I – Playing the game

Companies have different activities and work in different ways. Some companies manufacture or produce
goods, others provide services; retailers sell goods to the general public. Companies employ people to work
for them in many kinds of jobs. Each person has responsibility for a specific area of work and a role within
the team or group that they work with.

1. What do these companies do? Talk about each company’s activities using words from A
and B below.

Microsoft designs and sells IT software.

A
Create, design, develop, manufacture, market, offer, produce, provide, sell

B
Banking services, cars, clothing, electronic goods, food and drink, internet services, IT software

2. Reading

1
2.1. Some companies have a number of different business activities. Read the short text below
about General Electric (GE) and answer the questions.

General Electric
GE is a diversified technology, media and financial services company. The company
mission statement is to create products that make live better: from aircraft engines to
industrial machinery to insurance, medical technology, television news and plastics.
GE operates in more then 100 countries and employs more than 300,000 people
worldwide.

1 Name two more industry sectors mentioned in the text: technology …

2 Name two more things that GE produces: Aircraft engines …

3 How many people work for GE?

4 Which word means that GE has many different business activities?

2.2. Read the article about a company called Frognation. Underline Frognation’s activities and
put a around the things that Lynn Robson does in her work.

2.3. Read the article again. Are these statements true or false?

1 Frognation works on video games that sell in the UK.

2 Lynn works mainly in Tokyo.

3 Frognation does all the production work to prepare the games for market.

4 Lynn knows a lot about Japanese culture.

5 The video game industry is growing rapidly.

6 Not many women work in the video game industry.

Move over game boys

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 created by artists, which provides
Lynn Robson is a co-founder of exciting game play.
Frognation. The company creates Cultural understanding is important.
soundtracks and designs and translates When she is in meetings in Japan, Lynn
Japanese video games for the UK gives advice on what will work in both
market. With her partners in Tokyo and countries. In the West, Lynn becomes
her international team of designers and the Japan expert, giving clients
developers, Lynn creates the information about Japanese culture.
videogames that thousands are playing When her Japanese partners come to
today. meetings in the UK, Lynn helps them to
Lynn runs the UK office of Frognation, present their ideas in the best way, and
while her two business partners run the tries to avoid any cultural
Tokyo office. Her Japanese computer misunderstandings.
system, and, of course, email make it Video game sales are sky-rocketing at
possible to work across borders and the moment. There are thousands of
time zones. opportunities to build careers in the
Frognation represents producers with video game industry, but women don’t
great game ideas and helps them to sell often consider gaming as a career.
their ideas to Sony or Nintendo in Today most video games are created by
Tokyo. Once the games go into men, and for men. So it is no surprise
development, Lynn and her team that almost all videogames are either
provide advice on everything from the sports games or shoot-em-ups.
music soundtrack and graphics to the With more women like Lynn joining the
game programming and characters. The video game industry, however, things
result is a new kind or video game, could change.

Glossary
Soundtrack: music or other sounds on a video, film, etc.
Graphics: pictures or images designed for a video game, computer program, etc.
Programming: writing a computer program.
Characters: the people in a video game, film, etc.
Sky-rocketing: going up very fast.
Shoot-em-ups: violent games where people shoot and kill each other.

3. Grammar – Present simple and continuous.

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The present simple has the following uses.

 Regular or routine events

We usually start the week with a team meeting.
She visits Japan once a month.
 Permanent or long-term situations
I work at head office in London.
The company designs computer games.

Key words
Usually, normally, regularly, often, frequently, sometimes, rarely, always, never,
every day / week / month / year, once a week / twice a month

The present continuous has the following uses.

 Something happening now / at the moment

Just a moment – I’m trying to find your file.
Nick’s talking to a customer right now.
 Temporary situations
We’re not developing any new products this month.
Eva’s working at home today – she’s not in the office.
 Future fixed arrangements
We’re flying to Texas on Monday 19th.
Mike‘s meeting the directors tomorrow.

Key words
Now, at the moment, currently, this week

The continuous is not usually used with the following verbs.

 Giving opinions
Like, dislike, prefer, think, believe, know, mean
 Describing senses
See, hear, fell, seem
 Describing ownership and needs
Have, need, own, want

Exercise

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3.1. Match the examples and give the rules to explain why the present simple or continuous
has been used.

1 Lynn runs the office of Frognation.

2 Video game sales are sky-rocketing at the moment.
3 Lynn frequently travels to Japan for meetings.
4 Lynn is working at home his week.

3.2. Choose the correct alternatives in italics.

italics.

1 We usually use the present simple / continuous with these expressions:

normally every day often sometimes frequently

2 We usually use the present simple / continuous with these expressions:

at the moment now this week currently

3.3. Choose the correct verb forms in italics to complete the text.

We’re all accountants and we ¹work / are working for a telecommunications company in the
finance department. We ²sit / are sitting at our PCs in the office every day and ³check / are
checking the invoices and payments. But this week is different: we 4attend /are attending a
training course. The company 5 currently changes / is currently changing to a new
accounting system, and this week, we 6learn / are learning all about it. So at the moment, we
7
stay / are staying at a big hotel in the mountains. It’s wonderful! When we’re at home, we
usually 8spend / are spending the evenings cooking and cleaning for out families. But here,
there’s an excellent restaurant and we can relax and have a laugh together.

3.4. Complete the text with the correct forms of the verbs in brackets.

My working day (¹start) _______________ with a long journey to the office – usually over an
hour on a crowded train. The first event of a typical day is the regular morning meeting. Our
managers (²give) _______________ updates on the department’s progress. After that, it’s a
long, hard day of work. You can see me at work in this photo – I (³give) _______________ a
presentation to my colleagues. I often (4stay) _______________ in the office until 9 or 10 pm.
But this is the old way. Now, things (5begin) _______________ to change. Young people
(6refuse) _______________ to work long hours. They ( 7demand) _______________ more
leisure time and freedom.
4. Exporting to Mexico

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 Brief

A British company, Systemax, manufactures and sells laboratory equipment to

three main regions: Europe, North America and Asia Pacific. Systemax is entering a
new export market in Mexico. Sales in Mexico are small at the moment, but the
company expects a big increase in the next two years and hopes to expand further
into South America during the next five years. Systemax has two export managers
for the main regions:
George Johnstone, North America; Linda McCade, Europe.
Now someone has to take responsibility for exports to Mexico. Is it better to give
extra responsibility to George Johnstone or to Linda McCade? Or perhaps the
company needs to find a third export manager?
The extra responsibility means traveling to Mexico (and in future, to countries in
South America) several times a year and building good relationships with
customers there. Mexico has a border with the US and, in terms or geography,
could be part of the North America region. But its culture is very different from the
US culture. It is in many ways more similar to the culture of Spain.

You are the Systemax directors and have to decide. Consider:

 What abilities and experience do George and Linda have?
 How much time does each have for extra responsibilities?
 Are they ready to increase the amount of travel abroad?

II – No privacy

Information technology (IT) makes it easy to store huge amounts of data, or information, on computer
databases. Companies and organizations collect information about people all the time. Companies conduct
research into people’s buying habits so that they can improve their marketing. Organizations collect data for
surveillance purposes: to help stop criminal activity and increase security.
Someone somewhere is recording nearly everything we do.

1. Reading

1.1. Read the article quickly and choose the sentence which best summarises the main idea.

1 New technology is helping to find internet criminals.

2 It is difficult to store a lot of data.
3 Modern life is not very private.

1.2. Read the article again and answer the following questions.

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1 How do companies collect information about people who visit websites?
2 How can organizations find out where we go?
3 What are some of the new developments in surveillance technology?
4 What four advantages of surveillance technology are mentioned?
5 What do most people think about having so much surveillance?

The internet society

No hiding place
The protection of privacy will be a huge problem for the internet society
A cookie is a small file that a company recorded by CCTV cameras 300 times a
can send to your computer when you day. With digital cameras we can
visit the company’s website. In tells collect, store and analyse millions of
them a lot about your browsing habits. images.
Using the web without them is nearly And this is only the beginning.
impossible. DoubleClick, an advertising Engineers are now developing cameras
company, has agreements with over that can “see” through clothing, walls or
11,000 websites and maintains cookies cars. Satellites can recognize objects
on 100 million users to get information only one metre across. We can attach
about them for marketing. tracking chips to products or people.
Offline, the story is the same. When you New technology offers substantial
turn on a mobile phone, the phone benefits – more security against
company can monitor calls and also terrorists and criminals, higher
record the location of the phone. We use productivity at work, a wider selection
more and more electronic systems for of products, more convenience. We are
tickets, and for access to buildings. It is ready to give more personal information
becoming common for because we want the benefits.
employers to monitor employees’ But all this monitoring generates a
telephone calls, voicemail, email and mountain of data about us. Surveillance
computer use. is everywhere in our society, often
The use of video surveillance cameras is without our knowledge. Most people
also growing. Britain has about 1.5 hate the idea but they don’t know how
million cameras in public places (for to stop it.
example, airports, shopping malls and
public buildings). The average Briton is The Economist

Glossary
CCTV cameras: closed circuit television cameras – police and security staff can watch the film
and follow people’s movements
Tracking chips: microchips that use radio signals to find the exact location of someone or
something

2. Using the internet

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2.1. Match the words 1-8 with the pictures a-h

1 website 5 search engine

2 online shopping 6 password
3 screen 7 mouse
4 keyword 8 click

2.2. Complete the text with a suitable word or phrase from exercise 1.

When you want to find information on the web, it is helpful to use a ¹_______________ suck as
Google or AltaVista. You type in a ²_______________ or phrase, ³_______________ on ‘GO’
and a list of 4_______________appears on your computer 5_______________. Many people use
the web for 6_______________ or banking. This means they have to enterer private information
such as credit card numbers or bank details, so the website must be very secure. To enter a secure
site, you usually need to enter your username and a 7_______________.

3. Quantity and number

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3.1. Put the following words and phrases in the correct group.

a bit of a few huge millions a mountain of

substantial tiny wide enormous a fraction

Large / a lot Small / not many

3.2. Match the numerical expressions 1-5 with the descriptions a-e.

1 0.5 a frequency, how often something happens

2 1 metre wide b a decimal

3 millions (of …) c a fraction

4 300 times a day d a huge number – we don’t know how many

5 a quarter e the size of something

4. Grammar – Countable and uncountable

Countable nouns Uncountable nouns

Have singular and plural forms Have no plural form
Use a / an with the singular Never use a / an
Use either singular or plural verb form Use only singular verb form
Worker, book, desk, machine, coin, Staff, oil, water, equipment, money,
company, suggestion information, advice

Some

 In positive sentences

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 - with countable nouns in the plural
- with uncountable nouns
We’re having some problems.
There’s some coffee on the table.
 In offers and requests
- with both countable and uncountable nouns
Would you like some tea or some biscuits?

Any

 In negative sentences and questions

- with countable nouns in the plural
- with uncountable nouns
We don’t use any videos on our website.
There isn’t any information about hotels.
Do you have any details about this?

Much

 Mainly in negative sentences and questions

- with uncountable nouns
We haven’t got much time.
Is there much demand in Europe?

Many

 Mainly in negative sentences and questions

- with countable nouns in the plural
Do you have many customers in the south?
No, not many.

A lot of / lots of (informal)

 In positive sentences
- with countable nouns in the plural
- with uncountable nouns
You see a lot of surveillance cameras in the streets in London.
There’s a lot of computer crime nowadays.

Exercises

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4.1. Which of the following nouns in bold are countable (C) and which are uncountable (U)?

a Do you have any statistics on web users?

b We have a lot of information about shopping on the internet.
c Some people dislike shopping on the internet.
d Do you have many customers in the US?
e We don’t have much time to analyse all the data.
f Do you use much surveillance equipment in your company?
g There’s a camera in reception.
h We can’t give you any advice on security.
i The company doesn’t have any problems with security.
j This website doesn’t have many pages.

III – Bad manners at work

Etiquette is the name we give to the rules for being polite in a social group. Business etiquette is important
for people who often have to make new contacts and build relationships in their work. Politeness can also
help to improve the working environment for people in the same office. Some cultures and situations are
formal, which means that we have to follow rules; other cultures and situations are more informal.

1. Preview

Politeness at work

1.1. Discuss these examples of bad manners. Which ones do you think are especially bad? Why?

- arriving late for a meeting

- ignoring people when you meet them
- shouting an order at someone
- not apologizing if you offend someone
- being rude to people who offer to help you
- using bad language

1.2. What other examples of good or bad manners can you think of? Work in small groups and
make two lists. Then compare your lists with other groups. Do you all have the same opinions
about politeness?

2. Reading

11
2.1. Read the article and find six examples of bad manners. Which three examples of bad
manners is the company in the article trying to stop?

2.2. Read the article again and answer the following questions.

1 What reason do office workers give for their bad manners?

2 Why is it impolite to answer a mobile phone during a meeting?

3 Are people today more polite than they were 20 years ago?

4 What are some organizations doing to improve workers’ manners?

5 What are the benefits of avoiding bad manners at work?

Office workers ‘admit being rude’

MOST office workers say they are rude in the working environment, which is
or bad-mannered at work. Two out of often very informal and very busy.
three workers regularly arrive late for Workers can forget proper etiquette
meetings, most ignore emails and three such as introducing people at meetings,
out of four use bad language. In a and this is often bad for working
survey of 1,000 workers, two-thirds say relationships.
that pressure of work is the reason for Psychologist Dr. Colin Gill believes that
their bad manners. people are not as polite as they were
Other common examples of bad office twenty years ago. He said: ‘Courtesy is
etiquette include ignoring colleagues no longer something that is so much
and answering mobile phone calls respected in our society.’ People think it
during meetings. Using mobile phones is ‘stuffy to be polite or formal.’
in meetings is impolite and distracts Now some organizations are actually
others, research by the University of investing money in training their junior
Surrey shows. If you respond to a call managers to be polite. Office Angels is
when speaking to somebody, it means encouraging people to arrive on time for
that the phone call is more important meetings, turn off mobile phones and
than the person, the survey said. If you avoid bad language. ‘Avoiding bad
answer a call during a meeting, it could manners at work is such a simple thing
mean that you think the meeting is not to do,’ Mr. Jacobs says, ‘and it can have
important. a dramatic impact on improving your
Mr. Jacobs, managing director of Office working environment and your
Angels, a recruitment firm, says it is relationships with others.’
easy for people to forget their manners
Glossary
Distract: stop people paying attention
Stuffy: old fashioned, boring, not friendly
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3. Vocabulary

3.1. Complete the text with these words from the article.

Admit avoid ignore introduce invest improve respond

A recruitment firm gives this advice to new workers:

It is important to ¹_______________ time in your relationships with others at work. Get to know
the people who work near you: ²_______________ yourself to them and tell them something
about yourself. If people ask for your help, always ³_______________ positively. Don’t
4
_______________ emails or phone calls just because you are busy. If you make a mistake, it is
better to 5_______________ it and then apologise. When things go wrong, stay calm and
6
_______________ shouting and using bad language. Remember, good manners help to
7
_______________ your working environment, and you will find you can enjoy your work more.

3.2. Synonyms

Look at the following groups of words. Which word does not belong in each group?

1 rude, stuffy, bad-mannered, impolite

2 courtesy, politeness, etiquette, impact

3 communicate, answer, reply, respond

4 regularly, commonly, rarely, often

3.3. Prefixes

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A. Add the following prefixes to the adjectives below to make words with the opposite meaning.
Use a dictionary if necessary.

un- in- dis- im-

1 formal 4 polite 7 friendly 10 respectful

2 satisfied 5 practical 8 efficient 11 patient
3 honest 6 considerate 9 important 12 appropriate

B. Use words from exercise 1 to complete the definitions.

Someone who is bad-mannered is ___impolite____ .

Someone who …

1 … doesn’t tell the truth is _______________ .

2 … wants to do things in a hurry and finish quickly is _______________ .
3 … doesn’t like other people and doesn’t want to talk is _______________ .
4 … works slowly and doesn’t do their job well is _______________ .
5 … doesn’t think about other people’s needs or wishes is _______________ .
6 … isn’t happy with the way things happened is _______________ .

4. Grammar – Modal Verbs

Form
 modal verbs are followed by the infinitive without to
I must go now
I can’t find the customer file.
Could we start soon?
 Exceptions are have to and need to
I need to go now.
We don’t have to keep these records.
Do you have to leave now?

Modals important for politeness

 offers
Can I …? Could I…? I can… I could…

14
Would you like…?
Can I help you with your bags?
Would you like to sit here?
 requests
Can I …? Could I …? Can you …?
Could you…? Would you…?
Could I borrow your pen for a moment?
Would you show me how to use this machine, please?
 polite suggestions
You could … / We could …
I think we should…
You could take the train – it’s very fast.
I think we should travel first class.
 permission
Can I …? May I …? (more formal)
You can / You may
Can I / May I smoke in here? Yes, you can.

Modals of possibility
 certainty
will / won’t
it’s late – I won’t have time to read the report tonight.
 possibility / uncertainty
may, might, could, may not, might not
We could have problems with transport.
We may not arrive in time for the meeting.

Note: to express uncertainty in the future, we use may not or might not
We may not / might not make a profit next year.
 ability
can / can’t, could / couldn’t (past)
I can’t read this. It’s too small.
I couldn’t understand the report; it was too difficult.

Modals of obligation
 advice
You should / You shouldn’t … (stronger)
You must / You mustn’t … (very strong)
You should talk to our accounts manager – she can help you.
You mustn’t leave London without visiting the Tower!
 personal rule must / mustn’t
I must try to get to work earlier.

 general rule have to

Do you have to have a visa to travel to Russia?
 necessary need to

15
We need to plan our next sales conference soon.
 not necessary
don’t have to / don’t need to
You don’t have to have a visa for the UK.
You don’t need to write a letter – you can phone.
 not allowed mustn’t
You mustn’t leave your car in front of the hotel – it’s a no parking area!

5. Exercises
Offers and requests

5.1. Tick the most informal expression in each group below.

5.2. Tick the responses that mean ‘no’. what words do we sometimes use to avoid saying ‘no’?

Offers Responses
Can I help you? Yes, I’m looking for Mr. Jones.
Let me carry your bags for you. Thanks – that’s very kind of you.
Would you like a coffee? Not just now, thanks.
Do you want some sugar? I don’t take sugar, thanks.
I could make a copy for you. Thanks, but I don’t really need one.
Requests Responses
Can you phone me tomorrow? It’s a bit difficult. I’m very busy.
Could I have some water, please? Yes, of course.
Would you please check the figures? Yes, no problem.
Could you give me some directions, please? I’m sorry. I don’t know this place very well.

5.3. Choose the most appropriate words in italics.

1 Can I / I want to see the photos?

2 do you want that I / Can I help you with your bags?
3 Could I / Let me borrow your magazine to read?
4 Could you / Would you like to sit down?
5 Would I / Could I have some more milk, please?
6 You could / Could you open the door for me, please?
7 Can you / Please give me your phone number?

IV – Creating a buzz

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Image is the general opinion most people have of a company or product. Brand image is the opinion people
have of a brand. A brand usually has a name, a logo (a symbol) and a design which everyone can easily
recognize and which helps to identify it. Marketing experts work hard to create brands and promote the
brand image through advertising campaigns. This process of branding is an important part of marketing.
Most customers fell happier buying a famous brand than a product they don’t know. The image of the brand
has to appeal to the target market.

1. Preview

1.1. Discuss the following questions in pairs.

Are luxury goods expensive or cheap? Low quality or high quality? Inexpensive and cheap can
mean different things. What do you think the difference is?
Do you think goods which are value for money are cheap or inexpensive? Are they low quality?

1.2. Answer the following questions on identifying brands.

Look at the brands. Which group does each belong to? Luxury goods or value for money?

2. Reading

17
2.1. ‘What is the point of top-end fashion?’ Discuss this question with a partner then read the
article and see what the writer says.

2.2. Read the article again and answer the questions.

Why are there only 2,000 customers for haute couture?

Do fashion houses make a profit from haute couture?
What is the main advantage of a fashion show?
Why is Paris the true capital of fashion? (two reasons)
Why is the Fashion industry good for France?
Which city competes with France as a centre of fashion?

Fashion’s favourite
The high cost of fashion shows is worth every penny to the industry

What is the point of top- page on advertisements production. Include the

end fashion? An haute in the glossy fashion textile industry, with
couture dress can cost magazines. One New 60,000 employees and
more than $100,000. York consultancy the share of industrial
Not surprisingly, there calculates that a 20- activity rises to 8%.
are no more than 2,000 minute show, which With advertising,
haute couture could cost up to graphic design and
customers in the world. $500,000, generates as media, it all adds up to
The commercial point is much publicity as $7m real economic weight.
that haute couture is of advertising in And France exports
the fashion house’s loss American fashion much of this output.
leader. It creates the magazines. Most people Can Paris continue to
image of the brand. could never wear the be the centre of the
Someone who would clothes, but the idea is fashion industry?
never pay $20,000 for a to create a buzz. The Perhaps New York, with
hand-made dress might true capital of fashion is its huge domestic
pay $1,000 for an off- Paris. It is home to the market and new creative
the-peg dress with the most famous brands, talent, will become
same designer label-or and it has the biggest fashion’s centre in the
$50 for its perfumes. number of talented future. But for now, the
Fashion shows may be designers. France’s challenge for everyone is
expensive, but the fashion and luxury- to sell: after all, fashion
publicity they generate goods industry is a business.
works out cheaper and represents some 2,000
more effective than firms, 200,000 jobs and The Economist
spending $80,000 a 5% of total industrial

Glossary
Loss leader: a product that is sold at a loss, but encourages people to buy more profitable
products from the same company

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Glossy magazine: a magazine using high quality paper with a lot of beautiful photos

3. Grammar – Comparatives and superlatives

Forming comparative adjectives

 short adjectives (one syllable) + -er
The new model is cheaper.
 short adjectives ending –y y + -er
The client is happier with the new design.
 longer adjectives (two or more syllables)
more / less + adjective
I think this coat is more fashionable.
 irregular comparative forms
good – better
bad – worse
far – further
The new design is worse than the old one.
The other restaurant is better – but it’s further away.
Use
 to show difference
A is bigger than B
B is not as big as A
The V8 is faster than the V6
The V6 isn’t as expensive as the V8
 to show similarity
A is as big as B
This year’s sales are as good as last year’s.
Forming superlative adjectives
 short adjectives (one syllable) the + adjective + -est
This laptop is the smallest one on the market.
 Short adjectives ending –y
(the) + adjective y + -iest
That was our busiest week of the year.
 Longer adjectives (two or more syllables) (the) most / the least + adjective
It’s the most beautiful dress in the show.
This is the least expensive model you can buy.
 Irregular superlative forms
Good - best
Bad - worst
Far - furthest
Which photo do you think is best for our advertisement?
Arriving late is the worst thing you can do.
My desk is the one that is furthest from the window.
4. Exercises

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4.1. Complete the table with the examples in bold in the following sentences.

- Fashion shows are cheaper than advertisements.

- A show is more effective than advertisements.
- The most famous brands are in Paris.
- Off-the-peg clothes are less expensive than hand-made clothes.
- It is easier to copy than to create a new design.
- Paris has the biggest number of talented designers.

Comparative Superlative
A Short adjectives Adjective + er The + adjective + est
5
(one syllable) ¹_____________ _____________
B Short adjectives
ending in –y y + ier The + adjective + est
(one or two syllables)_ ²_____________
C Longer adjectives More / less + adjective The most / the least +
6
(two or more syllables) ³_____________ _____________
4
_____________

4.2. Which of the adjectives are type A and which are type C?

high fashionable beautiful reliable practical slow old young

4.3. Write the comparative and superlative forms.

Good _________________ _________________

Bad _________________ _________________

4.4. Complete the sentences with as or than.

1 The British fashion industry isn’t as important _________________ the French or Italian.
2 Advertisements are more expensive _________________ fashion shows.
3 A fashion show generates as much publicity _________________ an advertising campaign.

4.5. Choose the correct words in italics in each sentence.

1 The US has a bigger / more big domestic market than France.

20
2 An off-the-peg dress is more cheaper / cheaper than an haute couture dress.
3 There aren’t as many designers in London than / as in Paris.
4 This year’s designs are prettier / more pretty than last year.
5 John Galliano is one of greatest / the greatest designers in the British fashion industry.
6 I think Stella is most talented / more talented than Susan.
7 Susan is less creative / the least creative of the group.
8 The quality of the clothes in the stores is worse / worst than ever before.
9 The price in France is the same as / than in the UK.
10 The price in the US is lower / the lower than in the UK.

5. Dilemma: Volkswagen bugs

Brief
A few years ago, VW had two problems. 1) It was Europe’s largest car manufacturer,
but its best selling cars – the Golf, Jetta and Passat – were beginning to look old. VW’s
competitors had new models, but VW had nothing new. 2) The VW brand was based on
value for money, middle-priced cars. VW customers wanted a more luxurious brand
image when they got older and richer. VW didn’t have any cars to offer them.
You work for VW in marketing. Consider the three options.

Idea 1 Large people carrier, seats 7-8 people

2.0 litre engine
Bigger and more luxurious than the Sharan
Price range: €25,000 - €40,000

Idea 2 Top-end sports utility vehicle

Four-wheel drive, goes anywhere off-road
Heavy and powerful, with a 4,2 litre engine
Lots of electronic devices
Price range: €44,000 - €78,000

Idea 3 Large, stylish executive car

6.0 litre engine
Top-of-the-range car that can compete with Mercedes and BMW
Excellent technology; fast and satisfying to drive; lots of electronic devices
Price range: €60,000 - €105,000

V – Passion into Profit

Start-up is a new business. Many people decide to start up their own business because they have what they
think is a good business idea and they want to become entrepreneurs. But it is important to prepare a good
business plan before you start. You need to know if there is a demand for the products or services you want
to offer. If you can finance the operation, find customers and beat the competition, you have a good chance
of making a profit. Then you can call your business a success.
1. Vocabulary

21
What makes a successful company? Complete the sentences with words and phrases from the
box.

demand grow control market share profit market leader

1 A successful company has to make a __________________.

2 There has to be a __________________ for your products.
3 The most successful companies __________________ the market.
4 Successful companies have a bigger percentage of sales than their competitors. They have a
bigger __________________.
5 A company that has the biggest sales or the best selling product in the market is the
__________________.
6 Successful companies are always finding new markets and new opportunities to
__________________.

2. Reading

2.1. Read the article on next page. Why do you think PJ Smoothies is a successful company?

Read the article again to find out when these things happened.

1 Harry Cragoe lived in California.

2 Harry Cragoe and Patrick Folkes founded PJ Smoothies.
3 Cragoe and Folkes imported smoothies from America from 19… to 19…
4 They started production in the UK.

2.2. Read the article again and answer the following questions.

Why did Cragoe think that smoothies were good?

Why did he decide to sell smoothies in the UK?
How did he finance the new business?
Why did he start production in the UK?
What is PJ Smoothies’ market share?
Who or what are PJ Smoothies’ main customers?
How did Cragoe lose ₤30,000?
Does Harry Cragoe think it is possible to run a business when you don’t enjoy it?

Passion into profit

22
1) Harry Cragoe first equipped it and began
tried a fruit smoothie in 4) Cragoe sold his flat, production. Since then,
California in the early car and investments PJ Smoothies has gone
1990s. he had no idea and flew back to from strength to
then that he was on the California. He returned strength. The company
road to corporate with a cool box packed is now Britain’s market
success. Now he heads with frozen drinks and leader in the fresh
a multimillion-pound persuaded a friend, drinks sector,
company – and it’s all Patrick Folkes, to help controlling just under
because of his passion him import and sell 50% of the market.
for healthy eating. them. Cragoe sells more than
250,000 drinks a week
2) ‘When I arrived in Los 5) They founded PJ in summer to big
Angeles, I rented an Smoothies in 1994. supermarkets.
apartment near the Initially, the firm
beach,’ he remembers. ‘I imported frozen 7) There have been
was very English, very smoothies from problems along the way.
white and overweight. America, but the Cragoe lost ₤30,000
Everyone was focused business grew quickly when his distributor
on looking good and and they didn’t have the went bankrupt, leaving
being healthy. There stock to meet demand. him with hundreds of
were juice bars that sold ‘Up to then, we just boxes of juice to
drinks called smoothies imported the finished distribute. But he has
and I loved them.’ product.’ Cragoe says. ‘If never lost confidence in
a store ordered 200 his concept.
3) When he returned to bottles, we began
Britain, he found they defrosting. 8) ‘Most of all, you’ve got
weren’t available. ‘All to have fun,’ he says.
you could find were 6) In 1996 Cragoe ‘You must feel really
cartons of apple or decided to set up passionate about what
orange juice. I could see production in Britain. you’re doing.’
there was a real He found a factory site
opportunity.’ in Nottingham,

Glossary
Smoothie: a mix of fruit juice and fruit purée which is thicker than
normal juice.
Defrost: make frozen goods warmer so that they are not
frozen.

3. Grammar – Past simple

The past simple has the following uses

 events that happened at a definite time in the past

23
I joined the company in 2003.
The new secretary didn’t come in yesterday.
 finished actions or events
When you were a student, did you work in the holidays?
Yes, I worked for a telecoms company in the holidays.
 finished time periods (with for)
Aisha worked in the finance department for two years, from 2003 till 2005.

Key words
In 2005, from 2002 to 2004, last week / month / year, yesterday, ago, in the past

VI – Going up?

Man is constantly exploring new possibilities and making new discoveries. New technology will shape our
future and open up new opportunities for business. But developing a new technology takes time and needs
a huge amount of funding. People who want to finance new ventures need to borrow a lot of persuade
people to invest in a project that is very risky or doesn’t have the potential to make much profit.

1. Preview

Ventures into space

1.1. Look at the photos. What do they show? Do you know of any recent space ventures like
these?

1.2. What are the benefits of exploring space? Are there any benefits for business?

2. Reading

24
2.1. Read the description of the space elevator and answer the questions.

1 Where will the space elevator’s two platforms be?

2 What will link the two platforms?
3 How could people use the space elevator?

A number of scientists dream of building an elevator

into space. A space elevator could link the Earth with
space, and provide an easier way to send people and
things up into space. To build it, you need a very
strong cable which permanently connects a platform
in space to a platform on the surface of the Earth.
The space platform will be at the same height above
the Earth as most satellites. The Earth platform will
be on the sea near the equator. Astronauts and
goods could travel inside a capsule which moves up
and down the cable between the two platforms.

3. Reading

3.1. Read the article and find the answers to these questions.

a - What are the two main disadvantages of launching satellites into space?
b - Is the space elevator a private or a government project?
c - What two big problems does Michael Laine have to solve before he can build the space
elevator?
d - What is LiftPort trying to do to solve these problems?
e - Can LiftPort make money from the space elevator? How?

3.2. What do these numbers refer to?

1. 2018
2. $100 million
3. $7 billion to $10 billion
4. $20,000

25
5. thousand kilos

An elevator to space

Wouldn’t it be nice if you could take an elevator to space?

In the future, you may be able to. today – about 30 times the strength of
Michael Laine hopes that his new steel.
business, LiftPort Group, will complete Laine runs the company on a tight
a space elevator by 2018. But we budget and employs only five people. He
already have rockets and satellites, so says he plans to raise capital and set up
why an elevator? Well, it’s not cheap to joint ventures with other technology
get satellites into orbit. To reach 35,793 businesses. When it is finally
km up – where about half of all completed, the elevator could compete
satellites go – costs above $100 million. with NASA and the Russian Space
Add another 10% to 20% for insurance. Agency.
And make sure you build that satellite It wasn’t so long ago that Laine himself
right the first time because, once it’s up was skeptical of the potential for
there, you can’t fix it. making money in space. ‘Other space
The private space industry is expected enthusiasts were saying, “Let’s go to the
to grow, but many of the new ventures moon” or “Let’s go to Mars,”’ he
like the space elevator seem extremely remembers. ‘I kept saying “What’s your
risky. Of course, Laine knows that return on investment – your ROI?”’
things will not be easy. First of all, Currently, the cost to deliver a kilo of
there’s the start-up cost: He thinks that stuff into space using rocket launch is
the construction or the elevator will cost $20,000. The elevator could carry loads
between $7 billion and $10 billion over of five thousand kilos per day. It could
five years. Then there’s the fact that the deliver over a million kilos of material
cable for the elevator needs to be per year – resulting in billions of dollars
stronger than anything in industrial use in sales. But with so many problems to
overcome, will it ever happen?

Glossary
Joint venture: a business activity which two or more companies have invested in
Nasa: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (US space agency)
Skeptical: (American English) not believing what other people tell you (British English
Sceptical)
Stuff: objects or materials (informal)

4. Financing ventures

4.1. Mach the words and phrases 1-6 with the meanings a-f.

26
1 capital a) careful control of costs, necessary
2 start-up cost b) the profit you make from an activity in relation to how
much money you put in
3 a tight budget c) money you lend to someone so that they can start a
business venture
4 potential d) the time needed to get back the cost of an investment
5 return on investment e) the expense of setting up a new business or new project
6 payback period f) possibility of future success

4.2. Now complete the text below using the words and phrases from exercise 1.

Finance for space ventures

It is very difficult for companies in the private space industry to find the necessary
¹__________________________ for new space projects. Private investors don’t like investing in
space because the ²__________________________ is high, and because the
³__________________________ can be as much as 20 years or more. Investors want to be sure
that they will get a good 4__________________________. However, some millionaire space
enthusiasts will support projects even if there is not much 5__________________________ for
making a profit. Even government projects are often short of money. Most space ventures have to
run on 6__________________________.

VII – A monster success

Job-seekers look for work in the job market; employers offer jobs to people with the right qualifications and
experience. People who know what kind of job they want can look at job advertisements for a suitable
position. Others may go to careers advisers to ask for help in starting or managing their careers. Large
companies have a Human Resources Department, which deals with recruitment and hiring employees, and
also manages career development within the company.

1. Vocabulary

1.1. Match the words and phrases 1-3 with the definitions a-c

27
1 apprenticeship a) Students often take a temporary job during their
studies – for little of no pay – because they want
to get experience.

2 work placement b) Big companies accept a number of newly

qualified people to work for one year. They get
general experience by working in different
departments. They may of may not get a
permanent job at the end.

3 graduate trainee scheme c) A young person learns a skill or trade by working

under supervision in a company. They have a
contract to work there for a fixed number of
years.

2. Reading

2.1. Read the article and find information about the following.

1 the Monster.com name

2 the image of Monster.com
3 Monster.com’s biggest contribution to the recruitment industry
4 headhunting firms

2.2. Read the text again and answer the questions.

1 Does Monster.com make a profit?

2 What two advantages does Monster.com offer to job-seekers?
3 Find two advantages for employers of using the Monster.com site.
4 Which two kinds of business are losing money because of Monster.com’s success?
5 What advice does the article give to people who want to use the site to find a job?

Face value
The online job market

How Jeff Taylor Changed the way

the labour market works

28
Monster.com, the world’s biggest online job-search site, shows how electronic
marketplaces reach more people and can offer more efficiency than physical markets.
It also shows that money can be made in such markets: Monster has a long record of
profitability.
Jeff Taylor, who launched the site in 1994, says that the Monster.com name is the
firm’s “single most important success factor”. It introduces an image of youthful fun in
what is basically a boring business. Supporting the brand is a big advertising budget
which accounts for a quarter of the firm’s costs. He runs expensive ads during key
sporting events such as the Super Bowl.
Job-seekers supply resumés and employers pay to scan them or to post job ads. Most
of the services that job-seekers get are free, but they have to pay for a service that
allows them to contact each other for advice and career management. They can use
this service to ask each other questions about, say, what it is like to work for a firm
that they are thinking of joining.
The main contribution of Monster has been to speed up hiring and vastly increase the
accuracy of the job-search process. “you can post a job at 2pm and get your first
response at 2:01,” Mr. Taylor says proudly. And an employer who knows exactly what
he wants can use Monster’s filters to search vast numbers of resumés with precise
accuracy. Monster is a serious threat to newspapers, which historically made 40% of
their revenues from carrying ads, up to half of which were for staff. Headhunting firms
have also lost business, because demand for their help in filling lower-level jobs has
fallen.
The online job market works well for workers and employers who know what they
want. It works badly for people who are unsure. Check that our resumé says clearly
what kind of job you want. The filters will then make sure that it reaches the right
human resource departments.

The Economist

Glossary
Ad: advertisement
Resumé: (American English) summary of your education and previous jobs, which you use when
you are looking for a job
British English: CV (Curriculum Vitae)
Filter: software that selects the job-seeker’s details to match the employer’s requirements
Headhunting: persuading someone to leave their job and go to work for another company in a
similar position

VIII – Pushing down prices

It is difficult for companies to set the price of a product. A lower price may help to increase sales, but it also
reduces the profit margin. As a result, the company may have to cut costs to keep prices down. We often
use graphs to show trends in prices over months or years. Studying the trends can help companies to
choose the right pricing strategy for their products.

1. Price trends

1.1. Look at the graph and complete each sentence with a different item from the key.
29
 1 Spending on __________________ increased
up to 1991 and then fell sharply.
2 Spending on __________________ increased
the most.
3 Spending on __________________ rose by
nearly 20 per cent.
4 Spending on __________________ decreased
slightly after 1996.

2. Reading

2.1. Read the article and match headings 1-4 with the paragraphs a-d.

1 Big supermarkets are more efficient

2 Drinks come cheaper in large cans
3 Technology improves food production
4 Supermarkets force producers to cut costs

2.2. Read the article again. Are the statements true or false?

1 It costs less to produce large quantities of food than ever before.

2 Big supermarkets can offer food at lower prices because they can buy in large quantities.
3 Some food producers have reduced their range of products.
4 To meet supermarket demands, Cadbury employs more workers than before.
5 Shoppers will buy larger quantities when there is a special price.
6 For the food companies, larger portions are not much more expensive to produce.
7 The writer thinks companies will be happy to reduce the sizes of portions.

Make it cheaper and cheaper

How technology pushes down price

a wrong. We are producing more and

Prices have fallen in the food business more food with less and less capital.
because of advances in food production Good is therefore more plentiful and
and distribution technology. Consumers cheaper than it has ever been. Spending
have benefited greatly from those on food compared with other goods has
advances. People who predicted that the fallen for many years, and continues to
world would run out of food were drop.

30
b d
Supermarkets have helped push down Does cheap food make people
prices mainly because of their scale. unhealthy? Cheap food may encourage
Like any big business, they can invest people to eat more. Good companies
in IT systems that make them efficient. certainly think that giving people more
And their size allows them to buy in food for their money makes them buy
bulk. As supermarkets get bigger, the more. Giving people bigger portions is
prices get lower. an easy way of making them feel they
have got a better deal. That is why
c portions have got larger and larger. In
Huge retail companies such as Wal- America, soft drinks came in 8oz (225g)
Mart have tremendous power and they cans in the past, then 12oz (350g), and
can put pressure on producers to cut now come in 20oz (550g) cans. If a
their margins. As a result, some company can sell you an 8oz portion for
producers have had to make cuts. In $7, they can sell you a 12oz portion for
recent years, Unilever has cut its $8. The only extra cost to the company
workforce by 33,000 to 245,000 and is the food, which probably costs 25
dropped lots of its minor brands as part cents.
of its “path to growth” strategy. Now companies are under pressure to
Cadbury has shut nearly 20 per cent of stop selling bigger portions for less
its 133 factories and cut 10 per cent of money. But it is hard to change the
its 55,000 global workforce. These cuts trend.
help keep costs down, and the price of
food stays low. The Economist

Glossary
Buy in bulk: buy goods in large quantities
Put pressure on: use your power to encourage
Get a better deal: get more value for your money

3. Vocabulary

3.1. Mach the words 1-6 from the article with the meanings a-f.

1 advances a) the difference between the cost of production and the price of
the product
2 margin b) less important
3 workforce c) an amount of food for one person
4 minor d) changes that bring improvement
5 portion e) the way a situation changes and develops

31
6 trend f) all the people who work in a particular company or factory

3.2. Synonyms

Put the words and phrases in the correct column.

cut drop fall lower put up

raise rise reduce push down rocket

Increase Decrease

4. Grammar – Present perfect

The present perfect has the following uses.

 Recent events
Sales figures have improved recently.
We haven’t seen a big rise in demand.
Has your manager just started?
 Events that effect the present situation (but we don’t say when they happened)
Prices have gone up so they’re very high now.
 Unfinished events starting in the past and continuing up to the present (using for and
since)
I’ve been in sales since 1992.
The company has been the market leader for three years now.
 Answering How long? about an unfinished event
How long have you worked for Exxon?
Key words
Recently, in recent months / years, in the last month / year, just, now, since, for (except with
finished periods of time)

5. Exercise

32
5.1. Look at the examples of the present perfect and past simple. Choose the correct option in
italics to complete the rules.

- Consumers have benefited greatly from advances in food production.

- In recent years, Unilever has cut its workforce by 33,000.

- Has the price of soft drinks fallen recently?

- The price of energy rose by 15 per cent last year, but it hasn’t risen in the last 12 months.

- A year ago, the price of oil was $32 a barrel; now it has reached $52 a barrel.

1 We form the present perfect by using the past participle of the verb with has or have / no
auxiliary verb.

2 We form the present perfect questions with has or have / do or does.

3 We form the present perfect negative by using hasn’t or haven’t / didn’t.

4 We use present perfect / the past simple to talk about things that happened at a specific time in
the past.

5 We use the present perfect / the past simple to talk about recent events and events that affect
the present situation.

5.2. Describing a graph

People at work often have to describe graphs, figures and diagrams that show for example,
changes in price, sales or other data. The following phrases are useful for describing graphs.
Match them with the graphs below and complete the missing numbers or dates.

1 increased from 95 to ________

2 fell to a low point in ________
33
3 remained steady at ________
4 reached a peak of ________

5 fluctuated between ________ and 40

IX – A complaint is a gift

Customer satisfaction is an important part of a company’s sales strategy, so companies try to provide good
customer service. That means offering high quality products and services, answering queries, making it
easy for customers to order and pay for goods, and delivering on time. Companies also need to have a
system for handling complaints, so that if they make a mistake or offer poor service, they can deal with the
problem. Most companies train their customer service staff to deal politely with customers.

1. Vocabulary

Feedback on service
Complete the comments to a holiday travel company with the following words.

apology dissatisfied friendly pleased wrong

excellent useful mistake dirty rude poor

34
a) We had ¹______________________ service from first enquiries on the telephone to arrival at
the resort. Staff very ²______________________ and efficient.
b) Very ³______________________to receive the receipt and confirmation the day after booking.
c) We were very 4______________________ with the service at the hotel. Our room was 5
______________________and the hotel receptionist was 6______________________.
d) When I booked my holiday, your representative quoted me the 7______________________
price. I pointed out the 8______________________ , but she made no
9
______________________.
e) The holiday representative had good local knowledge and gave 10______________________
information.
f) The service in the hotel restaurant was 11______________________.

2. Reading

2.1. Read the article on next page and choose the sentence, a or b, that best describes the main
point.

a Companies that receive no complaints offer the best service.

b It’s good for companies to receive complaints.

2.2. Read the article again. Are the statements true or false?

1 Australians are correct when they say that the British complain too much.
2 The British aren’t very direct when they make complaints.
3 Americans only complain when there is a big problem.
4 British companies don’t spend much on service.
5 The Marriott Hotel Group trains its staff to follow a fixed routine when handling complaints.
6 Complaining about bad service in Britain doesn’t bring any results.

Customer service
Getting better service

The failure to complain is everywhere

Australians call the British “whingeing should whinge more, not less. A team
Poms” because they complain so much. led by Chris Voss of the London
But a new study suggests that Brits Business School found that service

35
quality in Britain is typically worse than Management gurus know more about
in America. One reason, the research how companies respond to complaints
suggests, is that British customers than about why the British are
complain less about bad service than phlegmatic. In America, well-run
hard-to-please Americans do. companies have “service recovery”
The failure to complain is everywhere in strategies. Staff at the Marriott Group
Britain. Hunter Hansen, an American are trained in the LEAR routine –
who runs the Marriott Hotel in London’s Listen, Empathise, Apologise, React,
Grosvenor Square, notes that a British Notify. The final step ensures that there
guest would make a fuss only about a is a record of each complaint. The Ritz-
significant problem – and even then, Carlton hotel chain, another with a
would do so in a roundabout way. good reputation for handling complaints
Americans are critical of even small from customers, trains its staff not just
mistakes. to say “sorry” but “please accept my
The result, Mr. Voss finds, is that Brits apology” and gives them a budget to
suffer. But so do companies in Britain’s reimburse angry guests.
service industries: they do not receive When Brits finally complain, they get
much feedback, and so lose a chance to what they want. Mr. Voss told his
improve service quality. Indeed, they doctor that he would like to have the
may spend more than they need on results of tests more quickly. “The next
service-quality improvements, because time, I got them sooner,” he says, in
they do not get direct help from surprise.
customers.
The Economist

Glossary
Whinge: complain (informal)
Pom: (Aus) a person from Britain (informal)
Make a fuss: become angry about something
In a roundabout way: not in a direct way
Phlegmatic: always calm, not getting angry or excited

X – Fighting back

In manufacturing, productivity means the amount of goods produced in relation to the work, time and money
needed to produce them. There are many ways for companies to improve productivity: by installing new
equipment with more up-to-date technology, for example.

36
Many manufacturers and suppliers have a system of just-in-time delivery, which reduces the cost of carrying
large quantities of stock. More generally, productivity means doing something efficiently: not wasting time
and resources.

1. Reading

1.1. Read the article and decide if the following statements are true or false.

1 Car manufacturers can’t produce enough to meet customer demands.

2 Models need to be updated more often.
3 Each car factory can only produce one model.
4 Productivity is very high.
5 It takes too long to deliver finished cars to the customer.
6 Sales forecasts are accurate.
7 Manufacturers could save money by building cars to order.
8 The car industry probably won’t change much in the next few years.

1.2. A number of factors increase manufacturing costs and reduce profits. Which of the following
are mentioned in the article?

1 developing a wide range of models

2 high labour costs
3 holding components in stock
4 holding stocks of finished goods
5 price discounts
6 strikes

Car manufacturing
Revolution in the car industry

Car factories of the future will be smaller and

cleaner, and not all owned by car companies

37
The car business has a serious forecasts, cars could be quickly
problem: it is producing too many cars. assembled to the customer’s orders.
This over-capacity is resulting in fierce Nissan has calculated they could
competition. Each manufacturer is increase profit by as much as $3,600 a
competing in every segment of the vehicle in this way.
market, with a huge range of models to But some people in the industry
attract different consumers. And models predict that the shape of car
are frequently updated to keep interest manufacturing will change even more
fresh. This is making the business to radically. One view is that today’s
complex and expensive. So how can manufacturers will disappear. In their
companies cut costs and increase their place will be vehicle brand owners (or
profit margins? VBOs). They will do only the designing,
To offer so many different models, car engineering and marketing of vehicles.
companies need factories that are Everything else including even final
completely flexible. They need to switch assembly, will be done by the parts
quickly from making one model to suppliers.
another to meet changing demands. Such changes to the way the industry is
Honda was first to do this, organizing organized may be necessary if
its factories so that any one of them companies are to survive.
could make any model of car. They can
switch to a new model overnight, simply The Economist
by changing the software in the robots.
Delivery is another issue that affects
margins. For years, companies have
tried to cut the time between a
customer placing an order for a car and
talking delivery. Manufacturers now
operate a just-in-time production
system. The components for each car
arrive at precisely the right moment
when they are needed on the assembly
line. Such production methods have cut
the cost of holding components in
stock, and have resulted in high
productivity. Most makers are now able
to assemble a car in just 18-20 man-
hours.
But once the car is finished, it usually
stays in a distribution centre for 40-80
days. A shorter order-to-delivery cycle
would lower the costs of holding stocks
of finished cars. Moreover, most of
these vehicles need to be discounted to
get people to buy them. With big
discounts on sale price, there is no
guarantee of profits even when the
factories are busy.
The magic answer to all this could be
“build to order” (BTO). Instead of
following the sales department’s

38
Glossary
Over-capacity: when an industry is capable of producing more than it needs to
Segment: a particular pat of the market (e.g. luxury cars, sports utility vehicles)
Order-to-delivery cycle: the usual time between the customer placing an order and receiving the
product
Assembly: the process of putting the parts together to build a finished product

2. Vocabulary

2.1. Design to delivery

Match the words 1-8 with the meanings a-h.

1 delay a change from one thing to another

2 demand b a set of similar products made by a particular company
3 forecast c a situation where something is late
4 model d a prediction about a future situation
5 range e people’s need or wish to buy particular goods
6 stock f make something more modern, using the latest
technology
7 switch g a type or design of car or machine
8 update h a supply of items that a company keeps to use when it
needs them

2.2. Just-in-time production

Study the diagram and complete the labels, 1-5, with these words.

assembly components finished goods order supplier

1 Manufactures __________________ supplies electronically according to need.

2 __________________ delivers parts to the manufacturer several times a day.

3 __________________ are taken to the assembly – line at the moment they are needed.

4 __________________ of parts to build the finished product.

5 Stocks of __________________ wait for delivery to the customer.

3. Grammar – Adjectives and adverbs

Adjectives
 Describe or qualify nouns
He’s an excellent manager.
The lunch was delicious!

Word order
 In front of the noun
This is an easy task.
 Where there are several adjectives
Size Colour Material Noun
A large Black Leather Bag
 After some verbs: be, become, seem, feel
The quality is good.
The company is becoming profitable.
I feel tired.

Adverbs
 Go with verbs to describe how you do something, or how often you do something
She works efficiently.
I often check share prices on the internet.
Adverbs that tell you how often: sometimes, often, usually, rarely, occasionally, frequently,
generally, normally, always, never

Forming adverbs from adjectives

 Most adjectives: + -ly
Slow – slowly
Large – largely
 Adjectives ending in –y + -ily
Steady – steadily
 Adjectives ending in –ic: + -ally
Automatic – automatically
 Adjectives ending in –able: change ending to –ably
Reasonable – reasonably

 Irregular adverbs

Adjective Adverb
That’s a fast car. He drives too fast.
It’s a very hard job to do. The sales team is working hard.
They’re good workers. They do their job well.
4. Exercises

4.1. Study the examples. Which one contains an adjective? What is the difference between an
adjective and an adverb? Which adverbs describe how you do something, and which describe
how often?

- Over-capacity in the car industry is resulting in fierce competition.

- Models are frequently updated.
- Cars can be assembled quickly to customers’ orders.
- Honda can switch production easily between models.
- Cars usually stay in distribution centres for some time.
- Supplies are ordered electronically, by computer.
- Everyone is working hard to finish the project on time.
- Our staff work well as a team.

4.2. Complete the rules.

1 We usually form adverbs by adding these two letters to the adjective: _________________.
2 When the adjective ends in –y, we form the adverb with _________________.
3 When the adjective ends in –ic, we form the adverb with _________________.
4 Good, hard and fast are adjectives. Their adverbs forms are irregular. What are they?

4.3. Choose the correct answer for each question.

1 Where do we usually place adverbs that describe how?

In front of the main verb / at the end of the sentence
2 Where do we usually place adverbs that describe how often?
In front of the main verb / at the end of the sentence

XI – Having fun at work

People work hard because they are motivated to achieve something. Many companies encourage hard
work by offering higher pay and bonuses for good performance. In the past, companies rewarded long-term
service and loyalty to the company. Staff were motivated by the chance of promotion to senior positions.
Nowadays, companies are less hierarchical, and people change jobs more often. This means that
companies have to find new ways to attract and keep talented workers – for example by creating a more
exciting working environment.
1. Preview

What motivates you to work harder?

Choose three factors from the list. Explain your choices to a partner.

1 the prospect of earning good money in the future

2 competition with others
3 working in a friendly environment
4 having fun while you work
5 receiving praise
6 meeting a challenge
7 working on something that is interesting and exciting
8 feeling confident that you can do something well

2. Reading

2.1. Read the article and find four reasons why some companies are trying to attract young
workers.

2.2. Read the article again and answer the following questions.

1 What does CapitalOne offer its employees?

2 What five things are most important to young people in their work?

2.3. Which of the following things were generally true in the past (P) and which are true today
(T), according to the article?

1 Office culture is formal.

2 People only become top managers after years of loyal service.
3 Companies can grow rapidly and also fail suddenly.
4 Workers have to show respect for their superiors.
5 Companies Prefer workers who understand e-business.
6 People work for the same company all their lives.
7 Young people have many opportunities to show creativity.
The kids are all right

Young people at work can now expect opportunity, responsibility, respect – and fun

1) Youth is a time for fun. In one largest firms can crash at any moment.
American playground in Florida, there The pace of change is increasing. And
are basketball courts and volleyball change favours the young: they learn
nets. Inside, there are bright colours, and relearn faster and will risk more to
Nerf guns and a games room with try new things.
pingpong. This is not a school, but the 5) Many companies no longer have
offices of CapitalOne, one of America’s seniority-based hierarchies. People can
largest credit-card firms. The firm gives get to the top faster. They don’t have to
each department a monthly “fun spend years showing respect for their
Budget”. The same sort of thing can be superiors. It is more important that
found across corporate America these they are able to understand e-business
days. The kids have taken over. It is and have the courage to ask “why?”.
technology that drives business today, Loyalty to the company is less
and dot.com culture is everywhere. The important than talent. Employees stay
young are now the rising power in the only when there are challenges and
workplace. rewards. Changing jobs frequently is
2) Take Microsoft, a business with now a sign of ambition and initiative.
40,000 mostly young employees: the 6) All this is a good thing. Young
dress code is “anything goes as long as people are at their most creative stage
you’re clean”. People wear shorts and in life. Now they have more opportunity
have blue hair – sometimes even in to put their ideas and energy into
management. The typical workplace practice.
scene features mid-afternoon hockey,
video games and techno music on
headphones.
3) Companies want to attract and
keep a younger workforce because of its
technical skills and enthusiasm for
change. So youth culture is becoming
part of office culture. This may be no
bad thing. Along with the company fun
budget come things that matter more
deeply to young people: opportunity,
responsibility, respect.
4) In the past, it was the middle-
aged who ruled. At work, grey hair,
years of loyal service and seniority
counted most. Now things are changing.
Older workers will not disappear, but
they will have to share power with the
young. In the old days companies grew
slowly; with success came conservative
corporate values. Now the world’s
The Economist

Glossary
Nerf guns: realistic toy guns that shoot but don’t cause injuries
3. Vocabulary

3.1. Personal qualities find the words in the article that match these personal qualities.

1 a strong feeling of interest and excitement about something: e__________________

(paragraph 3)

2 the ability to be brave enough to do or say something you think is right:

c__________________ (paragraph 5)

3 staying faithful to one company: l__________________ (paragraph 5)

4 a special natural ability or skill: t__________________ (paragraph 5)

5 determination to be successful, to achieve something: a__________________ (paragraph

5)

6 the ability to do something without waiting to be told what to do: i__________________

(paragraph 5)

3.2. Management styles

Complete the text with the following words.

Hierarchy Level Reward Senior

Superiors Subordinates Responsibility Seniority

Some companies have a complex ¹__________________ with many levels of management;

²__________________managers are very powerful, so it is important to show them great
respect and ³__________________ are generally afraid to question the decisions of their
4
__________________. Other companies are less hierarchical. People respect each other
because of their skills, not because of their 5__________________. These companies give
younger employees more 6__________________. They 7__________________ good ideas
from every 8__________________ in the organization.
4. Grammar – Present perfect and past simple

4.1. Mach the examples 1-6 with the rules a-e. one of the rules matches two examples.

1 In the old days, companies grew slowly.

2 Now the kids have taken over.
3 Jack Welch took over as CEO of GE in 1981.
4 He was CEO for 20 years, and retired in 2001.
5 Mike works for MV. He has been with the company for three years now.
6 Mike has worked at head office since June.

a We use the past simple to talk about things that belong to the past and are finished.
b We use the past simple when we give the specific time that an event took place.
c We use the present perfect to show the result of an event without saying when it happened.
d We use the present perfect with for and since to talk about things that started in the past but
continue up to the present.
e We use the past simple with for when the activity is finished.

4.2. Choose the best explanation, a or b, for each sentence.

1 Profits continued to fall for several years.

a Profits are still falling
b Profits fell in the past, but now the situation has changed

2 Recent job cuts have caused staff to feel demotivated.

a staff are now feeling demotivated
b staff felt demotivated in the past, but now they feel differently

3 The company has stayed ahead of its competitors for seven years.
a it is still ahead of its competitors
b it is no longer ahead of its competitors

4 Jean Deneuve has been a member of the design team since 2001.
a Jean is still a member of the design team
b Jean is no longer a member of the design team