English for Business

Unit BRAND
1

A. VOCABULARY: choose the correct answer

1. The tendency to always buy a particular brand is called…

a) brand awareness b) brand loyalty b) brand image d) brand stretching
2. The name given to a product by the producer is called…..
a) brand image c) brand awareness d) brand loyalty d)brand name
3. Using an existing name on another type of product is called…
a) brand awareness b) brand stretching c)brand name d)brand image
4. The ideas and beliefs people have about a brand is called…
a) brand loyalty b) brand stretching c) brand awareness d) brand image
5.This term shows how familiar people are with a brand
a) brand loyalty b) brand name c) brand awareness d) brand image
6. The set of products made by a company is called…
a) product lifecycle b) product placement c) product launch d) product range
7. This is a type of advertisement in which products are featured in a production that targets a large
audience like films of TV programmes
a) product placement b) product endorsement c) product range d) product lifecycle
8.The use of a well-known person to advertise products is called..
a) product launch b)product placement c) product endorsement d) product range
9. ….means the introduction of a product to the market
a) product launch b) product lifecycle c) product placement d) product range
10….. means the length of time people continue to buy a product
a) product launch b) product range c) product placement d) product lifecycle
11. …. means the percentage of sales a company has
a) market challenger b) market leader c) market share d) market segment
12……means customers of a similar age, income level or social group
a) market leader b) market share c) market segment d) market research

1
 English for Business

13…..means the best-selling product or brand in a market

a) market leader b) market follower c) market research d) market segment
14…..means finding the information about what consumers want or need
a) market segment b) market share c) market research d) market challenger
15…..is the second best-selling product or brand in a market
a) market segment b)market leader c)market share d) market follower
16. We’ve discovered that not many people recognized our……We need to spend a lot more on
raising brand awareness.
a) slogan b) image c) logo d) label
17. There’s a complete lack of brand-…………among our customers. Something must be done
about it.
a) stretching b) renewal c) force d) awareness
18. I’ve heard that our company is going to…… with PTL limited.
a) acquire b) merge c) expand d) join
19. Products that give you a lot of features and is of good quality in relation to its prices offer…
a) pleasure b) admiration c) luxury d) value for money
20. Consumers who always buy OMO when they need washing powder show their brand-…….
a) loyalty b) awareness c) image d) logo
21. David Beckham advertising ADIDAS is an example of product……
a) placement b) loyalty c) launch d) endorsement
22. Using an established name on another sort of product is called ‘brand…..
a) stretching b) placement c) expansion d) awareness
23. The ideas and belief people have about a brand are brand……..
a) awareness b) loyalty c) concept d) image
24. Giving a name to a product so that people can recognize it easily by its name or design means..
a) branding b) naming c) labeling d) endorsing
25. When a company prepare to launch a new product, it tries to give that product a catchy….
a) name b) brand c) label d) image
26. The gathering information about what buyers need or want is called…
a) marketing b) investigation c) promotion d)market research
27. The market- ….. is the best selling product or brand in a market
a) leader b) follower c) competitor d) share

2
 English for Business

28. If a company decides to close its own factory and have its products manufactured in other
countries, it’s going to…. its production
a) license b) expand c) outsource d) stretch
29. They’re discussing which sports celebrities to use in order to …. their sports shoes.
a) place b) endorse c) promote d) enhance
30. This market…….. accounts for 49% of the total turnover.
a) portion b) place c) segment d) share
31. The contract we have won is very big, so we have decided to save time by….some of the work.
a) lending b) subcontracting c) allocating d) distributing
32. We’re pleased with their performance, so we are going to…. our contract with them.
a) renew b) extend c) expand d) endorse
33. Cartel is an association of commodity producers designed to limit competition among its
members with the objective of increasing…
a) benefit b) profits c) dividends d) shares
34. In the present business climate, companies and enterprises need to…with each other in order to
expand
a) associate b) operate c) cooperate d) join
35. ….. is giving a name to a product so that people can recognize it easily by its name or design.
a) branding b) launching c) marketing d) merging

B. Reading

I. Read the sentences below and the extracts from a text about branding. For questions 1-7,
choose which extract each sentence refers to. The extracts may be chosen more than once.
A. Having a good brand identity is critical. It can not only position a company above its competitors,
but it also communicates to your customers the reason why they should choose you instead of your
competitors. But developing a strong brand image takes time, money and effort, and it involves
much more than redesigning a logo or developing a new tagline. Your new brand identity should
evolve from your previous identity. Be careful not to start from scratch and come up with something
completely new, as you may end up losing loyal customers who have forged emotion ties with your
product.
B. It’s important to understand that changing the visual aspects of your company, your logo, your
packaging and so forth, you are not actually changing your brand identity. Your brand identity is the

3
 English for Business

promise a company makes to its customers – its features, quality, values and service support. Just
modernising visual image does not entail a change in brand values. Many companies, sadly, are led
to believe by branding agencies that visual changes will alter customer’s perception of their
products. But such changes only inform consumers that a company is concerned about how it looks.
At best, they will assume the company is modern; at worst they will accuse the company of
unnecessary extravagance.
C. Successful branding may not be actually connected with the product at all, but may represent a
greater sense of purpose or a more satisfying experience. They may affirm that drinking a cup of
coffee can really make a difference, or that exercising may bring about a sense of challenge and
personal achievement. Many successful brands study emerging societal ideals and trends, so that
they can take advantage of how customers wish they could be. Then they push forward the message
that by using their product, their dreams can be fulfilled, and the customer can gain the lifestyle he
or she is looking for, be it a sense of glamour, freedom, popularity or self-satisfaction.
D. Lack of consistency is probably the most common pitfall when it comes to designing an image
for your brand. You need to provide a consistent message in your proposals and presentations so
that your company develops credibility and gets noticed and remembered. To ensure that your
branding is consistent, gather all the information that leaves your company identity: faxes, emails,
advertisements, invoices or packages. Examine them for discrepancies in your company’s image.
Doing so will also give you the chance to evaluate the image you are trying portray.
Which section, A, B, C or D, does each statement 1-7 refer to?
1. a list of some items which should display your brand identity
2. the difference between brand identity and logo design
3. brands which do not reflect the product itself
4. how companies are fooled by companies offering branding services
5. what is involved in creating an image for your brand
6. why companies study current social trends to develop a brand
7. a warning about redesigning your brand
II. Read the text below and choose the correct answer.
A $160 million project to make the "Made in India”............... (1) better known abroad has just been
announced in New Delhi. This is a project ................. (2) by India's federal government .............. (3)
Indian companies a foothold in the world market. It is the best ever government ................. (4) of its
type.

4
 English for Business

A government spokesman announced that the fund .................. (5) launched in the next few days,
and would help Indian companies .................... (6) specific brands. But business people are
.................... (7) about the project's likely ........................ (8). They say that not enough money has
been put into the fund to make it really effective.
1. A. label B. brand C. trademark D. logo
2. A. supporting B. supported C. supportive D. supporter
3. A. to gain B. to achieve C. to succeed D. to target
4. A. function B. event C. campaign D. policy
5. A. will be B. would be C. is D. to be
6. A. to promote B. to invent C. to celebrate D. to innovate
7. A. happy B. worried C. doubtful D. ignorant
8. A. profits B. benefits C. income D. results

C. Listening : Listen to a talk about brands

I. Before listening
A. Match the synonyms
1. giant a. maintained
2 firm b. present
3. kept c. usual
4. helped d. research
5. common e. company
6. study f. profit
7. protect g. colossus
8. return h. stays
9. current i. aided
10. remains j. safeguard
II. While listening
A. True or False
1. Google is the world’s most valuable brand.
2. Google is named the world’s most powerful brand for the first time.
3. McDonalds is the fifth most powerful brand in the world.
4.“To Google” is now part of the English vocabulary.
5
 English for Business

5. A report says a company’s brand name is actually not that important.

6. The report says a brand name can help a company grow in the future.
7. The report says tough times help a brand to become more important.
8. The value of brands worldwide has decreased to just under $2 trillion.
B. Listen again and fill in the gap

Google just keeps __________(1)bigger and bigger. The search engine giant is not only the world’s
biggest brand, it is also the first brand __________(2) $100 billion. A report from the market
research firm Millward Brown shows Google has kept its __________(3) as the world’s most
powerful brand. It ___________(4) the company at $101.4 billion. This is 25 percent higher than its
biggest rival Microsoft, which is the second most valuable brand. The “Top 100 Most Powerful
Brands” report lists Coca Cola at number three, ___________(5) by IBM and McDonalds.
Technology companies ____________(6)eight of the top ten. Google’s brand is helped because it is
now also a ___________ (7) in everyday use. It is very ____________(8) to hear people say
“Google it” when they want some information.

The report is the world’s ______________(9)of what consumers and businesses think of brands. It
says a brand name is __________ (10) for any business to grow. “A strong brand can help protect a
business from risk, and position it for future growth,” it says. The authors __________(11) brand
name is “the ultimate _________(12) on investment”. Joanna Seddon, chief executive of Millward
Brown, told reporters: "In the _________(13) [economic] environment, brand has become even
more important because it can help to sustain companies in ____________(14) times." Her report
says brand value has grown , even through the recession: “The value of brands __________(15)
strong…the total value of the top 100 most valuable brands has increased to just under $2 trillion.”

D. SPEAKING
Situation:
• Your company is making a loss. The directors of the company get together to discuss what
should be done. There are 3 options:
1. Cut employee’s wages by 30%
2. Pay no end-of-year bonuses
3. Dismiss 30 employees

6
 English for Business

Use the suggested phrase to discuss and agree on what to do

Topic: Discuss the benefits and risks of outsourcing

K. Writing

Steve Clark, Souperbly Brand Manager at Mercator Foods Ltd, received this e-mail from Liz
Jansen, Managing Director of the company. Read the message, then write Steve's reply using his
notes below.

From: Liz Jansen

To: Steve Clark
Subject: Soupertły range

Sales of our range of soups under the label Soupeitly are increasing month by month in France,
but are unfortunately falling rapidly in Germany, both in the North and the South,
Jan Kuis, our sales representative in that region mioms me that German customers find our
products expensive - when they can find them at all!
I'd be grateful if you could look into the matter, and let me have your recommendations as soon
as you can.

Thanks.
Liz

Steve's notes:
-the largest supermarket chain sells its own brands of soups at much
lower prices + don't display our products properly
-our packaging very similar to current market leader in Germany
-competitors offer frequent discounts + visit supermarkets very often
-Recommendations: Jan doing a great job but wiry alone?
-redesign packaging / highlight brand's qualities (natural ingredients)
-offer managers incentives for them to put our products on top shelves
-discounts / special promotions, etc

7
English for Business

………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………..

8
 English for Business

Unit TRAVEL
2

A. VOCABULARY Choose the correct answer

1. Alaska Air Group warned investors on Wednesday that it expected weaker net income due to
softer demand and higher fuel costs, raising fresh ...................about the airline industry's recovery.
A. concerns B. disorientation C. optimism D. hope
2. India needs up to 500 new business jets as well as skilled pilots and engineers to .......... demand
in its rapidly expanding aviation market.
A. respond B. meet C. react D. raise
3. The Scandinavian airline SAS said on Sunday it would cancel flights for the fourth day on
Monday due to a strike by ..........
A. cabin crew B. cabin boys C. cabin cruisers D. cabin teams
4. Many Airport authorities are adding Free Wi-Fi high speed internet access as an/ a
.......... for travelers.
A. bonus B. equipment C. infrastructure D. amenity
5. Asia Pacific Airlines are committed to ... ........ all passengers' requirements for better
in-flight service.
A. adopting B. satisfying C. turning down D. making
6. The ................... of Hotel Hilton Hanoi is ideal for shopping and sightseeing: it's a short

9
 English for Business

walk to a big shopping area and the ancient part of the city.
A. Venue B. location C. position D. situation
7. What is the best way to ................... Brookfield Airport from major cities in the UK?
A. get B. reach C. arrive D. come
8. A growing number of passengers are ................... airlines for poor air quality on board.
A. calling B. praising C. accusing D. criticising
9. Japan's All Nippon Airways has announced the .............of all domestic and international flights
out of Tokyo's Haneda Airport on Sunday due to computer system problems.
A. stop B. elimination C. cancellation D. termination
10. SAS employees threatened to take industrial action yesterday to show their ....... with the board's
new salary policy.
A. disrespect B. concession C. dissatisfaction D. protest
11. United Airliries said on Thursday it has raised fares by up to USD$50 on flights used by
business ..........................
A. dealers B. tourists C. travellers D. voyagers
12. The board has decided to choose Warner Park Hotel as the ....... ...for this year's AGM
A. venue B. location C. place D. space
13. Wamer Park Hotel has a wide range of facilities. In addition, the restaurant is famous for its
excellent international ...
A. eating habits B. recipe C. cooking D. cuisine
14. Airline Authorities haven't accepted that their cost-cutting practices are the main ......... of in-
flight disruptive and dangerous behavior.
A. origin B. cause C. factor D. reason
15. Some major US airlines are removing seats to make more ..............for their passengers.
A. convenience B. open space C. comfort D. leg-room
16. After a long time trying to read the …..and waiting for 40 minutes, we finally got a bus to the
city centre.
A. agenda B. diary C. timetable D. itinerary
17. The ........ Was almost empty, so I parked easily. Then I got the elevator to the top floor.
A. parking lot B. car parking C. parking space D. parking land
18. - How many people will take part in the conference? - You want to know about the number of
......... ...........? I'm sorry but I'm not sure about it.

10
 English for Business

A. participants B. viewers C. organizers D. contestants

19. These senior managers prefer hotels which are near an international airports. They don't
enjoy getting up early at dawn to ................ an early-morning flight.
A. get on B. catch C. ride D. have
20. If we offer cheap flights to European destinations, the number of passengers will ............ . As a
result, we won't be able to improve the airport service.
A. soar B. raise C. shrink D. decrease
21. A growing number of people criticise the airlines and demand better ……
A. service. B. supply C. product D. stay
22. There are signs that airlines are trying to respond to customer ‘s……………for example by
providing more legroom and quality in-flight meals.
A. disagreement B. dissatisfaction C. dislike D. Discharge
23 Cases of passenger ............., are unfortunately all too common on long distance flights.
A. misbehavior B. misunderstanding C. mishaps D. mistake
24 Many analysts .............. alcohol for the phenomenon called 'air rage'.
A. look B. blame C. change D. move
25 Poor service and frequent delays will inevitably ............... an airline's reputation.
A. harm B. benefit C. promote D. enhance
26 Cabin and flight crews often have to deal with .............. and dangerous in-flight behaviour.
A. disruptive B. contributive C. corruptive D. communicative
27 There is increasing .............. that airlines are trying to save money at the expense of customer
satisfaction.
A. comment B. concern C. content D. Conquer
28. The American English word for hand luggage is ……….baggage
A. Carry-on B. Carry-out C. carry –up D. carry-down
29. In American English, free way is used to mean………..way
A. motorway B. high C. sub D. rail
30. Another word for ‘return’ is ……trip
A. round B. back C. around D. about

B. READING

11
 English for Business

I. Choose the correct answer

Customer satisfaction
For the second time, the Korona Hotel has been ranked No. 1 for customer satisfaction.
"At our hotel, we give our..b.. ..(1)…. more than a high-quality experience, we get them to enjoy the
Korona way of life,' says Kurt Ahlberg, the General Manager, 'and we pride ourselves on excellent
...... (2)….. in a luxurious environment.'
The ...... (3)….. are responsive and service-oriented, they obviously enjoy their jobs and want to
help the clients. The Korona is committed to meeting the ...... (4)….. of today's international
business ....... (5)……: there is high-speed Internet access throughout the hotel, and there are three
spacious meeting rooms, with all the ....... (6)……. needed for successful business ..... (7)……..
In addition, the ...... (8)……. of the hotel is ideal: a three-minute drive from the international airport.
Ahlberg has long understood that busy executives cannot afford to waste time in ....... (9)…… jams
as they try to ....... (10)……. city centre venues. Nor do executives particularly enjoy getting up at
dawn to catch an early morning ...... (11)……..
1. a) customers b) guests c) tourists d) shoppers
2. a) waiters b) help c) chefs d) service
3. a) crew b) assistants c) salesmen d) staff
4. a) needs b) functions c) success d) failure
5. a) tourists b) dealers c) travellers d) voyagers
6. a) tools b) facilities c) buildings d) machines
7. a) speeches b) lectures c) presentations d) talks
8. a) location b) place c) venue d) situation
9. a) transport b) street c) road d) traffic
10. a) reach b) get c) arrive d) go
11. a) arrival b) airport c) flight d) check-in

II. Read the text about flexible working and do the tasks below
Flexible working
Fred works for a traditional company that expects him to start at 8.30 a.m. and leave at 5.30
p.m. or later every day. Most of his work is done on a project basis and, as a manager, he is
responsible for the quality of work that is produced and for meeting deadlines. On most days of the
week, there is often extra work to be done on a project, and Fred stays late in the office or brings his
12
 English for Business

work home. Occasionally, when he finishes all his work before 5.30 p.m., he finds himself hanging
around, chatting with colleagues and waiting for the time he can officially leave.
With two small children at school, Fred has to use up his annual leave in order to take time off when
his children are ill, when he wants to attend their sports day or any time the kids have a half-day at
school. Fred also lives an hour’s drive from his office and therefore spends two hours a day
commuting.
In the interest of increasing productivity and making better use of his time, Fred suggested the idea
of flexible working to his director. His director, however, rejected his suggestion, saying that he saw
flexible working as problematic for the company.
Fred’s director isn’t alone in this thinking. In many organisations, there is still a culture in which the
employee who arrives the earliest and leaves the latest is considered the most hard-working, and
many bosses still believe that they can’t trust their employees to work remotely. They worry that
there are too many distractions for workers at home or that team working and communication won’t
be as good if workers are physically disconnected from each other. Some employers think
management is about the close supervision of employees to direct and control not just what is done
but also exactly how it is done.
However, the nature of a lot of work today involves meeting deadlines, achieving certain objectives
and hitting targets. As most people who’ve worked in these kinds of environments know,
productivity is less about how many hours you spend in the office and more about how well you
meet those goals. Even though they’re outside the office, the remote worker who is not meeting
targets is quickly noticed. Micromanaging bosses don’t help productivity either. In fact, research
shows that controlling bosses can have a negative effect on their employees’ performance.
In contrast, giving employees the freedom to organise their working schedule to fit with their
personal life means they are working when they are best able to engage fully with their work and are
therefore more efficient and productive. Having choices in their working environment and timetable
creates responsible and motivated workers who are likely to get better results, knowing they can
meet the demands of both their job and their personal life.
Whether it is giving employees the right to work remotely, offering job sharing or part-time
working, or allowing non-fixed start and finish times, flexible working is not just about practical
working arrangements but also about a culture and a mindset. For example, many remote workers
find themselves working past their working hours, partly because there is no commuting to mark the
boundaries between work and personal life, making it hard to switch off from work. Companies

13
 English for Business

might need to consider training both workers and management staff to help them better understand
what flexible working is, how to implement it and how to encourage a results-driven approach. Only
then can flexible working truly result in happier employees, increased productivity and better
employee retention.
Task 1: Are the sentences true or false?
1. Fred’s director doesn’t want Fred working remotely because he sees Fred making small talk and
not working when he’s in the office.
2. If Fred was allowed to work from home, he’d work less and spend more time with his children.
3. It is easy for a manager to know if a remote worker is not working effectively.
4. Bosses who are very controlling get better results from their team.
5. Giving employees more flexible working conditions doesn’t really benefit the company.
6. People who work from home often end up working longer hours than when working in the
office.Task 2: Complete the sentences.
1. Working… means that employees can use their commuting time to work.
2. Flexible working gives employees more………… to make their own decisions
and they become more engaged with their work.
3. Remote workers are more motivated and may work past their normal working……….
4. If employees are happier, they are less likely to leave for another company. Flexible working can
improve employee……… rates.
5. One disadvantage for remote workers may be that there is less of a ………………….
between work and personal life.
6.For flexible working arrangements to work well, staff who are used to traditional ways of working
may need to change their ……………………………… .

C. LISTENING

I. Task 2: Listen to an interview about business trip and circle the correct answer(s) ( some may
have more than 1 answer)
1) What does she enjoy about business trips?
a) Her expense account b) Being away from the office
c) Staying in hotels d) Riding on planes
2) What else does she like about business trips?

14
 English for Business

a) Taking taxis b) Working odd hours

c) Meeting new people d) Eating good food
3) What is part of her airport routine?
a) Get to the airport early b) Go to the business lounge
c) Do some shopping d) Do some work
4. What does she often do to avoid getting bored when waiting at the airport?
a) She gets to the airport late
b) She eats in the business class line
c) She goes to duty free stores
d) she gets in department stores
5) What does she say about buying souvenirs?
a) She buys them for family. b) She buys them for colleagues.
c) She usually buys food. d) The novelty has worn off.
II. Task 2: Listen to a business interview and choose the correct answer
1. Anna …
a. didn’t start the company but manages it now.
b. started the company and manages it now.
c. started the company but doesn’t manage it any more.
2. The app …
a. is for parents to learn from.
b. is for students to learn from.
c. is for students who want to find a tutor.
3. Many parents …
a. don’t have the time or knowledge to help with their children’s homework.
b. think that schools should help with their children’s homework.
c. don’t want to help with their children’s homework.
4. The app …
a. has student exercises on it.
b. is only for people in remote areas.
c. offers live online support from tutors.
5. On the app, tutors who live in remote areas …
a. often charge lower rates.

15
 English for Business

b. often charge higher rates.

c. don’t like to work too much.
6. The app …
a. is new and not many people know about it.
b. is already popular.
c. is not very successful.

D. SPEAKING

I. Pairwork
• Situation1: you’re going on business trip to Singapore next week, call and make an
appointment with one of your partner in Singapore to discuss the launch of your new product
to this market
• Situation 2: Your flight is delayed due to the bad weather you can’t make an appointment
with your business partner at 3p.m that day. Make a phone call to arrange another
appointment, leave a message and ask him/ her to call you back .
• Situation 3: You ordered an IPhone 10 from APPLE flagship store in Singapore but when It
arrived you didn’t work, you could not turn it on. Phone the store and ask for an exchange or
refund.
II. Topic:
Discuss the important things to business travelers.

E. WRITING

A Choose the appropriate information from the box to complete the fax from : The Three Storks
Hotel.
your arrival look forward to However
your departure hope As requested We would
sincerely inform appreciate it if |
faithfully Dear Mr confirm
Dear Sir request

16
 English for Business

The Three Storks Hotel

Virpazar - Montenegro
FAX
From: The Three Storks Hotel (Virpazar, Montenegro) +381 (0)81 71 00 88
To: Mr] C Roberts, Stanley Engineering Ltd +44 1865 698 244

April 28
Dear Mr. .....(1) Roberts,
This is to ……………..(2) your booking for a single room from May 17 to May 20
inclusive, at a rate of 120 euros per night.
…………………(3) , we will hold your room until midnight on the day of ....... ……(4)
We ................ (5) seeing you in May.
Yours ................ (6)

B You are going to attend a team-building seminar in Milan.

Write an e-mail (40-60 words) to your secretary in which you:
• explain why you will be away
• say when exactly you will be away
• give details of what your secretary should do while you are away..

17
 English for Business

Unit ORGANIZATION
3
A. VOCABULARY

1. GM PLC already has a ………. of nearly 30000, and they are still recruiting.
a) labour camp b) labour maket c) labour cost d) labour force
2. I don’t want to work in this organization because it seems to be too …………
a) bureaucratic b) dynamic c)caring d)progressive
3. A …… is a commercial building for storage of goods before they are sold, used or sent out to
other shops.
a) store b) warehouse c) market d) outlet
4. A building where machines are used to make things is usually called a ………
a) company b) outlet c) office d)factory
5.Our company's policy is continuous improvement. We are not allowed to be ........... with our
achievements
a) comparative b) compliant c) comparative d) complacent
6. I don't think ................ is a good idea as everyone will have to face the possibility of being made
redundant. Consequently, there'll be an atmosphere of unrest and anxiety in the company.
a) downsizing b) upsizing c) upgrading d) downgrading
7.If the staff fail to follow the programs as trained, we'll need to ....... them.
a) retrain b) relaunch c) redo d) repeat
8.The company has ………to increase the promotion chances for the staff
a) restructured b) retrained c) relocated d) relaunched
9.We would like to ..................... our current computer system. Do you know anyone who could
help us?
a) downsize b) upgrade c) retrain d) deregulate
10.A place where a company provides help for customers who use its products or services called
……..
a) service center b) call center c) head office d) store
11. Items are shipped from their …… to over 800 stores nationwide.

18
 English for Business

a) store b) market c) plant d) distribution center

12. This one can be said to be a …........ organization because it invests huge time and energy in
understanding and responding to the market change.
a) conservation b) market-driven c) hierarchical d) centralized
13.………. is a business location where a person can call for such things as customer service, to
place an order
a) call center b) office c) headquarters d) company
14.A ………… is a business which is subordinate to and controlled by another business
a) head office b) subsidiary c) awareness d) call center
15.. ……….. means that a main office building where the board of directors works and meets.
a) head office b) call center c) organization d) service center
16. Having a structure level consisting of multi levels. Anything is arranged into a series of levels
from broad to specific can be considered………..
a) dynamic b) professional c) hierarchical d) impersonal
17...................... is the first or original model of something that will be copied or developed.
a) Sample b) Model c) Product d) Prototype
18.The aim of our decentralization is to make everyone in the organization…………..in the
decision-making process.
a) involved b) related c) concerned d) stimulated
19.………….. in information technology have revolutionised the way people communicate and do
business.
a) Advances b) Differences c)Rise d) Mechandise
20. I can say that I work in a very ………… company in which we are allowed to express our own
opinions and try to do what we think is good for the organization.
a) hierarchical b) bureaucratic c) democratic d) impersonal
21. At SOL, ………. is a way of life. The real power players are its 135 supervisors, who work with
their teams to create their budgets, do their hiring and negotiate with their own customers.
a) centralizing b) decentralizing c) rating d) measuring
22. To businessmen, going to an international ………fair is often an excellent opportunity for
networking
a) trade b) culture c) science d) state
23. It would be a bad government …………..to revalue our currency at this particular time.

19
 English for Business

a) action b) movement c) policy d) change

24. This one can be said to be a …………. organization because it invest huge time and energy in
understanding and responding to the market changes.
a) conservative b) hierarchical c) centralized d) market-driven
25. Every month, SOL’s customers rates the team’s performance based on the performance ……..
establish by themselves and the employees.
a) benchmarks b) rules c) routines d) activities
26. Experts forecast that the …………… of living will decrease considerably next year due to the
Covid-19 pandemic.
a) cost b) earn c) expenses d) measure
27. The seminar on “Motivation at work’ was cancelled through………….of interest.
a) conflict b) lack c) full d) share
28. We’re starting a new…………..of negotiations with GVC steelworks next month.
a) time b) round c) count d) turn
29. They accused the striking workers of being in ………..of contract.
a) lack b) conflict c) breach d) favour
30. There was a growing …….of interest between her business dealings and her position as a
politician
a) amount b) source c) conflict d) sense

B. READING

I. Choose the best answer to fill in the blank

Company choices
It has become a commonplace to say that the world is changing at an ever- increasing pace.
Companies today are faced with a stark choice…….(1) or go under. For example, until quite
recently, companies tended to be…….(2)They were built on a model which achieved a high degree
of control, but in which ……..(3) of communication were few and slow.
Another disadvantages of this type of organization is that more junior…….(4) may not know who
the CEO is, or what……(5) the decision makers are trying to achieve. In order to try and solve this
problem, many organizations have adopted a less…….(6), more flexible business culture in which
frequent contact between the owner and the employees ensures that….(7) flowing smoothly.

20
 English for Business

A second difficult choice for a company concerns is the extend to which it should go global or
remain ….(8) Global operations allow maximum……..(9) of scale, while localization makes it
possible to……(10) quickly to market changes and to reach all market……(11) In order to reduce
the tension between global and local demands, many companies have adopted a ‘hub and spoke’
culture. They use several regional production and ‘hubs’ where neighboring markets are serviced
from one single location.
1 a. adopt b. market c. adapt d. research
2 a. economical b. hierarchical c. welcoming d. democratic
3 a. webs b. media c. roads d. channels
4 a. customers b. directors c. staff d. buyers
5 a. goals b. design c. plan d. sales
6 a. bureaucratic b. caring c. decentralized d. marked-driven
7. a information b. news c. speech d. interest
8. a professional b. static c. local d. impersonal
9. a production b. economies c. marketing d. savings
10. a. call b. demand c. enquire d. respond
11. a. shares b. research c. leaders d. sectors
12. a. manufacturing b. selection c. distribution d. advertising

II. Read the text and do the tasks below

Conflict management
Knowing how to handle conflict is an important professional skill. Conflict at work can affect the
motivation and well-being of staff and create unnecessary distractions and stress. People with
conflict management skills resolve disagreements quickly and effectively, enabling effective
teamwork and maximum productivity. Successful conflict management also helps to create an
atmosphere in which individuals can learn from others, develop their talents and think creatively.
Conflict management can be challenging, but people who do it well are highly valued by their
colleagues and companies.
Fight or flight
When conflict arises, we can often see nature’s fight-or-flight response – either attacking the enemy
or running away. The ‘fight’ reaction is when people start to prepare themselves for an argument.

21
 English for Business

But by getting aggressive, they might not only damage their relationships but also miss the chance
of growing through constructive feedback.
The ‘flight’ response involves ignoring the issue altogether. People suppress their feelings, hide
disagreements and pretend that everything is fine when it is not. However, the conflict remains
unresolved and the problem gets worse.
So how can we go beyond our immediate reactions to make conflict a source of trust-building and
development? Here are eight tips to help us manage conflict successfully.
1. Consider the best time and place for the conversation.
While it is important to talk about the issue, doing it in the wrong place and in front of the wrong
people can result in embarrassment and an inability to truly listen. If possible, make an appointment
to sit down and talk through the issue with the people involved.
2. Assume positive intentions.
If you walk into a conversation assuming that you’re not liked or that you’re going to be attacked,
you’ll most likely spend that time defending yourself and feeling angry and hurt.
Remember that you’re going through this process because people want to resolve the issue and get
along. So start by assuming that their intentions are positive and that the things they are going to say
are for the good of the team. This will allow for an open conversation that aims to improve the
situation rather than make it worse.
3.Make sure it’s a two-way conversation.
A conversation is not a monologue. It is not a chance for one party to list all the things they are
angry and unhappy about without letting the other person react. A real conversation allows all
parties to share their perspectives and collaborate to find a satisfactory way forward. If you find
yourself in a monologue, stop and ask some questions.
4.Listen and be open to change.
Many of us think we listen but instead are simply waiting for our chance to respond. Put your
thoughts aside for the moment and truly listen when the other person is speaking. Growth and
development are only possible if you allow their words to change you.
5.Be specific about the issue and the impact.
It’s easy to generalise and make broad accusations, for example using statements such as You
always ... or You never ... However, this often results in a defensive response. Instead, be specific
about what the issue is, give examples and be clear about the impact of the problem. Be as objective
as you can and avoid personal attacks.

22
 English for Business

6. Don’t bring up the past.

Some of us feel the need to bring up less relevant past events to gain an advantage over our
conversation partner. This can make people feel defensive and distract everyone from the
main point of the conversation. Try to focus on the main issue and how to make things better.
7. Take responsibility for your part in the problem.
We are not perfect and we make mistakes. Consider how you might have contributed to the problem
and take responsibility for it. This not only demonstrates your desire to work as a team but also
shows that you are not just looking for an opportunity to blame the other party.
8. Focus on the future.
Conversations about conflict are often focused on what shouldn’t have been and what could have
been done. Instead, focus on the future. What steps can you take to resolve the problem? How can
you avoid this happening again?
With careful management, conflicts can help us make the most of our differences and find a way of
working together successfully.
Task 1: Circle the correct option to complete the sentences.
1. Conflict at work can …
a. make people feel negative and stressed. b. help staff develop.
c. be difficult to manage. d. All of the above.
2. People who choose to maintain the peace and ‘fly’ from conflict tend to …
a. get defensive. b. not resolve the conflict.
c. openly deny any accusations. d. manage the conflict well.
3. By making an appointment to discuss the issue, we can …
a. avoid involving people who do not need to be a part of it.
b. choose a time when all parties feel angriest with each other.
c .choose a place where there are soft cushions so that no one will get hurt if a fight breaks out.
d. prepare our attack in advance and bring all the evidence we need.
4. When managing conflict, the writer suggests that we should …
a. bring up the issue whenever we start to feel angry about it.
b. focus on talking about and elaborating our own perspective on the problem.
c. believe that people have good intentions and want the best for everyone.
d. arm ourselves with lots of examples of things the other person has done wrong in the past.
5. According to the advice in the article, we should say things like …

23
 English for Business

a. ‘You never offer any help.’

b. ‘What you did made Paul feel undervalued.’
c. ‘I’ve heard you’re a very negative person and now I see it’s true.’
d. ‘I don’t want to hear your side of the story. I already know it.’
6. By taking responsibility for our part in the problem, we can …
a. show that we are perfect.
b. blame ourselves before they blame us.
c. pretend to share the blame and avoid the real issue.
d. show that we value teamwork and collaboration.
Task 2: Are the sentences true or false?
1. Employers don’t realise that conflict management skills are useful.
2. When faced with conflict, it is natural to want to run away or to get ready for battle.
3. When we choose between ‘fight’ or ‘flight’, they can both result in a lost opportunity to make
things better.
4. It is best to start dealing with conflict immediately, without worrying too much about the time and
place.
5. Many people who say they are listening are in fact thinking of what they are going to say in reply.

C. LISTENING
6. Focusing on examples of the other person’s wrongdoing helps to resolve conflict.
Listen to the new CEO of a software company being interviewed and do the tasks below
Task 1: Choose the correct answer
1. What seems to have most convinced George to become the CEO?
a. they were willing to pay more than his old company
b. that Savannah Software had a bright future
c. Savannah Software was very undervalued
2. What mistakes does George think Savannah Software has made in the past?
a. low standard products b. moving into gaming c. loss of focus
3. Why does George think Savannah Software's competitors done so well?
a. they undercut Savannah's prices
b. they've copied some of Savannah's ideas
c. they've done a better job
4. How does George justify Savannah Software's high prices?

24
 English for Business

a. R&D b. additional hardware c. multi-lingual

5. Why did George put a world map in his office?
a. due to the international offices they have
b. to send a message about their future plans
c. it was in his old office
6. Why doesn't Savannah Software have an app?
a. the software isn't really suitable for mobile devices
b. there is, but it's not well-known
c. it's a company mistake that there isn't
Task 2: Listen again and match those points
1. The company did A, consider dropping prices
2. The CEO believes the company must B. beat the company at its core business
3. The company shouldn't C. return to its roots
4. Mr. Jensen says others managed to D. have got involved in home entertainment
5. To increase business, they are willing to E. launch mobile apps very soon
6. The CEO spoke to a magazine about F. involve itself with some poor software titles
Savannah needing to G. expand globally
7. The company plans to

D. SPEAKING

I. Pair work: Skill: socializing: introduction and networking

Make a conversation to introduce yourself and your company to your partner in which
Student A: you’re a sale manager for Honda company in Vietnam. You’re in charge of 20
employees and deal with all sales planning in VN market
Student B : You’re a chief accountant for Vinfast- a new-born car company in Vietnam.
II. Group work: Discuss the following topic
What are the secrets of successful businesses?

25
 English for Business

Unit CHANGE
4

A. VOCABULARY : Choose the correct answer

1.My company ___________________ me to Paris.

a) reorganized b) retrained c) relocated d) restructured
2.The programme _________________ unemployed people.
a) restructures b) reorganizes c) retrains d) accommodates
3.Several neighborhoods in the western part of the city have been _______________
a) reorganized b) redeveloped c) accommodated d) restructured
4.The company was forced to ________________ workforce in order to stay on the market.
a) downsize b) restructure c) redevelop d) re-organize
5.The new managing director plans to completely _________________ this department.
a) redevelop b) deregulate c) upgrade d) reorganize
6.If your reserved car isn't available, most rental car companies will _______you to the next size car
at no additional charge.
a) update b) upgrade c) downsize d) accommodate
7.I'll need regular __________________ on your progress.
a) updates b) upgrades c) downsizes d) redevelopments
8.We ____________________ our operations last year and opened several regional offices.
a) updated b) upgraded c) deregulated d) decentralized
9. I've ______________ the situation and decided to stay.
a) reassessed b) downsized c) decentralized d) restructured
10. The company took the product off the market and is going to __________ it next year.
a) downsize b) update c) relaunch d) reorganize
11. Five people were made _____________ last month. I'm starting to get worried.
a) accommodated b) reorganized c) retrained d) redundant
12.Secret talks had been going on between the two companies before the __ was announced.

26
 English for Business

a) overtake b) takeover c) restructure d) redevelopment

13.The _____ of these two companies would create the world's biggest accounting firm.
a) combination b) accommodation c) restructuration d) merging
14……..is a complete change from a bad situation to a good one
a) rival b) turnaround c) trailblazer d) decade
15.To …..is to distribute the administrative powers or functions of (a central authority) over a less
concentrated area, to disperse (something) from an area of concentration
a) downgrade b) decentralize c) downsize d) deregulate
16…… is someone that you compete with
a) turnaround b) A rival c) trailblazer d) the bottom line
17….. is to start (a new venture) or promote (a new product)
a) retrain b) restructure c) relocate d) launch
18 To…….is to move (a building, company, etc.) to a different location
a) relocate b) restructure c) retrain d) redundancy
19To…….. is to make an improvement for a new version or improved model
a) redevelop b) update c) upgrade d) restructure
20 To…... is to assign to a lower status with a smaller salary,to minimize the importance of
something/ somebody
a) downgrade b) downsize c) decentralize d) deregulate
21. A................... between the bank and an insurance company will probably lead to a large number
of job losses.
a) change b) merger c) mixture d) adaptation
22.Because of the shortage of office space in the city we are ...... to a rural area.
a) resettling b) remaining c) rebuilding d) relocating
23.Wholesalers are best included in the group of .........
a) intermediaries b)buyers c) sellers d) discounters
24.Consumers and shoppers belong to the group of ......
a) intermediaries b) buyers c) sellers d) discounters
25.Discounters, retailers and vendors are the ones who .........
a) sell directly to the public b) buy directly from the public
c) offer goods at a reduced price d) sell in large quantities for resale

27
 English for Business

26. There are a bit too many TV ……… advertising various product on TV every day, which might
make TV viewer irritated.
a) commercials b) advertiser c) soap operas d) advetising agencies
27. Apart from the change in the staff's way of doing things, we have also gained some……….
benefits, namely the increase of $200,000 in sales.
a) countable b) uncountable c) measurable d) immeasurable
28. ………….is a small store that stocks a range of everyday items such as groceries, toiletries,
alcoholic and soft drinks, tobacco products, and -newspapers.
a) Convenience store b) Discount store c) Department store d) Shopping
29. ………….is a store in the supermarket.it sells only one kind of product
a) Marketing b) Shopping c) Restaurant d) Kiosk
30.Wholesalers are best included in the group of .........
a) sellers b) buyers c) discounters d) intermediaries
31. The……… line is that if you don't make a profit you'll go out of business.
a). main b) top c) first d) bottom
32.Discounters, retailers and vendors are the ones who .........
a) buy directly from the public b) sell directly to the public
c) offer goods at a reduced price d) sell in large quantities for resale
33.Lisa Jonan believes in autonomy, but she is also keen on accountabilities. The word
accountability is similar to …………….
a) responsibility b) seniority c) reputation d) willingness
34.The local council has plans to ........... the whole area north of our headquarters
a) relaunch b) return c) redevelop d) retrain
35. …………is preferred by a lot of people in the company as it can ensure staff's privacy.
a) Open plan office b) Hotdesking c) Closed office d) Working practice
36. A……….. is a system of organizations, people, technology, activities, information and resources
involved in moving a product or service from supplier to customer.
a) Sequence b) String c) Supply chain d) Continuum
37. A…………is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of durable goods and products
to the consumer's personal and residential needs. such as food, books, jewelry, electronics,
stationery, photographic equipment and baby and pet needs.
a) Discount store b) Department store c) convenience store d) Kiosk

28
 English for Business

38.Supermarket, department store, kiosk, convenience store, and discount store are types of retail …
a) outbox b) outline c) outlet d) outdoor
39.In all of our shops, customers are welcome to examine the ... ........... . before buying .
a) showcase b) merchandise c) vendors d) shop window
40. …….. enables employers who do not have overlapping shifts or staff who are frequently out of
the office to make better use of the available resources.
a) Open plan office b) hotdesking c) Closed office d) Working practice

B. READING

I. Read the passage and choose the correct answers

INTRODUCING CHANGE
Change is a natural part of the human condition. However, we often perceive it as a ……..(1) to our
stability, our values. It is therefore hardly surprising that the most frequent reaction to change is
……(2)
Business leaders need to bear this in mind and introduce change carefully for it to be successful.
They have to raise their staff’s ………(3) of the purpose of the intended change. This can be
achieved through good communication as well as active staff ……... (4) in decision-making ………
(35). Change is easier in flatter organizational structures than in ……(6) ones. It seems that people
working in ……(7) tend to generate more ideas and can test them out easily.
A……….(8) style of management, together with adequate……(9) can also boost sell-confidence
and so help staff cope better with change.
Finally, business leaders should create an atmosphere of ………(10) in which staff are encouraged
to express their feelings. Indeed, silent resistance is greater threat to the success of a change than
open criticism.
1 A signal B failure C stimulus D threat
2 A violence B resistance C Obedience D Persistence
3 A mind B awareness C intelligence D reason
4 A involvement B work C suggestions D ideas
5 A time B Role C activity D process
6 A Democratic B Caring C Hierarchical D Market-driven
7 A Teams B Offices C companies D Sections
8 A Supportive B Preventive C Authoritarian D disciplined

29
 English for Business

9 A Education B training C Measures D Downsizing

10 A Belief B suspicion C Faith D Trust
II. Reading text: Read this text and do the tasks below
What does it mean to be innovative in business?
In order for a business to survive in today’s world, it is important that we regularly review what we
are doing and how we are doing it. By considering new ideas and new ways of doing things, and
trying to innovate, we can improve on our products/services, increase sales, reduce costs and make
our processes more effective and efficient. Innovation is key to increasing profits.
There are several ways a company can be innovative with their products and services. Today we will
look at four of them.
1. Using the latest technology to improve your product/service.
When we think of innovation, we often think of new technologies. While they might be impressive,
we should not use new technologies just because they are available. It is important to consider how
the technology can improve our product/service and make a difference to our customer. Companies
that produce cars, toiletries, household appliances, etc. often have a large R&D department to work
on making their products better.
2.Responding to customer demands by changing what is on offer
By listening to customer feedback, we can get their opinions on how we are doing and find out
about what it is that they want. We also need to be aware of changes in customer demands and keep
up with the times. When fast-food restaurant McDonald’s realised that the market wanted healthier
choices, they introduced fruit and salads, while removing the ‘super- size’ option from their menus.
3.Offering a new product/service to reach new customers
Your business might be doing well, but there is no growth or development and there is a risk that
your competitors might take away some of your customers. Innovation sometimes means developing
a new product that targets a different market. Although video games were often played by boys, in
2006, video games giant Nintendo introduced the game console Nintendo Wii, successfully
targeting girls and older customers with games like Cooking Mama and Brain Training.
4.Changing the way you provide a service
By looking at the changes to the customer’s lifestyle and needs, we sometimes realise that there
might be better ways to serve them. Customers who do not have a lot of time might prefer to have
their food or their shopping delivered to their homes, or they might like to do their banking online
rather than in an actual bank.

30
 English for Business

Not all innovation will bring success to our businesses, but it can give us the opportunity to grow
and learn more about what we do and what our customers might want.
Task 1: Complete the text with words from the box.
aware recent innovative customers
convenient development better demands

We need to introduce …(1)…….ideas and ways of doing things so that we can improve and grow.
One way of doing this is to look at the most (2)…technologies and see how they can make our
products or services (3)…Some companies have a research and (4)…department that specialises in
this. Another way is to be (5)…… of changes in what our customers want and make sure we offer
products or services that meet their (6)……A third way of introducing innovation is to develop new
products that can help you target new (7)…. You can also change the way your service is offered to
make it more(8)……. for your customers.
Task 2: Are the sentences true or false?
1. We innovate because we want to increase the amount of money our businesses make.
2. Being innovative is all about using the newest technologies in your business.
3. Customers often don’t know what they want.
4. McDonald’s have not changed their menu since they started.
5. If you always target the same customers, you might lose them to your competitors.
6. Nintendo understood that only boys will play computer games.

C. Listening : Business News

Before listening: Match the definitions (a–h) with the vocabulary (1–8).

Vocabulary Definitions
1. …… revenue a. the number of people who go to an organised event (such as an
2. …… turnout election)
3. …… a polling station b. information about a group of people
4. …… demographics c. a place where people go to vote in an election
5. …… a profit warning d. when a company announces it will make less money than
6. …… a dividend expected
7. …… a shareholder e. money that a business receives over a period of time

31
 English for Business

8. …… gross margin f. the difference between what something costs and how much it is
sold for
g. a part of a company’s profits that are divided among the people
who own it
h. a person who owns part of a company
While listening: Do the tasks below
Task 1
Circle the correct option to complete the sentences.
1. The election …
a. wasn’t too important because it was just a local one.
b. was very important for the whole country.
c. was about development.
2. There was a voter increase of …
a. six per cent since the last election
b. 11 per cent since the last election.
c. 54.5 per cent since the last election.
3. ONK …
a. wants to go international.
b. has almost achieved the results it forecasted.
c. is a strong successful company with offices all over the world.
4. ONK posted quarterly revenue of …
a. $14.8 billion. b. $18.4 billion. c.$40.8 billion.
5. People want to …
a. carry smaller items when they leave their homes.
b. carry fewer items when they leave their homes.
c.own a smartwatch.
6. More and more retailers …
a. accept cashless payments. b. accept cash. c. don’t accept cash.
Task 2: Listen again and complete the note below
The first item in the news today is the recent elections that took place across the country.

This was a crucial vote, which may see a …………. in how the country develops over the

32
 English for Business

coming years. Overall, a 54.5 per cent ………….. was registered. This represents an

increase of 11 per cent over the previous election and six per cent above the average for the

past 50 years. There has also been a slight change in demographics, with an increase in

………. turnout in the 18- to 24- and 24- to 29-year-old brackets. Despite this increase,

young people are still less likely to vote than older people; 84 per cent of voters in the 70

plus age group came to the polling stations.

Moving on, the global digital ……………… ONK today posted quarterly results which

were above forecast. Back in March, Tim Bolling, CEO, issued a profit warning over fears

that there would be ………………. following the recall of their ………………., the 40d

device. In fact, the company posted quarterly revenue of US$14.8 billion which represents

an increase of 11 per cent from the same quarter a year ago. They also announced that they

had sold 21 million 40d …………… over the quarter. The company has provided the

information that with this level of revenue, there will be a gross margin of 34 to 35 per cent,

ultimately leading to a US$1.20 per share cash dividend awarded to shareholders.

And in our final news item we ask, will we soon be saying goodbye to …………. forever?

The nationwide trend of using cashless payment options is increasing. There are a number of

reasons for this development. A key reason for this is a growing interest in reducing the

number of items people need to leave their homes with. As almost everyone carries a

smartphone with them, and many people also have smartwatches, the ability to pay for

things using one of these two technologies is particularly ………... More and more retailers

are accepting cashless payments and in some cases they’ve stopped accepting cash

altogether.

33
 English for Business

D. SPEAKING

I. Discussing Pros and Cons

Situation : Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many tourists have cancelled their reservation at your
hotel, and your hotel is facing a considerable decrease in revenue. You’re sale manager and
personnel manager in a meeting to discuss solutions to this problem.
 Student A: You’re the sale manager. You propose to ask the staff to share your difficulties
by taking half salary for 6 months
 Student B : You’re the personnel manager. You think this proposal will bring negative
effects as it will discourage staff to work and the hotel can lose all well-skilled staff. You
suggest a sale promotion with half price and free breakfast for 2 months first and if the
situation does not get better then take to A’s solution
II. Topic: in a group, discuss this topic
What are changes in retailing systems?

Unit MONEY
5

A. VOCABULARY: Choose the correct answer

1.………can result if you have no more income to pay all the debts.
A. Bankruptcy B. Acquisition C. Recession D. Industrial action
2.Although we have paid our bill regularly, we still have some outstanding ……………..
A . Deficits B. Losses C. Debts D. Costs

34
 English for Business

3. Our profits were small in spite of large ………….

A. Reserve B. Depreciation C. Margin D. Turnover
4. If you want cheap and affordable products you can buy them at the………supermarkets.
A. Upmarket B. Discount C. High end D. Style conscious
5.Every company in our country is expected to …………to national economic development.
A. Construct B. Contribute C. Invest D. Support
6.This ……… about oil prices could negatively interferes with our plans for expansion.
A. Uncertainty B. Turnaround C. Rise D. Recovery
7. Sales ……………just before the holiday. They had never been that high before.
A. Lost B. Gained C. Peaked D. Raised
8.The opening of the banking complex will be an important ……development for the region.
A. Commercial B. Home C. Fiscal D. Industrial
9.The new model was up-to-date and visually very …………..
A. Fashion-conscious B. Stylish C. Style conscious D. Old-fashioned
10. She took out a ………………to protect her invention.
A. Copyright B. Patent C. License D. Registration
11.Managing cash flow is about making sure you have the money coming in …………the costs of
the goods and services you are producing.
A. To contribute B. To pay C. To gain D. To invoice
12.Schering Plough shares …………….5.7 percent to $20.55 after beating Wall Street estimates
with sales growth of 11 percent.
A. Gained B. Dropped C. Lost D. Peaked
13.Fashion label Polo Ralph Lauren shares rose 15.7 percent to $55.40 after it …………its fiscal
first quarter forecast for revenue and operating margins.
A. Beat B. Raised C. went up D. Cut
14.Verizon Wireless, the …………….owned by Verizon Communications of the US and the UK’s
Vodafone, reported it added 1.82m net customers in the latest quarter.
A. Spin out B. Joint venture C. Branch D. Subsidiary
15.Sony Ericson Mobile Communications has already reported that net profit nearly ……to
$145.8m during the second quarter compared with €75m in the same period last year.
A. Doubled B. Halved C. Soared D. Tripled
16.With the sharp increase in sales, the rise in overhead costs can be easily …………….

35
 English for Business

A. Recovered B. Offset C. Executed D. Delivered

17.Drug prices are going up faster than inflation and the government should do more to keep them
………….
A. Affordable B. Competitive C. Favorable D. Upmarket
18.……buy products and supply to retail outlets such as shops, department stores, vendors.
A. Manufacturers B. End users C. Producers D. Wholesalers
19.There are no more Versa 1000 models in ………….
A. Store B. Stock C. Inventory D. Shop
20.For some companies, it’s not their policy to offer ………………on prices
A. Discounts B. Overdrafts C. Undercharges D. Reductions
21. This technique will not be applicable in situations where customers are extremely price - ……..
such as supermarket.
A. Interested B. Liked C. Conscious D. Interesting
22.All ground staff at the terminal are threatening to take …………..if their pay proposal is rejected.
A. Civil action B. Industrial action C. Bribery D. Work leave
23. In Britain, it is common …………..to offer customers 30 days’ credit
A. Business practice B. Business hobby C. Business behavior D. Business habit
24.Their sales are $3m higher than expected and obviously, they will get bonus for ……the target.
A. Meeting B. Exceeding C. Reaching D. Achieving
25. A &F is one of the largest companies in food processing industry, having recorded annual sales
of $127 billion in the 2004/2005……………year.
A. Monetary B. Economic C. Accounting D. Fiscal
26.Their main assembly line was put out of action and they were unable to ……their daily deadline.
A. Get B. Take C. Obtain D. Meet
27.The European online retail market is ………….to grow to €116 billion in the next 3 years.
A. Argued B. Discussed C. Forecast D. Encouraged
28.The difference between the selling price of a product and the cost of producing it is called the …
A. Gross margin B. Net profit C. Revenue D. Dividend
29.A company’s ………….profit is the profit it makes before tax is taken away.
A. Pre-tax B. Net C. After tax D. Overseas
30.Every month account customers are sent a ……….which lists all the sum of money that they
have paid in or taken out.

36
 English for Business

A. Request B. Final demand C. Bank statement D. Mission statement.

31. In order to call for more capital, the company decided to issue more …………..
A. shares B. statements C. documents D. reports
32.While joint stock companies can issue shares, the state-run companies can issue……..
A. patents B. stocks C. bonds D. statements
33.……is counted by dividing net income into the number of shares
A. pre-tax profit B. earning per share C. dividend D. gross margin
34. Part of profit that the company pays to shareholders is…..
A. stocks B. dividend C. bond D. earning per share
34. Money a business makes before taxes are paid to the government is called….
A. profit B. earning per share C. pre-tax profit D. dividend
35. The money that people or organizations put into a business for profit is called…
A. earning per share B. dividend C. investment D. profit
36. It's predicted that the world economy will go down to a serious ……due to Covid-19 epidemic.
A. recession B. downturn C. bottom line D. recovery
37. We had to….. our department store because the rent was too high.
A. remain B. relocate C. relaunch D. redevelop
38. The opening of the banking complex will be an important..................development for the region
A. Commercial B. Home C. Fiscal D. Industrial
39.…….is the money that the business receives from selling goods or services.
A. revenue B. dividend C. stock D. earning per share
40.…often invest in company with high risk and developing potentials for share in return
A. business angels B. venture capitalists C. shareholders D. banks
41.We're planning to increase our ………. in plant and equipment before entering the new market.
A. investment B. debt C. profit D. shares
42. Angle Investment make money by selling.................. in companies when their share price is
high, then re-investing the money in companies which is expects to do well in the future
A. Shares B. Dividends C. Earnings D. Margins
43.Technoprint is a ................ of office equipment whose main products are inkjet and laser printers
A. importer B. Distributor C. Supply chain D. Manufacturer
44. The money that people spend on goods or services is called ...…
A. expenses B. consumer spending C. consumer buying D. buying force

37
 English for Business

45. The…………is the market where shares are traded

A. upmarket B. down-market C. stock market D. open-air market

B. Reading

I. Read the text below and mark the following sentences True or False
Like other businesses, banks make profits through banking services and products and lending is
one activity which makes the main profits for the banks.
Recently banks have offered many new facilities to their customers. There are new types of
accounts, cheque cards, cash cards, credit cards, insurance cover, investment services.
5 However, one of the most important services banks offer is that they lend money to their
customers. The methods available for a customer to borrow from his bank and the rate of
interest is charged vary from country to country and bank to bank.
One way of borrowing is to overdraw on your account. This is useful if you only wish to
borrow a small amount for a short time. The interest rate on overdrafts depends upon the bank
10 rate. In the UK at the moment it is 12% over base rate i.e. 23%. Of course you can only have an
overdraft with your manager’s permission.
Another way is to arrange a ‘personal loan’. A personal loan is for a fixed period of time
usually 3 – 5 years. Many people take out a personal loan, for example, to buy a car. Each
month the customer makes a payment on the loan to the bank. The main advantage of a
15 personal loan is that the interest rate is fixed. In the UK at the moment it is 19%.
In many countries it is possible to borrow money for longer periods e.g., up to 25 years. This is
often necessary where buying a house or a business. The interest rate on long-term loans
depends upon the base rate. At the moment it is 1.25% over base.
Of course, for both a personal loan and a long-term loan the bank requires some kind of
20 securities e.g., shares.
1. All banks lend money.
2. They charge their customers the same.
3. An overdraft is an expensive way to borrow money.
4. The base rate is 11%.
5. The interest on long term loans is fixed.
6. Long term loans are cheaper than personal loans.

38
 English for Business

7. Overdrafts are cheaper than personal loans.

8. In order to have a long-term loan you have to give the bank something as guarantee.
II. Choose the best answer to fill in each gap.
It has been a disappointing year for Smithson, and our (1) …………for the next six months is that
things (2) ……………even worse. In the UK, Smithson (3) …………..a loss of $50 million on
revenues of $1 billion and (4) ……………a continuing recession in the Asian economy and slow
economic growth in Europe, profits abroad, where Smithson has most of its activities, have also
continued to (5) ……………..
1. A Forecast B Idea C Conclusion D Expectation

2. A Are getting B Will get C Get D Have gotten

3. A Did B Stroke C Made D Met

4. A Because B Because of C Despite D As

5. A Grow B Remain stable C Jump D Fall

C. Listening

 Listening activity 1: Listen to a conversation and answer the questions below:

1 What does the man’s company want money for?
A. developing C. investment
B. technical innovation D. expanding business
2. What kind of loan does he want to apply?
A. Mini C. Personal
B. Reminbi D. Rented
3. What does the bank want to make sure before agreeing to offer a loan?
A. the ability of repaying the loan C. the reality of the project
B. the size of the project D. the reputation of the company
4. What does the man show the bank clerk?
A. some documents about factory C. A & B
B. some detailed reports about factory D. Nothing
5. When does the bank make their decision?
A. In a week C. In three weeks

39
 English for Business

B. In two weeks D. In four weeks

 Listening activity 2: Listen to a conversation and fill in the blanks:
1. Why does Mr Tanaka phone Ms Sun? – It’s because he …………..
A. wants to borrow money C. needs her help
B. needs her advice D. needs to discuss something with her
2. Who works for National Electrical Parts Jiangmen Lmt?
A. Mr Tanaka C. Both Mr Tanaka and Ms Sun
B. Ms Sun D. Neither Mr Tanaka nor Ms Sun
3. What is National Electrical Parts Jiangmen Lmt’s project for?
A. innovating C. expanding
B. investing D. building
4. What does the company need for their project?
A. a personal loan C. a long-term loan
B. a business loan D. a foreign exchange loan
5. What kind of currency loan does the project need?
A. US dollar C. Renminbi
B. Vietnam Dong D. Japanese Yen
6. What is the interest that the bank apply for the company?
A. a fixed rate C. a base rate
B. a floating rate D. a high rate
7. How much does the company want for their loan?
A. 30 million Renminbi C. 30 million USD
B. 30 million VND D. 30 million Yen
8. What does the bank clerk want to check?
A. Balance Sheet C. Loss Statement
B. Profit Statement D. All above

D. Speaking

Discuss the following topic with your partner(s)

What factors do you consider before investing in one company?

E. Writing

40
 English for Business

I. This chart shows the changes in the value of the euro against the US dollar between January
and October of 2010. Look at the chart and complete the report below

As you can see, in January and February the value of one euro………(1) between $1.38 and
$1.45. By March, this fluctuation stopped and the value………(2)…During the month of April, the
value of the euro………(3)…. It reached its ……(4)……. of $1.20 at the end of April. During May,
the value of the euro………(5)Slightly at first, but then more sharply between the middle and the
end of the month.
Throughout the month of June, the value of the euro remained………(6)…… at a value of $1.37.
But this changed in July, when the value ……(7)…….. from $1.37 to $1.66 due to fears about the
level of US government debt. In August, this dramatic rise………(8)…….. . This levelling off
continued into the month of September, where the euro's value ……(9). at $1.68. But during
October the value………(10) , finishing the month with a value of $1.47.

levelled off / soared / fluctuated / constant /plunged/ recovered/ peaked /fell back /settled
down/ lowest point

41
 English for Business

Unit ADVERTISING
6

A. VOCABULARY: choose the correct answer

1. Currently, one popular technique of advertising is celebrity………., which means companies use
famous people in its advertising for its products.

A. research B. endorsement C. exhibition D. sponsorship

2. An image flashed on to a screen very quickly so that people are influenced without noticing it is a
kind of………… advertising.

A. direct B. word of mouth C. subliminal D. point of sale

3. Advertising for a product done in places where it is sold is called………..advertising.

A. point-of- sale B. direct C. outdoor D. word of mouth

4. If you get information about a product from a friend, a relative or people you work with rather
than you see an advert, this is called…………..advertising.

A. word-of-mouth B. person to person C. direct D.business-to- business

42
 English for Business

5. Many companies often place adverts for their product on…………….. such as buses, trains or the
underground.

A. public transports B. public places C. launches D. private transport

6. When a well-known person such as a superstar athlete, a film star or a pop star……………. a
product, they say how good the product is in adverts.

A. uses B. persuades C. launches D. markets

7. Outdoor advertising is growing rapidly these days because of a dramatic rise in the cost of radio
and TV……………………..

A. promotion B. commercials C. publicity D. programmes

8. If you want to sell your old sofas and furniture, why not……………. an advert in the local paper.

A. launch B. target C. place D. write

9. An advertisement can be……………., which means it makes people think seriously and deeply.

A. energy saving B. eye catching C. brain teasing D. thought provoking

10. This new restaurant offers extremely good food; its dishes are often so………….. In other
words, they stimulate the desire for food of its customers whenever they come in.

A. mouth watering B. thirst quenching C. eye catching D. brain teasing

11. Next month, a new computer quiz game, which is so……………, will be launched; it is difficult
but quite fun for people trying to solve.

A. though provoking B. eye catching C. brain teasing D. thirst quenching

12. Since we…………… a new advertising campaign on TV on radio, our sales have increased by
10%.

A. launched B. planned C. used D. put

13. In some countries, its is illegal to…………….. alcohol on TV because it may cause irresponsible
drinking among the public.

A. promote B. target C. drink D. sell

14. Radio, television, internet anh mailshots are some typical examples of
advertising………………….
43
 English for Business

A. practices B. strategies C. methods D. media

15. If you decide to use a TV commercial for your advertising campaign, it is necessary to create a
good…………… to illustrate your idea and ensure that your audience understand your content.

A. storyboard B. story-line C. story book D. message

16. The selection of media (the right TV channels, magazines, etc.) plays a key role in reaching the
right…………….( for example, young women between 18 and 30).

A. aimed viewers B. target audience C. existing readers D.targeting audience

17. Our advertising campaign for a……………….. of eight restaurants aims at health conscious
people off all ages.

A. number B. series C. chain D. set

18. ………………… refers to providing financial support for a sports or arts events, etc., in
exchange for a advertising or to get public attention.

A. Promotion B. Endorsement C. Exhibition D. Sponsorship

19. We try to make the advert as attention ………………… as possible.

A. grabbing B. finding C. driving D. paying

20. Billboard advertisements are designed to…………… a person’s attention and create a
memorable impression very quickly.

A. capture B. attack C. communicate D. impress

21. The campaign set out to make the soft drink look as…………. as possible.

A. brain teasing B. thought provoking C. thirst quenching D. money saving

22. Certainly teenagers will be impressed by the new noticeable packaging of this product; it is
really………………..with bright and strong colors.

A. eye catching B. unremarkable C. energy saving D. eye level

23. A good advertising campaign needs to be………….. in its approach, everything happens and
develops in the same way from the beginning to the end.

A. reliable B. steady C. consistent D. noticeable

24. One of the easiest …………… to remember was Coca Cola’s: ‘It’s the real thing’.
44
 English for Business

A. logos B. slogans C. commercials D. exhibitions

25. They are giving away………….. of shampoo so that customers can try this new product before
deciding to buy.

A. free samples B. leaflets C. brochures D. posters

26. Around 80% of our sales are………………..by the 30 stores in Europe.

A. Came B. Generated C. Collected D. Given

27……………….. is a way to send advertisements or information to a large number of people at the

same time by mail.

A. Leaflet B. Directory C. Poster D. Mailshots

28. Nowadays many families ……………… regularly a variety of international TV channels.

A. Access B. describe C. subscribe D. connect

29. Nike has established a 21 year……………. with the advertising agency Wieden and Kennedy to
create some of world’s most attractive advertisements.

A. membership B. Sponsorship C. Friendship D. Partnership

30. Product............ are introduced to respond to changes in market demand.

A. advertisemant B. innovations C. recycle D. endorsements

B. SENTENCE STRUCTURE AND WRITTEN EXPRESSIONS: there is 1 mistake

in each sentence. Circle the letter that denotes the mistake.
1. As a rule (A), our advertisements never shows (B) people smoking (C) or drinking (D) alcohol.

2. I have pleasure in enclose (A) our latest catalogue, featuring(B) our exciting new range (C) of
office equipment at competitive prices (D)

3. Named(A) Advertiser of the Year at the 50th(B) Cannes International Advertising Festival, he is
first person(C) to win the award twice(D).

4. Knowledge of(A) the advertising code(B) of practice is vital to them(C) wishing to work in
the(D) advertising industry.

5. The(A) ‘Think small’ Volkswagen Beetle advert was(B) one of most successful(C) advertising
campaigns of(D) the twentieth century.

45
 English for Business

6. Four major brands(A), AOL, Yahoo, Freeserve and BT, all(B) achieve an awareness(C) of over
40% amongst(D) the UK adult population.

7. If (A) you have something to sell(B), you can take(C) an advert in the local(D)

newspaper.

8. Some perfume companies provide(A) free samples in order (B) customers can try (C) the
perfume on (D) their skin before they buy.

9. Focus Advertising has been asking (A) to present ideas for (B) advertising campaigns to (C) the
managements of the companies concerned (D).

10. If news about a product comes(A) to you by(B) word of mouth, someone tells you about it(C)
rather than you saw(D) an advert.

C. LISTENING : Listent to the interview with Garry Phillip, the director of an

advertising agency.

a. Complete the sentences with 1 or 2 words

1. Over 2000 years ago, advertising provided only ………………
2. One of the earliest advertising is a …………painted on the wall in ancient Rome.
3. In the late 19th century, ……………….became possible due to technological development.
4. Manufacturers advertised because they needed to increase the ……………. for their goods.
5. Companies were able to make a large………….. by selling luxury goods.
6. More and more bussiness were set up making similar goods, so they needed to advertise to
……………..
7. The aim of adverisement was to ……………….people to buy.
8. If people only bought goods for…………….., manufacturers would soon go bankrupt.
9. So they tried to envolved people’s …………………..
10. Persuasive advertising stresses the ………………. of buying cars, instead of focusing on their
mechanical properties.

D. READING

Read the passages and choose the best answer to the questions that follow.

46
 English for Business

Outdoor advertising’s appeal is growing as TV and print are losing theirs. The soaring costs of TV
are prompting clients to consider alternatives. Dennis Sullivan, boss of Portland Group, a media
buyer, calls outdoor advertising the last true mass- market medium.

1. The word ‘their’ refers to:

A. the appeal of outdoor advertising

B. the attraction of TV
C. the appeal of print
D. the attraction of TV and print
2. It can be inferred from the passage that outdoor advertising

A. is losing its attraction

B. is becoming much more costly

C. has gained advantage over TV and print advertising

D. is massively marketed

Halfway between Shibuya and Harajuku is the office of Hiroaki Morita, who set up Teens Network
Ship on leaving school nine years ago. The agency is the longest-established specialist in the
teenage market, and often uses informal, word-of-mouth-style marketing methods.

3. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT mentioned about Teens Network Ship?

A. It belongs to Hiroaki Morita

B. It has come into existence for nearly a decade now

C. It is Japan’s longest-established company’

D. It targets people 13-19 years of age

After an extraordinary growth, Nike became number one trainer manufacturer in the US. But Knight
admits the company then lost its way as it failed to cope with its success. It experimented
unsuccessfully with expansion into non-athlete shoes, and lost its number one position to Reebok in
1986.

4. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A. Nike’s market share shrank in the mid- 1980s.

47
 English for Business

B. Nike succeeded in expanding into non-athlete in 1986.

C. In 1986, Reebok became number one trainer manufacturer in America.

D. Nike experienced an extraordinary growth before 1986.

Next month Procter & Gamble, which has for some time been reaching Hispanic consumers through
brands such as Gain, the laundry detergent, will go a step further in its efforts to woo Latinos. When
Tide Tropical Clean hits the shelves, it will promoted with the usual multi-media advertising
campaigns.

5. What is the best alternative for the phrase ”hits the shelves”?

A. becomes available to buy

B. becomes unavailable

C. causes damage to shelves

D. becomes successful

The TV commercial is generally considered the most effective mass-market advertising format, as is
reflected by the high prices TV networks charge for commercial airtime during popular TV events.
The average cost of a single thirty-second TV spot during the prominent annual Super Bowl football
game in the United States has reached $2,7 million (as of 2007).

6. The word ‘spot’ cold best be replaced by which of the following?

A. commercial B. program C. game D. event

7. Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A. TV and other advertising media are equally effective.

B. TV events are charged at high prices.

C. The Super Bowl football game is a popular TV program in the United States.

D. TV commercials cost $2,7 million each.

Sweden’s powerful consumer association, Sveriges Kosumentraad (SK), is stepping up its fight
against television advertising aimed at children. The association, a coalition of trade unions and
other influential organizations, wants Sweden’s ban extended to the entire European Union.

8. What is NOT true about Sveriges Kosumtraad?

48
 English for Business

A. It is an influential organization.

B. It wants to ban television advertising aimed at children.

C. It is getting more involved in the fight against advertisements aimed at children.

D. It doesn’t want the ban on advertising targeting children to operate outside Sweden.

Choose the most appropriate words to fill in the blanks.

The advertising industry is large and………….. (9). In the United States …………..(10) in 2005,
spending on advertising reached $144.32 billion, reported TNS Media Intelligence. That same year,
according to a report …………….(11) by global accounting firm’s report……………(12) worldwide
advertisement spending to exceed haft-a-trillion dollars by 2010.

9. A. declining B. raising C. growing D. falling

10. A. just B. lonely C. all D. alone

11. A. issued B. which issued C. was issued D. issueing

12. A. expected B. promoted C. intended D. published

Advertisers everywhere know that personal recommendation……………. (13)

great weight.
Normally, word-of-mouth promotion is free,………….(14) impossible to arrange. In Japan, it can
arrange – at a price. There are agencies with hundreds of teenagers on their books……………… (15)
receive new products and tell their friends about them;……………. (16) are paid to queue up for the
launch of a new product or opening of a new store, creating an artificial ‘buzz’ about it.

13. A. denies B. carries C. takes D. brings

14. A. but B. because C. despite D. as

15. A. which B. who C. where D. when

16. A. others B. friends C. agencies D. advertisers

E. SPEAKING

a. What is a good / bad advertisement?

b. Do you think the following advertising practices are acceptable or unacceptable?
- Using children in advertisements
- Using nudity in advertisements
49
English for Business

- Promoting alscohol on TV
- Comparing your product and your competitors’ products
- An image flashed onto a screen very quickly so that people are influenced without
noticing it (subliminal advertising)
- Exploiting people’s fear and worries
c. Tell about a piece of TV commercial that you like/ hate most. You should say what the brand
is? What is the content? And why you like or hate that piece of commercial?

50
 English for Business

Unit CULTURE
7

A. VOCABULARY

1. I was thrown in at the deep...……..when my boss decided to send me to run the French office
which I haven't been before
a)water b)end c)ice d) river
2.When I was sent to USA for the first time, I felt like a …….. out of water as I everything was
much different from what I had expected
a)frog b)whale c)fish d)dolphin
3.Which means saying or doing something without thinking carefully so that you embarrass or upset
someone?
a)see eye to eye b)break the ice c)put one's foot in it d)get on like a horse on fire
4.My first meeting with our overseas client was a real...…………..as I did learn much from that
style of negotiation
a)nail-clipper b)eye-opener c)heart-breaker d)brain-teaser
5.It's such a big surprise to me that I could get on like.........… with our Japanese agent.
a)chalk or cheese b)two drops of water c)a house on fire d)a skeleton in the cupboard
6.To make someone you have just met less nervous, you should say some funny things to …......…...
a)break the ice b)put your foot in it c)to see eye to eye d)get into hot water
7.Don't let yourself get...……………….by talking behind your boss
a)into deep end b)into hot water c)a fire d)out of water

51
 English for Business

8. When you are in a very monotonous conversation you have __________to make it more cheerful.
a. to break the ice b. to put my foot in it
c.to feel like a fish out of water d. to be a real eye-opener
9. If you launch the product now, you will ____________ It is not a very good moment
a. break the ice b. feel like a fish on fire c. get into hot water d. be a real eye opener
10. This pandemic has been ___________ for marketers since it showed the new trends in digital
marketing.
a. a fish out of water b. a foot in it c. a real eye-opener d. a house on fire
11. Some companies are _____________ their employees…… by ordering them to sell in internet
when they barely know how to use it.
a. throwing….. at the deep end b. breaking …..the ice
c. feeling …like a house out of water d. getting ….on like a house on water
12. It’s advisable for businessmen to learn about US business__________ like timing, greetings or
gift-giving..before doing business in this country
a. manners b. protocol c. guidelines d. instruction
13. Business gifts shouldn’t be given until the business negotiations are__________
a. up b. over c. on d. through
14. It’s considered rude to ask a businesswoman about her_________
a. business status b. title c. marital status d. company
15. _________ plays a key role in Italian business culture.
a. Hospitals b. hospitable c. hospitability d. hospitality
16. It’s considered bad________ to either eat or offer something with the left hand.
a. manners b. ways c. styles d. habits
17. As a gesture of respect, your host is likely to open and examine the gift carefully in your______
a. time b. house c. presence d. attendance
18. It’s important that the gift is the best you can afford to avoid______
a. embarrasses b. embarrassing c. embarrassed d. embarrassment
19. Sharing a meal is the best way for people to ………….. know each other.
a. go to b. get to c. come to d. bring to
20. You don’t have to make a lot of small talks as Americans like to _______ business quickly.
a. go down to b. move down to c. get down to d. come down to
21. It’s best to avoid criticizing Italian culture, even if your Italian ____are doing so.

52
 English for Business

a. counterparts b. colleagues c. counters d. partners

22. Regardless of how you feel, refusing an invitation of any kinds may give_________
a. hospitality b. offence c. business protocol d. argument
23. The host usually starts the conversation with polite______ like : how are you? Or How are you
enjoying your visit?
a. requests b. invitations c. enquiries d. greetings
24. It’s a business __________in Brazil to shake hands with everyone in your company.
a. Rule b. etiquette c. partner d. manner
25. Gift giving is a common practice in the workplace but the receiver is expected to give a gift in…
a. practice b. fact c. return d. contrast
26. In South Korea, you can be asked personal questions about your age, salary or family because
Korean people want to establish a__________by finding a common ground.
a. company b. rapport c. communication d. protocol
27. Leo’s been to Nigeria many times, he knows the culture inside______
a. out b. up c. through d. over
28. I’ve told you everything about the job opportunity in Uzbekistan, now tell us what you think, the
ball in now in your_____
a. hand b. net c. court d. ground
29. Sometimes it doesn’t matter if you don’t know the culture, you just need to maintain the good-
natured attitudes and go with the _____
a. wind b. flow c. rain d. cold
30. I have all sorts of problems with my new colleague but now I have had it _____ with her and we
work really well together.
a. over b. on c. out d. in
31. It may be true that cultures are becoming more alike under the _____of globalization and mass
tourism
a. effect b. circumstance c. condition d. law
32. What enables us to bridge this gap is often called cultural____
a. knowledge b. awareness c. consciousness d. communication
33. If any of the presentations runs_____ the schedule, we’ll be late for the final plenary meeting.
a. in b. over c. through d. on
34. With this conference next month, we will all up to our ________ in work.

53
 English for Business

a. eyes b. nose c. shoulders d. head

35. When going to a new country to do business, you should do some_______on the etiquette and
taboos of the host country.
a. research b. duty c. deal d. course
new labor contract
B. Reading

Reading text: Cultural behaviours in business

Much of today’s business is conducted across international borders, and while the majority of the
global business community might share the use of English as a common language, the nuances and
expectations of business communication might differ greatly from culture to culture. A lack of
understanding of the cultural norms and practices of our business acquaintances can result in unfair
judgements, misunderstandings and breakdowns in communication. Here are three basic areas of
differences in the business etiquette around the world that could help stand you in good stead when
you next find yourself working with someone from a different culture.
Addressing someone
When discussing this topic in a training course, a German trainee and a British trainee got into a hot
debate about whether it was appropriate for someone with a doctorate to use the corresponding title
on their business card. The British trainee maintained that anyone who wasn’t a medical doctor
expecting to be addressed as ‘Dr’ was disgustingly pompous and full of themselves. The German
trainee, however, argued that the hard work and years of education put into earning that PhD should
give them full rights to expect to be addressed as ‘Dr’.
This stark difference in opinion over something that could be conceived as minor and thus easily
overlooked goes to show that we often attach meaning to even the most mundane practices. When
things that we are used to are done differently, it could spark the strongest reactions in us. While
many Continental Europeans and Latin Americans prefer to be addressed with a title, for example
Mr or Ms and their surname when meeting someone in a business context for the first time,
Americans, and increasingly the British, now tend to prefer using their first names. The best thing to
do is to listen and observe how your conversation partner addresses you and, if you are still unsure,
do not be afraid to ask them how they would like to be addressed.
Smiling
A famous Russian proverb states that ‘a smile without reason is a sign of idiocy’ and a so- called
‘smile of respect’ is seen as insincere and often regarded with suspicion in Russia. Yet in countries

54
 English for Business

like the United States, Australia and Britain, smiling is often interpreted as a sign of openness,
friendship and respect, and is frequently used to break the ice.

In a piece of research done on smiles across cultures, the researchers found that smiling individuals
were considered more intelligent than non-smiling people in countries such as Germany,
Switzerland, China and Malaysia. However, in countries like Russia, Japan, South Korea and Iran,
pictures of smiling faces were rated as less intelligent than the non-smiling ones. Meanwhile, in
countries like India, Argentina and the Maldives, smiling was associated with dishonesty.
Eye contact
An American or British person might be looking their client in the eye to show that they are paying
full attention to what is being said, but if that client is from Japan or Korea, they might find the
direct eye contact awkward or even disrespectful. In parts of South America and Africa, prolonged
eye contact could also be seen as challenging authority. In the Middle East, eye contact across
genders is considered inappropriate, although eye contact within a gender could signify honesty and
truthfulness.
Having an increased awareness of the possible differences in expectations and behaviour can help us
avoid cases of miscommunication, but it is vital that we also remember that cultural stereotypes can
be detrimental to building good business relationships. Although national cultures could play a part
in shaping the way we behave and think, we are also largely influenced by the region we come from,
the communities we associate with, our age and gender, our corporate culture and our individual
experiences of the world. The knowledge of the potential differences should therefore be something
we keep at the back of our minds, rather than something that we use to pigeonhole the individuals of
an entire nation.
Task 1: Match the definitions (a–h) with the vocabulary (1–8).
1.…… stark a.subtle differences in meaning
2.…… to be conceived as b.to be useful to someone in the future
3.…… to break the ice c.arrogant and self-important
4.…… nuances d.extreme and obvious, often used with ‘difference’ or
5.…… to stand someone in good stead ‘contrast’
6.…… pompous e.to be thought of as
7.…… to pigeonhole someone f.boring, uninteresting or ordinary
8.…… mundane g.to do something that helps relieve the tension and get

55
 English for Business

conversation going, especially between people meeting

for the first time
h.to label someone and put them in a restrictive category
Task2: Circle the correct answer.
1.The British trainee felt that people who want to be addressed as ‘Dr’ must be …
a. hard-working.
b. conceited and self-important.
c. doing a medical degree.
d. from Germany.
2.If you are not sure how to address someone, you should …
a. use the title you see on their business card.
b. make your decision based on cultural stereotypes about their country.
c. address them the way you’d like to be addressed.
d. ask them what they would like you to call them.
3.There might be a misunderstanding if an American smiles at a Russian business associate because
the Russian might think that the American is …
a. being fake.
b. challenging their authority.
c. trying to break the ice.
d. disrespectful.
4. The Japanese, South Koreans and Iranians might interpret a smiling face as being …
a. friendlier. b.less open. c.not as intelligent. d.dishonest.
5. Americans and British people sometimes use eye contact to show that they …
a. like the speaker.
b. are really listening to what is being said.
c. are honest and truthful.
d. are attending to every need of the speaker.
6.The last paragraph warns the reader not to …
a. engage in international business.
b. let national cultures shape the way we behave and think.
c. let miscommunication damage our business relationships.
d. overgeneralise using our knowledge of cultural stereotypes.

56
 English for Business

Task 3: Make the sentences true or false?

1. When doing business internationally, there is a possibility that we might misinterpret what each
other is saying even though we are speaking the same language.
2. To the German trainee, having a PhD is equivalent to being a medical doctor.
3. Sometimes, the smallest things can trigger a huge emotional response in us, especially when they
are things we are not used to.
4. In the research done to the perceptions of smiles, people from different countries were asked to
rate photos of smiling faces and non- smiling faces.
5. Making eye contact can be interpreted in different ways in different cultures but is almost always
a positive thing.
6. The writer recommends keeping possible cultural differences in the forefront of our minds when
doing business with people with different cultures.

C. LISTENING

Listen to a talk about the business culture and complete the note below
BUSINESS CULTURE
Power culture
Characteristics of organization: + small
+ (1)……………….power source
+ few rules and procedures.
+ Communication by (2)……………………
Advantage: + can act quickly
Disadvantage : + might not act (3)……………………..
Suitable employee: + Not afraid of (4) …………………….
+ doesn’t need job security
Role culture
Characteristics of organization: + large, many (5)…………………….
+ specialized departments
+ rules and procedures, e.g.: job (6)……………….. and rules for
disciplines
Advantage: + economies of scale
+ successful when (7)……………….ability is important.

57
 English for Business

Disadvantage : + slow to see when (8)………………is needed

+ slow to react
Suitable employee: + values security
+ doesn’t want (9)……………………….
Task culture
Characteristics of organization: + project oriented
+ in competitive market or making product with short life
+ a lot of delegation

Advantage: + (10)………………………..
Disadvantage : + no economies of scale or special expertise
Suitable employee: + likes to work in group

D. SPEAKING

SITUATION: Your company has visitors from Italy ( Korea, USA, UAE, Brazil)
You’re two in the planning committee
 Discuss the plan to welcome them
TOPIC: Why is cultural awareness important in doing business internationally?
(You should use your experience or examples to illustrate your points)

D. Writing

Task 1: Arrange these below sentences into an invitation letter:

1. As I explained to you briefly when we met, our engineers often spend periods of up to three
months in India, Malaysia and Philippines.
2. Many of them frequently request practical information about various aspects of those cultures
3. I very much hope that your schedule will allow you to accept our invitation.
4. I was delighted to talk to you after your presentation at the Bridging the Culture Gap conference
in Frankfurt last week; and I would like to thank you for the interest you expressed in our company.
5. We would there for like to invite you to run a one-day training seminar on cultural issues for a
group of twelve staff due to leave for the Philippines mid-April.

58
 English for Business

Task 2: Complete the reply to the letter in task 1 with those items in the box:

a. Further to your letter e. I look forward to

b. As you suggested f. owing to previous engagements
c. As you probably know g. convenient for you
d. If you could let me know h. I would be delighted

Further to your letter (1) of 10 January, I would like to thank you for

your kind invitation.

…………………………………..(2) to run a one-day seminar for your staff.
……………………………………..(3) I have first-hand experience of the Far
East and it is always a great pleasure for me to run seminar focusing specifically
on that region.
However, ……………………………..(4) I am afraid that I could not possibly
run a workshop in March……………………………..(5)
I would be grateful………………………………(6) whether late February or
early April would be …………………………(7).
…………………………………….(8) hearing from you in due course.

59
 English for Business

Unit Employment
8

A. VOCABULARY: Choose the correct answer

1. The starting salary of the successful…………… will be decided on the basis of qualifications and
experience.
A. candidate B. manager C. employee D. headhunter
2. The interview panel will draw up a………….. of only five candidates.
A. team B. group C. shortlist D. list
3. They hired a…………… to attract some executives from a rival company.
A. star B. headhunter C. job agency D. personnel manager
4. Some managers are very superstitious and they often study your………… carefully before
deciding to offer you a job.
A. handwriting B. astrological sign C. blood group D. personality
5. We are looking for someone with excellent communication……………..
A. qualifications B. experience C. skills D. education
6. I have looking at the job ………….. column for ages but I haven’t found a suitable job yet.
A. vacancy B. position C. information D. offer
60
 English for Business

7. Candidates sometimes have to take a/an............ before the interview to asses their mental ability
and resoning skills.
A psychometric test C language test
B examination D exercise
8. When replying to a job advertisement, candidates often have to fill in a/an ..............
A. covering letter B. application form C. referrence D. CV
9. If you want to become a good accountant, you need to be................ That means you need to be
very careful.
A. resourceful B. charismatic C. meticulous D. dedicated
10. With reference to your……………. in Vietnam News of 20 th May, I would like to apply for the
post of Chef IT Offer.
A. position B. advertisement C. job D. station
11. At present,………… is based on quarterly sales at each store and is equally divided between all
staff.
A. commission B. salary C. promotion D. revenue
12. Labour conditions for each employee are to be spelled in an employment……………
A. transaction B. contact C. commitment D. contract
13………………. is the thing you often find in job advertisements referring to money and benefits.
A Remuneration C Starting salary
B Financial package D Compensation
14. They have been offered a considerable increase in salary in……. for more responsibility.
A. reply B. review C. react D. return
15. Service firms with large numbers of…… workers often have a high staff turnover.
A. low-paid B. well-paid C. high-paid D. well-motivated
16…………… are used by employers to find out if you’re suitable for a job and are a reliable
employee.
A Qualifications C References
B Curiculum Vitaes D Sickness records
17. If you have very little space or opportunity to sell yourself on your CV, or there is something
that you particularly want to emphasize, the…………..can help you do this.
A psychometric test C handwriting
B covering letter D application form

61
 English for Business

18. Exceptional employees can be fast-tracked into positions of greater responsibilities.

Fast-tracked means
A. quickly promoted B. succeeded
C. demoted D. quickly transferred
19. If you meet our…………, please contact us on 0928 465 734 for more information about the
job.
A. experience B. requirement C. ability D. qualifications
20. These days, it is normal for successful candidates to have to work a/an………….
period in a company before being offered a permanent post.
A. trial B. probationary C. temporary D. long
21. In recent years, many members at Slim Gym……………. their membership.
A. hasn’t renewed B. don’t renew C. haven’t renewed D. won’t renew
22………………... candidates should send their letter of application and CV via e-mail to Joanna
Smith at <hrm@gmail.com>.
A. Interested B. Interesting C. Interest D. To interest
23. Do you mind telling me…………….?
A your strengths are C what are your strengths
B what strengths are you D what your strengths are
24. Nowadays, too many employers are blind or indifferent…………….. the agenda of would be
high performers, especially who are young.
A. from B. at C. to D. of
25. Employees used to be asked………….
A they enjoy what about working her C what they enjoy about working here

B what do they enjoy about working here D do they enjoy about working here

26. For most US shop workers, pay is the third most important reason for job……..
A. satisfied B. satisfactory C. satisfaction D. satisfying
27. Her job involves…………….. a figures and ………… the sales staff.
A analyzing/ motivating C analyze/ motivate
B analyzing/motivates D to analyze/ to motivate
28. Cole National………………. a survey among its staff, because they wanted to recruit and keep
better workers.

62
 English for Business

A. will conduct B. has conducted C. conducted D. conducts

29. The successful candidate needs to have a flair for new ideas and sound………skills.
A. organization B. organizational C. organized D. organizing
30. Do you mind……………….I ask you why you left your last job?
A. in case B. if C. whether D. how

B. LISTENING: job interview

a. Listen to a job interview and complete the notes

Name: Pia Marcotti
Place of birth: (1)…………………………………., Italy
Age: (2) …………………………………
Post – university experience - October (3) ……………………-September 2002
Worked for mother's (4) …………………… company,
Meals On Wheels. Main responsibilities: webmaster and
advertising.
-September 2002 - February 2003
Travelled mostly in Europe but also a month in (5)
-March 2003 - July 2005
Worked for (6)…………………… shoe company near
hometown. Worked in (7)……………. department for
most of this time.
Language spoken: (8) …………………..-fluent
(9) …………………..-good after (10) …………years
study

b. Listen again find a mistake in each sentence and correct.

1 John Reeves manages the marketing department at Rosco International.

2 Pia arrived at 9 and had a tour of the building from Suzy.
3 Pia has a sister who worked for Rosco before for 10 months.
4 Luigi has been working for a website in London for about a year.
5 Pia worked in her mother's company which specialised in providing flowers.

63
 English for Business

6 Pia would use her Italian because Rosco does a lot of business with Rome.
7 Pia worked for a company called Bradley Footwear for about six years
8 The footwear company only had a few factories in the area, so Pia got bored.

C. READING

A. Read the paragraphs carefully and answer the questions that follow.
High performers are easier to define than to find. They are people with apparently limitless energy
and enthusiasm, qualities that shine through even on their bad days. They are full of ideas and get
things done quickly and effectively. They inspire others not just by pep talks but also through the
sheer force of their example. Such people can push their organizations to greater and greater heights.
1.Which of the following sentences is NOT true about high performers?
A. They are energetic and enthusiastic
B. They cannot motivate others to work better
C. They are very creative and efficient.
D. They encourage others from their own example.
However, not all high performers are stolen, some are lots. High performers generally leave because
organizations do not know how to the keep them. Two many employers are blind or indifferent to
agenda of would be high performers, especially those who are young.
2. The world ‘indifferent’ probably means:
A. similar B. listless C. enthusiastic D. energetic
3.Which of the following would most likely to be the topic of the previous paragraph?
A. High performers are likely to be headhunted by viral companies.
B. What organizations should do to stop high- caliber staff leaving
C. The definition of high performers
D. Young staff are often special performers.
Money remains an important motivator to high performers but organization should not imagine that
it is the only one that matter. In practice, high performers tend to take for granted that they will get a
good financial package. They seek motivation from other sources.
4.According to the passage which of the following is NOT true about high performers?
A. Good financial package is the only important motivation for them
B. They think they are certain to get high salary
C. Money is an essential factor to motivate them

64
 English for Business

D. Apart from money, other sources of motivation are also very important for them.
Nokia offer flexible job opportunities for students. Working is possible in periods of difference
lengths throughout the year. It is possible to work full time or part time and there are also
opportunities for thesis work. In addition, working aboard is encouraged.
5.Which of the following is mentioned in the passage?
A. There aren’t many jobs available
B. Student can work flexible time
C. Students can work in another country
D. Student can’t work part time.
With reference to your advertisement in the Luxembourg Daily News of 10 May, I would like to
apply for the post of Chief IT Officer. As you can see from the attached CV, I obtained my Msci in
mathematics and computer science from Imperial College London in July 2001.
6.Which of the following is NOT true about the passage?
A. The writer graduated from Imperial College London 2001.
B. The writer wants to get a job as Chief IT Offer.
C. The writer studied mathematics and computer science.
D. The writer didn’t enclose a CV with the application letter.
Empowerment is a particularly important motivating force for new talent. A high performer will
seek to feel that he or she “owns” a project in a creative sense. Wise employers offer this
opportunity.
7.The world ‘empowerment’ is in closet meaning to:
A. giving power or authority to sbd
B. asking for power.
C. stopping sbd from doing sth
D. forcing sbd to do
At lest 7,000 jobs are said to be lost at computer firm Dell after it said I would cut its global
workforce by 10%. The PC maker has struggled with falling sales and rising costs, promting founder
Michael Dell to take direct charge of the firm earlier this year. Mr Dell said the job losses would be
‘difficult’ but stressed they were critical if the firm was to deliver better value to customers.
8.Which of the following is UNTRUE according to the passage?
A. There will be about 7,000 employees to be made redundant at Dell
B. The firm is having problems with sales and costs.

65
 English for Business

C. The job losses are important to the firm

D. The firm’s global labor force was said to increase by 10%.
An organization’s capacity to identify, attract and retain high quality, high performing people who
can develop winning strategies has become decisive in ensuring competitive advantage.
9.Which of the following is NOT an important thing an organization should do to stay competitive
A. developing winning strategies
B. identifying high performers
C. attracting and retaining high
D. being decisive in ensuring advantage.
If high performers find out that the organisation they work for is not interested in them as people but
only as high performing commodities, it will hardly be surprising if their loyalty is minimal.
10.Which of the following is true about high performers?
A. High performers are loyal to the organisation if they are treated as people.
B. High performers like being treated as high performing commodities.
C. High performers are loyal if regarded as high performing commodities by the organization.
D. High performers are not interested in how they are treated.
B. Fill in the blanks with the most suitable words.
Considering what attracts people and what motivates them to stay and…...............11 most
productively is a key part of any recruiment and retention strategy. This year’s Management Agenda
found that the key .................. 12 for managers were personal drive, enjoyment of the job, personal
achievement, helping others succeed, challanges and recognition by others. The biggest de-
motivators were lack of recognition,............. 13.. management, bureaucracy, lack of time to achive
workload, demands to always do more, and.............14..... of promotion opportunities. Respondents
were also.................15 what factors they believe attract gradutes to their organissations.
The................16(84%) refer to comprehensive development and learning opportunities and
approximately two thirds refer to money and challenge. A smaller proportion refers to work-
life…………..17 and flexible working options.
Employers of the future need to give…………….. 18 attention in offering the ‘best deal’ to
employees, and get to the heart of………….. 19 motivates individuals. They need to understand the
labour market, their employees and their competition and continually looking to the future as aspects
change, tailor the whole employment package to ……...... 20 individual’s needs.
11 A leave B work C manufacture D keep

66
English for Business

12 A things B matters C motivators D problems

13 A good B effective C wealthy D poor
14 A lack B lots C consideration D presence
15 A asked B told C give D said
16 A minority B majority C number D factors
17 A agreement B balance C engagement D commitment
18 A negligible B unnoticeable C minimal D considerable
19 A how B what C where D that
20 A attract B attack C suit D answer

D. SPEAKING

a. In your opinion, what factors are important in getting a job?

Appearance Hobbies Experience Sex
Intelligent Marital status Personality Qualifications
References Age Astrological sign Handwriting Contacts
Blood group Sickness record Family background and connections

b. What are some advices to have a successful job interview?

c. What are some factors to retain high calibre staff?

E. WRITING

a. Write a CV to apply for the vacancy in Slim Gym

67
 English for Business

Unit trade
9

A. VOCABULARY : Choose the correct answer

1. ……………… is a situation in which goods come into and out of a country without any controls
or taxes.
A. Fair trade B. Niche market C. Open border D. Free trade
2. To limit the export of certain resources, China will continue to impose……….. on various
resources such as coal, crude oil and mineral.
A. tariffs B. subsidies C. licenses D. policies
3. China has decided to restrict the amount of imported sugar by setting its 2007 import………….
for sugar at 1,945 million tons, the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) announced Monday.
A. tax B. tariff C. quota D. control
4. People in all countries-developed and developing alike can benefit from international trade that is
free of …………, such as tariffs, quotas and government subsides.
A. barriers B. regulations C. rules D. borders

68
 English for Business

5. You must declare all goods acquired aboard, whether as gifts or personal purchases, to…………,
the government department responsible for collecting taxes on goods, when you re-enter Canada.
A. Border B. Customs C. Tariffs D. Registration
6. While efforts to ………. trade traditionally focused on reducing tariffs and certain non-tariff
barriers to trade, in recent years they have come to include other matters as well.
A. deregulate B. liberalize C. limit D. control
7. Some countries do not want to practise free trade because they wish to be less…………on foreign
imports.
A. kept B. keen C. based D. dependent
8. A……………. is a limit on the quantity of a product that can be imported.
A. quota B. rule C. tax D. license
9. The Malaysian government is actively promoting the medical device industry as a/an…………
industry because it is important to the nation’s economy.
A. infant B. emerging C. well-established D. strategic
10. You should comply with all……….. to enable the research to go smoothly
A. regulations B. surveys C. customs D. strategic
11. Open…………. ensure the free flow of goods, labor, etc between countries.
A. countries B. businesses C. borders D. government
12. ………….. are money paid by a government or organization to make a product cheaper to buy
or produce.
A. taxes B. Subsidies C. Commission D. Perks
13. A US company is accused of …………… They sell products at a very low price in an export
market.
A. deregulating B. smuggling C. subsidizing D. dumping
14. We are sorry to inform you that the program you propose does not……….. our requirements.
A. meet B. need C. comply D. answer
15. Considering that delivery is already two weeks overdue, I am afraid I have to cancel our ……….
A. enquiry B. reply C. order D. quote
16.They have…………. us a very good price for the consignment.
A. quoted B. delivered C. supplied D. promoted
17. An import…………. is a document that’s required by a company before it can import goods.
A. restriction B. tariff C. quota D. license

69
 English for Business

18. Higher education is one of the most powerful yet underestimated means that countries can rely
on to ………….poverty and achieve social and economic development goals.
A. take B. tackle C. tap D. tag
19. There has been a ………….. in sales of luxury cars in China and the world’s top luxury
automakers see China as an increasingly important market.
A. boot B. bound C. boom D. quote
20. You’d better state your purpose directly without delay. In other world, you should go ………….
to the point.
A. along B. straight C. next D. on
21. We’re looking for an alternative supplier…………… our usual one can’t deliver next week.
A. unless B. in case C. providing D. if
22. I’m afraid we won’t be able to place a firm order…………… you agree to split the transport
costs.
A. unless B. in case C. providing D. if
23. I am sure we ………………. our targets if we…………. our current level of sales.
A. will meet/will maintain B. would meet/maintained
C. would apply/have D. will meet/maintain
24. I…………….. for the job if I ……………. a degree, but unfortunately I haven’t.
A. will apply/ have B. would apply/had
C. would apply/have D. will apply/had
25. I’m expecting a fax from Grayson’s. If it………...today, please let me know at once.
A. came B. will come C. would come D. comes
26……………. you can guarantee prices for the next two years, we’ll sign the contract.
A. As long as B. In case C. Unless D. Until
27. I’m sure we……………… this contract unless we …………. a lower price.
A. will get/offer B. won’t get/don’t offer
C. won’t get/offer D. would be/was
28. I’m leaving now, I……………. back at 8.30 if the traffic…………. too bad.
A. won’t be/isn’t B. will be/is C. will be/isn’t D. would be/was
29. If you………….. this week, we ……………turn to another supplier.
A. couldn’t deliver/will have to B. can’t deliver/will have to
C. didn’t deliver/ will have to D. would deliver/would have to

70
 English for Business

30. If we……………5,000 boxes of tea, what discount………..us?

A. will order/will you offer B. ordered/you would offer
C. ordered/will you offer D. order/will you offer

B. LISTENING

a.Listen to the conversation and write TRUE or FALSE for each sentence.

1 Mr Peters is already a customer of the bank.

2 Mr Peters’ company makes chemicals that keep your swimming pool clean.
3 The company was founded 4 years ago
4 Mr Peters wants the loan to invest in a new business area
5 The company made a very small profit in its first year.
6 Mr Peters would like to make more sales internationally.
7 The company won’t need more people
8 Pool Protect would like to increase their advertising.
9 The bank will write a letter with its answer in the next couple of days.
10 Melanie is quite pessimistic about the loan application.

b.Listen again and comple the note with 1 word or a number only

1. Previous Loans: YES, last …………………….

2. Company Name: …………………Protect

3. Business: makes covers for swimming pools, keeps gardens ……………….

4. Company Founded: …………………..years ago

5. Current number of offices: ………………..

6. Current profits: ……………….percent increase on previous year.

7. Expansion plans: several countries in …………………

8. Workforce: currently ………………, looking to increase.

71
 English for Business

1. We might be able(A) to increase the size(B) of our order unless(C) you agreed to a higher
discount(D)
2. Not having been(A) patient enough, US internet giants(B) have failed to break up(C) the lucrative
Chinese market(D).
3. Financial analysts usually carry into (A) researches and provide (B) the results to (C) investment
advisors and potential investors (D).
4. If I would know(A) the firm better(B), I would offer(C) them credit terms(D).
5. Do you know whether is(A) my small business required to comply with(B) regulations that(C) big
businesses are subject to(D)?
6. We’ll never be able(A) to solve this problem if(B) we agree to discuss(C) it right now(D).
7. About(A) two decades ago, the supporters of globalization they(B) promised that free trade would
bring(C) a prosperity to people in both developed and developing(D) countries
8. If they find(A) our terms satisfactory(B), they would continue doing(C) business with us(C)
9. If you reduce(A) the price by(B) five percent, I might to(C) buy at lest(D) five thousand units.
10. An increasing number(A) of companies outsource or relocate to countries where(B) labor is
cheaper, environment laws are the weaker(C), and worker’s rights are fewer(D).

1. …………… we find your trade discount of 10% rather low, we are placing a fairly large order
this time in the hope of more favorable terms in future.
A. Although B. If C. Because D. Unless
2. It is impossible to break into the market………… of high tariffs and stubborn agriculture
subsides.
A. regardless B. in spite C. because D. consisting
3. Philippine Vice President said that the government should consider raising import tariffs for a
imported agriculture products, which…………. heavy subsidies in (foreign) countries and can, thus,
be easily dumped into developing countries like the Philippines.
A. reject B. enjoy C. earn D. refuse
4. A large number of SMEs ( Small and Medium Sized Enterprises ) ……………. the food industry:
99% of the enterprises are SMEs, and these firms employ 61% of the workers in the industry and
account for the 49% of the industry’s total turnover.
A. leave B. abandon C. break D. dominate

72
 English for Business

5. Some EU member states said that……………. the EU already had made substantial reforms to its
domestic support and offered to phase out export subsidies, other countries had done little to match
these efforts.
A. if B. while C. because D. when
6. Indeed, the irony of entrepreneurial leadership is that the same behaviors that lead to success and
growth at one phase may well lead to business……………. at another.
A. failure B. success C. boom D. development
7. Developing nations want wealthy industrial countries to reduce or end subsides. These payments,
they says, drive down prices because they………….. famers from rich nations to sell their products
for less on the world market.
A. force B. ask C. allow D. make
8. Food prices in Japan are among the highest in the world……………. efforts to protect Japanese
famers. Japan imports more than haft of its food. But is places high customs and other restrictions on
many products, especially rice, fruit and beef.
A. in spite of B. leading to C. resulting in D. as a result of
9. Almost all IKEA products are designed for flat packaging, which reduces shipping costs,
minimizes transport damage, increase store inventory capacity, and makes it easier for customers to
take the furniture home………….., rather than needing delivery.
A. immediately B. nearby C. themselves D. together
10. Organic products may not be genetically engineered. They must be made only with natural
processes and materials. Crops must be raised…………… most of the chemicals that farmers use
now.
A. without B. with C. for D. from
B. Choose the best answer for each question.
Industrial nations want developing economies to ease their trade barriers, like import taxes and
customs requirements. Developing nations, though, worry that foreign competition will hurt their
own industries. Concerns about the effects of foreign competition are not limited to developing
nations, of course.
11. According to the passage, all of the following are true EXCEPT:
A. Import taxes and customs requirements are barriers to trade.
B. Trade barriers are imposed by developing nations against developed ones.
C. Only developing economies are concerned about the effect of foreign competition.

73
 English for Business

D. According to developing nations, foreign competition may exercise a negative impact on their
industries.
12. The word 'ease' is closest in meaning to which of the following?
A. reduce B. increase C. ensure D. strengthen
Along with tens of thousands of other banana growers in the Winward Islands, Denis Sutherland
faces ruin. The World Trade Organization (WTO) has forced the European Union to phase out its
old quota system that guaranteed West Indian growers market access, and there's no way she can
match the prices of the giant US corporations that dominate the market for the world's favorite fruit.
13. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?
A. Bananas are popular worldwide.
B. Tens of thousands of banana growers in the Winward Islands face bankruptcy.
C. West Indian banana growers used to dominate the world's banana market.
D. Previously, West Indian banana growers were guaranteed access to the European Union market.
Now, Ethiopia wants to control the use of its specialty coffee names under trademark laws. The idea
is to charge coffee sellers for the right to use those names. The world's best known coffee seller,
Starbucks, however, resisted the idea. But last week, after two days of talks, Ethiopia's Intellectual
Property Office and the Starbucks Coffee Company released a joint statement. They said they look
forward to signing an agreement this month.
14. Which of the following is untrue about Ethiopia?
A. It wants to make sellers pay for the right to use their coffee names.
B. It is the world's most famous coffee seller.
C. It signed a joint statement with Starbucks Coffee Company.
D. It would like to sign an agreement with Starbucks Coffee Company this month.
15. The word 'resisted' is closest in meaning to which of the following?
A. protected B. fought for C. protested against D. agreed with

E. SPEAKING

74
 English for Business

Unit QUALITY
10

A. VOCABULARY : Choose the correct answer

1. All products which are ……………, that's manufactured in large quantities on one production line, will
be identical or very similar.
A. mass – marketed C. mass- advertised.
B. mass - produced D. mass - customized
2. Unlike a pirated or counterfeit copy, a …………. copy of Windows is supported by Microsoft or a
trusted reseller partner.
A. genuine B. truthful C. fake D. origin
3. A/An …………… product fails to meet one or more quality standards set by an organization.
A. flawless B. unsuccessful C. unprofitable D. defective
4. We have a policy of …………… which aims to make products containing almost no faults, so we were
surprised when we received complaints about the reliability of the product.

75
 English for Business

A. faultless B. no - faults C. zero – defects D. without - flaws

5. Having received too many complaints that our new face cream was burning users' skin, we had to
……………. it for investigation.
A. recall B. recollect C. remove D. refund
6. ‘Dove’ has offered more free product samples in return for customer …………….
A. feedback B. reference C. view D. thought
7. We sent the new design to potential customers and there was only one detail they suggested we
..................: the colour of the handle. In fact we changed it to dark - brown in the end.
A. repaint B. improve C. modify D. innovate
8. To meet our commitment to providing customers with top quality products, we are rigorously ..............
every product for faults.
A. watching B. observing C. keeping an eye D. monitoring
9. Does your company offer any form of ................ for poor - quality products?
A. premium B. commission C. compensation D. blood money
10. ' If any of the goods are ................., we promise to replace them at no extra cost.
A. faulty B. perfect C. flawless D. wrong
11. We're sorry we can't replace this DVD as it's no longer under……………
A. warranty B. subsidy C. protection D. payment
12. Our store has been considering ............., selling in the lower price ranges.
A. selling off B. reducing prices C. moving down - market D. discounting
13. Miele is ................ to a high degree. It makes 4 million electric motors (enough for all its products) in
its own plant near Cologne.
A. self - supporting B. self - sufficient C. self – financing D. self - made
14. Keeping the manufacturing base in the company's own plant is, Miele believes, essential to
.................. its quality standards.
A. responding B. complying C. running D. ensuring
15. Miele machines were to be ……………… The founding fathers considered it unethical to sell
machines which would no longer be of any use after only a few years.
A. long - lasting B. long - lived C. long - standing D. long - term
16. By producing robust appliances that will ……………… for years, Miele has been conserving natural
resources ever since the company was founded.
A. use B. live C. maintain D. last

76
 English for Business

17. Your satisfaction with our products and services is very important to us. We provide a 30- day money
back ...............!
A. commitment B. replacement C. guarantee D. refund
18. During the production process, machines are randomly chosen to …………. a lifespan of use within a
short period of time.
A. simulate B. imitate C. take after D. illustrate
19. Miele believes it can make its German plants more competitive by changes in working ………….
A. approaches B. practices C. measures D. means
20. Brookfield Airport has become a base for several …………… airlines offering cheap flights to
European destinations.
A. budget B. costly C. inexpensive D. high – cost
21. Can companies do everything in - house and remain ……….?
A. competitive B. competition C. compete D. competitiveness
22. After a 3 - month period of modification and testing, we relaunched the …………. products in May.
A. redesigned B. redesigning C. redesign D. redesignable
23. Unfortunately, AC5 failed due to lack of consumer …………. caused by bad publicity.
A. confidentiality B. confide C. confident D. confidence
24. Nowadays many businesses have focused their efforts on improving quality by implementing quality
……… techniques - which emphasize the role of quality assurance.
A. managerial B. management C. manage D. manager
25. Miele is renowned for its high manufacturing standards and its ………. to move down market?
A refusing B. refuse C. refusal D. refused
26. Markus Miele, co-owner of the company thinks that making one of the company's factories compete
…………… outside contractors keeps them competitive.
A. in B. to C. on D. against
27. The company has built up tremendous loyalty among consumers who know that the brand stands
……………. quality.
A. up B. by C. for D. on
28. …………. traditional quality control, inspection of products and services takes place during and at the
end of the operations process.
A. In B. Under C. With D. On
29. We are thinking ……………. withdrawing the LS30 ……………… sale.

77
 English for Business

A. about/ from B. ford/ from C. about/ off D. about/ out

30. Lorenchy said clearly that they were opposed …………. testing cosmetics …………. animals.
A. with/ for B. to/ for C. with/ on D. to/ on
31. At Miele we are always striving ……………. Our products and make cooking easier and more
pleasurable.
A. with improving B. to improve C. to be improved D. improve
32. Rupert Murdoch of News International risked ……………… millions of pounds when he launched
his satellite company Sky TV.
A. lose B. to lose C. losing D. to be lost
33. We are constantly looking at ways ……………. consumption levels, and our top of the range washing
machines currently use only 49 liters of water and 0.95 kWh of electricity for a full cottons load.
A. reducing B. to reduce C. to be reduced D. how reducing
34. When developing new products, we avoid ……………… critical material and …………. recyclable
ones instead.
A. to use/ to use B. using/ to use C. using/ using D. using/ use
35. I'm not sure if I have complained about the slow service at a restaurant, but I remember ……………. a
complaint about the in-flight poor quality food and drink.
A. make B. to make C. making D. not making

B. READING

1. When products are finished, inspection or testing takes place ……… products are despatched to
customers.
A. before B. after C. although D. because
2. Inspection is sometimes done too late in the production process. Often this …………. defective or
non-acceptable goods actually being received by the customer
A. results from B. leads to C. is due to D. is attributed to
3. Inspection is costly, in terms of ………… tangible and intangible costs: for example, materials, labour,
time, employee morale, customer goodwill, lost sales.
A. none of B. either C. neither D. both
4. Miele faces a tough few years as it strives ............ to keep ahead of competitors at the top end of the
white goods market but also to attract new generations of increasingly cost-conscious consumers.
A. not that B. not just C. both D. notwithstanding

78
 English for Business

5. Miele is based in Gütersloh, Germany. It was founded over 100 years ago in 1899 by Carl Miele and
Reinhard Zinkann. …………… it has always been a family-owned, family-run company.
A. Meanwhile B. After that C. Since then D. From now on
6. Miele manufactures in nine factories in Germany and one in Austria. It is committed to high quality
standards. Even the electronic controls for washing machines, tumble dryers and dishwashers are not
outsourced …………… developed and produced at Miele's own electronics production plant.
A. but B. and C. rather than D. as well
7. The slogan 'Forever Better' represents both a duty and a challenge to everyone working at Miele. Every
employee - ………. they work in research and development, manufacturing or sales - has a contribution to
make towards achieving this objective.
A. wherever B. whether C. regardless of D. in spite of
8. Quality means consistency, a lack of defects; it is related to what you set out to achieve. By these
standards, Korean and Japanese cars are very good quality because they ……… break down.
A. rarely B. routinely C. constantly D. always
9. ………. their high metal content, Miele's large appliances are amongst the most recyclable in the world.
A. Nevertheless B. Despite C. Thanks to D. In addition to
10. All plastic components are marked ………… they can be manually sorted by their different materials
at the end of a machine's life.
A. so that B. although C. while D. whereas
Even though Miele’s manufacturing costs are higher than those of its competitors’, these are justified by
its ability to produce appliances that - despite their high prices - people want to buy. Roughly 50% of
Miele’s manufacturing costs comes from components it makes itself compared with 30% for equivalent
companies. But, the company says, most Miele appliances will work for 20 years, which is longer than
comparable products. This is linked to the reliability of individual parts.
11. Which of the following is not true, according to the extract?
A. Consumers are willing to buy Miele appliances although they are expensive.
B. Making components itself accounts for over 50% of Miele's manufacturing costs.
C. About a third of Miele's competitors’ costs are for manufacturing in - house.
D. Each Miele component is reliable therefore the complete product is long-lasting.
12. The word "these" refer to which of the following?
A. manufacturing costs B. competitors C. appliances D. prices
13. The word "justified" can best be replaced by which of the following?

79
 English for Business

A. thought to be wrong B. proved to be right

C. believed to be untrue D. opposed
14. The word "comparable" is in closest meaning to
A. of similar standard B. competitive C. up market D. luxurious
Organic products often sell for higher prices than conventionally producing goods. The …………. results
from higher production and distribution costs for organic food, as well as consumers' willingness to pay
extra for organic food.
15. Which of the following is the most suitable to fill in the gap?
A. subsidy. B. price premium C. restriction D. revenue

Miele faces a tough few years as it strives not just to keep ahead of competitors at the top end of the white
goods market but also to interest new generations of increasing cost - conscious consumers in buying
machines that - in terms of kitchens - are the equivalent of luxury Swiss watches
16. The word "strives" could best be replaced by:
A. makes efforts B. withdraws C. reduce prices D. breaks rules

In addition to clean floors this also includes air hygiene. What would be the point if all the dust from
your floors simply was distributed into the air again and stay airborne? Over the past seven decades,
Miele engineers and quality research groups have worked tirelessly to design a vacuum cleaner that
provides you with the prefect floor care without polluting your home's indoor air quality.
17. Which of the following is the most suitable to fill in the gap?
A. Vacuum cleaning distributes dust into the air again.
B. Vacuum cleaning is simple.
C. Vacuum cleaning is more than just cleaning your floor.
D. Vacuum cleaning pollutes the indoor air.
18. The phrase "In addition to" means
A. Apart from B. At the same time C. Except for D. While

Miele was presented with an award in Munich on February 7 for being the most successful company in
Germany in 2007. In the category 'Best Company', Miele beat last year's winner Google, which came
second, and also Porsche, which came third. Rankings for this 'best brands' prize (now in its fourth year)
are the result of representative market research covering such key criteria as current economic market

80
 English for Business

success and brand recognition and popularity among consumers. Miele was successful as 'Best Company'
and also achieved a top-five place in the category 'Best Product Brand'.
19. Which of the following is not true?
A. Google was the second Best Company last year.
B. 'Best Company' has been awarded for four years now.
C. Whether a company is awarded “Best Company” is based on how popular it is among consumers.
D. Miele is recognized as one of the five best product brands.
20. The word "criteria" is in closest meaning to
A. reasons B. norms C. requirements D. standards

C. LISTENING

a. Listen to the recording and answer the questions

1. What is the name of the customer?

…………………………………………………………………………………………

2. What is his phone number?

…………………………………………………………………………………………

3. What is his customer number?

…………………………………………………………………………………………

4. What is the order number?

…………………………………………………………………………………………

5. What are the languages of the instructional manual?

…………………………………………………………………………………………

6. How long did it take him to assemble the pool table?

…………………………………………………………………………………………

7. What was the problem with the white ball?

81
English for Business

…………………………………………………………………………………………

8. What did the defective table cause to happen?

…………………………………………………………………………………………

9. How much was the pool table?

…………………………………………………………………………………………

10. Why is he going to write a letter to the head office?

…………………………………………………………………………………………

b. Listen again and decide whether the following sentences are true or false?

1. Harry bought the pool table from a website.

2. It arrived to his house quite quickly.
3. The lack of English instructions caused him huge problems in the assembly.
4. Two of the balls were missing.
5. One of Harry's friends arrived to help him understand the game.
6. The balls were not moving in the correct way on the table.
7. Harry is calling so that he doesn't have to write a letter.

D. SPEAKING

a. What words can describe a good quality product?

Reliable Value for money Long-lasting Traditional
Well-known Expensive Hand-made Modern
Genuine Made in (..) Well-designed Mass-produced
b. In your opinion, what is a good quality product?
c. Telephone complaint:
Student A: you have just bought a DVD player. Unfortunately, something goes wrong.
Phone the customer service to complain
Student B: you are a customer service officer. Answer the phone and try to setlle down the
problem.

82
 English for Business

Unit ETHICS
11

A. VOCABULARY

1.If your actions do not harm people or the environment , you are socially ......
A. Responsible B. Accusable C. influential D . Changeable.
2. This firm is notorious for its ……….. practices such as bribery or graft .
A. Recognized . B. Transparency C. Unethnical D. Professional
3……………agreement is a contract through which the two sides agree to disclose certain
information and which will help them to avoid future litigation problems .
A. Confidentiality B. White wash C. Cover up D. Secrecy
4 .Companies and countries such as Russia , Poland and Turkey have been taking the issue of
corporate .. ......... more seriously as they know it will help them stay competitive
A. Accountability B. responsibility C. Duty D. task

83
 English for Business

5. Jeffrey Wigand , who revealed that executives of tobacco companies knew that cigarettes were
addictive and that they added other carcinogenic ingredients to the cigarettes , is a well - known
.............. in the US .
A. Con artist B. fraudster C. Whistleblower D. informer
6..Many giants corporation are now asked to explain their ......... to a number of ethnical concerns .
A. Condition B. Approach C. Expansion D. potential
7. My Space has filed a ........ against an individual who has apparently sent millions of spam notes
to users on their network .
A. lawsuit B. lawyer C. law agent D. law - breaker
8. Savawatt's shareholders have called for more .............. in the company finance when recently they
have requested the company publish a quarterly financial report on the Internet A. Secrecy B.
brightness C. Clearance D. Transparency
9. Everyone praises our director for her fairness and ........... integrity .
A. Complete B. Whole C. Serious D. Real
10. He's been dismissed because he accepted a bribe . He awarded a contract to Eporium and
.............. they gave him $ 300,000 .
A. Instead B. By exchange C. In turn D. In return
11. Companies in the oil and mining sector are now worried about threats to their ………….due to
rumors of corruption and bribery .
A. Publicity B. Reputation C. Revenue D. Contracts
12. One of the companies' s managers has been sacked because he accepted ………….
A. Gift from supplier B. Wrong doings
C. Bribe D. Bad conduct
13 . ……………..make money through deception . They lie , cheat and fool people into thinking
they have happened onto a great deal or some easy money , when they've the ones who'll be making
money .
A. Sweeteners . B. Inside traders . C. whistleblowers D. Con artists .
14. They operated a multi - million dollar ........... intended to corrupt government officials
A slush fund B. pension find
C. charity fund D. investment fund
15. Many countries would probably become less corrupt if big businesses stopped offering
………….

84
 English for Business

A. taxes B. expenditures C. bribes D. expenses

16. His past may not be completely clean but he was never found guilty of ...............
A. whistle blowing B. absenteeism C. sweetener D. fraud
17. Managers were trying to silence potential……….. by promoting or relocating them .
A. con artists B. industrial spies C. whistle - blowers D. fraudsters
18. Companies in the oil and mining sector are worried about threats to their reputations due to
rumours of…………. . and bribery .
A. pressure B. adventure C. transparency D. corruption
19 . Many people praise the CEO for his fairness and absolute ………………
A. morale B. integrity C. adventure D. authority
20. Senior managers in the aviation industry have been criticised for………….. decision regarding
payments to secure contracts .
A. controversial B. reasonable C. timely D. feasible
21. Our company always complies with all regulations and rules when doing business with foreign
partners . In other words , we are very …………….
A. responsible B. ethical C. confidential D law - abiding
22. Tax avoidance is regarded as one of……………… activities that has become common in many
countries .
A. indifferent B. unethical C. tough D. offensive
23…………….is a situation when people use their power or influence to get jobs for their relatives
A. Nepotism B. Perk C. Favour D Autonomy
24. The financial sector has come under pressure over lending to socially…………. Projects.
A. sustainable B. significant C. incompetent D. questionable
25. The fact that some politicians hold shares in big companies…………. some ethics
A. emerges B. arises C. raises D. evokes
26 . ............. agreement is a contract through which the two sides agree not to disclose certain
information and which will help them to avoid future litigation problems .
A. Confidentiality B. Cover - up C. White wash D. Secrecy
27. Some sectors don't give enough information about social and environmental issues , but investor
interest and regulation combine to force greater .............
A. declaration B. leakage C. publicity D. disclosure

85
 English for Business

28. Companies in countries such as Russia , Poland and Turkey have been taking the issue of
corporate ... .......... more seriously as they know it will help then stay competitive .
A. authority B. responsibility C. duty D. task
29. A lawsuit against Kraft over fatty acids was rapidly ………….... after it said it would address
the problem .
A. recalled B. withdrawn C. submitted D. recollected
30. A few companies have………….. necessary measures to improve the working conditions in
their Third - world factories .
A. taken B. created C. promoted D. generated
new labor contract
B. Reading

A. Choose the best word to fill each gap .

1. A trustworthy online seller will give you all the details about the products or services
………………. they will also provide information about refund and cancellations .
A. Besides B. Even though C. As a result D. Owing to
2 . .................. the large number of complaints our agency receives , we are unable to answer all of
them personally .
A. Consequently B. Because of C. Despite D. Furthermore
3. In addition to borrowing from banks , most corporations issue stocks and bonds that they sell to
investors to …………….capital needed for business expansion .
A. offer B. rise C. lend D. raise
3. In addition to borrowing from banks , most corporations issue stocks and bonds that they sell to
investors to ................ capital needed for business expansion .
A. offer B. rise C. lend D. raise
4. This corporation doesn't plan to lay all the pipelines itself . They are going to……… some of the
work to small companies .
A. subcontract B. purchase C. obtain D. acquire
5. Many pseudo - companies use the Internet for dishonest " business " ……….. ,consumer
protection agencies receive thousands of complaints .
A. In spite B. On the other hand C. As a result D. While
6 ………….. the first non - financial reports came out more than a decade ago , they only focused
on the environment .

86
 English for Business

A. When B. Since C. Later D. During

7 ……………….more and more information about cyberspace fraud is available , the number of
the Internet victims remains high .
A. Because B. Although C. Therefore D. However
8. The World Bank has estimated the annual global cost of corruption at more than $ 1500bn
,……………. experts say it is hard to quantify .
A. So B. and C. because D. although
9. Some executives complain that First World standards do not…………… the realities of doing
business in developing countries .
A. harm B. suit C. threaten D. destroy
10. Boycotts by ethically motivated consumers can…………… big brands billions of euros a year ,
according to a recent report .
A. bring B. earn C. pay D. cost
B. Choose the best answer for each question .
“We are facing the greatest demand for our assistance that we have seen in our nine - year history” ,
says Bob Dun , Executive of Business for Social Responsibility ( BSR ) , a US non profit advisory
organisation whose annual membership includes many top multinationals .
11. Which of the following sentences is UNTRUE about BSR ?
A. Many top multinationals are among BSR's members .
B. BSR has been in business for nine years now .
C. More companies used to be in need of BSR's support .
D. BSR gives advice on corporate social responsibility .
Microsoft , Lucent and United Technologies have joined BSR this year , as well as Altria , a more
obvious target for pressure groups and litigation , as the parent company of both Kraft Foods and
Philip Morris .
12. Which of the following sentences is untrue about Altria ?
A. Altria is being criticised by pressure groups .
B. Altria owns Kraft Foods and Philip Morris .
C. Microsoft , Lucent and United Technologies have joined Altria this year .
D. Altria has become a member of BSR .
The UK Foreign Office has encouraged staff to report serious briberies , but in fact advised them to
turn a blind eye to payments of small backhanders to speed up services such as customs clearance .

87
 English for Business

13. The phrase " turn a blind eye to " could best be replaced by which of the following ?
A. ignore B. watch C. check D. report
14. The word " backhanders ' probably means :
A. allowances B. commissions C. profits D. sweeteners
Some of the world's biggest footwear and clothing brands , including Levi Strauss , Nike and
Reebok , have taken voluntary measures to increase the transparency of their supply chain . They
published on the Internet the first independent audits of their supplier factories , along with the steps
taken to improve often awful labour standards .
15. It can be inferred from the passage that Levi Strauss , Nike and Reebok
A. are not leading footwear and clothing industry .
B. are forced to be open about their supply chain .
C. have always kept the audits of their supplier factories secretive .
D. have taken measures to upgrade the working standards in their supplier factories .
16. The word ' awful ' is closest in meaning to
A. acceptable B. favorable C. terrible D. flexible
Laws making it easier for British companies to be prosecuted in the UK for overseas corruption
came into force two years ago , after the government came under pressure from the US , which has
long had a ban on corporate corruption in the developing world .
17. If a law or regulation comes into force , it ……
A. is obeyed by everyone B. becomes valid .
C. becomes out of date D. becomes more forceful .
18. If you come under pressure from someone , she / he tries to
A. talk to you . B. influence you .
C. communicate with you . D. protect you .
Intellectual property has become critical to Japanese companies in differentiating their products and
keep ahead of the competition . “ We are taking many measures to prevent technology leakage”,
says Yukio Shotoku , executive vice - president of Matshushita . Rival Sony says : “We would
certainly welcome a regulatory system to protect intellectual property in countries such as China and
South Korea”.
19. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the extract ?
A. Japan always stays ahead in the competition of intellectual property .
B. Matshushita is trying to stop its technology from being passed on .

88
 English for Business

C. Matshushita and Sony are competitors .

D. Sony expects China to introduce regulations on intellectual property protection .
20. The word critical means the same as
A. out of question B. very important C. unnecessary D. commonplace

C. LISTENING

a. Listen to the conversation and put the following stages in logical order.

A The newspapers asked questions

B We recalled the product
C The company lost a lot of money
D We launched the product
E The R and D department tested the product
F The number of complaints doubled
G People started to complain
H The product sold well

1 3 5 7
2 4 6 8

b. Listen to the conversation about sickleave and fill in the blanks with no more than 3
words.

A. We’ve got to do something about it. People are taking too many days off sick. Sick leave
increase by (1) ……………….last year. I have got the (2)……………..today. on average
staff took fourteen days off sick – that’s far too many.
B. Absolutely, it’s really (3) ……………… for us. It’s affecting the service we give our
customers and it’s costing us a lot of money each year. It can’t go on.
A. OK, well, as I see it, there are several ways we could do with this. We could get (4)
…………..and simply say, no paid leave at all for the first 3 days someone is sick. Or we
could do another way er………offer staff a (5) ……………..at the end of the year if they
89
English for Business

don’t take much sick leave.and there’s a third option: we could bring in a doctor and
physiotherapist for staff, and free health tests and counselling. They could check up on staff
who are taking far too much sick leave, the ones who think it’s an extra holiday for them.
B. Lets look at the (6) …………………of the first option: no paid leave for the first 3 days staff
are sick. On the one hand, I think it will reduce the amount of sick leave because people will
lose pay when they are off work. On the other hand, it’s very unfair for people who are (7)
………………sick, you know if they are suffering from a bad cold or flu, for example. It
won’t be popular with the staff, or with the unions….
A. Well, let’s look at this from another (8) …………………..It might be worth using a
completely diffirent approach. We could try sending a questionaire to all staff, asking them
to suggest ideas for reducing absenteeism, because of sick leave. Of cause we’d explain why
the (9) ………………… isn’t working.
B. Good idea. If we do this, then they’re more likely to buy into any new (10)
……………….Yes, it should work well.
A. Right, so …the best way forward is to sound out staff and get their opinions. A survey will
give us all the (11) …………….we need
B. And the next thing to do is to prepare a questionaire. I take it you want my department to do
that?
A. Yes, if you would. Could you have a draft questionaire ready by next Monday, for our
meeting?
B. Yes, I think we can (12) ………………..that. I’ll let you know when it’s ready

D. SPEAKING

a. What are some unethical activities in the work place?

1 Avoid paying tax 6 Using your influence to get job for
relatives( nepotism)
2 Claim extra expense 7 Ringing in sick when you are not ill
3 Using work facilities for private 8 Taking extended lunch breaks
purposes
4 Accepting praise for someone else’s 9 Giving good references to people you
90
English for Business

work or ideas want to get rsd of

5 Selling defective products 10 Employing people without the correct
paperwork.

B, Discuss the way to prevent them

91
 English for Business

Unit leadership
12

A. VOCABULARY

1. A good salesman must be………….. if he wants to succeed. That means he needs to be very
active in business.
A. impulsive B. informal C. empathy D. aggressive
2. The leaders responsibility are to create a work environment of enthusiasm and …………...
excellence.
A. reducing B. increase C. motivating D. reviewing
3. What they need is a ………….person, someone who can choose the right course of action even in
a very difficult situation.
A. adventurous B. informal C. decisive D. persuasive
4. If you want to control your employees, you should be more……………. of them.
A. thoughtful B. ruthless C. charismatic D. active
5. He was rather…………… not the kind of person who plans what they say or do.
A. informal B. persuasive C. decisive D. impulsive
6. Which of the following means a leader is cruel when he behaviors towards his employees.
A. flexible B. opportunistic C. energetic D. ruthless
7. Nowadays, many company…………. into their production because they want to increase market
share.
A. diversify B. reduce C. renew D. change
8. Which of following means a process that companies focus on the best opportunity to increase
sales.
A. motivating B. promoting C. marketing strategy D. dumping
9. Five years ago the stores…………. into selling other different products , such as computer games,
videos, concert tickets and even T-shirts.
A. justified B. verified C. diversified D. identified

92
 English for Business

10. His style of leadership was quite……… He was always so competitive and so eager to succeed
that many of us often found him ruthless .
A. humanitarian B. aggressive C. cautious D. carefree
11. A leader is someone who knows what they want to achieve and can…………. that to his or her
people .
A. locate B. accommodate C. take D. communicate
12. The group is looking for a first - class - leader who can .................. the challenge of international
growth .
A. meet B. make C. satisfy D. have
13. The now managing director has…………. the company from being a loss - making company
into a highly - profitable organization .
A. made B. returned C. turned D. created
14. For leaders the ability to inspire the people they work with is extremely important . The verb
inspire is closest in meaning to :
A. discourage B. motivate C. distract D. allow
15. Leaders should…………. momentum and……… sure that people are moving forward with the
various projects that are under their control .
A. make / create B. create / make C. create/do D. make / have
16. In general most people dislike making decisions . It is partly because any decision we make
…………… a certain amount of risk .
A. invites B. involves C. invokes D. invents
17. If you want to get to the top , you have to be ……………I mean be prepared to take risks and to
try new ways of doing things .
A. cautious B. flexible C. adventurous D. charismatic
18. Any decision you make can have good or bad ..........
A. sequences B. consumptions C. constraints D. consequences
19. We should……………. the production of the deluxe models , which are no longer in demand .
A. discriminate B. discontinue C. disconnect D. disfavor
20. We always do what she wants us to because she gives us good reasons for doing it . She is very
……………..
A. persuasive B. adventurous C. impulsive D. open

93
 English for Business

21. Someone who acts to get what they want without worrying about hurting people displays
……………..
A. charisma B. ruthlessness C. carelessness D. flexibility
22. Leaders should motivate their people to overcome ............... in the way of the company's goals .
A. obstacles B. differences C. obsessions D. ambitions
23. She was a .......... chairwoman , with a very strong belief in the mission of our organization and
very intense feelings about our achievements .
A. passionate B. believable C. accessible D. opportunistic
24. She failed to recognize the importance of building and using networks that cut across all
managerial levels and divisions . The word " failed to " here is closest in meaning to :
A. could B. did not C. lacked D. missed
25. This organization is too………….. There are four forms for everything !
A. bureaucratic B. flexible C. progressive D. hierarchical
26. Good leaders are also inclusive , they like to involve everyone - and they understand the
importance of delegating …………….
A. energy B. aggressiveness C. authority D. informality
27. The CEO is admired for putting up a fight …………… .. corruption at all levels throughout the
Group .
A. with B. for C. against D. x
28. The company grew quickly………… it had a successful strategy .
A. because B. but C. therefore D. as a result
29. We need more information about ............ we are going wrong .
A. where B. what C. that D. which
30. I think you……….. hire a top executive to run that part of the business .
A. ought B. are C. should D. have
31. I believe that successful people are those ….…. seize opponunities and take risk.
A . who B. which C. what D whom
32. The assertiveness training workshop, …………..starts next month , is designed for anyone……..
.... is or will be a team leader .
A. who / which B. that / who C. which / who D. that / which
33. The local investors are feeling sorry………. they all opposed the deal .
A. why B. that C. so D. what

94
 English for Business

34. Some deluxe models are : ................. in demand .

A. no longer B. not longer C. no long D. so longer
35. Many people refuse to make a decision , or postpone it indefinitely…………… of the
consequences .
A. because for fear B. simply for afraid
C. because for afraid D. simply for fear

B. SENTENCE STRUCTURE AND WRITTEN EXPRESSIONS: there is 1 mistake

in each sentence. Circle the letter that denotes the mistake.

1. Poor(A) leadership almost(B) inevitably resulting(C) in ineffective organizations (D).

2. Ineffective(A) organizations weakened(B) by interpersonal conflicts which remain unresolved(C)
and are allowed to get worse(D) .
3. You can refer to(A) these guided principies(B) which are meant(C) precisely to speed up(D) the
process .
4. Dalgleish & Mackay , where is(A) one of Hong Kong's largest companies , was founded(B) in
1832 by(C) Scotsmen Allen Dalgleish and(D) Charles Mackay .
5. Carly Fiona , who(A) has called(B) America's most powerful(C) business woman , is Chief
Executive(D) of the huge Hewlett Packard .
6. The outgoing(A) Chief Executive who is led(B) the company successfully(C) for the last ten
years , is due(D) to retire at the end of the year .
7. Our client is looking for(A) an outstanding leader who(B) will drive the group forward to use(C)
a mix of strategic(D) and financial skills .
8. The business leaders I admire almost(A) are those(B) managers at Pearson who are achieving(C)
our goals of double - digit earnings growth(D) .
9. The new Chief Executive promised to introduce(A) regularly staff meetings(B) which would
enable(C) staff at all levels to participate(D) in decision - making .
10. The company which(A) legal headquarters are now(B) in Bermuda has interests in general
trade(C) , insurance , and merchant banking(D) .

C. READING: choose the correct answer.

95
English for Business

1. Without followers , there would be no leaders . The concept of leadership , and the qualities
needed for someone to become a leader , can probably best be understood by studying the ............
between the leader and his or her followers .
A. relationship B. leadership C. ownership D. citizenship
2. To learn leadership skills people should experience a lot of different types of activity , lots of
different roles and lots of different challenges that they can ………….... up a range of experiences
and a range of skills in leading people in different situations .
A. build B. make C. take D. look
3. Leaders are people who can gain support , cooperation and commitment of those they need to
move in that direction . The words in Italics could best be replaced by :
A. involvement B. hostility C. indifference D. improvement
4. Good leaders are very good at …………….their staff , enabling each of them to become a
creative and independent team player .
A. empowering B. caring C. persuading D. strengthening
5. He's very ..................... , a kind of person who often takes immediate advantage , often
unethically , of any circumstance of possible benefit .
A. ruthless B. informal C. aggressive D. opportunistic
6 . All Ikea executives are aware of the value of cost consciousness . They are strongly …………...
from traveling first or business class .
A. encouraged B. discouraged C. helped D. enabled
B. Choose the best answer for the reading passenger.

Mr. Kamprad is determined that Ikea group will not go public , because short - term shareholders ’
demands conflict with long - term planning . “I hate short - temist decisions . If you take long -
lasting decisions , it's very difficult to be on the stock exchange” .
7. Which of the following is NOT true ?
A. Mr. Kamprad decides not to raise capital from the public .
B. Ikea will definitely list their shares on the stock market .
C. Mr Kamprad does not like short - term decisions .
D. It is not easy for companies to make long - term planning if they are listed on the stock market
.

96
English for Business

While leadership can be learnt , it cannot be taught . It is a skill that , like swimming or flamenco
guitar , is developed through personal experience and coaching .
8. Which of the following sentences is true ?
A. Leadership like swimming can be taught .
B. Leadership like flamenco guitar can be taught through personal experience and coaching C.
Leadership can only be developed through personal experience and coaching .
D. Leadership can be learned and taught if the leaders are talented .

Team - building is one of the top priorities of effective leaders . They work at creating an
environment in which each team member , while contributing to the team effort and to the purpose
of the organization , is able to improve on their own performance .
9. Which of the following statements is NOT true ?
A. Effective leaders consider team - building to be a very important task .
B. In team work each member should contribute to the team effort toward achieving the
organization goals .
C. Personal performance can be improved in team work .
D. It is impossible for team members to develop themselves in team work .
There are three qualities that make effective communication possible . The most important one is
called ' empathy ' . It is a quality which anybody who is in a position of leadership needs to have .
Indeed , good leaders need to be able to see the world through the eyes of those who work with
them .
10. Which of the following sentences is NOT true about ' empathy " ?
A. It can make communication effective .
B. It is the most important quality for effective communication .
C. It is the only quality essential for effective communication .
D. It is necessary for any leader .
Leadership is a field so confused that the experts rarely agree on definitions , let alone what should
be studied and how success should be measured or testable theories developed
11. According to the author , which of the following is true about leadership experts ?
A. They all have the same idea about what leadership is and how to teach it .
B. They have very different opinions about what leadership is and other areas relating to leadership

97
English for Business

C. They agree on how to measure success in leadership training .

D. They have developed the same testable theories for leadership training .
As he walks around the group's stores , he expresses the feeling of “togetherness” physically ,
clasping and hugging his employees . He asks his employees to call him by name . The informality
and lack of hierarchy are emphasized by his dress style , with an open - necked shirt preferred to a
tie .
12. According to the passage , Mr Kamprad expresses the informality and lack of hierarchy by all
of the following EXCEPT :
A. asking his employees to call him by name
B. clasping and hugging his employees
C. wearing an open - necked shirt
D. wearing a tie
13. The word “togetherness” here can be defined as
A. the feeling you have when you are part of a group of people who have a close relationship wit h
one another
B. the feeling you have with people in formal situations at stores .
C. the feeling you have with you family members .
D. the way leaders always treat their subordinates .
It has become generally accepted that organizations need better leadership if they are to survive
and prosper in these difficult times . Well - led companies know that leaders are made , not born ,
and invest in the development of their future managers .
14. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage ?
A. Well - managed companies think that people can be trained to be leaders .
B. In difficult times good leadership is essential for organizations in order to survive and grow .
C. Well - led companies consider investment in the development of their future managers
necessary .
D. Well - managed companies think that leaders are born , not made .
Although Anne has built a loyal , high - performing team , she had few networks outside her group
to help her anticipate the new demands . Worse , she was assessed by her boss as lacking the
broader business picture .
15. According to the passage , which of the following is true about Anne ?
A. She was well - aware of what was going on in the market .

98
English for Business

B. Her boss thought that she had the vision required for a good leader .
C. Her team members are loyal and effective .
D. Her networks outside her group enable her to get information about the market .

D. LISTENING: listen to an interview with a new CEO

a. Answer the questions

1. What seems to have most convinced George to become the CEO?

A they were willing to pay more than his old company

B that Savannah Software had a bright future
C Savannah Software was very undervalued
2. What mistakes does George think Savannah Software has made in the past?

A low standard products

B moving into gaming
C loss of focus
3. Why does George think Savannah Software's competitors done so well?

A they undercut Savannah's prices

B they've copied some of Savannah's ideas
C they've done a better job
4. How does George justify Savannah Software's high prices?

A R&D
B additional hardware
C multi-lingual
5. Why did George put a world map in his office?

A due to the international offices they have

B to send a message about their future plans
C it was in his old office
6. Why doesn't Savannah Software have an app?
99
 English for Business

A the software isn't really suitable for mobile devices

B there is, but it's not well-known
C it's a company mistake that there isn't

b. Listen and fill in the blanks

George: Savannah is a very strong company, good …………(1)…….., buckets of potential for
future growth. There's no way I would have even considered coming to Savannah if I wasn't already
sold on what a fine company it was.

Diana: But you left your previous company and went to Savannah also knowing the company had
……….(2)…….. in the last few years?

George: Every company has the potential to perform better. If you didn't believe that, you wouldn't
get out of bed in the morning.

Diana: So where do you see room for improvement at Savannah? What areas have you
………(3)…….. for your attention in these early days of your leadership?

George: Well, obviously I'm not going to be giving away any trade secrets here on your show,
Diana, however great I think your show is! But it's no secret that Savannah has lost its focus
somewhat in recent times. We need to get back to basics, which is of course high-quality,
competitive software for businesses.

Diana: Where has this loss of focus been most evident in your opinion?

George: I don't think Savannah has any business trying to force itself into the home entertainment
market. In time, of course, that might well change and we can ………(4)…….. the software
landscape at that time. For now though, Savannah needs to return to its core business.

Diana: What is Savannah's core business? What are its flag bearing software applications? We've
seen you branch out into entertainment areas such as gaming and, if I may say so, ……..(5)……..
educational titles.

100
 English for Business

George: Well perhaps I don't share the severity of your opinion concerning some of our recent
publications, but yes we do have core applications: text to speech and speech to text applications for
businesses are what put us on the map and we need to focus our attention back there because we
have lost a ……..(6)……..amount of market share. Others have come along and beaten us at our
own game, they've made improvements where we should have done so, met customer requirements
where we failed. In short, we must return at Savannah to the very pinnacle of business software
solutions. We can't be playing catch up anymore.

Diana: What about your prices? One of the biggest criticisms I've heard about Savannah was the
……..(7)………between quality and price.

George: We spend a huge amount on research and development. Our prices do reflect the work that
goes into the development of what is very ……..(8)………. If we think we can gain market
advantage by dropping our prices, that's of course something worth considering.

Diana: I read an interview you gave in Business Weekly a week or so ago. In there, you said you
wanted to bring Savannah to the world, or rather the non-English speaking world.

George: I spoke before about looking for areas of ………(9)……., areas where we have been
historically weak and I think this is certainly one of them. There's no reason why we can't produce
our top language recognition software for business people in Paris, Madrid, Munich, or anywhere
else for that matter. Savannah has been too inward looking, too parochial in the past. You know, the
first thing I did when I got into my new office in Boston was to put a map of the world on the wall
above my desk. That there wasn't one, I think, speaks volumes about some …….(10) ……… that
this company has made in the past.

D. SPEAKING

a. What are the qualities of a good leader?

Decisive Informal Accessible Motivating

Charismatic Passionate Thoughtful Impulsive

101
English for Business

Cautions Adventurous Flexible Opportunistic

Aggressive Energetic Persuasive open
magnetic Ruthless
b. What kind of leaders do you want to work with?

102