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Universitatea Nicolae Titulescu

Anul I
SEMESTRUL I

LIMBA ENGLEZ I

Unit 1: EDUCATION
Unit 2: WORK FOR A LIVING
Unit 3: RECRUITMENT
Unit 4: APPLYING FOR A JOB
Unit 5: WORK AND MOTIVATION
Unit 6: TYPES OF BUSINESS COMPANY STRUCTURE
Unit 7: STARTING A BUSINESS

Seminar Instructor: FELICIA BUCUR

Anul universitar 2011-2012

Unit 1: EDUCATION

OBJECTIVES
This unit will help you:
- get familiar with the higher education system
- compare education in Romania and Britain
- revise and practice language needed for comparing
- improve your essay writing skills

LEAD IN
1. Put each of the following words or phrases in its correct space in the passage
below.
state
tutorial
break up

terms
seminar
graduate
nursery school
compulsory co-educational

degree
grant
academic

fees
secondary
primary

private
lecture

When children are two or three years old, they sometimes go to a (1)
______________, where they learn simple games and songs. Their first real school
is called a (2) ______________ school. In Britain children start this school at the age
of five. The (3) ______________ year in Britain begins in September and is divided
into three (4) ______________. Schools (5) ______________ for the summer
holiday in July. (6) ______________ education begins at the age of about eleven,
and most schools at this level are (7) ______________, which means boys and girls
study together in the same classes. In Britain education is (8) ______________ from
five to 16 years of age, but many children choose to remain at school for another two
or three years after 16 to take higher exams. Most children go to (9)
______________ schools, which are maintained by the government or local
education authorities, but some children go to (10) ______________ schools, which
can be very expensive. University courses normally last three years and then
students (11) ______________, which means they receive their (12)
______________. At university, teaching is by (13) ______________ (an individual
lesson between a teacher and one or two students), (14) ______________ (a class
of students discussing a subject with a teacher), (15) ______________ (when a
teacher gives a prepared talk to a number of students) and of course private study.
Most people who receive a university place are given a (16) ______________ by the
government to help pay their (17) ______________ and living expenses.
2. Now that you have filled in the text, read it again and using your
knowledge about the Romanian educational system try and find
similarities and differences between the two systems.
3. Give answers to the following questions:
A. Do you think education should be free? Are there advantages in a fee-paying
system?
B. How usual is it to go to university in Romania?
C. Is it difficult to go in?
D. How do you feel as a fresher at Nicolae Titulescu University? What are your
expectations?
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E. Is a university education necessary for professional jobs?


F. Many British people believe that if you do nothing more than study hard at
university, you will have wasted a great opportunity. What do they mean and
do you agree?

READING AND COMPREHENSION


The following text gives you information about the way in which education
beyond the age of 16 is organized in Britain. Read it quickly and answer these
questions:
A. Do all 16-year-old students take the same tests?
B. How many students leave school at or after 16?
C. How many types of education are there after the age of 16?
D. How many American students go to university?
E. Which is the American equivalent for Oxbridge?
F. How many types of universities are there in Britain?
At the age of 16, prior to leaving school, students are tested in various
subjects to earn a General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE). If they wish
to go on to higher education at a university, they take Advanced Level examinations,
commonly known as A Levels. About a third of British students leave school as
soon as possible after turning 16, usually taking lower-level jobs in the workforce.
Those who stay in school past the age of 16 may pursue either further education or
higher education. Further education is largely vocational, as is adult education. About
3.5 million people were enrolled in further education programs in 1995. Students may
also stay in school until age 18 to prepare for higher education.
The percentage of young people entering universities in Britain is far lower
than in the United States, where more than half attend. In Britain the proportion has
risen from one in six in 1989 to almost one in three in 1996. In 1995 there were 1.7
million students enrolled in higher education.
Britain has more than 90 universities. British universities can be divided into
several categories. The foremost universities are the University of Oxford and the
University of Cambridge, both founded in the Middle Ages. The term Oxbridge is
used to refer to both schools as a single entity, much as Americans would use the
term Ivy League in reference to the group of prestigious East Coast universities.
Another type of university is the so-called redbrick varietyold and solid schools built
in the 19th century when bricks were the standard building material. The large
number of ultramodern universities that developed in the last half of the 20th century
are often called cement block and plateglass universities. London has its own great
schools, the enormous University of London and its world-famous college, the
London School of Economics.
Students interested in advanced education can also attend polytechnics,
which are schools dedicated to the sciences and applied technology. An education
act in 1992 changed the status of these colleges to universities. Higher education
can also be obtained through the Open University, founded in 1969, which offers
extension courses taught through correspondence, television and radio programs,
and videocassettes. It also sponsors local study centres and residential summer
schools. The purpose of the Open University is to reach people who may not
ordinarily be qualified for university study.

VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT
1. Maria Garcia tells us about her educational background. Complete each
sentence with one of the words or phrases from the box below. You will
need to put the verbs into the right tense.
apply
graduate (V) grant
option scholarship study
subject stay on
thesis

higher degree
honours degree
place

job
PhD

primary school
secondary school

I started at (1) primary school in London when I was 5. At the age of 11, I went
to (2) ___________, also in London. At 17, I (3) ___________ to university. I got a
(4) ___________ at Manchester to (5) ___________ Engineering. In fact I was
awarded a (6) ___________. But at the end of first year I changed to another (7)
___________. I (8) ___________ from university in 1988. I have a first class (9)
___________ in Economics. I decided to (10) ___________ at university. So I did
(11) ___________ in business administration at the University of California. During
the course, I did an (12) ___________ on small business development. I found a
topic so interesting that applied for a (13) ___________ to do a doctorate on the
same subject. Once I had got the money, I had to write a 50, 000 word
(14)___________. So now I have a BA, an MBA and a (15) ___________. All I need
now is a (16) ___________.
2. Choose the most suitable word or phrase to complete each sentence.
1. Helens parents were very pleased when they read her school A.
A. report
B. papers
C. diploma
D. account
2. Martin has quite a good ______ of physics.
A. result
B. pass
C. understanding D. head
3. In Britain, children start ______ school at the age of five.
A. kindergarten
B. secondary
C. nursery
D. primary
4. Edward has a ________ in French from Leeds University.
A. certificate
B. degree
C. mark
D. paper
5. My favourite ______ at school was history.
A. topic
B. class
C. theme
D. subject
6. Its time for break. The bell has _______.
A. gone off
B. struck
C. rung
D. sounded
7. Our English teacher ________ us some difficult exercises for homework.
A. set
B. put
C. obliged
D. made
8. Before you begin the exam paper, always read the ________ carefully.
A. orders
B. instructions
C. rules
D. answers
9. If you want to pass the examination, you must study ________.
A. hardly
B. enough
C. thoroughly
D. rather
10. Most students have quite a good sense of their own _______.
A. grasp
B. ability
C. idea
D. information

3. Complete each sentence with a word beginning as shown. Each space


represents one letter.
1. Charles has a good k_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of the subject. knowledge
2. These children are badly behaved! They need more d _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.
3. Everyone agrees that a good e _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ is important.
4. If you dont know a word, look it up in your d _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.
5. Maths is easy if you are allowed to use a c _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.
6. Keith spent four years studying at the u _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.
7. Some apes seem to have as much i _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ as humans!
8. At the age of eleven I went to s _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ school.
9. I find listening c _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ tests rather difficult.
10. I enjoyed doing e _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ in the laboratory.
4. Decide which answer A, B, C or D best fits each space.
Learning How to Learn
There is usually one important (1) C missing from school (2) _________. Very few
students are (3) _________ how to organise their learning and how to (4) _________
the best use of their time. Lets take some simple (5) _________. Do you know how
to (6) _________ up words in a dictionary, and do you understand all the (7)
_________ the dictionary contains? Can you (8) _________ notes quickly, can you
understand them (9) _________ ? For some reasons, many schools give learners no
(10) _________ with these matters. Teachers ask students to (11) _________ pages
from books, or tell them to write ten pages, but dont explain (12) _________ to do it.
Learning by (13) _________ can be useful, but it is more important to have a genuine
(14) _________ of a subject. You can (15) _________ a lot of time memorising
books, without understanding anything about the subject!
1. A) theme
2. A) agendas
3. A) taught
4. A) take
5. A) sentences
6. A) find
7. A) information
8. A) do
9. A) after
10. A) teaching
11. A) concentrate
12. A) how
13. A) the way
14. A) information
15. A) pass

B) book
B) timetables
B) learnt
B) give
B) results
B) look
B) advise
B) send
B) afterwards
B) ability
B) remind
B) what
B) heart
B) success
B) waste

C) subject
C) terms
C) educated
C) get
C) rules
C) research
C) subject
C) make
C) lastly
C) instruction
C) forget
C) why
C) how
C) understanding
C) tell

D) mark
D) organisations
D) graduated
D) make
D) examples
D) get
D) themes
D) revise
D) at last
D) help
D) memorise
D) it
D) law
D) attention
D) use

LANGUAGE FOCUS: Comparing


1. Complete the table with the comparative and superlative forms of these

adjectives: successful, rich, global, early, big. Add others.


Add er or est.
rich, richer, richest
Double the last letter and
add er or est.
Change y to i, and add er
or est.
Put more or most in front.
Two or more syllables
Some other ways of comparing are:
as as, the same as: The new photocopier is as unreliable as the old one.
much/far er than: His boss is much older than him.
compared to/ in comparison to: Their company looks quite healthy compared
to / in comparison to ours.
One syllable
One syllable ending vowel
+ consonant
Two syllables ending in y

There are also irregular adjectives. The most important are:


good
better
best
bad
worse
worst
far
farther/further
fathest/furthest
little
less
least
elder (people only)
old
elder

2. Correct the grammatical mistakes in these sentences:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Prague has become Central Europes glamorest city. most glamorous


Most tallest office towers in the world are in Kuala Lumpur.
Cleveland is now one of the most cleanest cities in North America.
In Buenos Aires foreign bankers are as common than coffee house poets.
The London Underground is worst than the Tokyo Underground system.
Ireland is not as larger as Sweden.
The London Stock Exchange is very older than the Singapore Exchange.
Their prices are very high in compared to ours.

3. Complete these extract from a radio programme with the correct

comparative or superlative forms of the adjectives in brackets.


A survey has come up with some interesting information about the cost of
living in our major cities.
Tokyo is still (1) the most expensive (expensive) city in the world. Osaka is
second and Moscow third, on a par with Hong Kong. Many European cities have
gone down the rankings because their exchange rates have become (2)
____________ (weak) against the US dollar. Moscows exchange rate has also
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become (3) ____________ (weak), but Russia has a much (4) ____________ (high)
inflation rate than many European countries. So prices in Moscow are among (5)
____________ (high) in Europe. But, there is one advantage of living in Moscow.
The underground is excellent very cheap and much (6) ____________
(comfortable) than the one in London.
New York is (7) ____________ (expensive) US city. This is because the US
dollar is (8) ____________ (strong) than many other currencies. Some European
countries that used to be far (9) ____________ (expensive) than New York are now
much (10) ____________ (cheap).
London is the 10th (11) ____________ (expensive) city in the world,
according to the survey. A year ago, London was 5%-10% (12) ____________
(cheap) than many French and German cities. This is no longer so. Now London is
15% (13) ____________ (dear) than the German and French cities mentioned in the
survey. However, London is a good city to live in. Business people said that London
was (14) ____________ (exciting) of all the major cities in the world. Londoners also
claim that it is (15) ____________ (clean) than it used to be, and (16) ____________
(safe) than many other European cities.
If youre hard up, dont go to Oslo its Europes (17) ____________
(expensive) city. Meals at restaurants cost a fortune and drinks are very pricey.
4. A business executive who travels a lot gives a personal response to the

radio programme extract above. Complete the text below with the words in
the box.
different
not

as
much

similar
compared

just
less

rather
same

Well personally, Ive had some (1) ____________ experiences. For a start, I cant
agree that Moscow is (2) ____________ expensive as Hong Kong. Ive always found
Moscow (3) ____________ expensive. The price of certain items may be about the
(4) ____________ as in Hong Kong, but I know the hotels are (5) ____________ as
expensive. I agree that the Moscow Underground is really good (6) ____________ to
the London Underground and is definitely (7) ____________ more comfortable. I
always walk in London (8) ____________ than use the Underground. Also, some
other Northern European cities are (9) ____________ as expensive as Oslo. In
general, I find that prices in Sweden and Denmark are (10) ____________ to those
in Norway.
5. Make comparisons about one of the following:

your city or your country with another city or country you know well;
your company with another company in the same sector;
your present job with another job you had in the past.

SKILLS FOCUS: Writing FOR and AGAINST


Choose one of the essay titles below. Write a 250-word for-and-against essay,
remembering to plan and organise your answer, and use some of the
expressions in the box.
In some countries teenagers have jobs while they are still students. Do
you think this is a good idea? Support your opinion by using specific
reasons and details.
All educational facilities should be funded by the government. Use
specific reasons and details to explain your answer.
Some people believe that university students should be required to
attend classes. Others believe that going to classes should be optional
for students. Which point of view do you agree with? Use specific
reasons and details to explain your answer.
I believe that

Firstly,

Moreover

The most important point is that

Also
Thirdly
Another point is that

It could be argued that


I think

In my opinion

You might find useful the following tips:


A good answer might be organised as follows:
Paragraph 1: INTRODUCTION (not very detailed; perhaps just one or
two sentences)
Paragraph 2: FOR
Paragraph 3: AGAINST
Paragraph 4: CONCLUSION (your opinion)

TRANSLATION
Before translating a text you should decide what strategy you should take:
should you translate it right away?
do you read the entire text first?
what do you do if you do not know a word?
when you reread your translation which are the main points you focus on?
Consider accuracy, clarity, style, preserving the original meaning, stirring the
same reaction in the reader etc.
Having these strategies in mind, translate the following text into Romanian:

Most successful distance education students have done plenty of research to find the
program that is right for them. Some of the points you need to consider before
applying to a program include the following:
Do I have a place at home or at work that I can claim as my own for extended
periods of study and communication with the program? Will family members or
others around me respect my need to spend time on my own?
What are the specific educational outcomes of the program? Is earning a
degree important to me, or do I want to take just a few classes to learn a new
skill or to complete a certificate program to increase my professional status?
What are the total costs of the program? Do the fees include books, if
necessary? Are there any additional expenses I might incur?
Translate the following text into English:
Preedintele Traian Bsescu a declarat, luni, n timpul unei dezbateri privind legea
educaiei, c sistemul de educaie romnesc este unul dintre mai slabe din Europa i
cel mai slab din interiorul Uniunii Europene.
"Trebuie s plecm de la realitate, iar realitatea este c sistemul de educaie din
Romnia este unul dintre mai slabe din Europa i, ndrznesc s spun, cel mai slab
din interiorul Uniunii Europene, din punct de vedere al performanelor absolvenilor.
Acest lucru este demonstrat nu numai de analizele specialitilor, ci i de testele
europene, care s-au fcut n Romnia n perioada 2001-2006, 2007. Succesiunea
acestor teste arat o continu depreciere a calitii sistemului de educaie din
Romnia, ceea ce reclam intervenie urgent n adaptarea sistemului de educaie
romnesc la realitile economiei, la realitile competiiei, creia Romnia trebuie
s-i fac fa pentru a-i putea asigura evoluia pozitiv.
http://www.capital.ro/detalii-articole/stiri/basescu-sistemul-de-educatie-din-romania-este-unul-dintremai-slabe-din-europa-133440.html

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Unit 2: WORK FOR A LIVING

OBJECTIVES
This unit will help you:
- get familiar with means of expressing opinions
- distinguish between skills and qualities
- revise and practise past simple and present perfect
- improve your letter writing skills

LEAD IN
EXPRESSING OPINIONS
1. Imagine yourselves working in a hotel, an airport or a bank. Which would
be the best place to work? Why? Which would be the worst place to
work? Why?
2. Choose one of the places. Make a list of all the different jobs people do
there.
3. Is there a job that you would be good at?
SKILLS AND QUALITIES
1. Look at the list of skills and qualities in the box.
SKILLS
computer skills
artistic skills
typing skills
language skills
driving skills
mathematical skills
telephone skills
managerial skills
interpersonal skills financial skills

QUALITIES
patient
calm
physically strong
quick-thinking
emotionally strong honest
well-organised
clean and tidy
intelligent
punctual
caring

Which of them are necessary for the jobs on your list? Discuss this with your
partner as in the example:
To be a ____________ you need to have good _____________ skills and to be
______________.
2. Can you think of some more skills and qualities needed for the jobs on
your list?

11

READING AND COMPREHENSION


1. Read the article quickly to find the answers to these questions:
Chocolate tasting is like wine tasting you dont swallow. ELAINE JONES
Would working as a Confectionary selector for Chocolate Masters be a dream come
true for chocoholics?
Julie Turner finds out.
One day Elaine Jones and a
colleague of hers had to eat their
way through almost ten kilos of
chocolates. It took them from 9 am
5 to 2 pm. Afterwards they felt very,
very unwell. But their chocolate
marathon was not a binge. It was
all in the course of duty. Elaine is
one of the 11 people at Chocolate
10 Masters who are responsible for
chocolates and sweets. Her official
title is confectionary selector. She
has to sample chocolates every
day.
15
That 10 kilos was unusual,
she said. The technologist and I
had to try out an entire fresh
cream range from one of our
suppliers before it went off. It was
20 a very hot day which made things
worse.
1.
2.
3.
4.

25

30

35

Despite such excesses, Elaine is not


overweight. How come? Chocolate
tasting is like wine tasting, she told me,
you dont swallow unless its so good
you cant resist. I think all of us in the
office have become immune to
chocolate. It no longer makes us put on
weight. Perhaps, after 15 years in the
business, Elaine has become immune
to the temptations which, in her airy
offices in the Chocolate Masters
headquarters in Baker Street, I found
overwhelming. There were chocolates
everywhere.
Her chocolate enthusiasms began
early. When I was little, like every kid,
wanted to work in the Mars Bar factory.
When I began in confectionary I was
just like a child in a sweet shop, eating
everything. But thats worn off. I like
chocolate, but Im not a chocoholic.

Which company does Elaine work for?


What is her job called?
What does she have to do?
How long has she been in the food industry?

2. Now read more carefully and find words which mean:


1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

having too much of a good thing (line 7)


to try (line 13)
complete (line 17)
trying food (line 24)
well-ventilated (line 31)
too much (line 34)
3. Are these statements true or false?

1. Elaine samples 10 kilos of chocolate every day.


12

2.
3.
4.
5.

She does not usually eat the chocolate she tastes.


She is the only chocolate taster at Chocolate Masters.
She has not put on weight because of her job.
She has always wanted to work with food.
4. What qualifications and training do you think Elaine needed to become a
Confectionary Selector? Read about Elaines career and fill in the chart:

Elaine was brought up in Essex. After A-levels she worked in banking for a year
and hated it. Then, encouraged by a friend in retailing, she went to work at Harrods. I did
my training there. I was a buyer for eight years bread, patisserie, cakes before
moving into confectionary where I found my niche.
She enjoyed the challenge, the fast turnover. In 1999 she moved to Chocolate
Masters. Her basic responsibility is to develop new lines and she is in charge of both
product and packaging. This involves a lot of travel in Britain and on the Continent,
overseeing production, doing comparative shopping and visiting food fairs.

Elaine Jones

Qualifications
_________________________________________________________
Work experience
_______________________________ (1 year)
_______________________________ (8 years)
_______________________________ (since 1999)
Present responsibilities
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________

VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT
1. Put each of the following words in its correct place in the text below.
calendar
technical
requirements
class hours
college

credits
graduation
outlines
specified
subjects

major
course
curriculum
three
week

prospectus
amount
number
electives
opportunity

The courses given by a (1) _____________ or university are called its


curriculum. The (2) _____________ of the institution (3) _____________ the
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complete (4) _____________. It gives the (5) _____________ for entry to each
course, as well as the credits given for the (6) _____________.
Each course is designated as giving a (7) _____________ number of credits.
These are usually equal to the number of (8) _____________ devoted each week to
the course. For example, a course that meets three times a (9) _____________
usually gives (10) _____________ credits towards graduation. Schools using the
semester (11) _____________ require about 120 credits for (12) _____________.
Between 30 and 40 of the required (13) _____________ must be the student's (14)
_____________ subject.
Schools vary considerably in the (15) _____________ of freedom given
students in selecting their courses. Almost all schools have a certain (16)
_____________ of required courses called (18) _____________. Liberal-arts
colleges usually give students more (19) _____________ to choose than do (20)
_____________ schools.
2. Choose the right answer
1. When you listen to a lecture, it is useful to ... the main points.
a) clear; b) notify; c) put down; d) write on.
2. I can agree with you to a certain ..., Professor, but not entirely.
a) part; b) way; c) extent; d) level.
3. The lecture was very ... and I slept for most of it.
a) noisy; b) sleepy; c) annoying; d) boring.
4. Are you going to attend Professor's ... on the Commodity Science next week?
a) lecture; b) discussion; c) conference; d) meeting.
5. A few jokes always ... up a lecture.
a) liven; b) inspire; c) loosen; d) raise.
6. To begin the lecture, let's take an ... of the present situation.
a) overview; b) oversight; c) overtone; d) overture.
7. There is a/an ... at the back of the book giving the answers to the exercises.
a) index; b) appendix; c) key; d) reference.
8. During a lecture I always try to ... down the main points that are made.
a) note; b) jot; c) doodle; d) sketch.
9. That's what I mean. You've hit the ... on the head.
a) pin; b) nail; c) hammer; d) point.
10.It suddenly ... on me what he really meant.
a) came; b) hit; c) dawned; d) struck.
3. Match each word in column A with its definition in column B.
1) gymnasium
2) rector

a) charge or payment for professional advice or services


b) an educational talk given by a lecturer to a large audience

3)
4)
5)
6)

c)
d)
e)
f)

charta
curriculum
budget
dean

7) investment
8) fee

of students
room/hall with equipment for physical training
head of certain universities, colleges, etc
course of study in a school, college, etc
written statement of rights, permission to do something
especially from the government to a town/city/university
g) in some universities head of a department of study
h) the act of using money to obtain income or profit
14

9) lecture
10) course

a series of academic lectures or lessons in a particular


subject
j) estimate of future income and expenditure made by a
business company, society, private person, etc.
i)

4. Fill in the gaps with the right word in the required form: to learn, to
study, to teach:
1. What subjects do you _____________ in the first year?
2. I am planning _____________ polytology next year.
3. You know much more than I do; so I cannot _____________ you.
4. The student _____________ to write with his left hand.
5. In _____________ a foreign language, it is not enough _____________ new
words, it is necessary to use them in written and oral communication.
6. I would like _____________ to ski, too.
7. Who has _____________ you to surf so well?

LANGUAGE FOCUS
REVISION
PAST SIMPLE
1. We use the past simple to refer to events that took place in the past:
A pharmacist called John Pemberton invented Coca Cola.
Did you go to Berlin last week? Yes, and I met Herr Hans.
2. We frequently use a time adverb to situate the event in finished past time:
Rolls Royce went burst in 1973.
A few years ago, the City Plaza hotel was a leader in its segment of the
market.
Some people made fortunes on the Stock Exchange during the 1980s.
3. We use the past simple in annual reports to describe the companys
performance over the last year:
Last year was a good year for our group.
Sales rose by more than 11% and we made substantial gains in market share
in a number of countries.
PRESENT PERFECT
1. We use the present perfect to say that a finished past action is relevant now:
They have developed a new brand of toothpaste.
The chairman has recently resigned.
2. We use the present perfect when we are thinking of a period of time continuing
up to the present:
For over 50years, Stirling Cars has made a classic English sports car.
Calvin Klein has been one of the leading fashion designers since the mid1970s.
3. We often use this tense to talk about our life experiences.
She has had a number of interesting jobs.
He has worked for a variety of firms.
15

PRACTICE
1. Complete the memo with the past simple or present perfect forms of the
verbs in brackets:
Memo
To: Peter Thompson
From: Marie Delacroix
Date: October 25th
Re: Counterfeiting
Im worried about the sales of the range of fragrances we (1) _____________
(launch) two years ago. In the first year, sales (2) _____________ (increase)
steadily. However, since the beginning of this year, sales (3) _____________ (fall) by
almost 10%.
The reason for this is clear. Several firms in SE Asia (4) _____________
(copy) our designs and are now flooding the French market with them. This (5)
_____________ (become) a serious problem.
Last month, I (6) _____________ (organise) a team of investigators. Up to
now, they (7) _____________ (find) many counterfeit goods, which the police (8)
_____________ (seize) and impounded. Yesterday, I (9) _____________ (contact)
several firms who (10) _____________ (inform) me that they (11) _____________
(have) similar problems. They all (12) _____________ (lose) sales because of
counterfeiting.
2. Peter Fisher is Caferomas Head of Sales. He is introducing himself and
the company to new sales recruits. Complete his speech with the past
simple or present perfect forms of the verbs in brackets.
Good morning and congratulations on becoming a member of Caferomas successful
sales team. Im Peter Fisher, Head of Sales. First, Ill introduce myself and then Ill
tell you a little bit about your new company.
I (1) _____________ (leave) university 20 years ago and then I (2) _____________
(go) to the United States. I (3) _____________ (join) Caferoma 15 years ago and (4)
_____________ (work) in the Sales Department for 10 years. I (5) _____________
(become) Head Of Sales last July and I (6) _____________ (not have) a holiday ever
since.
Caferoma (7) _____________ (be) the market leader for many years now. A year
ago we (8) _____________ (reorganise) our Sales Department and, since
November, our turnover (9) _____________ (increase) by 12% and our share price
(10) _____________ (rise) sharply because of our excellent results. In the last three
months we (11) _____________ (cut) costs by almost 5%.
Bringing us up to date, last week Caferoma (12) _____________ (launch) an
advertising campaign for a low-priced decaffeinated product. It will be your first job to
sell this product.

16

3. Read this fax sent by Nathalie Druot, a sales representative in France for
Caribcool International. Complete the fax with the correct forms of the
verbs in brackets.
CARIBCOOL INTERNATIONAL

FAX MESSAGE
To: Marten Bros. +44 132 1175
Attention: David Black
From: Nathalie Druot
th
Date: November 7
Subject: Sales trip

20 Rue de Pontoise
Paris 75005
France
Telephone: + 33 1 92 08 56 67
Fax:+ 33 1 92 08 56 68

Pages including this: 1

Dear David,
Ive tried to phone you several times but have been unable to contact you. I know you
want to hear about my recent sales trip, so Im faxing you this short report.
During the trip, I (1) _____________ (visit) a number of supermarkets and
hypermarkets in Southern France where I (2) _____________ (give) presentations of
our new products. There (3) _____________ (be) a great deal of interest in our
relaunched cola drink, Gogo. I think itll be a winner over here. In Montpellier and
Bordeaux, I (4) _____________ (meet) the owners of some large retail outlets and
(5) _____________ (inform) them of our new discount policy. So far, no one (6)
_____________ (complain) about the lower discounts we are offering.
Last Saturday, I (7) _____________ (go) to Montpellier and (8) _____________
(have) an enjoyable lunch with Martine Roland one of our best customers. She
promised to buy 20 cases of Gogo, but I (9) _____________ (not receive) an order
from her yet. Ill let you know as soon as I hear from her.
In Nimes, I ran into Francois Duperrier. He (10) _____________ (have) a difficult
time lately. He (11) _____________ (leave) his last job in May and since then, he
(12) _____________ (be) unemployed. He knows the French market inside out.
Maybe he could be our area rep in the South of France. What do you think? As you
know, our sales in the South (13) _____________ (fall) by almost 10% in the last
nine months or so. This cant go on. We must do something to improve our
performance, and Im simply not able to cover the whole of France by myself.
Some good news now. Our TV commercial for Gogo was shown for the first time last
night. This morning, several people (14) _____________ (phone) me, saying how
much they liked it. They think it effective very clever and humorous! The
commercial should really boost Gogos sales and get everyone talking about the
drink.
Finally a word about my October sales report. I (15) _____________ (just finish)
writing it, so you should get it in a few days time. Sorry its a bit late.
Best wishes,
Nathalie

17

SKILLS FOCUS: Transactional Letter Applying for


Holiday Jobs
1. Look at the advertisement below. Would you be interested in a job like
this? What would you want to know about it before you decided to take
it? What might the drawbacks be?
2. If you wanted the job, what would you say about yourself in your letter?
How formal do you think your letter should be?

HOLIDAY JOBS!
Need to improve your English?
Want to spend some time abroad?
Short of cash?
Why not come and work for us at
Home Farm!
Youll be picking fruit and generally helping out with all the usual farm work. Well pay
you by the hour, so the harder you work, the more youll earn! Well provide a place to
sleep and all your meals.
Interested? Why not drop us a line (and a photo). Well be happy to answer any
queries.
Mr and Mrs Bull, Cold Comfort Farm, Sussex, Great Britain SU3 8TZ
Michael Dupont saw the advertisement and made these notes:
QUESTIONS TO ASK
When does the job start and finish?
Will I be the only one there?
Where exactly will I sleep?
What is the minimum rate per hour?
How many hours will I be expected to work?
Can I have a photo of the farm?
3. Scan the letter below. Do you think the farmer would be satisfied with it?
Why not? Now answer the questions.

18

Rue Vichy
Troyes
France
15 May, 200Dear Mr and Mrs Bull,
I saw your advertisement in the paper and I am very interested in working on
your farm.
Im a student and I need more practice with my English. I was hoping to
come to Great Britain but didnt want to ask my parents for money. Working for you
would be an ideal solution.
I am 18 years old and very fit. Although Ive never worked on a farm before I
have helped on a building site and I am used to working hard. Im very fond of
animals and would be happy to help with the cows and sheep if needed.
Could you please let me know how long you would want me for, how many
hours a day and what the minimum wages per hour would be. I would like to know if
there would be other students there too and where I will be sleeping.
I enclose a photo as requested. My last employer will be happy to write me a
reference, if you so wish.
I look forward to hearing from you soon,
Yours sincerely,
Michel Dupont
1. Has Michel given the information he was asked for in the advertisement? Has
he asked about all the points he noted down himself?
2. The advertisement was informal is Michels letter
a. too formal?
b. too informal?
c. just right?
3. Has Michel used clear paragraphs for each new section of the letter? How
does he show he is beginning a new paragraph?
Mr and Mrs Bull received another letter on the same day but they were not
very impressed? Why?
Paris
Tuesday, 16 May
Dear Sir/Madam,
I saw your advertisement in the newspaper and I am quite interested at the
job. Im 16, a student and I really want a holiday away from the parents. Im fit and
healthy and I adore to be outdoors. The only problem is that Im scared from cows
but I could keep away from them, I expect?
Please tell me how much I earn exactly and what there is to do in the evenings. No
discos I suppose?
My Friend Daniel, who goes to college with me, would also like a job. Could you let
me know if you need any more helpers?
19

I am sending the only photo I have at the moment, but please dont worry. My leg
would be out of plaster soon.
Please write back soon!
Regards, Didier
Didiers letter contains errors in each of the areas below. Find examples of
each type and underline them.
- structure (grammar)
- layout
- inappropriate greeting
- inappropriate ending
- paragraphing
- inappropriate language (too formal or too informal)
- inappropriate content
- style inconsistent (changes from formal to informal)
Look back to Michels letter and complete this plan.
1

OPENIN
G

4. You are interested in the job below. Write a letter giving the information
required and including any queries you have.
Do you like having fun?
Do you want to be with young people?
Can you organise sports and entertainments?
Have you had experience of camping?
Can you cook?
Volunteers Needed at
SUMMER CAMPS!
We need helpers for our youth camps in the USA
this summer.
Accommodation and modest salary provided.
Interested? Write and tell us a little about yourself. Send
your letter to
Samba Youth Camps
2214 Creek Drive Colorado USA
P.S. Need more information?
Just send us your queries with your letter and we will
write back immediately!

20

USEFUL TIPS:
Planning:
Underline the important points in the advertisement before you reply, and keep
checking back as you write to make sure you have included all the relevant points.
Paragraphing:
Remember to group your ideas into paragraphs and to start each paragraph on a
new line, preferable indented. A paragraph should normally contain more than one
sentence!
Style:
Decide how formal your letter should be before you start writing. Make sure the style
is consistent throughout your letter.

TRANSLATION
Translate the following text into Romanian:
An informal business letter is a bit more relaxed than a formal business letter, but
not relaxed enough to be casual.
Instructions:
Use writing that is breezy rather than casual. Be brief, straightforward and
logical.
Employ standard grammar, spelling and formatting rules, but relax your tone
and construction slightly.
Use contractions and conversational phrases to soften the letter.
Begin with the date, both your address and the recipient's (or just your
address) and a salutation.
Choose "Dear" over "To Whom It May Concern."
Place a comma after the salutation ("Dear Jane,") instead of a colon.
Use personal statements to make the letter less formal: "I agree with your
assessment of the highway construction project. I too commute that way."
Close with "Best," "Cheers" or "Regards," rather than "Sincerely" or "Thank
You."
Translate the following sentences into English paying attention to the use of
past simple and present perfect.
1. Ieri ne-am ntlnit i mi-a dat o carte.
2. A vorbit foarte ncet i nu am neles nimic.
3. Surorile mele tocmai au venit de la birou.
4. Am cunoscut-o pe actual mea ef n 1998.
5. Cnd l-ai vzut ultima dat?
6. Ce ora ai vizitat anul trecut cnd ai fost la conferin?
7. Ai ncercat vreodat s-l ajui?
8. Nu ne-am mai ntlnit de luni de zile, am fost foarte ocupai cu problemele de la
serviciu.
9. De cnd este plecat?
10. Subiectul este discutat de cteva sptmni i nu s-a ajuns nc la nicio
concluzie.
21

Unit 3: RECRUITMENT

OBJECTIVES
This unit will help you:
- understand how information is structured in a Curriculum Vitae
- write a Curriculum Vitae according to the commonly accepted European
criteria
- revise and practice language related to recruitment

LEAD IN
1. Try and answer the following questions:
1. How do people find work? Which are the steps they have to take?
2. When you go to a job interview, what do you have to carry along with you?
How do Americans call it? What does it contain?

READING AND COMPREHENSION


1. A job advertisement will usually ask you to send in a CV. Conventions as
how to write one have been changing. Read the following text to see
what is a personnel managers opinion on it, then answer these
questions:
1. How many parts a CV should have?
2. What does each part should contain?
3. How should we order the information about our education and work
experience?
4. Which are the words that the personnel manager uses about foreign
languages?
5. Are our hobbies or interests important when we apply for a job?

10

There has been a lot of variation in the way CVs are set out over the
last few years, and indeed one still sees different formats arriving on ones
desk.
However, probably, the most common format these days, and certainly
the one I most likely like to get because you can see at a glance whether it is
worth reading the whole thing or not is the one that starts from the most
recent job and works back, giving brief, but relevant information on each.
There is a slight tendency, particularly among foreign (non-British applicants)
to go for the hard sell. By this I mean almost to boast of their accomplishments
and success in each post. But I confess I personally find it rather distasteful
and it rather puts me off. Anyway, a good CV these days should begin by
saying what it is: a CV. So, the persons name should be prominent. Then,
there should be a brief section on personal details: address, telephone
number, nationality and marital status. If you are applying for a post with a
22

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

company in another country, or for a job that requires travel or the use of one
or more foreign languages, you should add your proficiency in those
languages: fluent, if you speak a language well; intermediate if it is OK, and
basic if you can just about get by. Incidentally, if you have any nationally or
internationally recognized examination demonstrating your proficiency, it is a
good idea to mention that here (for English: one of the Cambridge Certificates
or the London Chamber of Commerce level 2 or 3 etc.).
This should be followed by a section on qualifications and training,
again, as I said earlier, beginning with the most recent and moving back, so
that I can see what you have been up to since your initial training. One difficult
thing for us in personnel when evaluating applications from abroad and we
are getting more and more is the problem of equivalences. It is of no help
whatsoever to go round putting down diplomas which only exist in your
country, unless you also put in brackets afterwards an approximate British
equivalent that I can relate to. Another bad habit I have noticed particularly
with the French, for some reason is to put down the name of what is,
presumably, some highly prestigious establishment within their own country,
on the assumption that everyone knows about it.
It was only recently, for example, that I discovered HEC was a if not
the leading French business school. Before that when I saw on a CV
diploma from HEC, my reaction was simply Oh, this person wasnt good
enough to go to a university. A related difficulty is candidates who just put the
English equivalent. I had this problem recently with a young man who claimed
he had an MBA. At interview, however, we discovered he had simply
translated Studii Aprofundate de Management (literally, a masters degree in
management science), so the excellent level of English we were expecting
from someone who had studied in the UK or the States did not materialize.
This brings me to another point; it is important to state when and where you
got a qualification.
The next section and the most important is the one on work
experience. Again, this should be in order of most recent first, so I can see
what you are doing at present and have been doing recently. For those who
are applying for their first job, it is useful to mention any periods of
occupational training you may have undertaken in a company or companies, or
any relevant summer jobs you may have had. In this section, too, just briefly, in
almost note form, list main responsibilities and successes, and so on.
Finally, we in Britain like to know something about a candidates life
outside of work, so a short final section on outside interests is always useful.
Again, for those applying for a first job, this can sometimes be a crucial
section. If you have been secretary of your local tennis club or something, it
may be the only opportunity you have had to demonstrate that you are fit for
positions of responsibility.

2. Find words in the text that mean:


a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

from the very beginning, immediately;


using few words, concise
not serious or important
aggressive way of selling something
talk with too much pride and satisfaction
23

f. make somebody feel dislike, disgust somebody


g. in or to a foreign country or countries
h. it may supposed to be true
3. Match the words in list A with the words in list B:
A
liceniat n conducerea ntreprinderii
liceniat n arte
liceniat n tiine umaniste
diplom de studii aprofundate
bacalaureat
diplom de absolvire a unui colegiu
liceniat n tiine

B
BA
2-year university diploma
A level
BSc
MBA
MA

VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT
1. Choose the most suitable answer a), b) or c):
1) Which of the following does not mean recruiting new personnel?
a) taking on
b) employing
c) dismissing
2) Which part of a Curriculum Vitae (C.V.) gives information about your past work
record?
a) Skills
b) Experience
c) Qualifications
3) Which word is a synonym for candidate?
a) applicant
b) interviewer
c) employer
4) What is a cover letter?
a) a letter from your former boss to your new employer
b) a letter that you send with your CV to apply for a job
c) a letter informing you that you have been unsuccessful at interview
5) Which word means to make a request for a job?
a) to apply
b) to hire
c) to interview
6) Out of 400 applications, 10 candidates were for interview.
a) collected
b) rejected
c) selected
7) Applicants are asked to supply from past employers.
a) qualifications
b) references
c) requests
24

8) What does to screen candidates mean?


a) to invite them for interview
b) to examine their education and work background
c) to inform them whether or not they got the job
9) What are routine tasks?
a) special jobs
b) ordinary work
c) difficult jobs
10) In an interview, what are behavioural questions?
a) questions about the candidates paper qualifications
b) questions about their current position
c) questions about how candidates react in certain situations
2. The following words and expressions are all related to RECRUITMENT.
Read them carefully, finding a suitable explanation for each of them.
Then, complete the following sentences with the right word or phrase
(sometimes there is more than one possibility):
to recruit (v) [BE] = to hire (v) [AE]
o recruitment (n) [BE] = hiring (n) [AE]; recruitment agency
o recruit (n)
o recruiter (n)
to employ (v)
o employment (n); employment agency
o employer (n)
o employee (n)
to headhunt (v)
o headhunting (n)
o headhunter (n)
to advertise (v)
o advertisement (n)
o advertising (n)
o advertiser (n)
to apply for [sth.] (v)
o application (n); application form
o applicant (n)
to candidate (v)
o candidature (n)
o candidate (n)
to appoint sb. to a position
o appointment (n)
to interview (v)
o interview (n); to attend an interview
o interviewer (n)
o interviewee (n)
to select (v)
o selection (n)
to assess (v)
o assessment (n)
to shortlist (v)
o shortlist (n)
25

CV [BE] = resume [AE]


covering letter [BE] = cover letter [AE]
selection process
educational qualifications
letter of application

group discussion
to offer sb. the/a job
to turn the/a job down
to accept the/a job
references

1. I hope she, because if she _______ the job, well have to start looking again.
2. That last applicant was very strong, but I understand hes had two other
_______ already.
3. Theyve finally _______ a new receptionist.
4. I phoned to check on my application, but they said theyd already _______
someone.
5. This job is so important, I think we need to _______ someone.
6. Computer programmers wanted. Only those with UNIX experience should
_______.
7. The selection process has lasted three months, but were going to _______
someone next week.
3. Replace the underlined phrases with correct forms of words and
expressions from the previous exercise:
Fred had already (1) refused two job offers when he went for (2) a discussion to see
if he was suitable for the job. They looked at his driving licence and contacted (3)
previous employers Fred had mentioned in his application. A few days later, the
supermarket (4) asked him if he would like the job and Fred (5) said yes.
Harry didnt hear anything for six weeks, so he phoned the company. They told him
that they had received a lot of (6) requests for the job. After looking at the life stories
of the (7) people asking for the job and looking at (8) what exams they had passed
during their education, the company (9) had chosen six people to interview, (10)
done tests on their personality and intelligence and they had then given someone the
job.
4. Insert the following words in the gaps in the text below:

applicant
apply

application
candidate

employment
agencies
job vacancies

interview

application form
curriculum vitae or CV (BE)
or resume (AE)
job description

references

short-listed

Many people looking for work read the (1) _______ advertised in newspapers by
companies and (2) _______. To reply to an advertisement is to (3) _______ for a job.
You become a (4) _______ or an (5) _______. You write an (6) _______, or fill in the
companys (7) _______, and send it, along with your (8) _______ and a covering
letter. You often have to give the names of two people who are prepared to write (9)
_______ for you. If your qualifications and abilities match the (10) _______, you
might be (11) _______, i.e. selected to attend an (12) _______

26

LANGUAGE FOCUS: Questions and Question Tags


Revision: QUESTIONS
Here are some rules for forming Yes/No questions:
when there is an auxiliary or modal verb in the statement, you use the
auxiliary/modal+subject+verb:
Can she speak English fluently?
Has she been to the doctors yet?
when there is no auxiliary or modal verb in the statement, you use do/does/did
+ subject + infinitive:
Did Nigel go to the party on Friday?
Do you like learning English?
Here are some rules for forming Wh-questions:
when there is an auxiliary or a modal verb, you use the wh-word +
auxiliary/modal + subject + verb:
Where should I hand in my homework?
When are you going for your holiday?
when there is no auxiliary or modal verb, you use the wh-word + do/does/did +
subject + infinitive:
What do you usually do at weekends?
When did you pass your driving test?
when the wh-word is the subject of the question, you use the word order of the
statement:
Who hasnt done the homework?
What happened at the end of the lecture

Practice: QUESTIONS

a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)
j)

1. Complete these questions:


________ people often ask you for advice?
________ you ever lost or found a lot of money?
________ you remember the first English words that you learned?
________ there something you are really afraid of?
________ would you like to be at the moment?
________ is the best thing that has ever happened to you?
________you like to change anything about yourself?
________ long have you known your best friend?
________ is your best quality and what is your worst quality as a person?
________ has had the greatest influence on your life?

Answer three of the questions above.

27

2. Correct the following sentences:


a) Yes, English likes me a lot
b) My mother is a wifehouse, but she used to be a typewriter.
c) I have been learning English since 10 oclock.
d) Im interested in spots. Im dying for the basket.
e) I keep fit by joking and i only eat when Im hungry.
f) My ankle has grey hairs and he is a begger.
g) I am borned to 1992. I am only eighty.
h) I learn English because I love them.
i) I like travelling by sheep because it is safer and you know a lot of people.
j) No, my father never bit me.
What is the question in each case? Write the questions.
Revision: QUESTION TAGS
You use question tags to check information or to ask other people if they agree with
you. You form a question tag with an auxiliary or a modal verb and a subject
pronoun. The main patterns for question tags are:
positive statement + negative question tag
You like pizza, dont you?
negative statement + positive question tag
You cant speak French, can you?
If you are checking information, your voice goes up on the tag:
You havent been to Spain, have you? (You dont know the answer.)
If you are asking somebody to agree with you, your voice goes down the tag:
You live in London, dont you? (You expect the answer to be yes.)

Practice: QUESTION TAGS


1. Match the sentences in list A with the question tags in list B:
A.
B.
1. You couldnt lend me some money,
(a) hadnt you?
2. You werent born here,
(b) have you?
3. You havent read todays newspaper,
(c) were you?
4. You usually get up late,
(d) arent I?
5. You hadnt seen a university professor before,
(e) do you?
6. Youd better study more,
(f) could you?
7. You dont know of any good books on grammar,
(g) did they?
8. It could be a bit warmer this time of year,
(h) couldnt it?
9. Im older than you,
(i) dont you?
10. No one failed the last exam,
(j) had you?

28

2.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Complete these questions with a tag.


Youve finished high-school, ________?
You live in a flat, ________?
You dont have a job, ________?
Youd rather go to the seaside than back to work, ________?
You had a difficult exam last year, ________?
Youve been studying English since the second grade, ________?
Youve never met any of your group mates before, ________?

SKILLS FOCUS: WRITING CV (RESUME)


a. Read the answers to the questions from READING, exercise 1.
b. Taking into considerations these answers, write your own CV. Type it or
word process it if possible. Pay attention to the layout and features
discussed. (You can download and use the model provided at
europass.cedefop.europa.eu/europass/.../CVTemplate)

TRANSLATION
Translate the following text into Romanian, having in mind the tips given in the
first unit:
ScottishPower plans to create 1,500 new jobs over the next 10 years and has
invested 3bn ($4.9bn) to improve its high-voltage transmission electricity network in
Scotland.
The energy company, which is owned by Iberdrola of Spain, said the project
would include the connection of up to 5GW of renewable energy, helping Scotland
achieve its 2020 carbon reduction targets, and extensive upgrades to the electricity
grid links between England and Scotland.
Four out of five energy industry employees are set to retire over the next 15
years, and ScottishPower said it wanted to attract a new generation of workers to the
industry and was encouraging its contractors and companies in the wider supply
chain to do likewise.
The company hopes to recruit graduate engineers and apprentices over the
next decade as well as retrain under-25s into highly skilled jobs. Some of the jobs will
be completely new while others will replace people who have retired.
Alex Salmond, Scotlands first minister, said: ScottishPowers plans to
upgrade transmission will ensure the grid is capable of carrying increasing supplies
of clean green energy generated to domestic and European markets.
With [Scotlands] plans to harness up to 10GW of offshore capacity in
Scottish waters by 2020, alongside other renewable sources, it will be essential that
generators can distribute power to where it is needed.
(Financial Times, August 17, 2011)

Translate the following sentences into English:

29

Potrivit ministrului Muncii, Sebastian Lzroiu, i companiilor de recrutare,


angajatorii spanioli apeleaz n continuare la firme de resurse umane din Romania.
Lzroiu a explicat ca, n pofida restriciilor impuse de ctre Spania, piaa
forei de munca de acolo are n continuare nevoie de lucrtorii romani. Motivul este
foarte simplu: cetenii spanioli nu sunt interesai sa activeze n anumite domenii i,
prin urmare, angajatorii continua sa apeleze la fora de munca din Romnia.
La 22 iulie, guvernul spaniol a introdus restricii pe piaa muncii n ceea ce
privete angajrile de muncitori romni. Comisia Europeana analizeaz condiiile
impuse de spanioli, ntruct, dei acestora nu le este interzis s procedeze n acest
mod, trebuie totui, n cazul n care o fac, s aduc dovezi care s justifice
necesitatea unei astfel de msuri.
(Financiarul, 9.08.2011)

30

Unit 4: APPLYING FOR A JOB

OBJECTIVES
This unit will help you:
- understand how information is structured in an application letter
- write an application letter according to the commonly accepted rules
- revise and practice
- revise and practice language related to jobs, job application

LEAD IN
1. Try and answer the following questions about yourselves.
If you are still a student.
1. What job would you like to do in the future?
2. Do you think you have the right personal qualities and skills for the job?
3. Which of the items in the lists below would be most important in your job?
If you have a job now.
1. What job do you do?
2. Why did you choose it?
3. What sort of personal qualities and skills do you need for your job? (Some of
the words below may help you.)

1
patience
honesty
intelligence
independence
reliability
efficiency
confidence

2
humour
ambition
initiative
stamina
enthusiasm
energy
imagination
creativity

3
4
good manners good
communication
leadership
skills
qualities

a sense of
a sympathetic
humour
manner
ability to cope
ability to work
in a crisis
under pressure

2. Now make adjectives where possible from the nouns in lists 1 and 2.
3. Look at these job advertisements. Which job would you prefer? Why?

31

TOURIST
GUIDE
Do you want to work for one of the most up and coming companies in International
Tourism? Do you:
know this area well?
have experience in dealing with groups?
speak at least two languages?
We have a vacancy for a Tourist Guide.
You will need patience, hood humour and excellent communication skills. A smart
appearance is essential. Excellent prospects and salary.
Apply in writing to:
Personnel Manager, Eurotours, Granada, Spain
(Please enclose your CV)
Trainee Sales
Manager
Required
A confident, enthusiastic young person is required to train as a Sales Manager in
our foreign book sales department. You will need excellent communication skills,
plus a command of English. A smart appearance and pleasant manner are
essential. Prospects are excellent for applicants who can take responsibility and
who really want to get to the top.
Apply in writing to:
Shortman Publishing House
9, Clifton Street
Kensington,
London WC6 8LP
WORK FOR NTV RADIO!
New world service radio station is looking for
talented young people
for a variety of opportunities, both as presenters and behind the scenes.
Applicants must be imaginative, reliable and self confident.
Training will be given where required but a high degree of hard work and
commitment will be demanded in return.
Ability to keep cool in a crisis is essential!
Applicants must speak good English.
Salary negotiable, depending on experience.
Apply in writing, to:
NTV Radio, PO Box 892, London W1
4. What are all the qualities you think you would need for each of the jobs?
Make some notes under these headings:
Tourist Guide

Sales Manager
32

Radio Presenter

5. Look at the Tourist Guide advertisement. Underline the most important


details which you should refer to in a letter of application.
6. Now imagine you are the Personnel Manager of Eurotours. What sort of
person are you looking for? What do you need to hear from a good
applicant? How formal would you expect their letter to be?
7. Here are some lines from the letters of application of different candidates.
Choose the most appropriate and convincing sentence in each group and
give reasons for your choice.
1) a. I am familiar with this type of work.
b. I am totally knowledgeable about this type of work.
c. I know this type of work.
2) a. I am quite interested in this type of work.
b. I have a genuine interest in this kind of work.
c. I am incredibly keen on and interested in this type of work.
3) a. I feel sure my studies recommend me for the job.
b. I hope I am right for this sort of work.
c. I am sure I am the best person for the job.
4) a. I can make decisions when it is really necessary.
b. I always make the best decisions.
c. I am not afraid to make decisions if necessary.
5) a. I am well liked by everybody.
b. I can maintain friendly relationships with people.
c. I am a friendly person.

READING AND COMPREHENSION


1. What information should be included in a letter of application? What
would you like a future employer to know about you? What do you think
the future employer would like to know about you? Make a list.
2. This is the letter one of the applicants wrote for the job of Tourist Guide.
Read it carefully, then answer the following questions:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Do you think Eurotours will be impressed by his letter?


Has he supplied all the details requested?
Is the language and style he uses formal or informal? Is this appropriate?
Has he included any unnecessary information?
4 Green Street
Kensington
London

5 August, 200-

Personnel Manager
Eurotours
Calle Principal
Granada
10 Spain
33

Dear Sir/Madam,

15

20

25

30

35

40

I saw your advertisement for a Tourist Guide in this weeks edition of


Travel and would like to apply for the post.
As my CV shows, I very well qualified for this job. I studied tourism at
London University from 1997-2000 and obtained enclosed diploma. As you can
see, this included a special course on tourism in Europe. Since leaving
University, I have also done a number of training courses in different aspects of
the tourist industry (certificates enclosed).
For the past year, I have been working as a courier here in England. In
this job, my main responsibilities include guiding groups around the city and
dealing with bookings and accommodation.
Before that I had a job with Smiths Travel Agency in London. There I
answered telephone enquiries and dealt with holiday bookings.
My mother is Spanish and I therefore have a perfect understanding of
Spanish people, their language and the country. I know Andalucia especially
well as I have spent most of my holidays around this region.
As regards languages, I speak Spanish and French fluently. In addition
to these, I am at present taking classes in German.
I would now like to broaden my experience as a courier. I would also
welcome the chance to work for a large company like yours, with the chances
for promotion this would provide.
In my spare time I play basketball for a local team of which I have
recently been made captain. I also help out with the local youth club.
As you can see from my references, I have plenty of patience and good
humour. In fact have been named Courier of the Month by our local tourist
board on two occasions.
I would be able to come for interview at any time.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours faithfully,
Chris Jones

3. The words in bold type are important because they help to link the text
together. They refer back to words or information given earlier in the
text. Find the words they refer to, as shown in the example.
this job (line 16) -> Tourist Guide

VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT
1. Complete each sentence from a) to j) with one ending from 1 to 10. Use
each ending once only.
a) If you work hard, the company will give you 4.
b) In a different job, I could get a higher
c) The best way to find new staff is to put a/an
d) Because he had stolen the money, we decided that
34

e) She has a pleasant personality but hasnt got the right


f) In the meeting we are going to discuss the
g) As he has three young children he doesnt want to
h) I think it would be a good idea to send in your
i) Im afraid that in this job there arent very good
j) We cannot give you the job without
1. qualifications for a job of this kind.
2. advertisement in the local press on Friday.
3. application for the job as soon as possible.
4. promotion to a more responsible position.
5. full time employment at the moment.
6. references from your previous employer.
7. dismissing him was the only possible action we could take.
8. prospects for the future at the moment.
9. salary and better conditions of employment.
10. appointment of a new sales representative.
2. Choose the most suitable word or phrase underlined in each sentence.
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)

The building workers were paid their income / salary / wages every Friday.
Shes only here for three weeks. Its a / an full-time / overtime / temporary job.
When he retired he received a monthly bonus / pension / reward.
Apparently she earns / gains / wins over $20,000 a year.
While the boss is away, Sue will be in charge / in control / in place of the office.
Could I have two days away / off / out next week to visit my mother?
Paul was always arriving late, and in the end he was pushed / sacked / thrown.
When I left the job, I had to hand in my application / dismissal / notice three
weeks beforehand.
i) How much exactly do you do / make / take in your new job?
j) If you have to travel on company business, we will pay your costs / expenses /
needs.
3. Rewrite each sentence so that it contains the word or words given, and
so that the meaning stays the same. Do not change the words given in
any way.
1. Terry works in a different place now.
Terry has a new job now.
2. A good boss looks after everyone in the company.
3. Im sure you will learn a lot in this job.
4. This job is a good way to earn money, but thats all.
5. The firm gave me a rise after I had worked there a year.
6. The company was profitable last year.
7. I had to be interviewed at the head office.
8. My monthly salary is $1000.
9. Jill is employed by a firm of accountants.
10. We advertised the job in the paper.

JOB
EMPLOYER
EXPERIENCE
LIVING
RAISED
MADE
ATTEND
A YEAR
WORKS
PUT

4. Decide which answer A, B, C or D best fits each space:

35

Choosing a job
One of the most difficult decisions in choosing what to do for a (1) B. For example, do
you want to follow a definite (2) ________, and (3) ________ a low (4) ________ at
the beginning, but have good (5) ________ in a company that trains its (6)
________? Or are you more interested in taking any kind of work, because you need
a/an (7) ________? You may have to (8) ________ the fact that a good (9)
________ can be difficult to find. In that case, why not take a (10) ________ one?
You will gain some useful (11) ________. Remember that even if you have the right
(12) ________, you may have to (13) ________ lots of application forms before you
are asked to (14) ________ an interview. But dont worry if you dont know what you
want to (15) ________ exactly. Youll enjoy finding out!
1. A) salary
2. A) company
3. A) earn
4. A) money
5. A) hopes
6. A) employers
7. A) money
8. A) face up to
9. A) work
10. A) temporary
11. A) experiences
12. A) qualifications
13. A) fall through
14. A) be
15. A) work

B) living
B) training
B) gain
B) profit
B) prospects
B) crew
B) cash
B) go over
B) labour
B) overtime
B) experienced
B) exams
B) get on
B) attend
B) job

C) employee
C) business
C) win
C) cheque
C) futures
C) staff
C) account
C) come up with
C) job
C) profitable
C) experience
C) letters
C) turn down
C) make
C) do

D) work
D) career
D) take
D) salary
D) promotions
D) persons
D) income
D) call off
D) seat
D) short
D) experiencing
D) degrees
D) fill in
D) advertise
D) employ

LANGUAGE FOCUS: Nouns


REVISION

a/ an, zero article (), some, any


Nouns are either countable or uncountable. Uncountable nouns are
sometimes called mass nouns. Countable nouns have plural in s or an
irregular plural. Some countable words do not have s plural e.g. people.
A/an is used with singular nouns.
Sue has got a motorbike.
is used with countables and uncountables.
I don't like fizzy drinks. I prefer still mineral water.
Some is used with countables and uncountables. Any is used for questions
and negatives.
We've got some lemonade, but we haven't got any glasses.
Have you got any cups?
Some is used in questions when we ask about something we have a definite
idea about. This is necessary in requests beginning Can/Could.,. ?
Have you got some letters for me? (I think this is probable.)
36

Have you got any letters for me? (I don't know the answer.)
Can/CouId I have some more tea, please?
much and many
Much is used for uncountables and many is used for countables. They are
used mainly in questions and negatives.
How much money have we got?
There isn't much water here.
How many chairs are there?
There aren't many cushions.
Materials
Materials are uncountable
Wood burns easily
Words for materials often have a countable meaning.
Problems with uncountables
Some words are uncountable grammatically, although we might not expect
this. Examples are:
advice, hair, knowledge, spaghetti, English (language), health, luggage, travel,
furniture, information, machinery, weather
A singular verb is used:
His advice was very useful.
French is difficult.
A/an cannot be used.
Could I have some information?
Do you have any luggage?
Alternatives: a/some
Some uncountable words have a different meaning with a/an or some.
a fish (the animal)
some fish (a portion of food)
a loaf
some bread (the material)
a coffee (a cup of coffee) some coffee (the material)
a paper (a newspaper)
some paper (the material)
a wood (a small forest)
some wood (the material)
an iron (for pressing clothes) some iron (the material)
a glass (for drinking)
some glass (the material)
Alternatives: with a/an or s plural
Some uncountable words usually with zero article have a different meaning
with a/an or s plural.
I can't stand noise. (in general)
I heard a strange noise. I keep hearing noises. (specific)
Nouns ending -ing usually have a general meaning and are uncountable, but
some also have countable meanings.
Do you like drawing/painting? (in general)
I bought a painting/a drawing last week. (specific)
Some nouns change meaning with a/an but cannot have s plural.
Education is very important. (in general)
Diana had a very good education. (her time at school)
Knowledge can be dangerous! (in general)
A knowledge of boats is useful. (knowing about a subject)
Other problems

37

news - singular verb


The news is on.
money - singular verb
There isn't any money.
police - plural verb
The police are coming.
Government/Army- singular or plural verb
The Government has/have decided to resign.
scissors/trousers always plural
Where are my scissors?
I bought some new trousers.

PRACTICE
1. Choose the correct word or phrase underlined in each sentence:
1. How much / How many spaghetti have we got?
2. Where is / are my new trousers?
3. I put some / any chocolate somewhere, but where is it?
4. Peter went to buy a / some glass so he could fix the broken windows.
5. Im afraid we havent got much / many time.
6. The news is / are on at 9.00.
7. How much / How many furniture shops are there?
8. Ive found the milk but I cant find a / some glass.
9. Could you give me some / any orange juice, please?
10.Marys advice was / were not very useful.
2. Put one word in each space. Put a dash (-) if the space should be blank.
1. My trousers need ironing. Have you got _____ iron?
2. Could you go to the bakers a buy _____ loaf, please?
3. Id like _____ information about trains to Paris.
4. Tina has _____ very good health.
5. The war ended _____ years ago.
6. Jane isnt very good at _____ drawing.
7. Harry didnt have _____ very good education.
8. Vanessa bought _____ paper and read it on the bus.
9. Could you give me _____ advice, please?
10. Do you know _____ people in this village?
3. Choose the most suitable word underlined:
1. Id love to go on a long journey/travel by train.
2. Whats the latest news? Can I look at your paper/journal?
3. I want to know about trains to Leeds. Can you give me a / an information /
timetable?
4. Heres your ticket. Do you have any luggage/suitcase?
38

5. Dont forget to buy a sliced bread/loaf.


6. Why dont we leave the car in this car park/parking?
7. I cant come to work today I have a bad cold/flu.
8. Excuse me sir, but do you have a licence/permission for this gun?
9. Brighton has quite a good beach/seaside.
10.Im going out tonight with a few of my company/friends.
4. Put one suitable word in each space:
1. Im looking for ______. Do you know anywhere I can stay?
2. Take my ______, dont go out alone after dark.
3. The government plans to improve ______ by paying teachers more.
4. Can you lend me some ______? I want to type a letter.
5. I need some ______ about language schools. Can you help me?
6. Richard is unemployed, and he is looking for a ______.
7. Could I have some ______? Those apples and oranges look nice.
8. I used to have long ______, but I had it cut.
9. I cant do this on my own. Could you give me some ______?
10.If you cant undo the knot, cut the string with some ______.

SKILLS FOCUS: WRITING - Letter of Application


a. Study this spidergraph. It is the plan Chris Jones made before he wrote the
letter of application you read earlier.
Hobbies
basketball
youth club

Availability for interview


anytime

Knowledge of area
Mum Spanish
Holidays -

Andalucia
Languages
Sp & Fr
classes in German
Past experience
Smiths Travel Agency
- telephone and holiday
bookings

letter

References
patience
good humour

Training / Qualifications
Diploma London Univ.
Training courses
Present job
courier here in England
-guiding & booking

b. Write a letter of application for one of the jobs advertised at the beginning of
this unit.

39

TRANSLATION
Translate the following text into Romanian:
When you apply for a job you are typically asked to complete an employment
application. You may be asked to complete a job application even if you have already
submitted a resume and cover letter. That way, the employer has a record of your
personal and employment history, verified and signed by the applicant.
It's important for your job applications to be complete, correct (no errors) and
accurate. Here is the information you will need to complete an application for
employment and tips and suggestions for writing applications that make a great
impression.
Regardless of whether you complete an online job application or apply inperson, make sure you have all information you need ready before you apply for a
job.
(http://jobsearch.about.com/cs/jobapplications/a/jobapplication.htm)

Translate the following text into English:


Pentru cei decii sa-si gseasc un loc de munca, ofertele nu sunt extrem de greu de
gsit. Site-urile specializate, trgurile de joburi, ageniile de recrutare, anunurile de
prin ziare sau chiar cele afiate prin faculti pot fi de ajutor. Reprezentanii
studenilor susin ns c cel mai fericit caz este acela n care oferta vine la student i
nu invers, acest lucru fiind posibil daca tnrul sau tnra respectiv se evideniaz
n activiti extracuriculare printre care se numr i cele organizate de asociaiile
studeneti. Cum aceasta metod reprezint ns mai mult o excepie dect o regul,
toate celelalte metode au avantajele lor i merit ncercate.
(http://www.9am.ro/stiri-revista-presei/Social/44289/Cum-sa-ti-gasesti-un-job-bine-platit.html)

40

Unit 5: WORK AND MOTIVATION

OBJECTIVES
This unit will help you:
- understand how information is structured in a summary
- write a short argumentative essay based on the topic of the unit
- revise and practice language related to work and motivation

LEAD IN
Which words do the following sentences define?
1. To inspire, to induce, to give a reason or incentive for someone to do
something.
A. motivate
B. promote
C. provoke
2. A person employed by someone else, working for money.
A. earner
B. employee
C. employer
3. Relations between employers, managers and workers, management and
unions.
A. human relations
B. labour relations
C. labour unions
4. Having control of something as part of your job.
A. command
B. power
C. responsibility
5. Money paid (per hour or day or week) to manual workers.
A. earnings
B. salary
C. wages
6. A fixed regular payment made by employers, usually monthly for professional
or office work.
A. earning
B. salary
C. wages
7. Advantages that come with a job, apart from wages or salary.
A. benefits
B. profits
C. supplements
8. To be raised to a higher rank or better job.
A. motivation
B. promotion
C. sales promotion
9. Knowing that there is little risk of losing ones job.
A. bureaucracy
B. job safety
C. job security
10. Having particular abilities, acquired by training.
A. educated
B. skilled
C. talented

41

READING AND COMPREHENSION


1. Which of the following statements seem to you to be generally true?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

People dislike work and avoid it if they can.


Work is necessary to peoples psychological well-being.
People avoid responsibility and would rather be told what to do.
People are motivated mainly by money.
Most people are far more creative and ingenious than their employers realise.
People are motivated by anxiety about their security.
People want to be interested in their work and, given the right conditions, they
will enjoy it.
8. Under the right conditions, most people will accept responsibility and want to
realise their own potential.
2. You may have noticed that the statements above can be separated into two
groups reflecting two very different ways in which employers can treat their
employees. These two approaches were summarised by a well-known
American theorist of the psychology of work, Douglas McGregor, who
named them Theory X and Theory Y. Read the following text and then
classify the statements above according to which theory they support.
Statement
Theory

THEORY X AND THEORY Y


In The Human Side of Enterprise, Douglas McGregor outlined two opposing
theories of work and motivation. What he calls theory X is the traditional approach to
workers and working which assumes that people are lazy and dislike work, and that
they have to be both threatened (for example, with losing their job) and rewarded. It
assumes that most people are incapable of taking responsibility for themselves and
have to be looked after. Theory Y, on the contrary, assumes that people have a
psychological need to work and want achievement and responsibility.
Later theorists argued that Theory Y makes much greater demands on both
workers and managers than McGregor realised. Abraham Maslow, for example,
spent a year studying at a Californian company that used Theory Y, and concluded
that its demands for responsibility and achievement are excessive for many people.
He pointed out that there always weak and vulnerable people, with little selfdiscipline, who need protection against the burden of responsibility. Even strong and
healthy people need the security of order and direction. Managers cannot simply
substitute Theory Y for Theory X. They have to replace the security provided by
Theory X with a different structure of security and certainty.
3. Read the text again and complete the following sentences, using your own
words as much as possible.
1. According to Theory X, employers have to threaten workers because
2. According to Theory Y, employers should give their workers responsibilities
because
42

3. Maslow criticised Theory Y because


4. Maslow argued that even though they might want to be given responsibilities
at work
4. One of the most important functions of a manager is to motivate the
employees under his or her authority. But how? What kind of things
motivates you? Which of the following factors have been or will be
important for you in your choice of a job? Classify them in order of
importance.
good administration and good labour
relations
good working conditions: enough space,
light, heat and time, not too much noise,
and so on
an adequate wage or salary, and benefits
such as paid holidays, sick pay, a
pension, and so on

job security
a challenging, interesting
creative job
responsibility
contact with people
opportunities to travel
holidays

and

Are there any other important factors that are not listed here?
5. Another well-known theorist of the psychology of work, Frederick Herzberg,
has argued that many of the featured listed above do not in fact motivate
people. Read the following text and find out why.
SATISFIERS AND MOTIVATORS
It is logical to suppose that things like good labour relations, good working
conditions, good wages and benefits, and job security motivate workers. But in Work
and the Nature of Man, Frederick Hertzberg argued that such conditions do not
motivate workers. They are merely satisfiers or, more importantly, dissatisfiers
where they do not exist. Motivators, on the contrary, include things such as having a
challenging and interesting job, recognition and responsibility, promotion, and so on.
However, even with the development of computers and robotics, there are
and always will be plenty of boring, mindless, repetitive and mechanical jobs in all
three sectors of the economy, and lots of unskilled people who have to do them.
So how do managers motivate people in such jobs? One solution is to give
them some responsibilities, not as individuals but as part of a team. For example,
some supermarkets combine office staff, the people who fill the shelves, and the
people who work on the checkout tills into a team and let them decide what product
lines to stock, how to display them every couple of hours, as doing four different
repetitive jobs a day is better than doing only one. Many people now talk about the
importance of a companys shared values or corporate culture, with which all the
company can identify: for example, being the best hotel chain, or hamburger
restaurant chain, or airline, or making the best, the safest, the most user-friendly, the
most ecological or the most reliable products in a particular field. Such values are
more likely to motivate workers than financial targets, which ultimately only concern a
few people. Unfortunately, there is only a limited number of such goals to go round,
and by definition, not all the competing companies in an industry can seriously claim
to be the best.
43

6. Read the text again and complete the following sentences using your own
words as much as possible.
1. Hertzberg suggested that good labour relations and working conditions
2. According to Herzberg, the kind of things that motivate
3. The problem with saying that only challenging, interesting and responsible
jobs are motivating is that
4. Ways of motivating people in unskilled jobs include
5. The problem with trying to motivate workers by the belief that their company is
the best is that

VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT
1. Complete each sentence with a word formed from the word given.
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)
j)

Nowadays it is very important to get a good education. EDUCATE


Our company helps _________ people to find new jobs. EMPLOY
Paul has good ideas, but writes very _________. CARE
Helen has become a _________ businesswoman. SUCCEED
I hope to leave school with some useful _________. QUALIFY
Mr Dale was my _________ for ten years, and paid me well. EMPLOY
According to the _________, the French lesson starts at ten. TIME
Cathy has three jobs, so she has a high _________. COME
Johns _________ of history is amazing for a boy of his age. KNOW
All the _________ in this company are given free meals. EMPLOY
2. Match each sentence a) to j) with a sentence 1) to 10) with a similar
meaning.

a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)
j)

She was given the sack. 7)


She got a rise
She got a promotion.
She retired
She applied for the job.
She resigned
She was unemployed.
She did it for a living.
She was ambitious.
She was conscientious.

1) She was given a better job.


2) She answered an advertisement.
3) She decided to leave.
4) She did the job carefully.
5) She didnt have a job.
6) She earned her money that way.
7) She was dismissed.
8) She wanted a better job.
9) She was old and stopped work.
10) She was given more money.

3. Complete each sentence with a word from the box. The words can be
used more than once.
business

job

living

1. Jack makes his living working as a journalist.


2. She has just left to go to _______, Im afraid.
44

work

3. They worked very hard and now they have their own _______.
4. There are still two million people without _______.
5. Some _______-men came and dug a hole in the road outside.
6. The cost of _______ has risen greatly over recent years.
7. Stop interfering! This is none of your _______.
8. Lucy has got a very good _______ in an international company.
9. I cant come out tonight. Ive got too much _______ to do.
10. An early _______ by Picasso was sold for $2,000,000.

LANGUAGE FOCUS: Articles


REVISION
Zero article
Zero article is used when a general statement is made.

Plurals: Dogs are not allowed in this shop. (Compare: The dogs next door
bark all night. Here we are referring to some particular dogs, not to dogs in
general.)
Uncountables: Milk is good for you. (Compare: The milk on the top shelf is
fat-free.)
This group includes:
War is a terrible thing.
Abstract ideas
Food and drink I love chocolate. I don't like orange juice.
Spanish is spoken by about 300 million people.
Languages
This chair is made of plastic and leather.
Materials
Speaking is not permitted during the examination.
Verbal Nouns
Buildings and purpose
Zero article is used with certain buildings when their purpose is important.
Jim is in prison (He committed a crime. - Compare: My company is repairing
the prison.)
Words of this type are:
- be in or go to: hospital, prison, bed, class, court
- be at or go to: work, school, university, sea
- others - be at home, go home
Countries, states and cities
Zero article is used with most countries.
Marie comes from France.
Countries which are a group or plural have a definite article.
We left the Netherlands and crossed to the United Kingdom.
Note that Great Britain has zero article.
Zero article is used with most states and cities.
Los Angeles is in California.

45

Streets
Zero article is used with most streets.
I bought this dress from a shop in Bond Street.
Definite article the is used in the High Street.
Buildings
Zero article is used with names of buildings preceded by place names.
We visited Blenheim Palace and Coventry Cathedral.
The is generally used when there is a phrase after the noun, often with of,
which adds more information.
We visited the Palace of Westminster.
Names of people
Zero article is used with names, bur the is used with titles.
Carol Parker is the Minister of Communications.
Meals
Zero article is used with meals when we refer to them in general.
Dinner is at 7.30.
(Compare: At the end of the conference there was a dinner.
The dinner they serve here is really fantastic.)
Geographical features
Zero article is used with geographical areas, lakes, mountains and islands.
We visited Lake Victoria. It's in East Africa.
They climbed Mt. Everest in record time.
Helen spent her holidays on Crete.
General historical references
I'd like to have lived in Prehistoric Europe/Ancient Rome.
Transport
Zero article is used with by for general forms of transport.
We went there by car. (Compare: We went there in a really old car.)
Note that we say on foot.
The Indefinite Article: a/an
A/an refers to one thing, or to something indefinite or not described.
I've got a brother and a sister. (not two)
Tim works in a factory. (not described)
Compare: Tim works in the factory down the road.

General descriptions
An ocelot is a wild animal, similar to a leopard.
Descriptions often use plurals.
Ocelots are wild animals, similar to leopards.
A/an are used when we describe the job or the character of a person.
46

Peter is a fool
Mary is an engineer.
The Definite Article: the
The refers to something definite or described.
We often use the when we refer to something already mentioned.
We saw a good film last night. It was the new film by Berghini.
Reference with of
The film was about the love of a girl for her cat.
Compare: Love is a wonderful thing!
Other references
The war between the two countries lasted for six weeks.
Compare: War is a terrible thing.
Unique objects and known references. Definite article the is used with
objects which are unique.
How many astronauts have landed on the moon?
The is used when the context is known, and we understand what is meant.
Where's the newspaper?
Groups. Definite article the is used with nationalities and other groups.
I really admire the Italians.
Classes. Definite article the is used with adjectives to describe groups.
The old, the sick and the unemployed need our special care.
Other uses

Playing musical instruments: Do you play the guitar?


Time: In the past/ In the future But: at present
Superlatives: This is the biggest one.
Fixed phrases: the sooner, the better
Names of ships: We sailed on the Neptune.
Rivers: The Amazon. the Danube
Oceans: The Pacific. the Atlantic

PRACTICE
1. Put a/an or the in each space or leave the space blank ().
1. Is that _____ present Bill gave you for _____ Christmas?
2. We went by _____ train to _____ west of England.
3. _____ people who live in _____ are called _____ Dutch.
4. _____ judge sent me to prison for _____ ten years.
5. _____ Columbus was one of _____ first people to cross _____ Atlantic.
6. As _____ Captain of the ship, I have _____ complete authority.
7. David learned to play _____ violin when he was at _____ university.
8. _____Trafalgar Square is near _____ Charing Cross Station.
9. Did you read _____ book I lent you _____ last week?
10. Well put up _____ shelves and then go to _____ pub for _____ drink.
47

2. Choose the most suitable phrase underlined.


1. Is this a person/the person you told me about?
2. This is the only cinema/an only cinema in the area.
3. Philip has just bought the Thames barge/a Thames barge.
4. Here is a thousand/ the thousand pounds I owe you.
5. Are you going to church/the church on Sunday?
6. Do you have a milk jug/milk jug?
7. The Prime Minister/ Prime Minister will give a speech this afternoon.
8. The computer/Computer has already changed our lives dramatically.
9. I havent been to an open-air/ open-air theatre before.
10.Im going to the British Museum/British Museum this afternoon.
3. Put a/an or the in each space or leave the space blank ().
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Neil Armstrong made _____first footprint on _____ moon.


There was _____ accident yesterday at _____ corner of _____ street.
I need _____ time to think about _____ offer you made me.
_____ recipe for _____ success is _____ hard work.
_____ people who live in _____ glass houses should not throw _____ stones.
_____ worst part of _____ living in a caravan is _____ lack of space.
_____ book you ordered _____ last week is now in _____ stock.
_____ dancing is _____ more interesting activity that _____ reading.
_____ people we meet on _____ holiday in _____ north of England sent us
_____ postcard.
10. _____ little knowledge is _____ dangerous thing.

SKILLS FOCUS: SHORT ESSAY WRITING


Write a short essay (about 200 words) of the factors that have been or will be
important for you in your choice of a job.

TRANSLATION
Translate the following text into Romanian:
Nothing stops a conversation like the words, "I really love my job." It's not rude
or controversial, and it doesn't violate any social norms. It is just a conversational
rarity. Like "I despise baby bunny rabbits." Or, "I wish I had fewer handbags." It's just
not seen as normal'.
The sad fact is that while people may take jobs that they think they will get
some satisfaction from, more often than not going to work becomes less about
personal enjoyment and achievement, and increasingly about paying the bills. Some
may have absolutely loved their well-paid job in the beginning, but now feel trapped
48

by the lifestyle commitments it has afforded, and would rather give it all up to go sell
coconuts from a beach hut in Bali, if only there were free schooling and satellite TV
included. Others know from the start that their new job is not one that is going to set
their soul on fire, but what is the alternative?
http://www.albawaba.com/editorchoice/are-you-suffering-career-fatigue-391261

Translate the following sentences into English paying attention to the correct
use of articles:
1. Cnd l-am cunoscut era nc student.
2. O oarecare domnioar Brown vrea s-i vorbeasc.
3. Mama mea a fost secretar, dar acum a devenit contabil.
4. Nu am putut discuta cu seful meu deoarece era grbit.
5. Ce pcat c nu putei participa la interviu.
6. Managerii ar trebui s fie consultai mai des atunci cnd acionarii iau decizii
importante,
7. Nu tiu ct ctigi tu pe lun, dar acum ai avea prilejul s fii bogat.
8. Spre deosebire de Olanda, Marea Britanie nu a adoptat nc moneda euro.

49

Unit 6: TYPES OF BUSINESS COMPANY STRUCTURE

OBJECTIVES
This unit will help you:
- understand different types of businesses, specific to the British economic
system
- distinguish between a memo and a letter
- revise and practice language related to companies
- write a short essay debating the importance of private companies for a
countrys economy

LEAD IN
1. Try and answer the following questions:

1. Can you define a business company? Think of three examples of companies.


2. What are the characteristics of A/B/C company? Think of size, type, profile,
products, number of employees etc.
3. What do Ltd. and plc, following the name of a company, mean?
4. What do you need in order to start a business?
5. If you invest money in a business, you are an ...?
6. Where can you raise capital for your company from?
2. Now read the following text and see if your answers were good:
Businesses can be of several types. They can be owned and run by one
person (a sole proprietor) or by two or more people, called partners. A
partnership can be backed up by investors (also called backers), who invest
money in the business. Partners who invest money in a business but do not own
5 it are called sleeping partners. Both sole proprietors and business partners have
unlimited liability for debts to creditors. Sleeping partners can have either
unlimited or limited liability for debts.
Larger companies are owned by shareholders (people who own shares in
a company), who have limited liability for debts. If someones shares amount to
10 over 50% of the business, they are called majority shareholders and have a
controlling interest in the company.
A basic requirement for any business to start and expand is to have a
certain amount of capital. One way of raising the money is to borrow it from a
bank. In order to grant a loan or an overdraft, a bank will request some security
15 (also called collateral).
Capital can also be obtained from investments. If the money is borrowed,
it is called loan capital. If it comes from investments, it is called share or equity
capital. A company with a high proportion of loan capital is said to be highly
geared, while a low gearing company has a high proportion of equity capital.

50

3. In the text above, the phrase limited liability has been used. How many
times? Which line/s? What do you think it means?
4. Do you know which of the organisations (enterprises) listed below are
privately and which are publicly owned? Can you supply examples for
some of these types of organisation?

public limited liability company (plc)


(unlimited) partnership
public corporation
mixed enterprise
(limited) private company

multinational company
limited partnership
local government departments
sole proprietor
central government departments

READING AND COMPREHENSION


1. The text that follows is about privately owned business organisations in
Great Britain. Read the text and list information under the following
headings.
Type of
organisation

Ownership

Profit-and-loss
responsibility

Public
availability
of
accounts

Day-to-day
management of
business
responsibility

Finance

Examples

Sole traders

Partnership

Private
limited
company
Public
limited
company

Private ownership
1. Sole traders
These are businesses which are owned by a private person who uses its
own money to run the business. Consequently, the sole trader is entitled to all the
profits, but he must also bear any losses which are incurred. A sole trader has no
legal obligation to make his accounts publicly available; and he is responsible for
the day to day management of the business. Examples of sole traders are small
shopkeepers, jobbing builders, plumbers and hairdressers.
2. Partnership
These are unincorporated associations and the legal rules which govern them
were established in the Partnership Act of 1890. The association or partnership does
not have a separate existence from its members, the number of which ranges from
51

two to twenty. The partners provide the organisation, and the profits and losses will
normally be shared in an agreed proportion depending on the individuals
contribution to the partnership. The partners agree on the day-to-day running of the
business: some members can be sleeping partners, in that they do not take part in
the daily operations. Partners have unlimited liability: each partner is jointly liable
with the other partners for any debts. Like sole traders, there is no obligation for the
partners to publish their accounts. Well-known examples of partnership occur in the
professions such as solicitors, accountants and estate agents. But partnerships can
be formed by any group of people carrying on business with a view of making a
profit; consequently, partnerships are found in all types of trade and business
activity.
3. Private limited companies
This type of organisation is a corporation incorporated by the Companies Act
1948-85. The number of members can range from two to fifty and they provide the
financial resources for the undertaking. Membership of the company is restricted to
private individuals: members of the general public cannot buy shares in a private
limited company. The profits are distributed to the members as dividends on their
shareholding. Losses are borne by the company. The day-to-day management of the
company is carried out by a board of directors. Private limited companies are often
local family businesses and are common in the building, retailing and clothing
industries.
4. Public limited companies
Public limited liability companies, despite their name, are the best known form of
private company. They are corporations and obtain their share capital from members
of the public. They are similar to private limited companies in that profits are
distributed as dividends to shareholders and liability of members is restricted to their
shareholdings. Any losses are borne by the company. Management of the company
is conducted by a board of directors, who are responsible to the shareholders.
Most industries include public limited companies and many of them, by
developing a corporate image, have become household names: Barclays, RowntreeMackintosh, Tate & Lyle, EMI, Beecham, Ford and Courtaulds are public limited
companies.
Some public limited companies have developed into massive organisations such
that a few private corporations are as large as some sovereign states.
5. Match each type of organisation with the type of economic activity it is
engaged in:
TYPE OF
ORGANISATION
1. public limited liability
company
2. public corporation
3. central government
departments
4. partnership
5.
(limited)
private
company
6. multinational company
7.
local
government

WHAT THEY ARE ENGAGED IN


a. personal services, e.g. hairdresser, painter, decorator
b. administrative services to the public, nationwide
c.
large-scale
organisations,
e.g.
construction,
manufacturing
d. services to local community
e. key areas of economic activity; profitable for public
concern
f. personal services, small industrial commercial concerns
g. large-scale organisations, variety of interest areas
52

departments
8. sole proprietor

activities
h. medium-sized or small organisations,
wholesalers, manufacturing, transport

building,

VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT
1. Fill in the blanks with words from the box below:
(a) sole trader/proprietorship
(b) private limited company
(c) partnerships
(d) joint venture
(e) multinational

(f) holding
(g) public limited company
(h) subsidiary
(i) franchise

1) A ... (Ltd. Co. / LLC) cannot offer its shares or debentures to the general public.
Nor can shares be transferred between members without the consent of the other
shareholders.
2) A ... or parent company owns more than half the share capital of another
company which is known as a ...
3) A ... is a private individual who runs a one-man business. He/she takes all the
profits but also all the risks.
4) A ... (MNC) is a business organization which owns or controls production or
services outside the country in which it is based.
5) A ... (PLC) must have a minimum nominal share capital of 50,000. Shares can
be freely bought and sold by members of the public.
6) There are different kinds of ... but they are all associations of two or more people
sharing the risks and the profits in agreed proportions.
7) A ... is an agreement by which a company gives another company/ person (the
franchisee) the right to sell goods or services using the franchiser's name in
return for a royalty.
8) A ... consists in the pooling of resources of two or more companies in a common
undertaking in which each partner contributes assets and shares risks.
2. Match the following terms with their correct explanations:
(a) authorised capital
(b) debentures
(c) working capital
(d) share capital

(e) ordinary share


(f) preference share
(g) equity capital
(h) dividend

1. The most common form of long term loan taken by a company.


2. A fixed unit of the share capital of a company.
3. The part of the share capital of a company owned by ordinary shareholders.
4. The total amount of capital a company is authorized to raise according to its
articles of association. It is also called registered or nominal capital.
5. The part of the capital of a company that is employed in its day-to-day trading
operations.
53

6. The part of the capital of a company that arises from the issue of shares.
7. A share in a company yielding a fixed interest rather than a variable dividend.
8. The distribution of part of the earnings of a company to its shareholders.
3. Put each of the following words in its correct place in the passage
below:
Industry
(1) produce
(5) natural resources
(9) plants

(2) shipyards
(6) slump
(10) import

(3) products
(7) economy
(11) markets

(4) export
(8) boom

The health of a big, developed countrys (a) (7) depends largely on its industry.
Factories have to keep busy. They must (b) __________ and sell their (c)
__________ in large quantities. (d) __________ must make and sell ships, car (e)
__________ must make and sell cars. A period of industrial success, when
everything goes well and large profits are made is called a (f) __________. On the
other hand, a period when there is not much industrial activity is called a (g)
__________. To maintain a high level of production is not simple. For example,
Japan, a very successful industrialised country, has very few (h) __________ such
as oil or coal, and has to (i) __________ them from other countries in order to keep
its industries going, and thus to supply needs at home and also to (j) __________ its
goods to its overseas (k) __________.
Agriculture
(1) livestock
(6) harvest

(2) crops
(7) irrigate

(3) agricultural
(8) self-sufficient

(4) dams
(9) fertile

(5) fertilizers
(10) farmers

A country which wishes to be (a) 8 in food will encourage its (b) __________ to
produce as much as possible so that it will not be dependent on food imports. If there
is not much rain, (c) __________ must be built on rivers to provide water to (d)
__________ the land. If the land is not naturally rich, chemical (e) __________ must
be used to make it (f) __________. Then (g) __________ (of wheat, rice etc) will
grow, the (h) __________ will be good, and in addition the (i) __________ (cattle,
sheep etc) will have grass to eat. If this does not happen, the (j) __________ sector
of the countrys economy will suffer and the country will have to import food from
abroad.
4. The following phrases are from a letter and a memo. They are all mixed
up. Put them in the correct order.
1) I have asked the Secretarial
Supervisor to come and speak to you
and she may wish to arrange a later
demonstration for her staff.

2) Please ring my secretary to arrange a


time to meet the Sales Manager. A later
demonstration can be arranged for
members of your staff to see it.

54

3) From: Vicenta Enjuanes,


Purchasing Manager

4) Dear Ms Devereux,

5) Subject: Demonstration of word


processor

6) To: Secretarial Supervisor

7) We would be pleased to have you


with us on the 3 of April as you
suggest.

8) Thank you for your letter of 12 March


offering to come to our firm to
demonstrate the AX3000 word processor.

9) The Sales Manager of Smart


Offices Ltd will visit the firm on 3 April
to demonstrate the AX3000 word
processor which I am sure you will
be interested in seeing.

10) Yours sincerely,


Vicenta Enjuanes,
Purchasing Manager

11) I look forward to meeting you.

12) V.E.

memo
6

letter

LANGUAGE FOCUS: Expressing Condition


Revision
TYPE
0

IF CLAUSE
Present Tense Simple

MAIN CLAUSE
Present Tense Simple

If you press this button

the machine starts.


maina pornete.
Future (will + Infinitive)

Dac apei pe buton

Present Tense Simple


1

If we walk so slowly,
Dac vom merge aa de ncet

Past Tense Simple

we will be late.
vom ntrzia.
Present Conditional
(would + Infinitive)

2
If I had a helicopter

I would fly to school.

Dac a avea un elicopter

m-a duce cu el la coal..

Past Perfect Simple

Past Conditional
(would + have + Past Participle)

If I had left home earlier


Dac a fi plecat de acas mai
devreme,

I would not have lost the


plane.
nu a fi pierdut avionul.
55

VALUE
- true, real

-possible,
achievable

- imaginary,
hypothetical

- impossible
condition,
past
hypothetical

Practice
1. Choose the correct word or phrase underlined in each pair.
1. If were / we would be late for class, our teacher will be / was angry.
2. If we lived / would live on another planet, wed see / we will see the Earth in the
sky.
3. If we take / will take a taxi, well arrive / we arrived sooner.
4. If we dont hurry / wont hurry, well be / we would be late.
5. If we were / are birds, we would be able to / are able to fly.
6. If you dont wear / wouldnt wear your pull over, youll feel / you felt cold.
7. If I studied /will study harder, I would get / get better marks.
8. If I had / have a motorbike, Id ride / I rode it to school.
9. If you lend / will lend me your bike, Ill let / I let you borrow my skateboard.
10. If I had / would have lots of money, Id give / I gave some to all my friends.
2. Complete each sentence a) to j) with an ending from 1) to 10).
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)
j)

If you play the music too loud, 8


If the North Pole melted,
If we dont have enough ice-cream,
If I found someones wallet,
If a burglar broke into this house,
If my train isnt late,
If you were famous,
If my father lends me the money,
If you took more exercise,
If you tell me what you want,

1. the alarm would go off.


2. Ill buy a new bike.
3. Ill be in Paris a t 6.00.
4. you wouldnt see me anymore.
5. you would feel better.
6. the water would flood many cities.
7. Ill buy it for you.
8. youll wake up the neighbours.
9. well get some more.
10. Id take it to the police station.

3. Choose the correct word or phrase underlined in each sentence.


1. If you phoned / had phoned me yesterday, I had given / would have given you
the news.
2. If you took / would have taken more exercise, you might feel / had felt better.
3. If Tim drove / had driven more carefully, he wouldnt have crashed / didnt crash.
4. If you had come / came to see the film, you would have enjoyed / had enjoyed it.
5. If Id known / I would know it was your birthday, I would send / would have sent
you a card.
6. If people helped / had helped one another more often, the world might be / was a
better place.
7. If your team had scored / scored more goals, it had won / could have won.
8. If you would have worn / wore a coat, you wouldnt get / didnt get wet.
4. Choose the most suitable tense.
1. If the machine stops / will stop, you press / will press this button.

56

2. I cant understand what he sees in her! If anyone treats / will treat / treated me like
that, I am / will be / would be extremely angry!
3. If you help me / helped me with this exercise, I will do / would do the same for you
one day.
4. According to the timetable, if the train leaves / left on time, we will / would arrive at
5.30.
5. If it is / it will be fine tomorrow, we go / will go to the coast.
6. If we find / found a taxi, we will get / would get there before the play starts.
7. Its quite simple really. If you take / will take / took these tablets every day, then
you lose / will lose / lost / would lose weight.
8. I dont like this flat. I think I am / I will be Id be happier if I live / will live / would live
in a house in the country.
9. I dont know how to play basketball, but Im sure that if I will / do / did, I play / will
play / would play a lot better than anyone in this awful team!
10.If I phone / will phone / phoned you tonight, are you / will you be / would you be
in?
5. Choose the most suitable tense.
1. Why didnt you tell me? If you told / had told me, I had helped / would have
helped you.
2. If Bill didnt steal / hadnt stolen the car, he wasnt / wouldnt be / hadnt be in
prison now.
3. If Ann wasnt driving / didnt drive / hadnt driven so fast, her car didnt crash /
wouldnt crash / wouldnt have crashed into a tree.
4. Let me give you some advice. If you smoked / would smoke / had smoked less,
you didnt feel / wouldnt feel / wouldnt have felt so tired.
5. What bad luck! If Alan didnt fall / hadnt fallen / wouldnt fall over, he won / would
win / would have won the race.
6. If you invited / had invited me last week, I was able / had been able / would have
been able to come.
7. Im sure your letter hasnt arrived yet. If it came / had come Im sure I noticed /
had noticed / would have noticed it.
8. We have a suggestion to make. How do you feel / would you feel if we offered /
would offer / had offered you the job of assistant manager?
9. If you lent / had lent us the money, we paid / would pay / had paid you back next
week.
10.Terry never catches anything when he goes fishing. And if he catches / caught /
had caught a fish, he throws / would throw it back.

SKILLS FOCUS: SHORT ESSAY WRITING


Not so long ago (before 1989), in our country there were no private companies.
Do you think it was good or bad? Justify your answer. (10 15 lines)

57

TRANSLATION
Translate the following text into Romanian:
Business Corporation
Of all types of companies, the business corporation is the most complex type.
Whenever a business corporation is incorporated or registered with the government,
a new separate entity is created. This is distinct from the owners and therefore
irrespective of the personal financial condition of all shareholders, the organization
continues to function until dissolved. The shareholders, or owners, decide and elect
directors who form necessary policies and rules for the proper functioning of the
organization. Various managers and officers are appointed by these directors who
actually control the daily on goings of the organization. There are numerous legal
formalities like approvals and meetings which need to be adhered to by corporations.
There are basically 4 types of business corporations - General Corporation, Close
Corporation, S Corporation and Non-profit corporation. With basics remaining same,
there are a few differences in terms of number of share holders and profit sharing
polices, which separate them from each other.
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/types-of-companies.html

Translate the following sentences into English paying attention to the use of
conditionals:
1. Dac i vei face datoria, vor fi mulumii.
2. Dac ne-am fi oprit acolo, am fi ajuns napoi foarte trziu.
3. Nu ar fi fost concediat, dac ceilali angajai l-ar fi susinut.
4. Dac l vei ntreba ce nseamn pentru el s fie patron, nu i va da un rspuns
prompt.
5. Dac ai lua un revist economic, ai gsi probabil un numr de cuvinte pe care nu
le nelegi.
6. Dac din ntmplare nu voi veni la timp, nu m atepta.
7. Dac a fi n locul tu, a face orice mi-ar spune.
8. Dac a fi fost att de obosit, mi-a fi luat cteva zile de concediu.
9. n caz c m-ar fi cutat, secretara i-ar fi comunicat c nu sunt la birou.
10. S fi tiut ce m ateapt, nu m-a fi angajat acolo.

58

Unit 7: STARTING A BUSINESS

OBJECTIVES
This unit will help you:
- understand text organisation
- distinguish between various types of managers
- revise and practice language related to business
- write an informal letter

LEAD IN
1. Thinking of starting a business? First take a clear-headed look at yourself to
see if you have got what it takes. Try and answer the following questions:
What qualities and skills would you need in a business venture?
What kind of difficult situations would there be?
2. Read the following Self-Analysis Questionnaire (Parts A and B). Answer the
questionnaire individually. Mark (tick), (cross) or ? (dont know) to give
a true picture of your entrepreneurial strengths and weaknesses. Compare
the results with the answers given for the questions in exercise 1.
A. Personal Characteristics
Yes ()/ No ()/ I dont know (?)
1. Can you lead and motivate people?
2. Do you like to make your own decisions?
3. Do people ask you for help in making decisions?
4. Do you enjoy competition?
5. Do you have willpower and self discipline?
6. Can you plan ahead?
7. Do you like people?
8. Do you get along well with others?
9. Do you enjoy taking risks?
10. Do you strongly believe that your future and success depend on you and
your abilities?
B. Personal Strains
11. Are you willing to work up to 16 hours a day, six or seven days a week?
12. Do you have the physical stamina to handle the workload and schedule?
13. Do you have the emotional strength to withstand the strain?
14. Are you prepared to temporarily lower your living standard until your
business is firmly established?
15. Is your family prepared to go along with the strains they, too, must bear?
16. Are you prepared to lose your savings?

59

Discuss and compare results in groups, then with the entire class. The more YES-es
ticked, the more successful youll be in starting your business.

READING AND COMPREHENSION


1. Read the following text and list the steps that one should take when starting
a business:

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Nearly every person who makes the decision to start a business is an


entrepreneur because he or she is willing to take a risk. Usually people decide to
start a business to gain profits and to do something on their own or to be their
own boss.
Entrepreneurs then gather the factors of production and decide on the
form of business organization that best suits their purposes. Anyone hoping to
become an entrepreneur must also learn as much as possible about the
business he or she plans to start. This process includes learning about the laws,
regulations, and tax codes that will apply to the business.
Elements of Business Operation
To start a business, you must make potential customers aware that your
services are available for a price. You could have one-page fliers printed to
advertise your business and pass them out. You could also buy advertising
space in the local newspaper.
Every business, regardless of size, involves four elements: expenses,
advertising, receipts and record keeping, and risk.
Expenses
If you own a painting business, you will need to purchase brushes and
paint. As your business grows, you might invest in paint sprayers so that you can
complete jobs faster.
This new equipment would add to your income, but will probably take
more money capital than you have on hand.
Advertising
You will quickly find out that letting potential customers know that you are
in business is costly. Once you have customers, however, information about
your business will spread by word of mouth.
Receipts and Record Keeping
No matter how small your business is, having a system to track your
expenses and income is key to your success. All receipts should be safely filed
and saved.
Risk
Every business involves risks. You must balance the risks against the
advantages of being in business for yourself - including profit versus loss.
Depending on the kinds of jobs you do, you will need equipment and
replacement parts. At first, you might buy parts as you need them for a particular
job: In time, you will find it easier to have an inventory. An inventory is a supply
of whatever items are used in a business.
Probably one of the first things you want to do, if you have not already
done so, is buy a computer. With the computer, you also should purchase the
programs that will allow you to keep track of all your expenses and all your
receipts. Many such programs exist and are relatively inexpensive. Programs
write checks for you, calculate your monthly profit and loss, tell you the
60

difference between what you own and what you owe (called net worth), and so
on. As an entrepreneur, you are taking many risks, but the profit you expect to
45 make is your incentive for taking those risks. For example, if you spend part of
your savings to pay for advertising and equipment, you are taking a risk. You
may not get enough business to cover these costs.
Whenever you buy a special part for a job, you are taking a risk. Suppose
you do the work and your customer never pays you. You are even taking a risk
50 with the time you spend. You are using time to think about what you will do, to
write ads, to set up the bookkeeping, and so on. This time is an opportunity cost.
You could have used it to do something else, including work for someone for a
wage. If you work for someone else, you take only the risk of not being paid,
which is usually small. As an entrepreneur your risks are great, but so are the
55 potential rewards.
2. Using words from the text that you have already read, try and fill in the
following summary:
People who want to start their own businesses are regarded as (1) _____________.
The first step in starting a new business is to (2) _____________. Along with the
desire to be one's own boss, most people are motivated by the hope of gaining (3)
_____________ from the business. The second step involves gathering the (4)
_____________ and then choosing the most suitable form of (5) _____________.
New business owners must learn all they can about the laws, regulations, and tax
codes that apply to their operation. Every business involves four elements. Through
(6) _____________, owners let others know about the business and the services
offered. Once customers know a business, information spreads by (7)
_____________. As the business grows, there will be more (8) _____________
incurred for supplies, raw materials, equipment, and so on. In time, an owner will
want to have an (9) _____________ of replacement parts to make the business more
efficient. State and federal tax laws require that an owner keep (10) _____________
for every expenditure. (11) _____________ will enable an owner to keep track of all
transactions related to the business. Together with specialized software, a computer
can help maintain business files. Finally, an entrepreneur needs to be aware of the
(12) _____________ of starting a business and balance them against the potential
(13) _____________.

VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT
1. Match the words on the left with their definitions on the right. The first
match has been done for you.
1. business (h)
2. a business
3. employer

a. a person who works for an organisation


b. an inventory of goods and components
c. income
61

4. entrepreneurship
5. employee

6. stock
7. turnover
8. revenue
9. fixed assets
10. working capital

11. cash flow


12. asset
13. liability
14. premises
15. sole proprietorship

d. difference between current assets and current liabilities


e. property and possessions owned by an individual or
business, which has a money value and can be set against
debts etc.
f. financial obligation; (pl) debts for which one is liable
g. willingness to assume the risks of a business venture
h. commercial activity or occupation
i. person or company that pays people to do work
j. a supply of cash needed by a business to meet its
regular expenses; movement of money in and out of a
business
k. property owned by a firm and meant to be used over a
long period of time
l. total value of goods sold over a certain period
m. a building which is used to produce a good or provide a
service
n. one-owner business
o. a firm

2. Choose the correct word or phrase underlined in each sentence:


1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Dora earns / gains / wins more money in her job than I do.
The factory workers asked for a rise in their income / reward / wages.
Paul borrowed / lent / loaned some money from me but didnt pay it back.
Im sorry, but we dont accept credit cards, only cash / coins / money.
Is it all right if I pay with credit card / by credit card / from credit card?
We dont exchange goods unless you still have the bill / cheque / receipt.
Im afraid Ive got only a $50 note. Do you have change / money / rest?
I still debt / owe / own the bank more than $5000.

3. Use the words in the box to fill in the text:


(a) adequate
(d) strategies

(b) low price


(e) issue

(c) failing
(f) successful

You should set realistic objectives for your business and develop appropriate (1) d to
achieve them. These objectives must be compatible with your personal ambitions
and values. Most (2) __________ strategies tend to be simple and concentrate on
the businesss strengths while building an (3) __________ defence against its
weaknesses. An over-elaborate strategy which prevents management form
concentrating on the key issues is a common (4) __________. So too is failing to
define the true nature of your business and its markets. For example, does a
manufacturer of home computers serve the market for personal computers or that for
executive toys?
Price strategy will be a key (5) __________ for the new business. It is surprising how
often new companies underprice their products. It is generally unwise to choose a
strategy involving high volumes of (6) __________ products. In addition to the
manufacturing and distribution problems which could arise, you will be vulnerable to
attack from an established competitor by sustained price cutting.

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4. Fill in the missing words in the letters below. Choose from the following:
(a) appreciate
(f) faithfully
(k) Regarding

(b) ask
(g) grateful
(l) regret

(c) concerning (d) delighted


(h) hearing
(i) please
(m) sincerely
(n) sorry

(e) enclose
(j) receiving
(o) writing

Dear Ms. Chan,


Thank you for your letter of 24 April, (1) (c)the exhibition in Berlin in August.
We are (2) __________ to hear that your company will be taking part and that you
will address the opening conference.
(3) __________ the conference, we would (4) __________ it if you could send us
details of all the delegates so that we can prepare security passes. We would also (5)
__________ you to let us have details of equipment you need for your presentation.
We look forward to (6) __________ your reply.
Yours (7) __________,
Jan Mayer
Dear Sir/ Madam,
Your company has been recommended to us by a business associate and I am (8)
__________ to enquire about your translation services.
My company has recently entered the export market and we need advertising
material translated into Chinese, Russian and Turkish.
We would be (9) __________ if you could send us your prices and terms of payment.
We look forward to (10) __________ from you.
Yours (11) __________,
Jose Garcia
Dear Mr Dupin,
I was very (12) __________ to hear about your problems with the new super
vacuum.
I have investigated the compliant and I (13) __________ to tell you that the problem
is the result of faulty operation. I (14) __________ a copy of the inspectors report
with this letter.
If you require us to repair the machine, (15) __________ contact me at the number
above.
Yours sincerely,
Tim Brody

63

LANGUAGE FOCUS: Noun Combinations


Revision
1. We use s to express a relationship between a person or an organization
and another person or thing.
Mr Blakes secretary
BAs employees
her husbands car
Volvos reputation
When two nouns are used together, the first noun functions as an adjective and
describes the second noun.
a business card
a job description
an office complex
a travel agency
2. Sometimes three or more nouns occur together.
a company credit card (a credit card issued by a company)
a management training programme (a training programme designed for
management)
3. Two nouns are joined by of when the ideas are more abstract
the cost of living
independence of mind
the joy of working and lifelong learning
4. Some compound nouns are written as one word.
database answerphone letterhead headquarters
5. When compound nouns are used with a number in expressions of
measurement, the first noun is singular.
a six-lane motorway a four-day week

Practice:
1. Find noun combinations in the text from READING
COMPREHENSION. Write them under the following four headings:

s possessive

one
noun
used
as
adjective

phrases
of

with

2. Change the following phrases into noun combinations:


a)
b)
c)
d)

a job with a salary of a hundred thousand pounds


a research project costing five million dollars
a takeover bid worth two million pounds
a meeting which lasts 45 minutes

64

AND

compound
nouns forming
one word

3. Match the nouns in each box below to make common noun


combinations. You may want to use some of the nouns in the second
box more than once.
For example: business consultant
block
consultant
business
department
drive
equipment
management
gurus
hours
leaders
office
staff
talk
tax
sales
teams
trip
4. Choose the correct or the best phrase in each group.
1. a) the secretary of Mr Lorenzo
b) Mr Lorenzos secretary
c) Mr Lorenzo secretary
2. a) our company future
b) our companies future
c) our companys future
3. a) last years results
b) last year results
c) the results of last year
4. a) our sales target
b) our sale target
c) our target of sales
5. a) last month board meeting
b) last months board meeting
c) board meeting of last month
6. a) a personnels policy
b) a policy of personnel
c) a personnel policy
7. a) a salary increase
b) an increase of salary
c) a salaries increase
8. a) a contract breach
b) a contracts breach
c) a breach of contract
9. a) unemployment figures
b) figures of unemployment
c) unemployments figures

65

SKILLS FOCUS: INFORMAL LETTER WRITING


Imagine that you have just started up a business. Write a letter to a friend and
describe him/her the steps you have taken. (10 15 lines)
Pay attention to the style you use it is an informal letter!

TRANSLATION
1. Translate the following text into Romanian.
India is becoming an easier place to do business and starting a business,
according to a World Bank report doing business 2011, but only incrementally. The
country climbed one place in the global rankings to become the 134th easiest place
to do business globally, far behind China which was placed at 79th position in the
same rankings.
An entrepreneur starting out in India needs to go through 12 procedures, all of
which can take up to 29 days complete.
So it comes as no surprise then that only 10 per cent of alumnae from the
Indian Institute of Management - Ahmedabad, the countrys top business school,
have taken to starting their own businesses.
Entrepreneurs in India find it easier to establish themselves in services than
manufacturing. We are not doing enough to encourage entrepreneurs, setting up is
not easy. Regulations need to be simplified for entrepreneurs, Pankaj Chandra,
Director of the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore told Financial Times.
But while the business environment remains difficult for start-ups, it is getting
better.
http://blogs.ft.com/beyond-brics/2011/06/03/india-where-are-theentrepreneurs/#ixzz1XM8QwDz0
2. Translate the following text into English.
Nu eti mulumit cu locul tu de munc actual, i urti seful, crezi c ai putea
face mai mult sau pur i simplu ai nevoie de o suplimentare a veniturilor pentru a-i
dezvolta un stil de via mai bun, ca i ali mii de oameni n fiecare zi, s-ar putea s fii
printre cei care se gndesc la pornirea unei afaceri. Problema este ca cei mai muli
oameni doar se gndesc la acest lucru in loc s ntreprind ceva in acest sens.
n condiiile actuale de criz financiar, recesiune economic, concedieri si
disponibilizri colective, poate nceperea unei afaceri ar putea reprezenta o soluie.
tiu c poate suna a clieu c n orice criz este o oportunitate, dar eu cred c n
fiecare om exist un izvor de inspiraie. Persoanele care au reuit in via sunt de
fapt cei care au transformat decizia de a-i schimba viaa n realitate, acionnd n
acest sens.
http://bizcafe.ro/articole/nu-te-gandi-sa-incepi-o-afacere-fa-o.html

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