Limba Engleza in Afaceri

Specializarea: Trunchi comun (toate specializrile)
LIMBA ENGLEZ
APLICAT N
AFACERI
curs practic
ANUL I Semestrul 1 i 2
Cluj-Napoca 2014
Cod disciplin: ELE 1006 (semestrul 1); ELE 2006 (semestrul 2)

Numar credite: 3
SPECIALIZAREA
Toate specializarile
TITULAR DE DISCIPLIN
Lect. univ. dr. Fekete AdrianaCorina
adriana.fekete@lingua.ubbcluj.ro
TUTORE
Lect. univ.dr. Fekete Adriana-Corina
adriana.fekete@lingua.ubbcluj.ro
ENGLISH FOR 1ST YEAR BUSINESS STUDENTS

I. GENERAL REMARKS
The course addresses intermediate (Common European Framework of Reference B1) students. To help
you decide what level you are, we suggest you use the following descriptors of language ability as given
by the Common European Framework of Reference.
level
description
A1
Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of
needs of a concrete type. Can introduce him/herself and others and can ask and answer questions about
personal details such as where he/she lives, people he/she knows and things he/she has. Can interact in a
simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.
A2
Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g.
very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment). Can communicate in
simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters.
Can describe in simple terms aspects of his/her background, immediate environment and matters in areas of
immediate need.
B1
Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in
work, school, leisure, etc. Can deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an area where
the language is spoken. Can produce simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal
interest. Can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes & ambitions and briefly give reasons
and explanations for opinions and plans.
B2
Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical
discussions in his/her field of specialisation. Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes
regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party. Can produce clear, detailed
text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and
disadvantages of various options.
C1
Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognise implicit meaning. Can express
him/herself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. Can use language
flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. Can produce clear, well-structured,
detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organisational patterns, connectors and cohesive
devices.
C2
Can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read. Can summarise information from different spoken
and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation. Can express
him/herself spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in more
complex situations.
(Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_European_Framework_of_Reference_for_Languages)
It is absolutely necessary that students whose level is lower than intermediate should work individually to
reach that level. To this purpose, students can use practical grammars which contain essential theoretical
information and practical tasks (see Suggested bibliography) or take English language courses offered by
specialised institutions.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Objectives
st
The purpose of English for1 Year Business Students is to develop the written and oral communication
skills of business students. The course focuses on two vital areas of the learning process: improving
reading and writing skills as well as developing learning skills. The subject matter, drawn from various
business fields, is not excessively specialised.
3
Structure
Eight units are devoted to training students in the skills of reading, developing vocabulary, and writing.
These units are designed to help students:
Become familiar with the various vocabulary items related to business English
Become familiar with the various expressions related to specific language functions
Improving reading skills by focusing on both content and the use of theses expressions in taskbased writing exercises
Build up writing skills by practising the contextual use of the vocabulary items and focusing on
grammar in controlled practice exercises.
Learn and review basic business vocabulary
The structure of the units is systematic, concise and explicit, responsive to the variety of communicative
circumstances in business. The content is formative, aiming at developing students awareness of the
need for communicating correctly in a foreign language. Mainly designed to be used as self-study
material, the book intends to encourage students to take individual study more seriously, to offer
standardised exercises, to provide concrete examples, to focus on language use (knowledge of language,
language skills, awareness of the nature of learning, awareness of the reading process, attitudes to
reading: unknown words, strategies, meaning, opportunities for discussion/ exchanges of opinion).
The texts provide opportunities for review and expansion of the skills throughout the year. Furthermore,
the units organisation allows the student to take advantage of individual study. The abundance of
material in the texts makes them easily adaptable to varying learner interests, student specialties, and
language levels.
The units of the book deal with texts that offer the possibility of learning specific vocabulary, grammar
structures and functional language in appropriate contexts. The tasks students will have to carry out will
help them develop their language skills in an integrated way, i.e. extracting the main ideas from a text//
taking notes etc.
The structure of most units is the following:
a. Lead-in
b. Reading
c. Vocabulary development
d. Language focus
e. Functions
The lead-in section is devised to introduce students to the topic of the unit. It consists of questions or
exercises that forecast the subject matter to be dealt with in the reading section.
The reading section contains texts that offer both information connected with the business environment
and the opportunity to improve and enrich students vocabulary with new words and expressions.
The vocabulary development section offers explanation of some of the lexical items from the text and
expands the learning context to the lexical areas of the words/ expressions studied. It presents both
general and specialised vocabulary and the activities initiated here require sustained individual work with
the dictionary.
The language focus section starts from examples found in the text. It has two sub-sections: one that
deals with the theoretical input of a certain grammar problem (rules, examples etc.) and the second
Practice that contains different types of exercises. However, students should decide whether they need
more practice and if so, they should use additional self-study materials (practical grammars).
The functions section contains a number of expressions that represent certain language functions. This
may help students become familiar with the context in which these expressions are used. The section
also contains suggested writing activities in order to focus attention on individual activities that offer the
possibility of making use of the knowledge acquired within each unit, as a whole.
In some units there is a section entitled English in Use. This section aims at familiarising students with the
structure of the Language in Use section of the language ability examination that they will have to take on
graduation.
Course calendar
The eight units will be approached in the order they appear, i.e. the first four units in the first semester
and the remaining four in the second semester.
Every semester students will have classes with the teacher twice, four hours each time. Before coming to
class, students should study the units planned as follows:
First semester
First meeting units 1 and 2, Introduction to Business Communication and Presentations
Second meeting units 3 and 4, The Structure of the Firm and Business Ethics
Second semester
First meeting units 5 and 6, Management and Recruitment
Second meeting units 7 and 8, Business Travel and Culture and Civilisation
The classes are mainly aimed at checking students individual work and answering possible questions,
clarifying whatever aspects students may have found difficult to understand.
We would like to insist on the fact that attending the classes alone cannot give students the necessary
knowledge of English. Self-study is extremely important in acquiring a foreign language especially for
long-distance students who are not exposed to the weekly classroom context. Reading newspaper
articles in English (the Internet is an inexhaustible resource) and looking up unknown vocabulary can be
of great help.
Assessment
Students will have to complete three homework assignments during each semester. These assignments
carry 30% of the final mark.
Every semester students will have to take a written test. The test will mainly consist of:
grammar and vocabulary tasks 50%
questions referring to the topics covered during the semester (the questions that appear as
reflection topics in the STOP AND THINK! sections) 50%
The final mark will be calculated as follows:
homework assignments 30%
final test 70%
It is very important that students understand that this practical course book does not contain the entire
vocabulary of the English language! That would be impossible. Consequently, students should
understand that in the test they may have to deal with tasks containing vocabulary that does not appear in
the course book but which they are supposed to know at the intermediate level. The type and structure of
the tasks that will appear in the test will be the same as those of the tasks that appear in the course book.
However, they will not necessarily be identical since the aim of the test is not to assess students
memory, but their ability to use the acquired knowledge in communication situations.
Theoretical knowledge will not be tested. Students should be able to speak the language not about it.
It is not compulsory to attend the classes. However, contributing to the class can bring you 1 additional
point to the final mark.
Suggested Bibliography
***
Collins Cobuild English Language Dictionary (London: Collins ELT, Harper Collins Publishers,
2003)
Budai, L., Gramatica englez teorie i exerciii (Bucureti: Teora, 2001)
A.J. Thomson, A.V. Martinet, A Practical English Grammar (London: Oxford University Press, 1996)
Vince, M., Advanced Language Practice (London: MacMillan Heinemann ELT, 1994)
Vince, M., Intermediate Language Practice (London: MacMillan Heinemann ELT, 1998)
Mann, Malcolm &Taylore-Knowles, Steve (2008). Destination B2, MacMillan
Mann, Malcolm &Taylore-Knowles, Steve (2008). Destination C1&C2, MacMillan
Swan, Michael (2009). Practical English Usage, OUP
Swan, Michael, Baker, David (2012). Grammar Scan. Diagnostic Tests for Practical English Usage, OUP
Websites
http://www.cambridge.org/elt/dictionaries/cald.htm,
http://www.pearson.ch/LanguageTeaching/Dictionaries/Dictionaries-British/1449/9780582306066/NewEdition-Longman-Business-English.aspx, http://www.macmillandictionaries.com/home.htm,
http://www.oup.com/elt/catalogue/isbn/0-19-431243-7?cc=global.
Free-access online dictionaries:
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/, http://www.ldoceonline.com/,
http://www.oup.com/elt/catalogue/teachersites/oald7/?cc=global.
Further Vocabulary Study

UNIT 1
Michael Vince Intermediate Language Practice, p. 199-202;
Michael Vince Advanced Language Practice, p. 212-216; 219-220
UNIT 2
Michael Vince Intermediate Language Practice, pp. 236-238;
Michael Vince Advanced Language Practice, pp. 224-227
UNIT 3
Michael Vince Advanced Language Practice, pp. 203-206; 209-213; 220-223
UNIT 4
Michael Vince Intermediate Language Practice, pp. 231-233; 242-244
UNIT 5
Michael Vince Advanced Language Practice, pp. 203-205; 209-213; 216-219
UNIT 6
Further Language Study

THE TENSE SYSTEM
Michael Vince Advanced Language Practice
Tense consolidation Units 1 4 (pp. 1-24)
Progress Test (pp. 25-29)
Michael Vince Intermediate Language Practice
Units 2 9 (pp. 3-36)
Problems, Errors and Consolidation (p. 37)
A.J. Thomson, A.V. Martinet A Practical English Grammar
The present tenses (pp. 152-162)
The past and perfect tenses (pp. 161-179)
The future (pp. 180-194)
GERUND/INFINITIVE
Unit 19 (pp. 107-113)
6

Units 38 39 (pp. 152-165)
The infinitive (p. 212-227)
The gerund (pp. 228-233)
Infinitive and gerund constructions (pp. 234-238)
ACTIVE/PASSIVE
Units 6-7 (pp. 30-40)
Units 15 16 (pp. 58-63)
The passive voice (pp. 263-268)
MODALS
Units 11-12 (pp. 59-70)
Units 17 18 (pp. 64-71)
May and can for permission and possibility (pp. 128-133)
Can and be able for ability (pp. 134-136)
Ought, should, must, have to, need for obligation (pp. 137-146)
Must, have, will and should for deduction and assumption (pp. 147-149)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
UNIT ONE INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS COMMUNICATION ............ 10

UNIT TWO PRESENTATIONS ................................................................. 23
UNIT THREE THE STRUCTURE OF THE FIRM ...................................... 35
UNIT FOUR BUSINESS ETHICS.............................................................. 45
UNIT FIVE MANAGEMENT ...................................................................... 54
UNIT SIX RECRUITMENT ........................................................................ 70
UNIT SEVEN BUSINESS TRAVEL .......................................................... 84
UNIT EIGHT CULTURE AND CIVILISATION ........................................... 90
APPENDIX 1 ADJECTIVES + OBLIGATORY PREPOSITION .............. 105
APPENDIX 2 GRAMMAR FILES ............................................................ 107
FUNCTIONS FILES ................................................................................... 130
UNIT 1 INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

GLOSSARY BUSINESS ENGLISH VOCABULARY
Students should be able to use the
COMMUNICATION to communicate about:
vocabulary
under
INTRODUCTION
TO
Communication in business settings

Importance of communicating effectively
Factors that influence effective communication
Qualities of a good communicator
Forms of communication
Forms of written communication
Forms of spoken communication
Formal versus informal language
Prevention of communication breakdowns
Verbal and non-verbal communication
be in communication with somebody

noun [U] FORMAL
biodata noun [U]
business card noun [C]
by word of mouth
communication noun
conversation noun [C or U]
corporate communication [U]
correspondence noun [U]
discourse noun FORMAL
engage sb in conversation FORMAL
etiquette noun [U]
exchange noun
face-to-face adjective
facsimile noun [C]
fax noun [C, U]
formal adjective
illegible adjective
in short
in writing
indecipherable adjective
informal adjective
information noun [U]
interface noun [C]
IT noun [U]
legible adjective
manners plural noun
means of communication noun [C]
message verb [T]
networking noun [U]
nonverbal communication noun [U]
pleasantry noun [C] FORMAL
polite adjective
political correctness noun [U]

respect noun [U]
share verb
shoptalk noun [U]
shorthand for sth
small talk noun [U]
speech noun
stationery noun [U]
talk noun [C, U]
telegram noun [C]
telex noun [C or U]
template noun [C]
tete-a-tete noun [C]
text verb [T]
the Internet noun
virtual adjective
well-mannered adjective
window noun [C]
word processing noun [U]
BUSINESS
UNIT ONE INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

1. Communication
1.1. Lead-in
COMMUNICATION
definition: the process by which people exchange information or express their thoughts and
feelings
(Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English)
Forms and Components of Human Communication
Humans communicate in order to share knowledge and experiences. Common forms of human
communication include sign language, speaking, writing, gestures, and broadcasting.
Communication can be interactive, transactive, intentional, or unintentional; it can also be verbal
or nonverbal. Communication varies considerably in form and style when considering scale.
Internal communication, within oneself, is intrapersonal while communication between two
individuals is interpersonal. At larger scales of communication both the system of
communication and media of communication change. Small group communication takes place
in settings of between three and 12 individuals creating a different set of interactions than large
groups such as organisational communication in settings like companies or communities. At the
largest scales mass communication describes communication to huge numbers of individuals
through mass media. Communication also has a time component, being either synchronous or
asynchronous. There are a number of theories of communication that attempt to explain human
communication. However, various theories relating to human communication have the same
core philosophy. Communication follows a five-step process, which begins with the creation of a
message and then sending it to another individual, organisation or a group of people. This
message is received and then interpreted. Finally this message is responded to, which
completes the process of communication.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communication)
STOP AND THINK!

What possible barriers to interpersonal communication can you identify?
What language is mainly used in international communication? Why?
1.2. Reading
Read the following short texts referring to communication and answer the questions that follow.
Text 1.
"Have you ever said to yourself, "I wish I had spoken up"? Or, "If only I had introduced myself"?
Or, "Did I say the wrong thing"?
Conversational Confidence is the answer. Just by listening, you'll master the proven
interpersonal skills you need to deal with every individual, every group, every occasion.
The result? New doors will open to you. You won't hesitate to accept an invitation, to
10
approach someone important, to seize an opportunity. You'll never again feel like an outsider.
Success will naturally flow your way--and with less effort than you ever imagined possible."
~verbalAdvantage (advertisement in The New Republic, March 12, 2001)
1. Why are people sometimes reluctant to speak up their minds?
2. What is the role of listening in a conversation?
3. How can people develop their communication skills?
Text 2.
"'Communication' is a registry of modern longings. The term evokes a utopia where nothing is
misunderstood, hearts are open, and expression is uninhibited. Desire being most intense when
the object is absent, longings for communication also index a deep sense of dereliction in social
relationships. ... 'Communication' is a rich tangle of intellectual and cultural strands that encodes
our time's confrontations with itself. To understand communication is to understand much more.
An apparent answer to the painful divisions between self and other, private and public, and
inner thought and outer word, the notion illustrates our strange lives at this point in history. It is a
sink into which most of our hopes and fears seem to be poured."
John Durham Peters, Speaking into the Air
A History of the Idea of Communication (1999, p. 2)
1. According to the author, how can the nature of communication be defined?
2. What does the author mean by inner thought and outer word?
3. How can misunderstanding appear?
Text 3.
"A word (or in general any sign) is interindividual. Everything that is said, expressed, is located
outside the soul of the speaker and does not belong only to him. The word cannot be assigned
to a single speaker. The author (speaker) has his own inalienable right to the word, but the
listener has his rights, and those whose voices are heard in the word before the author comes
upon it also have their rights (after all, there are no words that belong to no one)."
M. Bakhtin Speech Genres and Other Late Essays (Trans. Vern McGee). Austin: University of
Texas Press, 1986, p. 121
1. What do words refer to?
2. The same word may mean different things to different persons. Try to explain how this
happens.
3. How do new words appear in a language?
1.3. Vocabulary development
1.3.1. Match the phrases in column 1 with their meaning in column 2.
1. at the hands of sb
A. to have finished
2. be at an end
B. (not) give careful attention to sb/sth
3. be in sbs debt
C. show your respect for sb by visiting them, going
to their funeral, attending a memorial service,
etc.
4. beyond the call of duty
D. at the beginning of sth
5. give rise to sth
E. feel grateful to sb for their help, kindness, etc.
6. have the honour of doing sth
F. die in order to protect or save sb/sth
7. hold sway
G. say or do sth to show your respect and
admiration for sb
8. in large part
H. to a great extent
9. lay down you life (for sb/sth)
I. make sth definite or complete
10. lay waste to sth
J. used to indicate the result or consequence of a
11
situation or action
K. performed with greater courage or effort than is
usual or expected
L. cause something to happen or exist
M. completely destroy a place or area
N. because of sbs actions
O. start disagreeing or arguing with sb about sth
P. be given the opportunity of doing sth that makes
you feel proud
Q. polite formula when disagreeing with sb
R. have power or influence over a group of people
or a region
11. on the threshold of sth

12. pay (no) heed to sb/sth
13. pay tribute to sb
14. pay your respects (to sb)
15. set the seal on sth
16. take issue with sth/sb (over/about
sth)
17. therein lies sth
18. with (all due) respect to
1.3.2. Fill in the gaps in the following texts by using the phrases 1-18 given in the
vocabulary task 1.3.1.
A.
(1) ___ the Prime Minister, it is the people of this country who have, (2) ___, suffered (3) ___ his
government, and I am sure they will want to (4) ___ his last remark.
B.
Thousands of people gathered to (5) ___ the many local servicemen who (6) ___ their country.
C.
Terrorists still (7) ___ in many of the rural areas and (8) ___ the problem. They have already (9)
___ much valuable farmland, and we could be facing yet another drought. Any hopes that this
awful situation might (10) ___ look premature.
D.
James Mauplins groundbreaking research not only (11) ___ his highly esteemed books and
(12) ___ a glistering academic career, it also put us (13) ___ a major breakthrough in the
treatment of Parkinsons Disease. I now (14) ___ introducing Professor Mauplin.
E.
I would like to (15) ___ the young police officer who, (16) ___ his own safety, went to the help of
our daughter and saved her from certain death. It was an act of considerable bravery, way (17)
___, and we will forever (18) ___.
1.3.3. Look at the phrases given in 1.3.1. Then match 1-8 with a-h.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
have
pay
take
give
hold
set
lay down
lay
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
rise to something
the seal on something
waste to something
the honour to do something
tribute to somebody
issue with somebody
sway
your life for something
1.4 Functions
Information exchange
Asking for information useful expressions
12
Could you tell me...?

Do you know...?
Do you happen to know...?
I'd like to know...
Could you find out...?

I'm interested in ...
I'm looking for...
2. Communication and the media

NOTE
the media noun [uncountable]
The noun should always be accompanied by the definite article and should be followed by a
verb in the plural.
2.1. Lead in
Answer the following questions:
What role do the media play in the society?
Are you interested in the news? Do you read newspapers or watch news bulletins?
Group the following words into the three categories given in the table below. Use a
dictionary.
journalism
investigative
circulation
gonzo
correspondent
columnist
editor
tabloid
pay-per-view
channel
compact
newspapers and magazines

circulation
colour
supplement
satellite
article
edition
feature
column
chequebook
review
radio and television

broadcast
scoop
broadcast
transmit
frequency
editorial
station
show
reporter
episode.
13
news bulletin
investigative
airtime
cable
commercial
broadsheet
network
2.3. Reading
Read the following text. To what extent do you agree with it? Give your pros and cons.
While reading, fill in the gaps with ONE word.
TIPS TO HELP YOU!

What should you do?
Every time you have to solve such tasks:
- first, read the whole paragraph, as it is, with gaps; sometimes the clue is in the sentence that
comes after the gap to be filled;
- remember that you have to use ONE word!
- decide what part of speech is missing (noun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, etc.),
depending on the natural word order; then, if necessary, concentrate on the form that the
identified word should have (number for a noun, tense for a verb, etc.).
Remember the tips! They are useful!
The growing role of the media in our society

Paragraph 1
In the world of today, the media have become almost as necessary 1 ___ food and clothing. It is
true that the media are playing an outstanding role in strengthening the society; they are a
mirror of 2 ___ society. Their duty is to inform, educate and entertain the people. They help us
to know what is going on 3 ___ the world. They 4 ___ their lives in danger during attacks or
natural disasters, just to inform us of the situation. It is partly due to them that awareness is
spreading in the society. It is the media 5 ___ shape our lives. Our lives would be incomplete 6
___ the media.
Paragraph 2
The media 7 ___ the watchdog of the political democracy. If they 8 ___ their role honestly, they
will be a great force in building the nation but, nowadays, the media have become a
commercialised sector eying only for news that is hot and sells. 9 ___ of giving important
information and educative programmes, all that one gets on television is sensational depiction of
all news stories, their only goal being gaining television rating points (TRPs).
Paragraph 3
Every issue is hyped for a day or two, so much so 10 ___ you switch to any channel, they all will
be flashing the same story but then when the heat is over there is no following of the case. The
news then jostles 11 ___ space with other stories that are carrying the heat then. Even 12 ___
we cannot think of a world without television sets, media has become so much a part of us that
to recognise its impact, we need to step 13 ___ and consciously think about how they shape our
lives and what they are saying.
Paragraph 4
The media affects peoples perspective not 14 ___ through television, but 15 ___ through radio
and newspapers. In this way, even many messages 16 ___ which we cannot agree inevitably
come to us from diverse constellations of media. They can even be turned 17 ___ our benefit by
whetting our understanding and articulation of what we believe; today news channels and even
some newspapers are mouthpiece of some political parties. Their work then limits only to
spread the ideology of the party 18 ___ than give correct news. People have to judge 19 ___
14
their own by looking and listening to different channels for the same news and then form a
conclusion.
Paragraph 5
The media are an integral part of our society. However, a matter of concern is their excessive
intervention in everything. Sometimes, just for making money, insignificant news is given so 20
___ priority that the real news is not even brought 21 ___ notice. Yes, it does also entertain but
again its a debatable issue because by entertainment we mean healthy entertainment and not
those nonsense TV serials. So 21 ___ last, like science they are a tool, which we have to use by
our judgment to provide maximum satisfaction side by side without harming ourselves. The
other disadvantage is that sometimes they also publish or broadcast some vulgar news, and
sometimes unessential activities are served 22 ___ very important news and broadcast again
and again. This does not broaden the reach of the media.
Paragraph 6
In spite of being sensational and biased, the significance of the media cannot be ignored,
especially in an age, in which globalisation and liberalisation have become the order of the day.
In this globalised world, the task and duties of the media are increasing day by day. There is still
a lot to be done by the media for the betterment of the society.
(adapted from http://www.merinews.com/article/the-growing-role-of-media-in-our-society/136579.shtml)

2.3.1. Match the following words or phrases from the text with their appropriate
definition.
1. awareness (par. 1)
2. watchdog (par. 2)
3. hyped (par. 3)
4. whet(ting) (par. 4)
5.
6.
7.
8.
mouthpiece (par. 4)
entertain (par. 5)
biased (par. 6)
betterment (par. 6)
a. increase someones desire for something

b. a person, newspaper etc. that expresses the opinions of a
government or a political organisation
c. unfairly preferring a person or a group over another
d. a person or group of people whose job is to protect the rights of
people who buy things and to make sure companies do not do
anything illegal or harmful
e. to amuse or interest people in a way that gives them pleasure
f. very excited or nervous and unable to keep still
g. knowledge or understanding of a particular subject or situation
h. (formal) improvement, especially in someones social and
economic position
Make up sentences of your own to illustrate the meaning of the words above. Show them
to your neighbour and ask them whether they understand the meaning illustrated. If they
dont, make the necessary corrections.
2.3.2. Write one word in each gap.
1. Obviously it goes ___ saying that I dont want you to tell anyone else about this.
2. Reading ___ lines, it seems that the governments considering tightening media regulations.
3. Im afraid that book is ___ of print, but Ill see if we can find a second-hand copy for you
somewhere.
4. I followed your instructions ___ the letter but I still couldnt get the printer to work properly.
5. Getting Elaine to edit your article is just asking ___ trouble; you know how pedantic and
opinionated she is!
6. ___ answer to your question, no, I have never had any business dealings with Mr Partridge.
7. Even if youve got a great idea for a novel, its incredibly hard putting pen ___ paper for the
first time.
8. Put your ideas down ___ paper and well discuss them at the next meeting.
15
9. Youve had some good news, havent you? Its written all ___ your face.
2.3.3. Use the words given in brackets to form a word that fits in the space.
TIPS TO HELP YOU!
What should you do?
- decide what part of speech would meaningfully complete the sentence and then use suffixes
and/or prefixes typical of that part if speech (e.g. for nouns: -ment, -ness, -ance, -tion, etc.; for
adverbs ly; for adjectives ous, -ful, etc.);
- pay attention to agreement (e.g. number for nouns);
- pay attention to spelling! spelling is extremely important in such tasks; if you are not sure, use
a dictionary;
- read the sentence carefully; sometimes there is a negative connotation that requires the use of
prefixes/suffixes with a negative meaning;
- do not try to learn words by heart! you cannot remember them all! read as much as possible
and use a dictionary! study word families (e.g. employ, employment, employer, employee,
unemployment, employable, unemployable).
A.
The (1) ___ (SAY) never judge a book by its cover could not be more true for Ridiculous Rules
by Marjorie Allen. The cover is completely blank, whereas the book is crammed full of wonderful
examples and anecdotes. Allen is an (2) ___ (SPEAK) critic of much of what is taught to native
and non-native speakers of English, and has issued a (3) ___ (DECLARE) of war against
textbooks and style books which tell lies. Take the ridiculous and (4) ___ (MEAN) rule of never
ending a sentence with a preposition. The lovely if famous story goes, that Winston
Churchill, well known for his numerous (5)___ (WRITE) as well as for being British Prime
Minister during the Second World War , received a manuscript back from an ignorant (6) ___
(EDIT) who had told him rather rudely that he had to (7) ___ (PHRASE) a sentence which
ended with a preposition. Churchill responded by making the simple yet forceful (8) ___
(STATE) in the margin: This is an impertinence up with which I will not put. the (9) ___
(IMPLY) being that not to end a sentence with a preposition often sounds ridiculous in English.
Sadly, Allen informs us that the story is probably mere (10) ___ (HEAR), and that Churchill may
have actually only written rubbish! in the margin.
B.
I love watching (1) ___ (DISCUSS) programmes, and I love politics, so youd think Id enjoy
watching (2) ___ (POLITICS) being interviewed on TV. But I dont. All too often, (3) ___
(JOURNAL) ask them the most (4) ___ (RIDICULE) questions, and, when they do get an
interesting question, sit there watching in (5) ___ (BELIEVE) as some of the most (6) ___
(POWER) people in the country give totally (7) ___ (CONVINCE) responses. Its as if they dont
care whether their reply is (8) (BELIEVE) or not. Often, theyre very poor (9) ___
(COMMUNICATE), and theyre frequently even more (10) ___ (INFORM) about key issues than
I am. I dont expect them to be particularly (11) ___ (HUMOUR) they are serious people, after
all but at least they could say something interesting occasionally. It makes me want to stand
for election myself.
16
2.3.4. Study the vocabulary given below and then fill in the gaps in the following text by
using the appropriate phrases.
add up (informal) seem reasonable or logical (used mainly in a negative sense)
boil down to sth if a situation or problem boils down to one thing, that thins is the main point
in the situation, or the main cause of the problem
capitalise on sth gain a further advantage for yourself from a situation
come/be under fire be criticised severely for sth you have done
in the final analysis used to state a basic truth after everything has been discussed and
considered
neck and neck (of two people or groups) level with each other in a race or competition
pluck sth out of the air say a name, number, etc. without giving it any thought
quick/slow off the mark fast/slow in reacting to a situation
stop the rot stop a bad situation from getting worse
talk sth up describe or discuss sth in a way that makes it sound better than it is
The prime minister has (1) ____ during the election campaign for being slow to respond to
events, but he was (2) ___ this morning. In a speech in Dover, he claimed that the Oppositions
tax policies didnt (3) ___, and that they were (4) ___ numbers ___. Meanwhile, the Opposition
were trying to (5) ___ the latest bad unemployment figures, which clearly illustrated, in their
view, that the only thing which could (6) ___ was a change of government. They also (7) ___ the
latest opinion poll-figures, which now put them (8) ___ with the government. (9) ___ it will just
(10) ___ who the voters choose to believe.
2.4. Language Focus: The Noun Number Agreement
Number Agreement
the number of is followed generally by singular, while a number of by plural
The number of investors was huge.
A number of shareholders were expected to sell their shares.
nouns/pronouns can be coordinated with the following simple or correlative conjunctions:
and, or, either or, neither nor, both and, not only but also.
a) and, both and require the plural form of the verb
The president and the secretary general are not present.
Both the president and the secretary general are on a business trip.
b) or, either or follow the rule of proximity ( the closest subject dictates the number of the
verb)
His supporters or he has to take this issue very seriously.
Either he or his supporters have to take a decision.
c) neither nor may follow the rule of proximity (as above), but in everyday use the plural is
preferred
Neither the guests nor the host is to be blamed.
or
Neither the guest nor the host are to be blamed.
With as well as, except, but, with only the first noun dictates the agreement with the predicate.
Mr. Jones as well as all his colleagues is expected to come.
All the members of the board, but David, are here.
A man with a young child was asking for help.
2.5. Functions
a. Identifying yourself
Hello, Im from
17
Hello, my name isI work for

Hello, let me introduce myself, ImIm in charge of// Im responsible for
Hello, first name+ surnameIve got an appointment with
b. Greetings when you meet someone for the first time
First greeting
Neutral
How do you do? Im (very) pleased/
delighted to meet you.
Its (very) nice to meet you.
Informal
How do you do? Nice/ good to meet
you.
Hello. Nice to have you with us.
Hi. Pleased to meet you.
Reply to the greeting

How do you do? Its (very) nice
to meet you too.
Im pleased to meet you too.
Nice/ good to meet you too.
Pleased to meet you too.
3. IT and Human Interaction

3.1. Lead-in
STOP AND THINK!

Can the full effect of the current information revolution be predicted?
Is meeting face-to-face more valuable than corresponding electronically?
3.2. Reading
Parts of the sentences in the following text have been removed. They are given in the box
below the text. They are lettered A to J. Read the text and fill in the blanks numbered 1 to
10 with the corresponding missing parts A to J.
TIPS TO HELP YOU!
What should you do?
- first, read the text, ignoring the empty spaces, so that you can get the gist;
- the second time you read the text you can adopt the following strategy: every time you come to
an empty space, read carefully the sentence before and the one after the empty space, and look
for a meaningful connection between the sentence/part of sentence you have chosen and the
text; consider all the given sentences, do not stop at the first one that you consider to be the
correct answer;
- sometimes you are given more sentences than gaps; if so, the extra sentence is either too
general or similar to the correct variant, but in a way or another inadequate;
- read the text again to see if it makes sense.
New video examines impact of computers on human interaction
18
by Barbara McKenna
Through the advent of the web, we can get whatever we want online 1 ___. We can bank
online, make friends online, even attend virtual concerts and art shows online. One man in
Dallas, 2 ___, has even gone so far as to confine himself to his home for a full year, acquiring
everything he needs (including a Valentine's Day date) through the web.
Observing the increasing "realness" of virtual reality, UCSC (University of California, Santa
Cruz) film professor Chip Lord has produced a video that explores the question of how 3 ___.
The video, Awakening from the Twentieth Century, aired recently on public television and is the
winner of the Dallas Video Festival's Latham Award for 1999.
"I started working on this during a sabbatical in early 1998," Lord says. "I wanted to look at how
the computer is changing the ways in which we conduct daily life. One of my central goals was
to find out whether the Internet and virtual networking telecommuting, distance learning, ecommerce have had an effect 4 ___."
To explore this, Lord combines montages of life in San Francisco with interviews. Among those
he interviews are Homer Flynn, spokesperson for a San Francisco underground, multimedia
band named The Residents; John Sanborn, director of the online rock and roll murder mystery
"Paul Is Dead"; Ellen Ullman, a software engineer, commentator, and author of Close to the
Machine; Gannon Hall, a web site designer; and Rebecca Solnit, a social commentator and
author of the just-published book, Wanderlust: A History of Walking (Viking Press).
Rather than aim to prove a point, Lord is out to 5 ___. One montage opens with a view of the
old-fashioned marble-floored interior of a Wells Fargo Bank branch bank in San Francisco and
fades to a nearby Safeway, in which a Wells Fargo "mini-bank" is built into the wall. The
juxtaposition continues 6 ___ the bank's dramatic picture of racing horses pulling a stagecoach
and, over that image, in stark white, the URL www.wellsfargo.com.
"Is the physical space of the bank becoming obsolete?" Lord asks.
Through his interviews Lord also explores the impending fate of such things as the automobile,
film, community. But the question that most concerns Lord is whether the physical space of the
city itself 7 ___.
Lord gets very different opinions from his subjects. Web designer and computing specialist
Gannon Hall conducts most of his business virtually through e-mail, web sites, and the phone.
"Gannon recognizes that 8 ___, but once he starts working on a project he does everything
virtually, via the Internet. For Gannon, because his business is virtual, he could be anywhere.
He doesn't need the city. To him, the city is like fashion. You choose it the same way you would
choose clothes. He says, 'you wear the city.' "
But social commentator Rebecca Solnit feels very differently, affirming the importance of reallife interaction at such places as the Farmer's Market, where 9 ___. To flesh out this
perspective, Lord also shows footage of two groups of San Franciscans bicyclists and
rollerbladers. The bicycling event, called Critical Mass, is anything but virtual, drawing some
3,000 bicyclists each month who hit the streets during a Friday rush hour.
As Lord trails along with the rollerbladers, hundreds of whom come out each Friday for the
"Friday Night Skate," he comes to this conclusion:
"Maybe because of the utopian images we hear about the new technologies, I thought that
broadcasting, netcasting, wireless networks, and pagers, cellphones, and beepers all 10 ___
for celebration and the ritual rubbing of shoulders in streets, plazas, and squares. But I was
wrong. Because we still need fashion. We still need to wear the city because the city is..." Lord
19
trails off, letting Humphrey Bogart, in the character of San Francisco detective Sam Spade,
finish his sentence: "The stuff that dreams are made of."
(http://www.ucsc.edu/currents/99-00/06-19/lord.html)
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
I.
J.
an initial face-to-face meeting with clients is necessary

the computer is affecting the ways we interact with each other and our environment
groceries, prescriptions, even pets
vendors and customers interact directly and chance encounters with friends can take
place
explore the implications of our emerging computer-generated culture
were conspiring to end the need for public gathering
is becoming obsolete
who calls himself DotComGuy
on how we use our physical space
with a shot of a billboard advertising

3.3.1. Match the following words or phrases from the text with their appropriate
definition.
1. rollerblader (n)
2. footage (n)
3. to flesh sth out (v)
4. obsolete (adj)
5. stark (adj)
6. impending (adj)
7. juxtaposition (n)
8. to fade (v)
9. telecommuting (n)
10. sabbatical (n)
11. to confine (v)
12. advent (n)
a. no longer useful, because something newer and better has

been invented
b. referring to an event or situation, especially an unpleasant
one, which is going to happen very soon
c. the act of putting things together, especially things that are not
normally together, in order to compare them or to make
something new
d. working at home using a computer connected to a company's
main office
e. a period when someone, especially someone in a university
job, stops doing their usual work in order to study or travel
f. cinema film showing a particular event
g. to keep someone or something within the limits of a particular
activity or subject
h. the time when something first begins to be widely used
i. very plain in appearance, with little or no colour or decoration
j. to add more details to something in order to make it clear,
more interesting etc
k. person who uses special boots with a single row of wheels
fixed under it to skate on hard surfaces
l. to gradually disappear
3.3.2. If the word in bold is correct, put a tick. If it is incorrect, replace it with one of the
words in bold from the other sentences.
1. The Internet is a really vast console of computers, all connected together.
2. Since we got resource, weve been watching music videos online.
3. Early computer games seem quite nuclear compared with todays games.
4. It seems to me that primitive power is far cleaner than oil.
5. These ancient tools have been crafted with an enormous amount of skill.
6. The next generation of games technique will have better graphics.
7. Theres a network in computing called beta testing, which means you test something to
see if it works properly before it becomes official.
8. This latest breakthrough will mean cheaper, faster internet access for all.
9. The computer has finished analysing all the broadband.
20
10. The sea is a great natural data but we need the right technology to use it.
3.3.3. Use the word given in capitals to form a word that fits in the space.
We often think of ourselves as living in a time of 1___ (CONTINUE) technological change and
development. We tend to believe that we are unique in history in dealing with a constantly 2 ___
(EVOLVE) world of gadgets, devices and innovations. However, the end of the nineteenth
century and the start of the twentieth was also a time that saw many 3 ___ (REVOLT) changes.
People had needed to show 4 ___ (FLEXIBLE) throughout the nineteenth century, as the
effects of the Industrial Revolution meant constantly making 5 ___ (ADJUST) to deal with
changing working conditions. Towards the end of the century, though, people had to become
more 6 ___ (ADAPT) than ever before. The typewriter (1873), the telephone (1876) and other 7
___ (INFLUENCE) developments gave people the 8 ___ (CAPABLE) to live and work in ways
their grandparents could not have imagined. Over the next 30 years, little remained 9 ___
(ALTER) as the camera, the cinema, the phonograph, the plane and radio all had an 10 ___
(ELECTRIC) effect on people and society.
3.4. Functions
Presenting and supporting opinions
Asking for opinions
What are your feelings on this?
To one person
What are your views on.?
What are your feelings about?
What do you think of .?
Whats your opinion about that?
To a group of people
Any reaction to that?
Has anybody any strong feeling about /
views on that?
Whats the general view on/ feeling about
that?
Has anybody any comments to make?
HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT 1
One of the most negative aspects of the impact of the Internet in our daily life is the fact that it
alters social behaviour, habits and abilities of people. Write an argumentative essay in response
to the following statement: The Internet makes people lonelier. (Write between 200-250 words.)
You should submit your homework electronically (adriana.fekete@lingua.ubbcluj.ro). (type of
document: Word). Do not send material downloaded from the Internet.
Deadline 20 November
ATTENTION!
In argumentative essays there should be a balance between the pros and the cons. Refer to
each argument in a distinct paragraph. The conclusion of an argumentative essay should
summarise the arguments and give your opinion. Do not use bulleted lists! Present concrete
details and refer to your own experience.
21
UNIT 2 PRESENTATIONS
Students should be able to use the vocabulary under PRESENTATIONS to communicate about:
Types of presentations made in business

Preparing and planning a presentation
Audience analysis
Presentation materials
Delivery techniques
Body language and voice
Signalling words and phrases
Question-and-answer session
Golden rules for presentations
address verb [T] FORMAL

audience noun [C]
board noun [C]
body language noun [U]
chart noun [ C ]
file noun [C]
flip chart noun [C]
flow chart noun [C]
folder noun [C]
harangue noun [C]
have the floor
information overload noun [U]
in-tray noun [C]
keynote address/speech/speaker noun [C]
language barrier noun [C]
misunderstanding noun [C,U]
monologue noun [C]
non-verbal adjective
observer noun [C]
onlooker noun [C]
oration noun [C] FORMAL
outline noun [C]
out-tray noun [C]
overhead transparency noun [C]
overhead projector noun [C]
pie chart noun
presentation noun [ C, U ]
printer noun [C]
rephrase verb [T]
ring binder noun [C]
seminar noun [ C ]
spectator noun [C]
take the floor
talk noun [C]
visual aid noun [C]
whiteboard noun [C]
workshop noun [C]
22
UNIT TWO PRESENTATIONS

Speaking in public is often cited as the number one fear of adults. The Book of Lists
places the fear of death in fifth place while public speaking ranks first. Jerry Seinfeld
said, "That would mean at a funeral, people are five times more likely to want to be in
the casket than giving the eulogy."
1. Business presentations
Lead-in
STOP AND THINK!

How can one prepare before a presentation?
Why do you think some people are afraid of public speaking? How can they overcome this fear?
1.1.
Reading comprehension
Read the following article about business presentations. Some sentences have been
removed from the text. Choose from sentences A- K the one which fits each gap (1-10).
There is one sentence which you do not need to use. (Remember the tips?)
Effective Public Speaking in Business Presentations
By Doug Staneart
Right or wrong, people form a perception about how competent you are by how you present
yourself when you stand and speak. 1____ In fact, public speaking is an easy way to set
yourself apart from your competition, because when you stand up and say what you want to
say, the way that you want to say it, you are doing what 95% of the people in the audience wish
they could do. A person who is confident in front of a group gives off an air of competence,
whereas a person who fumbles might leave a negative impression.
When I was in college, I had an internship with a major oil company, and at the end of the
summer, I had to present a summary of my internship to a group of department managers and
vice-presidents. 2____ Many of the other interns were graduate students who were much more
comfortable in front of a group. When I spoke, I could feel the sweat beads on my forehead, and
I could see my hands shaking. The butterflies in my stomach were uncontrollable. After the
presentation, I asked myself, "If I were the decision-maker in that room, and I only had one
permanent position to offer, would I choose me?" 3____ Over the next few years, I trained with
some of the most successful public speaking coaches in the country. 4____ Below are some of
the great public speaking tips that I have found that really work.
Realize 90% of nervousness doesn't even show. The audience usually can't see the
butterflies, or shaky hands, or sweaty palms. The problem occurs when we start thinking
about these symptoms rather than focusing on the audience and our topic. 5____ Focus on
them and two things will happen: 1) they will like you more, and 2) much of the nervousness
that you feel will go away.
Add some enthusiasm to your talk. Your audience will never be more excited about your talk
than you are, so give them some energy, and they will give it back to you. Walk about a half
step faster. Smile. Let your gestures and voice emphasis come naturally. 6____
23
Limit your talk to a few key points. Narrow down your topic to either one key point for a short
talk, or three key points for a longer talk (a talk longer than 30-minutes.) Ask yourself, "If my
audience only remembered one thing from my talk, what would be most important thing for
them to remember?" 7____ For instance, think of the Statue of Liberty. What do you see?
You probably see a picture in your mind of the statue. Now think of a pink elephant. Again,
you probably see a picture in your mind, but the important question iswhere did the statue
go? Your mind can only truly focus on one thing at a time. 8____ The more points your
presentation has, the less focus the audience will have on each individual point. Once you
have your key points, then create your PowerPoint slides. That will keep you from having
hundreds of PowerPoint slides.
Tell stories. Don't tell little white lies, but do tell anecdotes and personal experiences. Stories
build rapport with your audience, and they give you more credibility. Your audience will
remember your stories a lot longer than they will remember your talking points. 9____ Kids
in town made fun of him, but Les found out that this man's house had caught on fire, and his
two baby girls died in the blaze. The man attempted to go in and save them many times, but
the heat was too great. When his brother-in-law showed up, he verbally assaulted the man
calling him a chicken for not going in to save his girls. 10____ I heard this story years ago,
and I can't remember the specific point Les Brown was making on stage. I do remember the
"chicken-man," though, and I frequently think about how I should get all the facts before
passing judgment on people. Les Brown's stories have longevity, and your stories will have
that type of impact as well.
When in doubt, speak from the heart. Let your audience see the real you, and you will have a
great speaking performance.
(adapted and abridged from http://www.leadersinstitute.com/articles/effective_ public_ speaking_in_
business_presentations.html)
A. Since then, I have spoken before thousands of people, and coached hundreds of managers,
executives, and other leaders on how to present more effectively to groups.
B. I was the youngest person in the room, just 20.
C. I heard Les Brown, a famous motivational speaker, years ago, and he told a story about how
a man in his hometown went around the town square holding two baby dolls and squawking like
a chicken.
D. The reason this is so important is that the human mind likes to think of only one thing at a
time.
E. By human nature, most people are focused on themselves not on you.
F. Ever since then, the man has not spoken a word -- instead he just clucks like a chicken.
G. They also form perceptions about the company you represent based on your performance.
H. I thought they would.
I. As you add additional points, each previous point will become diluted.
J. Don't over do it, but give more energy than what you normally would.
K. I had to answer "no."
1.2.
English in use
1.2.1. Read the article below and fill in the gaps with ONE word. (Remember the
tips?)
24
15 Strategies for Giving Oral Presentations

Lynn F. Jacobs, Jeremy S. Hyman
More 1 ___ death and taxes, the thing people fear most is speaking 2 ___ public. Needless to
say, college students are not immune 3 ___ this terror, which, for you psychology hounds, even
has a 4 ___: glossophobia. Unfortunately, in college, its not always so easy to avoid public
speaking. Some schools have required courses in speech. And even in colleges 5 ___ speech
isnt a subject, there often is a broad variety of courses that incorporate presentations or
reportsand sometimes full-length seminarsinto the regular class activities. Still, theres 6 ___
need to lose your breakfast (or lunch or dinner) 7 ___ your upcoming presentation. Our 15 tips
for improving your public speaking will make even a garden-variety speaker into a real Cicero:
1. Do your homework. Nobody 8 ___ give a good presentation 9 ___ putting in some serious
time preparing remarks. Many gifted speakers look as if theyre just talking off the cuff, saying
10 ___ comes to mind. But, in truth, theyve spent considerable time figuring out what theyre
going to say. You should, too.
4-Star Tip. Its always a good idea to try out your presentation on your professor 11 ___ giving it
in class. Office hours work well for this.
2. Play the parts. Good presentations are structured in sections. Many presentations need only
two or three main points. Organizing your points 12 ___ a few main parts and telling your
audience 13 ___ these parts are both before and as you go through your presentation can
be the difference 14 ___ a winning presentation and a loser.
3. Do a dry run. Its always good to do a run-through (or even a couple of run-throughs) the
night 15 ___ the presentation. This can help 16 ___ both your timing and your manner of
presentation. Be sure to make mental notes if you went on 17 ___ long or got nervous or stuck.
Some people find it useful to have a friend pretend to be the audience: He or she can build up
your confidence and maybe even ask a question or two.
4. Look presentable. No need to wear a suit, but its hard for people to take a presentation
seriously when you look like someone 18 ___ just rolled out of bed.
5. Talk; dont read. Nobody enjoys seeing a speaker burying his or her face in a script, reading
stiffly 19 ___ a piece of paper. Try to talk from notes, or, if you use a written-out text, try to look
down 20 ___ it only occasionally. Its less important that you capture the text word for word than
that you present the main ideas in a natural and relaxed way.
6. Take it slow. The single biggest mistake inexperienced speakers make is going too fast.
Remember that your audience hears the material for the first time and isnt nearly as familiar 21
___ the topic as you are.
Extra Pointer. If you find yourself running 22 ___ of time, either drop or briefly summarize any
leftover material. If your presentation includes a discussion period, gesture at the points you
havent fully covered and suggest them as things that could be discussed later.
7. Use aids. For certain sorts of presentations, visual 23 ___ such as PowerPoints, handouts,
even things written on the board can help your audience locate and grasp the main points.
25
Just be sure to explain these materials fully in your presentation: No one is happy to see an
outline that cant be made heads or 24 ___ of.
8. Dont bury the crowd. Including massive numbers of quotations or unfathomable amounts of
data can overwhelm even the 25 ___ attentive audience.
9. Be yourself. As important 26 ___ the content you present is your authenticity in presenting it,
so dont try to be someone youre not. Youll never succeed.
10. Play it straight. Theres 27 ___ harm in including a little humor in your presentations,
especially if you can carry it off well. But in most college presentations, clowns will get Cs.
11. Circle the crowd. A very important part of public speaking is to make 28 ___ contact with
people seated in all parts of the room even those nodding off in the back. That shows people
that youre interested 29 ___ communicating with them not just getting 30 ___ this experience
as quickly as possible. And it wouldnt hurt to go out from in back of the podium or desk and
walk around the room a little. Sharing space with the audience can also communicate your
interest in sharing your results 31 ___ them, something you surely want to do.
12. Appear relaxed. You dont have to actually be relaxedfew speakers are but at least try
to appear as relaxed as possible. Bring along some water or a drink, take short 32 ___ from
time to time, and think pleasant thoughts. No one enjoys speakers 33 ___ are trembling and
sweating bullets.
13. Finish strong. Always be sure to have a satisfying conclusion 34 ___ your presentation in
35 ___ you make clear to the listeners what they now know. It creates a warm feeling in the
minds of your listeners and shows them that theyve really learned something from your talk
which they probably have.
14. Welcome interruptions. Some speakers are terrified that someone will interrupt them 36
___ a question or comment. Actually, this is one of the 37 ___ things that can happen, because
it shows that someone in the audience has engaged 38 ___ what youre saying, and, if you
have the time to offer a brief response, it can actually lead to genuine progress on the point you
were making. And two-way conversation (assuming youre minimally good at it) is always a
tension-reducer.
15. Know when to stop lecturing. Certain presentations especially in advanced or upperdivision classes or seminars can require you to present some material, then lead a discussion.
Be sure to attentively listen 39 ___ any comments or questions your classmates might raise 40
___ starting on your answer. And in a discussion period, never lecture (only discuss), and be
sure to answer exactly the question asked. In many classes, how you discuss is as important as
how you present.
(adapted from http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/professors-guide/2010/02/24/15-strategies-forgiving-oral-presentations)
26

Study the following phrases.
a nervous wreck (informal) very upset and worried

jump in interrupt somebody while they are talking
lose sight of sth forget an important fact about a situation
nod off (informal) to fall asleep
nothing could be further from the truth used to emphasize that something is definitely
not true
pare sth down to reduce something, especially by making a lot of small reductions
sit through sth to attend a meeting, performance etc. and stay until the end, even if it is
long and boring
set in if something sets in, especially something unpleasant, it begins and seems likely to
continue for a long time
(talk) at cross purposes if two people are at cross purposes they do not understand each
other because they are talking about different things but fail to realize this
the presentation (achievement) of ones life the most remarkable/the best achievement
of ones life ones best possible achievement
Use the phrases above to fill in the gaps in the following text:
We had to 1 ___ Robs disastrous presentation to the group today. We were overloaded with
information, and he completely 2 ___ the main points; he should 3 ___ it ___. He thought a
good powerpoint would compensate for poor presentation skills, but nothing could have been 4
___. Most of the time he spoke too slowly (one or two people were 5 ___). Then Dr Jones
asked him a tricky question and you could see the panic 6 ___. When Elaine asked about
projected sales he 7 ___ before shed finished, and they ended up 8 ___. He was hoping it
would be the presentation 9 ___, but instead he ended up a 10 ___.
2. First meetings
STOP AND THINK!

What factors can influence the success of a first meeting?
2.1. Reading comprehension

below the text. They are lettered A to L. Read the text and fill in the blanks numbered 1 to
10 with the corresponding missing parts A to L. There are two letters that you do not
need.
27
What to Say When Meeting Someone for the First Time

It can be quite a nervous time when you are meeting someone new and often people can
wonder what they should say. It doesn't matter if it is a date, a new work colleague, a business
meeting or someone you meet in a social situation, you can find yourself stuck for what to say
when meeting someone for the first time. However, 1 ____ and begin a relationship on good
terms.
The greeting
The first thing to do when meeting someone is to smile and greet them, telling them your name.
A smile will relax you as well as making you appear friendly and open, so the other person also
relaxes and 2 ___.
You should say your name (probably just your first name unless it is a business situation).
Again, this relaxes you and the other person because it makes you appear open and 3 ___. It
doesn't matter that they may well forget your name later; you made yourself appear open to
them.
Use the situation
You have met together for a purpose, whether that is a meeting, a party, or whatever. You can
find some connection between you to talk about in that. If you are at a company meeting you 4
___. Or at a party you might ask how they know the host.
Beyond that, you could use your physical surroundings to find something to talk about. So you
may ask about the other person's journey or remark upon the decor etc. Ask their opinion about
something and show that you are interested in what they think.
Keep it light
Keep your comments light and positive and you should get a response that is also in the same
manner. Don't voice 5 ___ until you know the person better as it is possible you could offend
them. Keep controversial conversation topics for a later meeting.
Relax
You have reason to be confident when meeting someone for the first time because in this
situation they have never met you either. You are equals, both in the same position in that
respect.
Even though you have to be a little careful not to offend people, don't feel you need to put on an
act. It is the real you 6 ___ if you are to have a lasting and positive relationship so that is what
you should present to them.
Use your manners
Even if you have offended someone on a first meeting, you can rescue the situation so there is
no need to panic about it. Simply apologize and let it be known that 7 ___. If people can see
that your apology is sincere and that you meant no offence, the vast majority of people will be
fine with your apology and not hold a grudge against you.
Don't outstay your welcome
If you are meeting someone for the first time, 8 ___, or at least work out some kind of exit
strategy if the meeting is not going well. Often, this is simple; all you have to do is say that you
need to go talk to a friend you have just spotted across the room.
Be sure to thank them for their time in speaking with you and 9 ___ and the door is open for you
to go back to talk with them again.
28
So, what to say when meeting someone for the first time should be light, open and friendly. It
should 10 ___. It is enough to smile and be open and interested in the other person and make
light conversation about the situation that brings you together.
(adapted from http://ezinearticles.com/?What-to-Say-When-Meeting-Someone-For-the-FirstTime&id=4343369)
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
that you need the other person to connect with and to like
feels more happily disposed toward you
could ask how long the other person has worked for the company
it is out of your reach
you may well want to keep the meeting quite short
not probe too deeply into personal issues nor disclose too much of yourself
any particularly strong opinions
all of these situations offer you opportunities to strike up a conversation
leave on good terms so they are left with a good impression of you
nothing bad can happen
it connects the two of you
it was not your intention to cause offence
2.2 Vocabulary development

2.2.1. Study the following phrases.
a meeting of minds a situation in which people have similar ideas and opinions
be on the same wavelength (informal) think in a similar way about sth
be struck by sb/sth (informal) be impressed by or interested in sth
(feel) at home (feel) comfortable and relaxed
make sth of sb/sth understand or regard sb or sth in a particular way
my heart was in my mouth used to say you felt very nervous or frightened about sth
play it by ear deal with a situation by reacting as things happen rather than having a plan
(right) from the word go (right) from the beginning
to start/begin with at the beginning
with open arms welcome sb in a very affectionate and enthusiastic way
Use the phrases above to fill in the gaps in the following text:
When I met my new boss, it wasnt exactly 1 ___. I didnt know what 2 ___ him really, and 3
___, I just had to 4 ___. But were OK now.
My first host family are fantastic! We got on really well 5 ___ . They welcomed me 6 ___, and I 7
___ almost immediately.
I met my boyfriend on the Internet and I reckoned wed 8 ___. But as I was driving to meet him
in person, 9 ___. He was lovely, though, and I 10 ___ his quirky sense of fun immediately.
2.2.2. Replace the underlined word/phrases with another word/phrase that has the same
meaning.
1. Hows life?
29
2. They were very unwilling to leave.

3. She recognizes and is grateful for everything youve done.
4. In the beginning it was a difficult relationship.
5. He is prepared to take responsibility for what happened.
6. There is widespread admiration for what he has achieved.
7. Weve had good times and bad times in our relationship.
8. I had a tough time last year but things are improving now.
9. I like the situation as it is.
10. Because of the special connection parents have with their children, they often give up many
important things for them.
3. Business meetings
3.1. Read the following text about meetings. Some of the underlined parts are correct;
some have a mistake in them (a grammar mistake, a vocabulary mistake, a spelling
mistake, a missing word, an unnecessary word, and inappropriateness in the context).
Identify the mistakes and correct them.
TIPS TO HELP YOU!
How can you know what is wrong? What should you do?
- read the sentences carefully and concentrate on spelling, the meaning of words, word order,
agreement between subject and predicate, tenses, etc;
- do not ignore logical meaning.
Why are you presenting?

This is the first thing that 1. you will need asking yourself. Why are you presenting? Is 2. it an
important message to give or are you simply making up numbers? Are you looking 3. to rise
your personal profile or are you standing in for someone who has dropped out? Are you
comfortable 4. with your subject matter or have you been given the topic of the presentation? If
you have serious doubts now is the time to start 5. to consider if you need to be speaking or if
you can start to change the topic of the presentation.
Block out some time in your diary.
This is one of 6. the most commonly mistakes that we see a lot of. For an important business
presentation, we suggest 7. that you block out around 20 hours of your time. This is how much
time it will take to do a good job - in research, planning and most importantly in rehearsing. 8. If
you haven't got that much space in the diary then you will simply have to move something out,
or you 9. will must work in evenings or weekends. This is what most of us end up doing.
Your competitive advantage
We have 10. sat in thousands of business presentations - and many can be quite boring affairs.
The one common factor that we see a lot is bullet points. These are 11. a very uneffective way
of communicating. If there is only one piece of advice that you could follow from this site - it
would be to use pictures rather than bullet points. Business research shows 12. that the
30
chances of achieving your objectives increase from around 33% up to around 66%. And that is
a major competitive advantage.
Rehearsing
This is an absolute must. You may be 13. quick-witted and like to ad lib, but I'll tell you one
thing. Learn 14. your speech word with for word and you will be able to ad lib better! Remember
the comedian Frankie Howard with his bumbling delivery - "ooh now where was I?" Every one of
those remarks 15. was carefully scripted and practised for hours in front of a mirror.
3.2. Fill in the gaps in the text below with the most appropriate words or phrases in the
following box.
irrelevant issues
all the way up to
evidence
fall apart
lifeblood
shapes and sizes
on average
effective project coordination
more than enough

any clear result
Business Meetings that Matter - it's Possible!

Meetings come in all 1. ___. There are the everyday office meetings, board meetings, seminars
2. ___ major conferences. And meetings can now be face-to-face, teleconference,
videoconference, or online via the Internet. And when is the last time you heard someone say,
"Gee, we need to have more meetings."? There are 3. ___ meetings to go around these days,
and for a good reason. Meetings are more important than ever. Modern workplaces are built on
teams, sharing of ideas, and 4. ___.
If communication is the 5. ___ of any organization, then meetings are the heart and mind. The
place where we communicate our ideas, hash them out, share our passion for better or worse,
develop new understandings and new directions. It's where deals can happen or 6. ___, where
strategies are articulated and debated -- in short -- where we engage with others. That's what
it's all about, people meeting with people.
Survey results published by the Annenberg School of Communications at UCLA and the
University of Minnesota's Training & Development Research Center show that executives 7.
___ spend 40%-50% of their working hours in business meetings. Further 8. ___ of the
pervasiveness of meetings comes from a recent issue of Fast Company magazine, where
organizational psychologist Jon Ryburg says he advises corporate clients to provide twice as
much meeting space as they did 20 years ago.
How to Plan a Meeting
Studies also point out a discouraging trend: Surveyed professionals agree that as much as 50%
of that meeting time is unproductive and that up to 25% of meeting time is spent discussing 9.
___. Typically, they complain that meetings are too long, are scheduled without adequate time
to prepare and end without 10. ___.
3.3. Fill in the gaps in the following text with a word derived from the word given in
brackets. (Remember the tips?)
Most of us have been to seminars or conferences where we've left feeling inspired and 1. ___
(JUVENILE). But how many of us have ever left everyday meetings feeling the same way.
Rarely, no doubt. The reason is that good seminars and conferences are organized precisely to
engage us. Sadly, most office meetings are not.
31
Believe it or not, meetings can and should be the most 2. ___ (INTEREST) and 3. ___
(PRODUCE) part of your day. And if you've ever been to a great conference or seminar, you
already have seen some of the basic principles at work. These can be 4. ___ (SUMMARY) as:
1) preparation
2) facilitation
3) inspiration
4) results
Preparation means making sure your meeting has a clear, stated purpose, and an agenda.
Participants are chosen carefully, invited in 5. ___ (PROFESSION) way and given sufficient
prior information. Preparation also means attention to details including: room 6. ___ (BOOK),
catering, a/v equipment, 7. ____ (MIND).
Facilitation means that someone or a team is responsible for guiding the meeting, a plan for the
meeting is reflected in the agenda and the facilitator (or chair) keeps things on time and on
track.
Inspiration is probably the most 8. ___ (LOOK) aspect of everyday meetings. All the attention to
detail and process can push the opportunity for 9. ___ (SPONTANEOUS) and enthusiasm
aside. Build in activites that engage participants, use strategies to generate discussion, or visual
aids to grab attention.
Results means that every meeting should be directed toward one or more 10. ___ (COME).
Participants must feel that something has been accomplished, and they must see all of their
meetings as part of the bigger strategy to involve them in the future of the organization.
Achievements at one meeting should be recapped in the next, and so on.
Study the following phrases.
forge ahead (with sth) make strong and steady progress with sth
hold the floor speak during a discussion, especially for a long time so that nobody
else can speak
in dribs and drabs gradually and in small amounts or numbers
lay sth down officially state rules, principles, etc. that people must obey or follow
leave sth hanging fail to make a definite decision or statement about sth
ramble on (informal) speak about sth for a long time in a boring or confusing way
run over continue for longer than planned
rush into sth do something without thinking carefully about it first
throw sth together make or produce sth in a hurry
to the detriment of sth/sb resulting in harm or damage to sth/sb
Use the phrases above to fill in the gaps in the following text.
The chairperson may be responsible when a meeting goes badly. Heres why:
- Participants are allowed to arrive 1 ___.
- They dont know whats happening because the chairperson has 2 ___ the agenda at
the last minute and hasnt 3 ___ clear rules for the conduct of the meeting.
- Without firm guidance from the chair, one or two people may 4 ___ and 5 ___ for ages,
and as a result, the meeting 6 ___ with nothing achieved.
- Poor time management may mean people 7 ___ decisions, or that decisions are 8 ___.
- One person at the meeting (often the chairperson) 9 ___ their own agenda, 10 ___ the
meeting and the other participants.
32
ATTENTION!
Do not forget that any text should have an introductory part, a body and a conclusion. Each new
idea should be approached in a distinct paragraph and illustrated by details and relevant
examples. Short and clear sentences are always more convincing than the long but incoherent
ones. Organise your paragraphs in a logical sequence. Consider who you are addressing and
adopt the required register: formal or informal. Once you have decided on the register, be
consistent! Pay attention to the length of your paper. If you write significantly more than 300
words, you might have referred to irrelevant aspects. If you write less, your paper might be
incomplete.
Write sentences of your own to illustrate the meaning of the phrases given in tasks 1.3 (page
28), 2.2.1 (page 30), and 3.4 (page 33). You should submit your homework electronically
(adriana.fekete@lingua.ubbcluj.ro). (type of document: Word). Do not send material
downloaded from the Internet.
Deadline: 10 December
33
UNIT 3 COMPANY STRUCTURE

Students should be able to use the vocabulary under COMPANY STRUCTURE to communicate about:
Business aims of companies

Business activities of companies (according to the type of work they are involved with)
Types of companies general characteristics
Types of organisations by size
Internal structure of companies
Corporate culture
acquisition noun [C,U]

affiliate noun [C]
agency noun [C]
alliance noun [C]
annual general meeting noun [C]
associate adjective
authority noun [C]
blue chip company noun [C]
branch noun [C]
brokerage noun [C]
bureau noun [C]
buy sb out phrasal verb [M]
chamber of commerce noun [C]
clearing house noun [C]
client noun [C]
clientele group noun [S]
Co. noun [U]
commercial adjective
consultancy noun
Corp. noun [C]
corporate adjective
counterpart noun [C]
daughter company noun [C]
department noun [C]
division noun [C]
e-business noun [C, U]
enterprise noun
Est. adjective
establishment noun [C]
expand verb [I,T]
family business noun [C]
fellow noun [C]
firm noun [C]
franchise noun [C]
head office group noun [C]
human resources plural noun
Incorporated adjective
joint venture noun [C]
make a takeover bid for sth
manufacturers plural noun
merger noun [C]

monopoly noun [C or S]
multinational noun [C]
NGO noun [C]
office noun [C, U]
offshore adjective
parent company noun [C]
partnership noun
personnel group noun [U]
plc, PLC noun [C]
position noun [C]
private adjective
proprietor noun [C]
public company/corporation/enterprise
noun [C]
public utility noun [C]
run a business verb [I]
sister company noun [C]
small business noun [C]
spokesman noun [C]
stakeholder society noun [C]
status noun [U]
strategic alliance noun [C]
subordinate adjective
subsidiary noun [C]
SWOT noun [U]
syndicate noun [C]
tender noun [C]
tertiary adjective
trade verb [I, T]
transact verb [T] FORMAL
trust company noun [C]
unlimited company noun [C]
venture noun [C]
34
UNIT THREE THE STRUCTURE OF THE FIRM

1. Types of Businesses
1.1. Lead-in
STOP AND THINK!

What makes a successful businessman/woman in your country?
1.2. Reading
Read the following text and fill in the gaps with ONE word. (Remember the tips?)
Types of Companies under the Companies Act UK
Legislation governing Companies
The internal governance procedures and management, rights of shareholders and duties and
responsibilities of company officers are governed 1 ___ the Companies Act 2 ___ 1985.
Registering a Company
To register a company, the required documents must be filed and certain conditions imposed by
the Registrar of Companies satisfied. A certificate of incorporation will then be issued and the
company brought 3 ___ existence. A companys first shareholders are subscribers and can be
natural persons or other companies.
Incorporation Documents
The documents which must be filed include, importantly, the memorandum of association and
the articles of association. The memorandum lists the company name, its objects, the country of
its registered office, the liability of its shareholders and the share capital. The articles list the
company regulations and rules 4 ___ the internal administration.
After the certificate of incorporation is issued, the company is considered as registered and can
commence trading. A public limited company must 5 ___ specific capital requirements before it
can commence business. A private limited company requires only one member, whereas a
public limited company requires a minimum of two.
Classification of Companies
The Companies Act broadly categorises companies as either public 6 ___ private companies.
There are three categories of liability of the company shareholders, which refer to their liability
for the companys debts if or when it enters liquidation:
Shareholders' liability for companies limited by shares is limited to any amount still owing to the
company for their shares. This is referred to as 'limited liability' and is the 7 ___ popular form of
company, as the directors and shareholders do not become personally liable for the debts and
conduct of the company, except in special circumstances.
35
For companies limited by guarantee, members liability is limited to their undertaking to pay
certain sums on its winding 8 ___, and unlimited companies offer no protection to shareholders
for company debts.
Moving on from these basic models for shareholders' liability, the Companies Act permits
incorporation of private companies limited by shares; public companies limited by shares;
private companies limited by guarantee and private unlimited companies.
Private Companies
Private companies are defined by reference to public limited companies. All companies that are
not public companies are private companies. A private company is not permitted to offer its
shares to the public. Due 9 ___ the capitalisation requirements, the vehicle tends to be used for
smaller businesses.
Where a private company is limited by its shares, shareholders are liable to contribute to the
assets any unpaid amount on shares issued to that shareholder. The nominal value of the
shares, including premiums payable on subscription, determines the amount 10 ___ is payable.
The memorandum of association has to be generally in the form prescribed by the Secretary of
State.
Where a private company is limited 11 ___ guarantee, shareholders will be liable to contribute
to the assets of the company the amount required for payment of the companys debts and
costs of winding up, up to the maximum set out in the memorandum. This is usually 1.
Public Companies
A public company must be limited by shares; the memorandum must explicitly state that 12 ___
is a public company. The name must end with public limited company or the abbreviation
"PLC". The share capital must not be less 13 ___ 50,000. At least one-quarter of each shares
nominal value and the whole of any premium on it must be paid before it can be allotted. If there
are less than two shareholders of the company for more than six months, the single member will
be jointly and severally liable with the company for its debts, thus limited liability protection 14
___ be lost, as the company does not satisfy the requirements of the Act. The Stock Exchange
may deal with the shares of a public company, or the Alternative Investment Market. Such
companies are described as publicly quoted, publicly traded or listed companies.
Unlimited Companies
A member of such a company has no limit on their liability for a companys debts and
obligations if it becomes insolvent. Shareholders may not 15 ___ sued by creditors, who must
petition for the winding up of the company. Any share capital must be stated in the articles of
association.
Overseas Companies
This is where the company has been incorporated 16 ___ than in Great Britain, though has an
established business in Great Britain. The provision contained in the Act includes those
concerning their constitution and officers and an address for service within the jurisdiction, the
preparation and delivery of accounts, and the registration of charges over property.
36
The formation of a company for most trading enterprises means forming a company limited by
shares.
http://www.gillhams.com/articles/135.cfm

1.3.1. Match the following words from the text with the correct definitions:
1. jurisdiction
2. partnership
3. capital
4. liability
5. insolvent
6. to petition
7. memorandum
8. to incorporate
9. shareholder
10. severally
11. to allot
a. (legal) responsibility
b. the right to use an official power to make legal decisions, or
the area where this right exists
c. to use a particular amount of time for something, or give a
particular share of money, space etc to someone or
something
d. not having enough money to pay what you owe
e. to include something as part of a group, system, plan etc
f. two or more owners who have agreed to divide, in some
proportion, the risks taken and the profits earned by the firm
g. to ask the government or an organization to do something by
sending them a petition; to make a formal request to
someone in authority, to a court of law, or to God
h. money or property, especially when it is used to start a
business or to produce more wealth:
i. differently and separately
j. a short legal document that contains the important details of
an agreement
k. person that owns shares/ stocks
1.3.2. Notice the difference: Own/ owe

Own: possess; have possession of, be in possession of, be the owner of, hold
Owe: be indebted, be in debt, be obliged, have a loan from
1.3.3. Notice how the following words are formed:
Proprietorship, partnership, ownership: ~ + ship
Liability, responsibility < liable, responsible ~ + ty
Savings, belongings: verb + ing(s)
Unlimited: un + adj
1.3.4. Complete the sentences by changing the form of the word in capitals. (Remember
the tips?)
1. How dare they ___ blame without knowing all the facts first?
PORTION
2. At the ___ of summer, the temperature can reach 500C.
HIGH
3. Id like to make a ___ from my bank account, please.
DRAW
4. Doris Carter, who is 107 today, puts her ___ down to having a loving family, and seven cups
of tea a day.
LONG
5. A ___ of residents now support the proposal to build a new roundabout in the town centre.
MAJOR
6. What ___ strength do those binoculars have?
MAGNIFY
7. We took out a loan from the bank, so were going to have to make monthly ___ for the next
five years.
PAY
37
8. Liskeard and Callington are basically ___ from here, so itll take about the same time to get to
either of them.
DISTANT
9. Their help was hugely ___.
BENEFIT
10. Please keep e-mails short. ___ makes everyones lives easier.
BRIEF
11. The schools football pitch has been ___ over the summer to conform to new national
standards.
LONG
12. I dont want to ___ the agony for you, but Im afraid youll have to wait another two days to
know how much money youve won.
LONG
1.4. Functions
Presenting information
Im going to talk about.
First of all, lets look at.
After that.
As you can see from the bar graph
Now, if we turn to..
Now, turning to.
Finally , lets look at.
In conclusion..
So, to conclude.
2. The place of work

2.1. Lead-in
STOP AND THINK!

What jobs will disappear in the future? Why?
What are the factors that contribute to job satisfaction?
2.2. Reading
below the text. They are lettered A to I. Read the text and fill in the blanks numbered 1 to
8 with the corresponding missing parts A to I. There is one letter that you do not need.
(Remember the tips?)
The Natural Productivity Cycle

In your personal life, when attending to business or working on side projects, how often do you
spend 8 consecutive hours in front of a computer? It doesnt make sense because 1 ___.
Everyone goes through alternating periods of high and low mental acuity. There are days when
I work on personal projects for well over 8 hours, but the time is always divided into multiple
sessions. I might spend a few hours coding a design, a few hours writing, and a few hours
reading feeds, moderating comments, and responding to email.
I work this way because 2 ___. Any more than 3 hours in front of a computer and my eyes start
hurting and I become restless. I lose the ability to do my best work. Instead of forcing myself to
38
continue, 3 ___. These breaks maximize productivity by eliminating down periods. Its counter
productive to force work when the mental energy isnt there.
The Problem with an 8 Hour Work Day
A continuous 8 hour work day is a relic of the past. It makes sense for physical labour and
manufacturing work, but with information workers it 4 ___. The ability of a factory worker to think
analytically is irrelevant, hes either cranking widgets or he isnt.
In the case of the modern information worker, nearly all tasks involve creative or strategic
thinking. The way someone answers an email or interprets a piece of information can differ
drastically depending on his or her energy level. Nobody does their best work 5:30 in the
afternoon after 5 ___
I cant speak for all workers, but Ive observed that productivity levels generally peak twice a day
first thing in the morning and shortly after lunch. The most productive period is the beginning
of the day. People are capable of creative tasks like writing and solving complex technical
problems. After a couple hours of intense work, 6 ___ like responding to email and tinkering
with existing creations. Towards the end of the cycle, the mind is so cluttered and drained that
workers resort to work related activities that appear productive but dont contribute to the
bottom line. The afternoon cycle is similar but the productivity peak isnt as high. For different
people the peaks and valleys will vary, but 7 ___
This number isnt caused by slacking. You cant force an information worker to be highly
productive when the energy isnt there. Workers can try their hardest, but the work just wont
have that creative edge. The low ratio of highly productive hours to total hours worked is the
result 8 ____.
When workers reach the low energy part of the cycle, they cant recharge with a non-work
activity. The only option is office purgatory. You cant be highly productive because youre
mentally fatigued, but you cant recharge because the 8 hour work day requires the appearance
of constant productivity. The result is millions of unproductive workers trapped at their desks
when theyd rather be doing something else.
A energy levels drop and workers downgrade to less demanding tasks
B we lose the ability to concentrate effectively within a few hours.
C doesnt account for the mental energy cycle.
D overall Id estimate only 3-4 hours a day could be classified as highly productive.
E I switch to an activity that allows my mind to recharge.
F of the continuous 8 hour work day.
G the environment has become more accommodating.
H it aligns with my mental energy cycle
I theyve been sucking down coffee all day to stay awake.
2.3. Language in use
Fill in the gaps in the following text with ONE word. (Remember the tips?)
Alternative Work Arrangements
The obvious solution 1 ___ this problem is planning around the mental energy cycle 2 ___
breaking the work day into multiple segments. The traditional office setting doesnt
accommodate this because there are few available recharge activities. People cant 3 ___
household chores, run errands, or engage in recreational activities without leaving the
workplace.
39
Some companies have tried to make the work environment 4___ accommodating by offering
meals, fitness centres, and special areas 5 ___ relaxation. Although these amenities are
certainly an improvement, theyre expensive for employers and only partially satisfy employees.
The solution that 6 ___ the most sense is a remote work arrangement because it reduces
employer costs and allows employees to adjust their work schedule 7 ___ their mental energy
cycle. When a worker becomes mentally fatigued, they can go off the clock and engage 8 ___
recharge activities that are personally productive like exercise or relaxation. When energy
returns, the worker can start working again 9 ___ a high level, effectively cutting 10 ___ the low
productivity period of the cycle. Employers dont pay for unproductive time and employees get to
work in a more natural pattern that adjusts to their personal lives.
Why isnt everyone doing this already? Many workers already are, and 11 ___ commutes get
worse and communications improve, the number will continue to increase. Of course there will
always be a need 12 ___ office workers in businesses (like doctors offices and law firms) that
require daily customer interaction, but for most companies it really isnt necessary.
There is also the argument that people need to collaborate 13 ___ person. This is steadily
becoming less essential. Most office communications are already done through email 14 ___
instant messenger. Face to face meetings are certainly necessary, but for the vast majority of
lower and mid level employees meetings are the exception and could be conducted via
phone/video conference or condensed into one or two days 15 ___ week.
Another common objection is that employees will abuse remote work arrangements by slacking
off. Im inclined to believe that most adults value their employment enough that this isnt a
problem. In cases where supervision is required, web cams and other technology can 16 ___
used to monitor a worker.
I suspect the real reason remote work arrangements are still the exception is inertia. Companies
are used to doing business in the office and are reluctant to change. There is also the presence
of office politics. If one person is given a remote arrangement, jealous employees will complain.
Doesnt it make sense to give everyone what they want and save a boat load of cash on office
space?
I may only be a kid in his 20s, but I can tell when something just makes sense. I perceive an
increasing number of people are noticing the same phenomena. Forty years from now well be
telling our grandchildren about the olden days when everyones mommy and daddy went to
work in an office.
(http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/why-the-9-to-5-office-worker-will-become-a-thing-of-the-past/)

2.4.1. Match to make sentences.
1. I put a lot of effort
2. Theyve made their decision
3. Its not in your interest to
4. The secretarys kept me
5. I dont know why you didnt apply
6. I think were all in agreement
7. Deans been out
8. The shop hasnt been in
9. Im glad youre finally taking an interest
10. Jason lives fairly near his place of
A on hold for ages.

B about whos going to get promoted.
C of work for over two months now.
D into writing this report.
E business along.
F in your work.
G for that position.
H accept a pay cut.
I work, doesnt he?
J on this, arent we?
40
Although a certain percentage of graduates will still be 1 ___ (EMPLOY) six months after
leaving university, the majority will have found 2 ___ (EMPLOY) by then. Many of these will
even have been offered a job while at university, as a result of visiting a job fair. Job fairs are
held at many universities each year. Companies come along to advertise jobs, which are usually
in 3 ___ (MANAGE), and the career structures and benefit packages that go with them. Job
fairs are an 4 ___ (EFFECT) way for undergraduates to find out what kind of job they might be
interested in. If you go to a job fair, dress 5 ___ (PROFESSION). Dont wear jeans and a T-shirt.
Wear a suit! You dont want to look 6 ___ (RESPONSIBLE) when you have your first 7 ___
(MEET) with your potential 8 ___ (EMPLOY). If youre interested in a job on offer, you may have
to fill out an 9 ___ (APPLY) form, so its 10 ___ (HELP) to take along relevant information with
you. Youll also need proof of all your 11 ___ (QUALIFY), so dont forget to take photocopies of
all your certificates with you.
2.5. Functions
Forecasting
Certainty
Will definitely+ vb.
I am sure that.
To be bound to
It certainly + vb.
Probability
Will probably
X should + vb.
X is likely to.
The likelihood is
that
Possibility
X could + vb.
Its possible we
X may + vb.
There might be
Theres just a
chance that.
Improbability
X is unlikely to
I doubt if.
3. Fund Raising
3.1. Lead-in
Consider the following questions:
Is it necessary for a company to have its own fund-raising policy?
Does a well-defined policy contribute to the success of the company in the business world?
3.2. Reading
Read the following text and fill in the gaps with ONE word.
Corporations How Corporations Raise Funds For Investment
1. By investing in new issues of a companys stock, shareholders provide the funds for a
company to begin new or expanded operations. However, most stock sales do not involve new
issues of stock. Instead, when someone 1 ___ owns stock decides to sell some or all of their
shares, that stock is typically traded on one of the national 2 ___ exchanges, which are
specialised markets for buying and selling stocks. In those transactions, the person who sells
the stock not the corporation whose stock is traded receives the funds from the sale.
2. An existing corporation that wants to secure funds to expand its operations has three options:
41
It can issue new shares of stock, using the process described earlier. That option will reduce the
share of the business that current stockholders 3 ___, so a majority of the current stockholders
have to approve the issue of new shares of stock. New issues are often approved because if
the expansion proves to be profitable, the current stockholders are likely to benefit 4 ___ higher
stock prices and increased dividends. Dividends are corporate profits that some companies
periodically pay out to shareholders.
3. The second way for a corporation to secure funds is by borrowing money from banks, from
other financial institutions, or from individuals. To do this the corporation often issues bonds,
which are legal obligations to repay the amount of money borrowed, plus interest, 5 ___ a
designated time. If a corporation goes out of business, it is legally required to pay 6 ___ any
bonds it has issued before any money is returned to stockholders. That means that stocks are
riskier investments than bonds. On the other hand, all a bondholder will ever receive is the
amount of money specified in the bond. Stockholders can enjoy much larger returns, if the
corporation is profitable.
4. The final way for a corporation to pay for new investments is by reinvesting some of the
profits it has earned. After paying taxes, profits are 7 ___ paid out to stockholders as dividends
or held as retained earnings to use in running and expanding the business. Those retained
earnings come 8 ___ the profits that belong to the stockholders, so reinvesting some of those
profits increases the value of what the stockholders own and have risked in the business, which
is known as stockholders equity. On the other hand, if the corporation incurs losses, the value
of what the stockholders own in the business goes down, so stockholders equity decreases.
( http://www.the-unitedstatesofamerica.com/admin/rechterframes/2704.htm)

3.3.1. Match the words with the correct definition:
1. issues (par. 1)
2. to incur (par. 4)
3. transaction (par. 1)
4. to secure (par. 2)
5. expansion (par. 2)
6. dividends (par. 2)
7. bonds (par. 3)
8. returns (par. 3)
9. profits (par. 4)
10. equity (par. 4)
a. corporate profits that some companies periodically pay out to

shareholders
b. legal obligations to repay the amount of money borrowed, plus
interest, at a designated time
c. the value of a property after you have taken away the amount
left to pay on the mortgage // the value of a companys shares
d. the action or process of buying and selling something
e. a set of things, for example shares in a company, that are
made available to people at a particular time
f. money that you make by selling something or from your
business, especially the money that remains after you have
paid all your business costs
g. to get money from a bank or from a person by promising to
give them goods or property if you cannot return the money
h. a profit on money that you have invested
i. the process of making a business, organisation, or activity
grow by including more people, moving into new areas, selling
more products etc.
j. to lose money, owe money, or have to pay money as a result
of doing something
42

1 ___ (WORK) at Shepparton Carpets Ltd voted today to continue with their industrial action.
Union leader Elaine Watkins issued a statement saying: Although we do not envisage an allout strike at this stage, everyone at the plant will continue to refuse to work 2 ___ (TIME) until
this dispute is settled. We urge (3) ___ (MANAGE) to reconsider their proposals. The industrial
action, which began three weeks ago, has affected 4 ___ (PRODUCE) at the factory. Joe
Turner, Managing Director of Shepparton Carpets, has, however, refused to bow to union
demands. If Shepparton Carpets wants to survive, it has to become more 5 ___ (COMPETE),
he said. It is my responsibility as an 6 ___ (EMPLOY) of over 500 7 ___ (EMPLOY) to ensure
this company continues to make a profit. 8 ___ (PERIOD), we have to make changes to
improve efficiency. If we dont, well be all out of a job. It may not be pleasant, but it is essential.
Some of the working practices at the factory are, frankly, 9 ___ (ANTIQUE) and totally 10 ___
(APPLY) to the modern world. I just wish the unions would work with me on this, rather than
fighting me every step of the way.
3.5. Functions
Trends
upward movement:
a rise
an increase
a climb
a jump
to rise
to increase, to go up
to climb
to jump
downward movement:
a fall
a drop
a decline
a decrease
to fall
to drop
to decline
to decrease
use of prepositions:
The percentage rose from.to.

The amount stood / stayed at
The figure rose by ..
There was a rise of.
contrast
contrast words or phrases: but, although, despite, in spite of the fact that, whereas, however,
nevertheless
in contrast (to).
On the other hand.
On the contrary
..while.
against.
compared to..
In comparison (to)
similarity
both..and.
likeX.
the same.
X is similar to..
Neither nor..
Similarly..
43
UNIT 4 BUSINESS ETHICS

Students should be able to use the vocabulary under BUSINESS ETHICS to communicate about:
Definition of business ethics

Importance of business ethics in todays business climate
Basic ethical considerations that a company needs to address
Codes of ethics
Unethical behaviour in the workplace
Training in business ethics
account verb
acid rain noun [U]
age discrimination
biodegradable adjective
bioethics noun [U]
biological control noun [U]
carbon tax noun [C]
conservation noun [U]
corporate social responsibility noun [C]
decontaminate verb [T]
deforest verb [T]
depopulate verb [T]
dumping noun [U]
emission noun
environment noun [C or U]
ethic noun [C]
global warming noun [U]
globalisation noun [U]
green adjective
integrity noun [U]
just adjective
life-support system noun [C]
litter verb [T]
moral adjective
natural resources noun

noise pollution noun [U]
norm noun [C usually plural]
nuclear waste noun [U]
oil slick noun [C]
overpopulated adjective
ozone noun [U]
poison verb [T]
pollute verb [T]
positive discrimination noun
precept noun [C] FORMAL
preservation noun [U]
principle noun [C or U]
protected adjective
race discrimination noun
recycle verb [T]
refuse dump noun [C]
reusable adjective
scrap yard noun [C]
smog noun [S or U]
social conscience noun [U]
the polluter pays principle
throwaway adjective
unethical adjective
44
UNIT FOUR BUSINESS ETHICS

1. Lead-in
STOP AND THINK!

What is business ethics?
Reflection topic
Business ethics is concerned with issues of morality in commercial decision making. Ethical
questions include the relationship between business and the environment, between companies
and their employees, product types, quality, pricing and many other aspects of business.
Categorise the following commercial practices using a scale from 1 to 5:
1 = acceptable in some circumstances
4 = usually unacceptable
2 = usually acceptable
5 = always unacceptable
3 = depends on situation
Do not forget to give reasons for your choices.
* manufacturing and selling cosmetics tested on animals
* making employees redundant without any warning
* making false claims of selling environmentally-friendly products when, in fact, they are harmful
for the environment
* employing illegal immigrants as cheap labour and depriving them of their legal rights
* doing business with companies which exploit children
* exaggerating your companys achievements in negotiations
* dropping your prices to force competitors out of the market.
2. English in use
2.1. You are going to read a text about business ethics. For each blank think of ONE word
that can best fit in the context.
e.g. 0 what
Let's Start With "What is ethics?"
Simply put, ethics involves learning 0 ___ is right or wrong, and then doing the right thing -- but
"the right thing" is not nearly 1 ___ straightforward as conveyed in a great deal of business
ethics literature. Most ethical dilemmas in the workplace are not simply a 2 ___ of "Should Bob
steal from Jack?" or "Should Jack lie to his boss?"
(Many ethicists assert there's always a right thing to 3 ___ based on moral principle, and others
believe the right thing to do depends on the situation -- ultimately it's 4 ___ to the individual.)
Many philosophers 5 ___ ethics to be the "science of conduct." Twin Cities consultants Doug
Wallace and John Pekel explain that ethics includes the fundamental ground 6 ___ by which we
live our lives. Philosophers have been discussing ethics for at 7 ___ 2500 years, since the time
45
of Socrates and Plato. Many ethicists consider emerging ethical beliefs to be "state of the art"
legal matters, i.e., what becomes an ethical guideline today is often translated to a law,
regulation or rule 8 ___ Values which guide how we ought to behave are considered moral
values, e.g., values such as respect, honesty, fairness, responsibility, etc. Statements around
how these values are applied are sometimes called moral or ethical principles.
So What is "Business Ethics"?
The concept has come to mean various things to various people, but generally it's coming to
know what is right or wrong in the workplace and doing what's right -- this is in regard 9 ___
effects of products/services and in relationships with stakeholders. Wallace and Pekel explain
that attention to business ethics is critical during times of fundamental change -- times much 10
___ those faced now by businesses, 11 ___ nonprofit and for-profit. In times of fundamental
change, values that were previously 12 ___ for granted are now strongly questioned. Many of
these values are no longer followed. Consequently, there is no clear moral compass to guide
leaders through complex dilemmas about what is right or wrong. Attention to ethics in the
workplace sensitizes leaders and staff to how they 13 ___ act. Perhaps most important,
attention to ethics in the workplaces helps ensure that when leaders and managers are
struggling in times of crises and confusion, 14 ___ retain a strong moral compass. However,
attention to business ethics provides numerous other benefits, as well. Note that many people
react that business ethics, with its continuing attention to "doing the right thing," only asserts the
obvious ("be good," "don't lie," etc.), and so these people don't take business ethics 15 ___. For
many of us, these principles of the obvious can go right out the door during times of stress.
Consequently, business ethics can be strong preventative medicine.
(adapted and abridged from http://www.articles911.com/Business_Ethics/)
2.2. Read the second part of the article about business ethics and fill in the gaps with the
words in the box. There is one word that you do not need:
daily, mismanagement, misunderstanding, remedies, practices, preaching
Two Broad Areas of Business Ethics
1. Managerial mischief. Madsen and Shafritz, in their book "Essentials of Business Ethics"
(Penguin Books, 1990) further explain that "managerial mischief" includes "illegal, unethical, or
questionable 1 ___ of individual managers or organizations, as well as the causes of such
behaviours and 2 ___ to eradicate them." There has been a great deal written about managerial
mischief, leading many to believe that business ethics is merely a matter of 3 ___ the basics of
what is right and wrong. More often, though, business ethics is a matter of dealing with
dilemmas that have no clear indication of what is right or wrong.
2. Moral mazes. The other broad area of business ethics is "moral mazes of management" and
includes the numerous ethical problems that managers must deal with on a 4 ___ basis, such
as potential conflicts of interest, wrongful use of resources, 5 ___ of contracts and agreements,
etc.
2.3. Read the last part of the text and use the following words to form a word that fits in
the same numbered space in the text. (Pay attention to the part of speech which is
missing in the sentence so that you can choose the right word.)
46
1.
2.
3.
4.
special
expect
poor
research
5.
6.
7.
8.
supply
emerge
organise
guide
Business ethics is now a management discipline. Business ethics has come to be

considered a management discipline, 1 ___ since the birth of the social responsibility movement
in the 1960s. In that decade, social awareness movements raised 2 ___ of businesses to use
their massive financial and social influence to address social problems such as 3 ___, crime,
environmental protection, equal rights, public health and improving education. An increasing
number of people asserted that because businesses were making a profit from using our
country's resources, these businesses owed it to our country to work to improve society. Many 4
___, business schools and managers have recognized this broader constituency, and in their
planning and operations have replaced the word "stockholder" with "stakeholder," meaning to
include employees, customers, 5 ___ and the wider community
The 6 ___ of business ethics is similar to other management disciplines. For example,
organizations realized that they needed to manage a more positive image to the public and so
the recent discipline of public relations was born. 7 ___ realized they needed to better manage
their human resources and so the recent discipline of human resources was born. As commerce
became more complicated and dynamic, organizations realized they needed more 8 ___ to
ensure their dealings supported the common good and did not harm others -- and so business
ethics was born.
Note that 90% of business schools now provide some form of training in business ethics. Today,
ethics in the workplace can be managed through use of codes of ethics, codes of conduct, roles
of ethicists and ethics committees, policies and procedures, procedures to resolve ethical
dilemmas, ethics training, etc.
3. Reflection topic
STOP AND THINK!

Do you think that as societies become richer, consumers become more critical and more likely
to adopt ethical standpoints?
4. English in use
In the following article some of the underlined parts are correct; some have a mistake in them (a
grammar mistake, a vocabulary mistake, a spelling mistake, a missing word, an unnecessary
word, and inappropriateness in the context). If the part is correct, write CORRECT in its
corresponding numbered space; if the part is incorrect, write the correct version in its
corresponding numbered space:
9 Myths About Business Ethics
(1) Business ethics in the workplace is about prioritising moral values for the workplace and
ensuring behaviours are aligned with those values -- its values management. Yet, myths
47
abound about business ethics. Some of these myths arise from general confusion about the
notion of ethics. Other myths (2) arise from narrow or simplistic views of ethical dilemmas.
1. Myth: Business ethics is more a matter of religion than management. Diane Kirrane, in
"Managing Values: A Systematic Approach to Business Ethics," (Training and Development
Journal, November 1990), (3) asserts that "altering peoples values or souls isn't the aim of an
organizational ethics program -- managing values and conflict among them is ..."
2. Myth: Our employees are ethical so we don't need attention to business ethics. Most of
the ethical dilemmas faced by managers in the workplace are highly complex. Wallace explains
that one knows when they have a significant ethical conflict when there is presence of a)
significant value conflicts among differing (4) interests, b) real alternatives that are equality
justifiable and c) significant consequences on "stakeholders" in the situation. Kirrane mentions
that when the topic of business ethics comes up, people are quick to speak of the Golden Rule,
honesty and courtesy. (5) But when presented with complex ethical dilemmas, most people
realize there's a wide "gray area" when trying to apply ethical principles.
3. Myth: Business ethics is a discipline best led by philosophers, academics and
theologians. Lack of involvement of leaders and managers in business ethics literature and
discussions has led many to believe that business ethics is a fad or movement, having little to
do with the day-to-day realities of running an organization. They believe (6) business ethics is
primary a complex philosophical debate or a religion. However, business ethics is a
management discipline with a programmatic approach that includes several practical tools.
Ethics management programs have practical applications in other areas of management areas,
as well.
4. Myth: Business ethics is superfluous -- it only asserts the obvious: "do good!" (7)
Many people react that codes of ethics, or lists of ethical values to which the organization
aspires, are rather superfluous because they represent values to which everyone should
naturally aspire. However, the value of a code of ethics to an organization is its priority and
focus regarding certain ethical values in that workplace. For example, its obvious that all people
should be honest. However, if an organization (8) is struggling around continuing occasions of
deceit in the workplace, a priority on honesty is very timely -- and honesty should be listed in
that organizations code of ethics. Note that a code of ethics is an organic instrument that
changes with the needs of society and the organization.
5. Myth: Business ethics is a matter of the good guys preaching to the bad guys. Some
writers do seem to claim a moral high ground (9) while lamenting about the poor condition of
business and its leaders. However, those people well versed in managing organizations realize
that good people can take bad actions, particularly when stressed or confused. (Stress or
confusion are not excuses for unethical actions -- they are reasons.) Managing ethics in the
workplace includes all of us working together to help each other remain ethical and to work
through confusing and stressful ethical dilemmas.
6. Myth: Ethics can't be managed. Actually, ethics is always "managed" -- but, too often,
indirectly. For example, (10) the behaviour of the organisations founder or current leader is a
strong moral influence, or directive if you will, on behaviour or employees in the workplace.
Strategic priorities (profit maximization, expanding market share, cutting costs, etc.) can be very
48
strong influences on morality. Laws, regulations and rules directly influence behaviours to be
more ethical, usually in a manner that improves the general good and/or minimizes harm to the
community. Some are still sceptical about business ethics, believing you can't manage values in
an organization. Donaldson and Davis (Management Decision, V28, N6) (11) note that
management, after everything, is a value system. Sceptics might consider the tremendous
influence of several "codes of ethics," such as the "10 Commandments" in Christian religions or
the U.S. Constitution. Codes can be very powerful in smaller "organizations" as well.
7. Myth: Business ethics and social responsibility are the same thing. The social
responsibility movement is one aspect of the overall discipline of business ethics. Madsen and
Shafritz (12) refine the definition of business ethics to be: 1) an application of ethics to the
corporate community, 2) a way to determine responsibility in business dealings, 3) the
identification of important business and social issues, and 4) a critique of business. (13) Items 3
and 4 are often matters of social responsability. (There has been a great deal of public
discussion and writing about items 3 and 4. However, there needs to be more written about
items 1 and 2, about how business ethics can be managed.) Writings about social responsibility
often do not address practical matters of managing ethics in the workplace, e.g., developing
codes, updating polices and procedures, approaches to resolving ethical dilemmas, etc.
8. Myth: Our organization is not in trouble with the law, so we're ethical. (14) One can
often be unethical, yet operate within the limits of the law, e.g., withhold information from
superiors, fudge on budgets, constantly complain about others, etc. However, breaking the law
often starts with unethical behaviour that has gone unnoticed. The "boil the frog" phenomena is
a useful parable here: If you put a frog in hot water, it immediately jumps out. If you put a frog in
cool water and slowly heat up the water, you can eventually boil the frog. The frog doesn't seem
to notice the adverse change in its environment.
9. Myth: Managing ethics in the workplace has little practical relevance. Managing ethics in
the workplace involves identifying and prioritizing values to guide behaviours in the organization,
(15) and establishing associated policies and procedures to ensure those behaviours are
conducted. One might call this "values management." Values management is also highly
important in other management practices, e.g., managing diversity, Total Quality Management
and strategic planning.
5. English in use
Read the following article about codes of ethics. In some of the lines there is an extra word
which is either grammatically incorrect or does not fit with the meaning of the text. If a line is
correct, write CORRECT against the corresponding number; if there is an extra word in the line,
write the extra word in capital letters against the corresponding number (Tip: focus on the
meaning of the sentence and on the natural word order.):
Ethics Tools: Codes of Ethics
1According to Wallace, "A credo generally describes the highest values to which the same
2company aspires to operate. It contains the `thou shalt's. A code of ethics specifies the
3ethical rules of operation. It's the `thou shalt not's." In the latter of 1980s, The Conference
4Board, a leading business membership organization, found that 76% of its corporations surveyed
had codes of ethics.
5Some business ethicists also disagree that codes have any value. They explain that too
49
6much focus is put on the codes themselves, and that codes themselves are not 7influential in
managing ethics in the workplace. Then many ethicists note that it's the
8developing and continuing dialogue around the code's values that is most important.
9Occasionally, employees react to codes with suspicion, believing in the values are
10"motherhood and apple pie" and codes are for the window dressing. But, when managing
11a complex issue, especially in a crisis, having a code is critical. More important, it's
12having developed a code. In the mid-70s, Johnson and Johnson updated their credo in a
13series of challenge meetings. Bob Kniffin, Vice President of External Affairs, he 14explains, "We
pored over each phrase and word. However we asked ourselves, `Do we
15still believe this?' Our meetings have resulted in some fine tuning, but basically we didn't
16change the values. The meetings infused the values in the minds of all of us managers."
6. Reflection topics
STOP AND THINK!

ETHICAL MARKETING is providing a product or service in a way which considers not only the
consumers and the users of the product, but also the general public, the wider needs of the
society and the environment.
Try to decide on a reasonable ethical position on the issues below. Are there any particular
conditions that we should take into consideration when choosing which of them are acceptable
or unacceptable?
Selling unhealthy food despite warnings
Marketing sweets and junk food snacks to small children
Marketing cigarettes
Using overtly sexual images to sell products
Focusing too much on anorexic looking body shape when marketing products for teenagers
Selling environmentally unfriendly products AND at the same time claiming they do little
harm to our environment.
7. Reading comprehension
Read the following article. Some sentences have been removed from the text. Choose from
sentences A- J the one which fits each gap (1-9). There is one sentence which you do not need
to use.
Ethical Decision-making Quick Test
by Bruce A. Hamm
Often, making ethical decisions in the work place is a delicate balancing act between competing
forces. Easy decisions like "should I embezzle hundreds of thousands of dollars" are obvious
and generally do not require much help or analysis to determine whether they are ethical or not.
1 ___. Having a quick test allows you to make the easy decisions and recognize when the
decision may be a bit more difficult. If at any point, you cannot legitimately answer the question,
you might consider asking someone else for help. 2 ___. Remember, generally the decisions
are yours and you have to live with the results, so be prepared to accept responsibility for them.
50
Is it legal?
This is the first filter through which your ethical decision will pass. 3 ___. A business law
professor in an MBA course once stated that the law is generally about 12 years behind
society's concept of ethical practices. Don't simply stop your ethical decision making process at
whether an action is legal. It may not be against the law but it may also not be the right thing to
do. If the answer is no or raises objections, you must stop, reject the action and take another
course 4 ___.
How would it look in the news?
Okay, you've determined that your action is legal. Now, how would it look to the rest of your
community, the nation and ever more frequently, the world? It's one thing for you or even your
close associates to know about your decisions and actions but entirely another when people
outside your inner circle know about them. 5 ___ Would you be embarrassed to have these
events known? How would your company perceive publicity surrounding your actions? If the
answer is unacceptable, stop, reject the action and take another course. If the answer is
acceptable, go on to the next criteria.
Does it comply with our company values?
What are your company values? Okay, let's first assume your company values are legitimate
ones. Do your actions conform to them? For example: if your values say something about
treating employees fairly, do you have a legitimate process for applying discipline and/or
discharge? Do managers fire people in the heat of an emotional upheaval or is there an
appropriate escalation of discipline before the company allows such a step? 6 ___. If your
action conforms to your corporate values, move on to the next criteria.
Under the same circumstances, would I want the result of this decision to happen to
everyone? Am I treating others as I want to be treated?
How do you want to be treated? If you've made a mistake do you take responsibility for it? Have
you accepted appropriate discipline with an attitude conducive to correcting the behaviour? 7
___. If you've done something well, do you expect an appropriate reward, even if it is only
verbal? Do you give that same level of reward to your staff or co-workers? For decisions
concerning others, is the result of the action fair? Does the person affected get only the
appropriate degree of reward or discipline? Would others agree with your perception of the
outcome? If no, stop, reject the action and take another course. If yes, move on to the next
criteria.
How will I feel after the decision is known? Can I face myself the next morning?
This is the man in the mirror story (updated to include the woman in the mirror). 8 ___. How do
you feel about the decision? Even if it is a tough decision and the outcome would affect
someone negatively, have you acted out of the overall best interest of everyone concerned? If
the answer is no, stop, reject the action and find another course. If yes, take the action with
good confidence you've resolved your dilemma.
Often with subsequent information we regret our actions but we also realize that we make
decisions with the information available at the time. If the decision does not need to be made
immediately, have you given your proposed action enough reflection to feel confident about its
outcome?
51
This process may seem long and involved. 9 ___. Every time you discard a particular option run
the next alternative through this same practice. Taking the time to review decisions with an
ethical perspective is critical to making the right choices. When a company's people focus on
their ethical behaviour, everyone involved is better off.
(adapted and abridged from http://www.work911.com/cgi-bin/links/jump.cgi?ID=3935)
A. If it is legal, go on to the next criteria.

B. If your ethical dilemma is obviously at odds with your company values, stop, reject the action and
take another course.
C. When you shave or apply your makeup and you think of the action you will take, can you look
yourself in the mirror and know you are satisfied you've done the right thing?
D. It's a bit tougher when the decision is between two competing right things to do.
E. In general, they may even share part of the responsibility.
F. However, the more you use it, the more quickly you can work through the decision review
process on subsequent occasions.
G. The word discipline has its origins in the Greek word meaning to teach not to punish.
H. Talk to your supervisor or, if you are lucky enough to have an ethics officer or ethics helpline, talk
to whoever can help you make the final decision.
I. How will the people you don't know perceive your actions?
J. Legal and ethical are not equivalent concepts.
Watch Barry Schwartzs lecture On our loss of wisdom (follow the link
http://www.ted.com/talks/barry_schwartz_on_our_loss_of_wisdom.html). Do you agree with
him? Why? Do not write more than 250 words. You should submit your homework electronically
Deadline: 20 December.
52
UNIT 5 MANAGEMENT
Students should be able to use the vocabulary under MANAGEMENT to communicate about:
Definition of management
Managerial tasks
Basic managerial skills
Managerial responsibilities
Leading versus managing
Management styles
Women in senior managerial positions
action plan noun [C]

administer verb [T often passive]
assess verb [T]
authority noun
autocrat noun [C]
boss (MANAGER) noun [C]
bureaucracy noun [C or U]
campaign verb [I]
CEO noun [C]
chairman, chair, chairperson noun [C]
challenge noun [C]
chief noun [C]
collaborative working noun [U]
consensus noun [U]
coordinate verb [T]
decentralisation noun [U]
decision-maker noun [C]
delegate verb [T]
democratic adjective
deputy noun [C]
direct verb
employer noun [C]
empower verb [T]
executive adjective
facilitate verb [T]
feedback noun [U]
goal noun [C]
governor noun [C]
guide noun [C]
head noun [C]
hierarchy noun [C]
implement a policy/plan/decision verb [T]
implementation noun [U]
laissez-faire approach noun [C]
leader noun [C]
line manager noun
manage verb [T]
MD noun [C]
mediate verb [I, T]
mentor noun [C]
middle management noun [U]
motivation noun [U]
office noun [C]
operator noun [C]
outcome noun [C]
oversee verb [T]
paperwork noun [U]
partner noun [C]
people skills noun [C usu. pl.]
plan noun [C]
president noun [C]
prioritise verb [I, T]
problem-solving noun [U]
rationalise verb [I or T]
restructure verb [T]
silent partner noun [C]
sleeping partner noun [C]
strategist noun [C]
supervisor noun [C]
team noun [C]
vice president noun [C]
vision noun [C]
vote of confidence noun [C]
53
UNIT FIVE MANAGEMENT

1. Management Art or Science?
1.1. Lead-in
STOP AND THINK!

How would you define management?
What is the role of a manager?
1.2. Reading
Read the following article. While reading, fill in the gaps with ONE word.
Which of the two approaches do you favour?
The Art and Science of Management
One of the enduring questions in the field of management is whether it is an art or a science.
Webster's College Dictionary defines an art as skill in conducting any human activity" and
science as "any skill or technique that reflects a precise application of facts or a principle."
Reflected in the differences in these definitions is the use of precision in science, in that 1 ___ is
a particular, prescribed way in which a manager should act. Thus, management as a science
would indicate that 2 ___ practice, managers use a specific body of information and facts to
guide their behaviours, but that management as an art requires no specific body of knowledge,
only skill. Conversely, those who believe that management is an art are likely to believe that
there is 3 ___ specific way to teach or understand management, and that 4 ___ is a skill borne
of personality and ability. Those who believe in management as an art are likely to believe that
certain people are 5 ___ predisposed to be effective managers than are others, and that some
people cannot 6 ___ taught to be effective managers. That is, even with an understanding of
management research and an education in management, some people will not be capable of
being effective practising managers.
Foundations of the Management as a Science Perspective
Practising managers who believe in management as a science are likely to believe that there
are ideal managerial practices for certain situations. That is, when faced with a managerial
dilemma, the manager 7 ___ believes in the scientific foundation of his or her craft will expect
that there is a rational and objective way to determine the correct course of action. This
manager is likely to follow general principles and theories and also create and test hypotheses.
8 ___ instance, if a manager has a problem with an employee's poor work performance, the
manager will look to specific means of performance improvement, expecting that certain
principles will work in most situations. He or she may rely 9 ___ concepts learned in business
school or through a company training programme when determining a course of action, perhaps
paying 10 ___ attention to political and social factors involved in the situation.
Many early management researchers subscribed to the vision of managers as scientists. The
scientific management movement was the primary driver of 11 ___ perspective. Scientific
management, pioneered by Frederick W. Taylor, Frank and Lillian Gilbreth, and others,
attempted to discover "the one best way" to perform jobs. They used scientific processes to
evaluate and organise work 12 ___ that it became more efficient and effective. Scientific
54
management's emphasis 13 ___ both reducing inefficiencies and on understanding the

psychology of workers changed manager and employee attitudes 14 ___ the practice of
management.
Foundations of the Management as an Art Perspective
Practising managers who believe in management as an art are unlikely to believe that scientific
principles and theories will be able to be implemented in actual managerial situations. Instead,
these managers are likely to rely on the social and political environment surrounding the
managerial issue, using their own knowledge of a situation, rather 15 ___ generic rules, to
determine a course of action. For example, as a contrast 16 ___ the example given previously,
a manager who has a problem with an employee's poor work performance is likely to rely on his
or her own experiences and judgement when addressing this issue. Rather than having a
standard response to such a problem, this manager is likely to consider a broad range of social
and political factors, and is likely to take different actions depending 17 ___ the context of the
problem.
Henry Mintzberg is probably the most well-known and prominent advocate of the school of
thought that management is an art. Mintzberg is an academic researcher whose work capturing
the actual daily tasks of real managers was ground breaking research for its time. Mintzberg,
through his observation of actual managers in their daily work, determined that managers did
not sit at their desks, thinking, evaluating, and deciding all day long, working for long,
uninterrupted time periods. Rather, Mintzberg determined that mangers engaged in very
fragmented work, with constant interruptions and rare opportunities to quietly consider
managerial issues. Thus, Mintzberg revolutionized thinking 18 ___ managers at the time that his
work was published, challenging the prior notion that managers behaved rationally and
methodically. This was 19 ___ line with the perspective of management as an art, because it
indicated that managers did not necessarily have routine behaviours throughout their days, but
instead used their own social and political skills to solve problems that arose throughout the
course of work.
Another scholar that promoted the notion of management as an art was David E. Lilienthal, who
in 1967 had his series of lectures titled Management: A Humanist Art published. In this set of
published lectures, Lilienthal argues that management requires 20 ___ than a mastery of
techniques and skills; instead, it also requires that managers understand individuals and their
motivations and help them achieve their goals. Lilienthal believed that effective managerial
behaviour meant combining management and leadership into practice, by not only getting work
done but understanding the meaning behind the work. Thus, he promoted the idea of the
manager as a motivator and facilitator of others. This manager as an artist was likely to respond
differently to each employee and situation, rather than use a prescribed set of responses
dictated 21 ___ set of known guidelines.
Another proponent of the management as art school of thought is Peter Drucker, famed
management scholar who is best known for developing ideas related to total quality
management. Drucker terms management a liberal art". He argues that the discipline (i.e., the
science) of management attempts to create a paradigm for managers, in which facts are
established, and exceptions 22 ___ these facts are ignored as anomalies. He is critical 23 ___
the assumptions that make up the management paradigm, because these assumptions change
24 ___ time as society and the business environment change. Thus, management is more of an
art, 25 ___ scientific "facts" do not remain stable over time.
(http://www.enotes.com/management-encyclopedia/art-science-management)

1.3.1. Fill in the blanks in the following sentences with a word derived from the word
given at the end of each sentence:
55
1. This should be a viable ... of good management.

2. All executives involved in the project did their job to the best of their ....
3. Given the very few clues we have, this is a hardly ... flaw in our
business plan.
4. In order to be a ... businesswoman, you have to be acquainted with the
main issues of inter-gender communication.
5. Unfortunately, I cannot attach too much ... to your statistics.
6. Good ... is essential for the success of any kind of business.
7. One shouldnt elude ... when dealing with serious occupational tasks.
8. His greatest ... is that of being a flawless leader.
9. I would ... like to specify that we are behind schedule.
10. The effort which you put into our project will turn out to be an
invaluable ... .
11. Acting in ... with present legislation will prevent any problems with the
authorities.
12. The ... for this initiative to become fruitful are that all of you should
work overtime.
13. At the trade fair last year, our company received an award for ... .
14. ... talent is supposed to be in-born rather than acquired.
15. Thanks to our ... intervention, the company didnt go bankrupt.
CHARACTER
ABLE
IDENTITY
SUCCESS
CREDIBLE
LEAD
RESPONSIBLE
ACCOMPLISH
PARTICULAR
INVEST
ACCORD
REQUIRE
EXCEL
MANAGE
TIME
1.3.2. Fill in the blanks with ten of the following fifteen phrasal verbs from the list. Use
the remaining five in sentences of your own. You may want to consult a dictionary for the
meaning of certain verbs.
call back
set out
bring forth
call upon
set back
bring back
call for
set forth
bring about
call up
set off
bring out
call out
set aside
bring up
1. We had to ___ the help of a consulting firm in order to solve our queries regarding auditing.
2. They finally ___ to invite their business partners to the annual conference on regional
development.
3. Im sorry to ___ the subject of solvency but Im afraid we have to deal with this issue as well.
4. Given that the new procedure failed, he decided to ___ the previous one.
5. Please, dont hesitate to ___ me ___ as soon as youve got word from our main investor.
6. I suppose we will have to ___ our differences and concentrate our efforts on solving the
problem in hand.
7. I wouldnt like the problem of travel costs to ___ you ___ in your intention to take part in this
years trade fair.
8. Following the news of the market crash, desperate firm owners began to ___ for help
through all media.
9. I am sorry that Mr. Brown is not in his office now, but please dont hesitate to ___ in an hour.
10. The new management restructuring has ___ significant changes in the companys policy.
1.3.3.
A. Fill in the blanks with an appropriate word derived from the one given in brackets.
Art and Science in Management Research
Noted 1 ___ (RESEARCH) Thomas Kuhn, in his book The Structure of Scientific Revolutions,
addresses issues associated with the state of current 2 ___ (SCIENCE) research and the
opportunities for scientific discovery. Kuhn, in his previous editions of this text, drew distinctions
56
between mature and 3 ___ (MATURE) fields of study. In mature fields of study, many of the
central questions of that field have been answered, and strong consensus exists among
researchers regarding the fundamental 4 ___ (ASSUME) of that field. Conversely, in immature
fields of study, there is still a great deal of debate on major questions in the field, and gains in 5
___ (KNOW) come sporadically. In many ways, management is an immature science. While its
6 ___ (FOUND) in psychology, sociology, and other related areas give it a long and rich history,
the nature of the areas of study renders it immature. That is, due to the difficulties of studying
human behavior in a number of disparate 7 ___ (SET), the study of management is still very
young when compared with other fields of research (e.g., in the physical sciences). In fact,
many scholars have argued that the social sciences (e.g., management research) suffer from
envy of the physical sciences, in which "truths" are able to be determined through research. As
such, social sciences researchers may strive to create a more "scientific" approach to their
fields in order to grant them more 8 ___ (LEGITIMATE).
B. In some of the sentences there is an extra word which does not fit with the meaning of
the text. Find the extra word.
Despite of its relative immaturity, some consistent answers have been developed in the field of
management. In many ways this is due to the many increased sophistication of management
research. However, there are still a number of research of gaps in management; despite our
increased knowledge in some areas, there is still a very great deal of disagreement and
confusion in other areas. In these circumstances, the practice of management is likely to will be
dictated by the perspective of management as an art. Because of there are no hard and fast
rules in certain circumstances, individual managers' experiences and skills must to guide them.
Today, much of the management research conducted in academic institutions blends with the
notion of management as an art and as a science.
1.4. Language focus: Reflexive Pronouns
1.4.1. Reflexive Pronouns
Look at the following example of a reflexive pronoun:
They are thus called upon to commit themselves to maximum performance and investment of
their full potential in teams and project.
Fill in with the suitable reflexive pronoun forms:
I
you
he
she
it
we
you
they
themselves
1.4.2. Fill in the blanks with the right reflexive pronouns.

1. You should commit ___ more to our line of action.
2. She couldnt find ___ a better position.
3. I should have more confidence in ___ when it comes to work involvement.
4. He keeps deluding ___ about how efficient a manager he is.
5. The firm didnt manage to protect ___ from cut-throat competition.
6. We should show more consideration to ___ when we have to deal with unscrupulous
business partners like them.
7. I doubt whether they have given ___ a second chance to set things straight in the
department affairs.
57
2. Motivation and Work Relationships

2.1. Lead-in
STOP AND THINK!

What is motivation?
It is the role of the manager to motivate employees. Would you prefer a male boss or a female
boss? Why?
2.2. Reading
A. Read the following text and choose the motivation theory that you like best.
Motivation and Communication
The ability to motivate others and improve morale is a soft skill difficult to acquire and almost
impossible to measure. Four key thinkers contributed to this field in the 1950s and 60s, and
their work is still the basis for contemporary approaches:
1. Maslow developed his hierarchy of needs
a. self-actualisation needs
b. ego (self-esteem) needs
c. social needs
d. security needs
e. physiological needs
We move to the next stage up only when the lower need is met. And as soon as any need is
met, then it is no longer a motivator. The bottom two are usually not an issue in business
(unless you are hungry or in danger). After that, our next need is to feel accepted and part of a
group (social need). If that happens, then next we have ego needs: recognition and
acknowledgement from others, as well as a sense of status or importance. Finally, if that need is
met, we want self-fulfilment (self-actualisation in Maslows terms): to achieve, to develop to our
fullest potential.
2. Herzberg expressed similar ideas. He agreed that the most important motivators at work
were the sense of achievement, earned recognition and interest in the job itself. But then there
was another set of job factors (hygiene or maintenance factors) that do not motivate
employees, but can cause dissatisfaction if they are missing. These include salary, job security,
working conditions and good relations with co-workers
3. McGregor observed that managers generally fall into two categories: Theory X and Theory
Y. Theory X managers believe that most people dislike work and must be controlled and
directed to achieve the organisations goals. Theory Y managers believe that most people like
work and actively seek responsibility. They believe in empowerment (= giving employees the
authority to make decisions without traditional managerial approval) and enabling (= giving them
the tools).
58
4. Drucker believed in management by objectives (MBO). MBO calls on managers to work

with employees to formulate clear, ambitious but achievable goals. There has to be monitoring
and measurement to ensure objectives are being met, and workers who achieve their objectives
can be rewarded with pay rises, bonuses, etc.
Communication
Communication is two-way: top-down and bottom-up. It can also be external: the PR function
handles this.
Inside an organisation, informal communication happens all the time; everyone enjoys
discussing office politics at the water cooler and picking up information on the grapevine (=
passed from one person to another in conversation). Formal communication is through the
medium of meetings, presentations, reports, etc. But two other key communication skills are
required:
Active listening. This means listening with full attention, not interrupting except to ask
for clarification, and giving consideration to the other persons point of view.
Assertiveness. This means stating your needs and opinions confidently and clearly,
without on the one hand being indirect or suffering in silence, or on the other being
aggressive and rude.
B. Read the following text and choose the personality type that you think you belong to.
Teamwork
A team (or taskforce or working party) needs a variety of personality types to perform well:
Head people who are good at thinking and problem-solving
Hands people who are good at doing and acting
Heart people who are good at networking and resolving conflicts
Once a team has been set up, it usually goes through the five stages identified by Bruce
Tucker:
1. Forming people get to know each other
2. Storming this refers both to brainstorming as ideas get suggested for the first time, and
also to conflicts that arise as team members clarify their roles and expectations.
3. Norming members sort out a way of working together and begin to own and share the
team objectives.
4. Performing members focus on solving problems and doing tasks. Progress can be seen as
they pass various milestones (= events that mark an important stage in a process).
5. Adjourning the job is finished, and there is often a public recognition and celebration of
achievements.
2.3.1. Fill in the missing letters.
1. The level of confidence and positive feelings that people have, especially people who work
together, is their level of mo_ _ _ e (slightly different from motivation which is linked to
doing things).
2. When we have the recognition and respect of the others, it adds greatly to our self-es_ _ _
m (= the feeling that we are valued and important).
3. When we have been successful, it is good to have the ackn_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ nt (= public
recognition and thanks) of others.
59
4. Developing to our fullest potential was called self-actualisation by Maslow. A more common
term is self-ful_ _ _ ment.
5. Being successful after a lot of effort gives us a sense of ach_ _ _ _ _ _nt.
6. Giving people more control over their work is called em_ _ _ _ _ _ _nt.
7. Giving someone the tools and skills to do something is called en_ _ _ing them.
8. Successful managers are neither passive nor aggressive. Instead, they are ass_ _ _ _ve.
9. Business leaders need to have vision and comm_ _ _ _ nt (= enthusiasm, determination
and a strong belief in what they are doing).
2.3.2. Read the text and then answer the questions below.
The work of Maslow and Herzberg has been developed into the theory of job enrichment. This
theory states that there are five characteristics affecting an individuals motivation and
performance.
1. Skill variety the extent to which the job demands different skills.
2. Task identity the degree to which a job has visible outcome.
3. Task significance the degree to which a job has an impact on the work of others.
4. Autonomy the degree of freedom and choice that people have in scheduling work and
determining procedures.
5. Feedback the amount of direct and clear information that is received about
performance.
The first three factors above contribute to the meaningfulness of the job. The fourth gives a
feeling of responsibility. The fifth contributes to a feeling of achievement and recognition.
Job enrichment tries to maximize the above five factors within the constraints of the
organisation. It also includes two specific strategies:
a. job enlargement combining a series of tasks into one challenging and interesting
assignment
b. job rotation moving employees from one job to another
Find a word in the text which means:
1. making something better and more enjoyable
2. result
3. power to make independent decisions
4. quality of being serious, useful and important
5. making something bigger
6. piece of work that you must do as part of your job or course of study
2.3.3. Study the collocations referring to decision making. Check any unknown words in
the dictionary.
achieve, define, establish, fail in, fall short of, fulfil, identify, meet, reach, set
address, cause, clear up, create, deal with, give rise to, handle, overcome,
resolve, solve, tackle
accept, agree to/with, come up with, make, offer, put forward, reject, rule
out, take up, turn down
arrive at, come to, defer, make, overrule, overturn, postpone, put off, reach,
reverse, take
collective, critical, crucial, difficult, hard, important, joint, key, major, tough,
unanimous
60
an objective
a problem
a suggestion
a decision
decision
anticipated, desirable,
satisfactory, successful
eventual,
expected,
favourable,
final,
likely, outcome
Now divide the words in each box into three groups, based on their meaning.
achieve, meet, reach,
fulfil
define, identify, establish,

set
fail in, fall short of
an objective
a problem
a suggestion
a decision
decision
outcome
2.3.4. Match the team roles in the box to the descriptions below. This task is based on the
ideas of Belbin and Margerison-McCann.
Coordinator
Promoter
Innovator
Shaper
Evaluator
Specialist
Finisher
Implementer
Team worker
Head people
1. ___________ - solves difficult problems with creative ideas; not afraid to challenge norms;
may ignore details.
2. ___________ - thinks carefully and accurately about things; listens patiently; may lack
energy to inspire others.
3. ___________ - has expert knowledge in key areas; may be uninterested in all other areas.
Hands people
4. ___________ - takes basic ideas and makes them work in practice; methodical and
organised; can be slow.
5. ___________ - gets involved quickly with lots of energy; more interested in the final result
than the process; may be impatient.
6. ___________ - likes completing things on time, on budget, and to specification; can worry
too much.
Heart people
7. ___________ - central person who makes sure everyone works well together; helps
everyone focus; can be seen as too controlling.
8. ___________ - caring, a good listener, and works hard to resolve problems; may have
difficulty making decisions.
9. ___________ - enthusiastic, sees the big picture and good at explaining it to people outside
the group; can be too optimistic and lose initial energy.
2.3.5. Fill in the blanks with the required dependent preposition:
1. I feel deeply committed ___ my employees.
2. We should contribute more ___ the development of this business.
3. The board of directors finally decided ___ a plan for future restructuring.
4. She should pay more attention ___ the way in which she treats her subordinates.
5. There have been no changes ___ salary agreements.
6. The influence ___ human resources policy is due ___ the increased pressure ___ the part of
international competition.
7. ___ what means do you think we could reduce costs?
61
8. Im afraid that the manager is opposed ___ our strategy of concentrating ___ cost reduction
only.
9. Our cooperation could be conducive ___ further success.
10. I would like to ensure ___ particular that no change ___ the company has taken place ___
the absence of careful deliberation.
2.4. Language focus: The tense system: Present Simple vs. Present Continuous
2.4.1. The tense system: Present Simple vs. Present Continuous
Compare:
Human resources management works in close collaboration with senior executives.
(permanent situation)
Jane is working for Mr. Jones this week because his secretary is on holiday.
(temporary situation)
Present Simple
Form: short infinitive;! 3rd pers. sg: + s;? do/ does(3rd pers. sg.); - dont/ doesnt
He writes. Does he write? Yes, he does/ No, he doesnt.
It indicates:
habitual actions/ regular, repeated actions: He goes to work at 7 every morning.
general truths, permanent situations: The sun shines.
planned future actions, performed according to a schedule: The train leaves at 8 oclock.
Specific adverbs: every day/ month/ year, often, usually, always, never
Present Continuous
Form: to be (in the present) + verb + -ing
It indicates:
an action happening now: I am reading now.
an action happening in a limited period of time, a temporary situation: I am writing the
paper today.
an arrangement in the near future: We are visiting them next week.
complaints about bad habits: Why are you always interrupting?
! STATE VERBS ARE NOT normally used in the continuous form:
verbs of perception: see, hear, smell, feel, notice, recognize
verbs of emotion: want, refuse, forgive, wish, like, hate, dislike, prefer
verbs of mental activities: think, understand, know, mean, believe, suppose, remember,
forget, realize
verbs of possession: have, own, possess, belong
verbs of appearance/ seeming: seam, signify, appear (= to seem), contain, consist, keep
(= to continue), concern, matter
the auxiliaries; exception: to have = to eat: I am having lunch.
Their progressive meaning is suggested by using CAN in front of some of them: I can hear. He
can see.
2.4.2. Find the mistakes in the following sentences and correct them.
1. We work in your office till they finish painting ours.
2. Our firm is usually getting in touch with customers by mail.
3. Their company does not do very well these days.
62
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Since we all work in the same office, we are spending most of our time together.
They want to know if the price is including VAT.
Human resources policy is giving consideration to various internal and external factors.
At present our CEOs try to establish the priorities for the further development of the firm.
What do you think this job is involving?
Are you realising that if we dont apply the new procedure in due course we will suffer
great profit losses?
10. Most managers are not able to attend the meeting because they are having flu.
11. I know that the competition is tough this year, but we survive on the market.
12. We sell our shares in the company. Do you want to buy them?
13. While Sarah is on holiday, Tracy handles her work as a secretary.
14. To be honest, I am doubting whether you will be able to succeed in this move.
15. You shouldnt pay any attention to the new manager. He is just sarcastic again.
2.5. Writing
Choose a leader that you admire. Explain why you admire them. Write approximately 300
words.
3. Multinationals
3.1. Lead-in
STOP AND THINK!

What determined the need for multinational corporations?
What factors influence communication in a multinational corporation?
3.2. Reading
Read the following text and fill in the blanks with ONE word. Then answer the question in
the title.
Multinationals: heroes or villains of the global economy?
Foreign-owned multinationals employ one worker in every five in European manufacturing
and one in seven in US manufacturing. They sell one euro in every four of manufactured
goods in Europe and one dollar in five in the United States.
Yet policy-makers and the public 1 ___ the world have mixed feelings about multinationals:
they see them 2 ___ as welcome bearers of foreign wealth and knowledge or as unwelcome
threats to national wealth and identity. Policy-makers want multinationals to invest in their
country, but are unhappy when national firms close 3 ___ domestic activities and open up
foreign ones or when foreign brands compete successfully with national ones.
This Jekyll and Hyde perception of multinationals stems more 4 ___ ambiguous feelings
about large market players with no national identity than from rigorous economic analysis.
Indeed, the debate 5 ___ multinationals is rarely grounded on economic arguments and
63
there is little understanding of what multinationals are, or of what costs and benefits they
bring to local economies.
Multinationals are often different 6 ___ purely national firms and some concerns are
legitimate. They are relatively large and they do have competitive power in the market place
and bargaining power in the policy-making arena, particularly in smaller developing
countries. They are global players that can circumvent local regulations and policies 7 ___
easily than national firms. They are footloose, able to move activities between their plants 8
___ relatively low cost, removing benefits as rapidly as they deliver them. And they do
mass-produce standardised products, jeopardising product variety.
Yet other features of multinationals also explain why countries compete fiercely to attract
them. They often bring scarce technologies, skills and financial resources. They are fast in 9
___ advantage of new opportunities and contributing to national wealth creation. They are
bound by international standards and market competition and they often offer better
employment conditions and product qualities 10 ___ national firms.
Moreover, multinationals are 11 ___ just giant corporations like Microsoft or Coca Cola.
Many small and medium-sized enterprises, firms with limited market power in domestic
and foreign markets, have one or more foreign subsidiaries. Investing abroad and thus
becoming a multinational is a strategy open to many types of firms.
What are multinationals?
Multinationals are firms that own a significant equity share typically 50% or more of
another company operating in a foreign country. They include modern corporations 12 ___
IBM, General Motors, Intel and Nike, but also small firms like Calzaturificio Carmens, a
shoemaker employing 250 workers divided 13 ___ Padua (Italy) and Vranje (Serbia).
The activities of multinationals are best measured by firm-level data like sales or number of
employees. Unfortunately, these data 14 ___ not widely available. Instead, researchers rely
on data on flows of foreign direct investment (FDI) recorded from balance of payment statistics
and which are available across time, industrial sectors and for many receiving and sending
countries.
FDI is an investment in a foreign company where the foreign investor owns at least 10% of
the ordinary shares, undertaken 15 ___ the objective of establishing a lasting interest in the
country, a long-term relationship and significant influence on the management of the firm. FDI
flows are different from portfolio investments, which can be divested easily and do not have
significant influence on the management of the firm. Thus, to create, acquire or expand a
foreign subsidiary, multinationals undertake FDI.
(http://cep.lse.ac.uk/pubs/download/CP167.pdf)

3.3.1. Fill in the blanks in the following sentences using a suitable word derived from the
word given at the end of each sentence:
1. We have decided to form a(n) ... with partners we have so far

considered rivals.
2. Companies like Coca-Cola are world famous ... .
3. I wouldnt like to create any ... as concerns the terms of this contract.
4. All countries in the third world need relief supplies given their ... state.
64
ALLY
NATION
UNDERSTAND
DEVELOP
5. I am sorry that because of your incompetence the problem we are

dealing with has become ... .
6. No discrimination based on ... will be exercised by this multinational
company.
7. I dont want to sound ... of your achievement but I think you need to
practise PR a bit more.
8. ... issued ordinance enables small companies to retain a larger part of
their profits.
9. Turning on the answer phone I discovered to my dismay that all
messages were rather ... .
10. She is a brisk, ... woman who has shown great competence in dealing
with all our clients so far.
MANAGE
ETHNIC
APPRECIATE
GOVERNMENT
COMPREHEND
BUSY
3.3.2. Fill in the blanks with the required dependent preposition:

1. We are sure that the present crisis stems ___ our MDs inability to deal ___ cultural
diversity in our company.
2. I am afraid I cannot find any solution ___ our major problem.
3. In order to make it a perfect match you will have to gear the components of this device
___ the abilities of the other.
4. Our success is dependent ___ your manner ___ coping ___ this merger.
5. I wouldnt like to impose my way ___ you, but you should understand my concern.
6. By allowing ___ slight variations ___ the original design, you will be able to manage this
problem ___ your own.
7. Differences ___ cultural attitudes have to be taken ___ account.
8. What is your attitude ___ the Italian way?
9. His approach ___ cultural diversity lacks ___ careful preparation.
10. You have to possess ample preparation ___ management to ensure a successful
outcome of this meeting.
3.3.3. Write ONE word in each gap:
I was working as an IT Manager for a small publishing company (in fact, I was standing 1 ___
for the actual manager while she was away on maternity leave) when the company was taken 2
___ by a large multinational media organisation. It was in the depths of the recession, and
initially our new owners promised to see our small company 3 ___ the hard times. Things got
worse, though, and they finally backed 4 ___ of their agreement. Our company closed 5 ___.
We were all made redundant it was horrible!
I wasnt sure what I wanted to do next. I 6 ___ down several offers of work as I didnt want to
rush into anything. Then, one day, I woke up and thought: Im going to set 7 ___ my own
business! At first it was tough. I had to 8 ___ to everything myself I was the only employee!
but I set 9 ___ it with dedication and refused to give up, whatever happened. Over the last five
years, as the companys grown, Ive taken 10 ___ more and more staff. Dicksons now employs
over five hundred people. I set 11 ___ to be successful, and Ive managed it, I feel very lucky,
although, to be honest, luck has nothing to do with it. It just takes hard work and commitment. I
dont feel satisfied yet, though. Were bringing 12 ___ new products all the time, and I want to
continue doing that. I also want to speed 13 ___ our production process to make it more
efficient. Im not planning to slow 14 ___ any time soon!
65
3.3.4. Complete the following passage, using suitable words from the box below:
agreement
compromise (v)
investment
equity
inflexible
negotiate
stalemate/deadlock
counter-proposals
shareholding
deal
concession
withdraw/pull out
Many countries, such as Nigeria and India, are trying to get more control over their economies.
They welcome foreign 1 ___ but insist that their own nationals own a percentage of the
companys 2 ___. The size of the 3 ___ varies, ranging from 20% to 60%, though it can be
higher or lower.
When governments try to increase their nationals equity shareholding, foreign companies are
not pleased. Generally, they try to 4 ___ with the government to keep the percentage as low as
possible. They argue and haggle, make proposals and 5 ___, to persuade the government to
give way and make some kind of 6 ___. If the foreign company employs many local people, or
earns a lot of foreign currency, the government may be willing to 7 ___.
Some governments are very 8 ___ and will make no concessions. In this case, the negotiations
end in a 9 ___, with neither side giving way. The foreign company ends up by 10 ___ from the
country. This usually leads to feelings of great bitterness on both sides. No company wants to
leave a country. In general, the foreign firm will make every effort to reach 11 ___ or make some
sort of 12 ___ with the host government.
3.3.5. Study the following list of expressions. If necessary, use a dictionary.

get back on ones feet (again)
fall on ones feet
put ones foot down
have a foothold in
get a foot in the door

have/get cold feet
put ones foot in
Rewrite the following sentences replacing the words in italics with the correct forms of
the expressions above.
1. The management has acted firmly concerning smoking in the factory.
2. We dont have a contract with them but weve taken the first steps towards getting one.
3. I was laid off in January but I was really lucky because I found an even better job a month
later.
4. I made a bad mistake when I told our Marketing Director that the new product would fail.
5. For some time, we were planning to enter the US market. Then, at the last moment, we lost
our nerve and decided not to.
6. The group of department stores made losses for three years running. However, now it has
recovered.
7. It took three years hard work, but at last weve got a secure position in the Japanese market.
66
3.4. Language focus: The tense system: Past Simple vs. Past Continuous
3.4.1. The tense system: Past Simple vs. Past Continuous
Simple Past
Form:
Regular verbs: - ed: worked, dropped, played, tried
Irregular verbs: 2nd form: see, saw; write, wrote; buy, bought
Interrogative: Did he buy?
Negative: did not/ didnt
It indicates:
a past, finished action, having no connection with the present: He told me to be punctual.
When I was 20 I lived in London.
An action performed in the past: We met two weeks ago.
a past habit: He played football twice a week. = He used to play = He would play..
Specific adverbs: yesterday, last week/ month/ year, two days/ months/ years.ago, when
Past Continuous/Progressive
Form: to be (in the past tense) + verb + -ing
I was running.
Was I running?
Yes, I was. No, I wasnt.
It indicates:
past actions in progress: I was writing when he entered the room.
gradual development: It was getting cold.
Parallel actions in the past, one of which is in development: We listened to the radio
while we were having lunch.
A gradual action, interrupted by a past, momentary action: I was writing when he
entered.
An action continuing, especially after the time it was expected to finish: At ten I was still
reading.
Specific adverbs: at.o clock, at that time, this time yesterday, this time last month
!!! Simple and Progressive Past
while, as, when, whenever introduce the Past Progressive:
While/ as I was crossing the street, I saw him.
When I was talking to him, she came in.
They listened carefully whenever he was delivering a speech.
3.4.2. Choose the correct tense in the following sentences:

1. When the manager arrived he noticed/was noticing that the secretary had left.
2. I was trying/tried to get in touch with your secretary all day yesterday but I couldnt.
3. He typed/was typing the contract when his boss came/was coming in.
4. What did you do/were you doing yesterday as I tried/was trying to get through to you?
5. At that time he worked/was working in a pharmaceutical company.
6. I realised/was realising that somebody was ringing me up/rang me up as I was going/went
into the conference room.
7. My secretary did not understand/was not understanding how the new computer programme
was working/worked.
67
8. It was only later that I found out/was finding out there was somebody who knew/was
knowing that she spent/was spending time in prison at the time for tax evasion.
9. As nobody watched/was watching, it was easy for me to conduct the transaction my way.
10. He was going/went on his business trip to France when her plane crashed/was crashing.
Using the list you have drawn in the previous activity, comment (in approximately 300 words) on
the statement Multinational corporations are robbing poor countries of their national assets.
(Remember the suggestions?) You should submit your homework electronically
Deadline: 15 March
68
UNIT 6 RECRUITMENT
Students should be able to use the vocabulary under RECRUITMENT to communicate about:
The recruitment process

Recruitment strategies
Role of the Human Resources Department
Candidate selection
Interviewer/interviewee training
Equal opportunity in hiring
apply verb [I]
applicant noun [C]
apply yourself verb [R]
appoint verb [T]
appraisal noun [C, U]
assign verb [T]
assign sb to sth phrasal verb
assignment noun [C, U]
be at work
be in work/out of work
biodata noun [U]
blue-collar adjective
bonus noun [C]
candidate noun [C]
career noun [C]
clerk noun [C]
deadline noun [C]
delegate verb [I, T]
division of labour noun [U]
do a good/bad job
employ verb [T]
entry-level adjective
fire verb [T]
flexitime noun [U]
freelance adjective, adverb
fringe benefit noun [C]
go on strike
golden handshake noun [C]
hard-working adjective
headhunt verb [T]
hectic adjective
hire verb [T]
in the line of duty
incentive noun [C]
in-service adjective
intake noun [U]
job noun [C]
layoff noun
livelihood noun [C, U]
load noun [C]
motivation noun [U]

night shift noun [C]
occupation noun [C]
off-duty adjective
office hours plural noun
opportunity noun
part-time adverb, adjective
performance appraisal noun [C]
placement noun [C, U]
position noun [C]
post noun [C]
probation noun [U]
profession group noun [C]
qualification noun
recruit verb [T]
redundancy noun [C, U]
referee noun [C]
remuneration noun [C,U]
rsum noun [C]
retire verb [I]
sack verb [T]
self-employed adjective
shift group noun [C]
shortlist noun [C]
Situations Vacant noun [S or U]
skilled adjective
temp noun [C] INFORMAL
tenure noun [U] FORMAL
testimonial noun [C]
under pressure
understaffed adjective
unemployed adjective
unprofessional adjective
unqualified adjective
unskilled adjective
welfare noun [U]
white-collar adjective
69
UNIT SIX RECRUITMENT

1. The Recruitment Process
1.1. Lead-in
STOP AND THINK!

Should people accept any employment conditions simply because they are unemployed? Why?
1.2. Reading
Read the text below and fill in the gaps with ONE word.
Main Recruitment Process Steps
The aim of the HRM Function is 1 ___ the recruitment process design as simple as possible.
The HR Recruiters should not forget about this main goal during the design phase of the
recruitment process development.
The recruitment process is simple on the high level, but it contains a lot of interaction 2 ___
different participants in the recruitment process. The HRM Function, the line manager and
candidates need to receive and share a lot of information and their interaction is usually the
main issue during the recruitment process.
The main steps of the recruitment process are:
1. Job Design
2. Opening Job Position
3. Collecting CVs
4. Preselection of CVs
5. Job Interviews
6. Job Offer
The job design is the most important part of the recruitment process. The job design is a phase
about design of the job profile 3 ___ a clear agreement between the line manager and the HRM
Function. The Job Design is 4 ___ the agreement about the profile of the ideal job candidate
and the agreement about the skills and competencies, which are essential. The information
gathered can be used during other steps of the recruitment process to 5 ___ it up.
The Opening of the Job Position is generally the job of the HR Recruiter. Skilled and
experienced HR Recruiters should decide 6 ___ the right mix of the recruitment sources to find
the best candidates for the job position. This is another key step in the recruitment process.
The next step is collecting CVs and preselecting them. This step in the recruitment process is
very important today 7 ___ many organisations waste a lot of time in this step. Today, the
organisation cannot wait with the preselection of the CVs. Generally, this should be the last step
done purely by the HRM Function.
The job interviews are the main step in the recruitment process, which should be clearly
designed and agreed 8 ___ HRM and the line management. The job interview should discover
70
the job candidate who 9 ___ the requirements and fits best the corporate culture and the
department.
The job offer is the 10 ___ step of the recruitment process, which is done by the HRM Function;
it finalises all the other steps and the winner of the job interviews gets the offer from the
organisation to join.
(http://hrmadvice.com/hrmadvice/hr-processes/recruitment-and-selection/recruitment-process-designand-development/main-recruitment-process-steps.html)

1. If you are looking for a job you should carefully read the ... page of
newspapers.
2. Generally companies decide to advertise their job ... in a newspaper.
3. If you decide to apply for a job you must be sure that you meet the ...
specified in the job description.
4. You should send your CV and a letter of application at the address ... in
the advertisement.
5. Your letter of application should ... your suitability for the job you are
applying for.
6. After reading the CVs and the letters sent by the ..., the company will
draw a shortlist of candidates, who are invited to attend an interview.
7. Henkel needs young candidates for position in ... teams.
8. The company offers a ... salary and generous benefits.
9. ... count as much as work experience.
10. It is useful to have recommendations from two or three ... (e.g. former
employers, teachers, etc.).
APPOINT
VACANT
REQUIRE
SPECIFIC
EMPHATIC
APPLY
CULTURE
COMPETE
QUALIFY
REFER
1.3.2. Fill in the blanks in the following sentences with the required preposition.
1. Our company finally decided to advertise ___ their newly launched products.
2. As Mr. Jones retired, Peter decided to apply ___ the position of senior production manager.
3. Should you need further information, apply ___ our PR assistant.
4. If you want this job you should be ready to work ___ pressure.
5. You will be responsible ___ all aspects of production if you want this position.
6. Our employees are very committed ___ our companys goals.
7. Try not to be envious ___ Johns success! You know he deserves a promotion.
8. My letter comes ___ reply to your advertisement for the position of operations officer.
9. Mr. Jackson is not really interested ___ the position of customer services assistant.
10. This position involves looking ___ very young children.
1.3.3. Read the following tips to help you get on at work. Then match the phrases in the
first column with their appropriate explanation in the second column in the table.
First, you need to get your foot in the door.

Learn to take things in your stride whatever happens.
Dont pin your hopes on others. If necessary, have the courage to go it alone.
Dont put all your eggs in one basket try to keep your options open.
Keep in with your colleagues you may need their support.
Keep your ear to the ground you hear important things on the grapevine.
71
If you can make a name for yourself, things will get easier.
Always keep your feet on the ground.
1. get your foot in the door

2. take sth/things in your stride
3. pin (all) your hopes on others
4. go it alone I
5. put all your eggs in one basket
6. keep in with sb.
7. keep your ear to the ground
8. on the grapevine
9. make a name for yourself
10. keep your feet on the ground
a. have a sensible and realistic attitude

b. make sure you find out about recent developments in
a particular situation
c. rely on only one thing for success
d. become well known and respected by many people
e. get your first opportunity to work for an organisation
or business, which could later bring you success
f. stay friends with sb. because you think you will
benefit from it
g. hope that sb. will help you or that sth. will happen
because all your plans depend on this
h. accept and deal with sth. difficult without letting it
worry you
i. do sth without help from anyone
j. by talking in an informal way to other people
1.3.4. Complete the text.

Sandra got her 1 ___ in the door when she was very young, and once she started at Berwicks,
she took everything in her 2 ___ and quickly made a 3 ___ for herself. She was offered jobs in
other cities but wanted to keep her 4 ___ open by staying in London where she could keep her
ear to the 5 ___ and wait for something really exciting to come up. She was 6 ___ her hopes on
getting a top job with C&M, and when she heard on the 7 ___ that they wanted someone to run
the Singapore office, she applied for it and got it. In a couple more years, shell have enough
experience to go it 8 ___ if she wants to, but I know she has continued to 9 ___ in with her
colleagues at Berwicks, so who knows where shell end up.
1.3.5. Make up sentences of your own to illustrate the meaning of the phrases in the table
above.
1.4. Language focus: The tense system: Present Perfect Simple
1.4.1. The tense system: Present Perfect Simple
The verbs in bold in the following sentence are in the Present Perfect tense.
You have just graduated (preferably in business administration) at university level or you have
already worked for several years at a consumer goods producer (cosmetics experience is
beneficial).
Form: to have (in the present) + the Past Participle
I have seen her. /Have I seen her?/ Yes, I have. No, I havent.
It indicates:
- action begun in the past that continues in the present: I have known him for two years.
Specific adverbs: for, (ever) since, all day, often, seldom, ever, never always, yet
- past action with results in the present: He has broken his leg.
72
Specific adverbs: already, recently, lately, so far, till now, up to now, up to the present,
- just finished action: He has just entered. Have you seen him yet?
Specific adverbs: just, yet, already
- an action that has been completed: They have repaired the fax.
1.4.2. Choose the correct tense (Past Simple, Present Perfect Simple) of the verbs given
in brackets to fill in the blanks in the following sentences:
1. Our company (to buy) ten new computers last month.
2. They (not hear) from their business partner since last summer.
3. Jane (attend) a seminar on recruitment techniques yesterday.
4. It is the first time that we (find) the right person for the job.
5. She (work) as a marketing assistant for twenty years, that is between 1960 and 1990.
6. He already (send) three letters of application to three different companies.
7. How many times you (apply) for a job?
8. When (come) the new manager to this factory?
9. Until recently nobody (know) how to operate the new security system in the office.
10. When the executive (arrive) we (feel) very confident of the companys success.
2. CVs and letters of application

2.1. Lead-in
STOP AND THINK!

What personal qualities recommend you as a potential reliable employee?
2.2. Reading
The most common contents of a CV include:
Personal Details
Skills and Career Summary
Key Achievements
Qualifications
Career History
Don't forget: The ultimate test of YOUR CV is whether it meets the needs of the person making
the buying decision, and whether YOU feel comfortable with its content and style.
(http://www.contentmonster.co.uk/Job_hunting)
a) Look at the structure of a CV.
73
CURRICULUM VITAE
PERSONAL DETAILS
Name:
Date of birth:
Nationality:
Marital status:
Address:
Telephone:
EDUCATION/QUALIFICATIONS
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE/WORK HISTORY/WORK EXPERIENCE
(you can mention your employment periods either in ascending or in descending order; you
may want to mention outstanding achievements during each period)
ADDITIONAL SKILLS
(mention any training courses or periods of part-time employment that you consider relevant)
INTERESTS
(mention your favourite pastime activities, organisations or associations that you may belong to
especially if they are in a field relevant to the position you are applying for)
REFERENCES
(give two or three names of persons who have known you for some time and can recommend
you for the job)
b) Consider the following advice on writing a letter of application (also called covering letter).
The letter of application introduces you and your CV to a recruitment consultant or potential
employer. Such a letter should contain three distinct parts:
Introduction and statement of source
Statement of relevance to role advertised
Conclusion
Introduction and Statement of Source
The first section should clearly state the source of the advertisement, ie the newspaper name,
Internet or other source, the date that it was advertised, the job number and reference number,
if provided.
Examples of the first paragraph in a letter of application are:
"I am writing to express my interest in applying for the role of Sales Manager, advertised in
The Times on 13 May, 2000, Reference number MX/67845."
Or
"Following our recent conversation, I am writing to express my interest in the position of
Architect that was advertised on your Internet site on 13 February, 2000."
74
The purpose of this first paragraph is to clearly put you in the running for the job you have
applied for. Busy recruiters recruit a number of positions with similar titles at the same time, and
advertise these on similar dates. The first paragraph should give you a fighting chance for the
job by at least getting your application into the right pile.
Statement of Relevance to Advertised Role
The second section of your letter of application should clarify why you are an appropriate
candidate for this particular job. In preparing to write the second section, you should read the
advertisement clearly and identify the selection criteria articulated in the advertisement. You
should also be guided by conversations that you have had with recruitment consultants or
company recruiters, so that you clearly understand what they think is important in the role. They
often give you extra clues that are not in the advertised media. How you express this section is
up to you. For example, you might be more comfortable with the succinct:
"I believe I am ideally suited to this role because I have over 15 years experience in
sales, tertiary qualifications, managed accounts in excess of 10,000 etc, etc"
or you may prefer bullet-point form, for example:
"I believe I am ideally suited to this role because:
I have 15 years experience in sales
I have tertiary qualifications in sales and marketing
I have managed accounts well in excess of 10,000"
Concluding Section
In concluding your letter, express your interest in the job and provide any particular
contact details that may be unique, for example:
"I look forward to discussing this application with you in the near future. I can be
contacted on XXX or alternatively, XXX during work hours."
Another example might be:
"I look forward to discussing this application with you in greater detail in the near future
and will be available for interview at a mutually convenient time."
(www.contentmonster.co.uk/Job_hunting)

2.3.1. Fill in the blanks in the following text with the words and phrases given below:
ago
among
hygiene
suppliers
brand
styling
sales
market
field
worldwide
kind
leading
since
consistent
continuously
___ its foundation over 126 years ___ our company has put ___ focus on customer oriented
product development.
The Schwarzkopf & Henkel division is one of the largest of its ___ in the world and its ___ name products business is ___ expanding. With our cosmetic products we achieved ___ of
2085 million Euro in 150 countries ___. We hold ___ market positions in all of the international
___ segments of our strategic business units. Our company stands for brand-name products in
the ___ of hair colorants, hair ___ and care, toiletries, skin care, oral ___ and fragrances. The
75
Schwarzkopf Professional hairdressing unit is ___ the worlds four leading ___ of hair salon
products.
(http://www.9.henkel.com/int_henkel/cosmetics)
2.3.2. Look up the following phrasal verbs. Fill in the blanks in the sentences below with
the required tense form of the suitable phrasal verb.
break in
look after
break off
look for
break out
look forward
break through
look into
break with
look out
1. The meeting was interrupted when the secretary ___ to say that the building was on fire.
2. They ___ negotiations weeks ago because of the financial crisis. The value of our shares fell
dramatically when the scandal about the merger ___. The new management had almost no
difficulty in ___ the lines of competition.
3. We are deeply sorry, but we had to ___ our allies after more than one flaw were identified in
the contract. We are very disappointed to find out that our MD is always ___ his own
interests only.
4. Our company ___ an experienced production manager.
5. In conclusion, we ___ to your reply.
6. We will have to ___ the possibility of hiring more PR assistants.
7. If you dont ___ you may end up in bankruptcy.
2.3.3. Study the phrases given in the table below.

close on
part of the furniture
take sb under your wing
the tricks of the trade
pass sth on (to sb)
take some doing
throw your weight
around/about
(used with time, age, distance, etc.) almost; very nearly

sth/sb so familiar that you no longer notice it/them
look after sb who has less experience than you
the clever ways of doing things in a particular job
give sth to sb else, especially after receiving it yourself
(inf.) be difficult to do, or involve a lot of effort or time
(inf.) tell people what to do in a bossy way
Correct the mistake in each sentence.

1. You need someone to show you the tricks of the business.
2. Ive been there all my life, so Im some of the furniture.
3. Its a hard job and itll make some doing.
4. The boss tells me what to do, and I pass it through to the others.
5. It was lucky for me that Mary took me under her arm and helped me.
6. Simone has worked here close by ten years.
7. Hes very bossy and likes to throw his size about.
2.3.4. Make up sentences of your own to illustrate the meaning of the phrases in 2.3.3.
2.4. Writing
Write a CV and a letter of application in response to the following job advertisement:
76
Research Executive / Executive Assistant
We are currently looking for researchers to join MORI's Social Research Institute.
To fill these roles you will need the following skills & experience:
An understanding of issues facing the public sector and their relevance to SRI's work
An ability to work on a wide range of research projects under the supervision of a project
manager
First class report writing skills
An understanding of the demands of working in commercial environment
An ability to work on a number of different projects simultaneously and to prioritise a
demanding workload
A Research Executive is generally expected to have at least 1-2 years' relevant research
experience, while those with less experience generally join at the Executive Assistant level.
To find out more about our work, visit the Social Research Institute.
(http://www.mori.com)
2.5. Language focus: The tense system: Present Perfect Continuous

2.5.1. The tense system: Present Perfect Continuous
Present Perfect Continuous/ Progressive
Form: to be (in the present perfect) + verb + ing:
He has been writing for two hours. Has he been writing?/ Yes, he has. No, he hasnt.
It indicates:
an action or situation in progress (and not the completion of that action): I have been
reading the book.
Temporary actions or situations: Ive been living in London (for two years).
Actions in the recent past we know about because of a present evidence: You are wet.
You have been walking in the rain.
Actions indicating how long something has been going on: How long have you been
playing chess?
!!!!!!
If you want to emphasize a situation in progress and not its completion present perfect
progressive can be used with verbs like: see, hear, look, taste, smell, want, realize, remember:
Ive been wanting to meet you for ages.
But
If you want to emphasize the completion of the action, present perfect is used: Ive always
wanted a good computer.
77
there are verbs that suggest an action in progress by their meaning: live, rain, sit, study,
wait, work (they can be used both with the present perfect simple and the present
perfect progressive, with little difference in meaning): He has worked/ has been working
in this office for two years.
2.5.2. Choose the correct form of the verb in the following sentences:
1. This morning our secretary has written/has been writing more than twenty letters to our
suppliers.
2. I have been applying/have applied for various jobs since September.
3. They have been trying/have tried to attract them into a profitable partnership for a very
long time, but with little success.
4. Our production manager has made/has been making the same mistake again.
5. How many times have you brought up/have you been bringing up the issue of working
overtime in a production meeting?
6. Sales figures have improved/have been improving lately.
7. He has answered/has been answering the phone since 10 oclock. Thats why he is so
tired.
8. We havent seen/havent been seeing our partner since the end of July.
9. The candidate hasnt said/hasnt been saying a word about his qualifications yet.
10. Why havent we thought/havent we been thinking of this solution earlier? It could have
saved us.
3. The interview
3.1. Lead-in
STOP AND THINK!

What is the role of the job interview?
3.2. Reading
Read the following text and fill in the gaps.
Job interview Advice
Before your interview, find 1 ___ everything you can about the company (read their annual
report which can be obtained 2 ___ telephoning them). Re-read your application, thinking
through your own career and the questions they might ask you. You should try to anticipate the
general questions which they will ask and also prepare some questions to ask them.
To do well at the interview you will need to convince the interviewer you are technically qualified
to do the job. You will 3 ___ need to show that you are sufficiently motivated to get the job 4 ___
well and that you will fit in with the companys organisational structure and the team in which
you will work.
78
You should dress smartly for the interview and should leave home earlier 5 ___ you need to on
the day of the interview you may de delayed by traffic or 6 ___ other reasons. Be courteous to
all employees of the company. At the interview itself you must be positive about yourself and
your abilities but do not waffle.
When you are being interviewed it is very important that you give out the right signals. You
should always look attentive so do not slouch in your chair. Never lie to anyone in an
interview, your 7 ___ language and tone of voice or the words you use will probably give you 8
___ classic body language giveaways include scratching your nose and not looking directly at
the other person when you are speaking to them.
If you have a moustache you may want to consider shaving it off people with moustaches can
be perceived as being aggressive. You can always grow it again once you have got the job.
(http://www.contentmonster.co.uk/Job_hunting)
3.3.1. Match the words and phrases with their corresponding definitions:
1. anticipate
2. waffle
3. annual
a. yearly
b. expect, foresee
c. pleasantly neat and clean in appearance
4.
5.
6.
7.
d.
e.
f.
g.
slouch
smartly
delay
giveaway
8. courteous
9. scratch
10. perceive
polite, respectful and considerate

talking a lot without saying very much that is clear or important
rub
realise, notice, see or hear it especially when it is not obvious to
other people
h. sit/stand/walk in a lazy or tired way, with your shoulders and
head dropping down
i. cause somebody to be late
j. revealing, disclosing (usually something secret)
1. ... should be dressed smartly when attending a job interview.
2. This handbook will offer you ample ... on how to best use the computer
system.
3. The auditor will ... have done the right thing while going through our
papers.
4. You must be well-prepared ... if you want to succeed in being recruited for
a promising job.
5. She couldnt ... her shyness in front of the recruitment board.
6. Your CV is sadly ... . We are sorry to inform you that you have not been
offered this position.
7. Being ... prepared, you risk missing out on one of the biggest career
opportunities youve ever had.
8. Thanks to her ... skills the candidate selection process left us with one of
79
VIEW
GUIDE
HOPE
HAND
COME
CONVINCE
SUFFICE
ORGANISE
the best professionals we could have ever found.

9. Without wanting to sound ..., I think that this firm is not really one of the
best.
10. The failure of certain candidates to submit a complete application
package resulted in their immediate ... from the job contest.
COURT
QUALIFY
3.3.3. The following text describes a typical selection process, but the sentences are in
the wrong order! Re-arrange the sentences in each section so that the whole text makes
sense. The first sentence has been done for you.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
Firstly, a vacancy is advertised

and suitable candidates are invited for interview.
These are sorted
and applications are received.
and applicants are interviewed.
After that, a final short list is drawn up.
Next, appointments are arranged
A job offer is made to the successful candidate,
and one of them is selected.
and finally, an employment contract is signed.
The candidates on the list are interviewed again,
3.3.4. Read the text below and select the best option.
If you have 1 ___ the interview stage, your CV and letter of application must have been 2 ___!
The company now wants to know more about you. But there is still more work to do if you want
to get that job! Make sure you have 3 ___ the company as thoroughly as possible - use the
Internet, company reports, recruitment literature etc. 4 ___ yourself of why you applied to this
company. Make a list of the skills, experience, and interests you can 5 ___ the organisation.
Finally, try to 6 ___ the questions you will be expected to answer - imagine you are the
interviewer!
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
A gained
A effective
A researched
A remember
A show
A ask
B reached
B important
B inquired
B remind
B present
B suggest
C arrived
C impressive
C examined
C imagine
C offer
C give
D achieved
D significant
D discovered
D summarise
D demonstrate
D predict
3.4. Language focus

A. The Subjunctive
Synthetic: present subjunctive: identical with the short infinitive: be, have, work.
It indicates:
a possible action: It is necessary that you be here. It is important that the president
inform the investors
expressions: Suffice it to say. So be it!
Synthetic: past subjunctive: identical with the past tense simple
80
It indicates:
an action contrary to reality: I wish I were a doctor. (but Im not) Its time you went home.
She behaved as if she were the headmaster.
It is used after:
if, if only, as if, as though
wish (to indicate regret, an unreal fact)
The synthetic subjunctive is rarely used.
Analytical:
Form:
Should/ would/ may/ might/ could + short infinitive
Should/ would/ may/ might/ could + perfect infinitive
It indicates:
hypothetical facts/actions (suppositions, doubts, conditions, concessions, purposes):
They took the airplane so that they might arrive in time.
A less probable condition: If he should succeed, I will be happy.
In negative purpose sentences, after lest, for fear, in case: They paid for fear they
shouldnt get the merchandise.
It is used with:
impersonal expressions: it is advisable/ important/ essential/ desirable/ possible/ likely/
probable/ strange/ unusual/ impossible/ (un)fortunate/, remarkable, surprising: It is
important that the chairman should call the meeting.
it is/ was a pity/ shame/ surprise/ wonder: It was a pity (that) they should be fired.
the nouns: idea, hint, thought, reason, supposition: The idea that they should be present
annoyed her.
the verbs: command, order, demand, insist, request, suggest, propose, arrange, offer,
agree, settle: They requested the goods should be delivered fast.
adjectives: to be + glad, anxious, pleased, sorry: I was glad that he should graduate this
summer.
After: although, though, whatever, however, no matter: He will win whatever he should
do. // so that: They phoned so that I wouldnt be taken by surprise. I took the money so
that they could buy the firm.
B. Active/Passive Voice
Rule: to be (any tense required) + the Past Participle of the verb to be conjugated
They give her flowers.
Flowers are given to her.
She is given flowers.
The use of the passive
When the logical subject is obvious or is not important: Goods should be delivered as
soon as possible.
When the object is more important than the logical subject: The manager was informed
on the situation.
When the speaker avoids mentioning the logical subject: The order has already been
placed.
In formal notices: Passengers are requested not to
Newspapers: President sacked because
Processes in science or engineering: The wheel is tested
81
Passive Structures:
modals + passive: The meeting can be postponed.
Passive + infinitive + object: with the verbs: advise, believe, expect, feel, forbid, mean,
order, report, request, require, say, teach, understand: They were advised to negotiate
the price.
It + the passive of: agree, announce, discover, expect, hope, suggest: It was suggested
that they would work hard.
Write a short text of your own using the phrases given in 2.3.3 (page 79). You should submit
your homework electronically (adriana.fekete@lingua.ubbcluj.ro). (type of document: Word). Do
not send material downloaded from the Internet.
Deadline: 20 APRIL
82
UNIT 7 BUSINESS TRAVEL

Students should be able to use the vocabulary under BUSINESS TRAVEL to communicate about:
Definition of business ethics

Importance of business ethics in todays business climate
Basic ethical considerations that a company needs to address
Codes of ethics
Unethical behaviour in the workplace
Training in business ethics
accommodations plural noun

B and B noun [C]
bank holiday noun [C]
bed and breakfast noun [C or U]
bellboy noun [C]
book verb [I or T]
business class noun [U], adverb
caravan site noun [C]
charter verb [ transitive ]
check in/check into sth phrasal verb
check out phrasal verb
clerk noun [C]
cruise verb
destination noun [C]
disembark verb [I] FORMAL
doorman noun [C]
double room noun [C]
double-book verb [I; T]
economy class noun [U], adverb
ecotourism noun [U]
embark verb [ intransitive ]
fare noun [C]
first class adjective, adverb
flight noun [C]
full board noun [U]
gate noun
guide noun [C]
half board noun [U]
holiday noun
hotel noun [C]
inn noun [C]
itinerant adjective
jet lag noun [U]
journey verb [I usually + adverb or

preposition]
land verb
lobby noun [C]
motel noun [C]
motor inn noun [C]
national holiday noun [C]
overseas adverb
package tour noun [C]
passage noun
passport noun [C]
public holiday noun [C]
public transport noun [U]
reception noun [U]
reservation noun
resort noun [C]
return ticket/fare etc noun
schedule noun [C]
self-catering adjective, noun [U]
shuttle verb [I or T]
sightseeing noun [U]
suite noun [C]
the sights noun
tour verb
tourist noun [C]
travel verb
twin-bedded adjective
vacancy noun [C]
valet noun [C]
visa noun [C]
youth hostel noun [C]
83
UNIT SEVEN BUSINESS TRAVEL

1. Lead-in
STOP AND THINK!

Think about three problems that a businessperson may encounter on his/her business trip.
2. Vocabulary
a. Match the following words meaning trip with their definitions. Use a dictionary:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
journey
voyage
travels
flight
drive
tour
7) crossing
8) ride
9) expedition
10) outing
11) excursion
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
a long trip, either by sea or in space

a trip that involves travelling by plane
a trip to a place to see specific things of interest
a short trip in a car or bus, or on a bicycle or motorbike
a short trip made by a group of people, usually lasting less than a day
an organized trip for a group of people
a trip to a very distant place for a long period of time, often with a specific aim such as
scientific research
h. a trip from one piece of land to another, across water
i. a trip that involves travelling by car
j. a series of trips made over a period of time, especially to a place that is far away
k. a trip from one place to another, often one that is long or difficult
b. Fill in the blanks with the words from II.a.:
1. How long is the ___ to New York?
2. Did you have a tiring ___
3. Their ___ across the Atlantic was full of problems.
4. His essays are based on his ___ in South Africa.
5. They went on a two-week ___ to Italy last month.
6. My ___ to work usually only takes 15 minutes.
7. Come on, Ill give you a ___ to the museum.
8. An overnight ferry ___ is quite dangerous in this area.
9. The school ___ to the science museum was boring for the kids.
10. Their ___ to the South Pole was very adventurous.
11. The travel agency organised a(n) ___ to local places of interest.
3. English in use
a. Read the first part of a text about travel tips and fill in each gap with one suitable word:
e.g. 0 - a
84
1. Business travel can become 0___ rut. Challenge yourself and your corporate travel agent to
come up 1___ alternatives to save money or time. It is surprisingly easy to get into a familiar
pattern when 2___ travel to the same destination repeatedly.
2. Assess where you stay. Are you staying in the 3___ effective place when you visit your
customers? Are you being lulled into complacency 4___ frequent traveller programs? Check out
the business alternatives. There are several newer chains of budget hotels for the business
traveller. Use 5___ Internet to see which other hotels have last minute deals in your area.
3. Organize your office - at work and 6___ the road. This is the time to evaluate your electronic
gadgets and consolidate your important information. Clean out your address book 7___
organize your computer files. If you have an assistant or colleagues, 8___ together to
brainstorm ways to improve communication and coordination while you are out 9___ the office.
What new technologies 10___ help you? Fax boxes? Picture messaging? Fast mobile data
connections? Don't forget the batteries!
b. Read the second part of the text. Some of the underlined parts are correct; some have
a mistake in them (a grammar mistake, a vocabulary mistake, a missing word, an
unnecessary word, and inappropriateness in the context). If the part is correct, write
CORRECT in its corresponding numbered space; if the part is incorrect, write the correct
version in its corresponding numbered space:
4. Review your car rental company choice. As car rental fleets shrink and prices rise, (1) you
may find it is more cheaper to use a taxi. These sites can help you budget for the taxi fares. Can
you get a better corporate deal from a car hire company (2) if everyone uses them for their
business travel?
5. Review your travel safety skills. Do you know (3) how to avoid from getting robbed? Escape a
hotel fire? (4) Choose one safe taxi? Business travellers are prime targets. (5) Take old labels
off your luggage - they shout business traveller to the crooked. Have a map of (6) where are
you going.
6. Improve your stress management skills. Accept it, (7) business travel is stressing. Current
issues with airport security make it inevitable that your next business trip will include (8) a
significant amounts of stress. There are many coping techniques (9) to effectively reduce stress.
Practice deep breathing or muscle stretches. They will come in handy the next time you're stuck
in the system.
7. Review your business travel programme and frequent fliers schemes. Have you access to
lounges, now and next year? (10) Use these to ease those business travel journeys.
(adapted and abridged from http://www.nrgpax.com/businesstravel/article001.htm)
4. Reading comprehension
a. Read the following article about how airlines have changed their offers since
September 11, 2001. Some sentences have been removed from the extract. Choose from
sentences A- I the one which fits each gap (1- 9).
A. It could be anything from a sole trader running a news agency to a firm employing several
hundred people with an annual travel budget of about 100,000.
B. The scheme runs until June, but SAS plans to continue to operate some kind of SME
programme.
C. But the points are awarded on any airline as part of an itinerary that includes a segment
flown on Swiss.
85
D. Under the scheme, cash credits are offered against any KLM flight of any class or fare type
and redeemed as free flights.
E. We decided on a web-based corporate loyalty programme to make it cost effective.
F. Unable to qualify for corporate deals because they do not generate enough travel, SMEs
have been ignored by travel providers.
G. However, the market exists and we have been working hard to find ways to develop a
relationship with this sector
H. We are looking at extending On Business to include semi-restricted tickets, says Stuart
Beamish, BAs senior manager, loyalty marketing.
I. It would be a huge benefit for our customers to get our partner airlines on board, says
Thomas Brandt, Deltas general manager, distribution planning.
Will small businesses fill the airlines large gaps?
Airlines discover, post-9/11, that small can be profitable
Airlines striving to hold on to their share of a tough corporate market are increasingly looking to
nurture business travellers they have previously ignored.
Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are companies which have a fraction of the travel budgets
of the 1m-plus spend of large firms.
1___
Not any more. Pressures to fill aircraft and the competitive threat of low-cost airlines have seen
airlines launch rafts of incentives, including cash rewards, free flights and upgrades, to show
SMEs that they really are wanted.
Airlines use different criteria, such as number of trips, value of travel spend or size of company,
to define an SME. 2___
Typically, a PA (Personal Assisstant), financial director or company boss will be responsible for
administering the schemes in-house. Over the past 12 months, airlines including KLM, Swiss,
and SAS have all introduced initiatives to try and win such managers on board.
KLM estimates that the 3.8 million or so UK-based SMEs can save up to 10 per cent of their
travel costs through its cashback loyalty programme, BlueBiz. 3___
As with most airline schemes, not only does the company benefit, but the individual can also
collect frequent flier mileage points on flights taken.
KLMs e-commerce manager Glyn Duggan explains: Due to their volume levels, SMEs had
fallen off our radar.
But after the US terror attacks of 9/11, we began looking at various options to get this market
back on track. 4___
SASs new PayBack Programme offers cash rewards of up to 15 per cent of the annual travel
spend or a maximum of 20 return tickets between the UK and Scandinavia depending on the
level of expenditure. Bmis Company Returns scheme has similarly gone down the cash reward
and points route.
SAS spokesman Jeff Rebello says the incentive is a two-pronged attack to increase the
loyalty of existing customers and to switch passengers from other airlines. 5___
British Airways is planning to relax some of the restrictions of the On Business scheme that it
introduced for SMEs four years ago. More discounted fares will be included in the programme
86
across all cabins to appeal to cost-conscious SMEs, a move partially driven by the impact of
low-cost carriers.
6___
About 10,000 companies have enrolled with On Business, with half actively redeeming points
for travel rewards, he says. Eligible BA fares earn companies points that can be exchanged for
travel rewards, including free flights, hotel accommodation and limo transfers.
Swiss has gone a step further by offering credit points, each worth 1 euro, towards free flights.
7___
The development of airline alliances has prompted Delta Air Lines to try to extend its SkyBonus
scheme to cover partner SkyTeam carriers, including Air France and Korean Air.
8___
The US-based airline ventured into the SME market three years ago, courting companies with
an annual travel spend of between 8,000 and 80,000.
The SME is notoriously hard to pinpoint, quite a complex group of companies. 9___ adds
Brandt.
(adapted and abridged from http://www.timesonline.co.uk/section/0,,5466,00.html)
b. Read an article about the impact of terrorism on business travel. For questions 1-10,
choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.
The cut and thrust of survival
War, terrorism and Sars have changed the nature of business travel. Security and costcutting are the main issues and the corporates are calling the tune.
On Virgin Atlantic flight VS022, which arrived at Heathrow from Washington DC at 7am on
Monday, passengers travelling Upper Class could have no 1___ about service.
Of 50 business-class seats in the new Airbus A340-600, only eight were taken. There were
more 2___ members in the front cabin than passengers. One senior business travel agency
executive commented: They say things are getting better. I say, Emperors new clothes.
Transatlantic business 3___ are a crucial barometer to airline health and although British
Airways said last week that there has been some improvement in premium traffic, it has not
been as fast as predicted.
If it is bad for BA, it is even worse for its transatlantic 4___ Until next Friday, United Airlines is
offering a return business-class fare to New York for 999. The standard BA return costs just
over 4,000.
War, terrorism and Sars have 5___ British business travel badly. From a peak of 8.87 million
travellers in 2000, numbers fell by 10 per cent to eight million in 2002. Government figures for
the nine months to September 2003 show a further slump of 170,000 business passengers over
the same period in 2002.
Yesterday, BA announced a fresh round of job cuts, knowing that the only way to compete with
the no-frills airlines and its traditional rivals is on cost. Unfortunately for BA, cost-cutting is also
top of the 6___ for its passengers.
A London-based economic think tank, the Centre for Economics and Business Research
(CEBR), says in a new report that it expects business 7___ in Europe to grow by 2.7 per cent
this year.
87
But Douglas McWilliams, coauthor of the report, added: The business travel sector is
increasingly exposed in a world where a blowtorch is being applied to every conceivable kind of
corporate expense. Business travel is typically 2-3 per cent of corporate cost and is generally
regarded as the largest single controllable 8___.
The report says surveys of American corporate travel purchasers indicate that they believe that,
since 2000, they have managed to negotiate down their prices for business travel by 20 per
cent.
1. A. complaints
2. A. team
3. A. trips
4. A. rivals
5. A. kicked
6. A. tree
7. A. trip
8. A. expense
B. complainings
B. crew
B. crossings
B. enemies
B. punched
B. head
B. voyage
B. tax
5. English in use
Read the second part of the article.
same numbered space in the text.
0. busy
1. emphasize
2. provide
3. increase
4. large
5. power
C. demands
C. pilot
C. travels
C. partners
C. hit
C. world
C. excursion
C. fine
D. misgivings
D. flying
D. routes
D. foes
D. damaged
D. agenda
D. travel
D. fare
Use the words below to form a word that fits in the
6. improve
7. place
8. global
9. supply
10. address
11. stable
12. stringent
13. agent
14. profit
15. warn
e.g. 0 - business
The decline in passenger numbers is now levelling off, but the nature of 0___ travel has
changed irrevocably: events since September 11 have made that inevitable.
There is a new 1___ on briefing travellers and staying in touch. Information 2___ such as
Control Risks and Country Briefings provide assessments, while technology 3___ allows
employees to stay in touch while on the road.
Executive jet travel, 4___ because of concerns over security, is also now extremely buoyant
according to Christian Rooney, marketing and sales director of Bookajet, one specialist
operator. The company has just opened a new base at Southampton airport and now uses five
jets.
Technology, while helping corporates track and control expenditure, has also 5___ employees
to book flights and hotels themselves while still following company travel policy. According to
Delta Airlines, only 29 per cent of UK business travellers now prefer to book with a travel agent,
with two-thirds choosing to book using the internet.
British Airways will, in April, no longer issue paper tickets on the 75 per cent of its routes where
electronic tickets can be used. Fast 6___ technology on board aircraft is also now delivering live
TV news and e-mail, while wireless-free use of laptops in hotels and airports is rolling out at a
frenetic pace.
88
The idea that videoconferencing will one day 7___ travel has largely been disproved, however.
While it does have a role, the underlying need for face-to-face contact is growing due to the
ratcheting up of 8___, according to the CEBR report.
McWilliams said: Maintaining and enhancing business relations, both in-house and with
customers and 9___, needs a regular dose of direct contact.
It is a point being echoed by all sectors of the industry, not least those hotel, airline and credit
card suppliers desperate to see a return to regular corporate flying. But they also argue that
companies, having 10___ the issue of cost cutting, will be leaner and more positive about
travelling.
A report out this week from Company Barclaycard concludes: Overall, the figures indicate that
business travellers are on the move more, thanks to confirmed new business rather than trying
to secure it, an indication of greater 11___.
This positive view relies, naturally, on the continued stability of world events. Corporates may be
starting to travel again, but the increasing 12___ of US immigration is one striking example of
how fragile confidence remains in travel.
John Melchior, executive vice-president of global corporate travel 13___ Radius, summed up
the mood: Companies have adjusted and are becoming more 14___. Those who have survived
know that there wont be such a big dip in world events again.
There are certain dangers out there, but we still have to travel. Now we have to know where
travellers are, and to give them 15___ of potential problems. We all have to accommodate that.
(adapted and abridged from http://www.timesonline.co.uk/section/0,5466,00.html)
6. Writing
Write a short text in which you should use as many of the words and phrases given
below as possible.
air hostess
connecting point
airline office
departure lounge
air turbulence
airport hotel
direct flight
airport terminal
arrival airport
economy class
business class
excess baggage
baggage reclaim
ground transportation
boarding pass
booking procedures
89
check-in
landing
security check
take off
unclaimed luggage
weight limit
UNIT EIGHT CULTURE AND CIVILISATION

1. Human rights and cultural diversity
1.1. Lead-in
STOP AND THINK!

What is cultural diversity?
1.2. Reading
Read the following text and express your opinion on the new world order.
The Challenge of Human Rights and Cultural Diversity
by Diana Ayton-Shenker
The end of the cold war has created a series of tentative attempts to define "a new world order".
So far, the only certainty is that the international community has entered a period of tremendous
global transition that, at least for the time being, has created more social problems than
solutions.
The end of super-power rivalry, and the growing North/South disparity in wealth and access to
resources, coincide with an alarming increase in violence, poverty and unemployment,
homelessness, displaced persons and the erosion of environmental stability. The world has also
witnessed one of the most severe global economic recessions since the Great Depression of
the 1930s.
At the same time, previously isolated peoples are being brought together voluntarily and
involuntarily by the increasing integration of markets, the emergence of new regional political
alliances, and remarkable advances in telecommunications, biotechnology and transportation
that have prompted unprecedented demographic shifts.
The resulting confluence of peoples and cultures is an increasingly global, multicultural world
brimming with tension, confusion and conflict in the process of its adjustment to pluralism. There
is an understandable urge to return to old conventions, traditional cultures, fundamental values,
and the familiar, seemingly secure, sense of one's identity. Without a secure sense of identity
amidst the turmoil of transition, people may resort to isolationism, ethnocentricism and
intolerance.
This climate of change and acute vulnerability raises new challenges to our ongoing pursuit of
universal human rights. How can human rights be reconciled with the clash of cultures that has
come to characterize our time? Cultural background is one of the primary sources of identity. It
is the source for a great deal of self-definition, expression, and sense of group belonging. As
90
cultures interact and intermix, cultural identities change. This process can be enriching, but
disorienting. The current insecurity of cultural identity reflects fundamental changes in how we
define and express who we are today.
(http://www.un.org/rights/dpi1627e.htm)

1.3.1. Match the following words and phrases from the text with their right definitions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
tremendous (adj.)
disparity (n)
emergence (n)
prompt (v)
5. confluence (n)
6. brim (v)
7. turmoil (n)
8. vulnerability (n)
9. pursuit (n)
10. reconcile (v)
a.
b.
c.
d.
a state of confusion, excitement, or anxiety

a state in which someone can be easily harmed or hurt
to have a lot of a particular thing, quality, or emotion:
to have a good relationship again with someone after you
have quarrelled with them
e. when something begins to be known or noticed
f. to make people say or do something as a reaction
g. a difference between two or more things, especially an
unfair one
h. the action of trying to get, achieve, or find something in a
determined way
i. a situation in which two or more things combine or
happen at the same time
j. very big, fast, powerful
1. Good knowledge of cultural differences is ... to any definition of
cultural interaction.
2. Sometimes cultural traits may suffer changes beyond ... .
3. A(n) ... traveller will fail to do justice to cultural difference.
4. A visitor to your country should be offered plenty of ... in exploring
local culture.
5. You might find a lot of ... locals while travelling in foreign countries.
6. Nationalists would like their countrys traditions to be ... .
7. Sometimes its difficult to choose when you are faced with a huge ...
of tourist attractions.
8. I wouldnt like to sound ..., but you should get more involved in the
mores of your host country.
9. I am neither moral, nor immoral. My ... is often a mystery to my
friends.
10. Her ... at Heathrow airport made her miss her connecting flight.
VALUE
RECOGNISE
EXPERIENCE
COURAGE
APPROACH
CHANGE
DIVERSE
REASON
MORAL
ORIENTATION
1. I am sorry to say that you are a candidate___ a suitable background for his job involving
talking ___ foreigners.
2. My approach ___ dealing ___ cultural difference is a most successful one.
3. My experience draws ___ my travels ___ the world.
4. What is prejudice based ___ and how could you steer clear ___ it?
5. My job is related ___ handling a wide range ___ tourist services.
91
6. He is ___ a background not entirely suited ___ his job description.

7. He finally succeeded ___ setting things straight.
8. Her capacity ___ hard work in PR is overwhelming.
9. His prejudice ___ other nationals boils down ___ xenophobia.
10. My affiliation ___ this political party will be ___ an extremely short duration.
1.4. Language focus: The tense system: Past Perfect
1.4.1. The tense system: Past Perfect
Form: had + Past Participle: I went to work after I had finished my lunch. Had I finished? Yes,
I had. No, I hadnt.
It indicates:
a past, completed action that takes place before another past action: He gave me the
book when he had finished reading it.
An action finished before a certain moment in the past: I had written the paper by ten o
clock.
The Past Perfect is not compulsory when after and before establish the sequence of the
actions.
1.4.2. Use the Past Perfect where necessary.

1. The two parties (reach) an agreement when the member of our group made the
suggestion, so he had to accept it.
2. The Parliament (pass) this law a very long time ago.
3. By the time I called the office the secretary (leave).
4. When we wanted to complain about the PR officer being rude, the manager (fire) him.
5. Discrimination (be) a current practice in the company long before she brought up the
issue.
6. They changed their policy after a group of unsatisfied clients (sue) the company.
7. When they arrived the conference (begin) and they did not want to disturb the
participants, so they left.
8. The chairman opened the session after everybody (consult) the agenda.
9. We wanted to help them but by the time we got there they (finish) writing the
recommendations.
10. When she decided to accept the offer it was too late. Someone else (hire) as an
assistant manager.
2. Universal human rights and cultural relativism

2.1. Lead-in
STOP AND THINK!

What human right do you consider to be the most important? Why?
How can you account for the fact that discrimination still persists in our world?
92
2.2. Reading
Read the following article. Some sentences have been removed from the text. Choose
from sentences A-J the one which fits each gap (1-9). There is one sentence which you
do not need to use.
How can universal human rights exist in a culturally diverse world? As the international
community becomes increasingly integrated, how can cultural diversity and integrity be
respected? Is a global culture inevitable? If so, is the world ready for it? How could a global
culture emerge based on and guided by human dignity and tolerance? 1 ___
Cultural relativism is the assertion that human values, far from being universal, vary a great deal
according to different cultural perspectives. Some would apply this relativism to the promotion,
protection, interpretation and application of human rights which could be interpreted differently
within different cultural, ethnic and religious traditions. In other words, according to this view,
human rights are culturally relative rather than universal.
Taken to its extreme, this relativism would pose a dangerous threat to the effectiveness of
international law and the international system of human rights that has been painstakingly
constructed over the decades. If cultural tradition alone governs State compliance with
international standards, then widespread disregard, abuse and violation of human rights would
be given legitimacy.
Accordingly, the promotion and protection of human rights perceived as culturally relative would
only be subject to State discretion, rather than international legal imperative. 2 ___
Universal Human Rights and International Law
Largely through the ongoing work of the United Nations, the universality of human rights has
been clearly established and recognized in international law. Human rights are emphasized
among the purposes of the United Nations as proclaimed in its Charter, which states that human
rights are "for all without distinction". 3 ___
The Charter further commits the United Nations and all Member States to action promoting
"universal respect for, and observance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms". As the
cornerstone of the International Bill of Rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms
consensus on a universal standard of human rights. In the recent issue of A Global Agenda,
Charles Norchi points out that the Universal Declaration "represents a broader consensus on
human dignity than does any single culture or tradition".
Universal human rights are further established by the two international covenants on human
rights (International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights), and the other international standard-setting instruments
which address numerous concerns, including genocide, slavery, torture, racial discrimination,
discrimination against women, rights of the child, minorities and religious tolerance.
These achievements in human rights standard-setting span nearly five decades of work by the
United Nations General Assembly and other parts of the United Nations system. As an
assembly of nearly every State in the international community, the General Assembly is a
93
uniquely representative body authorized to address and advance the protection and promotion
of human rights. 4 ___
This consensus is embodied in the language of the Universal Declaration itself. The universal
nature of human rights is literally written into the title of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights. Its Preamble proclaims the Declaration as a "common standard of achievement for all
peoples and all nations".
This statement is echoed in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, which repeats
the same language to reaffirm the status of the Universal Declaration as a "common standard"
for everyone. Adopted in June 1993 by the United Nations World Conference on Human Rights
in Austria, the Vienna Declaration continues to reinforce the universality of human rights,
stating, "All human rights are universal, indivisible and interdependent and interrelated". This
means that political, civil, cultural, economic and social human rights are to be seen in their
entirety. 5 ___
As if to settle the matter once and for all, the Vienna Declaration states in its first paragraph that
"the universal nature" of all human rights and fundamental freedoms is "beyond question". The
unquestionable universality of human rights is presented in the context of the reaffirmation of
the obligation of States to promote and protect human rights.
The legal obligation is reaffirmed for all States to promote "universal respect for, and
observance and protection of, all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all". It is clearly
stated that the obligation of States is to promote universal respect for, and observance of,
human rights. 6 ___
Furthermore, the obligation is established for all States, in accordance with the Charter of the
United Nations and other instruments of human rights and international law. No State is exempt
from this obligation. All Member States of the United Nations have a legal obligation to promote
and protect human rights, regardless of particular cultural perspectives. Universal human rights
protection and promotion are asserted in the Vienna Declaration as the "first responsibility" of all
Governments.
7 ___ The non-discrimination principle is a fundamental rule of international law. This means
that human rights are for all human beings, regardless of "race, colour, sex, language, religion,
political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status". Nondiscrimination protects individuals and groups against the denial and violation of their human
rights. To deny human rights on the grounds of cultural distinction is discriminatory. Human
rights are intended for everyone, in every culture.
Human rights are the birthright of every person. If a State dismisses universal human rights on
the basis of cultural relativism, then rights would be denied to the persons living under that
State's authority. The denial or abuse of human rights is wrong, regardless of the violator's
culture.
8 ___ As a legal standard adopted through the United Nations, universal human rights
represent the hard-won consensus of the international community, not the cultural imperialism
of any particular region or set of traditions.
94
Like most areas of international law, universal human rights are a modern achievement, new to
all cultures. Human rights are neither representative of, nor oriented towards, one culture to the
exclusion of others. 9 ___
A Human rights are the natural-born rights for every human being, universally. They are not
privileges.
B Not selective, not relative, but universal respect, observance and protection.
C These are some of the issues, concerns and questions underlying the debate over universal
human rights and cultural relativism.
D Universal human rights do not impose one cultural standard, rather one legal standard of
minimum protection necessary for human dignity.
E Human rights must be approached in a way that is meaningful and relevant in diverse cultural
contexts.
F As such, it serves as an excellent indicator of international consensus on human rights.
G Everyone is entitled to human rights without discrimination of any kind.
H One cannot pick and choose which rights to promote and protect. They are all of equal value
and apply to everyone.
I Universal human rights reflect the dynamic, coordinated efforts of the international community
to achieve and advance a common standard and international system of law to protect human
dignity.
J By rejecting or disregarding their legal obligation to promote and protect universal human
rights, States advocating cultural relativism could raise their own cultural norms and
particularities above international law and standards.
2.3.1. Fill in the blanks in the following text with the words given in bold:
requirements
diversity
pressures
sense
arguments
Many companies and organisations adopt equal opportunities policies because of external ___
Wilson and Iles suggest that this response "varies between a narrow minimalist response to
legislative ___, and a wider concern that people should be treated equally, based on ethical and
human rights or moral ___ Managing ___ on the other hand is internally driven, from a ___ of
commitment by the organisation and its key players".
95
opportunities
force
staff
The driving ___ behind introducing diversity management policies is seen as the business
case - that a diverse workforce will result in more focused marketing, greater creativity and
decision making and happier ___ who stay longer and benefit from organisational ___
public
range
profile
volunteers organisation
Looking at the marketing example - the voluntary sector supports and works with a diverse ___
of service users, supporters and partners. If the public face of an ___ reflects that diverse
public, then individuals will more easily identify with it, thinking "this is an organisation for me".
Volunteers are the ___ face of many organisations, and if diverse, will be more welcoming to
users and members. Also, if ___ are drawn from a wide sector of the community, then they each
tell their friends and family, raising the ___ of your service.
(adapted from http://www. mori.com/digest/2000)
2.3.2. Fill in the blanks in the following sentences with a word derived from the word
given at the end of each sentence:
1. ... at the working place is a topical issue in both the western and eastern
world.
2. Women usually contend that they have ... work opportunities as
compared with men.
3. Bill Clintons visit to Romania was a ... moment.
4. Exploring the ... sites of London could be a quite rewarding experience.
5. He is a government official extremely ... with different people in very high
circles.
6. After months of strenuous research, the main causes of their failure to
meet international standards remained ... .
7. This question ... addresses those prone to xenophobia.
8. ... tourists flock to the big cities of the world every day in search of yet
unimagined sensations.
9. Because your application is incomplete, it will rest ... until a further date.
10. After accumulating lots of practice in organising package tours, the
travel agency decided to ... their findings in a report published in a local
journal.
EQUAL
EQUAL
HISTORY
HISTORY
INFLUENCE
IDENTIFY
PRIMARY
NUMBER
PROCESS
THEORY
2.3. Fill in the blanks in the following sentences with the required preposition.
1. My methods differ a lot ___ the more conventional ones.
2. The history of this project dates back ___ 1985.
3. What did you have ___ mind when you called that company?
4. The reasons ___ establishing a new basis ___ cooperation are ___my depth.
5. Lets focus ___ this issue now and we will look ___ the other one ___ a later date.
6. ___ the present framework of rules, we have to abide ___ each one of them.
7. Equality ___ job opportunities is essential.
8. Her influence ___ the whole project is undeniable.
9. Theres no visible difference ___ the way they are treating immigrants ___ their country.
10. There has been no shift ___ our regulations since they came ___ force.
96
2.4. Language focus: The tense system: Past Perfect Continuous

2.4.1. The tense system: Past Perfect Continuous
Form: to be (in the past perfect) + verb + ing: I had been writing. Had I been writing? Yes, I had.
No, I hadnt.
It indicates: a past action in development before another past action and also continuing that
moment: When he came she had been reading for two hours.
!!!!!!!!!!!!
often used in past perfect and past perfect progressive sentences: when, after, as soon as,
before, by the time
e.g. After they had been quarrelling for minutes, I asked them to stop.
We had been waiting for weeks before we got the money.
They had been negotiating for hours by the time I got there.
2.4.2. Choose the correct form of the verb in the following sentences:
1. The staff complained that they had asked/had been asking for better working conditions
for two months.
2. We had hoped/had been hoping to solve our problem easily and were very disappointed
when we couldnt.
3. Our partners had looked forward/had been looking forward to the contract to be signed
and became quite angry when it had been cancelled/had been being cancelled.
4. The whole staff had worked/had been working until the last minute and they had no time
left to decorate the room for the meeting.
5. The newspapers had been publishing/had published a lot of articles on the accident for
weeks when they found out about it.
6. We had been discussing/had discussed all day with our partners and by 10 oclock the
agreement wasnt signed.
7. Our competition had done/had been doing everything they could to attack us and we had
to take steps towards fighting back.
8. When the PR assistant arrived, the customers had waited/had been waiting for her for
hours.
9. He asked us why we had written/had been writing such a long preamble to our report.
10. After the President had looked/had been looking through our papers for a while, he
decided to speak.
3. National stereotypes
3.1. Lead-in
STOP AND THINK!

What do you understand by stereotype?
To what extent are national stereotypes fair?
How can you fight prejudices related to national stereotypes?
97
3.2. Reading
How would you characterise the British? Read the following text and then state what you
agree with and what you disagree with.
What is "Britishness"?
The survey conducted by MORI on behalf of the British Council among the successor
generation in thirteen countries reveals what foreigners think about all aspects of British society
and culture.
The United Kingdom is both loved and loathed for its traditions. The images most often quoted
of the Great Britain in the survey are the Queen and the Royal Family, kilts, castles and rugby.
This has implications for public diplomacy. What can be done to close the gap between
perceptions overseas and the reality of contemporary Britain without ignoring the strengths of
our traditions for which we are respected?
Arts
"British arts represent their culture - very reserved and grey" - Malaysia
"Avant-garde, eccentric, mad" - France
"They don't have any famous artists. They like soccer." - Saudi Arabia
Sixty-six percent of those polled believe that Britains reputation in the arts is based more in the
past than in the present. There is a clear lack of knowledge about British contemporary arts.
When asked to identify one or two contemporary artists Elton John and Hugh Grant topped the
list with 5% each. A worrying 60% were unable to name a single artist. The area of British
culture where people had the most knowledge was pop music and film.
Business and finance
"The British are managers by nature." - Egypt
"They manufacture things carefully. You buy a British garment and you know it will last forever."
- Mexico
Whilst 81% of people rated British goods and services as "good" overall and 74% think British
managers are good, the country comes behind the United States, Japan and Germany when it
comes to having world-beating companies. British business is seen as too risk averse. "This
permanent up-and-down risk which the Americans take is much too exhausting for the Britons."
- Germany. However Britain is recognised as a b financial centre, though still behind the USA
and Japan.
Education
"They are well educated, well brought up people, able to keep up conversation." - Russia
"There is a high educational standard which the English are associated with, and if I wanted to
go abroad to study, this would be the only place." - Poland
Seventy-six percent of people questioned regard the British as well educated. British higher
education is particularly well respected with 88% of people rating it as "good". However the
United States still emerged as the market leader in higher education. Fifty-eight percent of
98
respondents believe that qualifications from the United States have the most credibility with
potential employers.
Media
"Even the more cultured people read the tabloids to be informed. Most of the scandals coming
from the Royal Family are found there." - Mexico
A significant minority (28%) believe that the British media cannot be relied on to tell the truth. In
Germany only 5% of people trust the truthfulness of the British media. However the British
media were regarded as being more truthful than their counterparts in most of the countries
surveyed.
Science and Technology
"The British are exploring more...cloning sheep and genetics and scary stuff." - South Africa
Whilst 62% of respondents agree that Britain has a b reputation for scientific and technological
innovation, the UK was ranked well behind the United States, Japan and Germany.
Society
"They are well brought up people. Even if they don't like you too much, they try to be nice." Russia
"The UK are one of the first democracies in Europe" - France
Sixty-five percent of people questioned agree that the UK is a good model of democratic
government. A grudging 58% agree that the British legal system ensures that everyone gets a
fair trial. Sixty-five percent also believe that the country has a good health care service. British
institutions may be respected but a significant 41% believe that British people are not very
welcoming towards foreigners.
(http://www. mori.com/digest/2000)

3.3.1. Match the words and phrases with their corresponding definitions:
1. tabloid
2. grudging
3. emerge
4. averse
5. counterpart
6. avant-garde
7. gap
8. loathe
9. pop
10. survey
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
hate, detest
poll, research of public opinion
pause, break, distance
aesthetically new and experimental
popular, relating to the tastes of common people
opposed, objecting to, unfavourable to
exit, appear as
newspaper publishing scandalous material
equivalent, analogue
hesitant, ill-disposed towards
99
1. He sometimes uses ... language.

2. Please give me a ... of prices for oil.
3. The tabloids made much ado about the fact that she was ... in the
royal scandal.
4. Your ... behaviour could irremediably harm the relationship between
the two countries.
5. These are just a few of the ... underscoring our excellent policies
regarding cooperation among states.
6. My ... has often been reviled in tabloids.
7. I hereby wish to ... your contribution to our success.
8. Their ... efforts led to fruition.
9. Her ... skills are impeccable at all social gatherings.
10. Im sorry to say that the degree of your intelligence is ... in this case.
LOATHE
QUOTE
IMPLICATE
DIPLOMATIC
STRONG
ECCENTRIC
KNOW
EXHAUST
CONVERSATION
SIGNIFY
1. I am speaking ___ behalf ___ all those who feel wronged by the Romanian Constitution.
2. IN the survey appear the figures ___ this years rate ___ diplomatic blunders ___ the part
___ Romania.
3. Your behaviour will have consequential implications ___ public diplomacy.
4. The gap ___ my abilities as a diplomat and yours is enormous.
5. I respect this small country ___ its great traditions.
6. His fame ___ successfully handling conflict situations is one ___ his advantages.
7. Teenagers are prone ___ identifying themselves ___ pop stars.
8. How do rate ___ a diplomat?
9. The English are associated ___ a proverbial reserve ___ definition.
10. Our country is the market leader ___ button manufacturing.
3.4. Language focus: Modal Verbs
3.4.1. Modal Verbs
Read the following examples from the text:
Later on you may be able (par. 4)
You must enter as an immigrant (par. 5)
The job seekershould be prepared (par. 4)
A college in foreign commerce would definitely help (par. 1)
Modals
May
Form: may// May he?// may not
It indicates:
Possibility: He may come today. (to be possible)
Probability: We may get that contract. (to be probable)
Permission: You may leave. (to be allowed/ to be permitted)
Might
Form: might/ might he// might not
It indicates:
- NOT the past of may BUT a stronger possibility/ probability/ uncertainty: You might be right
(but I strongly doubt).
100
Must
Form: must// Must he..?// must not = mustnt
It indicates:
necessity/ obligation imposed by the speaker: I must be punctual.
invitation, emphatic affirmation: You must see the exhibition.
Probability, logical necessity: He must be at home.
An unexpected/ contrary action: They must annoy us with their problems!
It is replaced by: to have to, to be obliged/ forced/ compelled to.
Should
Form: should// Should you?// should not = shouldnt
It indicates:
obligation: You should be present at the meeting.
Instructions/ advice: He should welcome them at the airport.
Expectation: The business should be profitable.
Past, unfulfilled expectation: They should have discussed the matter in detail.
Ought to
Form: ought to/ ought not to
It indicates:
Moral obligation: You ought to visit him at the hospital
Duty: You ought to write that report.
Not a very strong obligation in the past, present or future: He ought to play chess that day/ now/
to morrow.
Advisability: You ought to organise that meeting as soon as possible.
Necessity: He ought to be present at the conference.
Desirable, not performed action: You ought to have helped them. They ought not to have gone
there alone.
Supposition, probability: You ought to communicate them the decision by now.
Would
Form: would/ would you?/ would not = wouldnt
It indicates:
Polite request: Would you listen more carefully?
Opposition/ resistance/ unwillingness: They would not meet us.
Past habit = used to: I would stay in that chair, drink my tea and read a book.
Invitation: Would you have some more cake?
Refusal (in the negative): I wouldnt accept that.
Criticism of somebodys behaviour: She would keep talking without listening to her friends.
3.4.2. Rephrase the following sentences so that they contain one of the modals above:
1. If you cannot find a job in your country, you emigrate to a foreign job-rich place.
2. Dont consider heading overseas to seek work without money in your pocket.
3. Dont go unless you are prepared to accept any job.
4. Sometimes you are forced to accept a monotonous job.
5. There are jobs you didnt accept in your native country.
6. Later on, of course, you will have the opportunity to apply for creative work.
7. The job seeker heading overseas has to take on jobs that have been turned down flat by
natives.
8. To work overseas you need to obtain a work permit.
101
9. It is advisable you find a job for which no work permit is needed.

10. Women will be able to work au pair. Under this arrangement, any girl is supposed to get bed
and board.
11. Their duty is to act as baby sitters. Their daily activity is to give general household help.
12. Their employers are also obliged to pay them a sum of money.
3.5. Functions
Cause, effect and purpose
Cause
Effect
Result in.
Lead to
Since
As
Due to
Owing to the fact that
Because of
Purpose
This means that.

As a result of.
So that
In order to
The tense system: Revision

Simple tenses Continuous tenses
Present Simple
Present Continuous/Progressive
used for actions in the present, for things

that are always true or that happen
regularly, and for opinions and beliefs
used for actions or events that are happening or

developing now, for future plans, or to show that an event
is repeated
I/we/you/they enjoy (do not enjoy)

he/she/it enjoys (does not enjoy)
I am enjoying (am not enjoying)

we/you/they are enjoying (are not enjoying)
he/she/it is enjoying (is not enjoying)
Past Simple
Past Continuous/Progressive
used for completed actions and events in

the past
used for actions or events in the past that were not yet
finished or that were interrupted
I/we/you/they enjoyed (did not enjoy)

he/she/it enjoyed (did not enjoy)
I was enjoying (was not enjoying)

we/you/they were enjoying (were not enjoying)
he/she/it was enjoying (was not enjoying)
Future Simple
used for actions and events in the future
Future Continuous/Progressive
used for actions or events in the future that will continue
into the future
I/we/you/they will enjoy (will not enjoy)
I/we/you/they will be enjoying

(will not be enjoying)
102
he/she/it will enjoy (will not enjoy)
he/she/it will be enjoying

(will not be enjoying)
Perfect tenses Continuous tenses

Present Perfect
Present Perfect Continuous/ Progressive
used to show that an event happened or an action

was completed at some time before the present
used for actions or events that started in the past

but are still happening now, or for past actions
which only recently finished and whose effects are
seen now
I/we/you/they have enjoyed

(have not enjoyed)
he/she/it has enjoyed
(has not enjoyed)
I/we/you/they have been enjoying

(have not been enjoying)
he/she/it has been enjoying
(has not been enjoying)
Past Perfect
usually used to show that an event happened or an
action was completed before a particular time in
the past
Past Perfect Continuous/Progressive

used for actions or events that happened for a
period of time but were completed before a
particular time in the past
I/we/you/they had enjoyed

(had not enjoyed)
he/she/it had enjoyed
(had not enjoyed)
I/we/you/they had been enjoying

(had not been enjoying)
he/she/it had been enjoying
(had not been enjoying)
Future Perfect
used to show that something will be
completed before a particular time in the
future
Future Perfect Continuous/Progressive

used for actions or events that will already be
happening at a particular time in the future
I/we/you/they will have been enjoying
(will not have been enjoying)
he/she/it will have been enjoying
(will not have been enjoying)
I/we/you/they will have enjoyed

(will not have enjoyed)
he/she/it will have enjoyed
(will not have enjoyed)
Writing
Define the stereotype for your nationality. Use adjectives from the table below.
able
accepting
adaptable
bold
brave
calm
caring
cheerful
clever
complex
confident
dependable
dignified
energetic
extroverted
friendly
giving
happy
helpful
idealistic
independent
ingenious
intelligent
introverted
103
kind
knowledgeable
logical
loving
mature
modest
nervous
observant
organised
patient
powerful
proud
quiet
reflective
relaxed
religious
responsive
searching
self-assertive
self-conscious
sensible
sentimental
shy
silly
smart
spontaneous
sympathetic
tense
trustworthy
warm
wise
witty
Watch Gordon Browns (former British Prime Minister) lecture on Global Ethic vs national
interest (follow the link
http://www.ted.com/talks/gordon_brown_on_global_ethic_vs_national_interest.html) and
express your opinions. Do not write more than 250 words. You should submit your homework
electronically (adriana.fekete@lingua.ubbcluj.ro). (type of document: Word). Do not send
material downloaded from the Internet.
Deadline: 18 May
104
APPENDIX 1 ADJECTIVES + OBLIGATORY PREPOSITION

ADJECTIVE
A
accustomed
accused
acquainted
addicted
annoyed
allergic
amazed
anxious
appreciated
ashamed
associated
astonished
aware
angry
afraid
attached
PREPOSITION
different
disappointed
from
with
to
of
with
to
about/with/at
to
at/by
about
for
of
with
at/by
of
with
of
to
E
eager
eligible
enthusiastic
excellent
excited
experienced
exposed
envious
for
for
about
in/at
about
in
to
of
F
faithful
familiar
famous
fed up
free
frightened
friendly
fond
furious
furnished
full
to
with
for
with
of/from
of
with
of
about
with
of
G
generous
guilty
gentle
good
grateful
with/about
of/about
with
at
to
H
happy
hopeful
about
of/about
I
identical
immune
impressed
inferior
indifferent
innocent
interested
involved
incapable
with/to
to
with
to
to
of
in
with
of
B
bad
based
beneficial
boastful
bored
brilliant
busy
at
on
to
for
with
at
with
C
capable
careful
certain
characteristic
clever
connected
conscious
content
crazy
crowded
curious
of
with/about/of
about
of
at
with
of
with
about
with
about
D
dissatisfied
doubtful
delighted
derived
with
about
at/about
from
105
J
jealous
of
K
kind
keen
to
on
L
late
limited
lucky
for
to
at
M
nervous
notorious
of/about
for
O
opposed
to
P
patient
pessimistic
pleased
polite
popular
presented
proud
punished
puzzled
with
about
with
to
with
with
of
for
by/about
Q
qualified
for
R
ready
related
relevant
respectful
responsible
rid
for
to
to
for
for
of
106
sad
safe
satisfied
scared
sensitive
serious
sick
similar
shocked
skilful
slow
sorry
successful
suitable
sure
superior
surprised
suspicious
sympathetic
about
from
with
of
to
about
of
to
by
at
at
for/about
in
for
of/about
to
at
of
with
T
terrible
terrified
tired
thankful
trilled
troubled
typical
at
of
of
to/for
with
with
of
U
unaware
upset
used
of
about
to
W
wrong
worried
with/about
about
APPENDIX 2 GRAMMAR FILES
107
ENGLISH GRAMMAR FILES

WHAT DO THEY CONTAIN?
The ENGLISH GRAMMAR MORPHOLOGY AND SYNTAX contains information regarding the different
parts of speech and clauses existing in English and their function. The grammar is of great use for
undergraduate students with a business/economics profile at the Babe-Bolyai University.
HOW ARE THEY ORGANISED?
The English grammar presented here is divided into two parts: morphology and syntax. The first part
contains theoretical information regarding the different parts of speech and their use in a particular
context: the noun, the adjective, the adverb, the article, the pronoun, the numeral, the verb. The second
part offers a short perspective on the main problems raised by English syntax: nominal clauses, time
clauses, conditionals, reported speech, sequence of tenses, and clause connectors. The ENGLISH
GRAMMAR MORPHOLOGY AND SYNTAX is based on official curricula and helps students clarify
some of the most important problems related to English grammar.
HOW CAN WE USE THEM?
Each sub-unit comprises theoretical information related to a specific grammar problem: definition, use in
context, exceptions that can occur, and some examples. The students task is to obtain further
information and practice by consulting the recommended bibliography. The grammar items will be
customized by the teacher in course formats and test formats. Students are expected to be able to use
the parts of speech and the clauses indicated in the ENGLISH GRAMMAR MORPHOLOGY AND
SYNTAX along with related topics indicated in the bibliography. Further guidance will be provided by the
teacher.
1
RECOMMENDED SOURCES
Alexander, L.G., Longman English Grammar, Essex, 1988.
Brieger, N., Sweeney, S., The Language of Business English: Grammar & Functions, Hertfordshire,
Longman, 1994.
Leech, G., Svartvik, J., A Communicative Grammar of English, Longman, Essex, 1975.
Thomson, A. J., Martinet, A. W., A Practical English Grammar, University Press, Oxford, 1986.
Vince, M., Advanced Language Practice (London: MacMillan Heinemann ELT, 1994)
Vince, M., Intermediate Language Practice (London: MacMillan Heinemann ELT, 1998)
Mann, Malcolm &Taylore-Knowles, Steve (2008). Destination B2, MacMillan
Mann, Malcolm &Taylore-Knowles, Steve (2008). Destination C1&C2, MacMillan
Swan, Michael (2009). Practical English Usage, OUP
Swan, Michael, Baker, David (2012). Grammar Scan. Diagnostic Tests for Practical English Usage, OUP
DISCLAIMER
Students should note that the listed items do not necessarily cover the topics in an exhaustive manner;
other/more information should be obtained by the student from other books and tests; assigned course
leaders will provide information in this respect. Students are expected to devote ample time to reinforcing
grammar problems, based on the guidance provided by the aforementioned sources. Mastery of the
grammar presented here requires constant practice and self-study.
Free-access online grammar sites: http://www.ego4u.com; http://www.englishpage.com/grammar;

http://www.englishgrammarsecrets.com
108
MORPHOLOGY
THE NOUN
The plural form of nouns
Regular spelling
-s after most nouns:
-es after nouns ending in
2
Singular
Plural
letter
letters
product
products
-o :
echo
-ss:
mass
-x:
box
boxes
-ch:
watch
watches
-sh:
crash
crashes
-ies:
company
companies
Some endings in -f/-fe take
-ves:
shelf
shelves
Nouns with plurals in
-en:
child
children
consonant + -y becomes
echoes
masses
Irregular spelling
No change
species
species
Foreign plurals, e.g.
criterion
criteria
Irregular spelling: internal vowel change

The following nouns form their plurals by changing the internal vowel(s)
3
foot/feet, tooth/teeth, man/men, mouse/mice , woman/women.
Countable and uncountable nouns

Countable nouns are things that we can count. e.g.: coin, book, banknote, card, report, letter, partner,
etc.
We can use some and any with countable nouns:
e.g.: I've got some dollars.
Have you got any pens?
We can use a few and many with countable nouns:
I've got a few dollars.
I haven't got many pens.
Uncountable nouns take a singular verb and are not used with a/an. The words some, any, no, (a)
little, much, plenty of, etc. can be used with uncountable nouns.
e.g.: There's little hope for our business to grow.
The most common uncountable nouns are:
accommodation, advice, assistance, baggage, behaviour, business, conduct, damage, difficulty,
education, equipment, evidence, harm, health, help, homework, hospitality, information, knowledge,
2
Certain nouns ending in o take s ending, e.g.: nouns of foreign origin (piano pianos), abbreviations (kilo kilos, memo memos).
3
In Computer Science: mice or mouses
109
laughter, leisure, luck, luggage, machinery, money, news, patience, permission, progress, publicity,
research, rubbish, safety, scenery, shopping, traffic, transport, travel, trouble, understanding, wealth,
weather, wine, work, writing
Many uncountable nouns can be made countable in the following way:
a piece of cake/information/baggage/ advice/furniture/work/ equipment, a glass of water/beer/wine, a jar
of jam, a sheet of paper, an item of news, a drop of water/oil, a box chocolates, a metre of cloth, a packet
of biscuits/tea, a slice of bread, a loaf of bread, a pot of tea, a cup of tea, an ice cube, a game of
football/chess, a kilo of meat, a bottle of wine/beer/whisky, a tube of toothpaste, a bar of soap/chocolate,
a flash of lightning
The Genitive case

1. s genitive (the possessor + s + the thing possessed) is used with animate nouns
e.g.:
Emilys relations
the childs toys
my partners office
the companys working capital
-when the nouns are in the plural, the genitive is formed in the following way:
a) regular plurals: noun followed by
e.g.:
our partners conditions
b) irregular plurals: noun followed by s
e.g.:
womens bags
childrens clothes
2. prepositional genitive - with of (the thing possessed + of + the possessor) is used with inanimate
nouns
e.g.:
the legs of the chair
THE ADJECTIVE
Order
Opinion / Size/ Age/ Style/ Colour/ Origin/ Material/ Purpose/ Noun
e.g.:
long blue denim skirt: She is wearing a long blue denim skirt.
wavy brown hair: He is the one with the wavy brown hair.
beautiful old Welsh farmers cottage: It is a beautiful old Welsh farmers cottage.
Degrees of comparison
Adjectives
1-syllable adjs.
adj. + -er/ -est
Positive
cheap
small
big
Comparative
cheaper
smaller
bigger
Superlative
the cheapest
the smallest
the biggest
2-syllable adjs.
adj. + -er/ -est
more/ the most + adj.
clever
heavy
rapid
cleverer
heavier
more rapid
the cleverest
the heaviest
the most rapid
3 or more syllable adjs.

more/ the most + adj.
expensive
interesting
more expensive
more interesting
the
most
expensive
the
most
interesting
110
Irregular adjs.
good
bad
little
many/ much
far
old
better
worse
less
more
farther/ further
older/ elder
the best
the worst
the least
the most
the farthest/ the
furthest
the oldest/ the eldest
THE ADVERB
Types
-
adverbs of manner: badly, unlikely, etc.

adverbs of place: abroad, indoors, etc.
adverbs of time: definite time (last Monday, tomorrow), indefinite time (recently, early, etc.)
adverbs of frequency: definite frequency (every day, etc.), indefinite frequency (always, etc.)
adverbs of degree: enough, fairly, badly, etc.
Order
1. manner
2. place
3. time
e.g.:
Barbara read quietly in the library all afternoon.
Degrees of comparison
Adverb type
1. same form as adjective
2. ly adverbs of manner
3. some adverbs of frequency
4. exceptions
positive
fast
easily
rarely
badly
far
late
little
much
well
comparative
faster
more easily
more rarely
worse
farther/further
later
less
more
better
superlative
fastest
most easily
most rarely
worst
farthest/furthest
last
least
most
best
THE ARTICLE
Definite
form: the
use:
- before a noun which is defined
e.g.: The management strategies have worked.
- omitted before nouns in the plural, uncountable or abstract nouns, when we talk about them in general
e.g.: Money doesn't grow on trees.
111
Indefinite
form: a/an
use:
- with singular countable nouns, when we dont specify which one we talk about.
e.g.: They decided to launch a profitable project as soon as possible.
Have you ever done business with an estate owner?
Zero
use:
- before: proper nouns, names of meals, days of the week, abstract nouns, names of substances, names of
countries/ cities/ streets/ buildings/ mountains/ continents, sports, activities, colours
e.g.: Creativity is essential in advertising.
I have an appointment with the MD on Tuesday.
THE PRONOUN
Personal
Subject pronouns come before the main verb:
I; you; he/ she/ it; we; they
e.g.: I think it's cost-effective. Do you agree?
Object pronouns come after the main verb:
me; you; him/ her/ it; us; them
e.g.: We asked them a question. John gave us the answer.
Possessive pronouns - No apostrophe before s with possessive pronouns.
mine; yours; his/ hers/ (its); ours; theirs
e.g.: Is this document his or hers?
Demonstrative
this; that; these; those
e.g.: What is that?
I would like one of those.
These proposals are interesting
Reflexive
myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves.
We use a reflexive pronoun if the object of the verb is the same as the subject. Compare:
I'm enjoying the training.
Jill introduced me to her associate.
I'm enjoying myself.

Jill introduced herself to me.
112
Indefinite
are words that replace nouns without specifying which noun they replace.
Singular: another, anybody, anyone, anything, each, either, everybody, everyone, everything, little, much,
neither, nobody, no one, nothing, one, other, somebody, someone, something
Plural: both, few, many, others, several
Singular or plural: all, any, more, most, none, some
e.g.: Somebody is here today.
Is anybody on duty?
Nobody is here today.
Relative
subject of the following
verb (cannot be omitted)
who/that
He is the new employee. He
was given a bonus.
He is the new employee
who/that was given a
bonus.
object of the following possession (cannot

verb (can be omitted)
be omitted)
people
whom/who/that (informal) whose
There's the contractor.
That's Mr. Brown. He
We met him yesterday.
refurbished his office
There's the contractor
last month.
whom/who/that we met
That's Mr. Brown,
yesterday.
whose office was
refurbished last month.
things
which/that
which/that
whose/of which
/animals I bought a computer. It
Here's the report. I found it (formal)
doesn't work properly.
on the top shelf.
There's the camera.
I bought a computer which/ Here is the report
Its lens is broken.
that doesn't work properly. which/that I found on the There's the camera
top shelf.
whose lens/the lens
of which is broken.
THE NUMERAL
Types: cardinal and ordinal.
Cardinal
0
1
2
3
4
11
12
14
20
40
100
1,000
1,000,000
1,000,000,000
zero
one
two
three
four
eleven
twelve
fourteen
twenty
forty
one hundred
one thousand
one million
one billion
113
NOTE!
4, 14 and 40 40 is the only one written without a u after o (see the spelling above)
Ordinal
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
11th
12th
13th
first
second
third
fourth
fifth
eleventh
twelfth
thirteenth
20th
31st
52nd
73rd
89th
137th
twentieth
thirty-first
fifty-second
seventy-third
eighty-ninth
one hundred
thirty-seventh
THE VERB
Classification
1. According to the form:
-regular verbs:
e.g.
work-worked
-irregular verbs:
e.g.
write-wrote-written
2. According to the role played in the predication:
-auxiliary verbs: (be, have, do, shall, will, should, would) precede a notional verb to form the categories
of tense, mood, voice, aspect
-linking verbs: + a nominal part (e.g. be in love, fall asleep, make sure, prove useless, rest assured, get
tired, grow old, turn pale etc.)
-notional verbs: (I write/ I am writing) function as predicates in the sentence
-modal verbs: (e.g. can/could, may/might, shall/should, will/would, must, ought to, have to, need etc.)
TENSES
1. PRESENT SIMPLE vs. PRESENT CONTINUOUS
Present Simple
Verb (+ -s/ -es for 3rd pers. sg.)
Auxiliary: DO/ DOES
Habitual actions or permanent states
Present Continuous
TO BE (am/ are/ is) + Verb-ing
Auxiliary: BE
Repeated actions with always,
forever, constantly (often to
show annoyance)
e.g.: You're always leaving the
phone in the kitchen.
e.g.: She works in a bank.
The secretary writes the minutes of all meetings.
Arranged future actions (timetables, programmes,

etc)
e.g.: The conference starts at 9 oclock next Monday.
114
She
is
always
making
unintelligible
signs!
Nobody
understands her.
Actions in progress/ temporary
actions
e.g.: He is describing a graph at
the moment.
Laws of nature/scientific facts and instructions
Fixed arrangements for the near

future
e.g.: First you dial the number, then you speak into the e.g.: They are going on a
receiver.
business trip to Spain tomorrow.
Dramatic narration
Current trends and
e.g.: The lights go out and the workers get out the
developments
warehouse.
e.g.: Oil prices are rising at
present.
Time Expressions: usually, often, always, sometimes, Time Expressions: now, at
never, normally, regularly, every day, in the morning, on present, at the moment, for the
Mondays, etc.
time being, this month, these
days, still, today, tonight,
nowadays, etc.
NOTE!
State verbs describe a state and do not have continuous forms. These include verbs related to:
senses: see, hear, smell, feel, taste
thinking: think, agree, believe, consider, doubt, expect, feel (=think)
emotion & feeling: feel, forgive, hate, loathe, like, dislike, love, mind, wish, etc
other: appear/seem, be, belong, have (=possess), keep (=continue), matter, owe, possess/own etc
Verbs of the senses can have continuous forms, but then there's a change in meaning.
I'm seeing my lawyer tomorrow. (= a prior arrangement) but: Do/Can you see those buildings? (ability
to see)
The verbs think, consider and expect can have continuous forms when they refer to an activity.
Be quiet, please! I'm thinking. but: I think you are wrong. (= I believe)
Have can have continuous forms in certain expressions such as: have a bath, have a nap, have fun,
have a good time, etc.
We were having a good time at the party when we heard the news. but: Since you have his phone
number, you can call him. (= possess)
2. PAST SIMPLE vs. PAST CONTINUOUS

Past Simple
Verb + ed (regular verbs)/ 2nd form (irregular
verbs)
Auxiliary: DID
Actions completed in the past when there is direct
or indirect time reference
e.g.: He called a meeting an hour ago. (direct time
reference)
She phoned before the boss came. (indirect time
reference)
My old computer processed data at a low speed
before it was updated.
Past habitual actions
Past Continuous
TO BE (was/ were) + Verb-ing
Auxiliary: WAS/ WERE
Past actions in progress/ at a
given point in time
e.g.: She was still working at eight
o'clock yesterday evening.
I was developing an online database

at this time last year.
Past action in progress interrupted

by another action
e.g.: He travelled/used to travel a lot when he was a e.g.: She was leaving when the
sales representative.
phone rang.
Past actions happening one after the other
Simultaneous past actions
e.g.: He stood up, picked up his briefcase and left
e.g.: While Jane was delivering the
the office.
presentation, Tom was taking notes.
115
In Conditionals Type II
e.g.: If you knew Henry Ford you would follow his
example.
Polite inquiries
e.g.: I was wondering if you could
mention the turnover of your
company to me.
Time Expressions: yesterday, then, when, ago, How Time Expressions: while, when, as,
long ago... ?, last night/ week/ year, etc.
all morning/evening, day, night, etc.
3. PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE vs. PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

Present Perfect Simple
TO HAVE (have/ has) + Past participle
(regular/ irregular vbs.)
Auxiliary: HAVE/ HAS
Recently completed actions
Present Perfect Continuous

TO HAVE (have/has) + BEEN + Verb-ing
Auxiliary: HAVE/ HAS + (BEEN)
Past actions producing visible results in
the present
e.g.: She has been calculating the
expenses. (The calculator is on the table.)
e.g.: She has just looked at the report.
They have just audited the state-owned

enterprise.
Chinese companies have been

maintaining an inflexible hierarchy.
Actions beginning in the past and

continuing up to the present, focusing on
the result (time not relevant)
An action beginning in the past and

continuing up to the present, focusing
on the action especially with for or since
e.g.: He has written three letters.
e.g.: She has been waiting for two hours

but there's still no sign of him.
Action showing annoyance, irritation or
surprise
e.g.: What have you been doing to my
computer?
Indefinite past actions or experiences

e.g.: She has seen this balance sheet. (We
do not know when.)
I've been to Berlin twice.
Repeated actions still continuing
e.g.: He has worked as a driver for four
years. (He is still a driver.)
Time Expressions: since, for, yet, already,
just, ever, so far, recently, lately, still, how
long, etc.
Time Expressions: for, since, how long,

lately, recently, etc.
4. PAST PERFECT SIMPLE vs. PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

Past Perfect Simple
HAD + Past participle (regular/ irregular vbs.)
Auxiliary: HAD
Past action which happened before another
past action
e.g.: She had already typed all the letters
before her boss arrived.
Managerial accountability had been a must in
our company before the appointment of the
new manager.
Past Perfect Continuous

HAD + BEEN + Verb-ing
Auxiliary: HAD + (BEEN)
A longer past action which continued up
to another past action
e.g.: She had been reading all day long when
Tom came home with their new associate.
He had been offering counselling for two
years when he was dismissed.
116
In Indirect Speech and thoughts in the past

e.g.: I told him how much I had enjoyed
meeting him.
I thought I had ordered a new catalogue, but I
couldnt find it.
In Conditionals Type III
e.g.: He would have saved the business from
disaster if he had asked for the help of a
troubleshooting company.
Time Expressions: before, after, already, just,
for, since, till/until, by the time, never, etc.
Actions producing visible results in the

past
e.g.: She was covered in dust because she
had been refurbishing the outlet.
Time Expressions: for, since, how long,

before, until, etc.
5. MEANS OF EXPRESSING FUTURE TIME

Future Simple Be going to
Future Continuous
WILL + Verb
BE + GOING TO + Verb WILL + BE + Verbing
Auxiliary: WILL Auxiliary: BE + (GOING
TO)
Auxiliary: WILL +
(BE)
Predictions,
offers,
promises,
requests,
suggestions
e.g.: Will you
help me with
the annual
report? /Shall I
get you the job
description?
Will you help
me find a wellpaid job in the
oil industry?
On the spot
decisions
Intentions
Actions in
progress at a
certain time in the
future
e.g.: I know my assets

are valuable. I'm going e.g.: I'll be flying to
to sell them tomorrow. Paris this time
Im going to read the
tomorrow.
job advertisements in the The board will be
local newspaper.
examining all
applications this time
next week.
Planned actions
Logical
assumptions
about sb.'s
e.g.: Your
actions in the
approach is not
present
flexible enough. e.g.: She is going to sit e.g.: He will be
I see. Ill
for an interview next
working in his
improve it right month.
office now.
away.
Opinions,
Possible action seen in Previously
hopes, fears, the future as a result of planned actions
especially with sth. else
(instead of
think,
Present
expect,
Continuous)
suppose,
117
Future Perfect Simple

WILL + HAVE/HAS + Past
participle (regular/ irregular
vbs.)
Auxiliary: WILL +
(HAVE/HAS)
Future Perfect Cont.
WILL + HAVE/HAS +
BEEN + Verb-ing
Actions finished before a
certain future time,
usually with before, by,
by then, by the time,
until/till
e.g.: By the end of July he
will have been in
partnership for two months.
By the end of June, he will
have been working on
probation for one month.
Logical assumptions
about sb.'s actions
e.g.: He will have applied

for the job by now.
Future Perfect Cont.

An action up to a certain
time in the future,
emphasising the
continuity, usually with
by... for
imagine,
fear, etc.
e.g.: He doesn't know
e.g.: I think he'll how to analyse the
pass the test. situation. He's going to
make a fool of himself.
e.g.: Ill be seeing

the President of
the company
tonight. Would you
like me to tell him
the news?
e.g.: By next Sunday, they

will have been using the
new premises for two
years.
When it is not When there is evidence

certain
that sth. will definitely
whether sth. happen
will happen
(prediction)
Note
by/before are used with
Future Perfect in positive
sentences; until is used
in negative sentences
e.g.: Perhaps
it'll rain
tomorrow.
e.g.: She will have cleared

her bank account by 6
o'clock.
She won't have deposited
any money until 6 o'clock.
e.g.: She's going to

have a nervous
breakdown.
Time Expressions
Time Expressions
tomorrow, the day after tomorrow,
this time tomorrow, now, by the end of July, by
tonight, soon, next week/month/year, in a now, for two months, until, etc.
week/month/year, shortly, etc.
Voice
ACTIVE vs. PASSIVE VOICE
Tenses
Active Voice
Present Simple (am/are/is + e.g.: The assistant types
past participle)
reports.
They always book
charters in advance.
Past Simple (was/were +
past participle)
e.g.: The assistant typed

reports.
The committee found
cheap accommodation
near the city centre.
Present Continuous
(am/are/is + being + past
participle)
e.g.: The assistant is

typing reports.
e.g.: The assistant was

Past Continuous (was/were typing reports.
+ being + past participle)
Present Perfect (have/has + e.g.: The assistant has
been + past participle)
typed reports.
118
Passive Voice
e.g.: Reports are typed (by the
assistant).
Charters are always booked in
advance.
e.g.: Reports were typed (by the

assistant).
Cheap accommodation was found
near the city centre by the
committee.
e.g.: Reports are being typed (by
the assistant).
e.g.: Reports were being typed (by
the assistant).
e.g.: Reports have been typed (by
the assistant).
Past Perfect (had + been +

past participle)
Future Simple (will + be +
past participle)
e.g.: The assistant had

typed reports.
e.g.: The assistant will
type reports.
e.g.: Reports had been typed (by

the assistant).
e.g.: Reports will be typed (by the
assistant).
Future Perfect (will + have +

Conditional (would + be +
past participle)
e.g.: The assistant will

have typed reports.
e.g.: The assistant would
type reports.
e.g.: Reports will have been typed

(by the assistant).
e.g.: Reports would be typed (by
the assistant).
Conditional Perfect (would +

have + been + past participle)
Present Infinitive (to be +
past participle)
e.g.: The assistant would

have typed reports.
e.g.: The assistant ought
to type reports.
e.g.: Reports would have been

typed (by the assistant).
e.g.: Reports ought to be typed (by
the assistant).
Perfect Infinitive (to + have

+ been + past participle)
Gerund (being + past
participle)
e.g.: The assistant ought

to have typed reports.
e.g.: The assistant hates
people asking her to type
reports.
e.g.: Reports ought to have been

typed (by the assistant).
e.g.: The assistant hates being
asked to type reports (by her boss).
e.g.: The assistant

remembers her boss
having asked her to type
reports.
Present/ Future modals
e.g.: The company might
(modal + be + past participle) give Susan a new office.
Perfect Gerund (having +
e.g.: The assistant remembers

having been asked to type reports
(by her boss).
e.g.: Susan might be given a new
office.
e.g.: Several employees

Past modals (modal + have may have handed in their e.g.: Resignations may have been
resignations.
handed in by several employees.
NOTE!
The object of the active verb becomes the subject of the passive verb. The subject of the active verb
becomes the agent of the passive verb and is preceded by by. The agent is omitted when it is a) a
pronoun, b) words like one, someone, people, etc, c) easily understood. (Someone destroyed the
documents. - The documents were destroyed.) Most transitive verbs can be used in the passive.
MODAL VERBS
Characteristics:
- defective (some of their forms are missing)
- the same form in all persons e.g. I can swim./ He can swim.
- the negative is formed by putting not after the modal and the interrogative by inverting subject and
modal verb e.g. He must not do that./ May he come?
- followed by the infinitive in any of its forms e.g. You shouldnt laugh at his mistakes./ We must have
taken a wrong turning.
Modal verb
Must
Use
high probability
e.g.: He must be the General Manager.
internal obligation
119
I must read the agenda first.

external obligation
e.g.: You have to attend the meeting!
past ability
e.g.: He could read the accounts last year.
probability/ possibility
e.g.: It could be him, but Im not sure.
advice
e.g.: You should help the blue-collar worker!
e.g.: He may arrive earlier than expected.
permission
e.g.: You may sign the contract now.
e.g.: She might help you, but I doubt it.
ability
e.g.: He can easily make or break deals.
request
e.g.: Can you hand me the ledger?
Have to
Could
Should
May
Might
Can
GERUNDS AND INFINITIVES

THE GERUND
Form:
TENSE
Present
Perfect
e.g.:
ACTIVE
writing
having written
PASSIVE
being written
having been written
I consider moving to the town.

I considered moving to the town.
He denied having been there.
-it may have its own subject

e.g.:
He resented my/me being promoted.
She insisted on the children doing the washing.
Use:
1. as a subject
e.g.:
Learning a language is difficult.
2. as an object after the verbs: appreciate, admit, avoid, be busy, consider, deny, delay, detest, dislike,
enjoy, escape, excuse, finish, imagine, keep on, mention, mind, miss postpone, practise, recollect,
suggest, understand, risk, cant help, cant resist, cant stand, its worth, want, need
e.g.:
I tried to avoid meeting him.
I can no longer delay writing him.
She is busy preparing for the party.
I suggest going.
Do you mind my smoking?
120
3. Gerund or Infinitive?
a) propose = intend: I propose to go to London on Wednesday. (Infinitive)
= suggest: I propose resting for half an hour. (Gerund)
b) forget, remember, recollect, regret + Infinitive (= simultaneous actions)
e.g.:
Did you remember/ didnt you forget to post the letter?
forget, remember, recollect, regret + Gerund (= past actions)
e.g.:
I remember posting the letter, but she says, she hasnt received it.
c) stop + Infinitive
e.g.:
I stopped to greet him. (stop in order to do sth./ with the purpose of doing sth.)
stop + Gerund
e.g.:
He stopped talking. (= quit, finish)
He stopped me from listening to the radio. (prevent sb. from doing sth.)
d) go + Infinitive
e.g.:
Lets go to buy him a present.
go + Gerund
e.g.:
Lets go dancing/ shopping/ fishing/ hunting.
e) try + Infinitive: I tried to open the door. (attempt)
+ Gerund: Why didnt you try using a screw-driver? (experiment)
4. Verbs + Prepositions: to succeed in, to apologize for, to complain of/ about, to thank for, to look
forward to, to be fed up with, to insist on, to intend on, to object to, to forget about, to worry about, to rely
on, to think of/ about, to depend on, to forgive for, to argue about, to approve of, to blame for, to care
about, to warn about, to boast of, to dream of, to threaten with, to spend on, to prevent from, to punish for,
to inform about, to count on, to feel like, to learn about, to aim at, to hesitate at, to fight / struggle against,
to retire from, to believe in, to consist of, to participate in, to decide on, to focus on, to concentrate on
e.g.:
Im looking forward to meeting him.
He succeeded in passing the exam.
She apologized for being late.
5. Adjectives + Prepositions
(to be angry, anxious, certain, enthusiastic, happy, optimistic, pleased, sure, worried + about)
(to be astonished, bad, clever, delighted, expert, good, surprised + at)
(to be responsible, sorry, suitable, useful + for)
(to be consistent, correct, experienced, fortunate, helpful, interested, late, quick, slow, successful + in)
(to be afraid, ashamed, aware, certain, convinced, fond, guilty, proud, tired + of)
(to be based, dependent, keen + on)
(to be accustomed, opposed + to)
(to be bored, content, disappointed, happy, satisfied, sick, upset + with)
6. Nouns + Prepositions
(to have doubts + about)
(to have cause, reason + for)
(to have belief, confidence, delight, difficulty, experience, faith, interest, luck, pride + in)
(to have habit, intention, hope, opportunity + of)
(to have contribution, objection, opposition + to)
7. Instead of, without, against, in spite of/ despite + Gerund
e.g.:
He stayed at home instead of going for a holiday. / I am against spending so much money.
121
THE INFINITIVE
Form:
TENSE
Present
Present Continuous
Perfect
Perfect Continuous
e.g.:
ACTIVE
to write
to be writing
to have written
to have been writing
PASSIVE
to be written
to have been written
I am glad to see you. (Present)

He turned out to be sleeping. (Present Continuous)
I was glad to have met him. (Perfect)
He turned out to have been waiting for us for a long time. (Perfect Continuous)
Use:
1. As a subject:
e.g.:
To learn languages is difficult.
2. After some adjectives: bad, difficult, easy, good, hard, possible, impossible, necessary, useless, nice,
clever, good, kind, wise, silly, stupid, selfish
e.g.:
It is hard to understand him. (He is hard to understand.)
It was wise of her not to go there.
3. After some verbs: afford, agree, aim, appear, arrange, begin, bother, care, claim, decide, demand,
determine, expect, fail, happen, hesitate, forget, hope, hate, intend, learn, like, love, manage, offer, mean,
need, prepare, pretend, promise, refuse, remember, regret, propose, prove, start, tend, seem, swear,
threaten, try, trouble, turn out, want, wish
e.g.:
I happened to be in the shop when he came in.
He seems to have lost something.
The police hope to solve the crime soon.
4. Accusative + Infinitive: advise, allow, appoint, ask, beg, challenge, dare, command, direct, enable,
encourage, expect, force, help, implore, inspire, instruct, invite, lead, order, persuade, remind, request,
stimulate, teach, tell, trust, want, warn
e.g.:
Why do you want me to be here?
He asked her not to cry.
Id like you to help me.
! Accusative + short Infinitive
a) let, make, have
e.g.:
Let me help you.
Dont make me laugh!
Why dont you have the tap mended?
b) verbs of perception (hear, see, notice)
e.g.:
I see the clouds gather.
!!- to Infinitive in Passive Voice
e.g.:
He was seen to go into the building.
We were made to work hard.
122
5. Nominative + Infinitive
a) after intransitive verbs (seem, appear, prove, happen, turn out)
e.g.:
He seemed to be pleased with the results.
b) after verbs of perception
e.g.:
He was seen to go into the building.
c) After the following verbs: say, tell, believe, think
e.g.:
He is said to be clever.
He is believed to have been promoted.
6. Too, Enough
e.g.:
It is too difficult for me to understand.
Im not rich enough to buy a house.
This glass is too dirty to drink from.
7. The first/ the second/ the last/ the only + to Infinitive
e.g.:
He loves parties, he is the first to come and the last to leave.
8. For + to Infinitive
e.g.:
They arranged for her to come.
123
SYNTAX
THE SENTENCE
types
group of words expressing a thought in the form of a statement, question, instruction or

exclamation, usually containing a verb.
simple
complex
relationship between sentences

coordination
subordination
THE CLAUSE
a word or group of words ordinarily consisting of a subject and a predicate; sentences consist of
one or more clauses.
WORD ORDER
in English, word order is very important

a sentence in English usually contains at least three elements: subject, verb, and object
the typical word order in an English sentence is as follows
positive sentences:
Subject
Verb
Indirect
Object
The final form

of the
contract
was signed
Our latest
advertisement
promotes
My colleague
told
Direct
Object
Adverb of
Place
Adverb of
Time
in the
conference
hall
yesterday.
a healthy
way of life
me
Adverb of
Manner
in a
shocking
way.
to solve the
problem.
questions:
Interrogative
Auxiliary
verb
Subject
Other
verb(s)
Indirect
Object
What
did
the
travel
agency
you
offer
to our
company?
Are
going
to start
124
Direct
Object
Adverb
of Place
Adverb of
Time
a
strike
in front
of the
factory
tomorrow?
Adverb
of
Manner
TYPES OF SUBORDINATE CLAUSES

Noun Clauses
in sentences noun-clauses perform the same functions that nouns do;

they can play the following roles:
subject of a verb
object of a verb: after such verbs as: imagine, know, learn, remember, say, tell,
think, wonder, etc.
subject complement: after such nouns as: concern, desire, mistake, opinion,
problem, question, truth, wish, etc. + the verb to be
object of a preposition: after such expressions as: to be aware of, to be
concerned with, to be responsible for, to listen to, to learn about, etc.
adjective complement: after such adjectives as: afraid, glad, happy, sad, etc.
Relative Clauses
play the role of an adjective;

can describe persons, things and events;
are introduced by relative pronouns such as:
who
which
that
whom
whose
where
when
why
etc.
types
defining: provide essential information and the main clause does not make proper sense without
it; no comma between the main clause and the relative clause
e.g.
Only applicants who have work experience will be shortlisted for the interview.
non-defining: provide additional information about the subject and can be omitted; always written
between commas
e.g.
The vice-president, who had no idea about their plans, rejected their offer.
Time Clauses
show the moment when an action takes place;

introduced by such conjunctions as: after, as, before, since, until, when, while
can show:
an action taking place after the action in the main clause:
e.g.: We should read the business plan extremely carefully before the bank offers them the loan.
an action taking place before the action in the main clause:
125
e.g.: After they had delivered the product improperly, they decided to offer us a discount due to the
damages.
an action taking place at the same moment as the action in the main clause:
e.g.: When the manager arrives, I will tell him you phoned.
an action at a non-specific time:
e.g.: Always ask for further information when something is not clear enough.
never use a future form in a time clause! in time clauses
future becomes present
e.g.:
You will send me the papers.
I will give you an answer when you send me the papers.
future perfect becomes present perfect
e.g.
He will have taken a decision by the end of the week.
He will inform us as soon as he has taken a decision.
NOTE
Not all sentences introduced by when are time clauses! When can also introduce noun clauses, in which
case a future form can be used after when.
e.g.
Compare
I will start writing the report when she comes.
(when will I start? time clause)
I would like to know when he will come.
(what would I like to know? direct object clause)
Conditional Clauses
show a condition;
are introduced by: if, unless, provided, but only if
types
first
probable condition
second
improbable
condition
third
impossible
condition
Conditional Clause
Present Simple
If the company applies an equal
opportunities policy,
Past Simple
If companies provided more
jobs,
Past Perfect
If the managers in the company
had attended courses on
communication,
Main Clause
Future Simple
people of all races will
find a job.
would + Inf.
unemployment would be
reduced.
rd
would have + 3 form of
the verb
there wouldnt have been
any consumer complaints.
Combinations of types two and 3 may occur, depending on the meaning.

126
e.g.
Compare
All the employees who worked on the project were fired.
If I had worked on that project I would be unemployed now.
If I had worked on that project I would have been fired.
NOTE
no future form should be used in conditional clauses!
However, if can also introduce noun clauses, in which case the above rule no longer applies
e.g.
Compare
I will buy the house if he signs the contract.
(under what conditions will I buy the house? conditional clause)
The manager wanted to know if he will sign the contract.
(what did he want to know? direct object clause)
SEQUENCE OF TENSES
Reported Speech
reported or indirect speech refers to the situation in which we report what somebody said
o requests and commands reported with the infinitive

o statements
the verb of the subordinate (object clause) remains in the same tense as it was in the direct
speech when the main clause contains a verb in the present;
when the verb in the main clause is in the past tense, the following changes occur in the
subordinate clause:
tenses (backshift):
DIRECT SPEECH
Present Simple
Present Continuous
Present Perfect Simple
Present Perfect Continuous
Past Simple
Past Continuous
Past Perfect Simple
Future Simple
Future Continuous
INDIRECT SPEECH
Past Simple
Past Continuous
Past Perfect Simple
Past Perfect Simple
Past Perfect Simple
Future in the Past
Future Continuous in the Past
127
modal verbs
may
can
must
have to
will
shall
might
could
had to / was, were to
had to
would
should
adverbs and pronouns

here
now
today
yesterday
last week
tomorrow
next week
this
these
there
then
that day
the day before / the previous day
the week before / the previous week
the next day / the following day
the next week / the following week
that
those
o questions
the word order of the subordinate clause follows the word order of the declarative sentence.
Clause Connectors
conjunctions
dependent words
transitional expressions
Conjunctions
cause and
effect clauses: show the
cause of the action from
the main clause or its
result.
for
so
comparison
and contrast clauses:
can show either a
comparison or a
concession;
but
yet
Dependent
words
as
because
if
since
so that
unless
although
as / than
even though
though
whereas
while
128
Transitional
expressions
accordingly
as a result
consequently
for this reason
hence
otherwise
then
therefore
thus
by comparison
by contrast
even so
however
in the same way
likewise
nevertheless
on the contrary
on the other hand
similarly
still
examples and
conclusions
time clauses: show the

moment when the action
from the main clause took
place.
and
after
as
before
since
until
when (+ever)
while
129
after
for example
for instance
in conclusion
in summary
in fact
in other words
in particular
of course
specifically
also
afterward
at the same time
besides
earlier
eventually
finally
first
furthermore
in addition
later
meanwhile
moreover
next
now
soon
then
too
FUNCTIONS FILES
130
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION FUNCTIONS c

WHAT ARE THEY?
The BUSINESS COMMUNICATION FUNCTIONS are lists of expressions covering the business English
topics studied by 1st and 2nd year undergraduate students majoring in a business/economics-related
field at the Babe-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca, Romania (the Faculty of Economics and Business
Administration, the Faculty of Business, the Faculty of European Studies and International Relations and
the Faculty of Political Science and Public Administration).
HOW CAN THEY BE USED?
Each list comprises expressions related to a specific function, identified by a heading. The expressions
are accompanied by essential grammatical information and relevant examples. It rests with students to
look up these vocabulary items for meanings, other examples and collocations (see RECOMMENDED
SOURCES below). These functions will be customized by course leaders in syllabus/course formats and
also test formats. Students majoring in business/economics-related fields are officially expected to master
the usage of the items to be found on these lists, along with related elements (collocations and other
expressions), with the help of the sources recommended (see below). Further guidance will be available
in class, from the assigned course leaders.
1
RECOMMENDED SOURCES
Brieger, Nick, Sweeney, Simon. (1994/later). The Language of Business English. Grammar and
Functions, New York: Prentice Hall.
Lesikar, R. V., Pettit, J. D. Jr., Flatley, M. E. (1993). Basic Business Communication. 6th Edition. USA:
Richard D. Irwin.
Cambridge Advanced Learners Dictionary (2nd edition), Cambridge University Press, 2005/later
Longman Business English Dictionary, Longman, 2007/later
Macmillan English Dictionary for Advanced Learners (2nd edition), Macmillan, 2007/later
Oxford Collocations Dictionary for Students of English, Oxford University Press, 2002/later
DISCLAIMER
Students should note that the listed items do not necessarily cover the topics in an exhaustive manner;
other/more words and phrases may be used in customized course books and tests assigned course
leaders will provide further information in this respect. While all topics will be introduced in class, students
are expected to devote ample time to reinforcing vocabulary (home assignments), based on the guidance
provided. Mastery of the functions listed here presupposes constant practice and self-study for success.
1
Websites with more information on the sources indicated: http://www.cambridge.org/elt/dictionaries/cald.htm,
http://www.pearson.ch/LanguageTeaching/Dictionaries/Dictionaries-British/1449/9780582306066/New-Edition-Longman-BusinessEnglish.aspx, http://www.macmillandictionaries.com/home.htm, http://www.oup.com/elt/catalogue/isbn/0-19-431243-7?cc=global.
Free-access online dictionaries: http://dictionary.cambridge.org/, http://www.ldoceonline.com/,
http://www.oup.com/elt/catalogue/teachersites/oald7/?cc=global.
131
1.
LIKES AND PREFERENCES
1.1. SAMPLE SENTENCE: I would rather make a bet than just sit and watch.
(Bill Gates, http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/english/NEWS_EN/20060623/118480/)
1.2. FORMS & USES:
1.2.1. Like
They like the new managing director.
I like to do things by the book.
He likes visiting his clients daily.
She likes me to keep to my agenda.
1.2.2. Would like

I would like a better computer.
They would like to have less frequent business trips.
I would like all the files ready for tomorrow.
1.2.3. Prefer
I prefer small banks to large banks when taking a loan.
I prefer to have our meeting in the afternoon.
They prefer investing in shares.
She prefers me to do prepare the minutes right after each meeting.
1.2.4. Would rather

I would rather not bring this up in the meeting.
I would rather you waited until later.
2.
ASKING FOR AND GIVING OPINIONS
2.1. SAMPLE SENTENCE: Are you absolutely positive that you are deducting the correct amount of
tax from your employees salaries? (http://www.sanlam-cobalt.co.za/needs.jsp)
2.2. FORMS AND USES
2.2.1. ASKING FOR OPINIONS
2.2.1.1. Strongly
Are you absolutely positive/ convinced/ sure that you can manage on your own?
Do you honestly/ really think that this is the best option?
Do you honestly/ really believe that he is the best for the job?
2.2.1.2. Neutrally
Do you think this proposal is formal enough?
Do you believe that we are the best on the market?
Do you consider that they are not important rivals?
Am I right in thinking that we should raise salaries?
2.2.1.3. Tactfully
132
Would I be right in thinking/ assuming that you were unprepared for the meeting?
Am I to understand that you would like to leave?
2.2.2. GIVING OPINIONS
2.2.2.1. Strongly
I definitely/ certainly/ think that he is not a good manager.
I am convinced/ positive/ sure that we can find a replacement.
I strongly believe that this is the best job I have ever had.
I really feel that I shouldnt have gone to that interview.
I have absolutely no doubt that you will manage in your new position.
I really do think that this is an excellent opportunity for you.
It is my strong belief that you should not give up.
2.2.2.2. Neutrally
In my view/ opinion we should reconsider our marketing strategy.
I think/ believe/ consider/ feel that our prices are exaggeratedly high.
As I see it he will leave before the end of the year.
To my mind we should revamp our products as soon as possible.
From my point of view he is not cut out for this job.
As far as I am concerned you should have chosen another bank.
2.2.2.3. Weakly
I am inclined to think that you would be better off in the creative department.
I tend to think that we are losing market share.
3.
AGREEING AND DISAGREEING
3.1. SAMPLE SENTENCE: I totally agree with you. If you want a profitable home based business you
have to find leaders. Then train the leaders. (http://hubpages.com/forum/topic/2460#post42053)
3.2. FORMS AND USES:
3.2.1. Partial agreement
*with someone
I would agree with you, but the statistics are irrelevant.
To a certain extent/ Up to a point we could trust him.
You may have something there, but Im not sure they will believe you.
I can see what you mean, but how will you manage financially?
You may be right, but shouldnt you consider other alternatives as well?
*to something
To a certain extent/ Up to a point I think the teambuilding was a success.
That may be true, but their prices are higher.
I would accept that, but I would require a new computer.
3.2.2. Agreement
* with someone
I totally agree with you.
I am in total agreement with you.
I completely/ fully agree.
*to something
I totally accept that I have to do his job too.
133
I fully/ completely agree to the terms of the contract.

I am all in favor of the strategy.
3.2.3. Disagreement
*with someone
I cant/ dont agree with you.
I beg to differ.
*to something
I cant/ dont accept that.
4.
CAUSE AND EFFECT
4.1. SAMPLE SENTENCE: Germany's finance minister has admitted for the first time that the
introduction of euro notes and coins almost five months ago has led to significant price rises across the
country and left consumers feeling they are carrying the burden of the transition to the new currency.
(http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2002/may/13/theeuro.europeanunion)
*to lead to
The sudden rise in prices has led to decreased purchases.
*to result in
His lack of motivation resulted in his being fired.
*to bring about
The sharp drop in interest rates brought about changes in peoples lifestyles.
*to give rise to
The more frequent trainings gave rise to an increased level of satisfaction among employees.
*to account for
Insufficient incentives account for a low level of job satisfaction in this organization.
*to be responsible for
Fewer opportunities to travel are responsible for insufficient networking with other companies.
*to arise from
Uncertainty arises from improper communication among staff.
*to stem from
Increased demand in our product stems from our competitive prices.
*because/ as/ since/ for
I could not attend the meeting because I was busy with clients.
*due to/ because of/ owing to/ as a consequence of/ on account of + noun phrase
Due to the recent merger between our rivals, we are in danger of becoming uncompetitive.
*therefore/ so/ accordingly/ consequently/ as a consequence/ as a result/ hence/ thus/ because of this/
that is the reason why
A lot of students graduated this year. Therefore, there are fewer job opportunities.
5.
REQUESTING INFORMATION AND ACTION
5.1. SAMPLE SENTENCE: Do you happen to know how the ratio of market value to sales revenue has
changed over the years? (http://www.customersandcapital.com/book/kentons_interview/)
5.2.1. Requesting information
5.2.1.1. Directly
134
Could you tell me where to look for him?

Do you know when the meeting starts?
I'd like to know how much this book costs.
Could you find out when she will be back?
I'm interested in buying this house.
I'm looking for information on this flight.
Does your company offer stimulating incentives to its employees?
5.2.1.2. Indirectly
Do you happen to know what the interest rate is?
I wonder if you know how to reach her.
I wonder if you could tell me how to order this product.
Could you fill me in a bit on the latest news?
Can you put me in the picture about the new colleagues?
5.2.2. Requesting action

5.2.2.1. Directly
Please send me the report before noon.
5.2.2.2. Indirectly
Could you please send me an e-mail with the details of the contract?
I wonder if you could photocopy this file for me.
Do you think you could lend me your laptop?
Would you mind sending me that report today?
6.
OBLIGATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS
6.1. SAMPLE SENTENCE: "If capitalism is to be given a good name, then essentially capitalists need to
give back to society."
(Richard Branson, http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2006/apr/28/citynews.mondaymediasection)
6.2. FORMS & USES:
THE OBLIGER
6.2.1. Oblige someone to do something
*require:
These attitudes require us to re-evaluate our mission.
*force:
They have forced us to comply with new regulations.
*compel:
The new market reality has compelled us to think of environmentally friendly practices.
*make:
These changes have made us realize the managerial approach was indeed working.
*demand:
He demanded that we quit smoking during lunch breaks.
*oblige:
The team leader has obliged us to adopt the new dress code.
6.2.2. Oblige someone not to do something

*prohibit:
135
The law prohibits employers from discriminating against the elderly.

*forbid:
The code of ethics forbids us from accepting gifts from clients.
* ban
They have banned them from attending future fairs.
THE OBLIGED
6.2.3. Obliged to do something
*must
I must write a lot of reports daily.
*have to
I have to prepare a presentation for tomorrows meeting.
*need to
They need to speak to the manager about the issue at hand.
*be required to
She is required to interact with potential buyers.
*be supposed to
The team is supposed to meet a tight deadline.
*be forced to
Tania was forced to bring the discussion to an end.
6.2.4. Obliged not to do something
*must not/ mustnt
These rules must not be broken or termination of employment follows short.
*not be allowed to
The company is not allowed to apply for bank loans.
*not be permitted to/be prohibited from
The employees are not permitted to make personal phone calls while at work.
*may not
Accountants may not cook the numbers.
*cannot/ cant
The manager cannot dismiss employees without a formal notice.
6.2.5. Not obliged to do something
*need not/neednt
You neednt agree with all company policies.
*not have to/not need to
Managers dont have to have a solid economic background.
7.
ABILITY AND INABILITY
7.1. SAMPLE SENTENCE: If you can shape your business life or your working life, you can just look at it
as another extension--you just fulfill all your values as a human being in the work place.
(http://www.shareguide.com/Roddick.html)
7.2. FORMS AND USES

7.2.1. MAKING SOMEONE ABLE OR SOMETHING POSSIBLE
The training courses enable employees to improve their skills.
136
These regulations allow us to react effectively in a crisis.

The bank permits us to request account assistance.
Employees can be promoted fast in our company.
We are able to use any consultancy business on the market.
Andrew is capable of working overtime when requested.
The pessimistic sales report has prevented us from achieving our targets.
Our superiors prohibit us from engaging in informal talks at the workplace.
They cannot predict market changes with enough precision.
Our competition is unable to attract more target customers.
Unfortunately, Robert is incapable of working in a team effectively.
8.
ADVISING AND SUGGESTING
8.1. SAMPLE SENTENCE: As a young entrepreneur you ought to love what you do. Without passion,
great success is hard to come by.
(http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2002/may/13/theeuro.europeanunion)
8.2.1. Suggestions involving the speaker
*shall we
Shall we get into it right now?
*why dont we
Why dont we all calm down a bit?
*lets
Lets recap what we have decided on so far.
*I suggest we should/we should/ we ought to
We should try to target the right age group in our ads.
8.2.2. Suggestions to another person
*why dont you
Why dont you confront him tomorrow?
*how about
How about bringing him along on the trip?
*I suggest you should/I think you should
I think you should follow company rules.
*I would advise you to/ I would recommend
I would advise you to use a better bank.
*it is advisable
It is advisable for you to thoroughly research the market.
8.2.3. Reported suggestion
The manager advised us to make better use of our time.
William recommended that we should all get familiar with new company directives.
She suggested that we (should) learn a foreign language.
9. SCALE OF LIKELIHOOD
9.1. SAMPLE SENTENCE: The European Union and NATO have much in common, sharing members
and pursuing similar goals. But instead of cooperating on defense, analysts say, the two organizations
are engaged in a bitter competition that is bound to damage the credibility and effectiveness of both.
(http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/10/04/news/defense.php)
137

9.2.1. Certainty
I am absolutely sure/certain/positive that our department will have the best performances this
year.
Our salaries will definitely/ certainly go hand in hand with the amount of work we do around
here.
Employees are certain/ sure/ bound to react vehemently to this downsizing wave.
9.2.2. Probability
It is (very) likely/ probable that employee turnover will decrease.
Sales are (quite) likely to pick up.
Hot-desking should become a viable option.
9.2.3. Possibility
Our mission statement may/ might be changed to reflect the revolutionary management style.
9.2.4. Improbability
It is (very/ highly) unlikely/ improbable that Mr. Black will step down as president.
New employees are unlikely to be recruited.
9.2.5. Impossibility
I am sure/ certain/ positive that turnover will not increase shortly.
Profit definitely/ certainly wont go up.
Work-related practices cannot (possibly) change overnight.
10. INTERRUPTING
10.1. SAMPLE SENTENCE: Can I interrupt you for a moment? This meeting is about something
another issue.
10.2. FORMS AND USES

Formal
Id like to add something here if I may.
I have a point to make here.
May I say something here?
Can I interrupt you for a moment?
Sorry to interrupt but
Excuse me but
Wait a minute!
Hold on!
Informal
Hang on!
11. INTRODUCING ONESELF AND GIVING PERSONAL INFORMATION

11.1. SAMPLE SENTENCE: May I introduce myself? I am Mary Jones from the HR department.
138
Formal
Allow me to/ Id like to introduce myself. I am / I am from / I work

in
May I introduce myself? I am / I am from / I work in
How do you do? I am / I am from / I work in
Informal
Hello!/ Hi! I am / I am from / I work in
Responses
Formal
Pleased to meet you.

How do you do?
Hello!
Informal
Hi!
12. MAKING COMPLAINTS

12.1. SAMPLE SENTENCE: I would like to make a complaint about your recruitment policy.
Formal
Id like to complain/ make a complaint about

I have got a complaint to make about
I am not prepared to tolerate/ put up with any longer.
I am rather annoyed/ upset/ disturbed about
I have had enough of you doing that.
I am fed up with them behaving like that.
Informal
It is about time you did that.
139

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Limba Engleza in Afaceri

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Specializarea: Trunchi comun (toate specializrile)

Cod disciplin: ELE 1006 (semestrul 1); ELE 2006 (semestrul 2)

ENGLISH FOR 1ST YEAR BUSINESS STUDENTS

Further Vocabulary Study

Further Language Study

Michael Vince Intermediate Language Practice

UNIT ONE INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS COMMUNICATION ............ 10

UNIT 1 INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

Communication in business settings

be in communication with somebody

political correctness noun [U]

UNIT ONE INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

STOP AND THINK!

11. on the threshold of sth

Could you tell me...?

Could you find out...?

2. Communication and the media

newspapers and magazines

radio and television

TIPS TO HELP YOU!

The growing role of the media in our society

2.3. Vocabulary development

a. increase someones desire for something

Hello, my name isI work for

Reply to the greeting

3. IT and Human Interaction

STOP AND THINK!

an initial face-to-face meeting with clients is necessary

3.3. Vocabulary development

a. no longer useful, because something newer and better has

Types of presentations made in business

address verb [T] FORMAL

UNIT TWO PRESENTATIONS

STOP AND THINK!

15 Strategies for Giving Oral Presentations

1.3. Vocabulary development

a nervous wreck (informal) very upset and worried

STOP AND THINK!

2.1. Reading comprehension

What to Say When Meeting Someone for the First Time

2.2 Vocabulary development

2. They were very unwilling to leave.

Why are you presenting?

more than enough

Business Meetings that Matter - it's Possible!

UNIT 3 COMPANY STRUCTURE

Business aims of companies

acquisition noun [C,U]

merger noun [C]

UNIT THREE THE STRUCTURE OF THE FIRM

STOP AND THINK!

1.3. Vocabulary development

1.3.2. Notice the difference: Own/ owe

2. The place of work

STOP AND THINK!

The Natural Productivity Cycle

2.4. Vocabulary development

A on hold for ages.

3.3. Vocabulary development

10. equity (par. 4)

a. corporate profits that some companies periodically pay out to

3.4. Vocabulary development

The percentage rose from.to.

UNIT 4 BUSINESS ETHICS

6. He is _ a background not entirely suited _ his job description.