. Have you ever travelled on business?

4. Which are the most enjoyable things about travelling?

e.g. visiting new places learning gaining life experience from
new languages meeting new different situations taking a break
people enjoying new food and from work having lots of fun and
beverages relaxing
facing different customs

5. What about the most disagreeable aspects?

e.g. being late strange customs
losing my luggage tight schedules
long queues in airports/train stations traffic jams
crowded places language problems
noisy tourists time zone differences
flight delays

6. Which of the places below would you like to visit on business? Why?
New York Berlin
Sofia Paris
Budapest Beijing
Tokyo Riad
London others

7. Which of the countries below would you like to visit for pleasure? Why?
The UK Brazil
Switzerland Mexico
Croatia Canada
Turkey Finland
Egypt Italy
Spain Greece

8. What means of transport do you prefer when travelling?

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9. Nowadays it is quite cheap to travel abroad by plane. Have you ever travelled by
plane? Was it a pleasant experience?

10. What things can go wrong when you travel by air?

11. What should a traveller’s luggage contain? Which are the absolute essentials?

12. What is the best way to avoid unwanted conversations with strangers?

II.READING AND COMPREHENSION

1. Read the following tips for tired travellers 47. First circle the appropriate form of each
verb and then answer the questions below: How to make long-distance ait travel easier
1. Plan/don’t plan your journey in advance. If you have a choice, fly west and not east! Experts
say it is less tiring.
2. Do/ don’t do some sport in the days before you leave. Sport keeps you fit and prepares you
physically for such long journeys.
3. Check/ don’t check if you have all the necessary business and travel documents for your
journey. Do it at least several days before your departure.
4. Go/ don’t go to bed late the night before your flight. You will wake up early in the morning to
catch your flight.
5. Leave/ don’t leave for the airport early. Regulations say you should be there at least 1 hour
before take-off time.
6. Wear/ don’t wear comfortable clothes, like T-shirts and jeans. However, some other experts
recommend the grey suit as the best travelling apparel.
7. Drink/ don’t drink a lot of water. The air in the plane is very dry. However, others say you
shouldn’t drink too much water: it will be difficult to disturb the other passengers because you
will need to go to the toilet all the time.
8. Drink/ don’t drink a lot of alcohol. Experts say alcohol has a very negative effect on your body
at high altitude. At the same time, you don’t want to become a disruptive passenger, do you?
9. Stand up/ don’t stand up every two hours, walk up and down the plane and do some simple
exercises. Only if it is possible! In fact, studies show that leg room has diminished significantly
especially since low-cost flights were introduced.
10. If you have a stopover, stay/ don’t stay on the plane, if possible. Go for a walk in the airport,
or take a shower (some airports provide this kind of service).
11. If you get bored easily take/ don’t take some reading material with you: a book, a
newspaper... Some people use their laptops but you should avoid this because there is little
available personal space anyway. 1. Is there any tip you find funny?

47 Adapted from Grant, David and McLarty, Robert, Business Basics, Student’s Book, Oxford and New York, Oxford
University Press, 2001, p. 33.

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2. Which tips do you find particularly useful for long journeys?

3. Is there any tip you do not agree with?

4. What other tips would you add for any kind of flight?

2. Read the following text48 describing a hotel in Dubai and then answer the questions
below:
Grosvenor House Dubai – The right place for your business trip
Background: A member of a group of luxurious hotels, Grosvenor House has been open
since July 2005, and last year a second tower opened, rising the number of rooms from 327
to 749. The new tower looks almost the same with the first from the outside, both having 45
storeys. The owners’ objective is to create a more residential atmosphere.
What’s it like? Entering the reception area of Tower Two, it feels more like you are entering
an apartment building, with its small concierge desk and large sculpture of a horse, but if you
take the escalators upstairs you will find the main reception desk. As you’d expect from a
five-star hotel in Dubai, there are marble floors, elaborate flower arrangements on giant
polished tables and warm golden lighting, with everything stylishly done.
The clever thing is that the hotel combines this sophisticated residential feel with the lively
local atmosphere of the restaurants, nightclubs and Buddha Bars in the original tower
opposite. You can enjoy tranquillity in the spa, pool area or your room, or have a night out at
one of the chic bars or eateries.
Where is it? It is located in Dubai Marina. The traffic in Dubai isn’t as bad as it once was, but
the drive from the airport can take from 30 to 90 minutes depending on the time of day. If
you wish, you can also walk to the nearest metro station in about ten minutes.
Room facilities: The 327 rooms can be of several types – Premier rooms (34 sqm-43 sqm),
five different categories of suite (54 sqm-105 sqm), one-, two- and three-bedroom
apartments (71 sqm-177 sqm) and Premier villas (373 sqm). All have free wifi and UK plug
sockets and come with an excellent combination of curtains and blackout blinds – an
indispensable facility considering Dubai’s bright morning sunshine.
Service is excellent – when the staff saw I liked a particular type of tea in my room, they
brought me some more. The bathroom has a separate tub and shower and there were a lot
of places to hang towels. Each night there was a gift of a different type of fruit with a note
about it, and the twice-daily service kept the place looking new and fresh. Free books and
daily international newspapers were also free to use. The Club lounge is a vast area divided
into several spaces. Every time I went in, there was new food, and as well as free soft drinks
during the day, alcohol was served for in the evening along with more food. Local hostesses
also offered you a wide variety of free drinks.
Restaurants and bars: You barely need to go to the restaurants, partly because of the Club
lounge and partly because there are so many alternatives in the local area. I tried Toro Toro,

48 http://www.businesstraveller.com/tried-and-tested/hotels/middle-east-and-africa/hotel-check-grosvenorhouse-
dubai, accessed July 6, 2012.

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 which serves cuisine from Brazil, Peru, Argentina and Colombia. I found the menu
perplexing, but the staff guided me through it brilliantly and the food turned out to be
delicious.
Other options include Embassy Dubai on the top three floors of the hotel, which as well as
having several bars also has a separate modern European restaurant, and the Rhodes
restaurant on the entrance hall level. Guests also have the choice of all the food and
beverage outlets in Tower One – these include an Indian restaurant, Indego, as well as in
sister hotel Le Royal Méridien.
Business and meeting facilities: The Club lounge has a meeting room and a computer, and
staff can assist you if you want to print documents. In Tower One you can find the main
business centre and seven meeting rooms!
Leisure facilities: The gym, pool and spa are magnificent – in particular B’attitude, the
Tibetan-style spa. Created by the people behind Buddha Bar, it has 12 treatment rooms,
hammam pools and Turkish baths. The open-air pool has brilliant views along the coast road.
The hotel is not set on the shore, so guests must take the bus to enjoy themselves on Le
Royal Méridien’s private beach.
Verdict: It is a fabulous hotel. Trendy but with great service, luxurious yet with a local touch,
making it and appealing for every business man or tourist. Fact file:
• How many rooms? The new tower has 327 in total – 42 Premier rooms, 64 suites across five
categories, 216 apartments and five Premier villas. Tower One has 422 rooms.
• Room highlights include: the coffee maker, the Jing teas and the free fruit every day.
• Price Internet rates for a flexible midweek stay in September started from £252 for a Premier
room.
1. How many towers does the hotel have?

2. How many rooms and storeys does the hotel have?

3. What features of a five-star hotel can you identify?

4. What types of rooms can visitors choose?

5. What is special about the service?

6. Is there a rich selection of restaurants and bars?

7. What business facilities does the hotel offer?

8. What means of relaxation can you find?

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9. Would you like to spend a few days at this hotel either for business or pleasure?

10. Have you heard of any other famous hotels you would like to visit?

III.COMMUNICATION SKILLS
1. Speak with a colleague about business travel and commuting, asking and answering
the following questions:
Would you like to have a job that involves a lot of travel?
How far from home would you like your workplace to be?
Would you accept a job that implies commuting?
Would you accept a job that implies relocating/moving to another town/country?
If your company asked you to relocate to Great Britain or the USA, which would you choose? Why?
If you were offered a job in a small boring city and a great salary, would you accept the job?
Why (not)?
Would you accept a job that implies moving in the rural area? Why (not)?

2. Work in small groups. Make a list of five dos and five don’ts for business air travellers.
Then share your ideas with the rest of the class.

3. How well do you cope on business trips? Work with a partner and sort out the
following situations:
a) You are a check-in clerk. A late business passenger’s luggage exceeds the kilo limit with
10 kilos. The flight is full and ready to depart in 10 minutes. You can only book into a later
flight if he accepts paying excess baggage.
b) You are a hotel receptionist. A client has just arrived from Japan but he doesn’t speak
any foreign language. Yet he seems desperate about something and keeps explaining it to
you in a language you do not know.
c) You are a Blue Air representative. Flight 564 to London is delayed and you have a lot of
unhappy passengers waiting in the departure lounge. You have just received a message
saying there will now be a flight delay of five hours.
d) You are a business traveller in the arrivals area in New York airport after a ten-hour flight
from Europe. You feel tired and sick, and have a terrible headache. However, the boss who is
picking you up insists to take you to a top-class restaurant, a disco and maybe a club or two.
e) You arrived in Madrid but you no longer find your luggage in the baggage reclaim area.
Unfortunately, you left your wallet, money and credit cards in your suitcase. It is your first
time there and you know nobody in Madrid.

IV.LANGUAGE PRACTICE
IV.1. GRAMMAR PRACTICE
Means of Expressing Future a) The modal will:

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to make an instant or spontaneous decision A: “We don’t have any paper for the printer.”
to do something B: “I’ll go and buy some from the store.”

to make predictions and to state facts that Over the next few years, our company will
will be true in the future have a great impact on the market.
to ask if someone is willing to do something, Will you help me with these cheque
to make requests, promises, and threats, and accounts?
to offer help
to talk about an activity that will be in I’ll be travelling to Paris on a business trip this
progress at a particular moment in the future time next week.
(the future continuous - will be doing)

b) The present simple

to talk about schedules, timetables My train leaves at ten.

in temporal clauses I’ll call you when I get to the office.
in conditional clauses I’ll resign if I don’t get a pay rise.

c) The present continuous

to talk about appointments or things we have What are you doing tomorrow morning?
arranged to do in the future (What have you arranged to do?)
I am meeting the shareholders (I have
arranged to see them.)

d) Be going to

to talk about something we intend to do, or Our company is going to open a new
have already decided to do subsidiary in Asia.
to make firm predictions when there is some Based on your report, we are going to make a
physical evidence that an event will take huge profit.
place

Exercises
1. Put the verbs in brackets into the “will” future or the present tense:
1. I (give) you the report as soon as Jane (give) me the sales figures.
2. I (let) you know as soon as the shipment (arrive).
3. If the workers (not receive) their salaries they (go) on strike.
4. If he (give) me the contract I (sign) it.
5. A lot of people (be) made redundant if the company (go) bankrupt.
6. Our sales (rise) if we (lower) the prices.
7. She (contact) you as soon as she (get) the information.
8. When I (come) to Helsinki next month I (visit) our local branch.

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9. The company (offer) a pay rise if the workers (put) an end to the strike.
10. I (talk) to a lawyer before I (sign) the contract.

2. Make predictions with “going to” starting from the following sentences:
1. I’m looking for another job.

2. The strikers have been offered a pay rise.

3. Our company is in financial difficulty.

4. They have finished working on the new product.

5. I have booked a flight to London.

3. Look at the following topics and write sentences (using “going to”) about any definite
plans you or your company has:
1. pay rise

2. holidays

3. special training and courses

4. launch a new product

5. open a new subsidiary

6. extend abroad

4. Write a short paragraph predicting the situation in Romania in 2020.

5. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form:

Alice: We (have) a meeting tomorrow. Can you make it?
Kevin: When it (take) place?
Alice: We (plan) on 10 o'clock. Is that OK?
Kevin: Yes, that (be) fine.
Alice: We (go) to go over last quarter's sales figures.
Kevin: Good. I have some input I'd like to make.
Alice: Frank also (make) some suggestions on improving the bottom line.
Kevin: That (be) interesting. He's got keen insights.
Alice: Yes, he (outline) some new sales strategies.
Kevin: Alan (attend)?
Alice: No, he (fly) to San Francisco and (not be able) to make it.

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Kevin: Oh well, maybe he (phone) in.49

6. Circle the correct word or phrase. If both are correct, circle both.
1. My secretary looks like she's falling / going to fall asleep any minute!
2. When I graduate, I'm being / going to be an accountant.
3. When he's got his degree, he's going / going to go London for a year.
4. Watch out or you're getting / going to get into trouble!
5. When are they realising / going to realise that they have to improve their customer service?
6. When are you opening / going to open a branch in Bacau?
7. It sounds like we're not having / going to have a sales conference this year.
8. I think house prices are falling / going to fall in about six months.
9. Why is Jim applying / going to apply for that position? He's not qualified at all.
10.We're discussing / going to discuss this in detail in the next meeting.
11.You're not handing / going to hand in your resignation tomorrow, are you?
12.He isn’t becoming / going to become arrogant when he is hired, is he?

7. Circle the correct word or phrase. If both are correct, circle both.
1. I can't come to your party this weekend, I'm afraid, as we'll visit / we're visiting my relatives.
2. The manager will answer / is answering all of your questions imediately.
3. What time does your train arrive / is your train arriving?
4. Shall / Will we move on to the next item on the agenda now?
5. The last bus leaves / is leaving at midnight.
6. Mary, shall / will I give you a hand with that report?
7. I'm afraid I'm not having / won't have time to finish all this work today.
8. When does she / is she going to get round to having new business cards printed?

IV. 2. VOCABULARY PRACTICE

1. Put the following events in the logical order. They refer to travelling by plane:
Book your flight over the Internet, or by phoning a travel agent or the airline itself.
Check in at least 50 minutes before your flight.
Go through the metal detector and wait for your flight to be announced.
Fasten your seat belt and take off.
Show your boarding pass at the boarding gate and then get on the plane.
Check the details of your reservation and seat assignment.
Dominate the armrests!
Go through customs control.
Take a taxi to your hotel.
Land at the airport and get off the plane.
Go through passport control and pick up luggage in baggage reclaim.

49 Adapted from http://esl.about.com/od/businessreading/a/d_bkeeper.htm, accessed May 16, 2012.

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2. Fill in with the suitable words or phrases below:
flying experience aisle seat passport control to
check in boarding pass to book a flight seat
assignment
passenger arrivals
customs control to
land to take off to
fasten one’s seatbelt
overbooking
packed flight long-
haul flight

1. .................................... is the practice used by many airlines which sell more tickets than the
number of seats available in the plane, thinking that not all .............. will turn up for the
flight.
2. I think the flight to Buenos Aires was the worst .......................................... ever!
3. Passengers arriving from overseas must go through careful .............................
4. If you want a certain window, middle or .......................... you need to have a
...................................
5. When the plane ............................. or ............................. successfully, passengers generally
applaud the pilot.
6. I hate ................................................... It’s terrible to be stuck in your seat for 14 hours!
7. Is this where I ......................... for flight 534?
8. You need a ......................................... to get on the plane.
9. It is compulsory to ................................ and remain on your seat most of the flight.
10. ..................................... is the procedure of inspecting goods and baggage entering a country.
11. It is totally unpleasant to have to travel on a ......................................
12. People waiting for passengers in ............................... sometimes show a card with the
passenger’s name on it.
13. Nowadays there are many possibilities of ........................................... in no time.

3. Choose the best word or expression from each pair in bold to complete the following
text50. In some cases both options are possible:
There are a few things that a suitably prepared business traveller should solve before leaving
the country. First of all, they should prepare a/an (1) schedule/itinerary to know exactly the
location(s) they will be in, as well as who they will be meeting at various times on their (2)
voyage/trip. Then they should check their passport: do they have one and, if so, is it still (3)
validated/valid? Most countries will not let them in if their passport (4) runs out/expires
within six months! Secondly, what if you need a (5) visa/visor? More and more countries
require their visitors to have one, and this costs both time and money. In some cases, the
traveller has to present himself/herself at that country’s (6) consulate /embassy. Thirdly,
they must obtain (7) traveller’s cheques/travelling cheques and/or foreign (8)
notes/currency. If they choose the latter option, they should verify the (9) exchange

50 Adapted from Wyatt, Rawdon, Check Your English Vocabulary for Business and Administration, 4th edition, A
& C Black, London, 2007, p. 60.

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rate/change rate to see if they are getting a favourable (10) deal/bargain, and in most cases
they will also need to pay a (11) commission/comission to the bank supplying it. Last but not
least, they should check that they have (12) ensurance/insurance cover, that their (13)
vaccines/vaccinations are up to date, and that their phone will work abroad (and, if
necessary, make the arrangements with their (14) provisor/provider for a Roaming
connection).

4. Answer this quiz. Check a dictionary for the unknown words:

a) Can a traveller check in in more places?
b) Can aisle be used with more meanings?
c) You are told that you must go through customs. Does the word have more meanings?
d) Are the words voyage/trip/expedition/flight/travel/journey the same?
e) You want an upgrade on your flight. What exactly do you want?
f) Do we pay a business class fee or fare for a flight?
g) What is an e-ticket and what is e-booking?
h) You are travelling across the ocean from Europe to America. Do you expect to suffer from jet
lag?
i) In a hotel they can offer you full-board, half-board and bed and breakfast accommodation.
What do they mean?
j) Do you feel safe if there is a safe in the hotel?
k) There can be a waiting lounge, a departure lounge and a relaxing lounge. Do we find them in
the same place?
l) The hotel you stayed in was pokey, scruffy and draughty. Would you stay there again?
m) The food you ate was greasy, stale and unappetizing. Would you have lunch there again?
n) The view from the plane was astonishing and spectacular. Why?
o) The hotel staff was discourteous, officious and surly. Did you like their attitude?
p) When do/can you leave a tip?
q) The person/staff/service cleaning your hotel room is called....
r) The office where you make general enquires is called...
s) You want some food in your room so you call....
t) You want help with your luggage so you call...
u) You need to order a taxi or have an alarm call in the morning so you call...
v) Which of the following characteristics make a traveller a pleasant one? outgoing lonely
sarcastic sociable practical arrogant fussy dull witty bitter private well organised
anti social
paranoid
garrulous

5. Which of these passenger types have you met 51? Match them to their typical
behaviour. Which would you least like to sit next to on a long-haul flight?
the sprawler wants to tell you their life story right from the beginning with
all details...
51 Powell, Mark, In Company, Upper Intermediate Student’s Book, Macmillan, Oxford, 2004, p. 75.

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 the bawler will smooch and giggle throughout the flight: two’s company,
three’s a crowd
the discman spends the entire journey over their laptop, documents
scattered everywhere
the workaholic quiet at first, but may end up snoring with their head on your
shoulder
the chatterer under five years old, but can make a sound like a police siren
for hours on end
the sleeper moves their head up and down to the sound of music which is
so loud that you can hear it through their headphones
the lovebirds would be much happier on a sofa since they seem to need
their seat as well as your own

6. You are on a flight from Bucharest to Rio de Janeiro on business. What do you reply in
the following situations?
a) Do you mind if I switch the reading light on?

b) Is everything all right with your meal, sir?

c) I like your laptop. It’s an HP, isn’t it?

d) You’re sitting on my seatbelt.

e) Do you mind swapping seats? I love sitting by the window.

f) I see you’re flying on to Rio.

g) Nice camera. Is that one of the latest models?

h) I’m sorry. Is that getting in your way?

i) I’m sorry, I’m so fat!

j) It’s a great book, isn’t it?

k) Great view! I’m wondering where we are now...

l) Do you happen to have an extra sick bag?

m) Are you from Bucharest, by any chance?

n) It’s a terribly long flight, isn’t it?

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 V.WRITING PRACTICE
1. Follow-up activity
On business trips some people prefer telling lots of stories to the other passengers. Make
up a story or anecdote which could entertain the other travellers on a flight.
Structure:
Opener: I’ll never forget the time I was.../ Did I ever tell you about the time I was...? Context:
It was some time ago, but I can still remember it./ It was way back in 1998.../This was
around the time of...
Emphasis: You’re not going to believe this, but.../ You should have seen/heard.../And the strange
thing was.../ And then, to top it all,.../ But that was nothing compared to...
Close: Anyway, in the end.../ Anyway, to cut a long story short,... It seems quite funny now, but it
didn’t at the time.
V.2. Replying to letters of request
a) The date
b) The heading
c) Salutation
d) The body
- reference to the things requested -
reference to any enclosed documents e)
Closing

Useful expressions:
You will find enclosed our most recent catalogue and price list.
Please note that our prices are subject to change without
notice. We have pleasure in enclosing … We can make you a
firm offer of ...
Our terms of payment are as follows :
I am enclosing ...
Please find enclosed ...
You will find enclosed ...

A. Example52
Quick Translations Ltd
78 Dream Street
LONDON SW7 6AW
Tel: +44 20 123 4567 Fax: +44 20 765 4321
Email: [email protected]

Date 26 May 2012

52 Adapted from http://www.englishclub.com/business-english/correspondence-information-sending.htm,

accessed May 26, 2012.

127
Ms Jennifer Barkley Universal
Movies Ltd.
24 Oxford Road
London
Dear Ms Barkley
Translation Services & Fees
Thank you for your letter of 25 May enquiring about our translation services.
Quick Translations offer a full range of translation services to help you in the development of
sales literature and web sites. I have pleasure in enclosing our latest brochures and price list
from which you can see that our prices are highly competitive.
I look forward to calling you in a few days.
Yours sincerely
Michael King
Michael King
Sales Manager

B. Assignment
a) You are an accountancy teacher. You received a letter from one of your students,
asking for advice and assistance in a matter regarding his/her future career. Reply to
his/her letter of request from the previous unit (see V.2.B).
b) Respond to the customer’s enquiry about your products from the previous unit (see
V.2.B)

UNIT 10. BUSINESS AND GENDER. BUSINESS AND AGE

I.LEAD IN DISCUSSION
1. People have often thought that some jobs are specific to men while others are suitable
to women. Why is that? Can you name a few?
e.g.
taxi driver army officer
miner policeman/policewoman nursing mechanic
constructions worker plumber
engineer carpenter typist pilot

2. Do you agree with such a distinction? Is it still valid nowadays?

3. Do you remember any woman in history whose achievements were significant in some
field of activity?

4. Do you think of business as a man’s job? Motivate your answer.

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5. Have you observed a note of discrimination related to women in business?

6. Are women treated differently at the workplace? Do they benefit from special
conditions or treatment?
e.g.
fewer work hours more breaks less
more bonuses strenuous work
maternity leave extra payment

7. What’s the ratio of women to men in your job?

8. Do you think that equality at the workplace should be encouraged?

9. Are older people treated differently in society as compared with the younger
generations?
10.According to actress Billie Burke, “age is something that doesn’t matter, unless you are a
cheese53.” Do you agree?

11.What social, financial and cultural benefits do older people have in Western countries
as compared to pensioners in Romania?

12.Are there any facilities or benefits for disadvantaged people on the labour market in
Romania?

II.READING AND COMPREHENSION

Read the following top related to successful business women 54 and then answer the
questions below:
The most powerful women in the world in 2011
1. Angela Merkel, Germany’s chancellor
The world's most powerful woman leads Europe's most vibrant economy and is widely seen
as the de facto leader of the EU. A recent poll in France revealed that the French have more
faith in Germany's leader (46%) than in their own ex-president, Nicolas Sarkozy (33%).
Germany must take even more intrepid measures toward resolving the euro zone debt crisis,

53 http://entreprenista.com/2011/07/top-50-inspirational-quotes-for-women-entrepreneurs-by-women/, accessed July

6, 2012.
54 Adapted from http://www.forbes.com/wealth/power-women, accessed July 7, 2012.

129
despite the political risks to Merkel's ruling alliance. Half-measures will not do with her. 2011
Lowlight: Refused to support NATO air strikes in Libya.
2. Hillary Rodham Clinton, US Secretary of State
Impressive marks for how she managed a difficult year, which included the Arab Spring
uprisings, WikiLeaks' release of sensitive American diplomatic cables, Iran's alleged murder
attempt on the Saudi ambassador to the U.S. and the death of Osama bin Laden. 2011
Lowlight: Documents in the WikiLeaks deposit suggest Clinton ordered U.S. diplomats to
collect computer passwords of top UN officials.
3. Dilma Rousseff, President of BrazilRousseff spent her first year in office fighting
corruption and tidying up the government. She dismissed 5 cabinet ministers and dozens
of officials charged with corruption. 2011 Lowlight: Brazil's arrangements for the 2014
World Cup and 2016 Olympics are both late and over budget.
4. Indra Nooyi, chairman and CEO of PepsiCo Inc.
With nearly $60 billion in annual revenues, PepsiCo is the largest food and beverage business
in the U.S., with sales on the same level with the GDP of Croatia. At its head for five years,
Nooyi supervises a staff of almost 300,000 people worldwide and is one of just a handful of
top female, minority CEOs. In light of the global obesity crisis, she is expanding its $13 billion
nutritional portfolio to $30 billion by 2020, with more fruits and vegetables, grains, dairy and
sports products. Last year, she increased the research and development budget to $488
million, mostly striving to discover a just-as-good, naturally sweet, zerocalorie soda. She
needs to move quickly, however. In March, Pepsi slipped to the third place in soft drink
customer preferences, behind both Coke and Diet Coke. An enthusiastic Pepsi drinker, she
boasts that in a sniff test she can instantly make the distinction between Pepsi and Coke.
5. Sheryl Sandberg, American business woman
After arriving from rival Google in 2008, Facebook's deputy manager has helped raise its 70
million user base into over 750 million active "friends" today, which represents about 11% of
the world's population. Sandberg also helped monetize them. The start-up which grew from
a dorm room is preparing for a reported early-2012 IPO that could value the social media
giant as high as $100 billion. The Harvard MBA served as chief of staff for the U.S. Treasury
Department under President Bill Clinton, and dealt with Google's online global sales and
operations as a vice president. One of few outstanding women in technology, Sandberg has
been vocal about giving more power to women. "We still haven't achieved the goal of real
equality for women in the workplace and men in the home," she confessed. "We can - we
must - do better."
6. Melinda Gates, wife of Microsoft founder, Bill Gates; co-chair of the Bill and Melinda
Gates Foundation
Melinda Gates has her name among the world's wealthiest and most generous private
foundations, investing in poverty abolition, public health and education. Last year the charity
donated $2.5 billion. She studied computer science at Duke University, received her MBA
from its business school and soon got a job in product development at Microsoft in Seattle.
In 1994, she married Microsoft's founder and then-CEO, Bill Gates, but left the firm shortly
afterward to focus on their foundation. Over the last eight years, the couple has donated
$24 billion to the organization. This year, the main campaign has been to expand access to
immunization vaccines in the developing world. Fun fact: Gates won't allow Apple products
in the home but has admitted she's fascinated by the iPhone.
1. How is Angela Merkel's authority ranked in Europe's political climate?

130
2. What negative fact does the text mention about the Clintons?

3. Which is Ms Rousseff's greatest merit in office?

4. What figures are mentioned about PepsiCo Inc. and what do they refer to?

5. Which is Ms Nooyi's contribution to the company's development?

6. Which is Ms Sandberg's position and what company does she manage?

7. Which were her previous jobs?

8. Do you agree with her opinion about the empowerment of women?

9. Which are the main activities of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation?

10. What is Melinda Gates' attitude to Apple products?

11. Do you know anything else about any of these women?

12. What qualities do they possess which assisted them in becoming the six most powerful
women on earth?

III.COMMUNICATION SKILLS 1.
Why are so few women in senior managerial positions in Romania?

2. When and how will this situation change?

3. Do you agree with positive discrimination programmes which encourage employing

women or members of minority groups in preference to equally qualified male
candidates?

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 4. Do older employees have equal opportunities in your firm and on the Romanian labour
market in general?

5. Speak about women in business. How much do you think they are (or they can get)
involved in business activities in Romania? Can you think of any examples of successful
business women?
Useful expressions:
Saying you know about something
As far as I know … My
information is …
I’ve been told …
I heard that…
I read somewhere that…
Someone has told me about …
From what I know…
Giving opinions
Personally, I believe …
It seems to me …
I’m convinced that …
In my opinion …
My opinion is …
If you ask me, I think…
Saying you do not know
I’m afraid I do not know much about …
I’m sorry, I really don’t know …
I’m afraid I have no idea …
I have to say I know very little about … I have
to admit I don’t know a great deal about …
6. Comment on the following quotations by business women55:
a) “My philosophy is that not only are you responsible for your life, but doing the best at this moment
puts you in the best place for the next moment.” Oprah Winfrey, American television host, actress,
producer, and philanthropist
b) “I became successful due to several reasons. I never gave up and I never let anyone or anything get in
my way. I use the power of positive thinking to tackle obstacles and challenges so they don’t defeat me.”
Lillian Vernon, founder Lillian Vernon Corporation
c) “My will shall shape the future. Whether I fail or succeed shall be no one’s doing but my own. I am the
force. I can clear any obstacle before me or I can be lost in the maze. My choice. My responsibility. Win or
lose; only I hold the key to my destiny.” Elaine Maxwell,
Author
d) “There is no royal flower-strewn path to success. And if there is, I have not found it for if I have
accomplished anything in life it is because I have been willing to work hard.” Madam
C.J. Walker, Walker Cosmetics line

55 http://entreprenista.com/2011/07/top-50-inspirational-quotes-for-women-entrepreneurs-by-women/, accessed July 7,

2012.

132
e) “Women now represent 50% of university graduates. To get the best grains, it’s obvious to me that we
need more women. ” Eivind Reiten, CEO of Norske Hydro

7. Comment on the following quotations related to old age56. Which opinion is closest to your own?
a) “The complete life, the perfect pattern, includes old age as well as youth and maturity. The beauty of the
morning and the radiance of noon are good, but it would be a very silly person who drew the curtains
and turned on the light in order to shut out the tranquillity of the evening. Old age has its pleasures,
which, though different, are not less than the pleasures of youth. ” Somerset Maugham, writer
b) “There's one advantage to being 102. There's no peer pressure.” Dennis Wolfberg, comedian
c) “The older I grow, the more I distrust the familiar doctrine that age brings wisdom.” H.L.
Mencken, writer
d) “The Disappointment of Manhood succeeds to the delusion of Youth: let us hope that the heritage of Old
Age is not Despair.” Benjamin Disraeli, politician
e) “Old age is the most unexpected of all the things that can happen to a man.” Leon Trotsky, writer
IV.LANGUAGE STUDY
IV.1. GRAMMAR PRACTICE
The Conditional Mood: Zero Conditional and First Conditional

a) ZERO CONDITIONAL Formula

IF + PRESENT TENSE, PRESENT TENSE
If interest rates fall, company profits rise.
*if = when / every time.

Use
It is used to talk about general facts or things that are always true.

b) FIRST CONDITIONAL
Formula

IF + PRESENT TENSE WILL + BARE INFINITIVE

If the government raises taxes, (CONDITION) consumer spending will fall. (RESULT)
*IMPERATIVE/OTHER MODALS
If you see Mary at work, tell her to ring me.
If the traffic is good, I may get home earlier.
If we sign the contract today, we can deliver you the products.
If Mary rings, you must tell her to call me.

! It is a common mistake to use will after if:

Ex: If the shipment *will arrive / arrives tomorrow, I’ll let you know.

Use
It is used to talk about future events that are reasonably likely (the if-clause) and their results (the main
clause).

56 http://www.notable-quotes.com/o/old_age_quotes.html, accessed July 8, 2012.

133
Exercises
1. Put the verb in brackets into the correct tense:
1. If the government (raise) taxes, consumer spending (fall).
2. I (let) you know if we (sign) the agreement.
3. If the company (go) bankrupt, a lot of people (be made) redundant.
4. Employers (be) more productive if their salaries (be) higher.
5. If the meeting (finish) late, I (fly) back home tomorrow.
6. The company (increase) the profits if sales (go) well this year.
7. I (resign) if I (not get) promoted this month.
8. If you (come) to London I (give) you a complete tour of the city.

2. Rewrite the sentences using an if construction:

1. Our products are on discount this week.

2. Subscribe to our newsletter and you will be better informed.

3. For any further information call our office at 5554321.

4. Call now and you will save up to 25%.

5. We provide a full guarantee for all our products.

3. Finish the following sentences:

1. They will sign the contract if …
2. If I have time I …
3. I will call you if …
4. If the goods get damaged in transit we …
5. She will apply for this position if …
6. The workers won’t go on strike if …
7. If we pay them immediately they …
8. If sales improve, our company …

4. Write short paragraphs (using if constructions) to speak about: your future, the future of the
economy in your country, the future political situation in your country.
1.

2.

3.

5. Correct the mistakes in the following sentences:

1. Susan will answer your questions if she will have time.

134
2. If our business partner not sign the contract, my boss is very disappointed.

3. If you not hurry you will be late for the meeting.

4. You’ll pay higher insurance if you will buy a bigger house.

5. If there will be no oil in the engine the car breaks down.

6. Complete with the correct verb and tense:

1. We ……………………. sorry if we …………………………….. this agreement.
2. My secretary …………………………………. you all the instructions if you …………………. her.
3. Usually I …………………………………. very stressed if I ……………………… to deliver a speech.
4. I …………………………….. her the truth if I ………………………………….. her.
5. I ……………………………………….. him the missing file if I ……………………………………… it.

7. Answer the following questions using the zero conditional:

1. What happens if euro rises?

2. What happens if inflation rises?

3. Who do businessmen go to see if they want to borrow money?

4. What happens if a company goes bankrupt?

5. How do people dress in Romania if they work in an office?

IV.2. VOCABULARY PRACTICE

1. Complete each sentence so that it means the same as the first one. All of them describe situations
involving women at the workplace:
a) Nursing generally involves a lot of shiftwork.
A lot ....................................
b) Opportunities for part-time work are not very numerous for women.
There .......................................
c) It may be ten years before you qualify as a paediatrician.
Qualifying as a paediatrician may.............................
d) She works as a social worker, and a typical work day does not exist for her.
There is no ....................................
e) After working all day, she found it difficult to walk.
She could hardly ................................
f) It is often said that women gossip a lot.
Gossiping ..................................

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g) She is responsible for the computer programming and she also helps in the advertising department.
Her job .........................................
h) As you know, this job involves quite a lot of travelling abroad.
In this job ......................................
i) She certainly knows more about the job than I do.
I don’t know .................................
j) For her new post very good qualifications are necessary.
For her new post she has to be .............................

2. Form new words from the ones given in the following sentences:
AGE Now that he is ............................... it is very difficult for him to find a job. RETIRE She is a
poor ................................. nurse. She has a miserable pension after working for 35 years.
WOMAN ........................... behaviour is seen as inappropriate at the workplace.
DISCRIMINATE Both positive and negative ......................... equally show a prejudiced mentality.
PROFESS She did a .................................. job although she is pretty new in the business.
MANAGE She graduated........................................... and then received an MBA from
Harvard University.
SUCCESS I’ve met many .................................... people, but she is the best of them all!
POWER Women ..................................... is a must if we want to call ourselves
unprejudiced and fair.

3. Read the short description of the teaching job 57 below which is mainly associated with feminine skills.
Underline what the job involves:
Other professionals get tired, but teachers become exhausted by the end of the school year, or so they say.
According to experts, it is a job that uses up nervous energy, and a lot of creativity and imagination is
needed. The career has two main advantages: first, there is less pressure to achieve measurable results and
second, teachers are quite independent professionally. The average work week is about 45 hours including
lesson preparation, marking and other educational or administrative tasks. Promotion prospects are
sometimes poor. Salaries are not satisfactory, either. Only 10% of women are deputies or heads compared
with 27% of men.

4. Study the phrases below and then fill in the gaps with the suitable ones. All of them can be used to
refer to women’s activity at the workplace: a change of heart a modification of one’s feelings for
sth/sbd.
to see eye to eye to agree about ideas or some matters to wear one’s heart on one’s sleeve to let one’s
feelings be too noticeable to bury the hatchet to end and forget old disputes the apple of sbd.’s eye sbd.
one is very fond of the black sheep of the family sbd. who is strongly criticized by his family/group to
scrape the bottom of the barrel to be left with the worst object possible/the worst person to cast pearls
before swine to waste sth. valuable on sbd. who does not appreciate it to break the mould to totally alter
the way sth. is done on the blink not working properly

1. Unfortunately, she failed in training the new assistant manager to her desired standards, so she felt
it was like................................
2. Ms Parks is such a sensitive person, she..........................................

57 Vince, Michael, Excel at First Certificate, Student’s Book, Heinemann International, Oxford and London, 1989, p. 80.

136
3. The two vice presidents really get along and always.............................................
4. Her presence is often undesirable and she is seen as ............................................
5. The director came up with innovative and revolutionary ideas which totally
................................
6. The two nurses decided to ...................................................... and start their relation on new
grounds.
7. After the matter was resolved we could notice a ............................................... in her approach to
her employees.
8. Please be more careful with the staff you recruit. The last secretary you sent me was
really.......................................
9. Maria is always complaining that her PC should be debugged because it is ...........
10. She is highly appreciated in our team and the ......................... general manager’s
..........................

5. Joanna Peters has been appointed CEO of Lotus, a big retail chain. She wants to improve working
conditions for women in the company. Match the features in her policy with their descriptions 58:

guarantee equal give employees more chances to stay at home if their children are
pay ill
introduce make it easier for women to be promoted to senior management
flexitime positions
improve give women more time away from work when they have babies
maternity leave
encourage give employees computers with an Internet connection so they
homeworking can sometimes work from home
allow more days organise a facility where employees can leave their children while
off they are working
increase the give employees more freedom about the time of day when they
number of start and stop work
returners
introduce job encourage women who left the company to start families to come
sharing back to their old jobs later on
provide crèche give both women and men the same money for doing the same
facilities kind of job
provide equal give women the same chance to get jobs as men
opportunities
break the glass allow colleagues to share the same position or work
ceiling

58 Flinders, Steve, Professional English. Business, Pearson Education Ltd., Harlow, Essex, 2003, pp. 88-90.

137
 V. WRITING PRACTICE
1. Follow-up activity
2012 is the European year for active aging and solidarity between generations. Have a look at the
information on http://europa.eu/ey2012/ and then come up with your own initiative (suggest the
organisation of event, project idea, etc.) concerning this theme.

2. Writing Letters of Complaint

a) The date
b) The heading
c) Salutation
d) The body
- reference to the mistake that has been made - suggestions
how the mistake can be corrected e) Closing

Useful expressions:
I would like to inform you …
I regret to inform you …
I’m afraid I’ve got a complaint about …
I wish to complain in the strongest terms about …
I am not at all satisfied with …
I really must object to …
I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with …
I am writing to complain about …
Please note that …
In my opinion you could …
My suggestion is to …
I think you should …
Something must be/will have to be done about …

A. Example59
Fortune Goods
317 Moon Road
Cambridge
7 June 2012

Mr James Smart
Sales Manager
Turner Lampshades
171 Valley Road
London

Dear Mr Smart

59 Adapted from http://www2.elc.polyu.edu.hk/cill/eiw/complaint_letter_constructor.htm, accessed May 27, 2012.

138
Re. Order No. 2345/L
I am writing to inform you that the goods we ordered from your company have not been supplied correctly.

On 1 May 2012 we placed an order with your firm for 350 lampshades. The consignment arrived yesterday
but contained only 300 lampshades.

I am writing to ask you to please make up the shortfall immediately and to ensure that such errors do not
happen again. Otherwise, we may have to look elsewhere for our supplies.

I look forward to hearing from you by return.

Yours sincerely

Theresa Little

Theresa Little
Purchasing Officer

B. Assignment
Write a letter of complaint to a shop from where you have bought something which proved to be
defective. Ask the shop to have the item exchanged or your money refunded.

UNIT 11. TAKEOVERS AND MERGERS

I.LEAD IN DISCUSSION
1. Are you an individualistic person? Do you prefer working in a pair/team/group?

2. Do you agree that union is strength? In which circumstances?

3. Is it better to operate on your own on the market or is it better to unite more firms for greater
success?

4. When are firms taken over by others? What are the advantages and disadvantages for both parties
involved?

5. Do you agree with the following statement: traditionally, the best companies have always beaten their
competitors rather than buying them?

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6. Do you think that only partnerships of two equals will succeed?

7. Microsoft’s takeover of Nokia has recently been speculated. Do you think it would be a good idea?

II.READING AND COMPREHENSION

60
1. Read the following article expounding Renault’s takeover of Dacia and then answer the questions
below:
With a view to acquiring a 51% stake in the Romanian car manufacturer Dacia, Renault signs an MOU
with the Romanian authorities and State Ownership Fund
Paris, Jan. 7, 1999: Renault signed a memorandum of understanding in Bucharest with the Romanian
authorities and State Ownership Fund to establish the agenda for negotiations preceding the acquisition by
Renault of the 51% stake in Dacia held by the Romanian State. The negotiations will focus on the content of
Renault’s bid and on the discharge from taxation and customs duties as granted by the Romanian State.
Renault’s proposal comprises on the one hand a payment in cash for the acquisition of a majority interest,
and on the other a capital expenditure and cost-reduction programme. The initial objectives of this bilateral
programme are to enable the development of the Dacia brand and secure its lasting future, by upgrading
its industrial facilities and commercial base. The takeover of Dacia, by adding a second trademark to the
Group, would contribute to Renault’s strategy of profitable growth in new markets.
By signing a memorandum of understanding with the relevant Romanian ministers and State Ownership
Fund, setting the background to negotiations prior to the acquisition of a 51% stake in the capital of "S.C.
Automobile Dacia S.A. Colibasi", Renault validates its goal announced in August to participate in the future
development of the Pitesti-based car manufacturer. Renault’s offer comes with an industrial and
commercial programme targeting investments, modernization and cost cutbacks. The objective of the
programme is to produce, in time, a vehicle of less than 6,000 dollars, for sale in local and emerging
markets. Renault hopes to produce about 200,000 vehicles a year in Romania by the year 2010,
approximately 80,000 of which would be exported to budding countries.
The programme provides for a gradual, thorough transformation of Dacia’s industrial facilities, supplier
network, distribution system and existing products, vehicles and power trains. The programme will
comprise three stages. The objective of the first stage, between 1999 and 2000, is to renovate and improve
existing products and processes. This stage will be limited to current volumes and is aimed at attaining a
standard of quality, which will enable it in a second stage, between 2001 and 2003, to launch a new vehicle
to replace the old model, Dacia 1310. The third stage, starting in 2004, will make Dacia a second trademark
of the Renault Group, with the launch of a modern vehicle selling at less than 6,000 dollars and intended
completely for local and emerging markets.
Renault’s cost-reduction plan is particularly appealing. Dacia’s industrial system and its commercial
network will be similar to international standards of quality and competitiveness, preserving the identity of
the Dacia brand and certifying its long-term existence.
Renault has been active in Romania since 1966 and was influential in creating an automobile industry in
the country. Renault and Dacia have been closely connected for over 30 years. Dacia assembled different
Renault models under licence up to 1978, before building them as a part of its own trademark. Most of the
vehicles currently produced by Dacia (1300 range) are derived from former models of the Renault product
range (notably the R12), which Dacia has gradually modernized.

60 Adapted from www.autointell.com/News-1999/...1999/news_of_Jan-20-99-p2.htm, accessed July 10, 2012.

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 Dacia employs some 29,000 people and produces each year over 100,000 passenger cars and light
commercial vehicles in its Colibasi plant located next to Pitesti, 140 kilometres to the north-west of
Bucharest. With a market share of 77%, the brand is the acknowledged leader of the passenger car market,
estimated at 93,000 vehicles for 1998. Dacia exports each year approximately 10% of its production, mainly
to neighbouring markets, as well as to Egypt, Argentina and China. The other manufacturers with industrial
operations in Romania are Rodae and Aro.
The Romanian automobile market is made up predominantly of low-priced vehicles (starting at 3,000
dollars for vehicles in the Dacia range) and used vehicles. This is because the majority of the population in
Romania has low salaries. Renault, operating in Romania through its importer Ipso, intends to sell over
1,000 units this year in the market for imported vehicles.
1. What is Renault’s share in Dacia?

2. What did Renault’s proposal contain back in 1999?

3. Which were the initial objectives of the programme?

4. What annual output was the firm hoping to achieve?

5. Which were the goals of the three stages included in the programme?

6. What is significant about the goal of the third stage?

7. Did the two companies have a common history prior to the 1999 proposal?

8. Do you think that Dacia had important benefits from this collaboration?

9. How strong is Dacia on the European market now?

10. Did the company manage to launch a vehicle which costs less than 6,000 dollars?

2. Read the information related to mergers, takeovers and types of mergers 61 and then answer the
questions below:
When one company takes over another and establishes itself as the new owner, the purchase is
called an acquisition. From a legal point of view, the target company ceases to exist, the buyer "swallows"
the business and the buyer’s stock continues to be bought and sold.
61 Adapted from http://www.investopedia.com/university/mergers/mergers1.asp#ixzz20E1bPm1Z and Naunton, Jon, Head for
Business, Upper Intermediate Student’s Book, Oxford UP, Oxford, second edition, 2004, p. 78, accessed July 10, 2012.

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 In the pure sense of the term, a merger takes place when two firms, frequently of about the same
size, agree to go forward as a single new company rather than remain separately owned and operated. This
kind of action is more precisely referred to as a "merger of equals." Both companies’ stocks are given up
and new company stock is issued instead.
In practice, however, actual mergers of equals cannot take place very often. Usually, one company
will buy another and, as part of the deal’s terms, simply allow the acquired firm to proclaim that the action
is a merger of equals, even if, technically speaking, it’s an acquisition. Being bought out often leads to
negative connotations, therefore, by describing the deal as a merger, the ones involved try to make the
takeover more pleasant. A purchase will also be called a merger when both CEOs agree that joining
together is in the best interest of both companies. But when the deal is unfriendly and the target company
refuses to be purchased, then we speak of an acquisition.
Whether a purchase is considered a merger or an acquisition really depends on whether the
purchase is friendly or hostile and how it is announced. In other words, the real difference lies in how the
purchase is communicated to and received by the target company’s board of directors, employees and
shareholders. Types of merger
Horizontal: two companies making the same product decide to combine with the following objectives:
- to reduce competition and thus increase market share;
- to enter new markets;
- to acquire new plants and equipment;
- to achieve synergy and economies of scale62
Vertical: a company either acquires or merges with another company in a related stage of production and
distribution. We can refer here to a supplier or immediate customer. The merger has the following aims:
- to guarantee the supply and cost of raw materials and components;
- to be in a closer relationship with the customer, by eliminating the wholesaler and dealing directly with the
retailer;
Diversification: a company acquires another one in a totally different domain, with this major aim in view:
- to move into a sector which promises greater growth or profits.
1. Which are the differences between takeovers and mergers?

2. What types of mergers can we identify?

3. Are you familiar with examples of such types of mergers?

3. Read the information related to demergers in the UK63 and then answer the questions below:
Demergers
Many specialists present the advantages of mergers but, in recent times, there has been a renewed
interest in the benefits of demergers, too. In the UK telecom giant BT demerged its mobile phone unit BT
Cellnet. Shares in the unit started trading independently of their parent on the stock market in November

62 Economies of scale are factors that cause the average cost of producing something to fall as the volume of output increases
(www.economist.com/node/12446567, accessed July 11, 2012).
63 Adapted from Griffiths, Alan and Wall, Stuart (eds.), Economics for Business and Management. A Student Text, Prentice Hall,
Pearson Education Limited, Harlow, Essex, England, 2005, p. 191.

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2001. Corporate demergers create significant value for shareholders in both the parent company and the
demerged/ separated entity within a year of the deal being completed. A survey in 2002 was based on an
analysis of the 118 biggest demergers carried out worldwide between 1990 and 1999. The survey noted
that while demerger announcements are usually greeted at the beginning with a 210% drop in share price,
there is a dramatic turnaround within a year of the demerger. The share price of most parent companies
increases within the year by from 12% to more than 52%, while the separated business also charges well,
with share price rises of between 13% and more than 46%. ‘Currently there is a lack of understanding about
demergers, which partly explains the fall in share price on announcement, with investors fearing a loss of
scale and that assets will be sold cheaply,’ said Angus Knowles-Cutler, a partner in merger integration
services at Deloitte & Touche. ‘In reality, the potential diseconomies of a loss of scale for both separating
entities are far overshadowed by the extra clarity of purpose resulting from the demerger. Management is
able to focus on the core business, decision making becomes easier, and motivation rises with greater
sense of ownership of the smaller business and shared sense of direction,’ he said. At the same time, he
believes the opposite can be true of mergers. Acquiring businesses that are greeted with share price rises
of 3% or more following the merger announcement usually fail to increase share value in year one, while
those greeted with a share price drop under-perform even further. ‘The frequent rise in share price on
announcement of a merger is often justified because the rationale behind the deal is well founded. The
problems often come from deficient integration, which has a habit of destroying focus and motivation – the
factors that make demergers successful,’ said Mr Knowles-Cutler.
1. On what basis are proposed merger deals often seen as attractive by investors, resulting in immediate
rises in share prices?

2. Why does the share price of the merged entity often fall after its earlier rise?

3. What is the evidence for suggesting that demergers have been successful, and why?

III.COMMUNICATION SKILLS
1. Have you heard of any other big companies in Romania which were taken over by others?

2. Can you think of some possible takeovers and/or mergers connected to these or other companies?

3. Do you think that conglomerates may become unmanageable and fail to achieve synergy 64?
4. Have a look at the definitions 66 of mergers and takeovers below. Are mergers more advantageous for
businesses than takeovers, the other way round, or it depends?
merger the combination of two or more takeover acquiring control of a
companies, either by the creation of a company, called a target, by stock
new organization or by absorption by one purchase or exchange, either hostile or
of the others; often called amalgamation friendly.
in British English.
64 Synergy or synergism is the potential ability of individual organizations or groups to become more successful or productive as
66
a result of a merger (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/synergy, accessed July 10, 2012).
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/merger, http://www.investorwords.com/4868/takeover.html, accessed July 10, 2012.

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5. Which businesses belonging to the following industries or domains could merge in order to be more
successful?
bicycle manufacturers food producers car manufacturers
IT companies
electricity and water companies transport companies
media companies oil companies
cosmetics manufacturers book publishers

IV. LANGUAGE STUDY IV. 1. GRAMMAR PRACTICE

The Conditional Mood: The Second Conditional

Formula
IF + PAST TENSE WOULD + INFINITIVE
If I knew her, I would send her an e-mail.
* might/could

! It is a common mistake to use would in the if part of the sentence:

Ex: If the shipment *would arrive / arrived earlier, we would be very satisfied.

Use
It is used to refer to an imaginary action or state:
1. If these computers were not so old, we would buy them. (But they are old, and we are not going to buy
them.)
2.If he lost his job, he would move to Bucharest to find another one.

Exercises
1. Put the verb in brackets into the correct tense:
1. If I (know) her address I (deliver) her the products.
2. They (give) you the job if you (go) to the interview.
3. If I (be) you, I (look) for another job.
4. What things you (change) in the company if you (be) the manager?
5. If the traffic (not be) so bad, I (arrive) to the meeting on time.
6. I (apply) for that position if I (have) a degree.
7. He (help) you if you (ask) him.
8. They (not worry) if they (not know) the truth.

2. Answer the following sentences using if and the second conditional:

1. What would you do if you were fired?

2. Where would you go if you had to change the town?

3. What would you say if you were offered a job in China?

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4. What would you do if you had your own company?

5. What would you do if your company went bankrupt?

3. Rewrite the following sentences using if and the second conditional:

1. We don’t buy these products because they are very expensive.

2. I can’t deliver you the goods because I don’t have your address.

3. I stay late every evening because I have a lot to work.

4. I don’t change my job because the salary is very high.

5. I don’t go to the interview because I am not qualified for the job.

4. Answer the following sentences using the second conditional:

1. What would you do if you had your own company?

2. What would you do if you were fired?

3. What would you do if you won a big sum of money?

4. Where would you go if you could change your country?

5. Change the following conditionals type 1 into the second conditional:

1. If you give me the letters, I will send them.

2. I will get you a newspaper if I find one.

3. He will be a good chief executive if he is promoted.

4. If you hurry, you’ll catch the plane.

5. If you do all your work you’ll get a pay rise.

6. Answer the following questions using second conditional:

1. If a business partner came to your town, what places would you advise him to visit?

2. If you moved to America to work, what city would you like to live in?

3. What country would you choose if you decided to work abroad?

4. What would you do if you were fired?

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5. What famous person would you like to meet if you had the chance?

7. Rewrite the sentences using second conditional:

1. Since she doesn’t like Maths, she won’t go to this faculty.

2. Our boss explains things clearly, so we all understand his point of view.

3. Romania doesn’t export enough, so it has a constant balance of payments problems.

4. I know what you can do so I will help you.

5. Since the meeting is later today, I don’t have to hurry.

IV. 2. VOCABULARY PRACTICE

1. Form a new word from the one given and fill in the gaps in the sentences:
COMPETE They improved their..............................by hiring a firm of management consultants.
RIVAL Departmental ............................. has damaged the firm’s reputation. PROFESSION They admire
her high level of ..................................
MERGE A.......................... is the joining together of two or more companies.
DIVERSIFY ............................... means to expand into new fields.
STRATEGY The CEO did not focus on .................................... issues and preferred to deal
with the daily management of the company.
WARN They received ................................. that their firm might collapse under the
burden of debts.
RELY His promises proved to be ...................................... and the deal failed.
WORTH It seems .......................................... to invest in real estate now; the market
has recorded steady decline.
POPULAR Renault’s ...................................... on the European market made it a good
partner for Dacia.

2. Match the two halves of the following sentences:

The decision to acquire a car for our competitor.
manufacturing company
The two rival companies decided to should guarantee future supplies of
merge essential components.
The president is currently fighting a to protect themselves against the market
hostile takeover leader.
They made a £5m bid into telecommunications at the right
moment.
Samsung diversified by encouraging shareholders not to sell.

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 3. Study the following words and expressions and then complete the sentences with the
appropriate forms:
stake the percentage of shares in a company conglomerate group of unrelated businesses combined into
a single corporate structure takeover bid a public offer to a company’s shareholders to buy their shares so
as to acquire the company acquisition an act of total or partial purchase of one company by another
buyout the purchase of a company in which the acquiring party gains controlling interest of the targeted
firm; the purchase of the entire holdings or interests of an owner or investor leveraged buyout or LBO the
use of a target company’s asset value to finance the debt resulting from acquiring the company; a buyout
using borrowed money broker someone who acts as an agent for others, as in negotiating contracts,
purchases, or sales in return for a fee or commission target company a company targeted for acquisition or
merger to raid to attempt to seize control of a company, as by acquiring a majority of its stock; an attempt
by speculators to deceive investors to enter new markets to launch products or services on other markets,
often as a result of mergers or acquisitions
underpriced priced or valued less than it is worth

1. Spain’s largest industrial ............................................ is Picador.

2. ...................................... of large public companies are more common especially because of the large
sums involved.
3. She contacted an insurance ...............................
4. The management announced the latest................................., a small IT retailer.
5. The estate was certainly .......................... so they decided to buy it immediately.
6. The ................................... seemed very attractive for the acquirer from a financial perspective.
7. Donald Trump ................................. many large companies.
8. As a result of the merger, Nokia managed to ....................................
9. What is his real ...................................... in the company?
10. If the shareholders accept Colgate’s.........................., the acquirer will enlarge the scope of its
business.
11. If the staff approve the ................................., their company will become the nation’s largest
enterprise owned by its employees.

4. Choose the correct word in the box for the following sentences 65:
conditional bid; merger; target company; controlling interest;
poison pill; unconditional bid; hostile takeover; shareholders; white knight
In a takeover bid, another person or business makes an offer to the ..................... to buy their shares at a
fixed price. The aim is to take control of the ................................. If it is a welcome or friendly takeover bid,
the management of the company generally advises the shareholders to accept the proposal. If the latter
accept the offer, the result is usually called a ........................... If the bid is unwelcome or unfriendly, the
directors advise the shareholders not to accept the tender. The bidders may then write to the shareholders
clarifying the advantages of the takeover, and perhaps improving their offer. This is also called
a ......................
To avoid an unwelcome takeover bid, the directors may work out a
65 nd
Adapted from Marks, Jon, Check Your English Vocabulary for Banking and Finance, 2 edition, A & C Black,
London, 2007, p. 50.

147
.............................. – a tactic which means that the company is worth much less if the takeover bid is
successful. Alternatively, they may look for a ............................, an alternative bidder for the company
whose takeover seems more acceptable.
In an .........................., the bidder offers a price for each share no matter how many shares it can
purchase. In a .............................., the offer price depends on the bidder being able to buy enough shares to
gain a ................................... in the target company.

5. Make your own sentences with the words underlined in exercise 4.

6. Match the words in the two columns to make suitable collocations:

make/reject/accept/improve/retract a code of practice
buy up some a controlling interest
subscribe to/follow/ignore a deal
an unregulated activity/industry
do/close unwanted subsidiary
consolidate an offer/ a bid
gain our position on the market
sell off an shares/smaller companies

V. WRITING PRACTICE
1. Follow-up activity
Read the information available at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13343600 related to Microsoft’s
takeover of Skype. Prepare a report on the deal by including the following information: companies
involved: bidder and target company offer price shareholders advantages prospects
2. Replying to Letters of complaint
a) The date
b) The heading
c) Salutation
d) The body
- explaining the mistake
- solving the problem - rejecting the complaint e) Closing

Useful expressions I am sorry

for ...
I regret any inconvenience caused by …
I would like to apologize for (the delay/the inconvenience) ...
We will do our best to …
We will try to …

A. Example66 Turner Lampshades

171 Valley Road

66 Adapted from http://www2.elc.polyu.edu.hk/cill/eiw/adjustmentletters.htm, accessed May 27, 2012.

148
London
Tel/Fax 2235 2449
12 May 2012

Ms Theresa Little
Purchasing Officer
Inside Goods
317 Moon Road
Cambridge

Dear Ms Little
Order No. 2345/L
Please accept our apologies for the error made by our company in filling your order no.
2345/L dated Monday, 4 May 2012.
You ordered 350 lampshades, but our dispatch office sent 300. This was due to a typing error.
The balance of 50 lampshades was dispatched by express courier to your store this morning and will arrive
by Monday, 18 May 2012.
Since we value your business, we would like to offer you a 10% discount off your next order with us.
We look forward to receiving your further orders and assure you that they will be filled correctly.
Yours sincerely
James Smart
James Smart
Distributions Manager

B. Assignment
The shop you work in received a letter from a customer complaining about a product he purchased and
which proved to be defective. He wants the item to be exchanged or the money refunded. Answer to his
letter of complaint.

UNIT 12. WORKING FROM HOME

I.LEAD IN DISCUSSION 1. What words

come to your mind when you think of home?

2. What words do you think of when speaking about your workplace?

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3. Imagine your company asked you to stop working at your office/workplace and continue your
work from home. Would you accept? Why/why not?

4. Are there any jobs/activities which cannot be performed from home?

5. What about jobs which can be carried out both at home and/or from the office/workplace? Name
a few.

II. READING AND COMPREHENSION

1. The Internet and other new technologies have changed the way we work and the titles of our jobs.
Read the following interviews with people who now work from home and then answer the questions
below: Interview 169
A: Jill, your job is called ‘virtual assistant’, right?
B: That’s right.
A: Well, what exactly is a virtual assistant?
B: Virtual assistants, or Vas, work from home. We offer services to businesses which do not have enough
work to justify employing someone full-time.
A: So, why did you decide to become a VA?
B: In the past I worked as a conference organizer. After I retired, I still wanted to earn some extra money
and to keep myself active. I became a VA because it meant I did not have to leave my country home here in
Cornwall.
A: Indeed, it is a lovely and peaceful place. But how did you start?
B: I had a lot of contacts from my previous job. O began by providing things like bookkeeping but now I
offer a range of services for clients all over the UK.
A: It is going well, then.
B: Yes, it is. Anyway, I was not looking to earn a fantastic amount of money. The greatest benefit is that
you can do as little or as much as you want. If it is a lovely sunny day, I can sit out in the garden and do my
work in the evening. The work programme is so flexible now! A: What does one need to get started?

69
Adapted from Gomm, Helena, In Company, Pre-Intermediate. Teacher ’s Book, Macmillan, Oxford, 2003, p.
89.
B: The basic tools are a computer with an internet connection, a fax machine and a mobile phone. Basic
office skills are generally enough for a start. Obviously, it depends on the kind of services you are going to
offer and what the clients ask from you.
A: And which are the advantages for the companies hiring VAs?
B: Companies have a lot of advantages. For instance, they only use a virtual assistant when they need one.
Also, they can get someone with a higher professional level than they could get if they had to pay someone

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full-time. The problem of office hours is also solved. A businessman can be out of his office all day, but his
assistant is still available in the evening if he needs to discuss things or solve some problems. It can also
make a huge difference to anyone’s lifestyle.
1. What is a virtual assistant?

2. What benefits does Jill mention for herself and her family?

3. What benefits does the company have?

4. What do you need in order to become a VA?

5. Do you think this job could be suitable for you?

6. Could VAs be an efficient alternative for Romanian firms?

Interview 2
A: Anna, what exactly do you do?
B: I am a concierge at the Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills.
A: What was life like before you started working from home?
B: Well, I had to get up early in the morning, at three o’clock, so I could shower and get dressed, take my
kids to my mothers, and set off to work by 4.30.
A: At 4.30!
B: Yes, there was a lot of traffic. On a good day, I managed to get there by 6.30. That gave me the possibility
to relax for half an hour before starting my shift at 7 o’clock.
A: It really sounds like an awful programme!
B: Yes, I was getting up in the middle of the night and getting home in the dark, too. I never saw my
husband or children. I liked my job but the programme was a nightmare.
A: And what is life like now?
B: Oh, I feel like the luckiest person alive. I now get up at 5.30. My mother still looks after the children but I
don’t have the 80-mile drive to work. Now I have my office in one of our bedrooms. I sit down in front of a
camera, pin on a microphone and I am ready for business.
A: And how does it work at the hotel?
B: Guests still go up to the concierge desk, but instead of me in person, they see me on a giant TV
screen. In fact, they can only see my head and shoulders, so I can even wear my slippers while I am
working. A: How about your employers?
B: Oh, they are happy because they cannot afford to lose me. In the hotel industry we do not have high
salaries as compared to large multinationals, so there is a high turnover of staff. Around here,
unemployment is so low that it is hard to replace workers. It cost them 50,000 but they thought it was
worth a try.
A: What about the guests?
B: They are really happy about it. The first thing is they do not have to leave a tip!
1. Which is the greatest benefit of working at home for Anna?

2. What other benefits does she mention?

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3. Do her employers have any benefits?

4. Anna also mentions a benefit for the hotel clients. What is it?

5. Would you like to have Anna’s job? Motivate your answer.

6. Would anyone in your family like to work from home?

2. Study the advantages or disadvantages of working at home in the following newspaper article and
then answer the questions below67:
You can stay in bed all morning, start work in your own time and there's nobody watching over your
shoulder; those that work from home are the envy of office-dwellers everywhere. Looks are frequently
misleading though and it can be difficult to work from home efficiently – it can be difficult to stay fully
concentrated on the task at hand when you've got so many possible distractions just as close to your
fingertips and nobody to stop you from giving in to temptation.
My flatmate, a freelance film-maker, often spends weeks at a time working from home, editing his
footage and it's the lack of social contact that frustrates him most. He claims to be far more productive
when I'm there during office hours, even if I'm not working as well. The fact that there is somebody there
other than him makes him work harder in order to not come across as being lazy. He probably shouldn’t
have told me; I now imagine he spends all day watching YouTube videos in his dressing gown, whenever I'm
not in.
To fill my frequent absences, he substitutes me by meeting friends that work nearby for lunch or
even just taking a stroll in the park. It’s important to get out of your workspace, not just for the sake of your
sanity, but also for a chance to recharge your batteries. Plenty of office workers may eat their lunch at their
desk, but they have a change of scenery to look forward to in the evening. Do you really want to spend the
entire day in your house?
His other trick is to take short breaks to exercise and, for me, this is the main advantage over the
office because it gives you such a good energy boost, vital when your work ethic begins to flag. At the
Guardian, we have a ‘quiet room’ where you can go to just relax and take your mind off things for a while. I
want to go in there and just do some sit-ups every couple of hours. If I wasn’t so concerned about the
sweat patches I probably would.
When the working day is over though, you need to be able to switch off and make that transition to
your personal life. Although my flatmate claims that he only timetables work from 9.30am to 6.30pm, it's
not unusual for me to come back home from the pub and find him hunched over a laptop past 10pm. It can
be tough to keep a work-life balance, especially when the project you're working on is mere feet away, but
you'll go crazy if you don't.
This is where working in an office has its advantages. It's much easier to make that all-important
switch to your personal time when you've finished for the day, although the rise of the 24-hours-email
culture is beginning to blur the lines. I occasionally check my emails outside of my shifts, but it's nothing
compared to the amount of time my flatmate spends on work-related affairs when he should have his feet
up.

67 http://careers.guardian.co.uk/careers-blog/tips-for-working-from-home, accessed March 2, 2012.

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 How do you make sure that you put in a good shift when you’re working from home?
1. Focus on the examples of benefits the journalist mentions.

2. Are there any disadvantages, too?

3. According to the article, which seems to be the most important disadvantage of working from
home?

III. COMMUNICATION SKILLS

1. Discuss the benefits for employees who could start working from home. Consider the following
suggestions and add others:
e.g. saving money on transport spending more time with the family saving time with
travelling to and from work having more jobs at the same time
having more flexible work schedules experiencing less stress
less conflicts with colleagues more relaxing work environment
doing more in a shorter time no traffic jams
no bosses to crack the whip more personal freedom

2. Now think of some benefits for the employers: increased productivity of staff cut
down electricity, water, gas costs saving on expensive rents cut down
telecommunications costs
improve the quality of life for its workers help preserve the environment by
spend less on work-related activities reducing travel cut expenses with
cleaning the workplace

3. Which are the disadvantages of working from home for some employees?
e.g. workaholics no social interaction
problems with technology no perks
difficulties to concentrate on work work environment/space
no division work time – leisure time wasting useful time

IV.LANGUAGE STUDY
IV.1. GRAMMAR PRACTICE
The Conditional Mood: The Third Conditional
Formula

IF + HAD (NOT) DONE WOULD (NOT) + HAVE DONE

If the interview had not been a success, they would not have given me the job.
* could/might

! It is a common mistake to use would in the if part of the sentence:

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Use

It is used to express an imaginary opposite situation. If what actually happened was negative, a positive
form is used. If what actually happened was positive, a negative form is used:

Exercises
1. Put the verb in brackets into the correct tense:
1. If I (know) that he has financial problems I (lend) him some money.
2. He (not pass) the interview if he (not have) such an impressive CV.
3. Our company (be closed) if it (not be) for this takeover.
4. Sales (be) higher if the prices (be) lower?
5. The company (open) a subsidiary here if people (be) more cooperative.
6. Would you (accept) the job if they (offer) it to you?
7. I (not believe) this if I (not see) it with my own eyes.
8. If you (wait) a few more minutes you (meet) the manager.

2. Change the following conditionals type 1 into third conditional:

1. If you give me the letters, I will send them.

2. I will get you a newspaper if I find one.

3. He will be a good chief executive if he is promoted.

4. If you hurry, you’ll catch the plane.

5. If you do all your work you’ll get a pay rise.

3. Complete the following sentences:

1. I would have enjoyed my stay in London much more if …
2. Would you have been able to come to the meeting last Monday if …?
3. If I had realized that you were serious in what you said …
4. Would you have lent her the money if …?
5. I’m sure he wouldn’t have accepted the job if …

4. Rewrite the following sentences using the third conditional:

1. Mike didn’t hear about the interview, so he didn’t go.

2. I didn’t know Mary was going to be present, so I went to the meeting.

3. The shop-assistant didn’t see that the customer was going out without paying, so she didn’t stop him.

4. I had nothing better to do and so I decided to watch this TV programme.

5. I didn’t know she had been fired; that’s why I asked her about her job.

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5. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct tense (the third conditional):
1. If you (do) your job professionally, you (not be) fired.
2. If you (ask) her, she (help) you.
3. If you (speak) slower they (understand) you.
4. Our team (win) the project if we (work) harder.
5. If she (take) the train she (not arrive) on time.

6. Correct the mistakes in the following sentences:

1. If he wouldn’t have fallen asleep while driving he wouldn’t have crashed his car.

2. If we would had enough money we would started our business.

3. If I hadn’t be late for work I wouldn’t had lost my job.

4. I would have called you if I would have known your number.

5. I would have attended the meeting if they would have invited me.

7. Complete with the correct verb and tense (using the third conditional):
1. If you ………………….. late we ………………………… the meeting.
2. If she …………………………….. the interview she ………………………………. the job.
3. If he ………………………………… an accountant he …………………………… a rich man.
4. If I ………………………………… born in a different country I …………………… happier.
5. If she ………………………………… to university she …………………………… accountancy.

IV. 2. VOCABULARY PRACTICE

1. The text below is an extract from an article about teleworking - employment at home while
communicating with the workplace by phone or fax or modem. Complete it using the words in the box:
desk home flexibility office local commute

The key word of the future is ……………………………… We are not suddenly going to see massive numbers of
people working from …………..instead of going to the……………. We will see a much more hybrid existence
where some of the time people are in the office, maybe at a shared ……………………, and some of the time at
home. And there will be ‘telecentres’ – serviced offices which provide an intermediate stage where people
can find a ………………..office instead of having to …………………….into a town or city centre.

2. Study the following phrases which can be used to describe the situation of working from home and
then fill in the gaps below: to watch over sbd.’s shoulder to watch what someone is doing, especially
so that you can criticize them close to one’s fingertips/at one’s fingertips available to use immediately
to switch off to relax off the beaten track isolated and quiet to come down to earth with a bump
to stop dreaming and start thinking practically in one’s element very suited to a situation the crack of
dawn very early in the morning to get away from it all to take a break from work and problems a
new lease of life a return of energy or enthusiasm round-the-clock all day and night to get into

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the swing of sth. to get used to a situation and start enjoying it one’s best bet the most appropriate
choice

1. She was disappointed with her old job, so the new one certainly gave her .........
2. There is the disadvantage that some workaholics can start working..................
3. Hard work must necessarily be followed by a break to ................... and ................
4. Offices are generally built in crowded urban areas, but if you work at home your office is more
peaceful and somehow ...........................
5. If you work at home you can sleep longer so you do not have to get up at..............................
6. She had numerous work offers but it seems that working at home was the ...............
7. His new schedule was obviously hard, but in the end he started to ............................
8. The best thing about her new job at home is that there is no stern boss anymore to
.......................
9. Your family, technology, intimate space, comfort... at home it seems you have
everything ..................
10. Sue had a very satisfying life working as an assistant manager, but when she was told she had to
start working from home on half of her previous salary she ..................
11. James has always wanted to be his own boss, so the opportunity makes him feel
completely...........................

3. One of the key-words of this unit is home. Study the following words from the lexical family of
home68 and then fill in the gaps with the suitable forms:
home (noun) the place where you live; a place of residence home (adv.) to be
home free out of jeopardy, in a comfortable position home (adj.) home
games/activities operating in a home area; home cooking/ home
heating system prepared, done or designed for use in a home; home (vb. intr.) to go or return home home
economics (noun) a subject taught in schools involving aptitudes that are useful in the home, such as
cooking or making clothes care home (noun) a home for people who are unable to look after themselves
because they are old or mentally sick down-home (adj.) related to the countryside or traditional ways of
life
home language (noun) someone’s native language home base (noun) a building or place where a company
is based home alone (adj.) a situation in which a child is left alone in a house without the supervision of an
adult

1. There is a wonderful saying that there is no place like.......................................

2. I would really love to start living a ...................................................lifestyle instead of this urban
pretentious one!
3. One must never forget his own ................................................ no matter where his steps might take
him.
4. The ....................................................of Tesco is New York.
5. They were ......................................... when they found out that they must return to the old city.
6. The officials have inaugurated a new ........................................ for the elderly in that area.
7. ................................................... should be reintroduced in our schools because children need to
learn about that, too.
68 Definitions adapted from www.macmillan.com.

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8. Their company deals with ................................. furnishings.
9. After the risk passed, she finally felt......................................... after a long time.
10. Leaving Nick at home all by himself was pretty much like a .......................... situation.

4. Fill each gap with one word only:

One of ………most enjoyable jobs I’ve ……done was when I ……a student. When you ………what it was you
may be a ……….shocked, but……………I know it sounds unpleasant I can assure you that it was…………fact
delightful. Believe it or………, I was a grave-digger for a ………..summer. It was one of……….hot, dry summer
which made the………..as hard as rock and it needed a great deal of…………to dig the graves. Now, a grave-
digger doesn’t have ………..to do with dead bodies. All he has to do is dig two-metre deep holes and fill
them in when …………the coffin has been put in. As I ……………, it was a marvellous summer and I’m glad to
say ………….I didn’t have to work on my………….. . I had a workmate who had been digging graves…………
1980. In…………..of his depressing trade he was a cheerful character, always laughing and…………………jokes.
He used to tell me …………..about his experiences and I …………….to him for hours on end. However, we had
to work quite…………and usually there were two or three graves to dig every day. By the………..I had to
go………..to college I was fitter, browner and in some …………a wiser person.

5. Form another word from the one given so as to complete each sentence: AMBITION He may
be successful one day, he’s very……………………………….
REPRESENT I’ll ask one of our ……………………..to call on you to discuss the matter.
COMPETE The firm is doing well because their prices arestill……………………….
BANKRUPT If our business doesn’t improve, there’s a danger of………………………
SECURE She’s looking for a job with good payment, good prospects and…………
RESIGN Yesterday morning he handed in his……………………………………..
WORK ………………………work from home using telecommunication systems.
PRODUCE Because of a fall in sales the company has reduced its………………………
EMPLOY …………………………worry they might be sent to work from home.
RETIRE She applied for early……………………………when she was 55.

V. WRITING PRACTICE
1. Follow-up activity
A colleague/friend has received an offer about starting to work from home. She is 35, she has a degree in
accounting, two children, and is a sociable and friendly person. Write an email in response to the offer
received, taking into consideration all the aspects mentioned in this unit about teleworking:

Structure and useful phrases:

1. GREETING AND OPENING
Dear sir/madam,
Concerning your job offer dated...
With regard/ reference to your job offer dated...

2. OVERVIEW OF OFFER
In your letter you mentioned that the benefits are...
You made clear reference that the following benefits are included... I understand
that the following work benefits are guaranteed...

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3. NEGOTIATE TERMS
However, you have mentioned nothing about... (e.g. pension fund, health insurance, company car, sick
leave, etc.)
I still think you should also consider...
Some important aspects have been left out...
I would also like to draw your attention to ...
... would be a disadvantage for me, so...

4. ANTICIPATE DECISION
If you take into consideration my suggestions I think I will accept your offer.
If you reconsider your terms about... then I may give you a positive answer.
If we can also reach an agreement on... I am sure we can find an acceptable compromise.

After carefully considering all the aspects involved, my decision is...

A careful analysis of all the pros and cons of your offer led to...
I have decided to accept/not to accept your job offer...
Unfortunately, I must let you know that my decision is negative.
After balancing all the aspects of your offer, I have decided to accept your offer.

5. CLOSE
I look forward to reaching a firm agreement...
I look forward to signing a contract on the terms discussed...
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
I look forward to working with you.
Sincerely/Respectfully,...

2. Apology letter for overcharging a client

a) The date
b) The heading
c) Salutation
d) The body
- apology for overcharging - steps taken to
correct the error e) Closing

A. Example69
Wednesday, 30 May 2012
Jim Stuart
Perfect Batteries Inc.
1234 Second Street
Chicago
Dear Mr Stuart,

69 Adapted from http://www.letters-home.com/customer-letters/sample-apology-to-customer-for-billingerror-charged-too-

much-customer-complained-letter/, accessed June 1, 2012.

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 Thank you for your e-mail I received yesterday, which prompted me to check our records. You are
absolutely correct.
In error, we have over-billed you by $100 on invoice #B2564C. Instead of charging you for the 1000
batteries you ordered and were shipped to you, we charged you for 1500. Please accept my apologies.
I have immediately nullified the incorrect invoice. # B2564C and issued you a new one as follows:
1000 batteries @ $5 $5,000
Tax @ 5% 1,000
Total $5100
Let me assure you that I will personally inspect our invoices to you in the future to ensure that there will be
no further errors. Since I feel embarrassed over the matter, I will offer you a 5% discount on your next
order. Feel free to contact me at 444-4567 or e-mail me if there are any other issues you wish me to
address.
Sincerely,
Melinda James

B. Assignment
You work for a company that sells computers. You received a letter of complaint from one of your
clients, stating that he had been overcharged for the computers he had purchased from you. Write an
apology letter.

UNIT 13. E-COMMERCE

I.LEAD IN DISCUSSION 1. How much do

you use the Internet and for which activities?
e.g. work watching news
reading newspapers reading e-books
listening to music watching movies
reading magazine articles shopping
chatting with friends joining discussion groups or forums

2. What kind of shopping do you prefer?

e.g. catalogue shopping supermarkets shops
e-stores

3. What is the difference between commerce and e-commerce?

4. Have you ever bought or sold anything online?

clothes holidays
books food
electronics real estate transactions
products for children sports products

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5. What sites do you generally use for this purpose?

6. What are the advantages of e-commerce for the buyer and the seller?

7. Are there any things you would never buy online? Why?

8. Are there any things you would like to buy exclusively online?

9. What problems or risks might occur when trading over the Internet?

10. Are there any categories of people who are more likely to use the Internet for commerce?

11. Should there be any restrictions for teenagers concerning their use of the Internet for e-
commerce?

II.READING AND COMPREHENSION

70
1. Read the following text related to shopping from home and then answer the questions below:
What forms of e-commerce will dominate the next millennium? What is it that the consumer really
wants and will pay for? Some time ago, companies believed that consumers were looking for convenience
first and then for the best price possible. Catalogue shopping which was so fashionable in the recent past
worked on this principle, and now it makes only 2% of the economy. Shopping in stores, be they in street
corners, malls or hypermarkets is also losing ground.
It seems hard to satisfy customers considering their varied needs and expectations. An essential
aspect for consumers is to obtain the desired things in a simple, easy and fast manner. They also want to be
entertained when they shop. They want their shopping session to be an unforgettable experience. Then
they want to comparison shop. The best product or service is always looked for. They want great prices, the
lowest on the market, if possible. Well, the Internet and e-commerce can provide all of this.
High definitions graphics and video will be part of the everyday online shopping experience. It is
predicted that people will be able to virtually shop and network with their friends without leaving home.
Artificial intelligence will put a virtual shop assistant at the service of every online customer. She will be
able to advise on colours, sizes and other features which match the shopper’s preferences. These will be
stored on the company’s computers.
The keyboard will soon become history and voice recognition will be a more efficient tool. The
consumer will access the network from anywhere – from home, the car, or perhaps even from a pair of
glasses.
The consumer will say "I’d like to buy a black sweater today, something in the €10 to €15 range .
The network will take that request and will detect any historical preferences the consumer might have,
70 Adapted from Clarke, Simon, In Company, Pre-intermediate Student’s Book, Macmillan, Oxford, 2003, p. 85.

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such as size, fabric or style. It will assemble a range of options at different prices from various stores. All in
the consumer’s exact size. Then the customer can virtually try on the different sweaters available using a
3D model of herself stored in the computer. That is what real e-commerce will do for you! 1. What
traditional forms of shopping does the text mention?

2. What do customers expect from shopping nowadays?

3. What benefits of virtual shopping are mentioned in the text?

4. How will this concept employ technological breakthroughs?

5. To what extent are e-stores consumer oriented?

2. Read the following text related to e-business 71 and then answer the questions below:
E-business is the buzz at book-fair
Authors are dismissing publishers and start self-publishing their work. In their turn, publishers are
moving ahead into retail. The famous Barnes & Noble is getting deeper into the gadget business, and
Amazon offers publishing opportunities, too. We can see all this at BookExpo America, an annual trade
show in New York that draws tens of thousands of authors, publishers and booksellers.
For three days the attendees visit the exhibit halls, mingling, promoting books, listening to speakers and
collectively pondering over the state of the industry over the past year. They have a lot to talk about. E-
books have exploded, exceeding print sales for some new releases. Many bookstores are struggling hard to
resist as their customers began downloading books onto their e-readers from home rather than coming to
stores.
Amazon’s announced on Sunday that it hired one of the industry’s best-known veterans, the publisher
Laurence J. Kirshbaum, to lead a new imprint for Amazon that will publish general-interest titles. On
Wednesday Amazon said it had acquired a book by the thriller writer Barry Eisler, who had declared this
year that he was abandoning a profitable contract with his publisher out of discontent with the traditional
book industry. Susan Petersen Kennedy, the president of Penguin Group USA, said that “it’s good for
Amazon to go into publishing. Maybe they’ll develop some respect for how hard it is. Come on in, try it. Go
ahead. It’s not so easy.”
The convention this year is on a more relaxed schedule than last year, when it was mostly packed
together in two days. Visitors crammed into meeting rooms to listen to trendy group discussions like
“Twitter Fundamentals for Book Professionals” and “How eBooks Will Save the Book: Putting Storytelling
and Creation at the Centre of Publishing.” The future of the industry is particularly worrying for the authors
who were there to promote their books with the bookstore employees assisting them. Some authors say
that traditional books will no longer exist soon.

71 Adapted from http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/26/books/bookexpo-america-underlines-industryshifts.html?

pagewanted=all, article by Julie Bosman, in New York Times, published May 25, 2011, accessed July 9, 2012.

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 Some of the unease over digital publishing was moderated by the fact that while e-book sales are
enormous in fiction, especially genre fiction like romance, mysteries and thrillers, they are very low for
children’s books, reference books and nonfiction. “People with ereaders buy more books,” said Markus
Dohle, chairman and chief executive of Random House. “That’s an opportunity.”
On Tuesday two industry groups released the long-awaited preliminary results of a survey measuring
the size and scope of the book business. The analysis showed increase in both revenues and units sold for
publishers, despite decrease in both hardcover and paperback sales. Dominique Raccah, the publisher of
Sourcebooks, a midsize publisher in Naperville, Ill., said that “the book industry is actually growing. And it
looks like the majority of book publishers are experiencing growth in this environment.”
Foreign sales attracted more interest than usual. Digital is going global fast, and it’s going to create all
sorts of new chances because these devices will be everywhere. Specialists predict that there’s going to be
huge demand for e-books in English all over the world.
The competition over e-reader customers continued on Tuesday when two of the industry’s biggest
retailers, Barnes & Noble and Amazon presented their latest models of ereader.
The fair is also an excuse for publishers to give parties that begin soon after the exhibition floor clears
out at the end of the day. Random House Children’s Books hosted a party aboard the aircraft carrier
Intrepid on the Hudson River on Tuesday night, promising appearances by many of its authors, including
Tyra Banks. Also on Tuesday the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group gave a party at a French bistro in
Midtown, where waiters passed around foie gras on toast.
In conclusion, booksellers and publishers need to admit that new times and new challenges require new
business practices. Some booksellers said they were doing just fine. Steve Bercu, the owner of BookPeople
in Austin, Tex., said his store had its best year ever in 2010, in the midst of the economic recession. People
in Texas, he joked, “don’t even know ebooks exist.”
1. Which is the main topic of the article?

2. What novelties are related to the book industry?

3. Which events at the trade fair are highlighted in the text?

4. Which is Amazon’s involvement in the industry?

5. Why is the future of the industry worrying for authors?

6. What is the current situation for publishers?

7. Which are the advantages of digitalization?

8. Is digitalization possible everywhere in the world?

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 III.COMMUNICATION SKILLS
1. Are you fond of using e-books and/or e-readers?

2. Which are their advantages and disadvantages for consumers/readers?

3. Do you think there is a promising future for e-books and e-readers?

4. If you had the opportunity, would you start an e-business selling e-books or would you open a
traditional bookstore?

5. According to the newspaper article in II.2., some authors believe that traditional books will no longer
exist soon. Do you agree? Discuss using the following expressions:
It’s bad news that... I can hardly believe that...
I’m astonished that... I totally disagree...
It’s debatable whether... This may be right but...
It’s a sobering thought that... It’s simply unbelievable that...

6. In pairs, choose one of the groups below and discuss the impact of e-commerce for the following
people:
teenagers disabled persons
busy working people the old generation

7. Work in pairs. You all work for a travel agency in London. Market studies have shown that retired
people spend a significant amount of their free time surfing the Internet. Discuss the possibility of
selling your services to the over-sixties using the Internet. Speaker A – you think this is a great idea.
Speaker B – you think this is a ridiculous idea. Support your ideas with arguments.
Useful expressions:
..............is one thing, but .................. is another I strongly
believe that...
When you say this you leave out the fact that...
..... may be true, but...
I totally disagree that...
You can’t possibly believe that...

IV.LANGUAGE STUDY IV. 1. GRAMMAR PRACTICE

Passive Voice
FORM

Active voice: Subject + Verb + Object

My boss hires a new secretary.
Passive voice: Object + (be+past participle of the verb) + by agent A new
secretary is hired by my boss.

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Present simple passive: am/is/are + past participle Ex: She is asked
to work in weekends.

Present continuous passive: am being, is being, or are being + past participle: Ex: Right now,
she is being asked to work this weekend.

Simple past passive: was or were + the past participle:

Ex: This company was closed last year.

Past continuous passive: was being or were being + the past participle:
Ex: This time yesterday he was being interviewed.

Present perfect passive: has been or have been + the past participle:
Ex: He has just been fired.
Past perfect passive: had been + the past participle:
Ex: They faxed us to say that the shipment had been delayed.

Future passive: will be or going to be + the past participle:

Ex: The shipment is going to be delayed. It will be/is going to be delivered next month.

USES
The passive is used:
1. If the action is more important than the agent. A demonstration has been held.
This company was founded in 2001.
The important thing is what happened, not who did it.
2. If the agent is not known.
She was offered a job. (someone offered her the job)
They are supposed to be good accountants. (some people suppose that)

Exercises
1. Turn the following sentences into the passive voice:
1. He wrote the report in an hour.

2. They have sent the invoice by fax.

3. The company will deliver the products in a week.

4. My neighbour is repairing my car at the moment.

5. They had closed their subsidiary in Bacau before they opened a new one in Iasi.

6. The police didn’t find the robber.

7. We launched a new product on the market.

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8. I will hand in my resignation tomorrow.

9. We bought new computers for our office.

10. The workers are demolishing the old building.

2. Turn the following sentences into the active voice, providing the agent where necessary:
1. English is spoken by many people around the world.

2. The housework is generally done by my wife.

3. Mike was asked a lot of questions after the meeting.

4. Our office was broken into last night.

5. The conditions of the new contract will be explained by the manager.

6. The invitation has already been sent.

7. I was fired last week.

8. The minutes of the meeting are written by Mary.

9. The mobiles were turned off during the meeting.

10. Mr. Smith will be picked up at the airport by my secretary.

3. Complete the sentences (active or passive voice – present tense):

1. Tom (sell) computers.
2. The shareholders (invite) at the AGM by the chief executive.
3. Money (keep) in the bank.
4. Mary (not work) for this company.
5. We (visit) by our French partners.
6. This product (not manufacture) by our company.
7. She often (travel) on business trips.
8. Mike (know) his job very well.
9. He (know) for his good results by all the workers in the company.
10. She quickly (solve) all the complaints.

4. Provide two possible passive variants for each of the following active sentences:
1. The manager will offer you some good advice.

2. We have sent him the report.

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3. The chief executive presented us the new plan for the company.

4. My colleague gave me a lift.

5. We have asked her a favour.

6. My secretary told me the truth.

7. They have written her an apology letter.

8. My secretary will make you a coffee.

9. The postman has not brought me the package.

10. They have not offered her a seat.

5. Make sentences using the following words:

1. the company/found/1989/by Michael Johnson.

2. these products/manufacture/workers/our company.

3. two new branches/just/open/Bacau/Iasi.

4. the contract/sign/next week/all the parties involved.

5. the complaint/deal with/my secretary.

6. Turn the following sentences into the passive voice:

1. People know that she is a good accountant.

2. They suppose that the new product will come out soon.

3. They found that the merger was impossible.

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4. His boss thought that he was on holiday.

5. They say that the company will go banckrupt.

7. Rewrite the sentences given in the passive voice, using the words given and the correct tenses:
The company manufactures computers here.

1. When I worked in this company …

2. At present …
3. Since I left the company …
4. Generally …
5. Next year …
6. Before the company went banckrupt …

IV.2. VOCABULARY PRACTICE

1. Use the following phrases to fill in the gaps in the sentences below:
to compare prices to run up a bill
to try on (clothes) to access a
network to virtually shop to set up
an e-business to sell online
(to use) voice recognition
a) She was devastated when she found out that her children....................... of about €200 by surfing on
the Internet.
b) I always..................................... of different retailers before I finally decide to buy.
c) Spoken instructions will make ........................... a simple and accessible alternative to using the
keyboard.
d) Buying and ............................................... has become really fashionable among busy people.
e) You can ......................... this ........................ only if you have a user name and a password.
f) I can’t possibly believe that I will be able to ......................... my favourite dress online!
g) Marks & Spencer has recently ................. its ...................................
h) To ...................................... is another term for buying online.

2. Complete the following anecdote72 using the words in the box:

crashed; website; message; security; came; e-mail; turn off; complain; online; reply;
credit card; button; charge; pay; download; clicked
Why I will never buy anything on the Internet again
Ask most people how shopping will be in the recent future and they will certainly mention the
Internet. One thing is sure: I am not one of its fans. I have recently had a bad experience
shopping......................................... which made me feel intense dislike for this method. I heard about a
book you could download from a ....................... before it was published and sold in bookshops. I loved the
author, so I decided to look into the matter.
I found the page and read the information carefully. It said they charged fifty euros for
the ........................... and you had to use a ............................... I completed the form with all those details

72 Clarke, Simon, In Company, Pre-intermediate Student’s Book, Macmillan, Oxford, 2003, p. 121.

167
requested, including my ............................. address. Finally I entered my credit card number after I was
assured that there was no .................. risk. When the payment was authorised a new screen appeared with
a ........................ saying download now. I ......................... on the button but nothing happened so I tried
again. Then a .............
came up saying "Download suspended because of system overload. Please try again later.
I decided to wait. Finally the system ................. and I had to ............... the computer. When I
accessed the site again, the same forms as before ............................ up but I didn’t want to risk paying
again, so I thought that writing an explanatory e-mail to the company was my salvation. Obviously, I never
got a ..............................
I supposed that as I never got the book I wouldn’t have to ............, but when I got my credit card
statement at the end of the month I saw the ..................... for fifty euros was there. I realised there was no
one to ....................... to and it already seemed too late. Ok, it was only fifty euros this time, no big deal
after all. But the message is this: why risk buying anything online when it reduces to an act of faith?
Unfortunately, many of these e-firms are little responsible in legal terms, or so it seems to me now.
Anyway, it will be a long time before I decide to purchase something online again.

3. Study the phrases below related to technology and then fill in the gaps in the sentences: on the
back burner put off till a later date teething troubles problems that occur in the early stages of
sth.
nuts and bolts basic useful details as clear as a bell very easy to understand to surf the Net
to look up information on the Internet mind-boggling (adj.) amazing and bewildering to come in
hand to be useful to see the light to finally understand sth. after a long time; to be launched on the
market to be past sbd.’s/sth.’s sell-by date no longer effective or interesting a carbon copy a
duplicate; sth./sbd. that closely resembles sth./sbd. Else

1. I am greatly indebted to our senior partner for having explained to us all the
................................. of the business.
2. We are happy to announce you that our latest version of iPad has finally....................
3. I will ..................................... to see all the options available.
4. It was difficult for them to remain afloat because of the ........................... in the first few weeks of
setting up their company.
5. His business idea certainly sounded like a ............................... of mine!
6. My business plans had to be kept .................................. because of some personal emergencies.
7. An Internet connection ............................... when you need to search for some information urgently.
8. They reported a significant increase in annual revenue, so their profits must be.................................
9. Since she is very fond of the latest technology, she always asks an expert when buying something
new because she fears it might be................................
10. The instructions about downloading options were .............................. so I managed to download the
e-book in no time.

4. Read the following text73 and form your own sentences with the words underlined:
With the ratio of Internet hype to reality in China so high, its web entrepreneurs are under pressure to
add a twist to their marketing ground. According to them, operating online in China is somehow different

73 Adapted from http://www.economist.com/node/354498, article in The Economist, published August 31, 2000, accessed July
10, 2012.

168
from in the West. Indeed, there is at least one very real difference from the West. In rich countries, the
Internet takes industries that have been developing for decades, if not centuries, and makes them more
efficient; in China, many of those industries have never existed, so the Internet helps to create them from
scratch.
In case of the travel industry, Americans and Europeans take for granted long and complicated supply
chains that allow them to go to a travel agency and buy the cheapest ticket to the desired destination. The
Internet only guarantees to move some links in that chain online. This is not the case in China. Travel used
to be either off-limits or simply unaffordable. So even as the rising middle classes now form the first queues
for tickets, the country still has no travel industry to speak of. A few state enterprises claim to be
“agencies”, but in fact only put up for sale guided package tours to a small number of destinations.
Individual travellers looking for specially-made itineraries are on their own: they cannot find any catalogue
or database of room prices for China’s 4,500 star-rated hotels.
Neil Shen, a university graduate from Yale, set up one of China’s first travel brands in 1999, ctrip.com, a
website in Chinese and English where visitors can examine travel reviews and book air tickets or hotel
rooms. However, the process involved painstaking work. Ctrip has 20 employees ringing up hotels (3,000 so
far) to put together the nation’s first roomprice database.
This unparalleled data collection engenders entire service industries. From medicine and hospitals to
restaurants and movie tickets, China has assiduously avoided fusing information. It was only last year that
the first Chinese Yellow Pages telephone business directory was published.
What is noteworthy about ctrip and others of its kind is not that they have good websites, but that they
are setting out to build businesses that have been developing over decades elsewhere. “Whether it’s online
or offline doesn’t matter,” Mr Shen says. “It’s really about starting new industries.”

V. WRITING PRACTICE
1. Follow-up activity
Imagine you want to set up an e-business. Write some information in separate paragraphs related to the
structure of your business. Refer to:
Domain and types of products/services Terms and conditions
Budget Why are you special/unique?
Target customers Plans
Special offers

2. Confirmation of shipment
a) The date
b) The heading
c) Salutation
d) The body
- confirmation of shipment
- sailing time - documents attached
e) Closing

A. Example74
Kent, Clarke & Co. Ltd
South Bank House

74 Adapted from Ashley, A., Oxford Handbook of Commercial Correspondence, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2003, p. 206.

169
Borough Road London SE1 OAA Tel/Fax 2235 2449
17 May 2012

Yvonne Pollard
International Shippers Ltd
City House
City Road
London EC2lP C

Dear Ms Pollard

We have arranged for the consignment of computers (see our fax of 13 May) to be sent to Tilbury for
loading on to the Northern Cross, which sails for New Zealand on 18 May. We have agreed that the cost of
shipment is €2,000.

Enclosed you will find the completed standard shipping note and bill of lading (6 copies), 4 copies of which
should be signed and returned to us.

I have also attached a cheque in payment of your freight account.

Yours sincerely
J. D. Simpson
Supervisor

Enc. Standard shipping note

Bill of lading (5 copies)
Cheque No. 0823146

B. Assignment
You have an e-business selling furniture. You are shipping an order of sofas,
tables and chairs to a new restaurant in Rome, Italy. Write a confirmation of shipment and include all the
exact details.

170
 UNIT 14. REVISION TEST

Circle the correct variant:

1. I’m ... to meet you, too.
a) excited
b) delighted

2. James is in charge … the e-commerce division in our department.

a) by
b) of

3. In case of limited partnerships the ... of at least one of the partners is limited to the amount of money
invested in the business. a) liability
b) responsibility

4. A subsidiary company is ...

a) a company having more than half of its stock owned by another company.
b) a company having less than half of its stock owned by another company.

5. According to Theory X launched by Douglas McGregor people in general...

a) love work and take on various responsibilities due to that.
b) are lazy and dislike work.

6. There won’t be any problems if you ...

a) toe the line.
b) tip the line.

7. Sometimes ... can have a negative impact on the company because people can behave aggressively.
a) competition
b) competitiveness

8. People sometimes increase their earnings by working...

a) extra time
b) overtime

9. Time management specialists advise us to ... each task depending on their priority. a) tackle
b) employ

10. Come on, it’s 4 pm sharp, time to ... for the day and get some fresh air!
a) spend off
b) clock off

171
11. In short text messages, MYOB means...
a) my ordinary business.
b) mind your own business.

12. If you want to access a file, first you must make sure your computer is...
a) switched on
b) logged on

13. If you are in ... it is advisable to ... and you will feel much more relaxed.
a) financial problems a) clean off your debts
b) debt b) pay off your debts

14. If you cannot afford paying when buying a product, it is a common practice to purchase it by means of
monthly... a) instalments
b) rates

15. It is fortunate that after a dramatic ... last year, the firm’s annual ... has doubled this year.
a) boom a) revenue
b) downfall b) income

16. If you possess the necessary ... for the job then we may ... you.
a) talent a) fire
b) skill b) hire

17. The firm’s ... have amounted to unprecedented levels.

a) liquidities
b) liabilities

18. For this position honesty is essential, so if you are not... we cannot accept you as a member of our...
a) as meek as a lamb a) staff
b) as straight as a die b) stuff

19. Please find attached a copy of my ... for your attention. (British English)
a) resume
b) CV

20. He came up with a brilliant idea for ... a new business.

a) beginning
b) setting up

21. If there is a ... for a product or service, then there is an opportunity to sell something not yet available.
a) lack in the market
b) gap in the market

172
22. The audit commission spotted some ... in the yearly accounts of the firm.
a) bad business
b) monkey business

23. It is advisable to ... your flight over the Internet or by calling a ... some days in advance.
a) book a) real estate agent
b) buy b) travel agent

24. When the plane ... all passengers must ... their seatbelts for safety.
a) leaves a) fasten
b) takes off b) zip

25. Unfortunately, governments do not launch an adequate number of programmes for ...
people.
a) disadvantaged or disabled
b) discriminated

26. Providing ... for all employees should be regarded as an emergency.

a) flexible opportunities
b) equal opportunities

27. ... is the opposite of a ... work programme.

a) part time a) strict
b) flexi time b) fixed

28. For companies, mergers are an opportunity for ... because they achieve ... and ...
a) acquisition a) synergy a) economies of sale
b) growth b) energy b) economies of scale

29. When a company ... another and establishes itself as the new owner, the purchase is called an ...
a) takes up a) acquisition
b) takes over b) merger

30. When a company is interested to buy shares in another company, it makes a ...
a) written offer
b) takeover bid

31. ... to work can be tiring in the long run so working from home can become a viable alternative.
a) travelling
b) commuting

173
32. For many home workers one important advantage is that there is no boss to ... anymore. a) get in
touch
b) crack the whip

33. Another term for buying and selling online is ...

a) to purchase by credit card
b) to virtually shop

34. E-commerce is the short form of ...

a) electronic commerce
b) emergency commerce

35. If you know the ... about using the Internet for purchases, then every step will be ...
a) nuts and bolts a) available
b) information b) as clear as a bell

36. In case of limited partnerships the liability of at least one of the partners … to the amount of
money invested in the partnership. a) is limiting
b) is limited

37. Shareholders … for investing in companies by receiving a dividend on each share.

a) are compensated
b) are compensating

38. Later theorists … that Theory Y asks for much more from both workers and managers. a) are
adding
b) added

39. In Work and the Nature of Man, Dr. Frederick Herzberg (1959) … a two-dimensional theory.
a) launched
b) has launched

40. Tesco … small shops in towns and big shops outside towns.
a) is owning
b) owns

41. He usually … all over the country.

a) commutes
b) is commuting

42. They just … a new product.

a) have launched
b) launched

174
43. Everyone already … of Facebook and LinkedIn.
a) heard
b) has heard

44. Businesses based on good ideas and plans … if they … the money to deal with their immediate financial
commitments.
a) go broke a) don’t have
b) go broke b) will not have

45. If firms … the ability to raise money to help them with their cash-flow difficulties, then the story …
different.
a) had a) would be
b) would have b) were

46. They … quite well until a big chain store … a branch very close to their small shop.
a) did a) was opening
b) were doing b) opened

47. People who … to live within their means until then, simply couldn’t pay the bills anymore.
a) had managed
b) managed

48. He … a lot of money before the factory closed.

a) earned
b) had earned

49. She … in that company for two years when the boss fired her.
a) had been working
b) has been working

50. I … to clients’ e-mails for two hours now.

a) am answering
b) have been answering

51. If I … wisely I … bankrupt.

a) hadn’t invested a) would have been
b) wouldn’t have invested b) had been

52. If you … me the money, I … my own shop.

a) borrow a) will open
b) will borrow b) open

53. You … so respected if you … obey the rules.

a) wouldn’t be a) not obey

175
b) wouldn’t be b) didn’t obey

54. She … since 2010.

a) has been living
b) is living

55. Which values … in the future?

a) will count
b) count

56. My train … at one o’clock.

a) is arriving
b) arrives

57. Last year the charity … $2.5 billion.

a) donated
b) has donated

58. This year, the main campaign … to expand access to immunization vaccines in the developing
world. a) has been
b) was

59. He is very good; he … win this project.

a) is going to
b) will

60. Dacia … each year approximately 10% of its production.

a) is exporting
b) exports

176
Appendix

Irregular Verbs75

Infinitive Past Tense Past Participle

/æ/ /Λ/
begin began begun
drink drank drunk/drunken*
ring rang rung
run ran run
shrink shrank shrunk/shrunken*
sing sang sung
sink sank sunk/sunken*
spring sprang sprung
stink stank stunk
swim swam swum

*drunken, shrunken and sunken are used attributively.

Infinitive Past Tense Past Participle

/Λ/ /Λ/
cling clung clung
dig dug dug
fling flung flung
hang hung/hanged (with a hung/hanged (with a
difference in meaning) difference in meaning)
sling slung slung
slink slunk slunk
spin spun spun/span
stick stuck stuck
sting stung stung
strike struck struck/stricken*
swing swung swung
75 Cmeciu, D. & Bonta, E, Essential English Topics, Pro-Humanitate, Bucureşti, 1997, pp. 331-343.

177
win won won
wring wrung wrung

*stricken is used attributively.

Infinitive Past Tense Past Participle

/ou/ /ou/
break broke broken
choose chose chosen
freeze froze frozen
steal stole stolen
speak spoke spoken
wake woke woken
weave wove/weaved woven/weaved
Infinitive Past Tense Past Participle
/o:/ /o:/
bear bore borne/born
swear swore sworn
tear tore torn
wear wore worn

Infinitive Past Tense Past Participle

/e/ /e/
bereave bereaved/bereft bereaved/bereft
bleed bled bled
breed bred bred
creep crept crept
dream dreamed/dreamt dreamed/dreamt
feed fed fed
feel felt felt
flee fled fled
keep kept kept
kneel knelt knelt
lead led led
leap leapt leapt
leave left left
mean meant meant
meet met met
read read read

178
sleep slept slept
smell smelt/smelled smelt/smelled
speed sped/speeded sped/speeded
spell spelled/spelt spelled/spelt
sweep swept swept
weep wept wept

Infinitive Past Tense Past Participle

/u:/ /o:/
draw drew drawn
overdraw overdrew overdrawn
withdrawn withdrew withdrawn

Infinitive Past Tense Past Participle

/o:/ /o:/
beseech besought besought
bring brought brought
buy bought bought
catch caught caught
fight fought fought
seek sought sought
teach taught taught
think thought thought
Infinitive Past Tense Past Participle
/ou/ /i/
drive drove driven
ride rode ridden
rise rose risen
arise arose arisen
shrive shrove shriven
smite smote smitten
stride strode stridden
strive strove striven
thrive throve/thrived thriven
write wrote written

Infinitive Past Tense Past Participle

No change No change
bet bet bet

179
burst burst burst
broadcast broadcast broadcast
cast cast cast
cost cost cost
cut cut cut
hit hit hit
hurt hurt hurt
let let let
put put put
rid rid rid
set set set
shed shed shed
shut shut shut
slit slit slit
split split split
spread spread spread
thrust thrust thrust

Infinitive Past Tense Past Participle

/t/ /t/
bend bent bent
lend lent lent
rend rent rent
send sent sent
spend spent spent

Infinitive Past Tense Past Participle

/au/ /au/
bind bound bound
find found found
grind ground ground
wind wound wound
Infinitive Past Tense Past Participle
/ou/ /ou/
sell sold sold
tell told told
foretell foretold foretold

Infinitive Past Tense Past Participle

180
 /i/ /i/
bite bit bitten
chide chid chid
hide hid hidden

Infinitive Past Tense Past Participle

/u/ /ei/
forsake forsook forsaken
mistake mistook mistaken
partake partook partaken
shake shook shaken
take took taken

Infinitive Past Tense Past Participle

/ei/ /i/
bid bade/bid bidden/bid
forbid forbade forbidden
forgive forgave forgiven
give gave given

Infinitive Past Tense Past Participle

/æ/ /æ/
sit sat sat
spit spat spat

Infinitive Past Tense Past Participle

/d/ /n/
hew hewed hewn
mow mowed mown
saw sawed sawn
sew sewed sewn
show showed shown
sow sowed sown
strew strewed strewn

Miscellaneous
abide abode abode
be was/were been
beat beat beaten

181
blend blended/blent blended/blent
bless blessed/blest blessed/blest
build built built
burn burned/burnt burned/burnt
clothe clothed/clad clothed/clad
come came come
become became become
overcome overcame overcome
deal dealt dealt
do did done
outdo outdid outdone
dwell dwelt dwelt
eat ate eaten
fall fell fallen
foresee foresaw foreseen
forget forgot forgotten
get got got/gotten
go went gone
undergo underwent undergone
have had had
hear heard heard
overhear overheard overheard
hold held held
behold beheld beheld/beholden
withhold withheld withheld
knit knitted/knit knitted/knit
lay laid laid
mislay mislaid mislaid
lean leant/leaned leant/leaned
learn learned/learnt Learned*/learnt
lie lay lain
light lighted/lit lighted/lit
load loaded loaded/laden*
lose lost lost
make made made
melt melted melted/molten*
pay paid paid
rot rotted rotted/rotten*
say said said

182
see saw seen
shave shaved shaved/shaven
shear sheared sheared/shorn
shine shone shone
shoe shod shod
shoot shot shot
slide slid slid
spill spilled/spilt spilled/spilt
spoil spoiled spoiled/spoilt
stand stood stood
understand understood understood
withstand withstood withstood
swell swelled swollen/swelled
tread trod trodden/trod
work worked worked/wrought*

*laden, learned, molten (iron), rotten, wrought (iron) are used attributively
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