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EuroPro B2 Web Coursebook

EuroProB2 Web Coursebook

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EuroPro B2

Web Coursebook

EuroP

ro B2

Web C

oursebook

introduction

unit 1 - short texts

unit 2 - paragraph headings

unit 3 - scan reading

unit 4 - multiple choice reading

unit 5 - short conversations

unit 7 - meeting

unit 8 - transactional writing

unit 9 - extensive writing

unit 10 - dictation

unit 11 - muliple choice gapfill

unit 12 - modified cloze

unit 13 - dialogue

unit 14 - summary

unit 15 - letter

unit 16 - interview

unit 17 - presentation

unit 18 - transactional dialogues

unit 19 - collaborative speaking

unit 20 - CEFR

unit 6 - making notes

EuroPro B2 Coursebook - Introduction Page 1

Introduction to EuroPro B2 Web Coursebook About this book

This coursebook is intended to prepare students for the EuroPro Examination at B2 (Vantage) level. The EuroPro coursebook is primarily intended for classroom use, but can also be used by those working alone or with a tutor.

The book has twenty units; one for each task in the examination (reading 4 tasks, listening 3 tasks, writing 2 tasks, grammar and vocabulary 3 tasks, mediation 3 tasks and speaking 4 tasks); and finally a unit containing the CEFR criteria and extra classroom activities.

Each unit, except the last, follows a similar structure: first vocabulary related to a particular business or professional topic is introduced; second, students meet and work with a reading text; third, examination skills for that task are practised, and fourth, there is a practice task for the examination. Throughout the unit there is a continuity of topic.

The teaching time for each unit will, of course, depend on the students’ level and needs as well as the teacher’s method of presentation. However each until should provide for three hours teaching. The book is, therefore, best suited to a 48-50 hour course.

Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR)

The CEFR of the Council of Europe (language division) is a set of can-do criteria which enable all language examinations in Europe to be related to a common framework of standards. The criteria are designed positively, i.e. through establishing what a student can do, and not focussing on what the candidate can’t do yet. As the criteria for examinations are based positively and on communication competence, those examinations which are related to the framework are practical and non-threatening.

This coursebook and the EuroPro Examination are fully related to the CEFR. As a result both the student’s successful preparation using this book and the anticipated successful examination result will establish him/her at B2 (Vantage) level. The achievement will be recognised across Europe.

Euro Examinations

At present Euro Examinations are offered at three levels B1 (Threshold), B2 (Vantage) and C1 (Operational Proficiency).

The examinations are in two systems: The EuroExam for general learners of English, and the EuroPro for business and professional learners.

In addition to coursebooks, teachers’ books and sound recordings, the Euro Examination Centre also publishes sample sets of examination papers, diagnostic tests and mock examinations.

Distinguishing the format of the EuroPro from the EuroExam

The EuroPro and the EuroExam differ in format in just two of the tasks. In the speaking tasks the EuroPro features a presentation whereas the EuroExam has a picture story, and in the listening tasks the EuroPro has a business meeting and the EuroExam has a radio/TV programme.

The format of the remaining seventeen tasks is the same for both exams.

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

EuroPro B2 Coursebook - Introduction Page 2

The Structure of the EuroPro B2 Coursebook The EuroPro examination has nineteen tasks. Each task has one teaching unit. The answers and tapescript (if relevant) are contained in the unit. The Reading Units (1 - 4) Unit 1: Organisation in the Workplace task name Reading test, part 1: short texts

task description

You match five short texts (hand-written notes, short advertisements, notices, instructions, directions, or excerpts from a leaflet), with one of seven possible responses (pictures, titles, notes, definitions, etc.). An example is provided.

skills tested Skim reading, scan reading and reading for detailed information

real life link It is important to understand the meaning in context of notes and other short texts (e.g. business emails)

topic for task in this book The principles of ‘scientific’ management

Unit 2: The Restructuring of Business task name Reading test, part 2: paragraph headings

task description There are six paragraphs for which you must find the most appropriate heading from a choice of eight paragraph headings. Two headings are not needed. An example is provided.

skills tested Reading for gist.

real life link You will often have to read long texts, but only have to understand what the text is about and not for detailed information.

topic for task in this book The rights and options of workers who are made redundant

Unit 3: The Private Lives of Business People task name Reading test, part 3: scan reading

task description You read four texts on a single topic and eight statements containing information from one of the texts. Your task is to decide which text each statement comes from. An example is provided.

skills tested Scan reading real life link You often have to find key pieces of information in a longer text. topic for task in this book The constitution and rules of a club for wealthy businessmen

Unit 4: Work-Related Conflict task name Reading test, part 4: multiple choice reading

task description You answer seven multiple choice comprehension questions based on a single text of 350-450 words, normally an article, letter or narrative.

skills tested Skim and scan reading plus reading for detailed information

real life link Some documents, such as proposals, need to be understood fully in professional life.

topic for task in this book The Grenberg miners’ strike

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

EuroPro B2 Coursebook - Introduction Page 3

Listening Units (5 – 7) Unit 5: Business Talk and Chatter task name Listening test, part 1: short conversations

task description You listen twice to six short recordings made in the same location, and match them with eight pictures or eight short pieces of text, (e.g. a list, email extracts, advertisements)

skills tested Listening for gist and specific information to enable matching. real life link We often need to understand a situation from small pieces of speech. topic for task in this book Boring talk at meetings, presentation and speaking skills

Unit 6: Personal Bankruptcy task name Listening test, part 2: making notes

task description

You listen twice to an extended monologue. There are notes based on the text, which contains nine gaps. Each gap requires a piece of information, which you must write in no more than three words, whilst listening.

skills tested Listening for specific information.

real life link In meetings you will often have to listen and take down key points in notes.

topic for task in this book The legal procedure affecting a person who is declared bankrupt.

Unit 7: People Changing Jobs task name Listening test, part 3: meeting

task description You listen twice to an excerpt from a formal meeting. You answer ten multiple choice questions while listening.

skills tested Listening for gist, specific information and detailed information

real life link Understanding what is being said in a meeting is vitally important in business

topic for task in this book The rules for fair and unfair dismissal of employees

Writing units (8 – 9) Unit 8: Formal Letters task name Writing test, part 1: transactional writing

task description

You read several pieces of written or diagrammatic text (leaflets, notes, letters, maps, timetables) providing a context and information for the task. You are asked to write a ca. 200 word transactional letter, email or message using the information provided.

skills tested Achieving a transactional outcome within the correct genre with written language accuracy.

real life link Most of your letter and email writing is to realise specific purposes. topic for task in this book Letter terminating a contract of employment

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

EuroPro B2 Coursebook - Introduction Page 4

Unit 9: Formal Reports task name Writing test, part 2: extensive writing

task description

There are three tasks from which you choose one. You must write a ca. 200 word text within the genre specified. The type of text could be an article, a report, a descriptive or narrative composition, or a discursive essay.

skills tested Producing a relevant text within a given genre with written language accuracy.

real life link You need to be able to write in different genres, e.g. a report, a proposal, a letter of complaint.

topic for task in this book A report on the office Christmas dinner

Grammar & Vocabulary Units (10 – 12) Unit 10: Social Welfare task name Grammar and vocabulary test, part 1: dictation

task description

You listen to a recorded extended monologue of 85-120 words. You have to write the text down word for word. The text is heard three times, once all the way through with no break. The text is then heard again broken down into small units with each unit repeated once. There are breaks between units to allow time for writing.

skills tested Spelling, grammatical accuracy, vocabulary and detailed listening skills

real life link Sometimes you need to write down exactly what someone has said in a meeting

topic for task in this book The rules for paying social welfare benefits

Unit 11: Work Satisfaction task name Grammar and vocabulary test, part 2: multiple choice gap-fill

task description You receive a written text of 150-200 words with ten gaps where a single content word has been removed. For each gap, the task is to choose the correct word from four options.

skills tested Vocabulary, meaning in context, collocations and phrasal verbs

real life link When writing a letters, emails and other texts you often need to find the correct word to express yourself clearly.

topic for task in this book Levels of work satisfaction among women workers

Unit 12: Business Etiquette and Ceremony task name Grammar and vocabulary test, part 3: modified cloze

task description You receive a written text of 150-200 words with ten gaps where a single grammar word has been removed. For each gap, the task is to write in a correct word.

skills tested Grammatical structure and meaning in context.

real life link When writing emails, letter and other texts, you need accurate grammatical structures to ensure your meaning is clear.

topic for task in this book Etiquette at a formal business dinner

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

EuroPro B2 Coursebook - Introduction Page 5

Mediation Units (13 –15) Unit 13: Doing Business Abroad (incomplete) task name Mediation test, part A1: dialogue

task description

You hear a dialogue of six turns between two participants, a Hungarian (speaking in Hungarian) and an English speaker (speaking in English). One of the speakers may be an official working in the public sphere. You write down the main points of the conversation in the opposite language to the one you hear. Two examples are given.

skills tested Listening for key points and writing them down in another language. real life link You may have to mediate speakers of Hungarian and English. topic for task in this book Doing business abroad

Unit 14: task name Mediation test, part B1: summary

task description You receive a text in English of 200-225 words, written in five paragraphs. For each paragraph you are given three summaries written in Hungarian. You must choose the most appropriate summary.

skills tested Reading for gist in English and choosing a summary in Hungarian.

real life link You will often have to read long texts, but only have to understand what the text is about and not for detailed information.

topic for task in this book Professional associations and trade unions

Unit 15: task name Mediation test, part B2: letter

task description You receive a personal or semi-formal letter of about 80 words written in Hungarian. You have to translate the letter into English.

skills tested Translation from and to particular genres real life link You may have to translate letters, emails and other documents topic for task in this book Work experience

Speaking Units (16 – 19) You are examined in pairs. There are two examiners: one an interlocutor, the other an assessor. You have ten minutes before the test for preparing Task 2. You may use printed (i.e. non-electronic) dictionaries. Unit 16: Interviews at Work task name speaking test, part 1: interview

task description

The interlocutor will ask you one introductory question, and then two questions on another topic. Topics include travel, work, family, sport, cinema, hobbies, education, relationships, housing, news and current affairs and the environment.

skills tested Turn taking, language functions, detailed listening skills real life link Interviews are common in the world of work; e.g. job interviews. topic for task in this book

Interviews are important. They involve preparation and communication skills.

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

EuroPro B2 Coursebook - Introduction Page 6

Unit 17: Business Profits task name Speaking test, part 2: presentation

task description

You receive a set of information (e.g. graphs, charts, figures) to be used in the presentation. Before meeting the examiner, you have ten minutes to prepare. You may make notes in the preparation stage but should not read aloud from a prepared script. (2 minutes)

skills tested You may have to give a presentation of your firms product or service, or you may give in-house presentations

real life link You may have to give a presentation of your firms product or service, or you may give in-house presentations

topic for task in this book

Is all the behaviour of managers in firms directed towards the maximisation of profits?

Unit 18: Status at Work task name Speaking test, part 3: transactional dialogues

task description

You receive a cue card. The card describes a situation, your role and gives you an instruction. You speak, the interlocutor gives a scripted reply and then you respond to the reply. You will have three cue cards. You and your partner will alternate in doing this task.

skills tested Understanding a situation, use of language functions, appropriateness of style and register

real life link Being asked questions and responding to them effectively is a key skill in business life

topic for task in this book The language of power and inequality at work

Unit 19: Expanding a Company task name Speaking test, part 4: collaborative speaking

task description

You receive a topic card which contains a debatable point or question, (e.g. what are some of the problems of living in a foreign country?) First you and your partner think of issues which answer the question or contribute to the debate. Then you discuss, expand on and prioritise these issues. Task 4 is the only task in the speaking test where you talk to your partner. (3 minutes)

skills tested turn-taking skills, negotiating, prioritising

real life link You will have to negotiate and agree plans with others in your professional life

topic for task in this book The expansion of a software company

The Common European Framework of Reference for languages and extra lesson activities

Unit 20: EuroPro, the CEFR, and Extra Activities (incomplete) CEFR criteria All skills plus grammar & vocabulary Extra activities All skills plus grammar & vocabulary

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

EuroPro B2 Coursebook - Introduction Page 7

Recurrent skills in the exam While each exam task tests a particular language skill, sub-skill or aspect of the language systems of English, there are three themes that permeate every exam task. A Recognising and producing genre texts Every text in the exam, be it receptive/productive or visual/aural, is written in a particular genre, e.g. the genre of a letter of complaint, of a humorous narrative, of a joke, etc. Much is at stake here. The candidate needs to be able to recognise genre for reading and listening and be able to produce in the correct genre for speaking and writing. The following genre related issues will arise repeatedly throughout the course and in the exam. • What is the genre of the text? • What is the purpose of the text? • What information is, or should be, included? • What is, or should be, the format and layout of the text? • How is the information (to be) sequenced into paragraphs? • What kind of language is appropriate for the text? B Recognising lexical and grammatical words The distinction between lexical and grammatical words is central not only to the grammar and vocabulary tests, but is an important part of decoding texts in the receptive skills as well as playing a role for the candidate in producing coherence and cohesion in the productive skills. Lexical words have nominal, attributive or action roots, have meaning when standing alone and their number is infinite. Let us examine this definition in a little more detail. Nominal root words refer to things (e.g. stone, committee), attributes refer to qualities (e.g. strong, beautiful), and action root words to actions (e.g. walk, hit). Though their root may be of one kind, words can transform into other classes (e.g. strong, strength, to strengthen) All lexical words, whether nominal, attributive or active at root, are capable of transformation into nouns and possess a clear meaning when standing alone (e.g. stone, committee, strength, walk). The number of lexical words in the language is potentially infinite; (i.e. lexical words form a paradigmatic open set) Grammatical words create reference and cohesion, largely lack meaning when standing alone and are definite in number, They may also be distinguished negatively; i.e. as non-lexical words. Let us examine this definition in a little more detail. Reference words substitute one word for a word or phrase: i.e. pronomination, and/or relate the text, either in part or in whole, to time and place: i.e. deixis. Cohesion is a more general concept in which words connect different parts of the text. All reference words serve a cohesive function. The major classes of grammatical words are listed below in non-exclusive categories: • Pronouns: substitute for nominals (e.g. she, their, whose, those) and thus create either intra

or extra-textual reference. • Prepositions front phrases with either adverbial (e.g. She lived in France) or adjectival

(e.g. the book on the table) force. Dependent prepositions indicate nominals connected to the headword (e.g. She listened to John, to bet on horses)

• Discourse markers are supra-sentential and relate one part of the text to another (e.g. however, consequently)

• Conjunctions syntactically link words, phrases, clauses, (e.g. and, but, although,)

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

EuroPro B2 Coursebook - Introduction Page 8

• Determiners qualify nominal phrases: articles for definiteness (e.g. a, the), and quantifiers (e.g. some, all)

• Reference adverbials: these contain a pronominal function (e.g. there/in that place, now/at this time, likewise/in that way), or a pure relational function (e.g. more coffee)

• Adverbial particles indicate the perfective aspect (e.g. to tidy up) or are components in phrasal verbs (e.g. to put up with)

• Auxiliaries indicate time and aspect (e.g. is, was, has does). • Modals establish the mood of a clause (e.g. should, could, might). Grammatical words are often called functional words because they bind with lexical words to form propositional meaning and textual coherence. Grammatical words cannot be transformed into nouns (being and having excepted) and have little meaning when standing alone. The number of grammatical words is fixed in the language; (i.e. grammatical words form a paradigmatic closed set) C Using top-down decoding For every receptive task the issue of top-down decoding is necessarily applicable. The skill requires the reader/listener to establish as a first step the topic and genre of the text, which is achieved by looking at the task title and any appended picture and then skim reading the whole text by concentrating on the lexical words. Having established the topic and genre the candidate needs to call up his/her knowledge of the topic and genre. In this way the candidate establishes an outline meaning of the whole text, which then becomes a tool for determining detailed and specific meaning within the text. Top-down methodology is doubly important: first, as a tool for organising the staging of receptive lessons, and second, as a tool for candidates approaching tasks in the exam. Even productive task units in the book do not escape its grip, as invariably any model speech or piece of writing is introduced using a top-down decoding system. In conclusion, a sound grasp of genre, recognising the distinction between lexical and grammatical words and acknowledging the wide application of top-down decoding enable teachers to prepare students for the EuroPro B2Exam. For students these skills make possible their success in the exam.

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Unit 1- Reading: Short texts Page 1

1 Organisation in the Workplace In this unit you will… • meet expressions about relationships and roles in the workplace • read an article about ‘scientific management’ • write up the minutes of a meeting A What makes a workplace efficient? Do you think your

workplace is efficient? What could be done to make your workplace more efficient?

B What do the words and phrases in the vocabulary box

mean?

prosperity, dividends, class, self-evident, to be coupled with, mutual relations, identical, to modify, to begrudge, to be entitled to, a competitor.

C Put one item from the vocabulary box into each gap. You may need to adapt the word.

Mr Jenner, a free-market thinker, believes that it is _1_ that shareholders want large _2_. He believes everyone is a _3_ in the market and thinks that nobody is _4_ to anything from society, except the protection of their property. He doesn’t _5_anybody their wealth, nor does he want to 6 the free market in any way.

D Look quickly at the text on the next page. How do you know it was written in the past? E Look again at the text quickly. What was Taylor’s main message? 1 Efficiency is to the benefit of everybody 2 Employees should be made to work harder 3 Wage rates don’t reflect efficiency F Summarise each paragraph in one sentence. G Thinking and Writing Look at the opinion in the box below. In one continuous piece

of writing (not notes), contrast Arnie Fisher’s view with that of Frederick Taylor. Give your opinion with reasons.

There is no doubt in my mind that the relationship between employers and workers is one ofconflicting interests. All profits for the bosses come from the workers who work in the factories or organise production distribution and exchange in the offices. The bosses want thehighest profits for (themselves and) their shareholders, and the workers want the highestwages for the well-being of their families. Because there are always many unemployed people, the workers are in a difficult position. Only strong trade unions and left-wing governments can help ordinary working people. Arnie Fischer, United Workers Union.

H Before moving on, look at these words in Mr Bibby’s notebook and work out the

meaning.

to chat, to giggle, to stand in line, to duplicate, literacy, to monitor, crockery

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Meeting language – real-life phrasesI’d like it noted in the minutes that… I’d like to propose that… On a point of clarification…

Unit 1- Reading: Short texts Page 2

The Principles of Scientific Management Frederick Taylor (1911) (1) THE principal object of management should be to secure the maximum prosperity for the employer, coupled with the maximum prosperity for each employee. (2) The words maximum prosperity are used - in their broad sense - not just to mean large dividends for the company or owner. ‘Maximum prosperity’ also refers to the development of every branch of the business to its highest state of excellence. Efficiency helps prosperity to become permanent. (3) In the same way, maximum prosperity for each employee means higher wages than are usually received by men of his class. More importantly, however, it also means the development of each man to his state of maximum efficiency, so that he can do the highest grade of work for which his natural abilities fit him. Maximum prosperity also requires giving that man, whenever possible, this type of work to do. (4) It would seem to be so self-evident that maximum prosperity for the employer, coupled with maximum prosperity for the employee, ought to be the two leading objects of management, that even to state this fact should be unnecessary. And yet there is no question that, throughout the industrial world, a large part of the organisation of employers – as well as employees – is for war rather than for peace. It is sadly the case that perhaps the majority on either side do not believe that it is possible so to arrange their mutual relations, that their interests become identical. (5) The majority of these men believe that the fundamental interests of employees and employers are necessarily opposed. Scientific management, on the contrary, has for its very foundation the firm conviction that the true interests of the two are the same. Additionally, we believe that prosperity for the employer cannot exist in

the long term unless it is accompanied by prosperity for the employee, and vice versa. It is possible to give the workman what he most wants high wages, and the employer what he wants a low labour cost. (6) It is hoped that some at least of those who do not sympathise with these views may be led to modify their opinion. Those employers whose attitude toward their workmen has been that of trying to get the largest amount of work out of them for the smallest possible wages, should see that a more liberal policy toward their men will pay them better. Those workmen who begrudge profit to their employers should realise that such profits are not against their interests. So, I suggest a change of opinion from those workers who feel that all of the fruits of their labour should belong to them. They are wrong to say that the capital invested in the business should yield little or nothing; they should be led to modify these views. (7) No one can be found who will deny that in the case of any single individual the greatest prosperity can exist only when that individual has reached his highest state of efficiency; that is, when he is turning out his largest daily output. (8) The truth of this fact is also perfectly clear in the case of two men working together. To illustrate: you and your workman have become so skilful that you and he together are making two pairs of shoes in a day, while your competitor and his workman are making only one pair. It is clear that after selling your two pairs of shoes, you can pay your workman much higher wages than your competitor – who produces only one pair of shoes – is able to pay his man. There will still be enough money left over for you to have a larger profit than your competitor.

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Unit 1- Reading: Short texts Page 3

Exam Skills A Mr. Bibby is a partner in a leading firm of management consultants. There are a number

of things which annoy him around the office, some of which he has made notes about. What is annoying him in each case?

Mr. Bibby’s Notebook

1. All this chatting in the corridors, and endless giggling from the

young female trainees. 2. Look at these documents. Did these trainees ever go to school! 3. I nearly cut my lip when drinking my coffee this morning. 4. Look at this dust everywhere in my room. 5. I don’t expect to queue when I need a duplicate of a document. 6. It’s ridiculous my having to wear a jacket indoors in winter. 7. The selection is so bad, I feel quite sick when I look at it.

Exam tip: all the notes are on a related topic and take place in one location. Make sure you know place, topic and gist of the notes.

B Here is an agenda for the firm’s monthly meeting. Match the agenda items with Mr

Bibby’s complaints above. Which item do you not need?

a New photocopier b Control the work done by cleaner c Renew the office furniture d Include literacy test in recruitment process e Office manager to monitor employee behaviour f Change lunchtime sandwich delivery service g Call the heating engineers h Reserve special crockery for the senior partners.

Exam tip: in the exam there are two ‘titles’ which you don’t need. When you find the unnecessary titles check that they do not apply to any of the notes.

C. Miss Gold, the office manager, has written the minutes of the meeting. Here is her

report for item a.

Mr Bibby noted that the photocopying of documents took over five minutes because of the formation of a queue at the photocopier. The firm believes that this constitutes an inefficient use of work time, so resolved to purchase another photocopier.

N.B.: Miss Gold (i) notes the facts, (ii) states the policy of the firm (i.e. believes that), and (iii) finally states what the meeting resolved. Write up the minutes of the meeting for the other issues on the agenda. When you have finished, read each item (without the heading) to a partner, who tries to guess the heading. Finally, check each other’s work. Exam tip: the titles are designed to mislead you. You should work out the exact relationship between the notes and the title.

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Unit 1- Reading: Short texts Page 4

Exam Practice: Software Company in Dire Straits A Imagine a poorly organised computer software company. What

can go wrong in the following? • bad workmanship • untidiness • staff parking • staff clothing • music and noise

B How would a manager, scientific officer, factory-floor supervisor and hourly-paid packer look at these problems?

C Look at the comments by workers in the first box (A-H). What are they talking about? Do their opinions seem reasonable?

D Mr Grice, the managing director, is dissatisfied with several aspects of his company, and has listed in the second box (1-5) some points for discussion by company workers. Match these with the workers’ comments. There are two comments you do not need.

A ‘It’s all very well for them to talk like that, but they should install air-conditioning

in the office.’ Sally, typist. B ‘It’s boring enough working in the factory all day, and the machinery is so loud, so

we have little choice. They should meet elsewhere.’ Terry, factory worker C ‘It’s not our fault at all, Often the foreman’s late and even he can’t start it for

mechanical reasons.’ Emma, factory worker. EXAMPLE D ‘If you’re a smoker, you haven’t much choice, have you?’ Becky, clerical assistantE ‘Well that’s rich, as I’ve never managed to get in at all. It’s the bosses who arrive

first and block the entrance to the building.’ Stephen, factory foreman F ‘Well, as far as I’m concerned the whole problem is that they’re not prepared to pay

for the office to be cleaned. It’s really basic.’ Lisa, secretary G ‘Holiday’s are important, and they’ll just have to learn to accept that.’ Deirdre,

photocopying assistant. H The problem is they always buy the cheapest they can get. Most of what they’re

buying is rubbish and you can’t work with it.’ Gary, factory worker.

To all company employees: Please take note of the following points, and bring any comments to the Works Council meeting on Thursday, 7 May. Ex Staff are insufficiently punctual. Often the assembly line starts up to twenty minutes late.

As a result, production is down by over 10 per cent. (The Answer is C) 1. Over 20 per cent of our manufactured products are defective in some way. While some

of this is undoubtedly due to poor workmanship on the assembly line, much of the problem lies with the poor quality of what we purchase.

2. The office area is unnecessarily dirty. Plastic cups from the coffee machine litter every available space. All of this serves to make a very poor impression on visitors to the company and has an adverse effect on profits.

3. The parking situation needs immediate attention. There are no markings in the car park, so space is not used rationally. The extensive practice of double parking means that early arrivals are blocked in. Often it is hard to reach the front entrance.

4. Staff appearance has also become a major source of concern. In summer office staff have taken to wearing tee-shirts, shorts and sandals. While this may be fine on the factory floor for certain jobs, in the office it has the effect of conveying an unprofessional image.

5 There is no objection to music on the factory floor, but the volume of this music has become a matter of serious concern. Office meetings have been made impossible because of the noise.

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Unit 1- Reading: Short texts Page 5

Unit 1: Organisation in the Workplace (p. 1) C 1. self-evident, 2. dividends, 3. competitor, 4. entitled, 5. begrudge, 6. modify (p. 1) D the photograph / language, e.g. gender specific language (e.g. workman, etc.) (p. 1) E No. 1. ‘Efficiency is to the benefit of everybody.’ (p. 1) F 1. Prosperity should be maximized for everybody, 2. ‘Maximum prosperity’ means the highest development of business, 3. Efficient use of labour means high wages, 4. Not everyone can see that prosperity for everyone is a good aim., 5. Managers and workers have the same basic interest, 6. Both employers and employees should modify their views, 7. Individual prosperity is based on individual efficiency, 8. Efficiency leads to higher profits which can be shared. (p. 3) B 1e, 2d, 3h, 4b, 5a, 6g, 7f. Agenda item c does not correspond to any of Mr Bibby’s notes. (p. 4) D 1H, 2F, 3E, 4A, 5B

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Unit 2 - Reading: Paragraph headings Page 1

2 The Restructuring of Business In this unit you will… • meet words and expressions about losing your job. • read an article about redundancy rules. • learn to write and practise writing organised paragraphs. A Have you (or somebody you know well) changed jobs? Why did

you/he/she do it? If you did, was it easy to do? B What does to be made redundant mean? Who of the following are

more likely to be made redundant? Why? • a policeman • a teacher • a factory worker

C Have you ever been made redundant, or do you know anyone who has been? How do

people feel when they have been made redundant? D What do the words and phrases in the vocabulary box mean?

collective redundancy, a civil servant, a fixed term contract, to dismiss a worker, aplant, to consult, to notify, a threshold, an obligation, an unfair dismissal claim,collective bargaining, a shop steward, a representative, an establishment, a statute,to mitigate,

E For all the verbs in the vocabulary box, write the derived nouns, e.g. to consult /

consultation. F Find the word or expression in the box above which fits these definitions:

• a factory • to reduce the negative effect of something • a person who speaks for somebody else • when a group of workers negotiate together • to tell somebody else some new information

G Look at the article written by Professor Otto Slovo. Where might you find this article?

How do you know? H There are twelve paragraphs in the article. Half the class should write headings for or

briefly describe the purposes of paragraphs 1,3,5,7,9 and 11; the other half should do the same for the remaining paragraphs. Discuss the headings in class.

I You have a friend, Sara, who is about to be made redundant. Write her a letter,

informing her of her rights. Use the information in the article to help you. (100 – 150 words)

Formal notification – real-life phrasesI hereby give notice that… I am writing on behalf of… I regret to inform you that…

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Unit 2 - Reading: Paragraph headings Page 2

What are your rights if you are made redundant? Professor Otto Slovo provides some guidelines (1) Generally speaking, people can be made redundant in two situations. One is when some of the workers are no longer needed; the other is when a business is closing down, so all the workers have to go. In both cases the law is pretty much the same. The only difference in law is whether or not there is a collective redundancy.

(2) Redundancy law covers most people except the military, the police and some civil servants. The only class of workers who have no rights under redundancy law are people on fixed-term contracts of less than three months.

(3) A collective redundancy situation arises where an employer proposes to make twenty or more workers redundant within a ninety-day period. This means dismissal for a reason unrelated to the individual workers concerned. This might occur, for example, when a business or plant closes down, or when an employer no longer needs as many workers to carry out a particular task.

(4) There are a number of requirements which fall on employers in all cases. An employer is required to inform and consult trade unions or other representatives of workers who are being collectively made redundant. The employer is also required to notify the Ministry for Industry of the proposed dismissals.

(5) Employers are under no specific legal obligation to inform and consult workers’ representatives in cases falling below the twenty-redundancy threshold. They may, however, be at risk from successful unfair dismissal claims if they fail to inform and consult individual workers who are to be dismissed.

(6) When workers who may be affected by the proposed redundancy action are represented by a trade union recognised for collective bargaining purposes, the employer must inform and consult an authorised official of that union. This may be a shop steward or a district union official or a national or regional official. The employer is not required to inform and consult any other worker representatives in such circumstances, but may do so voluntarily if desired. A trade union may be recognised for one group of workers, but not for another.

(7) Where there are workers who may be affected by the proposed redundancies, the

employer must inform and consult other appropriate representatives of those workers. These may be either existing representatives, or new ones specially elected for the purpose. It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure that consultation is offered to appropriate representatives.

(8) In non-union cases, where affected workers fail to elect representatives – having had a genuine opportunity to do so – the employer concerned may fulfil their obligations by providing relevant information to those workers directly.

(9) The employer must begin the process of consultation in good time (and in any event at least thirty days before the first of the dismissals takes effect) in a case where between twenty and ninety-nine redundancy dismissals are proposed at one establishment within a ninety-day period. A ninety-day period must be allowed for before the first of the dismissals takes effect in a case where one hundred or more redundancy dismissals are proposed at one establishment within a ninety day period.

(10) Before the consultation, the employer must provide the following information in writing:

• the reasons for the proposals; • the numbers and descriptions of

workers it is proposed to dismiss as redundant;

• the total number of workers of any such description employed by the employer at the establishment in question;

• the proposed method of selecting the workers who may be dismissed;

• the proposed method of carrying out the dismissals, taking account of any agreed procedure, including the period over which the dismissals are to take effect;

• the proposed method of calculating any redundancy payments –, other than those required by statute – that the employer proposes to make.

(11) The consultation is to include ways of avoiding the redundancy situation or dismissals, or of reducing the number of dismissals involved and mitigating the effects of the dismissals. The legislation does not require agreement to be reached, but the employer must consult in good faith with a view to reaching agreement.

(12) I hope this brief set of guidelines will make the situation clearer for workers.

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Unit 2 - Reading: Paragraph headings Page 3

Working with gist – paragraph building A Look at the paragraph below. Give the paragraph a title.

Can you find the topic easily? Where is it in the text? What is the structure of the paragraph?

Redundancy can be the result of several causes. First,a whole factory may be unprofitable and the bossesdecide to close it, so everybody loses his or her job. Asecond cause of redundancy is when a business‘downsizes’ and decides it needs fewer workers.Thirdly, new investment in machinery can lead to areduction in the workforce.

Exam tip: The topic of a paragraph can often be in the first sentence. Sometimes the paragraph title is only a re-wording and/ or summary of that first sentence.

B Look at the paragraph below and give it a title. Can you find the topic easily? What is

the structure of the paragraph?

One hundred years ago there were no laws protecting workers in the event of redundancy. Most manual workers had only a daily contract and could be dismissedwith only a few hours notice. Redundancy rights didn’t come easily; trade unionshad to struggle hard for the law to be changed. Today, under the pressure of globalisation, workers rights are again being threatened.

Exam tip: some paragraphs are organised chronologically. The gist is a summary of the history.

C. Look at the information below. Work out the topic of the paragraph and then write and

organise it into a coherent paragraph.

• More than 20 workers = collective redundancy (in 90 days) • Inform the trade union (if there is one) if collective redundancy situation. • If only one person made redundant, then possibility of unfair dismissal. • If no trade union, then inform workers individually. • Redundancy applies to everybody with more than 3-month contract.

Exam Tip: in the exam, you won’t find the sentences of a paragraph ‘thrown down’ in a disorganised manner, so let the structure of the paragraph help you.

All the highlighted words in the paragraph below make sense by joining the sentences and sentence parts to make meaning. Explain to what each highlighted word is connected. What is the connection doing?

DISCOURSE – connectors / reference Danny Noble only spent one day, Monday 3rd February, working in the shoe factory. He went in at nine that morning, one hour late, and was given a job putting theshoes into boxes. That afternoon the closure of the factory was announced. Consequently, he was told that that he had no job from the following day. Inaddition, as he had only worked one day, he was not entitled to any redundancybenefits.

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Unit 2 - Reading: Paragraph headings Page 4

Exam Task: Ice Cream Factory Goes to the Wall A Why do factories close down? What are the main reasons?

• production is too expensive • we buy things from China these days • wages are too high • factories pollute the environment

B What are the social effects of factory closures? C What do the following mean?

proletariat, monopoly, to plummet, to exploit, diversification, streamlining, a depressed area, to fall on deaf ears

D Read the article. Why did Kenning’s ice cream factory close. E Find a title in the box for the paragraphs below.

Last lick of Kenning’s ice

cream

A BAD PUBLICITY B THE DOMINO EFFECT C ADVICE FALLING ON DEAF EARSD ORGANISING A STRIKE E FALLING SALES F CHANGES AT THE COMPANY G MARKETING AND DISTRIBUTIONH REDUNDANCIES I EARLY HISTORY OF THE FIRM -

EXAMPLE

Saul Denman reports on the closure of a

historic icon of English ice cream.

0 The Industrial Revolution created a proletariat, and the proletariat liked to eat ice cream. Capitalising on that trend, and to service the urbanised and industrial Midlands, Isaac Coupland opened an ice-cream factory in Meckham in the 19th century, which was sold on to the Kenning family at the turn of the century. (Title I) 1 From the 1930s onwards Kennings operated a fleet of yellow ice-cream vans which played a catchy ragtime tune to attract customers. In the 1950s Jack Kenning himself appeared on cinema advertisements eating an ice cream the size of a football. In the area the Kenning family had a virtual monopoly, and cleverly exploited it. 2 The 1950s were the heyday for Kennings, but sales have declined or plummeted on a yearly basis since then (depending on the year). In a 1985 interview Jack Kenning said, ‘It’s all that foreign ice cream. The government ought to ban it to help people like me. We’ve never thought of selling our ice cream in Italy, so why should they sell theirs here?’ 3 Hector Jenner, a leading management consultant who worked with the company in the 1980s, thinks otherwise. ‘As I always told them, if you have a product that isn’t selling, you’ve got some important questions to answer. In their case, diversification and streamlining was the answer. You can’t go on only making just two flavours of poor quality ice cream. Yet that’s exactly what they did.’ 4 In the mid-nineties Consumer Review produced a damning report. Of all the ice creams on the market, Kennings came bottom, and a majority of respondents actually said that the ice cream had a horrible chemical taste. All of this came on top of a Health and Safety Inspectors’ report which stated that the standard of hygiene in the factory fell below legal requirements. 5 So next month the factory will close, and Kennings ice-cream will be licked no more. John Pizzy, one of forty employees, will be joining an ever-growing dole queue in the area. Employment prospects are grim. ‘I’ve spent twenty-two years packing ice cream in that darn factory. What is there for me? It’s OK for Kenning, who’ll retire on a big pension. But what about us, the workers?’ 6 The area around Meckham has been officially described in a government report as ‘depressed’. The industrial base in the area has taken several blows recently, with a string of factory closures adversely affecting consumer purchasing power and house prices.

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Unit 2 - Reading: Paragraph headings Page 5

Unit 2: The Restructuring of Business (p. 1) E to dismiss / a dismissal, to consult / a consultation, to notify / a notification, to

mitigate / a mitigation (p. 1) F a factory / a plant; to reduce the negative effects of something/ to mitigate;

someone who speaks for somebody else / a representative; when a group of workers negotiate together / collective bargaining; to tell somebody else new information / to notify

(p. 1) G It is from a trade union magazine or a workers’ advice centre. We know this

because the article is addressed to employees. (p. 1) H 1. the situations in which redundancy arises, 2. who is covered by redundancy

law, 3. collective redundancy, 4. employer requirements in cases of collective redundancy, 5. as ‘4’ but for making fewer than twenty workers redundant, 6. consultation with workers’ representatives, 7. wider consultation, 8. what happens when there are no workers’ representatives, 9. when consultation must start, 10. information to provide before consultation, 11. the aim of the consultation, 12. purpose of the text.

(p. 3) A Suggested title: The causes of redundancy. The topic sentence is the first. The

paragraph then goes on to give instances of the topic. (p. 3) B Suggested title: The history of workers’ redundancy rights. The paragraph is

organised chronologically. (p. 3) C Suggested title: Employers’ duties in the event of redundancy (p. 3) DISCOURSE: ‘in’ refers to ‘into the shoe factory’ in the previous sentence;

‘the’ in ‘the shoes’ refers to the shoes the factory produces implied in the previous sentence; ‘that’ in ‘That afternoon’ refers to the afternoon of Monday 3rd February in the first sentence; ‘the’ in ‘the factory’ refers to the shoe factory; ‘Consequently’ means that the whole previous sentence is the reason for the sentence; ‘In addition’ establishes that the current sentence is additional information to the previous sentence(s).

(p. 4) B unemployment, poverty, low spending power, the knock-on effect on other

companies (e.g. suppliers go out of business, workers can’t buy products for themselves), social breakdown

(p.4) D They produced a single low quality product and faced competition from

elsewhere. (p. 4) E 1G, 2E, 3C, 4A, 5H, 6B

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Unit 3 - Reading: Scan reading Page 1

3 The Private Lives of Business People In this unit you will… • meet words and expressions about meetings. • read the rules and constitution of an organisation. • learn the structure of a meeting agenda. A Are you a member of any clubs (e.g. a tennis club)? What are the rules? How much do

you have to pay? B Match words from the vocabulary box in section C with the following definitions:

1. the head of a club 2. s/he looks after the club money 3. a group of people elected to make decisions 4. a document showing money coming in and going out 5. a change to the rules

C What do the other words and phrases in the vocabulary box mean?

to be eligible for, to exceed, a chairman, a secretary, a treasurer, an annual general meeting(AGM), a committee, to expel, an obligation, to cease, conduct, to deem something, to be, to audit, a balance sheet, to submit a document, premises, to be liable for s.th., on behalf of,a debt, to sue, an amendment, to convene, to vest in somebody or something.

D Find a word or expression from the vocabulary box to fit each gap. (You may have to alter the words or expressions slightly.)

Mr Bibby is _1_ of the club and keeps order at meetings. He is helped by the _2_ and the _3_ as well as the members of the _4_. Last week Mr Bibby voted to _5_ a member from the club at a general meeting he had _6_ for that purpose. The _7_ of the member had been unsatisfactory. Mr Bibby is _8_ for club _9_, which if not paid could lead to his being _10_in court.

E Look quickly at the club constitution on the next page and answer this question: Is the

Businessmen’s Circle easy to join? Why (not)? F Are these statements true, false or not stated? If they are incorrect, correct them.

1. One purpose of the club is to provide its members with education. 2. At present the club contains 60 members. 3. The officers of the club are elected annually. 4. The management committee of the club controls the property. 5. A new member must be approved by the chairman. 6. The management committee can change the membership fee. 7. A member who has resigned has no further obligations to the club. 8. Nobody can go to the club in the morning. 9. The accounts are audited by the treasurer. 10. Changing the constitution is only allowed if all the members agree.

G Find three paragraphs in the constitution of the club which you disagree with. What is wrong? Pool your ideas and vote as a class on changes to be made.

H Re-write the club constitution with the necessary changes.

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Meeting talk – real-life phrases May I call the meeting to order! I declare the motion carried/defeated.I’d like to put…to a vote.

Unit 3 - Reading: Scan reading Page 2

Constitution

1. The club shall be called ‘The Businessmen’s Circle’.

2. The aim of the club is to provide the members of the club with a common meeting place, for the purposes of recreation, entertainment and discussion.

3. Only businessmen earning over EUR 20,000 a month shall be eligible to be members of the club.

4. The total number of members of the club shall not exceed fifty, unless in a special general meeting this number is altered by a three-quarters majority of the members present.

5. The chairman, secretary and treasurer shall be elected for one year at the Annual General Meeting of the club, to be held in the month of April each year, or as early as possible thereafter.

6. There shall be a management committee consisting of seven members in addition to the chairman, secretary and treasurer. The three longest serving members of the committee shall retire each year, and their replacements shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting.

7. The property of the club shall be vested in the management committee, and in the event of any members of the committee dying, being expelled or otherwise being incapable of carrying out their duties, the property shall be vested in the remaining members.

8. A new member of the club must be proposed by five existing club members, and then must be approved by the management committee.

9. Each member shall pay a monthly subscription of EUR 500, which is subject to alteration at an Annual General Meeting, provided at least three-quarters of the members present vote for such an alteration.

10. A member may tender his resignation in writing at any time, but shall remain liable for any obligations incurred by him while he was a member. After resignation he shall cease to have any interest in the property of the club or exercise any rights in the club.

11. If the conduct of any member shall – in the opinion of the committee or of any ten members of the club – be deemed injurious to the club, a specially convened general meeting of the club may expel that member with a three quarters majority of those who vote.

12. The club shall be open to its members between 18.00 and 5.00 seven days a week, unless otherwise determined at a special general meeting. Any member of the committee (including the chairman, secretary and the treasurer) shall however be entitled to visit the club premises at any hour.

13. The accounts shall be audited annually, and the annual balance sheet shall be submitted to the members at least fourteen days before the Annual General Meeting.

14. A member shall be entitled to invite not more than two guests onto the club premises at any one time, but such guests shall not be entitled to be present at any general meeting. The names of invited guests shall be written into the guest book.

15. A member shall not be personally liable for goods supplied to, or any obligation incurred by, any officer of the club on behalf of the club, but the property of the club may be demanded in settlement of debts. The management committee shall be entitled to sue, and be liable to be sued in the name of the club.

16. Amendments to this constitution may only be made by a majority of three-quarters of the members present at a general meeting specially convened for the purpose of its amendment.

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Unit 3 - Reading: Scan reading Page 3

Exam skills A What is the difference between the reading sub-skills skimming and scanning? When

scanning, which is better (i) reading the statements first, or (ii) reading the text first? Exam Tip: it is important to know what ‘scan reading’ is and how to do it. B The following are items on an agenda. What do they mean? In what order would you

expect to find them? If you don’t know, put the agenda items in a logical order.

A Any other business B Approval of minutes C Approval of new members D Chairman’s opening address E Minutes of previous meeting F Resolutions G Secretary’s report H Time and date of next meeting I Treasurer’s report J Matters arising from the minutes (easily confused with E)

Exam Tip: when you are asked to find items in a text, read all the items, as it will tell you a lot about the content of that text.

C On the next page is the agenda of a meeting of the Businessmen’s Circle. Under which item

are each of the following relevant?

a Only small items of business should be raised here. b A proposed change to behaviour in the club. c The secretary talks about another meeting d A financial discussion e A non-controversial part of the meeting to be enjoyed f Fifty per cent of the members need to agree g Five people have put forward a proposal h Changing regular meeting times i Members are asked to do some homework

Exam Tip: it is important to understand the structure of a text. Use your background knowledge and skim read before you scan.

Supplementary Task Divide into two groups with at least three people in each group. Each group should prepare

seven questions about the Businessmen’s Club (from the constitution and the agenda). Test the other group with your questions. The other group has only thirty seconds to look at the material before answering.

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Unit 3 - Reading: Scan reading Page 4

Dear Members, I enclose the agenda for next month’s management committee meeting, to be held in the meeting room at the club on Thursday 17th of next month. 1. Chairman’s opening address

Mr Bibby’s short opening address will be: ‘Being a businessman: a pleasure or a burden?’ It is very much hoped that members will come on time for the meeting and not miss this short but pertinent speech.

2. Minutes of previous meeting The minutes are attached to this agenda. Mr D. Styn has raised an issue over the accuracy of the recording of the discussion under Item 7 of last month’s meeting.

3. Approval of minutes You are reminded that a simple majority of members is sufficient to approve the minutes of the previous meeting. I note this to answer a point raised in a letter to me by Mr S Guth.

4. Matters arising from the minutes

Members are reminded that under this heading only issues directly related to the minutes of the previous meeting may be discussed.

5. Secretary’s report My report is attached to this agenda. Please note that I have attached a list of possible other times and dates on which to hold this meeting.

6. Treasurer’s Report Mr Rene’s report is attached to this agenda. He anticipates a major discussion on the cash flow account, which is now overdrawn by EUR 50,000. Please make yourself fully conversant with the report before the meeting.

7. Approval of new members Mr C. Reninson has been proposed as a new member by Messrs R. Wilf, K. Hent, P. Rene, F. Relf and V. Aspad.

8. Resolutions One resolution has been submitted to the meeting, proposed by Mr Wilf and seconded by Mr Aspad: ‘The main lounge should be a no smoking area.’

9. Any other business

Please do not raise any major matters under this section. It is helpful if the secretary is notified of major issues before the meeting, so they can be included on the agenda.

10. Time and date of next meeting

According to the standing orders, unless otherwise agreed. E. Meredith (Secretary) Enc. Minutes of previous meeting Report of the Secretary Report of the Treasurer

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Unit 3 - Reading: Scan reading Page 5

Exam Practice: Waking Up A Do the task by finding the information below in texts A, B,C or D.. Underline the

information in text which gives you the answer. B Summarise the characters of the four people. Whose character is most likely to create a

successful businessperson? Why?

Wake up, it’s morning

Example: This person thinks it odd that journalists cover this topic – text A 1 S/he is driven to work. 2 S/he uses public transport for

environmental reasons. 3 S/he is not in a good mood in the

morning. 4 S/he has academic interests. 5 S/he drives him/herself to work. 6 S/he has few visitors. 7 S/he tidies her/his house

him/herself.

Most of us know the feeling of rushing to work in the morning. But what is it really like for other people? Every day this week you will read about four people in the town. Series editor, Saul Denman.

(A) Miss Rebecca Gold Oh dear, I thought, when I was asked to write this piece – what strange questions journalists ask and what strange things people

are interested in these days. I’m an office manager, so keeping things tidy at work is very important and, although I live alone, I try to keep everything in order at home too. Well, my little alarm clock goes off at 6.30, and I get up and go to the bathroom. Now, as my mother taught me, I always fold my night clothes and make my bed. Although other people hardly ever come into my little house, I still feel it is important to be tidy and live properly. Breakfast is a simple affair, consisting of tea, toast and jam – a delicious plum and apple jam made by Miss Pinkerton from my church group. Now, going to work is a bit of a jolly old trek, as I can’t drive – as my late father once said, ‘Who would ever trust you behind the wheel of a car?’ So, it’s the bus for me. I normally arrive at about 8.30, before most people arrive at 9.00.

(B) Mr Ralph Bibby To be perfectly honest, I am usually more irritable in the morning than at any other time during the day. At work, as a senior management consultant with clients to meet, I can’t always show my irritation with things. I’m not a married man, and I am alone, unless I have a friend staying over. The alarm goes off at 7.30 most mornings, but I usually get up around eight. After washing and dressing, my coffee and chocolate croissants are uppermost in my mind. I am very particular about how my coffee is made –

not too strong or too weak. For the last couple of years I’ve had a fellow who comes in at 7.45 with fresh croissants, and he makes my breakfast. He also does the cleaning after I’ve left for work – I need order and cleanliness, but the sound of the vacuum cleaner – well I couldn’t tolerate that. I have a driving licence, but I don’t drive to work – I just simply haven’t the patience. My taxi comes at 8.45.

(C) Mr Hector Jenner My approach to the morning is to get what needs to be done completed as efficiently as possible. I am a senior management consultant, and I believe that if I can’t organise my own affairs, then who am I to make recommendations to others? Our alarm goes off at 6.00 and both my wife Sarah and I get up promptly. I immediately go to the gym we have in our house for a twenty-minute workout. For several years now we have adopted the practice of laying the breakfast table before we go to bed. We

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Unit 3 - Reading: Scan reading Page 6

have a simple breakfast of toast, jam, cereal and tea. We live some distance from the town, so I need thirty minutes to drive to work. Sarah, who is an accountant, has her own car and usually leaves twenty-three minutes after me. She tends to wait to let Mrs Hardie, the cleaner, into the house. I am normally the first to arrive at the office at 7.30, and I like to be well underway with my work by 7.35. My father used to say, ‘Don’t waste the morning, and you won’t waste the day’.

(D) Mr Arnie Fischer In the last few years I have had problems sleeping. I am the regional secretary for the United Workers Union, and my work follows irregular hours, with meetings often going on into the small hours. But even if I don’t get to bed until one, I am up at 5.30 or so. My wife Barbara, who is partially disabled, sleeps on till eight. I call the period until eight my ‘quiet time’, when I go downstairs and read. I’ve recently finished a major work on the philosopher, Kant. I make a simple breakfast for myself and Barbara – coffee, rolls and cheese – and we usually have it on Barbara’s bedside table. I used to

drive to work, but in view of the early morning congestion in the town, I decided my conscience required me to do my bit and go by tram. I usually get to my office at about 9.00, and there’s so much to do I don’t know where to start. C Look at the five quotations below. Look at the personalities above and decide who you

think might have said them? How true do you think these sayings are?

1 ‘Money makes the world go round.’

2 ‘The workers united will never be defeated; the problem is they’re not united.’

3 ‘The market knows no morality, and I believe in the market.’

4 ‘Principles – what I want to know is their buying and selling price.’

5 ‘Business knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.’

Short Story

A wealthy businessman returned from work one day to find his three-year-old son standing on the stairs. ‘Why are you standing there, son?’ the father asked. ‘I’m afraid to jump,’ replied the boy. ‘Don’t worry,’ his father reassured him. ‘Jump, and I’ll catch you.’ More confident now, the little boy jumped, but his father made no attempt to

catch him. He fell onto the floor and bumped his head. Through his tears he asked his father, ‘Dad, why were you so horrid to let me

fall?’ ‘I’m not horrid,’ his father replied. ‘I’ve just taught you the most important

lesson in life: “Never trust anyone.”’

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Unit 3 - Reading: Scan reading Page 7

Unit 3: The Private Lives of Business People (p. 1) B 1. the head of a club / chairman; 2. s/he looks after the club’s money / a

treasurer; 3. group of people elected to make decisions / a committee; 4. A document showing money coming in and going out / a balance sheet; 5. A change to the rules / an amendment

(p. 1) C Vocabulary

to be eligible for s.th. to have the right to apply for s.th to exceed to go over the maximum a chairman the head of an organisation/club a secretary the officer in an organisation who carries out its

decisions a treasurer the officer in a organisation who controls the

finances an annual general meeting (AGM)

a yearly meeting which has special powers.

a committee a group of people who exercise power as a group

to expel to throw s.b out of an organisation an obligation something which must be done to cease to stop conduct behaviour to deem s.th to be a person or an organisation holds s.th to be true,

irrespective of whether it is true or not to audit to control the finances a balance sheet an account sheet which shows income and

expenditure to submit a document to officially give a document premises a building (used legally) to be liable for s.th the have to pay the costs or bills for s.th on behalf of s.b. to do s.th for s.b else a debt money that is owed to s.b else to sue to take civil legal action an amendment to make a change in the content of a motion to convene to call a meeting

(p. 1) D 1. chairman, 2. secretary, 3. treasurer, 4. committee, 5. expel, 6. convened,

7. conduct, 8. liable, 9 debts, 10. sued (p. 1) E The club is seemingly hard to join, as a new member needs to be proposed by

five existing members. (p. 1) F 1. False, 2. False: the number of members cannot be over fifty, 3. True, 4. True,

5. False, 6. False, 7. False, 8. False: the officers and members of the committee may visit the club in the morning, 9. Not stated (this is not in the text: accounts are audited by an independent auditor), 10. False

(p. 3) A Skimming is fast reading the whole text for gist; scanning is fast reading to find

specific information. In a scanning task, students should read the information sought before searching the text.

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Unit 3 - Reading: Scan reading Page 8

(p. 3) B 1D, 2E, 3B, 4J, 5G, 6I, 7C, 8F, 9A, 10H (p. 3) C a 9, b 8, c 5, d 6, e 1, f 3, g 7, h 10, i 6 (p. 5) A 1B, 2D, 3B, 4D, 5C, 6A, 7A, (p. 5) B Miss Gold (loyal, obedient), Mr Bibby (selfish, arrogant), Mr Jenner (direct,

organised), Mr Fischer (sensitive, intellectual) Mr Jenner would probably make the most successful businessman.

(p. 6) C There is no right answer. Fischer (2 and 5), the most likely person to say the

others is Jenner.

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Unit 4 - Reading: Multiple choice reading Page 1

4 Work-related Conflict In this unit you will… • meet words and expressions about strikes • read an article about a strike • practise detailed reading of a text A What happens during a strike? What was the most famous strike

in your country? When are strikes justified? B These words and expressions are about things which can happen

during or after a major strike. Match each word/expression to its definition

1 a ballot A To admit that you have lost a fight

2 a picket B When two sides directly oppose each other – sometimes violently

3 a breakaway party C A striker who stands outside his/her workplace urging other workers not to break the strike

4 a confrontation D When somebody secretly listens to your telephone calls

5 a historical re-enactment E When there is a vote

6 to concede defeat F A political party which is created from a split in an older one

7 Phone-tapping G When actors make a play out of a historical event

C Work with a partner. Invent a scenario/short story involving all of the items in the

vocabulary box above. D What are the following, and what do they do?

a political activist, a renowned and fiery orator E What do the following words and expressions mean?

to declare, local, national prominence, the polls, crucial, a tactical error, funds, to seize, to concede defeat, to impoverish, hostile, to reveal, counter subversion

F Fill each gap with vocabulary items which you have met up to now in this unit.

Arnie Fischer, leader of the United Workers Union, is a _1_ and _2_ speaker. He came to _3_ when he led a national strike some years ago. There were both _4_ and national _5_ and a strike was _6_. He sent _7_ to talk to workers around the country, and there were _8_ with the police. The government _9_ the _10_ of the trade union, so the union had no money. The security service _11_ his phone.

G Look quickly at the article on the next page. Does the writer, Professor Otto Slovo,

generally support the miners? H Summarise each paragraph of the main article in one sentence or in a title. I Write a summary of the article in not more than 100 words. J ‘The right to strike is a basic right.’ Do you agree? Write a list of reasons for your

opinion and discuss it with others in the class.

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Reaching ‘breaking-point’ at work – real-life phrasesI’ve just about had enough of this… That was the last straw! Right. I’m walking!

Unit 4 - Reading: Multiple choice reading Page 2

Jack’s strike Professor Otto Slovo outlines one the most famous strikes in Grenberg’s history, the 1994 miners’ strike led by Jack Landau. (1) In 1994, Northern Coal PLC announced that it would break an agreement reached with the Grenberg’s miners in 1984; the company intended to close twenty pits. Twenty thousand jobs would be lost, and many communities around Grenberg would lose their primary source of employment. The stage was set for conflict. (2) Strikes broke out across the area, but they were strongest in those pits most heavily affected by the job losses. In the Meckham pit, strikes began on 5 March following a local ballot, and the following day pickets from Meckham appeared at pits in the villages south of Grenberg (one of the areas least threatened by pit closures). On 12 March 1994, Jack Landau – President of the Mineworkers’ Union – declared the strikes official, and ordered a strike across the whole Grenberg coalfield.

Jack Landau was born in 1938 in Meckham, just north of Grenberg, the son of Harold, a miner and member of the Communist Party. The young Landau became a miner himself after leaving school. He soon became a left-wing political activist, joining the

Young Communist League, but later joined the Social Democrats as the influence of the Communist Party in the town waned. In 1981 he was elected leader of the Meckham miners, and in 2001 was elected President of Grenberg’s miners. He is renowned as a fiery and effective orator. He bitterly opposed the industrial policies of several governments, and rose to national prominence during the 1994 Grenberg miners' strike; defeat for the miners in this strike was followed by a split in the union. In December 1995 he founded the Socialist Labour Party, after criticising what he saw as a further move to the right by the Social Democrats. His breakaway party has had little success in the polls. (3) Crucially, although there was widespread support for the strike amongst mine workers, Landau did not call a ballot for the Grenberg-wide action. This tactical error made it easier for

the Ministry of the Interior to bring the full weight of the law down on the striking miners and the union. The union’s funds were seized on 24 October 1994. The miners received no wages and were denied state benefits. The police were mobilised to deal with picket lines, on the grounds that they represented illegal public disturbances. The miners were also split, with a minority – mostly in the villages to the south of Grenberg – forming the anti-strike Union of Democratic Grenberg Mineworkers. (4) One of the most famous clashes of the Miners' Strike took place in Traunt, a small village east of Grenberg on 18 June 1994. This confrontation between striking miners and Ministry of the Interior police became known as the Battle of Traunt. It was the subject of a historical re-enactment for television in late 2005. (5) The strike ended on 3 March 1995 – nearly a year after it had begun – when Landau conceded defeat, faced as he was with an impoverished membership and overwhelming state power. (6) Rueben Stein, head of the Ministry of the Interior’s secret service, published an autobiography in late 2005. In this he revealed the extent of the service’s ‘counter-subversion’ exercises against Landau and the striking miners, which included the tapping of trade union leaders' phones. (7) The rights and wrongs of the strike and the behaviour of the state authorities still divide Grenberg. Local management consultant, Hector Jenner, believes, ‘Defeating the miners, and thereby breaking the power of the trade unions in the area, was a great gain for business in the area. I welcome it.’ But local councillor, Arnie Fischer, points to the lasting divisions and high unemployment in Grenberg. ‘The tactics used by the government were a disgrace,’ says an angry Councillor Fischer. Prof. Otto Slovo lectures at the University of Grenberg. His book, 2004 and the Grenberg Miners’ Strike will be published later this year.

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Unit 4 - Reading: Multiple choice reading Page 3

Exam Skills A Read the following paragraph. Who do you think wrote it?

You need to get pickets at the factory gate to stop the workers going in. Often, tomake things more difficult, there is a real problem of getting the message through,because most of the media is against the strike. Negotiators need to spend time withmanagement. Collecting money is important, as is getting the message across to thepublic, who may be having difficulties because of the strike. Strikes are often harderwork than going to work.

B Which of the following is the best title for the above text?

• Strikes can be fun • Organising a strike • How to end a strike

C Think of further appropriate titles for the text. Debate with your partner which is the

best and why. D Where is the topic sentence in the paragraph in A?

Exam tip: you need to read the text very quickly to work out what kind of text it is and what it is about.

E Look at the following ‘sentence heads’: unfinished sentences which can be completed

by one of four multiple-choice options (here the multiple-choice options for each are not shown), Work out the topic of the text.

The strikers threw stones because… The police arrested the three women when… Mary’s husband thought that… The conflict became worse when Mary’s husband…

Exam tip: Reading all the sentence heads for the multiple-choice questions (not the multiple-choice options) will tell you what the text is about.

F Look at the following question (without multiple-choice options), and work out in

which of the two following paragraphs the answer can be found. Why can’t the answer be found in the other paragraph? Write a question which has its answer in the other paragraph.

Why did Mr Fischer call a strike? 1 Conditions for workers in the whole region have been getting worse for several years now. The number of houses built by the local council for ordinary working people has declined,and little money has been put into education. Unemployment in the region has now passedtwo million. Protest and unrest are now common. 2 At PKZ Engineering, where I represent over half the workers, conditions have actuallyimproved in the last year. A major order from Saudi Arabia boosted production, profits andemployment levels in the factory. In these circumstances I found it strange that the managing director, Mr Grice, should choose to end the profit-sharing agreement worked out last year.

Exam tip: Read the questions and work out exactly the kind of answer required.

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Unit 4 - Reading: Multiple choice reading Page 4

G Read the following paragraph, written by Arnie Fischer, and answer the multiple-

choice question. Give reasons for the correct answer and explain why the ‘distractors’ are incorrect.

The strike… A was supported by all the members of the executive committee. B received Mr Fischer’s vote. C was supported by a majority of the members of the union. D was opposed by a minority of those who voted. ‘Whether the strike would go ahead or not was not decided till the last minute.The executive committee of the United Workers Union, of which I amchairman, voted eight to four in favour of a strike, but then there had to be a vote of all the workers. We sent out voting papers for a postal ballot, but lessthan half the members returned the ballot papers. Of those who voted, 59%voted for the strike, and the executive committee then endorsed the strike seven to five.’

Exam tip: work out why the distractors are wrong before choosing the correct answer. Extra Task Read the pieces of speech below (1 to 6). Which of the following people (A to F) do you think said each one?

A. Jack Landau – the miners’ union president B. a police officer from the Ministry of the Interior C. a miner on the picket line D. the mayor of Grenberg E. Rueben Stein – state security service F. Hector Jenner – management consultant

(1) ‘We were running like hell. Mrs Green at number 47 opened her front door. We thought

we were OK, but then the whole door was knocked in.’ (2) ‘Well, we have people everywhere. We have a unit at the telephone exchange, and of

course we get information from the odd miner – but we pay “under the table” for that. Then we have people in the media.’

(3) ‘We get our orders. We have shields and batons, of course. If we use gas, we need

masks.’ (4) ‘Trade unions get in the way of profit-making and the market. I welcome anything

which weakens their power.’ (5) ‘It’s not just a question of the miner’s jobs, but the whole community is dependent on

the mining industry.’ (6) ‘What is terrible is that all this is happening in the first place. We’ve already had two

deaths, and the effects will be felt in Grenberg for many years to come.’

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Unit 4 - Reading: Multiple choice reading Page 5

Exam Practice: Everybody Out! A When workers get angry with pay and conditions, what (apart from leave!) can they do? B What do the following mean?

go slow, work-to-rule, industrial dispute, line manager, negotiation, non-contractual work,

C Which forms of industrial action are most successful and why? D Read the following letter from Arnie Fischer. Why is he writing? E Do the task.

Dear Colleague, You will by now be in receipt of the letter from Regional Office, outlining the latestrevised view concerning the current pay dispute. It has come as some surprise to me, as it is mistaken and is now superseded by this letter. To help you understand theevents leading up to the present situation, I will endeavour to explain them. Last month the union decided that we would begin a work-to-rule protest. In other words, we would only do what our contracts require of us and no more. The ‘work-to-rule letters’ which all members were asked to send to their linemanagers came to the attention of the company manager, Mr Edgar Grice. Inresponse, Mr Grice declared that he had withdrawn from negotiations, and wrote tome indicating this, also questioning the legality of the branch taking industrial actionagainst the company. I contacted the Regional Officer to request direction fromnational officers. Their immediate response was unequivocal: we were in dispute,and the dispute was legal for the reason in the following paragraph. The company was informed of the pay claim and the intention to ballot themembership for strike action on 24 April 2003. No challenge was received. The ballot was conducted following all legal requirements. I read this statement to MrGrice at the last industrial works council, and there was no protest made at the time. Following a meeting of the regional committee of the United Workers Union on 9 May, the regional officer (Ms O’Brien) circulated a letter to members in this branch,stating that the latest advice from National Office was that we would have to beexcluded from the action in November. I understood there was now some doubt over our legal position, and that National Office did not want to risk the integrity of theentire national ballot. In consequence of the above, I must further advise you that this branch of the UnitedWorkers Union and its members are in dispute with employers in pursuance of the national pay claim. The industrial action on 5 November will proceed as originally planned. The work-to-rule is also to proceed with immediate effect as part of thenational industrial action. This has consequences for all non-contractual work, including the Open Day on 9 November. Advice regarding action on Open Day can be viewed on the branch website. Yours fraternally,

Arnie Fischer United Workers Union, Branch Chair

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Unit 4 - Reading: Multiple choice reading Page 6

1 This letter…

A comes from the Regional Office of the union.

B is the first that members have heard of the industrial action.

C corrects an earlier letter. D confirms an earlier letter.

2 The Union will ask its members…

A to go on strike. B to break their contract with

their employers. C to break company rules. D not to do any work not

specified in their contracts. 3 Mr Grice…

A refused throughout to negotiate about the pay claim.

B thinks a ‘work-to-rule’ isn’t an industrial dispute.

C has told Mr Fischer that he has finished discussing the issue.

D doesn’t know the details of the industrial dispute.

4 About the ballot…

A Mr Grice questioned it from the beginning.

B Mr Grice was given notice of it.

C It was organised illegally. D Mr Fischer and Mr Grice

discussed it before it was held.

5 Ms O’Brien…

A wrote to the members of the branch.

B opposed a national strike. C ignored the advice of the

national officers. D believed the national ballot

would have to be held again.

6 The latest position is…

A as Ms O’Brien described it. B that the branch will not join

the national industrial action.

C that the national union is not in dispute.

D that the branch will start a ‘work-to-rule’.

7 Most of the letter is about…

A the history of the industrial dispute.

B what members of the branch should do.

C Ms O’Brien’s opinions. D the national officers of the

United Workers Union.

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Unit 4 - Reading: Multiple choice reading Page 7

Unit 4: Work-related Conflict (p.1) B 1E, 2C, 3F, 4B, 5G, 6A, 7D (p.1) D political activist: somebody who engages in political activity, usually unpaid

(not a politician); a renowned and fiery orator:– renowned: well-known; fiery: adjective related to fire (here it means ‘passionate or hot-tempered); orator: a public speaker.

(p.1) F 1. renowned, 2. fiery, 3. national prominence, 4. local, 5. ballots, 6. declared,

7. pickets, 8. confrontations, 9. seized, 10. funds, 11. tapped. (p.1) G The article is mainly factual and includes comments from both pro- and anti-

strike people. The article, however, largely explains the strike from the miners’ point of view.

(p. 1) H (possible answers) 1. the reasons for the strike, 2. the start of the strike, 3. the

politics of the strike, 4. The Battle of Traunt, 5. the end of strike, 6. the role of the secret service, 7. present-day opinions on the strike

(p. 3) A a trade union organiser (p. 3) B organising a strike (p. 3) C A strike is hard work, Many things to do in strike… (p. 3) D arguably the last one: Strikes are often harder work than going to work. (p. 3) E Mary’s husband is involved in violent confrontations during a strike. (p. 3) F The answer can be found in the second paragraph, because it states a possible

reason for the strike. The first paragraph talks about the social decline of an area.

(p. 3) G The correct answer is D, a minority (i.e. 41% of those voting) opposed the

strike. A is incorrect because the votes at the executive meeting were split. For B there is no evidence, as we have no idea how Mr Fischer voted. C is incorrect, as a majority of the members of the union didn’t vote.

Extra Task 1 C, 2 E, 3 B, 4 F, 5 A/D, 6 A/D (p. 5) D to clarify the status of the strike to branch members (p. 5) E 1C, 2D, 3C, 4B, 5A, 6D, 7A,

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Unit 5 - Listening: Short conversations Page 1

5 Business Talk and Chatter In this unit you will… • meet words and expressions about public speaking • read an article on boring presentations • role-play situations during a presentation A Do you like listening to business talks and

presentations? What makes them interesting or boring? B What are PowerPoint presentations? What advantages do they have? Do you like them? C What do the following words and phrases mean? Which are connected to presentations?

Power Point, to hire a venue, assorted expenses, to point the finger of blame, a slide,to detract from, a monotone voice, umming and erring, to be onside, to come downto s.th., a tip

D Fill in the gaps with a word or expression from the vocabulary box. You may need to adapt the word.

E Look quickly at the article on the next page. Who wrote it, and who is likely to read it?

Where would you find it? F Read the article again quickly. What is Mr Jenner’s main point? G Make a list of the most important pieces of advice from Mr Bibby. Which is the most

important? Do you agree with everything Mr Bibby says? H You have received the following letter from a colleague and friend. Write a reply. Look

again at Mr Bibby’s advice in the text. Remember, you are writing to a friend.

Wayne Shatner runs a small catering business. He has a _1_ presentation which uses twenty _2_. He _3_ through the local business college for his presentations.Unfortunately, he has a _4_ which is boring to listen to. He never pauses, but _5_ all the time, which _6_ from his message. He wants to keep his listeners _7_, so he tells bad jokes.

Hi there, It’s absolutely terrible. Last week I gave a presentation to some managers in the catering business and

they just looked bored all the way through. I thought I had very interesting Power Point slides, and I kept talking and had a good stock of jokes. But nobody laughed. Next weekI have to give them a second presentation, and I’m really worried that things will gobadly again.

Have you got any advice for me? Jane

Being clear in public – real-life phrases Good Morning. Could I have your attention please…In this short talk I want to make three points… To conclude, my key message is…

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Unit 5 - Listening: Short conversations Page 2

Boring presentations

Hector Jenner, management consultant, explains his anger at boring and unprofitable talk in meetings and presentations. Meetings are about talking. Talking should be about effective communication. And effective communication is necessary for profit. Yet the sad truth is that boring meetings cost business millions of euros each year. And wasting money on orange juice and sandwiches doesn’t make the meeting any more interesting or profitable. By the time the typical business presentation comes to an end the interest levels of the average listener will have disappeared. I am fed up with this army of PowerPoint-crazed middle managers. One study suggested that these boring meetings cost businesses more than EUR 8m a year. Include preparation time, the cost of providing refreshments, hiring venues and equipment, travel and other assorted expenses, and the figure is even more. Why then, if there must be meetings, do we get such poor value for money? My colleague Ralph Bibby, who teaches public speaking techniques to business people, has pointed the finger of blame at slide shows. ‘In a lot of organisations it's not regarded as a proper presentation unless there are slides,’ he says. ‘Relying on "visuals" restricts a speaker's eye contact with the audience. And the nervous speaker uses them as a support. Nobody wants to sit there watching a series of slides. People might as well go away and read a book.’ Bibby, a professional public speaker, also focuses on the voice, ‘Listening to people speaking in a monotone voice and “umming and erring” – well, they shouldn’t be public speakers at all until they’ve had lessons. They need to learn to pause’ ‘Another problem is those who insist on telling bad jokes in a desperate attempt to keep the audience on-side. Bad jokes really irritate me. Why should we have to waste time sitting there listening to somebody else’s bad humour and stupid jokes?’ says Bibby. I would add to that the financial cost of wasted time and effort. ‘There's no such thing as a boring subject, only boring speakers,’ says Bibby. ‘A year ago I heard someone give a speech about the history of pensions and he held the attention of a hundred people for over an hour. It all comes down to training and, I suppose, natural ability’ Bibby has a few tips for those who want to improve their speaking skills. The ability to use metaphor, storytelling and rhetoric helps keep up interest levels. But, I would add, nothing is more important than the speaker believing that his speech will communicate a message that will make money. The extraordinary thing is that even people who don't like being on the receiving end and can see the waste when they're sitting in an audience still use the same slide-dependent approach when making presentations themselves. So this self-defeating cycle continues, with thousands attending presentations from which they are getting little or no benefit. It’s time it stopped, as it’s a waste of money.

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Unit 5 - Listening: Short conversations Page 3

Exam skills A A presentation is being given at a firm of management consultants. Working with a

partner, write a three or four-turn dialogue of not more than sixty words for one of the following situations. Role-play the dialogue to the class; other class members must guess which situation.

Exam tip: all the conversations occur in one place, or involve one topic.

B Look at the following dialogues between two participants, and work out what the

highlighted pronouns might be referring to.

Two participants… • meet before the presentation. They know each other, but have not met for some

time. • participants can’t hear the presenter. When one complains, the presenter can’t

hear him/ her. • are at the buffet table. One spills orange juice on the other. • discuss the presentation. • who have met at the presentation exchange telephone numbers.

Wayne My God, he was boring. Kevin Yes, he kept asking all those questions Wayne And nobody shut him up. Wayne It was quite funny to see Mr Bibby holding it and waving it around like

that. Kevin Well, it saves having a whiteboard-pointer Wayne He does have a bad leg, though, poor guy. Wayne Wow, they were disgusting. Kevin They must have been made yesterday. Wayne It was what was in them that was awful. Wayne I couldn’t find it at all. Kevin Yes, you’d think they’d tell you at the start of the day. Wayne Quite. It’s daft, having people wondering around the building looking for

it.

Exam tip: often you will hear an object referred to by pronouns. You will have to listen carefully to work out what it is.

C Listen to the following dialogues, which occur at a business presentation. In each,

determine what the speakers are talking about.

Exam tip: you will need to listen to the full text to understand what is happening.

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Unit 5 - Listening: Short conversations Page 4

Exam practice: The Garden Party A What is a garden party? What do you think

business executives talk about there? Would you feel comfortable there?

B Look at the structure of the management consultancy Bibby and Jenner. What kind of job does each person do? Which job would you most/least like?

C Read the instructions and remind yourself of the structure of the firm. Do the task.

D Listen again. What additional information can you remember about each person?

A. Mr Anders Senior International Consultant Partner

Mr Jenner Senior Partner and Executive Director

B. Mr Bibby Senior Partner and Chief Consultant

C. Miss Schlick Personal Secretary to

Mr Jenner

D. Mr Pringle Consultant and

Assistant to Mr Bibby

E. Miss Gold Consultant and Office Manager

Mr Hector Jenner – senior partner in the firm of management consultants Bibby and Jenner – and his wife Sarah are holding a garden party for members of theconsultancy. In each conversation you will hear Mr Jenner talking to a person in the firm. Matcheach conversation with a person in the office structure diagram below. There are two people you will not hear.

F. Miss Fletcher Trainee Management

Consultant

G. Mr Watergeist Management Consultant

H. Mr Strapling Part-time Consultant

E Make a list of as many job positions in a company you can think of. F Make a diagram of the hierarchy in a real firm that you know – or otherwise an

imaginary one. Explain it to somebody else in the class.

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Unit 5 - Listening: Short conversations Page 5

Unit 5: Business Talk and Chatter (p. 1) D 1. PowerPoint, 2. slides, 3. hires a venue, 4. Monotonous voice, 5. ums and ers,

6 detracts, 7. onside (p. 1) E Written by Mr Hector Jenner, an experienced management consultant, who has

attended many business presentations. You might find it as a general feature in a magazine for professional people.

(p. 1) F His main point is that money is being wasted on ineffective presentations (p. 1) G relying on visuals is a mistake; nervous people shouldn’t use slides as a

support; speakers need training; they need to pause; they should avoid bad jokes; any subject can be made interesting; should use metaphor, intonation, rhetoric, story- telling; speakers should concentrate on subjects that they believe will help people to make money.

(p. 3) B (possible answers) a participant in a seminar, a walking stick, sandwiches, the

toilet (p. 3) C 1. the seats, 2. the room, 3. the (PowerPoint) screen (p. 4) C 1B, 2A, 3E, 4D, 5H, 6C. Unit 5: Business Talk and Chatter Conversation One Mr Jenner Ah, there you are. I wanted to catch you. This party’s creating a massive

amount of good will in the firm. Ralph Yes, Hector. I suppose these types of occasions are necessary. We see these

people every day in the office, so I’m not exactly over-excited by spending my Saturday afternoon with them.

Mr Jenner Just one thing, given your position in the firm,. I’m expecting you to bear half

the cost. That comes to around £600, I think. Ralph Of course, Hector. If we’d paid a little more we would’ve been able to get

higher quality French cheeses. This cheap stuff is murdering my palate. Conversation Two Mr Jenner Hello, Felix. I wasn’t sure that you were back in the UK, when I sent out the

invitations. Felix Yes, I flew in from the States yesterday. Mr Jenner Ah, now I’ve been wanting to talk to you about the Seattle-based Liebermann

Corporation, Felix. Felix Next week, Hector. We’re supposed to be enjoying ourselves.

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Unit 5 - Listening: Short conversations Page 6

Conversation Three Mr Jenner Hello there, I didn’t know that you drank red wine! Are you enjoying it? Rebecca Yes, it’s fine, Mr Jenner – but I only drink in extreme moderation. Mr Jenner And I bet now, that even here you’re still keeping an eye on people as if you

were at the office. Rebecca You know me, Mr Jenner. My life’s my work. Mr Jenner Yes indeed, middle-management can be quite fascinating. Conversation Four Mr Jenner Ah, young man. You’re as well-dressed as usual. I like the tie. Gavin Well to tell the truth, it’s a present from Mr Bibby. Mr Jenner Yes, well I suppose if you have a close one-to-one working relationship with

your boss, strange things happen. Anyway, let’s change the subject – more wine?

Conversation 5 Mr Jenner Hello, there. Oh, there are serviettes, so you don’t have to wipe your hands on

your jacket. Laurence Oh, I’m just being my dirty old pig-like self, Mr Jenner. Mr Jenner So I can see. I miss your appalling manners since you’re only in the office a

couple of mornings a week now. Not bad for you. eh? – if you can survive on the money.

Laurence Yes, well, Mr Jenner. After twenty years with the firm I’m still at the bottom of

the pile. Conversation Six Mr Jenner Hello, my dear. May I pay you the compliment of saying your perfume smells

as if it were made in Heaven. Lorna I’m not wearing perfume, Mr Jenner. And perhaps you’re standing just a little

too close – and Mrs Jenner’s looking at you. Mr Jenner Good Heavens! We wouldn’t want any misunderstanding, would we? It can

easily happen, you know, when two people work so closely together.

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Unit 6 – Listening: Making notes Page 1

6 Personal Bankruptcy In this unit you will… • meet words and expressions about closing down a business • read an article about bankruptcy • practise listening for specific information A What does it feel like when you have no money? What happens

to you when you can’t pay your debts? B Check you understand the words and expressions. Put one into

each gap below. You may have to adapt the word.

bankruptcy, a creditor, a debtor, to petition, a settlement, a receiver, a utilitysupplier, to comply with s.th, a lump sum cash payment, a will

Leah Bash owned a large business which failed. She had many debts, so she was a_1_ and had many _2_ who wanted to be paid. No _3_ with her creditors waspossible, so she _4_ a court for _5_. The court appointed a _6_, who informed theelectricity company and other _7_ . She had to_8_ bankruptcy laws and hand over a_9_, which she had received in her grandmother’s _10_.

C What do these words and expressions mean? Which ones are connected to bankruptcy?

to impose restrictions, a procedure, an asset, a partnership, to commit a criminaloffence, to disclose, a redundancy payment,

D Look quickly at the article on the next page. Who is ‘you’ in the text? E Look at the article again quickly. In which paragraph can you find the following?

a how the public finds out that somebody is bankrupt b a bankrupt can keep some furniture c a bankrupt must visit the receiver d who can become a bankrupt e organisations which are told about a bankrupt person

F Give each paragraph a title, or summarise it in one sentence.

G A friend has just sent you an e-mail saying that she owes EUR 5 million which she

can’t pay. Write to her and tell her that she will become a bankrupt, and what will happen to her. The mail should be no longer than 150 words. Remember, you are writing to a friend.

Talking about debts – real-life phrases We’re in the red. (having debts – particularly a firm) I’m skint / broke (?) at the moment (slang- having no money)The business has a cash flow problem.

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Unit 6 – Listening: Making notes Page 2

I’m bankrupt! What does going bankrupt mean? Sara Liebermann explains.

(1) Bankruptcy is a serious matter. You will have to give up any possessions of value, and you will lose your house or flat. Bankruptcy will involve the closure of any business you run and the dismissal of any employees. Being a bankrupt will also impose certain restrictions on you.

(2) Bankruptcy is a way of dealing with debts you cannot pay. Bankruptcy can free you from overwhelming debts, so you can make a fresh start in five years time. It also ensures that your assets are shared out fairly among your creditors. Anyone can go bankrupt, including individual members of a partnership. There are different insolvency procedures for dealing with companies.

(3) A court makes a bankruptcy order only after a bankruptcy petition has been presented. This can either be presented by yourself (debtor’s petition), or by one or more creditors to whom you owe at least EUR 750 (creditor’s petition).

(4) A bankruptcy order can still be made even if you refuse to acknowledge the proceedings or refuse to agree to them. You must co-operate fully once the bankruptcy proceedings have begun. If you dispute the creditor’s petition, you should try and reach a settlement before the bankruptcy petition is due to be heard. Trying to do so after the bankruptcy order has been made is both difficult and expensive – and money is something you don’t have!

(5) Once the bankruptcy order has been made, it is advertised in the leading newspapers to inform everybody that you are a bankrupt. A receiver is appointed by the court to deal with your case. He or she has responsibility for administering your bankruptcy and protecting your assets from the date of the bankruptcy order.

(6) The receiver is also responsible for looking into your financial affairs for the period before and during your bankruptcy. He or she may report to the court, and has to report to your creditors. The receiver must also report any matters which indicate that you may have committed criminal offences in connection with your bankruptcy, or that your behaviour has been dishonest.

(7) The receiver will give notice of the bankruptcy order to local authorities, utility suppliers and the Land Registry. Enquiries will also be made of banks, mortgage, pension and insurance companies, and landlords.

(8) When a bankruptcy order has been made, you must comply with the receiver’s request to provide information about your financial affairs. The receiver may request that you visit his or her office for an interview. Before the interview you will be sent a questionnaire, which you must fill in fully and accurately.

(9) After being declared bankrupt you must do the following:

• give the receiver a full list of your assets, and details of what you owe and to whom;

• hand over all your assets to the receiver together with all your financial records, bank statements, insurance policies and other papers relating to your property and financial affairs;

• inform the receiver of any property which becomes yours during the bankruptcy – such property includes lump sum cash payments that you may receive (for example redundancy payments, property or money left in a will);

• stop using your bank, building society, credit card and similar accounts straightaway;

• not obtain credit of EUR 500 or more from any person without first disclosing the fact that you are bankrupt;

• hand over to the receiver any pay or salary you receive from work – you will be allowed to keep a minimal amount for living;

• hand over to the receiver all documents relating to your home, so it can be sold.

(10) You can keep the following items unless their individual value is more than the cost of a reasonable replacement: work tools up to a value of EUR 2000;, clothing, bedding, a bed, table, chair and cupboard. All personal items must be disclosed to the receiver, who will then decide whether you can keep them.

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Unit 6 – Listening: Making notes Page 3

Exam Skills A Look at the following paragraph and give it two possible titles. Discuss with your

partner which one is the best. (NB the exam task will be gapped)

From childhood Leah Bash formed a strong interest in cosmetics. When she leftuniversity she borrowed some money from her father and opened a small shop.Many women sought her advice and bought her products, so she was able to openseveral more outlets and after five years had a staff of eighty. However in 2004people stopped buying her cosmetics because of a bad review in a newspaper. Soon she had debts which she couldn’t pay and went bankrupt.

Exam tip: when you first see the gapped notes, read them through quickly to get the gist of the text. This will help you to understand the recording when listening to it.

B The following are all in the paragraph above. What is the significance of each term in

the text?

cosmetics – university – borrow – eighty – a newspaper review

Exam tip: when you hear the text you will have to listen for factual pieces of information to fill the gaps.

C Look at the following text. Predict what information will fill each gap. You can put up

to three words in each gap.

By April 2004, Leah could no longer pay her _1_. Her shops weren’t able to open because she couldn’t afford to buy _2_. She went to court to petition for _3_, and a _4_ was appointed to manage her affairs. She became very _5_ because she _6_ and now she 7 .

D Listen and check your answers.

Exam tip: predict the information for the gaps. You may be wrong, but at least you know what you are listening for.

E Finish each of the sentences below in not more than three words.

1. Leah opened a business… 2. At first the business… 3. A newspaper published…

Exam tip: remember not to put more than three words into each gap

F Each of the sentences below has one or more grammatical mistakes. Look at them

quickly and correct them, if necessary.

Exam tip: in this task spelling and grammar do not matter, as long as the meaning is clear.

1. Leah was always interesting in cosmetics. 2. He business quickly grown. 3. She employing more than eighty peoples.

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Unit 6 – Listening: Making notes Page 4

Exam practice: ‘I just threw it all away’ A What can happen when parents hand over a successful business to their children? B Write down all the words you know about a business getting into trouble (e.g.

bankrupt). C Read the notes and try to guess what should fill the gaps. D What are Lionel Metcalf’s problems? E Morgan Fletcher of Business World Magazine is interviewing Lionel Metcalf, who has

not been successful in his business life. As a trainee journalist, you are taking notes. Listen and fill each gap with not more than three words.

An unsuccessful businessman

The Beginnings • Lionel Metcalf’s father had a/an _1_ , • which Lionel inherited in _2_. A Youth Spent in Vain/ A Wasted Youth • When he was young he liked to _3_ • and have a/an _4_ . • For his girlfriends he bought _5_ • and _6_ . Like Father, Like Son • Godfrey Metcalf established a/an _7_

company. • Soon his company _8_ . The Present • Both father and son lost their _9_ . • They live together in _10_ . • Their income comes from _11_ .

F Make a list of all the mistakes which Lionel Metcalf made. What does the future hold

for Lionel? G Working with a partner, discuss what Lionel should have done. H For each gap, choose one option (A, B or C)

When Lionel became unemployed he had no income. Lionel was entitled tounemployment _1_ for a year, because during his working life he had paid into the_2_. After a year, Lionel applied for _3_ benefit. He was given a _4_ test to see what income and assets he had. As he had neither, he was given benefits. He alsoreceives money from the local council, to pay for his _5_.

1 A scheme B benefit C expenditure 2 A bank B welfare C scheme 3 A money B bankruptcy C welfare 4 A rent B means C spending 5 A benefit B employment C rent

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Unit 6 – Listening: Making notes Page 5

Unit 6: Personal Bankruptcy (p. 1) B 1. debtor, 2. creditors, 3. settlement, 4. petitioned, 5. bankruptcy, 6. receiver, 7.

utility suppliers, 8. comply with, 9. lump sum cash payment, 10. will (p. 1) D the person who might be going bankrupt (p. 1) E a5, b10, c8, d2, e7. (p. 1) F (suggested answers) 1. Bankruptcy is a serious matter 2. Bankruptcy is about

dealing with unpayable debts 3. Debtors or creditors can petition for bankruptcy 4. You can’t hide from bankruptcy 5. Bankruptcy is made public 6. The receiver investigates and reports 7. Notices and inquiries 8. The debtor’s duty to provide information 9. The obligation of a bankrupt 10. What you can keep

(p. 3) A Possible titles From Success to Failure or The Ups and Downs of Business. (p. 3) B cosmetics: Leah always had an interest; university: after that she set up in

business; borrowing: from father to open shop; eighty: had a staff of 80; newspaper review: bad and went bankrupt

(p. 3) D 1. bills, 2. any cosmetics, 3. bankruptcy, 4. receiver, 5. depressed, 6. had worked

hard, 7. would lose everything (p. 3) E (possible answers) 1. …after leaving university, 2. …prospered. 3. …a bad

review (p. 3) F 1. Leah was always / had always been interested in cosmetics. 2. Her business

grew quickly / quickly grew. 3. She employed more than eighty people. (p. 4) E 1 electronics business, 2 1950, 3 drive expensive cars / spend money, 4 luxury

flat / expensive car, 5 dresses, 6 bracelets, 7 computer , 8 went bankrupt, 9 houses, 10 a small flat, 11 welfare payments.

(p. 4) H 1B, 2C, 3C, 4B, 5C Unit 6: Bankruptcy and Starting up Again Listening – making notes Morgan Well, Mr Metcalf, sadly your business career has not been successful. Would

you like to tell us about it? Lionel Well, to tell you the truth my life in business was a complete and total disaster.

It’s sad to say, but it’s true. I suppose I had a good start in life. My father had built up a successful small electronics business, which I inherited when he died in 1950. The truth is I wasted all my money. It was far more important for me to drive expensive cars and have a luxury flat in London.

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Unit 6 – Listening: Making notes Page 6

Back in the 1950s, when I was young, I would drive along in my new sports’ car. Of course, I really should have been running the business, not driving around the countryside. Well, inevitably, everything started to go wrong with the company. I also spent too much money. The girls would say, ‘Oh. Lionel, couldn’t you buy me that dress,’ or ‘I really must have that bracelet.’ Like a fool I would buy them what they wanted just to keep them happy. In the end I spent twice as much as the company was making in profit. The situation at the company went from bad to worse. The company could not pay its creditors, and we were rapidly becoming insolvent. Bankruptcy was just around the corner. I also set a bad example for my son, Godfrey. He set up a small computer firm on borrowed money in the boom of the 1980s, but the company went bankrupt, too. I would tell him, ‘Well, son, you can’t run a race and tie up your shoelaces at the same time.’ And he kept running up huge debts and in the end that brought him down. Father and son. Well, we are now both in the same position. We lost our houses in the bankruptcy proceedings. The local council rent us a small flat, and we live there now on welfare payments.

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Unit 7 - Listening: Meeting Page 1

7 People Changing Jobs In this unit you will… • Meet words and expressions connected to employment contracts • Read an article about fair and unfair dismissal • Practise listening for detailed information A Think of five reasons why people change their jobs. Have you ever

changed your job? B Check you understand these words: employer, employee, to dismiss C Make a list of all the reasons an employer might want to dismiss an

employee. D What do the following words and expressions mean?

to resign, to give notice, a fixed term contract, an employment tribunal, aqualification, conduct, redundant, to be entitled to s.th., a disciplinary procedure, anverbal warning, a right of appeal, financial compensation, to be habitually late, to bedismissed on the spot

E Put the words and expressions from the vocabulary box into one of three columns: good

things that happen at work; bad things that happen at work; neither/don’t know. F Put one item from the vocabulary box into each gap. You may need to adapt the word.

The ice cream factory closed, and John Pizzy, who had worked there for manyyears, was made _1_. He knew about the closure because he was given three months_2_. He also received EUR 300 in _3_, and is _4_ to unemployment benefit. He will find it difficult to get another job as he has no _5_.

G Complete the table. Which syllable is stressed in the words in each box? Does the stress change when the word is converted ot another type of word?

NOUN VERB ADJECTIVE qualification

procedural compensation

dismiss

H Look quickly at the following article by Professor Otto Slovo. Which of the following magazines do you think the article is from? 1 Management Consultants’ Review, 2 Workers’ Briefing, 3 Meckham Community Post

I Look at Professor Otto Slovo’s article again quickly. When can an employee be fairly

dismissed? J Write a short leaflet (not more than 100 words) informing workers about the law on

dismissals. Use the structure on the opposite page, under Mr Slovo’s article. Employment – real-life phrases

They took her on (informal) He got the sack/boot / was fired/sacked/ thrown out/kicked out (informal) To give notice

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Unit 7 - Listening: Meeting Page 2

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Fair and unfair dismissal Have you ever been dismissed from your employment? Was it fair? Read Professor Slovo’sarticle and find out. Dismissal is defined as the ending of a contract of employment. It doesn’t matter if theemployer gives you notice or not. You are also dismissed in law if you resign because theemployer has broken the contract of employment, or intends to do so. Finally, in law you are dismissed if you have a fixed term contract and that contract comes to an end. So you mayhave been illegally dismissed without knowing it! Dismissals may be fair or unfair. Dismissal is only fair if it was for one of the reasons listed below, and the employer has acted ‘fairly’. You should know, however, that you can onlyclaim unfair dismissal before an employment tribunal if you have worked for the employer forat least one year, so if you are new to a job you are in a pretty weak position. Let us look at the reasons for fair dismissal. First, you can be dismissed if you are incapable of doing the job or don’t have the correctqualifications. So if you are a singer in a choir and can’t sing, your employer can say good-bye to you! And if you’re working as a doctor without ever having been to medical school,then your days in the job could be numbered. Secondly, you can be dismissed if your conduct is unacceptable – so if you are a waiter and you throw soup at the customer or steal the money from the till, then you can be thrown out. Thirdly, there is redundancy. This is when you are no longer needed to do the job that you do,for example when a factory making ice cream no longer has any customers, and closes. Adismissal for redundancy will be unfair if you have been selected unfairly for redundancy.Even if you are fairly dismissed you may still be entitled to a redundancy payment. Fourthly, if your employer dismisses you because of your race, religion or gender, then that isautomatically unfair. It doesn’t matter how long you have worked for the firm, you can takethe case to an employment tribunal. Now, it is not just a case of the employer having a good reason to dismiss you, but theemployer must also act reasonably. The correct disciplinary procedures must be followed. This usually involves a verbal warning, a written warning and then a dismissal with a right ofappeal. So even if you are habitually late for work and you get dismissed on the spot, youmight still have a case. If you think your employer has dismissed you unfairly, you can take your case to anemployment tribunal, which has the power to recommend that you get your job back or togive you financial compensation.

Have you been sacked unfairly? You might have been, if: • • •

What can YOU do you about it? • •

Unit 7 - Listening: Meeting Page 3

Exam Skills A Mr Jenner is the senior partner in the firm of management consultants Bibby and

Jenner. Look at the questions below and discuss in pairs exactly what information is being asked for. Predict the answers. (i) Why does Mr Jenner often offer dismissed employees money? (ii) What rights do dismissed employees have? (iii) What does Mr Jenner want to avoid? Now look at the extract from the exam script and find answers to the questions. Compare your answers with a partner.

Mr Jenner… ‘Now of course when we terminate a contract by dismissing somebody, that employee has the right to take the case to an employment tribunal. If the employeedecides to go down that road, the problem for us is the amount of time it takes us toprepare the case and attend the court proceedings For us, time is money. We usually get round this problem by offering the dismissed employee some money to leavewithout taking the matter to court. It makes financial sense, even if we believe wewere right to dismiss the employee. The important thing is to employ good people in the first place, so we don’t have to dismiss inefficient or otherwise useless people.’

Exam tip: At the beginning of the ‘meetings’ task you are given one and a half minutes to read through the multiple choice questions to decide what each question is asking for. Questions are often answered wrongly because the question itself has been misunderstood.

B Look at the following multiple-choice question. In pairs decide on the correct answer and the three ‘distractors’. Find evidence for your choice in Mr Jenner’s speech.

Mr Jenner avoids employment court cases because… A he is worried about losing the case B the company doesn’t have the ability to fight the case C they are expensive for the firm D he needs to employ lawyers

Exam tip: When you are looking at the questions, it helps to predict the answer and listen to see if you are correct.

C Fill in the gaps in Mr Jenner’s speech.

‘Very often people have to leave the firm because the pace of work causes _1_. Obviously we need our people to work as _2_ as possible to maximise our profits. But if we overdo it, we end up _3_ good people, which is of no benefit to us.’

Exam tip: you may not hear every word of the recording. When you cannot hear a word try to guess what it means from the context.

D Fill in the text below with the following words: appeal, standard, code, image, procedure, dismissal.

Bibby and Jenner is a management consultancy which requires a very high _1_ of conduct from its employees. There is a strict dress _2_ too. Mr Jenner believes that it is important to present a professional _3_ to clients. If a staff member does not perform satisfactorily s/he will go through a disciplinary _4_. First, an oral / a verbal warning is given, then a written warning and finally _5_. Any employee who is dismissed has the right of _6_ to the managing directors, Mr Jenner and Mr Bibby.

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Unit 7 - Listening: Meeting Page 4

Exam practice: Saying Good-bye to Miss Fletcher A Imagine a firm with over fifty people. What issues will concern the

managing directors? Which ones will not? B What is the procedure for dismissing an employee in a properly

organised company? C Read the first lines of the questions and glance over the options

looking for key words. What do you think the listening text is about? D Listen and do the task. You will hear Ralph Bibby, Hector Jenner

and Sarah Fletcher. E Compare Mr Jenner and Mr Bibby’s approach to the issue. What is your opinion? 1. The meeting between Ralph Bibby and Hector Jenner was… A. one of their regular meetings. B. the result of a note from Mr Bibby. C. set up by phone. D. called by Mr Jenner. 2. Concerning Fiona Fletcher’s dismissal, Ralph Bibby thinks … A. the matter is not important. B. Miss Gold is incompetent. C. he should not be involved D. Mr Jenner should deal with the matter

alone. 3. Concerning Fiona Fletcher’s dismissal, Hector Jenner feels… A. Miss Gold has done her job correctly. B. he should not be involved. C. Miss Gold’s conclusions are

unreasonable. D. the matter will take the whole morning. 4. On the question of her dismissal, Fiona Fletcher… A. is required to meet the senior partners. B. has the option of meeting the senior

partners. C. can ask, but has no right to see the senior

partners. D. cannot question a decision made by Miss

Gold. 5. Hector Jenner suggests that Ralph Bibby has some tea… A. to pacify him. B. because he is thirsty. C. because he always drinks the same tea. D. because Mr Jenner is thirsty too.

6. What does Hector Jenner lie to Fiona Fletcher about? A. Miss Gold having recommended her

dismissal. B. Mr Bibby knowing the full facts of the

case. C. Mr Bibby being pressed for time. D. the senior partners giving the matter

their full consideration. 7. When his tea arrives, Ralph Bibby… A. is grateful. B. is irritated. C. is amused by the circumstances. D. leaves it with Fiona Fletcher. 8. Concerning the complaint against Fiona Fletcher, Ralph Bibby… A. believes Miss Gold’s report. B. doesn’t see the complaint as serious. C. takes a balanced view of the matter. D. wants to hear what Fiona Fletcher has to

say. 9. Which of the following would best describe Ralph Bibby’s behaviour? A. self-controlled B. formal C. impatient D. friendly 10. How does Hector Jenner treat Ralph Bibby? A. Dismissively B. With understanding C. With humour D. Rudely

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Unit 7 - Listening: Meeting Page 5

Unit 7: People Changing Jobs (p. 1) F 1. redundant, 2. notice, 3. financial compensation, 4. entitled to, 5. qualifications. (p.1) G

NOUN VERB ADJECTIVE a qualification (oooOo) to qualify (Ooo) qualified /-ing (Ooo – ooOo) a procedure (oOo) to (e.g. to institute) a

procedure procedural (oOoo)

compensation (ooOo) to compensate (Ooo) compensatory (rare) (ooOoo) a dismissal (oOo) to dismiss (oO) dismissed (oO)

(p. 1) H A trade union journal, Workers’ Briefing (it is easy to understand, oriented to the worker’s point of view) (p. 1) I inability to do the job, no qualification, unacceptable conduct, redundancy (p. 3) A (i) Mr Jenner offers to dismissed employees money in compensation because it costs the firm money to fight a dismissal case, (ii) to take their case to an employment court, (iii) spending money on fighting a case at an employment court (p.3) B Option A: Jenner never mentions this; he assumes his dismissal is justified. Option B: Jenner implies that the firm is unwilling to devote the funds to the case, not that it does not have the funds. Option C: the correct answer, Option D: while ‘D’ may be true, it is not the reason given. (p.3) C (possible answers) 1. stress/illness/dissatisfaction/discontent/friction, 2. hard/much, 3. losing (p. 3) D 1. standard, 2. code, 3. image, 4. procedure, 5. dismissal, 6. appeal (p. 4) D 1D, 2C, 3A, 4B, 5A, 6B, 7B/A, 8A/B, 9C, 10B Unit 7: People Changing Jobs Listening – meeting Mr Jenner Ah, Ralph, come in. I see you got the note I left on your desk about the

probable dismissal of one of our new young recruits. Mr Bibby Yes, I did. What’s all this about exactly? I certainly hope it won’t be too time-

consuming. Mr Jenner Well, the office manager, Miss Gold prepared the report. It would appear that

Fiona Fletcher – whom we appointed at the last minute in January, if you remember – has been playing up. Miss Gold’s made a full report of the incidents involved, and has - so I believe – fully discussed the matter with Fiona Fletcher. On the basis of that discussion, Miss Gold has recommended her dismissal – and has communicated the fact to her.

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Unit 7 - Listening: Meeting Page 6

Mr Bibby I fully understand, Hector, but why on earth does a matter of this kind require the attention of both senior partners in the firm? What do we employ Miss Gold for, if she can’t sort out this kind of matter herself?

Oh, Hector, don’t answer me, because I know the answer. It’s just that I’m really very annoyed about having to give up a whole morning to listen to the Fletcher girl.

Mr Jenner Well, as you know, Ralph, under clause 27 of her employment contract she has

the right of final appeal to us. It doesn’t help us make money directly, Ralph, but…

Mr Bibby But I’ve got so much to do with the re-writing of the management contracts for

PLZ Engineering. Where’s Miss Gold anyway? Why are things all over the place at the moment?

Mr Jenner (irritated, but with understanding) Ralph, calm down. These little tempers of

yours are beginning to affect profits. What I’ll do is have Lorna make you one of your teas. What do you want? The Darjeeling tea?

(loudly) Lorna, be so good as to make Mr Bibby a Darjeeling tea, if you would. KNOCK AT THE DOOR Ah, that’ll be the Fletcher girl now. (loudly) Come in.

Now, come in and sit down, Miss Fletcher. Mr Bibby and I’ve had the opportunity to familiarise ourselves with Miss Gold’s report on the matter in hand.

Miss Fletcher Shall I sit here, Sir? Mr Jenner Yes, sit there where we can see you. What’s that you’ve got in your hand? Is it

Mr Bibby’s tea? Ralph, your tea seems to be here. Miss Fletcher Yes, I think so. Mr Bibby (irritated) Ok, I’ll take it off you – and for heaven’s sake don’t let us waste any

more time. Let’s get on with things, Hector. Mr Jenner Now, Miss Fletcher. The heart of Miss Gold’s case against you is that you’ve

come in late on average three times a week, you’ve wasted time while at work, used the firm’s phone for private calls and been rude to Miss Gold. Last week, if I understand correctly, you were given a final warning by Miss Gold, but the offending behaviour since that time has continued. Is all that correct, Miss Fletcher?

Miss Fletcher Could I just say… Mr Bibby ‘Could I just…’ Who on heaven or earth do you think you are, Miss Fletcher?

Do you think we are running some kind of hotel or holiday camp here? Miss Fletcher If I could just say…

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Unit 7 - Listening: Meeting Page 7

Mr Bibby The point is… Mr Jenner Ralph, let her comment. Yes, now what do you have to say, Miss Fletcher? Miss Fletcher What I want to say is that I’ve found another job, and I’m leaving at the end of

the week.

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Unit 8- Writing: Transactional writing Page 1

8 Formal Letters In this unit you will… • meet words and expressions about formal procedures • read an article about the legal steps for dismissing an employee • write a letter dismissing an employee A Do you enjoy writing formal letters? Why? Why Not? B Match the types of letter described on the left with the extracts on

the right

1 A letter telling you that you’ve been successful in a job interview A It’s really great…what I have to do is…

2 A letter dismissing you from a job B We are pleased to inform you…We look forward to…

3 A letter to a friend about your job C In relation to clause 8 of your contract of employment…

C What do the following words and phrases mean? Which words have a negative

connotation?

employment termination, redundancy, (gross) misconduct, poor performance, an appeal, to delay, (a piece of) evidence, to have sth. at your fingertips, vindictiveness, malicious, alienating, a victim, vengeful, libel, defamation, a liability

D Use one item from the vocabulary box to fill each gap. There is more than one

possibility for some. You may need to adapt the word.

Sara Liebermann helps workers who have had _1_ bosses. The official reason for the _2_ of their _3_ can be _4_, _5_ or _6_. In many cases the formalities were not followed, and most of the workers weren’t given a chance to go to an _7_ at work. ‘If you decide to go to court, it is important to have _8_, and have all the information _9_. I tend to see most of these workers as _10_,’ she says.

E Look quickly at the article on the next page. Who is Mr Jenner advising? F What is the purpose of the first paragraph? (You can include the text in bold as part of

the first paragraph.) G Each paragraph has a function and makes a point. Summarise each paragraph in a

sentence or title. H Compare the internal structure of paragraphs 3 and 4. What are the topic sentences of

each of the two paragraphs? Is there a difference between the topic sentence and the theme of the paragraph?

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Unit 8- Writing: Transactional writing Page 2

I Look at the following paragraph from a review of Mr Jenner’s article. Is the letter logically ordered? Re-write it.

He is completely partisan. For Jenner the purpose of keeping records is solely to empower the boss, not the worker. Jenner’s article reveals everything which is wrong with management consultancy today. Jenner writes entirely from the employer’s point of view. He says bosses should avoid vindictiveness, not because it hurts the employee, but only because it can cause problems for the employer.

J Reply to the following email in not more than 150 words. Advise Wayne on the what steps he would have to take to make the dismissal legal.

Hi I hope you are feeling better than I am. This new chap has just borrowed oneof our company vans to go off and get himself some lunch. When he gets back ina minute, I’m going to call him a fool and an idiot and sack him on the spot. How are things with you? Wayne, Wayne Shatner, Shatner Catering, 7-11 Park St. 3830 Meckham.

Giving formal notification – real-life phrases I hereby give notice that… I have been asked to inform you… (writing for somebody else)With reference to clause 4 of your contract…

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Unit 8- Writing: Transactional writing Page 3

Good-bye Letters Writing letters terminating employment contracts is not easy. Management consultant Hector Jenner provides some advice.

(1) Whenever you write any kind of official letter there are two things that it is vital to get right: the style and the content. Assuming you have mastered proper business style, here I will concentrate only on the content. (2) Employers must use proper employment termination and dismissal procedures to ensure that the process when an employee leaves is professionally and legally correct. There are severe costs to the firm if employment termination is, for whatever reason, not handled properly. (3) Employment termination by the employer normally falls into one of these categories: redundancy, misconduct or poor performance. Poor performance may or may not be the fault of the employee; s/he might be doing his/her best but his/her best is simply not good enough. The central principles for dealing with all three of these situations are broadly similar. (4) There are basic steps that need to be followed properly. First, give reasons for the proposed dismissal to the employee in writing, and give the employee a reasonable period during which to consider the facts and his/her response. Second, hold a meeting with the employee to explain the reasons and give the employee the opportunity to explain his/her position. Third, after the meeting, give the employee your decision in writing (whether to proceed with the dismissal or other action), and invite the employee to make an appeal and attend an appeal meeting. After any appeal meeting the employer must confirm the appeal decision in writing. A manager of proper authority must attend meetings,

and meetings must be at reasonable times and venues. The employer must also not unreasonably delay any of the stages in this process. (5) The above process means a minimum of three official letters. Letters should concentrate on the facts of the situation, and the clear evidence to support these facts. Having facts and figures at management’s fingertips requires good record-keeping. An essential part of a properly run firm is the keeping of accurate day-to-day records on every aspect of an employee’s conduct. Nothing could be worse than getting into the middle of a dismissal process and finding basic facts and figures are lacking. (6) Even in cases of gross misconduct, avoid vindictiveness; there is no money to be made from it, and unnecessary hostility may cause management problems later. Any subsequent legal review process will not look kindly on any aspects of malicious behaviour used in the employer's handing of a dismissal.

(7) As a matter of good practice, always try to part as friends, not enemies. Nothing is gained by alienating people who already see themselves as victims; negative treatment can prompt them to be vengeful, which does nobody any good at all. Also, by keeping employment termination and dismissal letters positive you avoid the risk of libel or defamation, which carry potential legal liabilities for the employer, irrespective of the circumstances and process of the dismissal itself.

Dear Miss Fletcher, Further to our meeting held earlier today, I regret to inform you that your employmentwith Bibby and Jenner is terminated with effect from Friday 14 June.

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Unit 8- Writing: Transactional writing Page 4

Exam Skills A Look at the letter template below. On a separate sheet of paper, write out the

formalities: letterhead and closure (i.e. the position of the sender’s name and address, the recipient’s name and address, salutations, the date and the reference).

Exam tip: you do not need to reproduce addresses in the exam, but you need to recognise who the letter is from and who it is to.

B Look at the letter template again. What is the purpose/function

of each paragraph?

Exam tip: your letter in the exam needs a clear structure, through logical paragraphing.

C What is the function of the pieces of formal language

highlighted in the text?

Exam tip: you need to use appropriate register in formal letters.

D You are Mr Jenner’s assistant. Using the template below, write a letter dismissing Miss

Fletcher, the trainee management consultant. Invent details, but be realistic. Your letter should look authentic.

Name, address, date, reference Dear Mr/Ms/Mrs ……….. (1) Further to our meeting of (date), I (regretfully) confirm that your employment with us isterminated with effect from (date)/with immediate effect. (2) As stated at our meeting, the reason(s) for terminating your employment with us is/are as follows: (Employer must clearly state reasons – transgressions and relevant policies if applicable.)

(3) (Employer must clearly state previous warnings – informal, formal, written etc. – the circumstances for each warning and the person's response and subsequent behaviour/performance.)

(4) (Clearly state requirements regarding return of documentation, equipment, car,submission of final expenses claims, and any other leaving administration issues.) (5) (Clearly state actual leaving date, requirement or otherwise to serve period of notice,holiday pay, and other pay and pension details.) (6) (Optional sign-off, for example: Thank you for your past efforts and all the best for your future endeavours.) Yours sincerely,. name and position (Optional section requiring person to sign, confirming receipt, and return copy of this letter.)

E Swap your letter with a partner. Discuss how effective the letter is, and check for

spelling and punctuation.

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Unit 8- Writing: Transactional writing Page 5

Exam Practice: Mr Bibby gets angry with Miss Jowell A List behaviour which is acceptable (and unacceptable) in an office which deals

with high-paying professional clients (e.g. coming to work in jeans). B What information should go into a warning letter to an employee? C Read Mr Bibby’s letter. What kind of person is Mr Bibby?

Bibby and Jenner are a leading firm of management consultants. As Mr Bibby’s personal assistant you have received the following emails.

To [email protected] [email protected] I am so angry that I can hardly write this e-mail!!! This morning I had a meeting in my room with representatives from a veryimportant client of ours. Throughout, a noisy circus seemed to be going on outsidein the corridor. The main culprit was undoubtedly the new trainee in the office, MissJowell, who: • was shouting to her colleagues (I can never stand the shrill sound of young

women’s voices when they are shouting) • was using language which was vulgar • brought in our coffee at 11am, and banged it down on the table, spilling a fair

proportion of it into the saucers. Please draft an official warning letter to Miss Jowell, and mention clearly thestandards that Bibby and Jenner expects from its employees. Bring it to me forsignature when you’ve finished. Take any other steps you think necessary to deal with this matter. I’m too busy togive it any more time. Ralph Bibby, Senior Partner, Bibby and Jenner.

To [email protected] [email protected] There will be a senior staff meeting on Thursday at 9.00. If a matter needs placingon the agenda, notify the office manager, Miss Gold, by 13.00 on Tuesday. H. Jenner, Senior Partner, Bibby and Jenner.

D Write a letter to Miss Jowell, as Mr Bibby instructs. (About 200 words) E Write an email to Miss Gold, giving a short explanation of the matter as an item to be

included in the senior staff meeting agenda. (About 50 words) F Write the full agenda for the senior staff meeting on Thursday. Act it out in groups of

three. (Tasks E and F are not examination tasks)

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Unit 8- Writing: Transactional writing Page 6

Unit 8: Formal Letters (p.1) B 1B, 2C, 3A Letters 1 and 2 are formal; 3 is informal. A dismissal letter will be

more formal and legalistic in style than a letter of appointment which will probably have an optimistic tone.

(p.1) C employment termination, redundancy, (gross) misconduct, poor performance,

vindictiveness, malicious, alienating, a victim, vengeful, libel, defamation, a liability, to delay

(p.1) D 1. vindictive, malicious, vengeful, 2. termination, 3. employment,

4./5./6. redundancy, misconduct, poor performance (in any order), 7. appeal, 8. evidence, 9. at your fingertips, 10. victims

(p.1) E employers (p.1) F to establish the topic of the article (i.e. the correct contents of a letter of

dismissal) (p.1) G 1. Getting the style and content right, 2. Use correct procedures, 3. Types of

dismissal, 4. Detailed steps of a dismissal, 5. Keeping records and evidence, 6. Avoid vindictiveness, 7. Try to part on friendly terms

(p.1) H In both 3 and 4 the topic sentence is the first. Paragraph 3, after the topic

sentence, details one aspect and then finishes with a transitional sentence linking to the next paragraph. Paragraph 4, after the topic sentence, details a procedure chronologically.

(p.1) I The sentences in the paragraph do not follow a logical order. A possible

correction could be:

Jenner’s article reveals everything which is wrong with managementconsultancy today. (= main thesis statement) Jenner writes entirely from the employer’s point of view. (= further specification of thesis) He is completely partisan. (=reformation of specific thesis) He says bosses should avoid vindictiveness, not because it hurts the employee, but only because it cancause problems for the employer. (= example and illustration of thesis) For Jenner the purpose of keeping records is solely to empower the boss, not theworker. (= another example and illustration of thesis)

This paragraph identifies the topic/thesis at the beginning, then proves/illustrates/exemplifies it in the body of the paragraph. Normal paragraph structure moves from the general to the specific.

(p.1) J The letter should remind Wayne of the correct procedures if he wishes to

dismiss an employee. The letter to the employee should be written in a formal style. He should try not to part with the employee on unfriendly terms. But your letter to Wayne will be informal.

(p. 3) A This is a suggested format for a formal letter

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Unit 8- Writing: Transactional writing Page 7

Bibby and Jenner Management Consultancy436 The Grenberg Ring

2318 Grenberg

12 February 2007 Mr G. Schlick Management Consultant 12 Green Rd. 2567 Meckham Dear Mr Schlick, Re: your employment contract I am writing to inform you… Yours sincerely, H. Jenner Senior Partner

(p.3) B 1. announcement of employment termination, 2. reasons for termination,

3. history of the case to date, 4. what will happen next, 5. further details of termination, 6. final comments on termination

(p.3) C These are formulaic pieces of writing used to structure the information in the

letter. (p.4) C Mr Bibby appears to be intolerant, bad tempered and impatient.

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Unit 9 - Writing: Extensive writing Page 1

9 Formal Reports In this unit you will… • meet words and expressions about office consultation • read a report about a Christmas party • write reports, essays and articles A Do you ever have to write formal reports in your job? What is

easy/difficult in writing a report? Give three reasons why reports are written.

B What do the words and expressions in the vocabulary box mean?

suspicion, to be entitled to s.th, to mingle, a questionnaire, anonymous, a (prior)engagement, resentful, a committee, a grant, to let your hair down

C Put one item from the vocabulary box into each gap. You may need to adapt the word

One _1_ not to be missed every year is Arnie Fischer’s New Year Party. All trade unionists are _2_ to attend, and can have a good time and _3_. The guests eat, _4_and talk. Arnie has a _5_ that not everybody who comes is really a trade unionist,but he is not _6_ at paying for his or her food. ‘If an _7_ person wants to be with us, then so much the better,’ he says.

D Very quickly read Mr Bibby’s e-mail on the next page. What does he want?

1. more free time 2. to cancel the Christmas party 3. to re-think the Christmas party

E Look quickly at Gavin Pringle’s report on the next page. What are the four parts into

which the report is divided? F Summarise in one sentence the findings of Gavin’s survey of the staff. G Summarise in one sentence Gavin’s recommendations. Do you think he is right in his

recommendations? H The report is over 500 words long. Reduce the report to one of about 200 words (the

length you will have to write in the exam) H Imagine you are Mr Bibby. Write a letter to the staff telling them of the new

arrangements for the Christmas party (add details to Gavin’s recommendations). The beginning and ending of the letter have been given to you.

Dear Staff, You will be thrilled to know that this whole question of the staff Christmas party has come up again. Many of you will have filled in the questionnaire that my assistant, GavinPringle, sent round. Well, decisions have been made, and here they are. WRITE THE NEW ARRANGEMENTS HERE Well, I hope everybody is looking forward to our Christmas feast this year. Ralph Bibby, Senior partner

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Reports – real-life phrases Report for the attention of… I/We found/discovered that… I/We recommend that…

Unit 9 - Writing: Extensive writing Page 2

To [email protected] [email protected]’m completely fed up with signing cheques of / paying over EUR 7,000 for the firm’s Christmas party.Nobody seems to enjoy it. Everybody just sits there looking bored and miserable, so my suspicion is that it ismoney down the drain. Anyway, I have no time to deal with the problem. Write me a full report and have iton my desk by a week Wednesday. Ralph.

Report for the attention of Mr R. Bibby, Senior Partner, Bibby and Jenner Management Consultants.

Subject: Possible changes to Bibby and Jenner’s Christmas Party

Background 1 Every year since the foundation of the firm in 1970, Bibby and Jenner have held a Christmas party

which has been free for all full-time members of staff employed at the company’s head office. Eachfull-time member of staff has been entitled to bring one person as a guest for a fee (last year EUR 50).Attendance has grown so that in the past three years between 50 and 70 persons have been present.

2 The party in recent years has been held in the Grand Hotel in the centre of Grenberg. The format hasbeen speeches, a five-course dinner, and then after-dinner speeches and mingling. The party has beenheld on the last working Friday before Christmas, beginning at 19.00 and running until 23.00.

Method 1 I wrote a questionnaire (attached), seeking the opinion of staff on the Christmas party. The

questionnaire could be completed and returned anonymously. Eighty per cent of staff returned thequestionnaire, and the rate of return did not vary significantly between departments. All subsequentinformation about staff attitudes is based on the returned questionnaires.

Results 1 A large majority (85%) felt that they were obliged to attend the party, even if they had prior

engagements on that evening. Of these, 82% felt resentful at having to attend, which affected theirenjoyment of the evening.

2 A majority (55%) enjoyed the speeches, but a substantial minority (39%) did not. The most commonreasons cited were that the speeches focused only on the concerns of senior management. A largemajority (90%) felt that the speeches were too long.

3 A concern of a large minority (45%) was that staff had to be ‘well-behaved’ at the party due to theattendance of senior management, and this limited their enjoyment. This feeling was strongest amongthe younger staff members (78%).

4 The current cost of bringing a guest to the party (EUR 50) was a problem for a substantial minority(47%). A clear majority favoured a simpler, cheaper and more open party (72%).

5 A major concern for a slight majority (55%) was the timing of the party on the last working Fridaybefore Christmas. Many in the firm would have preferred to attend other engagements on thatevening.

Recommendations 1 My main recommendation is to create two events instead of one: a formal end-of-year dinner with

speeches in the Grand Hotel, and an informal Christmas party at another location. 2 The formal dinner would begin at 18.00, with a maximum of 45 minutes devoted to speeches (Mr

Jenner and Mr Bibby only). The formal dinner would end at 20.30. Attendance at this event wouldstill be ‘expected’.

3 The informal party would be organised by the Staff Committee. The Committee would be given asmall grant for this purpose. The party would start at 21.00, and would be an opportunity for the staffto ‘let their hair down’.

4 Both events would be held on the Thursday of the last full working week before Christmas. 5 I propose that the guest fee be abolished.

Report by Gavin Pringle Submitted to Mr Bibby: 14 October

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Unit 9 - Writing: Extensive writing Page 3

Exam skills A What is a discursive essay? What is the purpose of a discursive essay?

Exam tip: No piece of writing will be effective and successful unless you know the purpose of the text.

B How many sentences are there in a typical

introduction? What is its purpose?

Exam tip: write short and clear introductions. Don’t put information into the introduction which belongs in the body of the essay.

C Look at the exam essay below. What is the function of each paragraph? What is the

function of the text in italics?

Exam tip: In an essay there is a structure both within paragraphs and between paragraphs.

D An argument in an essay can have every point simply contributing to strengthening the

thesis of the essay, or it can have points which modify or qualify the initial thesis. The first type can often be a simple list, which fails to reflect the complexity of a particular issue. In the example essay below, where is the thesis modified?

Exam tip: good essays are more than simple lists. E What is the difference between the content of the introduction and the conclusion?

Exam tip: A conclusion should be based on the argument of the essay.

F Now write the following essay: ‘Writing reports is fun’: discuss

‘Reports are the best means of communicating formal information’: discuss. (1) Reports are formal documents for conveying information within and between organisations. They are a vital form of communication. (2) Reports have a structure that can easily be recognised: who commissioned the report, its remit, facts/findings and recommendation(s). The structure allows theinformation to be assimilated easily. (3) Reports are also effective because they require the use of formal language. As a rule formal language leaves less room for ambiguity, and can be understood moreeasily when a report is read by someone with a different linguistic or ethnic background. (4) Reports are not appropriate for conveying certain types of information. A resolution to be put to a meeting, for instance, will have a different format. Reportssuggest a hierarchy, with a subordinate reporting to his/her superior(s), so where no such relationship exists other forms of communication (letters, e-mails) will probably be more appropriate. (5) In conclusion, while reports have a key role to play in organisational communication, they are not appropriate in every case.

Exam practice: To what extent do you agree with this statement?

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Unit 9 - Writing: Extensive writing Page 4

A Which of the tasks below would you choose? How

important is the topic? How important is the genre? Discuss in groups.

B Note down some important features of the following genres: essay, article, report.

C Choose one of the topics below and write a plan. Discuss your plan with a partner.

D Write your text, check it, and give it to your partner to improve.

‘Economic growth is the solution to all social problems.’ To what extent do you

agree with this statement? Write an essay. (ca. 200 words)

Think of an advertising campaign for a product which you have seen. Imagine youwork for the company that produces that product. Write a report for the managingdirector of the company on the effectiveness of the campaign. Write a report. (ca. 200 words)

E Which of the following would you use in an essay? Why? What are their functions?

You have been asked to write an article for a national newspaper on the economicsituation in your town. Write an article. (ca. 200 words)

In conclusion…, First, I think…, It has been argued that…, On the one hand…, A lot of people say…, In other words…, As a result…, In my Dad’s opinion…, I don’t know much about this…, Additionally…, However,…

F The following essay has been given an introduction and a conclusion. Complete the

essay. You have 150 words for the main part of your essay.

‘The only motivation of business is to maximise profit.’ To what extent do youagree with this statement? Businesses operate in a commercial environment, and the main motivation of theirowners is to maximise profits. Businesses, on a day-to-day basis, however, have a range of objectives. (28 words) In conclusion, businesses exist to make profit. All other objectives in the majority ofcases are subordinate to the drive for profits. (22 words)

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Unit 9 - Writing: Extensive writing Page 5

Unit 13: Formal Reports (p. 1) A Purposes of reports: to collect together information; to provide a clear and

logical record; to show that a matter is of some importance; to provide the basis for action.

(p. 1) C 1. engagement, 2. entitled, 3./4. mingle / let their hair down, 5. suspicion,

6. resentful, 7. anonymous (p. 1) D Option 3: Mr Bibby wants his assistant to suggest ways to stop EUR 7,000

being wasted on a Christmas party that nobody enjoys. (p. 1) E 1. background 2. method 3. results/findings 4. recommendations (p. 1) F The staff felt that the current party was too formal and expensive, and not held

at the best time. (p. 1) G There should be two parties: firstly a formal dinner, and then following that an

informal party organised by the staff committee. (p. 3) A An discursive essay is about taking a statement, stating the arguments for and

against it and finally coming to a reasoned conclusion. (p. 3) B An introduction in a short essay should consist of no more than two sentences.

The first is an orientation statement (which puts the matter in context); the second is the thesis (the argument you are making across the whole essay).

(p. 3) C 1 introduction, 2 illustration of essay thesis, 3 ditto, 4 modifying the thesis, 5

conclusion (p. 3) D The essay modifies the thesis in the fourth paragraph. (p. 3) E The introduction sets out what is to be proved in the essay; the conclusion

establishes what has been proved in the paragraphs of the essay. (p. 4) B Essay: formal register, logical and standard structure, argumentative,

impersonal Article: formal or informal, informative/argumentative, logically structured,

opens and closes with powerful points. Report: formal, clearly signalled parts, bullet points, economic use of language (p. 4) E In conclusion…, It has been argued that…, On the one hand…, In other

words…, As a result…, Additionally…, However…

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Unit 10 - Grammar & Vocabulary: Dictation Page 1

10 Social Welfare In this unit you will… • meet words and expressions about social welfare for people • read an article about social welfare for people with no money • practise writing down exactly what you hear A Look at the quote below. Do you agree with Mr Jenner?

B What is it like being unemployed? What benefits should be given to the unemployed? C Which of the following words are connected to money?

D Fill in the gaps in the text below with a word or expression from the vocabulary box.

You may need to adapt the word.

E Look quickly at the article on the next page. What kind of magazine do you think the

article comes from? F Look at the article on the next page again. What kind of person would receive the

highest social welfare payments? G The following people all want social welfare benefits. Advise them on the basis of the

Sara Liebermann’s advice.

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

‘Unemployment is certainly a problem for the unemployed person. But it’s not aproblem for me, and nor should the government be concerned with it.’ Hector Jenner, management consultant

a benefit, invalidity, a lone parent, maternity benefit, rent, mortgage payments, a supplement, individual circumstances, an orphan

Maria is unemployed. She lives in a small flat with her young son. As a _1_ she receives a _2_ to her social welfare _3_. She is now eight months pregnant, so she is on _4_. She also needs help with her _5_ because she still owes the bank EUR 10,000. Some extra money comes in because of her _6_; poor Maria only has one leg.

‘I am 17 and still go to school. I live at home with my parents.’ Martin ‘I live alone, work ten hours a week and can’t pay the mortgage on my bighouse.’ Joan ‘I can’t find a job, but my husband has a full-time job.’ Rachel ‘I’m 16 and still at school, but my parents moved to Australia last year and send meno money.’ Colin

Benefits – real-life phrases She’s on the dole. (colloquial – unemployed) I can’t make ends meet. (not enough money to live)I’m going to sign-on. (register as beingunemployed)

Unit 10 - Grammar & Vocabulary: Dictation Page 2

Do you need welfare payments? Are you unemployed with no money? Sara Liebermann tells you whether you can get benefit. As a general rule if you are unemployed, do not have any income and have nearly nothing in savings then you are entitled to Social Welfare Benefit. Social Welfare Benefit is for people who are under sixty, earn less than EUR 500 a month and have savings of under EUR 3,000. If you are ill you should apply for Invalidity Benefit, and if you are over sixty then you should apply to the Pension Bureau. Savings of over EUR 500 affect how much Social Welfare Benefit you can get. Basically, the more savings you have, the lower your benefit will be. To apply, you need to go to the Social Welfare Benefit Division at the Social Security Offices. But you can apply by phone or letter if you are a lone parent, if you are unable to work because you are caring for someone, or if you are blind. If you have a partner (wife, husband or someone you live with) who works an average of 24 hours a week or more, you cannot usually get Social Welfare Benefit. If you have a partner who works an average of less than 24 hours a week, their earnings will usually affect the amount of benefit you can get. You will be able to get Social Welfare Benefit if you or your partner are not working because of parental leave. Pregnant women and people with children under five get free milk and vitamins in addition to their welfare benefit. If you do not fully own your own home and you are entitled to Social Welfare Benefit, you may receive extra money to help

towards rent or mortgage payments. However, a welfare officer has to issue a certificate that the size of your house is reasonable for your needs, and you must show proof of the rent or mortgage payments that you make. You can usually get extra money for your family. The amount paid is dependent on how many children you have, and their ages. You can also get a supplement to your Social Welfare Benefit if you are caring for elderly relatives. Students are generally not entitled to Social Welfare Benefit. If you are studying, you may be able to get Income Social Welfare Benefit while you are on your course if you are a lone parent, sick or disabled, or registered blind. You should check with your social security office. If you are aged between 16 and 18 and still at school or college you cannot get benefit for yourself unless you are looking after your own child, or you are an orphan. You will be considered an orphan if: you are not living with or not in touch with your parents and not being supported by them; you are separated from your parents for reasons that cannot be avoided and nobody is looking after you in their place. So, how much will you get? The rules for benefits mean that your individual circumstances (age, housing cost, and dependants) will affect the amount you can receive. This means you will not always be able to easily work out exactly how much you are entitled to.

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Unit 10 - Grammar & Vocabulary: Dictation Page 3

Exam Skills A Match each grammar term on the left with the highlighted word it corresponds to on the

right.

adverbial particle He has been unemployed for three years now. article They won’t pay us any benefit until next month.

auxiliary verb You can’t receive both unemployment and invalidity benefit. conjunction The welfare officer that works in that office is quite helpful.

(demonstrative) pronoun She sat on a bench and waited to see a welfare officer. modal auxiliary She’s looking for a job.

preposition At his age he might not find another job. (personal) pronoun Welfare benefits are paid out on Wednesday.

relative pronoun You need this form to complain.

Exam Tip: In the dictation, it is often difficult to hear these small grammar words. If you know your sentence grammar you can often work out the correct word.

B Which of the above highlighted words can contain a schwa when said in a sentence at

normal speaking speed? (A schwa sound is the sound at the start of the word about and at the end of the word better.)

Exam Tip: The dictation task requires you to reproduce every word. Often in connected

speech short grammar words change their pronunciation and have a schwa sound. C Look at the text below and for each gap work out the class of the missing word. Then

find a suitable word for each gap.

Maria has _1_ long form to fill _2_ before she _3_ get invalidity _4_ unemployment benefit. She picked up the form yesterday and needs to return _5_ to the social welfare office _6_ the town centre tomorrow.

D Don’t look at your book. Tell your partner all you can remember about Maria. Now fill

in the gaps.

Maria is i__ her flat alone with her s__. She w___ a job, but she can’t find o__. She needs to claim b___ to buy food and p___ the loan on her flat. There are different types of b___ she can claim. She is en___ to inv___ and unem___ payments. She receives a sup___ because of her s___.

Exam Tip: In the dictation look at the title and picture and think about all you know on the topic. It will help you to predict and guess words.

What’s the Exam Task? You will hear a tape recording of a text read in separate pieces (or ‘chunks’). You must write it word-for-word with the correct spelling.

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Unit 10 - Grammar & Vocabulary: Dictation Page 4

Exam Practice: No Hope for Ellen A How do people’s lives change when they lose their

jobs? The woman in the picture is unemployed. How do you think that she is feeling?

B You will hear a short text about Mandy Gibbons, an office cleaner. Write down the text as closely to the original as you can. Nearly all of the grammar words are missing. Check what you have written with a partner.

C Listen again to make sure that you have written down the text correctly. Insert suitable grammar words to make the sentences grammatically accurate and meaningful. Compare your answers with a partner.

D Now listen to the complete text. Discuss any differences between your answer and the text on the tape.

E What do the following mean? a short-term contract, promotion, redundancies, benefits, employment agencies, evicted,

alternative accommodation F The dictation is about the misfortune of someone called Ellen. What do think her story

is? Do the dictation. Now listen and write down every word you hear. G Read Facts about dictation below. Facts about the dictation

Length: the dictation is between 85 and 100 words. The text is divided into parts (or chunks) in two ways: reading chunks and marking chunks. There are between twelve and eighteen reading chunks. (Each of these is divided into one or more marking chunks). Each marking chunk which is ‘correct’ (see below) gains a point. What is necessary in order to get the point? • You must include all the words. • You must spell every word (except names) correctly. What is not important: • punctuation, i.e. capital letters and any punctuation marks • spelling proper nouns: e.g. Mr Smith, Budapest • whether you use British or American spelling • whether you abbreviate or not (e.g. I have or I’ve, do not or don’t) but slang

abbreviations (e.g. gonna, wanna) are not acceptable

H Now mark the four marking chunks in the box below. Check what you have done with a

partner.

Look at the four following marking chunks in a dictation. Which of them would gain would gain points in the examination. Why?

danny noble lives in the small town of Meckjham

which is now a suberb of the

Neighboring Town of Grenberg. since leaving school the begining of the 1990s

I Now finish writing the dictation about Danny Noble. There is no right answer. How you finish the story is up to you. Make sure you only have twenty marking chunks. Practise your dictation with someone else in the class.

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Unit 10 - Grammar & Vocabulary: Dictation Page 5

Unit 10: Social Welfare (p. 1) D 1. lone parent, 2. supplement, 3. benefit, 4. maternity benefit, 5. mortgage

payments, 6. invalidity (p. 1) E A magazine for the unemployed, a community paper – perhaps any magazine

written for people on low incomes. It could be an official magazine published by a social welfare office.

(p. 1) F People with no income and with savings of under EUR 3,000 who are pregnant

or have children under five, or have rent/mortgages to pay, or have many children, or are caring for elderly relatives.

(p. 1) G Martin: not entitled to benefits. Joan: possibly, if earning less than EUR 500 a month and with savings of

under EUR 3,000. Rachel: not entitled to benefit Colin: if he is not supported by anybody else, then he is probably entitled to

benefit. (p. 3) A adverbial particle (out), article (a), auxiliary verb (has), conjunction (and),

(demonstrative) pronoun (this), modal auxiliary (might), preposition (on), personal pronoun (us), relative pronoun (that)

(p. 3) B has, us, and, that, on (possibly), a (p. 3) C 1. Article / determiner (a), 2. adverbial particle (in), 3. auxiliary/modal auxiliary

(e.g. can), 4. conjunction (or), 5. object pronoun referring back ( anaphoric reference) (it), 6. preposition (in).

(p. 3) D Maria is in her flat alone with her son. She wants a job, but she can’t find one.

She needs to claim benefit to buy food and pay the loan on her flat. There are different types of benefit she can claim. She is entitled to invalidity and unemployment payments. She receives a supplement because of her son.

(p. 4) D For ten years Mandy Gibbons was directly employed by a firm of management

consultants to clean the main offices. Last week, however, poor Mandy was made unemployed when the cleaning was transferred to a private cleaning company.

(p. 4) F

Ellen was employed on a short-term contract by a firm of management consultants. Initially, she had hoped for promotion and a comfortable life,but poor profits led to redundancies and unemployment for Ellen. Shereceived benefits for sixth months, but despite going to several employmentagencies, failed to find work. ‘I now have no income, and I was evictedfrom my flat this morning,’ said a deflated Ellen. When asked whether shehad found alternative accommodation, she replied, ‘Yes, I’ve found a place under a bridge for tonight’. (88 words)

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Unit 10 - Grammar & Vocabulary: Dictation Page 6

1 1 Ellen was employed 2 on a short-term contract 2 3 by a firm of 4 management consultants. 3 5 Initially, she had hoped 6 for promotion 4 7 and a comfortable life, 5 8 but poor profits 9 led to redundancies 6 10 and unemployment for Ellen. 7 11 She received benefits 12 for sixth months, 8 13 but despite going to several 14 employment agencies, 9 15 failed to find work.

10 16 ‘I now have no income, 11 17 and I was evicted 18 from my flat this morning,’ 12 19 said a deflated Ellen. 13 20 When asked whether 21 she had found 14 22 alternative accommodation, 15 23 she replied, ‘Yes, I’ve found a place 16 24 under a bridge 25 for tonight’.

(This dictation has 25 marking chunks. The exam dictation has only 20 marking

chunks) (p. 4) H

First Chunk: This chunk gains a point. The lack of capital letters in the name Danny Noble, and the misspelling of Meckham, a proper noun, are ignored. Second Chunk: This chunk does not gain a point. The misspelling of suburb, a common noun, loses the point. Third Chunk: This chunk gains a point. The unnecessary capitalisation of neighbouring and town are ignored, as is the American spelling of neighbouring. Fourth Chunk: This chunk does not gain a point. Both the omission of the preposition at and the misspelling of beginning cause the point to be lost.

Unit 10: Social Welfare: tapescript (p. 4) B/C First and second reading

For ten years Mandy Gibbons * directly employed ** firm ** management consultants * clean * main offices. Last week, however, poor Mandy * made unemployed * * cleaning * transferred * * private cleaning company

(p. 4) D Third Reading

For ten years Mandy Gibbons was directly employed by a firm of management consultants to clean the main offices. Last week, however, poor Mandy was made unemployed when the cleaning was transferred to a private cleaning company.

(p. 4) F Grammar and vocabulary – dictation

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Unit 10 - Grammar & Vocabulary: Dictation Page 7

Ellen was employed on a short-term contract by a firm of management consultants. Initially, she had hoped for promotion and a comfortable life, but poor profits led to redundancies and unemployment for Ellen. She received benefits for sixth months, but despite going to several employment agencies failed to find work. ‘I now have no income, and I was evicted from my flat this morning,’ said a defeated Ellen. When asked whether she had found alternative accommodation, she replied, ‘Yes, I’ve found a place under a bridge for tonight.’ (88 words)

1 Ellen was employed on a short-term contract 2 by a firm of management consultants. 3 Initially, she had hoped for promotion 4 and a comfortable life, 5 but poor profits led to redundancies 6 and unemployment for Ellen. 7 She received benefits for sixth months, 8 but despite going to several employment agencies 9 failed to find work.

10 ‘I now have no income, 11 and I was evicted from my flat this morning,’ 12 said a defeated Ellen. 13 When asked whether she had found 14 alternative accommodation, 15 she replied, ‘Yes, I’ve found a place 16 under a bridge for tonight.’

Repeated reading chunk by reading chunk

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Unit 11 - Grammar & Vocabulary: Muliple choice gap-fill Page 1

11 Job Satisfaction In this unit you will… • meet words and expressions about experiences at work • read an article about job satisfaction • find out more about ‘words that go together.’ A Do you enjoy your job? What gives you satisfaction at work? What is boring or

irritating? B Thinking about job satisfaction, what is good and bad

about these jobs? • a teacher • a factory worker • a call-centre operator • a painter • a management consultant

C Which of the words below are connected to work? Which can be used to describe a

person?

the service sector, an assembly line, the common good, deprivation, to invest, tomanipulate, consciousness, narcissistic, isolated, hostile, a letter of resignation,discrimination, an appraisal, job enrichment, the dole

D Put an appropriate word or phrase from the vocabulary box into each gap. You may

need to adapt the word.

Danny Noble was looking for _1_, so he moved from a job in _2_ (He did photocopying in an office), to work nights on an _3_. ‘We can’t talk for eight hours because of the noise, so I feel _4_. Management has a very negative and _5_ attitude towards us. I went to a job _6_ meeting last week, but no promotion for me. I feel that I’m a victim of 7 , so I decided to send them 8 . I’m back on 9 again.

E Look quickly at the article on the next page. In what kind of magazine would you find

this article? Who would read it? F Look at the article again quickly. What is the main point made in (i) the first three

paragraphs, and (ii) the last four paragraphs? G Form two groups. Group A should list the problems identified in the first three

paragraphs and suggest solutions. Group B should list the problems identified in last four paragraphs and suggest solutions.

H Half the members of each group should swap groups. Discuss the problems and

solutions with the members of your new group.

Job satisfaction – real-life phrases I’ve got a dead end job. (a job with no prospects)It’s a drag. (slang – very boring) She got a 9-to-5 job. (regular office work)

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Unit 11 - Grammar & Vocabulary: Muliple choice gap-fill Page 2

‘I hate my job!’

Levels of job satisfaction are falling, particularly among women, says Sara Liebermann As more workers enter the service sector, increasing numbers are complaining about jobs that provide them with little satisfaction. I don’t want to romanticise work on assembly lines, but people had a sense that they were creating products that served some higher purpose other than making money. They thought they were serving ‘the common good’. Most working people have a deep desire to serve some higher purpose or goal other than their own financial needs, and the deprivation of this vital need is an important source of their stress. These days more and more people spend their working days trying to get others to want their products or services, which means investing a great deal of effort in manipulating and controlling the consciousness of others. Sometimes we are selling a product for others to make a profit with, but at other times we are selling ourselves, particularly if we work in the professions. We need others to see us as desirable ‘products’, so that they will buy us, our services, our product, our way of doing things. We go to seminars to become the right person to sell. This creates self-centred human beings who know how to treat others as objects, but rarely as subjects. People tend to feel lonely and isolated, surrounded by a hostile world. They find it increasingly difficult to trust others. They hate being part of that kind of a world, yet to be realistic they feel they must be part of it, and that there is little they can do to change it, so they had better protect themselves as best they can. Women suffer particularly, and have a higher turnover in employment than men. The reason is not because they are less committed workers, a new study finds. It's

because they're given far less meaningful work than men. A lack of overall job satisfaction, particularly the chance to do meaningful work and the opportunity for promotion, compels more women than men to hand in a letter of resignation. In a survey of 595 male and female workers in the civil service and higher education, researchers measured the workers’ intentions to leave and then examined thirteen possible motives for resignation. Among them were job security, wages, working conditions, benefits and paid holiday. Women were approximately twice as likely as men to admit that they would ‘definitely’ or ‘probably’ leave their employment within two years. Only 12.2% of the men indicated an intention to quit, while 22.2% of the women said they were ready to resign. Female workers were far less content than their male counterparts with their chances for advancement and the meaningfulness of their everyday duties. In addition, the researchers found that the longer women had worked at their jobs, the more they wanted to leave; for them this was an ‘alarming’ finding, which contradicted previous studies. Studies suggest that discrimination, high expectations, underlying performance problems, or differential treatment in the appraisal process may account for women's dissatisfaction with advancement opportunities. All this means that companies that want to have a solid core of workers at the end of the decade may want to consider starting programmes in career development and job enrichment, for their female workers in particular.

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Unit 11 - Grammar & Vocabulary: Muliple choice gap-fill Page 3

Exam Skills A Celeste Stein is an interior designer. Give her short text a title.

‘I simply love my job. To be honest, it’s my hobby as well. Most of the day I’m thinking or writing about how to design the insides of people’s houses or offices.What I think I like most is the challenge of every room being different. Just thinkabout it for a moment: every room has a different shape, a different height and a different purpose, because no two people have the same needs. Never forget that welive most of our lives in rooms, so when I design a room I’m doing something reallyimportant.’

B Look again at the text above and find the correct option for the gap in Celeste’s

sentence below.

‘In the evenings I’m often tired, but I can look back on a day full of _1_’ A. boredom B. variety C. predictability D. stress

N.B. Without reading the text we could probably discount the negative options ‘A’ and ‘D’ because she says ‘I’m often tired (a negative feature), but…’ (we expect a positive feature). Determining between options ‘B’ and ‘C’, however, can only be done by understanding the overall meaning of the text.

Exam tip: before you start looking at the gaps and options, read the text for gist.

C Collocation is about words that can and can’t go together, e.g. Let’s begin/start the

lesson but only Let’s start the car. Read what Celeste says below and choose an option. The correct option forms a partnership with of living to produce a collocation.

Celeste says, ‘Although money is not the main thing in my life, my fees give a high_1_ of living’. A. level B. degree C. standard D. measure

D Phrasal verbs consist of a verb and one or two adverbial particles. The adverbial particle

often changes the meaning of the verb; e.g. with the verb to break. I broke the vase (non-phrasal) and War broke out. (phrasal). Read what Celeste says below and choose an option. The correct option completes a phrasal verb.

Celeste says, ‘Every day I wake up really excited and I _1_ forward to the day ahead.’ A. view B. see C. glance D. look

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Unit 11 - Grammar & Vocabulary: Muliple choice gap-fill Page 4

E Look at the passage below. Which is the correct alternative? In each case decide

whether the correct answer involves meaning in context, collocation and/or phrasal verbs.

‘Being an interior designer involves/avoids keeping in contact with a large/bignumber of people. There are of course the furniture makers, from whom each item isindividually/ collectively ordered according to my design specifications. Thecurtains are all tailor/ individual made, and the type and colour of the fabric involves several types of experts. Carpet specialists and manufacturers are alsoinvolved/ignored. Lighting also makes/constitutes up an important/irrelevantelement/part of room design; there is the design of the fittings themselves as well asthe technical questions/issues of organising the wiring and the switches. People often don’t realise/take in the complexities of designing and putting/makingtogether even one room, but all these specialists have to communicate/get on well together.’

F Look at the four options for the word that is gapped in Celeste’s sentence below. Find

the correct answer and then state why the distractors are incorrect, and how the distractor was intending to distract you.

‘Once I’ve designed a room I can’t _1_ up with clients changing their minds.’ A. put B. take C. tolerate D. stand

Exam tip: Don’t just choose what you think is the correct answer, but work out why the distractors are wrong.

G Work out the part of speech for the gap in Celeste’s sentence below, and then fill it in.

_1_ by the door of the room, Celeste surveys the beauty she has created.

Exam tip: Before looking at the options, try to work out the part of speech for the gap and what the word might be. If your guess is indeed among the options, it is probably correct.

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Unit 11 - Grammar & Vocabulary: Muliple choice gap-fill Page 5

Exam Practice: Caught in a dead-end Job A What does the title of the newspaper article mean? B Read the text quickly and find out what John Pizzy and Hector

Jenner enjoy in their jobs. C Do the task. Give reasons for why the distractors are wrong.

Job satisfaction: the modern oxymoron What makes people happy at work? It’s very difficult to find an answer that _0_ to everybody.Saul Denman called in at a couple of workplaces in Grenberg to _1_ out. John Pizzy has been packing ice cream into boxes for twenty-three years now. Is there any jobsatisfaction in his work? ‘Well, there’s satisfaction being at _2_ when all the lads are together. Weoften tell _3_ all day, and that really keeps us going. Sometimes I am _4_ on taping up the boxes andthat makes a bit of a change. If the assembly _5_ breaks down for a few hours, that can give us alaugh.’ And what is unsatisfying about the job? ‘Well, what do you think? Wasting eight hours a _6_in this place doing the same thing, year in _7_ out.’

I then went to ask Hector Jenner, a successful management consultant. He was ready with hisanswers. ‘Work satisfaction for me is pretty simple. Work becomes satisfying when it _8_ in financialgain. For me, work is never a(n) _9_ in itself. It’s always about money.’ Is there such a thing as jobdissatisfaction in his lexicon? ‘Yes, when a muddle or inefficiency _10_ to financial loss. I call that atragedy.’

Ex. A. fits B. applies C. joins D. affects (‘B’ is correct)

1 A. find B. discover C. locate D. investigate

2 A. job B. work C. workplace D. labour

3 A. humours B. funs C. amusements D. jokes

4 A. asked B. ordered C. given D. put

5 A. line B. process C. row D. job

6 A. day B. week C. job D. work

7 A. day B. week C. month D. year

8 A. causes B. results C. develops D. makes

9 A. finish B. end C. ending D. affect

10 A. causes B. signals C. points D. leads

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Unit 11 - Grammar & Vocabulary: Muliple choice gap-fill Page 6

Unit 11: Job Satisfaction (p. 1) C Connected to work: the service sector, an assembly line, the common

good, to invest, a letter of resignation, discrimination, an appraisal, job enrichment, the dole

Connected to a person: deprivation, to manipulate, consciousness, narcissistic, isolated, hostile, discrimination,

(p. 1) D 1. job enrichment, 2. the service sector, 3. an assembly line, 4. isolated, 5.

hostile, 6. appraisal, 7. discrimination, 8. letter of resignation, 9. the dole. (p. 1) E a general or women’s magazine (p. 1) F 1. In the service sector today many people feel that they are doing useless and

stressful jobs. 2. Women feel under more stress than men, and many want to leave their jobs.

(p. 3) A Why Celeste likes her job (p. 3) B The answer is B. (p. 3) C The answer is C. (p. 3) D The answer is D. (p. 3) E involves (avoids makes no sense in context), large (big does not collocate with number

of), individually (collectively makes no sense in context), tailor (individual does not collocate with made), involved (ignored makes no sense in context), makes (makes up is a phrasal verb), important part (collocates with makes up a(n)), technical issues (collocates better) putting together (is a phrasal verb and makes sense in context), get on (a phrasal verb).

(p. 4) F The correct answer is A.

DISTRACTORS: B take up with s.b is a phrasal verb, but it means to form a relationship with, and is therefore inappropriate here. C The verb tolerate cannot be followed with the particle up. D The verbal phrase to stand up with s.b is possible, but has no idiomatic meaning and is meaningless in the context.

(p. 4) G It is a participle, probably a present particle, e.g. Standing, Sitting; Seated (third

form). (p. 4) A An oxymoron is the putting together of two words that contradict each other,

e.g. a square circle. The title of the article suggest at satisfaction and employment cannot go together.

(p. 4) B John Pizzy – when work stops for some reason. Hector Jenner – making money. (p. 4) C 1.A, 2.B, 3.D, 4.D, 5.A, 6.A, 7.D, 8.B, 9.B, 10.D

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Unit 12 - Grammar & Vocabulary Modified cloze Page 1

12 Business Etiquette In this unit you will… • meet words and expressions about professional associations • read an article about dinner parties • role play a dinner party A How do you feel in business meetings with people you don’t

know? B How important are the following in doing business?

• knowing the language of your business associate • knowing how to dress for a meeting • knowing how to make appropriate conversation with business associates • knowing the format of a business meeting • knowing what to do at a formal business dinner

C What do the following words or expressions mean?

to negotiate, discourteous, a course, a hostess, conspicuous, an honoured guest, tocultivate contacts.

D Put one of the words or expressions from the vocabulary box above into the gaps.

When you are abroad and an _1_, should you give flowers to your _2_ when you are invited to a five- _3_ dinner. Nobody wants to be _4_, and formal dinners are a good time to _5_. You can _6_ the details later.

E Look quickly at the article on the following page. In what kind of publication would

you find it? Who would read it? F Look again quickly at the article. Find three pieces of advice which would not be

appropriate at McDonald’s. G Wayne Shatner, who runs a catering firm, has read Mr Bibby’s article and has written

the following letter to the magazine.

Dear Sir, What Mr Bibby has written is total rubbish. I am a millionaire and have never goneto a dinner like that, nor would any of my business associates. If Bibby enjoys thatkind of nonsense, then let him enjoy it, but it has nothing to do with running a profit-making business. W. Shatner (Shatner Catering PLC)

How much do you agree with Mr Bibby? How much do you agree with Mr Shatner? Discuss in groups. Being polite on social occasions – real-life phrases

May I introduce…to you? I think we’ve met before. It’s been a pleasure meeting you.

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Unit 12 - Grammar & Vocabulary Modified cloze Page 2

Does success in business come from creating a good impression at dinner?

Management consultant Ralph Bibby thinks it does There are few people who reach the top of the business world without having to face a formal dinner. Observing the correct etiquette can only enhance your status and, indirectly, your profits.

A formal business dinner never begins before seven o'clock, though the time is usually eight or eight-thirty. It is very discourteous for a guest to be late. You should arrive at least five minutes before the hour set for the dinner. If you are late for some unavoidable reason, offer apologies, and take your place at the table as quickly as possible. The late guest begins with the course that is then being served.

At the start of the dinner, the hostess leads the women guests into the dining room, followed by the host and the male guests. The hostess then tells her guests where to sit. She must always have the seating planned in advance, in order to avoid confusion and delay. These days guests are seated wherever the hostess thinks they will be happiest. The host and hostess sit at opposite ends of the table.

Each person stands behind his or her chair until the hostess starts to take her seat. Each person moves to the left of the chair in order to sit. Step close to the table and – still standing – pull the chair toward you by taking hold of each side of the seat. Don't sit down, then move the chair to the table with two or three jerks. Neither lean back in the chair, nor sit too close to the table. Keep your feet on the floor. Your feet may be crossed if you wish, but not your knees.

The speaker's table is placed in a conspicuous part of the room. The guest speaker sits in the middle seat on the side

facing the room. On the speaker's right sits the honoured guest, the principal speaker of the evening. On the speaker's left sits the second most important guest. All those at the speaker's table, of course, sit on the side of the table facing the room. Guests other than the speakers may be honoured by being placed at the speaker's table.

Who should be served first is a much-debated question, but in any event the waiter moves around the table to the right, serving each guest in turn. When the waiter holds a dish so that you may serve yourself, he presents it at your left. Treat the waiter impersonally while you are being served. ‘Thank you,’ ‘No, thank you,’ or ‘If you please,’ in low tones is sufficient.

And a very important point about drinking: do not look around the room while you are drinking; look into the glass. Use the napkin for the fingers or mouth whenever necessary, so that you will not dirty the glass. Do not drink while you have food in your mouth.

When it is time to stand, push your chair from the table by taking hold of each side of the seat of the chair. Don't rest your hands or arms on the table, then push yourself up. Remember to rise from the chair from the left side.

It is not necessary to remain longer than thirty minutes after a dinner if the invitation does not include the whole evening. You should avoid seeming in a hurry to depart, however. But remember: use the dinner, the time before it and the time after it to cultivate useful business contacts.

Dinner party role -play The tables in the classroom are laid out for a formal dinner: a host, hostess, waiter, speaker, etc.are appointed; the remainder of the class are guests. Once it has been decided who everybody is,the students should work together to write role cards of what everyone has to do. What happens The guests arrive and are greeted. Everybody has ‘dinner,’ and talks politely. At the end of theparty, the class should discuss how many of Mr Bibby’s rules were broken. An award should begiven to the best and worst guest.

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Unit 12 - Grammar & Vocabulary Modified cloze Page 3

Exam Skills A Working in groups of three or four, try to define the following terms. Give examples of

each in a sentence.

adverbial particle, article, auxiliary, conjunction, demonstrative, pronoun, modalauxiliary, preposition, pronoun, relative pronoun.

B Which are the ‘grammatical’ words in the following sentence? What parts of speech are

they?

Mr Bibby is a successful businessman who has made a lot of money.

Exam Tip: In the modified cloze task only grammatical words are gapped. C Look at the short comment by Wayne Shatner below. Which part of speech goes in each

gap? Fill each gap with a suitable word.

‘I will _1_ business with anyone, and matters of formality are unimportant for me.I’m _2_ the catering business and _3_ met this fellow who was selling cooked beans. He couldn’t speak _4_ write properly, but his cans of beans were good value _5_ money, so we did business. To _6_ honest, I keep business and pleasure _7_.’

Exam Tip: You need to know the grammatical structure of sentences to do this task

well. D Read the short article by Wayne Shatner below and give it a title. You will need

information from this text for Exercise E.

‘Working in the catering business means that I need to have many meetings, and alarge number of those meetings occur over a meal. Of course you feel better talkingabout business when you have a full stomach. What we mostly do is leave the officearound midday and go to a fast food outlet. In most cases I have a burger and a fizzydrink. There is nothing formal in it because we are always on first name terms andjust talk to sort out our contractual arrangements.’

E Fill in the gap in the following sentence:

In his business affairs Wayne Shatner is _1_ formal than Mr Bibby.

Exam Tip: To do this exam task you need to understand the meaning of the text, so read the task quickly before you start filling in the gaps.

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Unit 12 - Grammar & Vocabulary Modified cloze Page 4

E Get into groups of two or three. Your teacher will give each group either Text A or Text B. When your teacher tells you to do so, do the following. (Your teacher will give you a text of 100-150 words, probably from the internet.) • Give the text three possible titles; none of them should be silly or irrelevant, but

only one of them should be a good title. • Underline all the grammatical words. • ‘Tippex out’ as many of the grammatical words as you can, but remember to leave

six words between each blanked-out word. Make a record of the blanked-out words.

• Swap your text with one from a group which has the other text. Choose the best title. Try to fill in the gaps.

• Hand back your test to the other group for marking. Exam Practice: Honouring Mr Reninson? A What can successful business people expect to receive in

their lives, apart from money? Do business people like publicity?

B Read the text, Honouring Mr Reninson. How does Mr Reninson feel about the event and why?

C What part of speech can fit into each gap? D Do the task. Write a short news item on what happened to

Mr Reninson. Fill each gap with ONE appropriate word. The first has been done for you as an example.

‘Well, I left my hometown some twenty years EXAMPLE … ago … to pursue a career in business management in a provincial city. _1_ several years I already had my _2_ company and the profits were pouring _3_. I married, bought a big house and car _4_ started a family.

‘A month ago I received an invitation _5_ my hometown to receive an honour, which _6_ to be presented to me in the town’s arts’ centre. _7_ I had very little time, I decided to go, particularly as a big show was to be put on for me.

‘The auditorium was packed. A full orchestra played a classical piece andthen the lights went out. In complete darkness the stage curtains were pulled backand there I was, standing alone on the stage. Suddenly, _8_ single beam of light was projected onto me and the audience burst _9_ applause. I waved, but what was I to do after the applause had died down? I had no microphone, _10_ I just walked off the stage and drove home. It was all very poorly organised.’

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Pigs A fat, wealthy, self-made businessman decided to move his family from the town to thecountry, so he bought a large farmhouse, had it renovated, and then moved in.

One day, after a business lunch, he was arriving home in his new BMW when he caught sight of his three-year-old son rolling around in the mud in the yard. He pulled up inhis car.

‘Ho, what a dirty little boy you are!’ His young son looked at his father, but saidnothing. So his father moved a little closer.

‘You are a piglet my son.’ But still his son just stared in silence. The businessmanthought his son had not understood.

‘Do you know what a piglet is, son?’ he asked. ‘Yes, Dad,’ his son replied, ‘A piglet is the son of a pig.’

Unit 12 - Grammar & Vocabulary Modified cloze Page 5

Unit 12: Business Etiquette (p. 1) D 1. honoured guest, 2. hostess, 3. course, 4. conspicuous / discourteous, 5.

cultivate contacts, 6. negotiate (p. 1) E a magazine for wealthy/pretentious/affected/snobbish people (p. 1) F The text is full of examples. (p. 3) A

adverbial particle In form often similar to a preposition: qualifies and sometimes changes the meaning of a verb, e.g. to put up with s.th.

article The determiners (which come before nouns) the a and an.

auxiliary verb A word (used either alone or with another auxiliary) which qualifies the main verb, either to form a question or negative, or to form continuous, perfect or passive verb forms , e.g. have, do

conjunction Joins words, phrases and clauses, e.g. and, but demonstrative pronoun A pronoun which ‘points’: this, that, these,

those modal auxiliary Expresses the speaker’s judgment or opinion

related to the main verb, in terms of obligation, possibility, etc. E.g. must, can, would, might

preposition Establishes the relationship of a noun phrase to other elements, esp. in terms of time and place, e.g. on, after

pronoun Substitutes for a noun, e.g. he, them relative pronoun Substitutes for an item in a subordinate relative

clause, and refers to the main clause, e.g. who, which

(p. 3) B The following words are grammar words: is (an empty meaning linking verb

called a copular), a (indefinite article) who (relative pronoun), has (auxiliary), a, of (preposition).

(p. 3) C 1. verb – do; 2. preposition – in; 3. pronoun – I, or adverb – once;

4. conjunction – or; 5. preposition – for; 6. verb – be; 7. adverb – apart/ or adjective separate/ distinct

(p. 3) D Talking business over a quick meal (p. 3) E 1. less (p. 4) C/D 1. preposition – For/After; 2. adjective – own; 3. adverbial particle – in;

4. conjunction – and 5. preposition – from/to; 6. auxiliary verb – had; 7. (subordinating) conjunction – Although/Though; 8. article – a /quantifier(one; 9. preposition – into; 10. sentence conjunct /adverbial – so/therefore/and.

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Unit 13 – Mediation: Dialogue Page 1

13 Doing Business Abroad (incomplete) A What possible problems might arise with a company doing business in Albania? Have you ever done business abroad? B What do the words and phrases in the vocabulary box mean?

to impede, macro-economic policy, to cite, a constraint, to shoulder, a deregulated market,on the ground, a follow-up, field investigations, to designate, an executing agency, persistence, to pinpoint

C Put one item from the vocabulary box into each gap. You may have to adapt the words.

In some countries the __1__ of the government has led to high inflation. A __2__ has removed all __3__and restrictions on firms. Nothing __4__ business. People on fixed salaries and pensioners have had to __5__cuts in government expenditure. An economic study has __6__many specific problems __7__ but a __8__ is required to provide even greater detail.

D Look at the article quickly. Find two things that Mr Jenner believes impede business

development in the new market economies. E In which paragraph can you find the following:

• quantified evidence of slow moving bureaucracy • being able to rely on state institutions is important • the importance of local implementation • discussion of the amount of state involvement

F Look the context of the following. Translate them into Hungarian.

• At the head of the list is concern for… ..................................(paragraph 2) • You may find yourself in a complete mess............................(paragraph 2) • Business friendly....................................................................(paragraph 3) • To uphold property rights ......................................................(paragraph 3) • The policy-related costs shouldered by the firm....................(paragraph 4) • The time management has to waste dealing with… ..............(paragraph 6) • Governments should focus on…............................................(paragraph 7) • …addressing important constraints that face firms…............(paragraph 9)

G Translate paragraph 8 into Hungarian. H Mr Jenner’s article is written entirely from the point of view of business. Would workers in the new market economy have a different opinion? Write a review of Mr Jenner’s article from a workers’ perspective.

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Unit 13 – Mediation: Dialogue Page 2

Doing business in Albania Management consultant, Hector Jenner, examines the issue. (1) I think I can safely say that most countries these days see success of their businesses as a precondition for the success of their countries. But that does not mean that overseas there aren’t often all sorts of problems that impede investment and business. Albania is a particularly difficult case. (2) There are a number of factors which might worry a company investing overseas. At the head of the list is concern for the stability of government policies. Sudden changes in macro-economic policy can be disastrous for companies. You may find yourself in a complete mess if suddenly the currency is devalued by fifty per cent, for instance. In a recent study by Professor Otto Slovo of Grenberg University, only 12 per cent of firms in Slovenia and Estonia cited changes in government policy as a major constraint, while 60 per cent did so in Belarus. 48 per cent of the Albanian firms mentioned it as a major constraint. (3) A closely related issue is the question of confidence in state institutions. For us to make profits they need to be reliable and business friendly. Confidence in the courts to uphold property rights is vital. Professor Slovo showed that such confidence varies from less than 30 per cent of firms in Moldova, to 70 per cent in Estonia. In Albania 50 per cent of firms lack confidence in the courts to uphold property rights. (4) The policy-related costs shouldered by firms can also be substantial, making many potential investment opportunities unprofitable. The study highlighted the heavy burden imposed by outmoded or ill-conceived regulation and argued that regulation is part of a larger problem. Obviously we would like a completely deregulated market everywhere, but in reality we have to settle for minimal regulation. (5) While improvements in the investment climate require changes to laws and policies, I believe business is often more concerned with how local officials behave

on the ground. The law may say something, but in many new market economies, you find the local officials apply yesterday’s laws or simply decide things without reference to laws. Progress requires more than changes to formal policies. (6) The study has highlighted some bureaucratic problems businesses face. The time managers have to waste dealing with officials of various kinds ranges from 5.5 per cent in the Czech Republic to about 15 per cent in Ukraine, Georgia, Serbia, Montenegro and Albania. Registering property takes over 950 days in Bosnia and Herzegovina, only 3 days in Lithuania and 47 days in Albania. Enforcing a contract can take over 1000 days in Poland, Serbia, Montenegro and Slovenia and 189 in Latvia. In Albania it’s 390 days. (7) Governments should focus on improving the basic foundations of a good investment climate to benefit all firms and activities in the economy. The study reviews four core areas: stability and security; regulation and taxation; finance and infrastructure; workers and labour markets. (8) The Slovo study attempted to improve the investment climate for the private sector. This was in response to a request from the Albanian Government to pinpoint the administrative barriers to investment as part of the country’s programme of change. The study covered 500 firms and follow-up field investigations by specialists identified the most problematic areas. The study led to detailed policy and institutional recommendations. The Albanian Government acted on the study and asked for continued assistance in establishing the necessary institutions and in action planning. The Plan specifies reform targets against a timetable, and designates specific responsibilities to the relevant ministries and executing agencies. (9) The report emphasises that persistence, not perfection, is the key. Everything does not have to be done at once. Rather, significant progress can be made by addressing the problems and constraints that firms face, and by sustaining a process of ongoing improvements.

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Unit 13 – Mediation: Dialogue Page 3

Answers: C. page 1 1, macro-economic policy. 2, de-regulated market. 3, constraints. 4, impedes. 5, shoulder. 6, pinpointed. 7, on the ground. 8, follow up/ field investigation. D. page 1 possible answers- unstable government, changes in government policies, confidence in state institutions, eg. courts too many regulations, local officials being difficult or ill-informed the slowness of bureaucracy poor investment and finances E. page 1 in order- Paragraph 6, Paragraph 3, Paragraph 5, Paragraph 4.

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Unit 14 - Mediation: Summary Page 1

14 Professional Associations and Trade Unions (incomplete)

A What is a professional association? What kinds of things do they do? Do all professions have associations? B What do trade unions do? How are they different from professional associations? C What do the words and phrases in the vocabulary box mean?

a guild, peer support, endorsement, a misleadingclaim a code of professional conduct, to abide bysomething, a provision, on behalf of somebody,in contravention of, discredit, in breach of, asubsequent revision, confidential, to disclose,thorough, cutting corners, impartial, to represent.

D Put one item from the vocabulary box into each gap. You may have to adapt the words

Arnie Fischer speaks __1__ several thousand trade union members. He often has__2__ discussions with business and government officials. He must not__3__ the information. Often business leaders try to __4__ him by making __5__ about what he said in private. Sometimes Mr Fisher makes an audio-recording of meetings so there can be no __6__ about what happened. Mr Fischer is not __7__ because he__8__ the workers but he agrees __9__ a code of professional conduct for negotiators. Mr Fischer works hard and doesn’t 10 .

E Look at the article quickly. What kind of person does Mr Bibby see as a typical reader

of his article? F Look at the article again quickly. Find three things that the Guild of Management

Consultants does. G Are the following statement about the article true or false.

1. Mr Bibby thinks that most people already understand the professional status ofmanagement consultants

2. The Guild of Management Consultants can confirm a consultants professionalability

3. The Code of Conduct binds all members 4. All the members of the Guild have to vote to change the code. 5. Only members of the Guild are affected by the Code of Conduct 6. The Guild can punish members who break the code of conduct 7. Members of the Guild can accept any work they want 8. Once a contract has been signed with a client it cannot be changed. 9. Management consultants need to keep secrets 10. The Guild is not concerned with consultants working methods

H A close friend who runs a small perfume business has written to you asking for advice

on whether to hire a management consultant. In the letter inform her of what she can expect. Remember you are writing to a close friend.

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Unit 14 - Mediation: Summary Page 2

Maintaining High Standards Good management consultancy is about maintaining high standards, argues senior management consultant, Ralph Bibby. Nothing is more irritating than when people ask, ‘Oh, are management consultants professionals? Do you have ethical standards?’ Of course we do, and I hope this article fills a gap in people’s knowledge which has long needed to be filled. Our professional association, the Guild of Management Consultants – organised at national and regional level - promotes excellence in the profession by supporting, qualifying, and regulating individual management consultants. Membership of the Guild brings many benefits including peer support and the ability to display an independent endorsement of a management consultant’s skills. In their work members of the Guild give advice to all levels of management and with this comes the obligation to maintain the highest standards of honesty and competence. The Guild, as the professional body for management consultants, has a Code of Professional Conduct which lays out duties and obligations which are required of all members. The Guild Council may, from time to time, issue further principles, rules or notes which will be published in our Gazette The Management Consultant. Members are expected to abide by all such new provisions from the date of their publication. The principles, rules and notes of the Code apply not only to the members personally, but also to acts carried out through a partner, co-director, employee or other agent acting on behalf of, or under the control of, the member. Guild members may face action by the Disciplinary Committee of the Guild if they act in contravention of the Code, or if they discredit the profession by their conduct. Members may be required to make a declaration in answer to enquiries from the Guild Council concerning their professional conduct. A member failing to make such a declaration may be found in breach of the Code of Conduct.

One of the most important rules is that a member will only accept work that they are qualified to perform and can provide the client with an effective service. Guild members must not make any misleading claims and will provide references from other clients if requested. That means, for example, if our firm were asked for advice in business management in Chad, we would not accept as we have no experience of working there. Money and fees are also important. A member must agree formally with the client the scope and nature of the services to be provided and the cost before the start of the work. Any subsequent revisions to the agreement must be discussed and agreed with the client. All clients expect management consultants to keep the affairs of the client companies confidential. Management consultants must hold all information concerning the affairs of clients in the strictest confidence and in no circumstance may disclose information obtained during the course of their work. And finally it goes with saying that management consultants must act to the highest professional standards in their work. We must always make certain that our advice, solutions and recommendations are based on a thorough and impartial consideration of all the information available. There can be no room for cutting corners or laziness. Everybody should now understand that management consultants are not only members of one of the higher professions, but also that our professional association ensures that we provide the highest standards of service. Ralf Bibby is senior partner in the firm Bibby and Jenner and was chairman of the Guild of Management Consultants 2003-04.

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Unit 14 - Mediation: Summary Page 3

Answers Page 1 D. 1. on behalf of 2. confidential 3. disclose 4. discredit 5. misleading claims 6. subsequent revision 7. impartial 8. represents 9. to abide by 10. cut corners G. 1 F 2 T 3 T 4 F 5 F (employees too) 6 T 7 F 8 F (it can be changed if both parties agree) 9 T 10 F

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Unit 15 - Mediation: Letter Page 1

15 Work Experience (incomplete) A Is it important for students and unemployed people to get work experience? Why?

Have you every done work experience or voluntary work? B What do the words and phrases in the vocabulary box mean?

an employment agency, the dole office, to be on somebody’s back, the long-term unemployed, probation work, a caseload, criminology, a learning curve, under-resourced, to feel at home, to enhance,tantamount.

C Put one item from the vocabulary box into each gap. You may have to adapt the words.

Arnie Fischer is very concerned about the large number of __1__ in the town. People go to the __2__ to collect their benefits and then go to __3__ in the hope of finding work. Mr Fischer feels that the social security department in the town is __4__ and social security officers have too big a __5__. Mr Fischer wants to see the level of social security services in the town __6__ and he believes the current situation is __7__ to social neglect.

D Look quickly at the interview with Danny Noble. Who would be interested in the article and why? E Look again at the article quickly. Why did Danny Noble do work experience? Has there been any change in his attitude? F Look at the following letter written by Danny Noble. Find the differences between what he says in the letter and what he says in the interview.

Dear Greta,

How are you, Greta? There have been plenty of changes in my life. You know I have beenworking full time running a widow cleaning business. Well I decided to give all that up and work for social services and to help people who have been recently released from prison.My motive for taking up community work is purely altruistic.

When I went into the social services office they nearly begged me to start immediately; they have so many vacancies. I was given a permanent post immediately. After a coupleof weeks they were so impressed with my work that I also got an opportunity to do someteaching of criminology and rehabilitation in evening classes.

You may wonder why I left that field of work. The reason was that I felt the socialservices department was not doing enough to give me support in my projects to helppeople recently released from prison. I am now in the process of writing a book on my experience.

As you know in the past I have had several of my poems published, and my plan now isdevote myself full time to my poetry.

Let me know when you are next in Meckham and we can go out for burger at McDonalds. Best wishes, Danny

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Unit 15 - Mediation: Letter Page 2

H You are a friend of Greta’s. Write her an email explaining how Danny has lied to her.

Getting Your Foot in the Door Sara Liebermann interviews Danny Noble who has recently finished a work experience scheme

How old are you Danny? Well, I’m 34. I know I look younger, but I’m 34. What qualifications do you have? Not many. I left school at 16 and didn’t pass any exams. I’ve mostly been unemployed

since then. Well, I occasionally help a friend window cleaning. Oh, and I did a few weeks work through an employment agency once, Why did you decide to do a work experience placement? It’s a good question. Apart from the window cleaning, my plan was to become a professional poet. You know I wrote over six hundred poems but couldn’t get any of them published. Then I had the dole office on my back. They were saying, “Now, Mr Noble, if you don’t do some work experience, we’ll cut your benefits. Well that didn’t leave me with much choice.” What kind of work experience did you do? I though long and hard about it, but in the end I decided to work with the social services department. I wanted to work with people who had recently been released from prison and to help them re-integrate back into the community. What was the process for you to get your placement? There were various placement opportunities organised by the Job Centre. Each long-term unemployed person applied for his or her first and second choice and allocation was dependent on availability and demand. What did the placement work experience involve? Do you feel you had enough tasks to complete and responsibility in your role? It was a six month opportunity for me to develop an awareness of criminal justice social work such as probation work, writing up reports etc. I had my own caseload and clients to work with, and it was very much a case of learning ‘on the job’. Alongside the placement work I also

studied criminal justice and criminology one day per week at an evening class What did the work experience make you feel about the job? It was two-fold learning curve for me; I realised just how stressful, under-resourced, and undervalued by the public, social work is as a profession, but also that it is a very good career choice as it puts something back into the community that is so desperately needed. Was the placement enjoyable aside from the work? Were there any problems during the placement? It was a very enjoyable, developmental experience with no significant problems. I felt at home meeting many of people just out of prison, and I felt I was able to advise and help them. What kind of skills did you develop in your work experience placement? I realised that being social worker it is crucial to be able to communicate effectively and coherently at a variety of levels to perform the role properly. My interpersonal and communication skills were greatly enhanced, and I have found this useful in all aspects of everyday life, as communication is crucial to success. Do you feel that your work experience was valuable, why? It has proven to be of fundamental value, as the experiences and knowledge I gained on placement should help me get a get a good job in social work. I now do voluntary work whereby I take food to old people – and I need to talk to them. Have you been looking for a permanent job? Well, yes I have applied for about twenty jobs, but so far I haven’t been successful. Maybe I’ll go back as a volunteer, but there are problems with that too – or so they tell me.

““AAllll mmyy lliiffee aass ppooeett,, ssoocciiaall wwoorrkk aassssiissttaanntt aanndd aass aa wwiinnddooww cclleeaanneerr,, II hhaavvee ffeelltt tthhee nneeeedd ttoo hheellpp tthhee ccoommmmuunniittyy wwiitthh aaddvviiccee aanndd ssuuppppoorrtt”

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-- DDaannnnyy N Noobbllee --

Unit 15 - Mediation: Letter Page 3

Answers Page 1 C 1. long-term unemployed 2. dole office 3. an employment agency 4. under resourced 5. caseload 6. enhanced 7. tantamount

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Unit 16 - Speaking: Interview Page 1

16 Interviews at Work In this unit you will… • meet words and expressions about job interviews • read an article written by an employer • role-play a job interview A How do you think you would feel at a job interview?

Tell your partner about one particular event. What advice would you give to people going to job interviews? Tell the class.

B What do the words and phrases in the vocabulary box mean?

Which items are connected to job interviews?

a curriculum vitae, management consultancy, to apply for, to evaluate, anasset, to accomplish, to substantiate, prior to, a brochure, well-groomed,a social misfit, in a nutshell.

C Put one item from the vocabulary box into each gap. You may have to adapt the words.

Fiona Fletcher sent off for a __1__ and other materialsfrom a __2__firm. She decided to __3__ the job andwrote a new __4__ just for this interview, because sheknew she would have to __5__ every detail she wrote.__6__ the interview she bought a new business suitand went to the interview looking __7__. She tried tolook happy, intelligent and normal because she did notwant her interviewer to think she was some kind of__8__.

D You are going to read the article on the next page, ‘Interviews Matter’.

Look quickly at the article and decide who ‘I’ and ‘we’ are in the text. E What attitude does Mr Jenner show in his article - confidence, arrogance or confusion? F Make notes about what Mr Jenner says on the following topics:

the purposes of the job interview preparation difficult questions research into the consultancy dressing for an interview “small talk”

Compare your notes with those of a partner.

G Write five questions which Mr Jenner might ask at an interview.

Role-play the interview with a partner.

Job interviews – real life phrases What really interests me about this job is…I’ve had a great deal of experience in… I’d be interested to know…

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Unit 16 - Speaking: Interview Page 2

Interviews matter

Management consultant Hector Jenner tells us what he expects from job seekers at interviews Sitting behind this desk, I see an endless queue of youngsters coming in front of me hoping to get a job in our management consultancy. So what should be said about the job interview? The interview is a mutual exchange of information between an employer and a candidate for a position. This interview process serves several purposes. We want information about the candidate that is not contained in the curriculum vitae. We need to check that the job seeker understands what he or she is applying for and has a sense of direction in his or her career. We need to evaluate the candidate’s personality and attitudes in terms of the demands of the consultancy and the possible position. We are also working out whether or not it is in our interest to look further into the candidate with a view to employing him or her. To impress an employer such as myself the candidate must be well prepared and let me know clearly what he or she has to offer. The candidate should also be able to relate his or her assets to the position and the consultancy. To accomplish this, a certain level of maturity and self-knowledge on the part of the candidate is required. Before the interview the candidate should have reviewed their curriculum vitae and be prepared to answer questions about its contents. I want to see any point the candidate has made substantiated by detailed information. What we want to see in particular is not just the level at which the candidate is currently functioning, but how the candidate has grown over time in the business world. We are focusing on areas related to his or her position(s), e.g., interpersonal/work skills, motivation. An interview isn’t meant to be easy, and we will force candidates to address their failures and mistakes to find out what they have learned or would now do differently. When a candidate comes before me he or she must be familiar with the position they want in the consultancy. Full information is available on our website, so the candidate has no excuse for not being fully informed. A candidate needs

to demonstrate how and why he or she will be an effective employee. At the very least I expect a candidate to find out as much as possible about the consultancy prior to the interview. The candidate should have asked us to send a variety of materials, for example our annual report, brochures, in-house newsletter and the firm’s magazine. This knowledge will also help the candidate decide whether he or she is suitable for employment here. Candidates should recognise that their success or failure in the interview can depend on appearance and first impressions. If these are not good, it will be much harder during the rest of the interview for them to change our opinion of them. The candidate should look neat, clean and well-groomed. He or she should always select suitable clothing for the type of organisation. In our case that means conservative business dress. I don’t particularly worry about candidates who are nervous during the interview – this is normal and will be expected. And obviously the candidate will have worked hard and have prepared for days to get an interview in the first place. We begin the interview with some "small talk" to help the candidate relax. This may seem irrelevant to the position, but the candidate is already being evaluated. The last thing we want in the office is a social misfit. The candidate should use these opening moments to show a positive and business-like attitude, e.g., showing pleasure at speaking with me, and demonstrating a knowledge of interesting facts about the consultancy which he or she has found during research. Candidates should not forget the facts of economic life. We will employ people who will work hard in the firm and make the consultancy money. Put in a nutshell: if we can make money out of you, we want you. If we can’t, we don’t.

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Unit 16 - Speaking: Interview Page 3

Exam skills A Look at the questions below.

Write a one or two-sentence reply to any five of the questions below on separate pieces of paper. Ask your partner to find the question for each answer.

• Tell me about yourself. • What are your short-term goals? What about in 2 and 5 years from now? • What is your own vision, or mission statement? • What do you think you will be looking for in this job? • Why do you feel you will be successful in this job? • What other types of job are you looking for in addition to this one? • What supervisory or leadership roles have you had? • What experience have you had working in a team? • What have been your most satisfying/disappointing experiences? • What are your strengths/weaknesses? • What kinds of problem do you handle the best? • How do you reduce stress and try to achieve balance in your life? • How did you handle a request to do something contrary to your moral code

or business ethics? • What was the result the last time you tried to sell one of your ideas to

others? • Why did you apply to our organisation, and what do you know about us? • What are the advantages/disadvantages of joining our organisation? • What is the most important thing you are looking for in an employer? • What were some of the common characteristics of your past supervisors? • What characteristics do you think a person would need to have to work

effectively in our company with its policy of staying ahead of the competition?

• What courses that you have been on did you like the best/least? Why?

Exam Tip: in the exam you will be asked a question about your personal work or study experience. It is important to have the language to answer it briefly and effectively.

B Look at the list of issues below. Choose one. You should note the arguments in favour of the propositions and your partner should

note arguments against. Have the discussion.

“There is more conflict at work these days.”

“People work harder now than they used to”

“Computers are making work less interesting”

Exam tip: in the exam you will be asked an ‘issue’ question. It is important that you have something to say, and that you say it clearly and accurately.

Giving your opinion – real life phrases I have always felt that… In my view… In my opinion…

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Unit 16 - Speaking: Interview Page 4

Exam Practice: ‘Are you a student or do you work?’ A Prepare a forty-five second speech about you and the world of

work, e.g. previous jobs, promotion, things you like, etc. Write it down. Give your speech to your partner.

B Your partner will ask you the following questions. Answer each one in about two sentences.

• Are you a student or do you work? • What do you like about your work/college? • How long will you stay there? • Will you take any further exams?

C Now take it in turns to role-play the dialogue below. The interlocutor asks one ‘A’ question and one ‘B’ question.

THE EXAM SCRIPT First we’d like to find out some information about you. Are you a student or do youwork? (The candidate speaks) Now I’d like to ask about a different topic. (Ask either about exams or pay) Exams A How do you feel before an exam? A Does anybody in your family like doing exams more than you? A What was the worst exam you have ever done? B Exams are becoming more important these days. Do you agree? B People worry too much about exams. Do you agree? B The worst exam is the driving test. Do you agree? Pay A How important is money in your life? A Which is more important for you; qualifications or money? A Are you (or will you be) paid enough? B What determines how much people get paid? B What kinds of people earn too much? B What kinds of people earn too little?

D Write your own set of three “A” type questions and three “B” type questions on another

topic (e.g. taxation, management systems, fringe benefits). Role-play them in pairs.

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Unit 16 - Speaking: Interview Page 5

Unit 16: Interviews at Work Answers page 1 C (suggested answers) 1. brochure 2. management consultancy 3. apply for 4. curriculum vitae 5. substantiate 6. prior to 7. well-groomed 8. social-misfit D ‘We’ is the management consultancy. ‘I’ is Hector Jenner, the management consultant. E Mr Jenner has a superior, overbearing, insensitive and ‘one-sided’ (i.e. employer-centred) attitude. F (only the key points are mentioned below) The purpose of the job interview: a mutual exchange of information, for information not in the CV, understands the position applied for, evaluation of candidate’s personality. Preparation: candidate should review CV, ready to answer questions on it, find out about the position. Difficult questions: because Jenner needs to find out candidate’s failures and weak points. Research into the consultancy: study the firm from its website and write off for brochures, reports, newsletters. Dressing for an interview: clean, well-groomed, conservative business clothes. “Small talk”: tells Jenner about the personality of the candidate.

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Unit 17 - Speaking: Presentation Page 1

17 Business Profits In this unit you will… • meet words and phrases about microeconomics • read an article about profit maximisation • get practice in preparing a presentation A How important is money to you? Do businesses have any

goals other than maximising their profits? B What is ‘legal personality’?

Match each word with a definition.

1 business A an organisation which has legal personality 2 company B A sole trader or partnership, usually with no legal personality 3 firm C any profit-based organisation

C What do the words and expressions in the vocabulary box mean?

Are all the highlighted words specifically related to economics?

neo-classical, to pursue, an implication, profit maximisation, to identify, marginal revenue, marginal cost, a behavioural economist, a shareholder, an emphasis, an equity and bond market, a takeover bid, a rival, to sustain industrial action, to be divorced from, a perk, a predatory pricing strategy,

D Put one of the items highlighted above into each gap. You may need to adapt the word. Where necessary, change singular nouns to plural.

One school of economics is the __1__, which believes companies always __2__strategies for __3__. Such economists look at marginal __4__ and __5__. __6__ economists look at what groups of people, such as __7__ do. Managers have day-to-day control, but if a company’s __8__ and __9__prices fall, a __10__company may put in a __11__ to buy the company. In these circumstances the behaviour of shareholders becomes more important. Some large firms adopt__12__ to drive smaller firms out of the market.

E Look quickly at the article on the next page. What is Professor Slovo’s attitude to making profit – favourable, unfavourable or neutral?

F Read the article again and give the most complete explanations you can for the

following:

• Profit maximisation • Behavioural economists • Satisficing • Sales revenue maximisation • Predatory pricing strategies

Presentations – real life phrases Some people have argued that… My personal view is… The key point here is…

G Arnie Fischer, a trade unionist, has said, ‘Businesses know the price of everything and the value of nothing.’ How far do you agree with Mr Fischer?

Discuss the issue with a partner, and then write a joint statement on your opinions. (200 words)

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Unit 17 - Speaking: Presentation Page 2

Is it all just about profit? Professor Otto Slovo looks at the role of profit in the economy The standard neo-classical assumption is that a business seeks profit maximisation from producing and selling an output in a market. However, there are other objectives firms might decide to pursue – at least in the short run – and these have implications for price, output and economic welfare. Although profit maximisation might be the motive, other strategies have to be pursued to that end. It is often difficult for firms to identify their profit maximising output, if they cannot accurately calculate marginal revenue and marginal costs. While traditional economic theory assumes there is a single goal (profit maximization), behavioural economists argue differently. They point out that any business is an organisation with various groups: employees, managers, shareholders, and customers. Each of these groups, behaviourists argue, is likely to have different objectives and goals. The dominant group at any moment in time can give greater emphasis to their own objectives; for example, the main price and output decisions may be taken at local level by managers, with shareholders taking only a distant view of the company's performance and strategy. ‘Maximising’ behaviour may be replaced by satisficing – i.e. setting minimum acceptable levels of achievement. For instance, the equity and bond markets may play an important role in monitoring the performance of managers in a company when companies are under-performing. Such a situation could arise if there is downward pressure on the share price and there is the prospect of a takeover bid by a rival firm. In other circumstances a firm may be under pressure to reduce prices to consumers if it has made large profits, and may choose to do this in order to stop an investigation by the Competition Commission, or to improve its image with customers. A third example is that a firm may reward workers through higher wages

in order to stop or prevent industrial action. Any number of sub-strategies is possible. The economist William Baumol has argued that managers may follow a strategy of sales revenue maximisation. His research focused on the behaviour of manager-controlled businesses – where the day-to-day decisions taken by managers are divorced from the actions of shareholders (the owners of the business). Baumol argued that annual salaries and other perks might in fact be more closely connected to total sales revenue rather than profits On the other hand, larger firms may adopt predatory pricing strategies by lowering prices to a level that would force any new firms entering the industry to operate at a loss, and be driven out of the market. This would allow larger firms to sustain a monopoly position in a market. There can be little doubt that the long-term ambition of any firm is profit maximisation, but in a complex market- place including large corporations, any number of different sub-strategies might be followed. Behavioural economics is beginning to cast light on some of this complexity. Professor O. Slovo, Head of the Economics Department at the University of Grenberg. Maul Ring 34. 3462 Grenberg.

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Unit 17 - Speaking: Presentation Page 3

Exam skills A PLZ Engineering PLC wants to accept a new contract (worth EUR 2 million), but it has

problems. Look at each problem and think of three pieces of advice to give Mr Grice, the

managing director.

• The company has rent arrears on its premises of EUR 71 000 • The workers are threatening a strike if they do not receive a 5 per cent pay

increase. • PLZ Engineering sold a machine to a company which has not paid for it and has

recently gone bankrupt.

Exam tip: when you see the input data you will need to brainstorm to give yourself something to say.

B Write a plan for a presentation outlining your solutions to Mr Grice’s problems.

Consider the following:

• An introduction of yourself and the topic of your presentation. • Three or four points. For each point describe: what the problem is, what you

want to achieve, and how you will achieve this. • Your conclusion.

Do not write in full sentences. Write in notes and in ‘parts of sentences’ of not more than about five words.

Exam tip: you have ten minutes to plan your presentation. You should plan in note form, and not write out your entire presentation.

C Look at the following presentation ( which is on another topic). The ‘signposting’ language is in bold. Add some or all of this language to your

presentation notes.

Exam tip: to give order and meaning to your presentation, you need to use ‘signposting’ language.

My name is Rebecca Klein. I’m the catering manager for PLZ Engineering. Today I want to address the problem of our troubled canteen. First of all, there have been complaints that the canteen meals are always cold and arecovered in fat. Of all the complaints, this is the one made most often. We believe as a company that our workers should have good food. We have, therefore, changed the catering company that runs the canteen. The new company will start work in the New Year. Second, several workers have complained that there is little or no vegetarian food on themenu. We should recognise that tastes are changing. As a result, there is a clause in our agreement with the new caterer, stating that there must be a vegetarian option every day. Finally, some workers have complained that the seating in the canteen is uncomfortable. Wewould like to improve the furnishing, but feel that in the current financial situation this is not a priority. In conclusion, I would emphasise the steps we have taken to improve catering in thecompany.

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Unit 17 - Speaking: Presentation Page 4

D Give your presentation to a partner. Your partner should take notes, and prepare three questions to ask you about your presentation

Exam tip: to give a good presentation you need to practise aloud many times. Exam Practice: ‘Now, I’d like to start off by saying…’

A The following are all examples of signposting

language. Put them in pairs.

first, however, therefore, second moreover, additionally, consequently, on the other hand,

B Plan a one-minute presentation on one of the following topics, and give it to your

partner. Use the signposting language presented in A: • ‘Business is organised greed.’ Do you agree? • ‘Free enterprise is always best.’ Do you agree?

C You have ten minutes to prepare for the following presentation. You may use your dictionary. As a management consultant you have been asked to give advice in the form of a presentation to Mr Jack Kenning, the managing director of Kenning Ice Cream PLC. Some details of the firm’s performance over a thirty-year period are presented below. All prices are in euros and have been adjusted for inflation. Sales 1970 EUR 345m 1980 EUR 290m 1990 EUR 150m 2000 EUR 72m

Cost of maintaining plant 1970 EUR 34m 1980 EUR 52m 1990 EUR 134m 2000 EUR 190m

Variety of ice cream manufactured 1970 6 types 1980 7 types 1990 5 types 2000 4 types

Problem – where is the missing 10 Euro? Three businessmen go out for a business lunch. The joint bill for their meal comes to EUR300. Satisfied, they pay the waiter and walk outside. After they have left, the managerchecks their bill and finds that the businessmen have overpaid by EUR 50. He quickly handsthe waiter five EUR 10 notes, telling him to find the men and repay them. The waiter catchesup with the three men, hands each of them EUR 10, and keeps EUR 20 himself. Now as I see it, the men have each paid EUR 90 for their meal, which is EUR 270 in total.The waiter has kept EUR 20, which comes to EUR 290. Where is the missing EUR 10?

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Unit 17 - Speaking: Presentation Page 5

Unit 17: Business Profits (p. 1) B Business; this refers to any person or group of persons who carry out commercial activity. Company: this is a business which has a separate legal identity; i.e. the company is different legally from the people who own it. Firm: a commercial organisation which may or may not be a company. (p. 1) C The technical economic terms have been underlined in the text of the article (p. 1) D 1. neo-classical, 2. pursue, 3. maximise profits, 4. costs, 5 revenue, 6 behavioural, 7. shareholders, 8. equity, 9. bond, 10. rival, 11. take-over bid, 12. predatory-pricing strategies. (p. 1) E. neutral (p. 1) F Profit maximisation: this means getting as much profit as you can. In the article profit maximisation refers to the ideal of this being the motivation of everybody in the firm. Behavioural economics: this branch of economics looks at what people actually do rather than predict from economic models. Satisficing: people look to minimum levels and only reaction if the minimum is not reached. Sales revenue maximisation: basically trying to get as much money as possible from selling your product or service. Predatory Pricing Strategies: when a business lowers its prices in order to prevent other businesses selling and driving them out of the market (p. 4) A first/second, however/on the other hand, therefore/consequently, moreover/additionally.

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Unit 18 - Speaking: Transactional dialogues Page 1

18 Status at work In this unit you will… • meet words and expressions about status • read an article about power relations at work • practise short conversational replies A Do people talk differently to their boss than to their colleagues? At work or at college, how do you speak differently to different people? B What do the following words and expressions mean?

C Put one item from the vocabulary box into each gap. You may need to adapt the word.

sensitive, emotional, task-oriented, submissiveness,to share the back seat, to perceive, a power move,an emotionally-loaded question, to be socialised to,to suppress, conversation turn-taking, to gaze, to reassure,docility, a scatterbrain.

Ruby is not a dominant person and often __1__ with otherunassertive people. She has strong feelings and is __2__ and__3__. Her boss likes her __4__ and he calls her a __5__.She believes she was __6__ to be passive, and she has neverbeen able to __7__ her feelings. Every day in the office she__8__ her boss that he is the best boss in the world.

D Look quickly at Sara Liebermann’s article on the next page. What type of inequality is she most concerned with? E Give each of the paragraphs a title. F Answer the following questions:

1. How many types of power relation are mentioned in the article? 2. When the researchers videoed the same speech given by men and women, what

did they find? 3. What did the researchers find out about revealing emotions? 4. What is ‘conversation turn-taking’? What did the researchers find out about it? 5. What does the article say about eye contact? 6. How do bosses label subordinates, and what does this cause?

G You are a member of a trade union which finds such inequalities of power at work unacceptable. Write a report on the situation and make suggestions for dealing with the problem.

Headings for a simple report Introduction (the report’s audience and scope) Findings Recommendations

Reports – real life phrases This report was commissioned by… The author was asked to… We discovered that…. We recommend that ….should…

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Unit 18 - Speaking: Transactional dialogues Page 2

Language and power at work Sara Liebermann looks at the language of power and inequality at work

(1) Warm, sensitive, dependent, passive, emotional, co-operative, supportive and subjective. These adjectives are often used to describe women, but they also describe all those people who don’t have power at work. On the other hand, the opposite adjectives – aggressive, dynamic, cold, task-oriented, competitive, intellectual, objective, independent – are used to describe men and those people who have power.

(2) Women of course are not the only people who lack power, psychologically or socially. Children and the poor play subordinate roles everywhere, while in America, blacks and certain other ethnic groups have long shared the back seat. Not to be forgotten either are the old, the sick, the unattractive, and the uneducated.

(3) The powerful speak a special language and subordinate people listen to them in a different way. Men and women who were judged by testers to be equally articulate were videoed making the same factual speeches. The tapes were shown to groups of male and female students, who were instructed to listen carefully. The students were then questioned on the facts delivered by the speakers. Researchers discovered that the students remembered more of, and could answer questions better on, the speeches given by the men than those by the women. The researchers concluded that more attention was paid to what the men were saying simply because our society perceives males as more powerful. The powerless, no matter how well they speak, are often ignored.

(4) In a recent study, eighteen women and eighteen men answered ten questions each. Five questions had little emotional content, but the other five were emotionally loaded. In answering the ten questions, women consistently used facial expressions indicating emotion. Yet the women were not any more expressive answering the emotional questions than they were in response to the factual questions – they were simply showing emotion while responding to the questioners. The men, on the other hand, were controlling their emotions. This was shown by the fact that they revealed some slight facial movement when responding to the factual questions, but when the questions focused on emotional areas, the men's faces became blank. Women are socialised to express emotion (whether it's there or not), while men are ‘conditioned’ not to do so (even when they feel like it).

(5) Researchers have found that dominant people suppress emotion, and subordinates express it. A successful poker player doesn’t want to show the weakness in his hand. The same is true for the politician and the business executive. They can't afford to let people know that they are scared or confused.

(6) It is an interesting question to consider who will be the more dominant when two business people meet. Researchers asked fifty male and fifty female business people to hold a seven-minute conversation with a stranger of the same sex, and another with a stranger of the opposite sex. They found that each pair maintained conversation turn- taking, but that the men talked longer than the women, because ‘holding the floor’ is considered a power move, and the men assumed they were dominant in the male–female pairs. When facing another male, men talked at even greater length – trying to establish themselves as dominant.

(7) If you gaze at someone while that person is talking, you reassure the speaker. Researchers found that the women performed this reassurance ‘service’ for the men far more than the men did for the women. The women also looked at the men while they themselves talked, revealing a need for feedback. Similar tests show the same thing happening in all power relations: conversations between workers and management, patients and doctors, and students and teachers.

(8) Power corrupts, and bosses often encourage employees to believe that they are stupid, clumsy, inefficient and inferior, in order to make it easier to maintain discipline. A boss may even reward employees for submissiveness, passivity, docility, dependence, lack of initiative and lack of mental sharpness (‘She's so cute – such a scatterbrain!’). Employees will often come to accept their subordinate role.

(9) We can say with confidence that power relations exist between people in society, and that these power relations are reflected in behaviour and language. There is no place where these power relations are stronger than at work. Perhaps it is time we started to address them.

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Unit 18 - Speaking: Transactional dialogues Page 3

Exam skills A Who says each of the following lines – the candidate (Ado) or the interlocutor? Put the following dialogue in order. Remember the student speaks first.

You meet an old work colleague in the street. Greet him/her and ask about his/her new job.

• In this part of the test you must say something that is appropriate to say in a situation. Read each card and follow the instructions. Ado, here is your first card.

I am your ex-business colleague. • I’m OK. I’m sorry to hear about your problems. Can I help at all?

Exam Tip: in the transactional dialogues you need to know exactly who says what and when.

B Look at following conversation starters. Match them with the replies.

• Well, actually, I’m not feeling too good. I lost my job last week, and I have loads of debts. How are you?

• Oh, hi, Ben! I haven’t seen you for ages. How are you? How’s the new job

going?

1. I’m sorry, would you mind if I opened a window? It’s a bit stuffy in here. 2. Could I use your stapler for a second? 3. I’d be really grateful if you could close the door after you. 4. I’m really not too happy about you smoking right next to the window. 5. Excuse me, do you know the way out of the building? 6. I’m looking for Mr Jenner. You wouldn’t by any chance know where his office

Exam tip: in the transactional dialogues you need to be ready to give an answer to something unexpected.

is, would you?

7. Let me hold the door open for you. 8. Do you want a hand sorting out your computer?

a It’s all right thank you. Wheelchair users like to be as independent as possible. b I wish I did. I’m looking for the exit too. c I would, if I weren’t carrying so much all the time. d Sorry, but I’d be in a terrible draught. e You can, but it’s empty. f Well, shut it then. Sorry, but I’m in a foul mood today. g Well, you’ve found me/ him. What can I do to help you? h Thanks, but do you really know what you’re doing?

C Look at the above transactional dialogues. Which are- (1) making complaints, (2) requesting information, (3) offering help, (4) asking

permission? D Underline the functional language for- (1) making complaints, (2) requesting information, (3) offering help, (4) asking

permission.

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Unit 18 - Speaking: Transactional dialogues Page 4

Exam Practice: ‘I am the person you meet in the lift…’ A List as many possible business interactions as you can think of in three

minutes; e.g. manager/secretary, shop assistant/customer. B Mark the relationships to show those between people of equal status (e.g. colleagues) and those of unequal status (boss / worker). Discuss doubtful cases. C In pairs, role-play the transactional dialogues on the cards below. The ‘interlocutor’ should think of an appropriate response to the candidate’s reply and

write it down. For example:

D In the same pairs, check the ‘interlocutor’s’ responses. Then get into new pairs and practise the three-turn conversation. For example:

YOU SEE A COLLEAGUE DROP A PEN Candidate Excuse me, but here’s your pen. You just dropped it. Interlocutor Sorry, but I’ve never seen that pen in my life.

YOU SEE A COLLEAGUE DROP A PEN Candidate Excuse me, but here’s your pen. You just dropped it. Interlocutor Sorry, but I’ve never seen that pen in my life. Candidate But, I thought you just dropped it.

E Write your own set of six transactional dialogues and act them out.

Card 1 You go into the reception of a management consultancy. Ask to speak to Mr Piper.

Card 2 You are in the lift. You are not sure where in the building the Bibby and Jenner management consultancy is. Ask someone.

Card 3 You visit your business associate Mr Piper at his office. Greet him and ask about the health of his wife, who has been ill recently.

Card 4 You are in the office of a business associate. Ask the secretary for either tea or coffee.

Card 5 You have just left the office of a business associate. You now realise you have left your hat in the office. Explain your problem to the secretary.

Card 6 You are lost in a large office building and can’t find the way out. Ask someone in the corridor for help.

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Unit 18 - Speaking: Transactional dialogues Page 5

Unit 18: Status at Work (p. 1) C (suggested answers) 1. shares the back seat, 2. sensitive, 3. emotional, 4. submissiveness, 5. scatterbrain, 6. socialised, 7. suppress, 8. reassures. (p. 1) D gender inequality (p.1) E (suggested answers) 1. Adjectives to describe power relations, 2. Different types of power relations, 3. The powerful and the powerless

speak and are heard differently, 4. Men and women express different levels of emotion in speech, 5. Dominant people suppress emotion, 6. Power and the length of speaking turns,

7. Power, gaze and a reassurance ‘service’, 8. Power corrupts, 9. Power relations at work are reflected in behaviour and language (p. 1) F 1. men/women, adults/children, richer/poorer people, ethnic

majorities/minorities, not old/the old, the healthy/the sick, the educated/the uneducated,

attractive/unattractive people, employers/employees, managers/workers, doctors/patients, teachers/students

2. That people tend to listen more carefully to men than to women, 3. Men, irrespective of topic, suppress emotions; dominant people suppress

emotions, 4. Taking turns to speak; that generally men and those who want to be dominant

take longer turns, 5. Maintaining eye contact during speech reassures the speaker; those in a

subordinate role do this for those in a dominant role, 6. Bosses label them according to the adjectives and nouns in paragraph (8), i.e. as inferior; employees tend to accept this, and their subordinate role. (p. 3) A I=interlocutor, C=candidate

I: In this part of the test… CCC: Oh, hi, Ben!… I: Well, actually… CCC: I’m Ok. I’m sorry… I: Thank you.

(p. 3) B 1.d, 2. e, 3. c, 4. f, 5. b, 6. g, 7. a, 8. h. (p. 3) C Complaints: 3, 4. Requesting information: 5, 6. Offering help: 7,

8. Asking permission: 1, 2 (p.3) D Complaints: I’d be really grateful if you could …, I’m really not too happy

about… Requesting information: Excuse me, do you know… You wouldn’t by any

chance know… Offering help: Let me… Do you want a hand… Asking Permission: I’m sorry, would you mind if I… Could I…

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Speaking – Unite 19: Collaborative speaking Page 1

19 Expanding a Company In this unit you will… • meet words and expressions about building up a business • read an article about a company moving into a depressed area • participate in a discussion aimed at achieving an outcome A When a company expands, what are the advantages? Are there any disadvantages? Is your company (or a

company you know about) expanding, contracting or standing still?

B What do the words and phrases in the vocabulary box mean?

an aspiration, a grant, run-down, a drop in the ocean, a commitment, to secure,to sustain, a qualification, a link, innovative, collaborative, to gather, cutting edge, knowledge-based industry sector, extensive, prospective customers, tolaunch, commercial viability

C Put one item from the vocabulary box into each gap, changing the form where

necessary:

The once __1__ town of Meckham is now developing fast. The municipal council has __2__ EUR 30 million through a government __3__ so that the town’s growth can be __4__. The council maintains __5__ with __6__ local businesses providing they are __7__. Mayor Edgar Grice is enthusiastic, ‘We want __8__ industry in the town. Our __9__ is to build a dynamic local economy with all workers having __10__.’

D Fill in the gaps in box. Underline the stressed syllable in the words.

NOUN ADJECTIVE VERB aspiration

commitment sustain

qualification innovative collaborative

E Look quickly at the article on the next page, ‘Upwards for TKN Software’. What is the good news for Grenberg? F Read the article more thoroughly. What are the quoted opinions of Arnie Fischer and Mayor Landau? Rewrite their opinions in indirect speech. G Make notes on what you know about the following, and then compare them with a

partner. David Kantor – ZSZ - ROMBOLO

H You have just been employed by TKN Software. Write a short letter (100 – 150 words) to a friend about your new job.

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Talking to achieve a goal – real-life phrases • Would you agree that…. • Another factor that we need to consider is… • Is there anything more you want to add to…

Speaking – Unite 19: Collaborative speaking Page 2

Upwards for TKN Software Saul Denman looks at the expansion of the TKN Software Up to ten more jobs could be created in Grenberg with the further development of a local IT company that has aspirations to market software products around the world.

This follows the decision of Grenberg Municipal Council to give the company a grant of EUR 3million if it invests in the run-down eastern area of the city. Local councillor Arnie Fischer commented, ‘Of course we welcome any new investment in the area, but ten jobs in a town with 8 500 unemployed – well, it’s a drop in the ocean.’

TKN Software already employs a team of five in Grenberg and a further six in the regional capital, and is intending to focus its product development and headquarters staff in Grenberg. It aims to make full use of the fact that the internet enables staff to work globally.

The total expansion project is worth almost EUR 7 million, with ZSZ involvement totalling EUR 2 million. ZSZ's commitment includes buying EUR 70,000 of shares in the growing company, as well as providing a substantial loan secured on the company’s property.

Two of TKN Software’s founders are David Kantor and Ben Sanders, who are both from Grenberg. Both David and Ben are former students of the town’s Business Institute. They were later at university together, and also worked for the internet company, Straba PLC, when it was creating and running the Kranon Internet Service Provider – situated in the Torgut Business Park, also in Grenberg.

David Kantor, who is TKN’s technical director, said: ‘We are delighted to have received this investment from ZSZ, which will help secure the future of the business and sustain its growth over the next twelve months.’

The existing staff are all educated to graduate level or equivalent, and the new posts will demand similar qualifications. TKN Software has built up strong links with Grenberg

College, and aims to build on successful use of the Graduate Placement Scheme, which last year enabled the firm to take on a graduate of the college's BSc Computing course.

TKN Software was set up in 2001 to provide consultancy services to organisations looking for IT and internet solutions. It also wanted to provide management services and develop innovative software that would provide collaborative, team-workspace solutions, and lead to the development of software products that could be used widely, both at home and abroad.

TKN Software’s main product is called ROMBOLO, a program which will allow enterprise agencies across the region to use identical approaches to companies looking for assistance. It will systematically gather information about them and will also allow regular updates as the businesses develop. It is designed to assist business and management consultants.

David Kantor, managing director of TKN Software, said he wanted to find development partners for the projects so that they could jointly finance the research. The aim was to find individual solutions which could then have a general application; if successful, the system could be applied to any number of companies in the area.

Harold Landau, Mayor of Grenberg, said the development of TKN Software would create good quality, well-paid employment in a cutting edge, knowledge-based industry sector. ‘The company has developed an extensive list of prospective customers and has a tested product to launch in the healthcare sector. I believe there are reasonable prospects for commercial viability and additional growth in a sector which has grown gradually in the town over several years,’ Mr Landau said.

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Speaking – Unite 19: Collaborative speaking Page 3

Exam Skills A Look at the following conversation and decide what the students are talking about.

Andreo Well, I think having low taxes is very important, don’t you? Maria Yes, I agree, but nothing can happen unless there is customer

demand, right? Andreo True, well to that I would add advertising. That’s important too. Maria Well we’re assuming the labour is there and is flexible, aren’t we? Andreo And, I would add, properly trained, with the right qualifications. Maria But aren’t we forgetting the most important thing of all – start-up

capital?

Exam tip: in the collaborative task it is important in the first minute to mention things to talk about.

B Underline all the devices used above (a) to agree with a speaking partner, before we

make a new point, and (b) to give a speaking partner an opportunity to speak.

Exam tip: taking your turn to speak, responding to what your partner has said and giving your partner an opportunity to speak are important to do well in this task.

C Look at the following dialogue and note how the speakers disagree. How polite are they? Highlight phrases showing different degrees of politeness.

Andreo The management needs a low-paid workforce who will work long hours when needed.

Maria Yes, but the management needs commitment from its workers. Adreo Does it? Many cleaning firms have a high turnover, so commitment

just isn’t that important. Maria Come on, Andreo. When we are talking about industrial expansion,

we are not mainly talking about cleaning firms. Andreo The fact of the matter is, Maria, that the economy of Grenberg is

driven by low wages and flexibility. Maria That’s rubbish, …

Exam tip: in the exam task, you need to know how agree, disagree respond and change the topic.

D What is the problem with the following dialogue?

Andreo I think advertising is very important. Maria I think investing in people is important Andreo When you advertise properly, you can sell your product. Maria If your workers aren’t happy, they won’t work hard. Andreo Advertising can be over half of all expenditure. Maria I agree Andreo You’re right.

Exam tip: your discussion needs to be cohesive; it needs to be ‘linked together’. F What are some of the advantages that business expansion offers to the community ? In discussion with a partner, list four or five things, then discuss the question and try to

agree on the most important.

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Speaking – Unite 19: Collaborative speaking Page 4

Exam practice: ‘Oh, so you think that, do you?’ A Look at the following expressions. Match them with the functionsin the second box.

Find more than one expression for each function.

a Let me get a word in here…, b Just to add to that…, c Well, if we could move on from that now…, d What is your reaction to the idea that…, e I don’t quite go along with that, f Yes, you’re right

1. agreeing

2. disagreeing with somebody 3. expanding on what someone has said 4. interrupting 5. inviting an opinion 6. changing the subject

B Look at the three topics in the box below. By yourself, quickly make a list of things you would say about each topic. Underline the one you think is most important, and think of a reason why.

What are some of the things that stop a company from expanding? E.g., shortage of skilled labour What qualities do you need to be a good secretary? E.g., to be polite at all times What factors are important in deciding where to locate a new office? E.g., the rent you must pay

C Get into groups of three. One person is the examiner, and the other two will do one of the collaborative tasks

chosen by the examiner. At the end, the examiner will give feedback. Then switch roles.

THE EXAM SCRIPT • For the final part of the test, you are going to talk to each other about a

topic I will give you. I’m just going to listen.

< Pick up the Topic Card but do not give it to the candidates yet. > < Read the topic and any instructions out loud to them >

• First make a spoken list of four or five things. • Then, when you have done that, discuss which one is the best/ most

important. Remember to give reasons for what you say. • You have 3 minutes altogether to try and agree. All right?

< Place the topic card in front of the candidates. >

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Speaking – Unite 19: Collaborative speaking Page 5

Unit 19: Expanding a Company (p. 1) C 1. run-down, 2. secured, 3. grant, 4. Sustained/secured, 5. links, 6. innovative, 7. collaborative, 8. knowledge-based, 9. aspiration/commitment, 10. qualifications.(other answers are possible) (p.1) D – stress is shown where it does not fall on the first syllable

NOUN ADJECTIVE VERB aspiration ooOo aspiring oOo

aspirational ooOoo Aspire (to) oO

commitment oOo committed oOo commit (to) oO sustainability oooOoo sustained oO sustain oO qualification oooOo qualifying/qualified qualify innovation ooOo innovative innovate collaboration oooOo collaborative oOooo collaborate (with) oOoo

(p. 1) E Up to ten new jobs in the town (p.1) F Arnie Fischer welcomed any new investment in the area, but thought that ten new jobs in a town with 8,500 unemployed would be just a drop in the ocean. Mayor Harold Landau said that the company had developed an extensive list of prospective customers and had tested a product for launching in the healthcare sector. He further said he believed there were reasonable prospects for commercial viability and additional growth in a sector which had grown gradually in the town for several years. (p. 1) G David Kantor: TKN Software founder/ from Grenberg/ with Ben Sanders,

went to Grenberg Business Institute and University/ worked for Straba PLC /wants to expand his business

ZSZ: contributed EUR 2 million to TKN Software/ has EUR 70,000 in shares in TKN/ has made a loan to TKN secured on the property of the company ROMBOLO: a software program which will gather information designed to help management consultants

(p. 3) A How to start up or expand a business. (p. 3) B (a) Yes, I agree/ True/ And I would add… (b) I think…don’t you? (and other question tags)/ …right?/ framing the whole of the turn in the form of a question (p. 3) C Yes, but… (polite)/ Does it? (neutral)/ Come on. (informal)/ The fact of the matter is…(quite formal)/ That’s rubbish (rude) (p. 3) D The participants do not seem to be listening to each other, nor are they building

on each other’s contributions. Also, there is repetition of ‘I think…’ It is not clear exactly what they have

agreed at the end. (p. 4) A a4, b3, c6, d5, e2, f1

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Unite 20: Extra Activities Page 1

20 EuroPro the CEFR and Extra Activities

1 Reading at B2 Vantage Level A Make a list of all the things that you can read, e.g. newspapers,

novels, railway timetables, instructions. Which do you enjoy most and least? Why? Compare your opinions with a partner, then tell the class about it.

B What do the words and phrases in the vocabulary box mean?

an idiom, contextual clues, to grasp, a stance

C Match the words with the comments.

1 An idiom A Information which helps you understand something 2 A contextual clue B E.g., ‘That’s not my cup of tea.’ 3 To grasp C A way of standing or (metaphorically)– an opinion 4 A stance D Hold tightly or (metaphorically)– understand

D Read the standards expected at B2 level in the box below. Shut the book. In groups of three, try to remember as much as you can. When you have finished compare your notes with the text.

At B2 level (vantage) a business reader… can read with a large degree of …., adapting style and speed of reading to different texts and purposes, and using appropriate reference sources selectively. Has a broad active reading vocabulary, but may experience some difficulty with low frequency idioms. can use a variety of strategies to achieve comprehension, including checking comprehension by using contextual clues.

In the short texts task, a business reader…

can understand correspondence relating to his/her field of interest, and readily grasp the essential meaning.

In the paragraph headings task, a business reader…

can quickly identify the content and relevance of news items, articles and reports on a wide range of professional topics, deciding whether closer study is worthwhile.

In the multiple-choice reading task a business reader…

can understand articles and reports concerned with contemporary problems in which the writers adopt particular stances or viewpoints.

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Unite 20: Extra Activities Page 2

Communicative Activity – Running Dictation Your teacher will attach to the walls of the room four or five (slightly enlarged) copies of an English text concerned with business. The text will be about 150 words long, and the copies will be attached to the wall around the room so that they can easily be read. Students should form pairs, and all the pairs should be (more or less) the same distance from the nearest copy. One member of the pair is the runner and the other is the writer. The aim of the activity is for the writer to write down the text as accurately as possible. The runner needs to go to the text, read a chunk of it, return to where the ‘writer’ is sitting, and dictate that chunk to the writer. When the writer has written it down, the runner should go back to the text and repeat the process for the next chunk. The activity has the following rules: • The runner may not shout but must dictate next to the writer. • The runner may not write anything. • The writer must remain seated. • Once or twice during the dictation, the teacher will tell the runner and the writer to exchange

roles. Your teacher will note the order in which pairs finish. The original version of the text is then handed out, and each pair checks the work of another pair. The winner is the pair which has made the fewest errors. In the event of a tie the pair which finished earlier is the winner. Communicative Activity – Business Articles Your teacher will collect five articles of between 150 and 250 words each. Students form groups of five, and each student in the group will receive a different article. (The articles can be edited from the internet, e.g. from ‘BBC Online’ business pages) Stage 1: Read the article individually, and extract the main points. Then write a summary of about 50 words. Then compare your work with a student in another group who has the same article. At this stage, agree to insert three or four things which are untrue – or are not in the article. Stage 2: Return to your original group of five, present your article and answers questions from the other four students. The other students will take notes. In your presentation remember to include the false or invented information. Stage 3: Your article will now be given to the other members of your group, and, using their notes, they will try to find the ‘lies’ and invented information.

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Unite 20: Extra Activities Page 3

2 Listening at B2 Vantage Level A What do the words and phrases in the vocabulary box mean?

a proposition, a concrete subject, a standard dialect, extended speech, contextual clues

B Put one item from the vocabulary box into each gap.

♦ He is very easy to understand because he speaks __1__ ♦ Talking about how to get to work in a traffic jam is __2__; moral philosophy is not. ♦ ‘All businessmen are nice people,’ is __3__ many people don’t accept as true. ♦ Giving a lecture is an example of __4__ ; a single sentence is not. ♦ You can’t understand, ‘He picked it up and put it there,’ without __5__.

C Read the standards expected at B2 level in the box below. Shut the book. In groups of three, try to remember as much as you can. When you have finished compare your notes with the text

At B2 level (Vantage), somebody listening in a business context… can understand the main ideas of propositionally and linguistically complexspeech on both concrete and abstract topics delivered in a standard dialect,including technical discussions in his/her field of specialisation. can follow extended speech and complex lines of argument, provided thetopic is reasonably familiar, and the direction of the talk is sign-posted byexplicit markers. can with some effort catch much of what is said around him/her.

can use a variety of strategies to achieve comprehension, including listeningfor main points and checking comprehension by using contextual clues.

In the short conversations task, somebody listening in a business context…

can understand messages on concrete and abstract topics spoken in standarddialect at normal speed

In the making notes task, somebody listening in a business context…

can follow the essentials of lectures, talks and reports and other forms ofacademic/professional presentation which are propositionally and linguisticallycomplex.

In the meeting task, somebody listening in a business context…

can understand most radio documentaries and most other recorded orbroadcast audio material delivered in standard dialect, and can identity thespeaker’s mood, tone, etc.

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

Unite 20: Extra Activities Page 4

Communicative Activity – Just a Minute You are going to speak on a business topic You are going to try to talk non-stop for one minute Get into groups of four or five. Make a list of business topics suitable for a one-minute (slightly humorous) speech, e.g. Money makes the world go round, Look after the cents and the euros look after themselves, Time is money, etc. The rules of the activity are: • the student who starts chooses one of the topics and becomes the speaker • the aim of the speaker is to speak for a minute on the topic without : hesitation (i.e. pausing for more than a couple of seconds), deviation (going off the topic) or repetition (saying a content word not in the topic title more than once). • anybody can challenge if the rules are broken. If the challenge is correct, then the challenger

gets a point; if the challenger is wrong, then the speaker gets a point. • a student who makes a correct challenge takes over the speaking. • the ‘stop-watch’ is stopped during a challenge, and is only started again when the same, or a

new speaker, starts to speak. • the student speaking at the end of the minute receives an extra point. Communicative Activity – Business Stories You are going to tell a story about the history of a business. The story is imaginary. Get into groups of four or five. Individually, think of a story and make some notes, (e.g. a business started by a street seller becomes a multinational, or a wealthy man becomes bankrupt). Your story should take about two minutes to tell. Leave your story unfinished. Each student tells his/her story in turn to the group. The other members of the group listen and make notes. When the storyteller has finished, the other members should ask questions. When the details of the unfinished story have been established, the other members of the group should agree an end to the story. As a final stage, each group of students should present the story to the full class, who may ask questions in order to find out extra details about the story.

Three very wealthy businessmen are sitting together in an elite business club in Berlin. Suddenly, one of them notices that they are all wearing the same tie. ‘Do you know, chaps, we are all wearing the same tie,’ says the first man. ‘Where did you getyours? I got mine here in Berlin and paid EUR 300 for it’ ‘Ah,’ says the second, ‘I got mine in Rome and I paid EUR 500 for it.’ ‘Well,’ says the third, ‘you two were cheated. I bought mine in Paris and paid EUR 1000 for it!’ In economics, the tie is an example of a Giffen Good: as the price rises, demand increases – inthis case because its value is measured in terms of its cost.

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Unite 20: Extra Activities Page 5

3 Writing at B2 Vantage Level A Match up the words with the definitions:

synthesise to say indirectly, by describing evaluate obstruct (make something difficult) circumlocution observable conspicuous assess hinder put together

B How many syllables do the words above have? Which is the stressed syllable?

(E.g. synthesise Ooo) C Read the standards expected at B2 level in the box below. Shut the book. In groups of three, try to remember as much as you can. When you have finished, compare your notes with the text

At B2 level (vantage) a writer in a business context… can write clear, detailed texts on a variety of subjects related to his/her field of interest, synthesising andevaluating information and arguments form a number of sources. can plan what is to be written and the means to write it, considering the effect on the recipient/s.

can use circumlocution and paraphrase to cover gaps in vocabulary and structure.

can correct slips and errors if he/she becomes conscious of them, or if they have led tomisunderstandings. can give clear descriptions, express viewpoints and develop arguments without much conspicuoussearching for words, using some complex sentence structures to do so. can vary formulation to avoid frequent repetition.

can use accurate and correct lexis, though some confusion and incorrect word choice does occur,without hindering communication. can show a relatively high degree of grammatical control, and does not make mistakes which lead tomisunderstanding. can produce clearly intelligible continuous writing which follows standard layout and paragraphingconventions can spell and punctuate reasonably accurately, but may show signs of mother tongue influence.

In the extensive writing task, a writer in a business context…

can write clear, detailed descriptions on a variety of subjects related to his/her field of interest.

can write a review of a film, book or play.

can write an essay or report which develops an argument, giving reasons in support of or against aparticular point of view, and explaining the advantages and disadvantages of various options. can synthesise information and arguments from a number of sources.

can express news and views effectively in writing.

can write letters conveying degrees of emotion and highlighting the personal significance of events andexperiences, and can comment on the correspondent’s news and views.

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Unite 20: Extra Activities Page 6

Communicative Activity – Business Letters Write three short e-mails, each on a separate piece of paper, and address them to three other members of the class, (your teacher will tell you to whom, so that a few students don’t receive all the letters). The subjects of the e-mails are: • an offer to sell something • a complaint about services received • a request for information about the other’s product or

service The e-mails should be short, no more than 60 words. They should be in the style of an email. Your teacher will act as a postal worker and will ‘deliver’ your e-mails to their recipients. The recipient should write a reply – no longer than 70 words – on the back of the sheet of paper, and your teacher will then deliver it back to you. Your teacher will give you e-mails you haven’t seen. Try to improve the content and the English. Discuss your changes with the original writer of the e-mails. Communicative Activity – Improving the Office Everyone in the class is a member of a team of management consultants, who have been asked to find solutions for some problems in a badly run company office. (e.g. lateness, untidiness, money being stolen, etc.). In pairs, make a list of other problems which you can think of for the office. The whole class should now sit in a circle; each of you should have a pen and a hard surface to write on. The teacher will then give you a sheet of paper. You should write recommendations in the following way:

We have noted that…. We believe that…. is necessary for the proper functioning of the office. We therefore recommend that…. (at least two things)

Obviously, as you have noted a large number of problems in the office, your list of recommendations will be long. The full report will need hundreds of words. However, every minute, or minute and a half, the teacher will stop you writing. You should stop writing immediately and hand the paper to the person on your right. You will receive a sheet of paper from the student on your left, and should continue writing at the point where s/he stopped. You should not write exactly the same thing on any two reports. You should try to make the report as sensible as possible. The activity continues until everybody has contributed to every report.

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4 Grammar & Vocabulary at B2 Vantage Level A Put the following into two lists. What is the difference between your two lists? reading, pronunciation, listening, writing, grammar,

vocabulary, speaking B Think back to the dictation unit (Unit 14). Which of the following are important if you want to do well in the dictation task? Why?

spelling, pronunciation, reading, listening for detail, listening for gist, C What is the difference between what is being tested in the multiple-choice gap fill and the

modified cloze? D Read the standards expected at B2 level in the box below. Shut the book. In groups of three, try to remember as much as you can. When you have finished, compare your notes with the text.

At B2 level (Vantage) a business language user… can use a wide variety of strategies to achieve comprehension, including checking comprehension by using contextual clues can spell reasonably accurately (but for the specially selected vocabulary which you need to write for these tasks in the Euro Exam there is NO allowance for error)

In the dictation, the business language user…

can produce clearly intelligible continuous writing, which follows a standard layout

can follow extended speech and complex lines of argument, provided the topic is reasonably familiar, and the direction of the talk is sign-posted by explicit markers. can understand broadcast audio material delivered in standard dialect

can take messages

can understand a clearly structured lecture on a familiar subject In the non-dictation tasks the business language user… can read with a large degree of independence

can deploy a broad active reading vocabulary In the multiple-choice gap fill, the business language user…

can deploy a good range of vocabulary for matters connected to his/her field and most general topics.

In the modified cloze, the business language user…

can show a relatively high degree of grammatical control

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Communicative Activity – Dictogloss • Your teacher will give you the title to a text. What do you think the text will contain? Tell a partner • The text will be about 100 words long. • Your teacher will read the text at normal reading speed.

Note down key words and phrases, either during the reading or afterwards. Exchange ideas with other students near you.

• Your teacher will read the text through again at normal reading speed. Try to add to your notes.

• Now get into groups of three or four students. Together you should try to re-write the text as closely to the original as possible. • Your teacher will now read the original text slowly, or give you a printed copy of the text. You

should note differences between your version and the original, and discuss these in the lesson. Communicative Activity – Grammar Auction • Look at the grammar items in the box below. Write sentences of at least twelve words which

start with the following.

He’d have… Although it had been… But for… Never before had… Rarely… Not wanting… Having opened… AND THREE OTHER SENTENCES OF YOUR CHOICE

• When you have written several sentences (your teacher will tell you how many), hand them in.

At this stage don’t discuss them with other people. • Your teacher may have some sentences which s/he has written. • Everybody in the class (or every pair) will get the same amount of imaginary ‘money’. You are going to use this as you would in an auction. • The teacher will write a selection of the sentences on the whiteboard and then ‘auction’ them.

Some of these will be grammatically correct, and others not. Your aim is to buy as many grammatically correct sentences as possible for as little ‘money’ as possible, and ungrammatical ones for even less. You should take care not to use up all your money at the beginning of the auction. • When everybody’s money has gone, or when the sentences have run out, discuss in class, with

your teacher’s help, which sentences are grammatically correct. • For a grammatically correct sentence which you have bought you receive 10 points, for a sentence which is grammatically incorrect you receive 1 point. • The winner is the person (or pair) with the most points.

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6 Speaking at B2 Vantage Level A What do the words and phrases in the vocabulary box mean?

subsidiary, a stretch of language, to impose a strain, to prod, a concession

B Put one item from the vocabulary box into each gap.

♦ He produced a very long _1_. ♦ She has such a strong foreign accent that listening to her _2_ . ♦ You have to _3_ her to get her to say anything. ♦ We will have to make a _4_ if we want them to sign the contract. ♦ The main office is in Berlin, but they have a _5_ in Paris.

C Read the standards expected at B2 level in the box below. Shut the book. In groups of three,

try to remember as much as you can. When you have finished, compare your notes with the text.

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.

At B2 level (Vantage) a business speaker… can give clear, systematically developed descriptions within a wide range of subjectsrelated to his/her field of interest, expanding and supporting ideas with subsidiary points andrelevant examples can produce stretches of language with a fairly even tempo; although s/he can be hesitantas s/he searches for patterns and expressions, there are few noticeable long pauses can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction withnative speakers quite possible without imposing a strain on either party

In the interview, a business speaker…

can expand and develop ideas with little help or prodding from an interviewer In a presentation, a business speaker…

can develop a clear argument, expanding and supporting his/her points of view at somelength with subsidiary points and relevant examples can construct a chain of reasoned argument

can expand a viewpoint on a topical issue, giving the advantages and disadvantages ofvarious options

In real life situations, a business speaker…

can explain a problem which has arisen, and make it clear that the provider of the serviceor customer must make a concession.

In a collaborative task, a business speaker…

can help along the progress of work by inviting others to join in, say what they think, etc.

can outline an issue or a problem clearly, speculating about causes or consequences, andweighing advantages and disadvantages of different proposals

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Communicative activity – The businessperson’s mingle Take a piece of paper and write a name (if you are male write a female name; if you are female write a male name) NOW YOU ARE THIS IMAGINARY PERSON. ON YOUR PAPER, WRITE BRIEF NOTES ON THE FOLLOWING: • the name of your business • how many years you’ve been in business • where your business is • what your business is • how many people you employ • three problems your business has • two hopes you have for expansion • your last business trip • your last holiday • your family Now try to remember as much as you can about your new self – but keep your piece of paper to remind you. Your teacher will invite you to a party. Move around the room, talk to all the other ‘business people’ and find out as much information about them as you can. Do not write it down, but try to remember it. Introduce yourself and ‘mingle’, as you would in a real party. AT THE END OF THE PARTY Sit down and tell your partner about the most interesting person you met. Communicative activity – Selling your product Imagine that you are in business, and have a new product to sell (e.g. a new type of glue, a new insurance policy). What is the product? Make a few brief notes. Now explain your product – and how you will market it – to your partner. Your partner should ask you questions, and you should give answers. Move around the room, and talk to all the other ‘business people’. Ask and answer questions about your business, and about selling your product. When you have finished, sit down. As a class, discuss each of the businesses in turn. Consider: • is the product one which would sell? • how much would it cost to set up the business? • who would buy it? • what is the best way to market it?

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Answers 1 Reading at B2 Vantage Level (p. 1) C 1B, 2A, 3D, 4C 2 Listening at B2 Vantage Level

(p. 1) 1. a standard dialect, 2. a concrete subject, 3. a proposition, 4. extended speech, 5. contextual clues

3 Writing at B2 Vantage Level (p. 1) A synthesise: put together; evaluate: assess; circumlocution: to say indirectly, conspicuous: observable; hinder: obstruct (make something difficult) (p. 1) B

evaluate oOoo circumlocution oooOo conspicuous oOoo hinder Oo

4 Grammar & Vocabulary at B2 Vantage Level (p. 1) A language skills: reading, listening, writing and speaking language knowledge: pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary (p. 1) B listening for detail – absolutely crucial, as the dictation needs to be reproduced word for word

spelling – all the words in the chunk must be correctly spelt to get the point. listening for gist – in the first reading through you need to listen for gist to work out the topic of the dictation which then helps you to understand the details.

pronunciation – need to listen to the recording, and work out written text from the speech. Many sounds are reduced or elided.

reading – just need to read the instructions and the title, minimal role (p. 1) C In the multiple-choice gap fill your vocabulary is being tested: do you know the

right word? Can a particular word fit into the sentence here? In the modified cloze your grammar is being tested, i.e. which grammar words go

into a gap so the sentence is grammatically correct and makes sense? Speaking at B2 Vantage Level (p. 1) B 1. stretch of language, 2. imposed a strain, 3. prod, 4. concession, 5. subsidiary.

Copyright 2007 Euro Examination Centre.