SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS

BUSINESS ENGLISH PROGRAM

READING QUIZ- ENGLISH 3 (15%)

NAME:__________________________________________________________________________________ GRADE:_________________________

Read the article and develop the tasks proposed (1-4).

9 Tips for Growing a Successful Business
To succeed in business today, you need to be flexible and have good planning and organizational skills. Many people start a
business thinking that they will turn on their computers or open their doors and start making money - only to find that making
money in a business is much more difficult than they thought. You can avoid this in your business venture by taking your
time and tracing out all the necessary steps you need to reach to achieve success. Read on to find out how.

1. Get Organized
To be successful in business you need to be organized.
Organization will help you complete tasks and stay on top of
things to be done. A good way to do this is to create a to-do
list each day - as you complete each item, cross it your list.
This will ensure that you are not forgetting anything and you
are completing all the tasks that are essential to the survival
of your business.
6. ____________________________________________
The old saying that "Rome was not built in a day" applies
here. Just because you open a business does not mean that
you are going to immediately start making money. It takes
time to let people know who you are, so stay focused on
achieving your short-term goals and give the rest time to
come together on its own.

2. Keep Detailed Records 7. Prepare to Make Sacrifices

All successful businesses keep detailed records on your
computers. By keeping detailed records, you will know where
the business stands financially and what potential challenges
you could be facing. Just knowing this gives you time to
create strategies to overcome the obstacles that can prevent
you from being successful and growing your business.
The lead-up to starting a business is hard work, but after
you open your doors, your work has just begun. In many
cases, you have to put in more time than you would if you
were working for someone else. In turn, you have to make
sacrifices, such as spending less time with family and friends
in order to be successful

8. Provide Great Service

3. _____________________________________________
There are many successful businesses that forget that
providing great customer service is important. If you provide
Competition breeds the best results. To be successful, you
better service for your customers, they will be more inclined
cannot be afraid to study and learn from your competitors.
to come to you the next time they need something instead of
After all, they may be doing something right that you can
going to your competition
implement in your business to make more money.

4. __________________________________________
9. _______________________________________
The key to being successful is taking calculated risks to help
your business grow. A good question to ask is "What's the
Consistency is key component to making money in business.
downside?" If you can answer this question, then you know
You have to consistently keep doing the things necessary to
what the worst-case scenario is. This knowledge will allow
be successful day in and day out.
you to take the kinds of calculated risks that can generate
tremendous rewards for your business.

5. _______________________________________________________

Always be looking for ways to improve your business and to make it stand out from the competition. Recognize that you do
not know everything and be open to new ideas and new approaches to your business.

Conclusion
Starting and running a successful business can be rewarding and challenging. Success requires focus, discipline and
perseverance. However, success will not come over night - it requires a long-term focus and that you remain consistent in
challenging environments.
 Retrieved from: http://www.investopedia.com/articles/pf/08/make-money-in-business.asp, adapted by Andrea Zapata & Diana Yepes 2015-1

Task: 1 Tips: Some tips do not have a headline or title. Choose the appropriate (5 points – 1 each
headline for the missing ones. Write the headline on the space provided. one)
A. Concentrate on your objectives.
B. Understand the challenges and Recompenses.
C. Be Constant
D. Be flexible and ambitious
E. Be innovative
F. Analyze Your Rivalry.

Task: 2 Tips: Write which tip each of the following sentences could be added to. (5 points – 1 each one)
Tip number
1. However, try to take some time for them too, you do not want to end up alone, but _______
with a successful business.

2. Talk to specialists who can help you find better solutions in each part of the business _______
you do not feel confident in.

3. If you keep them in electronic media, you should always have a back up just in case _______
they are erased.

4. This regularity will create long-term positive habits that will help you make money over the long term. _______

5. Also have long-term goals to keep you alert on what you are really trying to obtain. _______

Task: 3 Find the synonyms: Match each word (1-5) with a corresponding synonym (a-f) (5 points – 1 each
according to the context provided by the article. One is not related. Write the one)
letters on the space provided.

1. Venture (noun)_____
2. Trace (ing) out (verb)_____
3. Breed (vb) _____
4. Downside (noun)_____
5. Lead-up (noun)_____

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
a. To plan.

b. The time before something happens.

c. An activity involving risk or insecurity, as a business enterprise

in which something is risked in the hope of profit.

d. To generate or produce.

e. To motivate something.

f. A discouraging or negative aspect.

 Are these statements True (T), False (F) or Not Mentioned (NM)?. Justify (5 points – 1 each
Task: 4
the false ones with your own words. one)

1. When some people start a business, they are conscious that they need time and planning to make money __________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Drawing up lists will help you to remember things you need to achieve._______
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Try to stay distant from your competitors. _______
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. The saying “Rome was not built in a day” means that your business can become recognized, but you need to make money
first.____
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. If you want to be successful, sharing less time with the people you love is a reality._____
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Choose one of the tips, which is the most important for you, writing it in (5 points – 1 each
Task: 5
your own words. Give minimum one example. one)

TIP Nº____ : _______________________________________________________________________________