CURSOS DE IDIOMAS BUSIN LISH AUDIOVISUAL INTERATIVO PROGRAMADO 4 Pitre cr nna re bd foo)-Fo)BUSINESS ENGLISH ©BUSINESS ENGLISH PLANO GERAL DA OBRA BUSINESS ENGLISH 6 uma ob puneaa2 em 300 lames semanas de 64 pga. Toda eicdo conti 2 unde de ects (Unt de 24 pias cad me ‘ataentesoguds de um Caderno de Exercicos de B pigews covespendente #08 temas abordados ne Spa unidoce| AS FITAS. ‘OF minis diego eros descrtivesaoesena dos os faseuoe eo raproduados om 15 tas et. "se qe acompannam as eases 8 duas em aos femanas (com 08 fosceulos 1, 3,5, 7 € assim por hart, até otal da cole, (Coaa ta abrange2 vues eatvos nia © curso BUSINESS ENGLISH 6 uy curs eisoroso gor expe tii dleretas de comacranta de bequanges, ‘vel 1 racaoo para pessoas com cones Nivel 2. Aces! 2 peseaae com nivel médio IM. Incicado pra pessoas ue dominam eS do asi aprsartam une sna ‘Smart tet sere, Asam, a eSes pra Onl 10 morcasas com ¥astersco "ara o nivel 2 Zanorsos (°"; pra o rive 3, 3 atric Ircalmenteierefque seu iv", *" Ou **") oe {aco com ograu de conhecinero ue vob ton da {ngunigas,0iga apenas 35 es dss rv! 8 lin! do cro, So ro passe Zao nivel Segui, Avorheta [fa] que aparece no niio das lines, 8 ‘marge da pigina, cco ae 0 exo desctvo ob © ‘Sogo est terrane ropreduido na ft cael ‘COMO ACOMPANHAR 0 CURSO Para obtr 0 mano aprovetament, esti a Un ‘ado fas o eerie ae cmproanidopropostos ‘no final das Sestes. Oepos canta as reposts na ‘ime pigina de cada undade Ensen orcs Cs {as rexoortas ros duos lias pdginas do pre Ca orn. Seer quar dvds, vot unade ea Senois de dominar bem 0 conteGdo & unidade ® 0s exerios do Cader, ousa afta, acomparhan {9 0 tonto elo volume Para acter seu agrerzado, voc conta com os sequrtes apsos nas uniodes: VO toma cert! de cada tnt ets resurido numa breve rose oat (Subject. 2. As expresses do inguagem covered a com becenaio sto vodundas em nota de odaoe 13s onesies comune a0 mando Jos neg8605 #30 ‘qu aporcem ro nal doe svete 44Na penultna pagina de cada uncade ha um alos ‘rio das paras rates mais sada ra odes, 00 NUMeROS aTRasADOS 2 eaore Glove mantém suas gublcactes om eso fue a Sis meses ands se recomimento. AS publ Cantos acoso obverse polo propa da dima ‘fo em bancas), Eola ene as opedes aban: 1. NAS BANCAS ravi 6 omairo ov dtrbuidor Chinoga de sua 2. PESSOALMENTE Deis aos andeecos aba. Sto Paulo Pea Ales isa, 18 - Coto (011) 226-1881 « 229-9827. io de Jana: Rua Teodoro da Siva, #21 Fores: (0211 877-4225 @ 677-2355, 3. POR CARTA, Dretamente 3 Edtora Globo, stor de Nomeros Ara aos, Cama Post 289, CEP 05458-020, Alonavie, Bonen, SP © 1990 by Edtoral Paneta De Agostini S.A, Boce ono, Eeponha {© 1998 by Ector Gabo pare a inque portugues, fem tetra bas, Cooraenico reson do crs orignal Say Kench ‘Asseesora:Kstine A. Olton Colaboracores John Beate, Isabel Kench, Ron Found, Ale Whit, teatona Language Sklar Realzag: RBA, PoyetosEdtonales SA. Espnhe Comavtador ou arama de quale forma © sot ‘ha, ravaeao ou outros sama permed exressa © Impress: coment atest Srey ome xis Gabo S.A ua oo Curtame, 665, CEP 0506.01, Sto Pave Tele 011) 81574, SP, Bast Disnbucor excusve nar todo 0 Bras Fernando Chapio Dstnbudore S A us Teodore ds Siva, 807, CEP 20969 900, Ro ISON i colegio) -85 250.115 ‘CONSELHO DE. ‘AOMINISTRAGAO Roberto hinew Marino Joo Roberto Morn Fado A Fischer DiReTORA Fardo & Fisher Fernando & Costa Flv Boros Pine ‘lost Antone Soler DbivisAo DE FASCICULOS E LIVROS Distor Filo Bares Po toil Sandro RF. Expt (otra exccutva) Anil dos Santos Mon Coletoadore Hee Veloso inaducto! Merkating: Hetor de Sours Pano (retor) Coos 16. Orunmond (erent de martin, Essabete Garcia Banco lanl, Danilo Borges igeerte de grogurdol, Zita SR. Mie (cooréenadoal Dietor de Gculagb: Dietor de Servigos ao Ch Distor de Aasinatura: Unraars Romero [Assossoria do Comuniea ‘¢ Matting Dirt: Wison Paschal Jt Mauro Costa Santos eetn) ‘Servi de Apoio Editar Anton Care Marques Igerente)CO-ORDINATED PROGRESS Contents Unit 4] A Corporate Business 0 Introduction Business conferences, 1 Fresh Frozen Foods Plc: Co-ordinated Progress A three-day meeting beginning in Grimsby and ending in Perth to monitor the progress in restructuring two subsidiaries and to plan their future. Gi Dialogue: Changing Names Finding new names for old companies. Business Executives 0 An Executive Writes An executive writes to say that he will shortly be leaving his present post. © An Executive Travels South Korea (1). An executive finds out something about South Korea before going there. ™ Business Matters © Some Questions and Answers about. Financial Management (11) Credit management (1). 3 Executive Search (16) A quality control manager in aerospace. '™ Business News 1 The Chemical Industry, Another Reliable Barometer (4) A ‘Financial Times’ report on the state of the chemical industry. & The Use of English in Bus 1 The Special Verbs (3) The special verbs ‘be’, ‘have’, ‘do’, ‘must’ and ‘need! 5 Glossary of the Key Business Words and Phrases Used ™ Answers 961962 A CORPORATE BUSINESS Introduction * ‘Subject: Business conferences. There is a growing tendency today to look upon’ all corporate get-togethers (be they? national or international, of one, two or three days duration) as an excuse for those attending to have a good time: to eat, drink and be merry’, At the merest suggestion of such a meeting most executives begin to ‘speculate on the venue. Will it be the Majestic Hotel, with its excellent conference facilities, bars and restaurant with a French chet, or will it be the Royal Country Hotel, with its equally excellent conference facilities, indoor swimming pool, squash courts and private golf course? One has the impression that those responsible for organising such meetings begin by planning a programme of events which includes a few hours of serious discussion that do not interfere with the comprehensive social programme. They justify this by maintaining that the social programme helps to relieve the pressures of decision-making and allows those taking part to express their opinions in a relaxed atmosphere. The meetings held by Fresh Frozen Foods fall into three distinct categories: the international ones (for overseas executives), the national ones (for UK executives), and the special ones (which often begin in one venue and end in another—). The three-day meeting that took place last week began in Grimsby and ended in Perth. There was no social programme (~though everyone ate well) since the stimulus engendered by creative problem-solving was enough to satisty everyone. The organisation of this three-day event was highly original, as we shall now see. "to look upon considerar “be merry civertir-seFresh Frozen Foods Plc. Co-ordinated Progress ‘Subject: A three-day meeting beginning in Grimsby and ending in Perth to monitor the progress in restructuring two subsidiaries and to plan their future. The situation so far There is a new-found sense of optimism at Grimsby and Perth now. The two ailing companies are looking ahead. As soon as their new factories are built Grimsby Fish Canners will move to Elsham and Perth Tinned Meat Co. will move to Craigend. There will be no more fish and meat canning. Production at the new factories will be concentrated entirely on frozen foods. Work has already begun on the sites, which are both on industrial estates conveniently situated near motorway junctions. As fish and meat canners the two ‘companies have been outside the mainstream of Triple F production, but as a result of the present restructuring they will form a more integral part of the Group. The two new factories are identical in design and when they are finished will consist of three separate buildings connected to each other and the main office block by wide covered passages. A mobile office it was Charles Garrick who first thought of hiring @ luxury coach to take parties of ‘executives on visits to the Group's various factories. He had based his idea on the special jets that heads of state travel about in. These planes are equipped like offices and during the flight the president or prime minister's personal staff of aides, advisers and secretaries continue to work as they would normally do. Previously, twelve or so executives would set off in four or five cars and not meet until they reached their destination, some invariably arriving later than others. Now, thanks to Garrick, they travel in a large modern air-conditioned coach specially fitted with tables for secretaries and moveable easy chairs that can be arranged for group discussions. It was in this special coach that Frank Holloway and eleven others set off from head office last Tuesday to begin a three-day meeting with the Grimsby and Perth managements. Grimsby The first stop was the factory and offices of Grimsby Fish Canners, where the first meeting would be held. John McBean, the managing director of Perth Tinned Meat had come down to Grimsby with eight of his staff, making a total of no fewer than thirty executives who would take part in the meetings. The programme had been very carefully worked out so that no time would be wasted. The three days would consist of meetings at which all thirty would be present, meetings in small groups to discuss specific aspects of organisation, tours of inspection of present installations and visits to the sites of the new factories to see how work was progressing. Just three hours after leaving London the large green and white coach drew in through the main gates of the Grimsby company's factory and offices. It had just started to rain, but this did not dampen the enthusiasm of Frank Holloway and his team from head office. The first session Having already had coffee and biscuits on the way up to Grimsby, the head office party had no need of any refreshment when they arrived, which meant that the opening session planned for 11.30 could begin on time. [ee]964 A CORPORATE BUSINESS Harry Fairburn, as managing director of Grimsby Fish Canners and host at the first stage of the three-day meeting, officially welcomed everyone and set the session off on a positive note with a few words about the tremendous enthusiasm felt throughout ‘Canners’ for a marvellous project that would bring new life to the company. He then handed over to the chief executive of the Group. Frank Holloway began with a brief review of what had been done so far and what had been planned for the next three months. He then stated that the object of the discussions over the next three days would be to settle on a definitive plan for that part of the project that was still only a broad outline He announced that the architect of the twin factories would be coming to Grimsby the next morning, when he would explain his designs, comment on the construction and answer any questions. He would then accompany them to the Elsham and Craigend sites to see how work was progressing. David Humphries then spoke about the key question of production and said they had to decide not only when it would begin but what the first products would be. He said that as each factory would consist of three sections, they would begin production in one section only for a three-month trial. The lessons they learned during that period would benefit them when the other two sections came on stream. In addition it would leave their options open a little longer so that they could then maximise production of those products that were most in demand by leaving till the last moment the decision about what A lowing an ulading boys B Ga conta ofce PLAN OFTHE ELSHAM AND CRAGEND FACTORS factoRy ‘HP 2 ‘ANSHED PRODUCTS CONVEYOR BELT FACTORY AND WAREHOUSE ‘AR PARKthe second and third sections of each factory would concentrate on. He then went on to emphasise that very careful planning would be necessary to achieve this, otherwise it could be chaotic. There followed half an hour's general discussion on what Humphries had said, after which everyone went to have to a working lunch served by an outside catering firm in a large office specially converted for the occasion. From Grimsby to Perth via Elsham and Craigend Eight tables, some for three and others for four and five, had been set for lunch. Garrick’s department had planned all this with much care. The result was that the three maintenance managers sat at one table and were able to discuss their aspect of the project, while at other tables sat groups of finance, marketing, production and staff people. After lunch they all visited the factory to talk to the workforce, get their reactions to the new project, and form an opinion on what percentage of those al present employed in the factory would form the core of the new workforce. They then went round the offices, were shown all the furniture and fittings and told what would be transferred to Elsham and what would be sold off. Copious notes and comments were made on the list of these fixed assets that was given to each one, After tea they broke up into small groups to discuss what they had seen. Later on they all came together for the final session of the day. Paul Hemmings spoke at some length on the financial aspect of the project and Leslie Carrington on the urgent need to make sure there were ready markets to accept their initial production, that which hopefully would help to finance the later phase. This session finished at seven o'clock, when the London and Perth parties were taken to their hotel. At eight o'clock they all met for drinks and dinner at the hotel. These were followed by informal discussions in one of the hotel lounges. The next day went off as programmed. The architect arrived and spoke for halt ‘an hour on the design and construction of the factories. He then answered questions for haif an hour before they all set off to visit the Elsham site. From there they drove up the motorway to Craigend, stopping at a hotel on the way to have a lunch that had been booked for them. Everyone was amazed how work on the two sites was progressing at a seemingly identical level. The architect then explained that this co-ordinated progress was the result of very careful planning and constant liaison between the two sites. The construction timetable was rigorously followed and so far there had been no hiccups. They left Craigend at six o'clock and drove to the hotel which this time the Grimsby group would share with those from head office. At seven o'clock all thirly were present at an hour-long meeting at the hotel before drinks and dinner. Dinner was followed by informal discussions in one of the hotel lounges. The final day began with a visit to the Perth factory and offices. This was followed by coffee and a two-hour session to compare what they had seen at the various sites, old as well as new. A working lunch similar to the one arranged at Grimsby followed. Then came the final and most important session when decisions based on what they had seen and discussed were taken. Where there was any doubt a deadline was fixed for a decision. Frank Holloway then summed up and the session was closed by Frank McBean, their host in Perth. He said he was very optimistic for the future, adding that in all his years with the company he had never seen such enthusiasm as the workforce and office staff now showed when someone mentioned Craigend. 965A CORPORATE BUSINESS Key business words Comments on key structures Text Comprehension ‘Answer the following questions: 1. Are the two ailing companies looking ahead or looking back? 2. When the new factory is ready will Grimsby Fish Canners move to Elsham or Craigend? 3. Will production at the new factories be concentrated on canned or frozen foods? 4. Are both the new factory sites situated near railway or motorway junctions? 5. Are the two new factories identical or completely different? 6. What had Charles Garrick based his idea of luxury coaches for executives on? 7. How many executives took part in the three-day meeting? 8. Did the opening session at Grimsby begin late? 9. Why did Harry Fairburn open the first session? 0. What did Frank Holloway state was the object of the meeting? 1, When would the lessons learned during the first three months benefit the two companies? 12. What were the executives shown when they went round the offices? 13. What did Leslie Carrington speak about at the session alter tea? 14, What did the architect say that the co-ordinated progress of the project was the result of? 15. What happened when there was a doubt about a decision during the last session? Notes on the Introduction facilities instalagdes Programme of events programa de atividades, de eventos * Note that for those attending is a shortened form of for those that are attending — para os que assistem. * Note the expression to have a good time - ter uma boa permanéncia. * Note the phrase the pressures of decision-making - a pressdo pa- ra a tomada de decisdes. Today any obligation, however small, is interpreted as a pressure on the one responsible, which explains why the word is so common. We have the pressures of management, the pressures of competition, the pressures of selling. The logical conclusion is that soon we shall be speaking about the pressures of choosing a restaurant.Notes on the Text motorway junction entrada para a rodovia Key business three-month trial teste de trés meses words ready market mercado disponive! * Note the two different meanings of set off as it appears in the text Com- Comments on key pare: structures. They would set off in four or five cars - Eles partiriam em quatro ou cinco He set the session off — Ale pds a sessdo em andemento, ‘* Note the phrase handed over to, meaning that he passed control of the meeting to another person. ‘* Note the phrase spoke at some length - falou durante um certo tempo. * Note that huecups (solucos) in this context means small problems that prevent the continuous flow of work. Notes on the Factory Plan (p. 964) The three unloading bays ‘A’ al the end of each of the factory (work)shops are where the raw material is unloaded ready for processing: sorting, washing, blanching, etc. The two loading bays ‘A’ of the warehouse are specially designed so that the cold-storage trucks may be loaded direct from the cold-storage store. As the finished products come off the packing machines they are fed straight on to the enclosed temperature-controlled conveyor belt and conveyed to the warehouse. The temperature remains constant all the time, ‘The warehouse is a highly sophisticated computerised environment. When raw material, a load of freshly-picked peas, for example, is unloaded at one of the bays, the computer knows that as soon as that load has been processed it will be conveyed to the warehouse, where it will form part of a consignment to be sent to a specific branch cold-storage warehouse or will be part of an order to be sent to @ specific customer. The communication passage connecting all the buildings is underground. 967A CORPORATE BUSINESS Dialogue Changing Names ee CARRINGTON: WESLEY’ MacDonato: Westey: MacDONaLo: CARRINGTON’ Westey: MacDonaLo: Wester: MACDONALD: Westey: CARRINGTON: Wesley: CARRINGTON: MacDONALD: WESLEY: Subject: Finding new names for old companies. After dinner at the Royal George Hotel in Grimsby, Leslie Carrington is sitting in the hotel lounge with Ted Wesley, the marketing manager of Grimsby Fish Can- ners, and ‘Jock’ MacDonald, the marketing manager of Perth Tinned Meat. They are discussing the problem of changing their companies’ names when they go ‘over from canned fish and meat to frozen foods. It is quite obvious that they will not be able to continue with their present names. Carrington asks them if they have thought about the problem. Have you any ideas about your new name, Ted? I've thought a lot about this problem and my conclusion is that we should change gradually. As from next month, for example, Grimsby Fish Canners should become GFC. Grimsby Football Club. Later on we can reverse it to GCF, to stand for Grimsby Con- venience Foods. | must go and see the oculist, Mother, | could have sworn these peas were from GFC and not GCF. But what it you're not doing convenience foods but frozen vegetables? Then using the same type of letters we change it to GFV. Grimsby Football Veterans. You're very witty’ tonight, Jock MacDonald. You're lucky, of course, you won't have to change your name because after a couple of whiskies the Scots can't tell the difference between tinned meat and frozen cabbage. Actually, I've been thinking about a change of name for some time now. So far the best idea I've come up with is to reduce Perth Tinned Meat to PTM and add ‘a Triple F Company’. A Triple F Company would be FFF not PTM, Perhaps the solution would be to use a distinctive logo and let that act as continuity. The customers then associate the logo with the product, not the name of the company or the letters repre- senting it You mean having a triangle or something beside our name? Yes. Alternatively you could combine the new name with the old and after a time drop® the first part. That's it, that's the answer. As soon as we are ready to move to Craigend we can become the Perth Tinned Meat and Frozen Foods Company, which later we can réduce with the help of a logo — to PFF. Perth Football Fans.Dialogue Comprehension Answer the following questions: 1. What will the Grimsby and Perth companies have to do when they go over from canned fish and meat to frozen foods? 2. What is Wesley's conclusion about a change of name for his company? 3, What do GFC and GCF stand for? 4, What will GCF have to be changed to if the company is only doing frozen vegetables? 5. What is the best idea MacDonald has had so far as regards a change of name for his company? 6. What does Carrington suggest as a solution that would act as continuity during a name change? 7. What is Carrington's alternative to using a logo? 8. Does MacDonald reject Carrington’s idea? 9. What does MacDonald say Perth Tinned Meat could become when the com- any moves to Craigend? 10. Why does Wesley say that PFF represents Perth Football Fans? Notes on the Dialogue * Note the use of go over from ... to (pasar de ... para .... Compare: Last year they went over from canned to frozen foods. We've decided to go over to frozen foods (from canned foods). ‘They wouldn't have gone over fo frozen foods unless there had been a substantial demand for that type of product. * Note the use of as from (a partir de) in as from next month. As from means with effect from. * Note that | could have swom (eu poderia jurar) means | was absolutely sure. * Note the use of so far (até agora) in so far the best idea. Compare with The situation so far (page 963) and so far there had been no hiccups (page 965) © Note that I've come up with is the same as I've had in this context * Note the use of answer with the meaning of solution in That's it, that’s the answer. Compare the use of answer as response and solution in the follow- ing The answer to your question is simple: sell the factory. The answer to your problem is simple: sell the factory. ‘witty engenhoso, inteigente 2drop denar Comments on key structures 969970 BUSINESS EXECUTIVES An Executive Writes ** Letter 1 ‘An area sales manager informs a customer that he will shortly be leaving to take up a new job. Subject: An executive writes to say that he will shortly be leaving his present post, When an executive is about to leave the post he holds so that he may take up another within the company or leave to work for a different company, it is customary for him to write to all those with whom he deals in the course of his work to inform them of his imminent departure. Such letters may be formal or informal, depending upon the length of time he has known the person he is writing to. The example below is a formal letter. ‘Apex House le Ean ee PLC Tel: 09 5643342 remeron, ‘LM/ws, Managing Director Lothian Industries Plc. 45, Kildary Avenue Edinburgh EH 8QW Dear Mr Field, ‘As the company's senior area manager, I have just been chosen to ‘take over as zone manager for Wales. Regretfully, this not only means I shall have to leave Scotland, but also that I shall have to do so almost at once in order to start at Cardiff before the end of the month. Since I shall now have no time to say goodbye to everyone person ally, I should like to take this opportunity of thanking you for your kindness and help during my years in Scotland and wishing you all the very best for the future. Charles Bedford, my successor, will be writing in a few days' time to introduce hinself and to arrange to meet you. ‘Thank you once again for everything, Yours sincerely,LOTHIAN INDUSTRIES PLC 45, Kildary Avenue Tel: 031 432 4658 Edinburgh EH4 8QW, Fax: 031 436 7958 cHe/aD 26 July, 1990 Me L. Mathers Lothian Area Leviathan Chemicals Plc. Ayr House Eldon Street Glasgow G3 BUY Dear Mr Mathers, I was sorry to learn from your letter of 23 July that you are about to leave Scotland to take up a new post in Wales. However, mich as I regret your going, I am very pleased to note that your Geparture is the consequence of considerable promotion, for which T send you my heartiest congratulations. Your work bere has been mich appreciated during your five years as area manager, and I wish you well. Our loss is Wales's gain. Your sincerely, Cw. Field managing Director Notes on the Text and Letters ‘* Note the double use of the gerund after of in opportunity of thanking ... and wishing... * Note the idiomatic use of the genitive in a few days’ time - dentro de uns dias -, and also in the personification of Wales ~ Pais de Gales - in Wales's. * Note that obrigado por tudo is thank you for everything not thank you for * Note the use of the popular phrase in letters of this type: Our loss is Wales's gain (France's loss is Italy's gain; Crumble & Sons’ loss is Specule Ltd's gain) - O prejuizo de um é 0 lucro do outro. * Note the use of to take up - tomar posse de —n the phrase to take up anew post. Letter 2 The reply to Letter 1 Comments on key 971BUSINESS EXECUTIVES An Executive Travels ** (gel ‘Subject: South Korea (1). An executive finds out something about South Korea before going there. Basil Gregson has been told that he must go to South Korea to negotiate a joint venture with a Korean company. As he works for a large multinational corporation, he has no need’ to ring the travel agent's to arrange the trip for him. He just goes along to the firm's travel department on the third floor and asks to see Jack Bowes, the manager. GREGSON' Bowes: I've got to go to Korea next week, Jack. I'd like to go on Tuesday. Is that possible? Everything is possible in this the best of all possible companies. ‘When would you like to come back? GREGSON: The following Tuesday. Bowes: Let's have a look at the timetable. Well, it you fly British Airways you'll need to go on a Wednesday and come back on a Thursday. But I'l check and see what KAL can do and give you a ring. GREGSON: It doesn't matter®; | can go on the Wednesday. What time does the flight leave? Bowes: At 10.30, arriving in Seoul at 14.45 local time the next day, which will give you time to read War and Peace on the plane, GREGSON: Oh, wha a nuisance®, I've already read it. Talking of reading, | shall need to read something about Korea before I go. What do you sug- gest? Bowes: | suggest one of our folders. Let's have a look in the cabinet. Jam- aica, Japan, Korea North, Korea South, here we are. Now in this folder you will find everything you want 16 know. Everything from the best places in Seoul to change travellers’ cheques to the times of the main trains from Seoul to Pusan. GREGSON: Plus a brief description of the banking system, details of its exter- nal trade, its human resources capacity and notes on its infras- tructure. Bowes: You'll find it all there. Talking of infrastructure, the Koreans were | absolutely brilliant in keeping pace with a booming economy by building roads and motorways, expanding the railway network, modernising the telephone system, etc. A lot of countries wait til an expanding industry cannot expand any more without decent roads, railways and airports before they start thinking about improv- ing communications. The Koreans invest in the future. f&) GREGSON: That's very interesting. | had no idea the country was so advanced. What about North Korea? ‘no need ‘nenhuma necessidade “keeping pace with avancando no mesmo paso Pit doesn't matter do importa SMiddle Ages: ‘ace Média 972 ‘what a nuisance que chateagao! “bow inclinar-seBowes: — Compared with the South, they're living in the Middle Ages*, What time do you go to lunch, by the way? GREGSON: At 12:30. Why? Bowes: — We can go together and have a chat about South Korea. There's ‘so much to know about a country and its people, its economy and culture; even knowing whether they shake hands or bow’, Without this knowledge a business trip can be an absolute disaster. See you at lunch. Dialogue Comprehension Answer the following questions: 1. When has Basil Gregson got to go to Korea? 2. Who is Jack Bowes? 3. Why can't Gregson fly British Airways to Korea on Tuesday? 4. What does Gregson say he'll need to read? 5. What does Bowes give Gregson to read? 6. How have the Koreans kept their infrastructure moving at the same pace as their booming economy? 7. What do a lot of countries do before they start improving communications? 8. Is North Korea more advanced than South Korea? 9. Why does Bowes suggest that he and Gregson go to lunch together? 10. What can happen when a businessman goes to a country without any knowledge of that country? Notes on the Dialogue travel agent's (office) _agéncia de viagens banking system sistema bancario external trade comeércio exterior railway network rede ferrovidria * Note the use of the possessive in the travel agent's. This is because it is the short for the travel agent's office. '* Note the abbreviation KAL - Korean Airlines. Compare: JAL - Japan Airlines. * Note the words folder (fichdrio) and cabinet (arquivo). In this context the folder contains sheets of information and possibly maps all concerned with South Korea. These folders for the various countries are kept in the long drawers of a filing cabinet. When a member of the staff has to travel overseas, he is given a folder containing useful information about the country he is going to. Key business words Comments on key structures 973974 BUSINESS MATTERS. Some Questions and Answers about... Financial Management (11) aan ‘Subject: Credit management (1) Mr Wilton has just told Anthony that as soon as they get back to the office (they are having lunch at the moment) he will explain something about credit management. Anthony reminds him that he has not said anything about trading accounts yet. Reluctant! to change his programme, Mr Willon says he will deal with TA’s later on. For the moment, however, he wants to concentrate on some- thing much more important: how to deal with debtors. As they finish lunch, they chat about owing large sums of money and business ethics. WILTON: — Typically during a recession you find on the executive-search pages of the newspapers more and more companies advertising for credit managers. ‘ANTHONY: Yes, i've noticed. What amuses me’ is that they all want someone who is ‘persuasive’. WILTON: You have to be more than just persuasive to get blood out of a stone. Actually, credit management is an extremely important part ‘of a company’s financial strategy. ANTHONY: What amazes me’ is that when a customer is reminded of the fact that he hasn't settled his account, he gets annoyed, WILTON: — That's right. And if he is reminded again a month later he gets furious. It really is quite incredible. ANTHONY: It's a question of business ethics — or lack of them. Witton: That's exactly right. | recently read an article on credit management and the writer actually advised debtors not to settle their accounts unless they were absolutely sure that they were saving money by doing so. ANTHONY: What advice did he give? WILTON: He said that if your supplier gives you a 29% discount for paying within a month, you should calculate if the money you must borrow from the bank to pay him is costing you more than 24 9 a year in interest ANTHONY: That 24% is at 2% a month, the discount for settling an account within four weeks. WILTON: — Right. Now this brings us back to what you said before about busi- ness ethics. The debtor does not worry if his supplier is having to pay interest on his overdraft; all he is interested in is delaying* pay- ment so as to reduce his own interest payments, ANTHONY: By doing so he is ‘borrowing’ money from his supplier without per- mission and without paying interest. Some might call this unethical, others would say it was positively dishonest. Depending upon the circumstances, of course, it might almost be called criminal. f=] WItTON: Your three definitions may all be valid, depending upon the circums- tances, as you say. | said something similar to a colleague the otherday. ‘Hold on, old boy®, he said, ‘you can't call a chap a criminal ill just because he doesn't settle his account within a month’. [x] ANTHONY: What did you say to that? WILTON: | told him about a case | know, not my brother-in-law this time but my sister's brother-in-law. | ANTHONY: All good anecdotes have a brother-in-law in them. WILTON: — What happened was that a firm supplied goods to the value of £245,000 to a company that was a regular customer. This com- pany never paid within the month. It was always after six, eight or even ten weeks; but they did pay. Their first order was for £20,000, their second for £50,000 and so on®. After three years the value of their orders was always over £200,000. Then one summer, when they already had the outstanding account for £245,000 I've just mentioned and when control over debtors is less rigid because everyone is thinking about Venice or the Costa Brava, they sent in an order for £300,000 and it was delivered, ANTHONY: Which made them debtors for over £500,000. WitToN: Yes. In addition to which their first order was already overdue for settlement. A month later both orders were overdue. ANTHONY: Now the debtor was no longer thinking of what he owed but that he had over half a million pounds in interest-free credit. WILTON: — Right. The supplier already had a substantial overdraft plus various loans and was paying huge sums a month in interest. Two months later the supplier went bankrupt. ‘AnTHONY: What did your colleague say to that? WitToN: He agreed that it was almost a criminal case. ANTHONY: | like the ‘almost’ I's the same old story: one man steals” £5 from another and that is a criminal offence; one company owes over £500,000 fo another company for such a long time that the latter goes bankrupt and that is not a criminal offence. I's quite® ab- surd. WILTON: — It is indeed, which brings us back to the importance of credit management. If we do nothing when a company owes us money, the result can be disastrous. On the other hand, if we insist on payment when settlement is overdue, it can be equally disastrous. ANTHONY: Because we lose the customer. WILTON: — Because we lose the customer. ANTHONY: We just can't win, can we? * reluctant relutante Shold on, old boy espera ai, caral what amuses me 0 que me diverte and so on e assim por diante Samazes me ‘assombra-me ” steals rouba “delaying atrasando "quite ‘bem, bastante 975976 BUSINESS MATTERS. Key business words Comments on key structures Dialogue Comprehension Answer the following questions: When do you find more companies advertising for credit managers? What happens, according to Anthony, when a customer is reminded that he hasn't settled his account? What did the writer mentioned by Mr Wilton advise debtors to do? What is the discount Mr Wilton quotes for settling an account within four weeks? 5. Why, according to Mr Wilton, is a debtor only interested in delaying pay- ment of an account? 6. What are Anthony's three definitions for ‘borrowing’ money without permis- sion and without paying interest? Why does Mr Wilton say that control over credit is less rigid in summer? Does Anthony say that a debtor who owes more than £500,000 still thinks of it as a debi? 9. Why was the supplier mentioned by Mr Wilton paying huge sums a month in interest? 10. What can be the result for a company that insists or does not insist on the settlement of an account? Be Notes on the Dialogue credit management ——_administracao de crédito business ethics ética empresarial settled (his) accounts saldou suas contas value of (their) orders valor de seus pedidos overdue for settlement _pagamento atrasado (fora do vencimento) interest-free credit crédito sem juros * Note the expression to get blood out of a stone - tirar leite das pedras. * Note some of the different meanings of account: a bank account - conta bancéria to settle an account ~ pagar uma conta an excellent account - um cliente excelente * Note the construction of he gets furious - ele fica furioso. * Note that in absolutely sure, quite incredible and quite absurd absolutely and quite have the same meaning and are therefore interchangeable. * Note the spelling in advise (aconselhar) and to give advice (dar conselhos). Note also the emphasis given by the addition of actually in (He) actually advised - com efeito, ele aconselhou. * Note the use of bring back - trazer de volta in the phrases Now this brings us back... and which brings us back...Executive Search (16) Subject: A quality control manager in aerospace. In order to be able to assure their customers of the quality of their products, companies have what is known as a QA (Quality Assurance) department. This department is headed by the quality assurance, or quality control, manager. The fact that there are 45-50 personnel in the Q.A. department of the aerospace company advertising below indicates the importance of quality control in high-tech industries. QUALITY CONTROL MANAGER Based within 20 ie rah of Heathrow, eaing engiged in the proucton of of Belence prods, tecking to teers Quality Contol Manaertotake falcon othe Oualty Assurance Deparment curtemly employing etweens8 0 penonnel ‘Deel or equa inancnpnceing led ‘deine Previous apenence 8A Manager or Chet inepectoDeputy withn a sropaceeriommen presequnte slong wth god communestion tale and the iy to manages busy departnent, ‘Aswellas anexceptionl cater opportunity this prominent poston oer an atratne ary company ar ndohertonfi Preae writ iuding fall CV t Jon Doyle Hotes, Nicklin Adwertning id Northoay Howe, The Ring. Bracknel, Berks RCI TES Al apis wil be otfed and forwarded on dy of resp, NICKLIN Notes on the Text high-tech industries _inatistrias de alta tecnologia aerospace products produtos aeronduticos to recruit recrutar, contratar quality assurance —_garantia de qualidade HND level nivel universitério * Note the use of currently - atualmente. This is not to be confused with actually ~na verdade, com efeito. ‘* Note the use of as welll as - além de. Compare the following: The women work as well as the men - to bem como. As well as being an engineer, he is a lawyer — Além de ser engenheiro, ele é advogado. * Note that forwarded here means sent on to the company concerned. me Key business words Comments on key structures 977BUSINESS NEWS The Chemical Industry, Another Reliable Barometer (4) rer Subject: A ‘Financial Times’ report on the state of the chemical industry. In this, the last part of the ‘Financial Times’ report on the chemical industry by Clive Cookson and Karen Zagor, the analysts continue to express their opinions of the future of the industry. The ones who are quoted below represent merchant bankers Morgan Stanley, County Nat-West Securities and Flemings Research. This part is concerned with overcapacity. The report continues: ‘Compared to the 1980/81 chemical downturn ‘the trough! is likely to be longer and the upturn less prominent’, says Mr Paul Singer of Morgan Stan- ley. ‘This will not be a “V" or a “U”-cycle but more of an “L”-cycle’ Overcapacity stems from? the mid-1980s, when economic expansion prompted surging demand? for bulk chemicals, Supply was severely limited because many plants had been closed down following the slump in the industry at the start of the decade. The large profit margins tempted chemical com- panies in all parts of the world to invest in new plants for such chemicals as ethylene, propylene and basic plastics — many of which are now about to ‘come on stream. Mr Mike Crawshaw of County Nat- West Securities estimates that worldwide petro- ‘chemical capacity will increase by as much as 15 per cent by the end of 1992. Even with buoyant petrochemical demand, that would cut capacity utilisation from the present 90 per cent to 83 per cent. ‘There is some very bearish news out there that the market has chosen to ignore’, says Mr Andrew Benson of Flemings Re~ search. “The pressure on chemical margins is still ising and will not abate in 1992”. A recoyeny in the profi- tability of commodity chemicals in hat year ‘quite simply looks like wishful thinking’? he adds. ‘trough epressao ? stems from provém de “surging demand crescente demanda “will not abate do diminuird 978 wishful thinking ficar na vontade, jlusdoText Comprehension ‘Answer the following questions: 1. According to the Morgan Stanley analyst, will the 1991/92 depression be longer or shorter than that of 1980/81? What did economic expansion prompt in the mid-1980s? Why was the supply of bulk chemicals severely limited in the mid-1980s? What effect did large profit margins have on chemical companies? Does Mr Crawshaw predict an increase in petrochemical capacity of 8 per cent by the end of 19927 6. What does Mr Benson say is wishful thinking? wren Notes on the Text ‘on stream em produgao Key. business bearish em baixa, tendendo a baixa words * Note the phrase out there (al fora). This refers to the chemical industry market. Comments on key structures * Note the terms V-cycle, U-cycle and L-cycle. These refer to the shape of a graph: it may resemble the letter V, U or L, as illustrated, rear Pee et Ee tT 979980 THE USE OF ENGLISH IN BUSINESS The Special Verbs (3) +e To be To have Subject: The special verbs be, have, do, must and need. The best way to understand the special verbs is to look at each one separate- ly to find out what makes it special. . The verb to be (ser/estar) has a total of five inflections (discounting the two participles being and been): am, is and are in the present and was and were in the past. It is used in all the continuous tenses: the manager is working, the manager was working, the manager will be working, etc. and in all forms of the pas- sive voice: the report was written, the report has been written, etc. While the above uses present no problem to the Portuguese speaker because each is a direct translation (the manager is working - 0 gerente esté traba- Jhando; the report was written - 0 relatério foi escrito), there is one important difference in the use of to be and that is in the pattern to be + an adjective, which corresponds to the Portuguese to have + a noun. For example: to be hot not to have heat (ter calor). In the instances where this latter construction does exist in English, it is rarely used. It is possible, for example, to say Have no fear or Have care, but in modern English it is more usual to say Don't be afraid and Be careful. Here are some more examples: to be lucky corresponding toto have luck to be ashamed corresponding to to have shame to be patient corresponding to. to have patience to be right corresponding to to have reason to be hungry corresponding to to have hunger The verb to have (ter, haver) has three inflections: have, has and had. It is used in all the perfect tenses: They have seen the factory, they had seen the factory, they will have seen the factory, etc., and also in the causative: We have the trucks serviced every three months; we are having the office painted; we had the factories modernised, etc. There is a lot of confusion about the use of this verb to indicate possession. The British and American use is different, for example. Compare the British (on the left) with the American: ‘The company's got a problem. The company has a problem. Has the company got a problem? Does the company have a problem? The company hasn't got a problem. The company doesn't have a problem. ‘The company had a problem. The company had a problem. Did the company have a problem? —_Did the company have a problem? The company didn't have a problem. The company didn't have a problem. From the above it will be noted that in the past there is no difference in usage. While had got exists and is sometimes heard, it is not common. Let us look a little closer at the above construction in the present. There are three possibilities: () The company has a problem. (i) The company has got a problem. (iv) The company's got a problem.The first (i) is very formal English if used in the present: the company has a problem now. It is used, however, to express the habitual, as in The company ‘often has problems with its old machinery. In this case the interrogative is Does the company often have problems with its old machinery? The second (ii) is emphatic The company has got a problem. The third (ii) is the normal form in modern spoken English. The got is neces- sary in order to avoid confusing the contractions of has and is. lt The company is a problem and The company has a problem are contracted to The company's a problem, they will both be taken to mean The company is a problem, which makes the got a necessary addition if has is contracted to 's. Furlhermore, when we hear got we know that havefhas are not being used to signify the permanent of the habitual. Compare the following: The warehouse normally has a large stock of XW43s, but today they haven't got any. The warehouse doesn't normally have many DH89s, but today they've a lot. The difference between the habitual and non-habitual is particularly clear in cases of obligation using have to and have got to (ter que). Compare the following: We have to go to every meeting of the committee. but We've got to go to a committee meeting tomorrow. ‘The manager has to report to the managing director once a week. but The manager's got to report to the managing director this afternoon. It is becoming increasing common to use have +a noun as a verb substitute, so that instead of saying We discussed the problems for quite a long time we might say We had quite a long discussion about the problem. This is a particularly practical use of the verb, especially in a sentence like: We had breakfast at the hotel, lunch at the factory and dinner at the Tudor restaurant with the managing director. We would not say: We breakfasted at the hotel, lunched at the factory and dined at the Tudor restaurant with the managing director. One of the advantages of this construction is that adjectives may be used. Com- pare the following: We had a talk. We had a long and very interesting talk. We had a long, interesting and amazingly frank talk about the company's present situation. Or in the sentence already quoted: We had a quick breakfast at the hotel, and an equally quick lunch at the factory, but a really splendid dinner with the managing director at the Tudor restaurant. The verb to do has three inflections: do, does and did. It must be used with all verbs (other than the special verbs) to form the interrogative and negative, for emphasis and for all the short conversational phrases used in everyday speech, already explained in Units 39 and 40. To do 981982 THE USE OF ENGLISH IN BUSINESS Must and need Note that the verb to do is not always a special verb, as may be seen from the following: They clean everything. They do all the cleaning. They don't clean everything. They don't do all the cleaning. Do they clean everything? —_Do they do all the cleaning? They do clean everything. They do do all thé cleaning. These two verbs are used to express: obligation You must sign both documents and You need to sign both document; prohibition (must only) You must not use this machine freedom from obligation (need only): You needn't wait till the meeting finishes. Must is a defective verb — it has no infinitive or any inflections. The equivalent infinitive is to have to (ter que). It is also the only verb in English that has two negatives: He mustn't sign the document. He needn't sign the document. Must is similar to have got to in the sense that it generally refers to single rather that repeated or habitual actions. Compare: You must go the both meetings. You've got to go to both meetings. For habitual actions always and never normally accompany must: You must always be in the office by nine o'clock. You must never leave the office before five o'clock. If we use have to then always and never are omitted: You have to be in the office by nine o'clock. You have to stay there till five o'clock. Note that need is only a special verb as a negative of must, otherwise it is the same as any other verb. Compare the following: We need another two tons of cement but we don't need any more sand. We must order more cement, but we needn't order any more sand. Do you need any more cement? Need you order it today? He must sign the document. Note: As in Portuguese must (must have in the past) may be used to express supposition. Compare the following: SuiTH: The chief executive is only thirty-two. Hasnis: He must be very intelligent. ‘SmiTH: The manager's been away for two days. Harris: He must have the flu Jones: Miss Grey was late this morning. TayLon: She must have missed her train. Jones: Mr Brown didn’t come to the meeting yesterday. TayLor: He must have forgotten.Glossary of the Key Business Words and Phrases Used aerospace products banking system bearish business ethics credit management ‘ethics (see business ethics) external trade high-tech HND (Higher National Diploma) interest-free credit market, ready motorway junction overdue for settlement programme of events quality assurance railway network settle, to (an account) stream, on travel agent's (office) trial, three-month value of an order produtos aeronduticos sistema bancério fem baixa ética empresarial adiministragao de crédito ‘comércio exterior atta tecnologia diploma nacional superior créeito sem juros ‘mercado disponivel entrada para a rodovia pagamento atrasado (fora do vencimento) pprogramacao de atividades de eventos garantia de quaidade rede ferroviéna liguidar (uma conta) fem produgao agéncia de viagens teste de trés meses valor de um pecido Phrasal Verbs Used to break up to bring back to go over from... to... to hold on to look upon to set off a meeting to set off on a journey to sum up lviir-se trazer de votta ‘passar de ... para esperar, aguardar considerar Iniciar uma reuniéo partir em viagem resumir, recapitular984 ANSWERS: Answers to the questions on page 966. They are looking ahead. They will move to Elsham. It wil be concentrated on frozen foods. They are situated near motorway junctions. They are identical He based it on the special jets used by heads of state. Thirty took part. No, it began on time. Because he was the host. He stated that it was to settle on a definitive plan for that part of the project that was stil only a broad outi 11, It would benefit them when the other two sections came on stream. 12. They were shown all the furniture and fitings. 13. He spoke about the urgent need to make sure there were ready markets to accept their intial production. 14, He said it was the result of careful planning and con. slant liaison between the two sites. 15. A deadline was fixed for a decision Answers to the questions on page 969. 1. They will have to change their names. 2. tis that they should change gradually 3. GFC stands for Grimsby Fish Canners and GCF for Grims- by Convenience Foods, 4. Iwill have to be changed to GFV. 5. Itis to reduce Perth Tinned Meat to PTM and add ‘A Tr- ple F Company’. 6. He suggests using a distinctive logo, 7. Itis 10 combine the new name with the old and after @ time drop the old name. '& On the contrary, he says itis the answer. ‘9. He says it could become the Perth Tinned Meat and Fro- zen Foods Company. 10. Because MacDonald had jokingly called GFC ‘Grimsby Football Club’ and GFV ‘Grimsby Football Veterans’ ‘Answers to the questions on page 973. He's got to go there next week He is the manager of the firm's travel department. Because there is no fight on that day. He says hell need to read something about Korea be- fore he goes. He gives him one of his department's folders on Korea. They've kept it moving by building roads and motorways, expanding the railway network and modernising the tele- phone system etc. 7, They wait til their expanding industry cannot expand any ‘more without the corresponding infrastructure. 8. On the contrary, compared with the South the North Kor- ans are living in the Middle Ages. 9. So that they can have a chat about South Korea. 10. The trip can be an absolute disaster. Answers to the questions on page 976. 1, When there is a recession. 2. The customer gets annoyed. 3. He advised them not to settle their accounts unless they absolutely sure that they were saving money by doing 0. 4, this 296 a month, 5. So that he can reduce his own interest payments. 6. They are ‘unethical’, ‘dishonest’ and ‘criminaY. 7. Because everyone is thinking about Venice and the Costa Brava, 8 No, he says he thinks of it as interest-ree credit 9. Because he had a substantial overdraft plus various. loans. 10. The result can be disastrous. ‘Answers to the questions on page 979. 1. It will be longer. 2. It prompted surging demand for bulk chemicals. 3. Because many plants nad been closed down following the slump in the industry at the start of the decade. 4, It tempted them to invest in new plants for such chemi- cals as ethylene, propylene and basic plastics. 5. No, he predicts an increase by as much as 15 per cent 6. He says @ recovery in the proftabllty of commodity chemicals isEXERCISES ‘1 After having carefully studied the texts and dialogues in the main section of the course, do the tests and exercises on the following pages. When these have been done, turn to pages 7 and 8 and check with the answers. In this way you will know if the material in the main section has been assimilated. Assimilation Test 1 Fill in the spaces with the correct word. The number of letters in each word is indicated by the number of dashes. A. There is a new-found sense of ________ at Grimsby and Perth now. The two ______ companies are looking ahead. As soon as their new factories are _____ Grimsby Fish Canners will move to Elsham and Perth Tinned Meat Co. will move to Craigend. There will be no more fish and meat canning. Production at the new factories will be _------ entirely on frozen foods. Work has already begun on the sites, which are both on industrial _______ conveniently situated near motor- way junctions. As fish and meat canners the two companies have been outside the of Triple F production, but as a result of the present restructuring they will form a more _. _— part of the Group. The two new factories are _. _ in design and when they are finished will _ of three separate buildings connected to each other and the main office _____ by wide covered passages B. Overcapacity _____ from the mid-1980s, when economic _ for bulk chemicals. Supply was severely limited because, many ,_. following the slump in the industry at the start of the derade. The large _ margins tempted chemical companies in all parts of the world to invest in new plants for such _. as ethy- lene, propylene and basic plastics — many of which are now about to ____ on stream. Mr Mike Crawshaw of County Nat-West Securities _ _ that worldwide petrochemical capacity will ~ by as much as 15 per cent by the end of 1992, Even with buoyant _ demand, that would cut capacity utilisation from the present 90 per cent to 83 per cent. ‘There is some very _______ news out there that the market has chosen to ignore’, says Mr Andrew Benson of Flemings Research. prompted surging demand had been closed down Now check your answers with the original texts and see how many of the 20 spaces you have filled correctlyAssimilation Test 2 There are eleven mistakes in the following dialogue. The first mistake has already been corrected. Now see if you can find and correct the other ten mistakes. namer + Subject: Finding new gankSe for | old companies. 2 After dinner at the Royal George Hotel in Grimsby Leslie Carrington is sitting in the hotel lounge with 3 Ted Wesley, the marketing manager of Grimsby Fish Canners, and ‘Jock’ MacDonald, the marketing 4 manager of Perth Tinned Meat. They are discussing the problem of changing their companies’ names s when they go slower from canned fish and meat to frozen foods. It is quite obvious that they will not 6 be able to continue with their present names. Carrington asks them if they have fought about the 7 problem. » CARRINGTON: Have you any ideas about your new name, Ted? WESLEY: I've thought a lot about this problem and my conclusion is that we should change ” gratefully. As from next month, for example, Grimsby Fish Canners should become " GFC. +» MACDONALD: Grimsby Football Club. 3 WESLEY: Later on we can reverse it to GCF, to stand for Grimsby Convenience Foods. 1« MACDONALD: | must go and see the obelisk, Mother, | could have sworn these peas were from 8 GFC and not GCF. 1s CARRINGTON: But what if you're not doing convenience foods but frozen vestibules? 1s WESLEY: Then using the same type of sweaters we change it to GFV. 17 MACDONALD: Grimsby Football Veterans. ve WESLEY: You're very witty tonight, Jock MacDonald. You're lucky, of course, you won't have to » change your name because after a couple of whiskies the Scots can't spell the diffe- 2 fence between tinned meat and frozen cabbage. 2 MACDONALD: Actually, I've been thinking about a change of name for some time now. So far the 2 best idea I've come up with is to reduce Perth Tinned Meat to PTM and add ‘a Triple 2 F Company. x Westey: A Triple F Company would be FFF not PTM. 2s CARRINGTON: Perhaps the solution would be to use a distinctive logo and let that act as ambiguity * The customers then associate the logo with the product, not the name of the company ” or the letters resenting it. aa WESLEY: You mean having a triangle or something beside our name? 2 CARRINGTON: Yes. Alternatively you could combine the new name with the old and after a time drop » the worst part. x1 MACDONALD: That's it, that's the answer. As soon as we are ready to move to Craigend we can 2 become the Perth Tinned Meat and Frozen Foods Company, which later we can reduce with the help of a logo — to PFF. a» WESLEY: Perth Football Fans.Translation Test Translate the following sentences into English: 1. Quando comegaré a fabricacao do novo produto? 2, Além de gerente financeiro, ele é 0 secretério da empresa. 8. Hé necessidade urgente de garantir um mercado disponivel para os produtos. 4.0 gerente rejeitou a idéia de um logotipo? 5. Infelizmente terei que deixar a Escécia devido a esta promocao. 7. Que chateagao! Esqueci de verificar 0 horério do v6o para Mila. 8. A que horas comegou a primeira sessdio da conferéncia? expansdo industrial. 10. Estes vinte operdrios formarao 0 niicleo da forga de trabalho. 11. Ele diz que aquele que deve £500.00 e nao paga é desonesto. 12. Vamos testar a maquina por um periodo de trés meses. 18. Eles alugaram um carro de luxo especialmente equipado para levar grupos de executivos em lon- gas viagens. 14. Vocé nos aconselharia a saldar a conta agora ou esperar mais um més? mestre-cuca francés, também possui duas quadras de squash e um campo de golte.Letter-Writing Test Write out the letters below using the information given. 1. After four years/manager/our Spanish branch//been appointed director/Stockholm-based Scandi- navian Office/as/beginning/ next month. In saying goodbye/you/like/express/most sincere thanks/all you/done/these four years/help us get established/Spain. Your efforts/much appreciated. My succes- sor, John Atkinson/writing/shortly/introduce himself/arrange/meeting/you. Once again many thanks/ cooperation/help. Dear Mr Sanchez, Yours. 2. Although/Vsorry/learn/letter/30th March/you/shortly leaving Spain//very pleased indeed/it is to take up/more senior appointment. If one must say goodbye/one’s friends/let/be/because/they/been pro- moted. It been/pleasure working/you/these last four years/I wish/luck/new job. Dear Mr Barratt,Language Exercises A. 1. Were they afraid to dismiss the drivers? They weren't afraid to dismiss anyone. 2. Was he right about the production figures? anything. 3. Were you ashamed to admit you had broken the machine? 4, Was Mr Jones careful about checking the stock? 5. Were you patient with the new typists? 6. Were you wrong about the date of the contract? B. 1. They had a small van last year, didn't they? Yes, but now they've got two large trucks. 2. She had a small portable typewriter last year, didn’t she? word processor. 3. You had a desktop computer last year, didn't you? laptop. 4, Mr Smith had a desk in the stockroom last year, didn't he? office third floor. 5. The men had a canteen in the factory last year, didn't they? ssemnnsnmseannnnssns GIMINQ-LOOM sone office block. 6. You and Harris had sample cases, last year, didn’t you? x Set . portable display units. C. 1. They make a lot of desktop computers, don't they? Yes, but they don't make many laptops. 2. You sell a lot of electric typewriters... 2 adding machines. 3, They sold a lot of delivery vans, eli? 4. You export a lot of frozen poultry, .. 5. They import a lot of butter from the EC, ‘i a cheese. 6. He buys a lot of photocopiers from Taiwan... sis carcaimnictenecieaasis ‘computers.. | have to visit five customers a day. . Smith's got to visit six today. twenty a week. . two this afternoon. all on three this morning. sixty a month, four after lunch. .. several @ day. make five calls a day. twenty calls this week. eighty calls this month. 12. They.. 1. Must | check the machines? 2, Must you clean the boilers? 3. Must he oil the wheels? 4, Must we cover the engines? 5. Must he check all the machines? 6. Must you clean all the boilers? 7. Must | oil all the wheels? 8 Must we cover all the engines? 9, Must | check the machine? 10, Must you clean the boilers? 11. Must he oil the wheels? 12, Must we cover the engine? 31 least ten calls a day. So do |. So has Jones. we. we. . Hattis. .. Davies. Devin the others. Morgan, Ll you. Dean. Of course you must. Of course . Of course . Of course... No, he mustn't check any. No, NO, san No, Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes,Answers Assimilation Test 2 games names o obelisk occulist. = ambiguity continuity 9) slower over a vestibules vegetabies resenting representing fought thought ® sweaters letters oe worst first oo gratefully gradually spell tell 0m Translation Test When will production of the new product come on stream? ‘As well as being the finance manager he is the secretary of the company. ‘There is an urgent need {0 ensure thal there is a ready market for the products. Did the manager reject the idea of a logo? ‘As a result of this promotion regrettuly | must leave Scotland, tis wishful thinking to consider a recovery in profits tnis year. What a nuisance. Ive forgotten to check the time of the flight to Milan, ‘What time did the first session of the conference begin? ‘The secret of the country’s prosperity is that ils infrasctructure has always kept pace with its industrial expansion. 10. These twenty workers will form the core of the worklorce. 11. He says that the debtor who owes £500,000 and won't pay is dishonest, 12, We are going to use the machine for a three-month trial period 13. They hired a luxury coach specially equipped 10 take groups of executives on long journeys, 14, Would you advise us to settle the account now or wail anoiher month? 15. The hotel is ideal for our meeting because as well as having three bars and a good restaurant with a French chet, its also {got two squash courts and a golf course. Letter-Writing Test 1. Dear Mr Sanchez, ‘After four years as manager of our Spanish branch | have been appointed director of our Stockholm-based Scandinavian Office, as trom the beginning of next month, In saying goodbye to you, 1 should like to express my most sincefe thanks for all you have done during these four years to help us get established in Spain. Your efforts have been much appreciaied. My successor, John Atkinson, will be writing shorty to introduce himself and to arrange a meeting with you. ‘Once again many thanks for your cooperation and help. Yours sincerely, 2. Dear Mr Barratt, Although | was sorry fo learn from your letter of 3oth March that you are shortly leaving Spain, | am very pleased indeed that itis to take up a more senior appointment. f one must say goodbye to one’s trends, let it be because they have been promoted, it has been a pleasure working with you these last four years and | wish you luck in your new job. Yours sincerely,Language Exercises A1. Were they alraid to dismiss the drivers? They werent afraid to dismiss anyone. 2. Was he right about the production figures? He wasn't right about anything 3. Were you ashamed to admit you had broken the machine? | wasn't ashamed to admit anything. 4, Was Mr Jones careful about checking the slock? He wasn't careful about checking anything. 5. Were you patient with the new typists? | wasn" patient with anyone, 6. Were you wrong about the date of the contract? wasn’ wrong about anything, 8 1. They had a small van last year, didnt they? ‘Yes, but now they've got two large trucks, 2 She had a small portable typewriter last year, didn't she? Yes, but now she's got a word processor. 3. You had a desktop computer last year, didn't you? Yes, but now I've got a laptop. 4. Mr Smith had a desk in the stockroom last year, didn't he? Yes, but now he’s got an office on the third floor. 5. The men had a canteen in the factory last year, didn’t they? Yes, but now theyve got a dining-room in the olfice block, 6. You and Harris had sample cases, last year, didn't you? Yes, now we've got portable display units. ©. 1, They make a lot of desktop computers, don't they? Yes, but they don't make many laptops. 2. You sell a lot of electric typewriters, don't you? ‘Yes, but we don't sell many adding machines. 3. They sold a lot of delivery vans, didn't they? ‘Yes, but they didn't sell many trucks. 4, You export a lot of frozen poultry, don't you? ‘Yes, but we don't export much frozen fish. 5. They importa lot of butter from the EC, don't they? ‘Yes, but they don't import much cheese. 6 He buys a lot of photocopiers from Taiwan, doesn't he? Yes, but he doesn't buy many computers. 10. 11 12, | have to visit five customers a day. So do | 2. Smith's got to visit six today. ‘So has Jones. We have to visi twenty a week. So do we. We've got to visit two this afternoon. So have we. ve got to call on three this morning, So has Harts. Brown has to call on sixty a month. So does Davies. 7 You've got fo call on four after lunch. So has Devin, We have to call on several a day. ‘So do the others. They have to make five calls a day. So does Morgan. ‘ve got to make twenty cals this week. So have | You've got to make eighty calls this month. So have you. They have to make at least ten calls a day. So does Dean. Must | check the machines? Of course you must Must you clean the bollers? Of course | must. Must he oil the wheels? Of course he must. Must we cover the engines? Of course you must Must he check all the machines? No, he mustn't check any. ‘Must you clean all the boilers? No, we mustn't clean any. ~ Must | oll all the wheels? ‘No, you musin’ oil any. ‘Must we cover all the engines? No, you musin’ cover any. Must | check the machine? Yes, but you needn't check it yet. Must you clean the boilers? Yes, but | needn't clean them yet, Must he oil the wheels? Yes, but he needa’ oil them yet. Must we cover the engine? ‘Yes, but you needn't cover it yet.INVESTING IN THE FUTURE Contents Unit ™ A Corporate Busir Introduction Controlling a subsidiary without interfering in its management. © Fresh Frozen Foods Plc: Investing in the Future Research and development at Northern ireland Canning. 0 Dialogue: Executive Confessions Two executives speak about their shortcomings. ™ Business Executives © An Executive Writes An executive about to move to another company writes to inform a business friend of his change of job. © An Executive Travels South Korea (2). An executive finds out something about South Korea before going there. ™ Business Matters 0 Some Questions and Answers about. Financial Management (12) Credit management (2). © Executive Search (17) A repack engineering manager in frozen foods. ™ Business News 0 Spanish Banks Invade (1) Spanish banks in Portugal. 1 The Use of English in Business O The Special Verbs (4) The special verbs ‘can’ and ‘may’ O Glossary of the Key Business Words and Phrases Used m AnswersA CORPORATE BUSINESS Introduction Subject: Controlling a subsidiary without interfering in its management. It it is the policy of a multinational company not to interfere in the management of its subsidiaries, to respect their autonomy, and leave all decisions to them, what happens when, as a result of this policy, a subsidiary gets into serious difficulties? Similarly if itis the policy of a multinational company to control its subsidiaries in everything they do, who is responsible when the subsidiary gets into difficulties then? One of the biggest dilemmas a holding company has to face, and about which much has been written, is the degree of control it should exert" over its affiliates. Of course, it all depends on what we mean? by ‘control’. But the general consensus of opinion is that there should be the minimum of control ‘and what there is should take the form of monitoring the subsidiary’s progress to make sure there are no sudden unpleasant surprises. While a parent company can make suggestions, it should not impose its will on the affiliate. The exception to this rule is when there is an overall strategy to co-ordinate production so that there is no wasteful overlapping. Apart from this co-ordinated strategy, however, control should be kept to an absolute minimum. Sometimes there is a temptation for head office to interfere and to insist on certain action being taken. This, as we shall now see, is what happened at Fresh Frozen Foods. Fortunately the temptation was resisted and the whole group benefited as a result. Sexert ——exarcer ®we mean queremos dizerFresh Frozen Foods Plc. Investing in the Future Subject: Research and development at Northern Ireland Canning. Corporate history Matthew Collins has always maintained that it an executive has a good knowledge of the history of his company, it will help him to make the right decisions. Three years ago Collins wrote a short history of Northern Ireland Canning (NIC), had 500 copies printed, and gave one to every member of the company. A copy was sent to Frank Holloway, who liked it so much that he arranged for a special edition of the slim? fify-page volume to be sent to all the ‘Triple F’ executives, overseas as well as in the UK. Holloway was particularly impressed by the last chapter of the book, in which Collins discusses the lessons to be learned from the past. ‘If corporate history is to repeat itself, he wrote, ‘then let us make sure that it is its successes and not its failures that are repeated’. Everyone read the book and was full of praise for it. Few people, however, were influenced by it. A notable exception was Collins himself, who having immersed himself® in the history of the company when researching the book, was obsessed by the fact that a failure to look more than a year or so ahead (and even then only within the rigid limits of what the company was doing) had frequently led to downturns in business that could have been avoided. Even today, when companies are conscious as never before of the need for planning, there is rarely much imagination or vision in that planning. The Japanese being the notable exceptions, of course. NIC and R&D For some considerable time now Collins has been convinced that a boom in frozen convenience foods is inevitable. Because of this conviction he has been investing an appreciable amount of his marketing and research and development budget in what he calls ‘RP90' — Research Project 1990s (ocularlyé referred to by the office staff as ‘Star Wars’). Two people from market research and three from research and development are permanently occupied with the project, helped from time to time” by others. Every three months this team prepares a report on its progress. Just five months ago, Collins read the twelfth of these reports and decided that the time had come to act. The outcome The result of his policy of investing in the future is that two weeks ago Northern Ireland Canning was able to launch its first range of frozen convenience foods, specially designed for the Irish market, though not specifically Irish dishes. The meals chosen were those the market researchers (working in Northern Ireland and after having interviewed hundreds of people) were convinced would sell well in the province. The results of their researches were so precise that they even able to specify the packs for each product: 8 slim fino, magro ‘ig to repeat itselt ha de se repetir Simmersed himself tendo merguihado Sjocularly de brincadeira, jocosamente "from time to time de tempos em tempos 987A CORPORATE BUSINESS Memo trom Matthew Co! lins to Charles Garrick roast chicken with peas and potatoes — individual, double, and family size; stewed beef® — double and family pack; rabbit pie with brussel sprouts — individual and double; and so on. So with an initial range of twelve appetising dishes, attractively presented and well advertised on TV and in the press, Collins is confident of success. Calculations indicate the range will break even at three months; from then on they will be in profit. Collins's attitude to profits is similar to that of the Germans (many of whose business methods he greatly admires®) in that he does not worry about profits. Instead, he concentrates on running the company imaginatively and efficiently, leaving the profits to come automatically. The fact that these profits have always come since Matthew Collins has been the managing director has meant that he has never had even the mildest’? criticism from head office. Everything that is done at Belfast, where NIC has its factory and offices, is monitored by head office so they know what is going on. They have known about RP90, for example, since its inception, and though more than one of the top executives has thought the project an expensive luxury, no-one has ever said anything to Collins. Clearly the parent company has to monitor its subsidiaries, but it does so only to safeguard" the interests of the group and not as an excuse to interfere. Head office now has cause to be very pleased that it has not said anything against RP9O because the whole group is about to benefit rom the project. it ‘occurs to Collins that NIC is now in a position to help Grimsby and Perth in preparing their staff for the opening of their new factories, due to take place in about seven or eight months’ time. He therefore writes to Charles Garrick suggesting that the new R&D staff of the two companies could come and work with the NIC team to get some experience in convenience foods research. Garrick replies saying that he thinks it is an excellent idea and that he will consult Grimsby and Perth straightaway with a view to advertising for research staff. Once these have been engaged, he will contact Collins in order to make arrangements for them to go to Belfast. Collins reads the reply and sighs'?. "Why’, he wonders, ‘is everyone always a step behind?” bear Charles, ‘The last time we met you mentioned a plan to send selected menbers of the Grinsty and Perth workforce to work for a tine in other subsidiaries in order to gain experience in food-processing techniques ready for when thelr factories at Elshan and Craigend start production. With this in mind it occurs to me that you might Like to send one or two Of the newly engaged food technicians to come and work with us. Here they ‘will get experience in the creation of convenience food products that will bbe of considerable help to them when the RAD departments of their own companies start to function. ‘As regards the financial aspect of this suggestion, we would be willing to pay for their acoxmpdation here in Belfast if Grimsby and Perth pay their salaries. But we can discuss that later. If you are interested in the above, let me know. Best wishes, Sa, MetiadehetaCorporate strategy Now for the first time, and as a direct result of the virtual creation of two new companies (Grimsby and Perth) it has been decided that a corporate strategy is required for the UK. This is not to be confused with corporate policy in general, which remains the same: non-interference in the running of subsidiaries, freedom of action for their managements, readiness to help in a crisis, maintenance of the corporate image and high standards of quality control, and so on. Leslie Carrington has come up with a plan of corporate strategy to meet’ the demands of the changing emphasis of production. Already canning was being phased out in favour of frozen products, but now a huge market for frozen convenience foods had opened up almost overnight. He admits that he was ‘one of those who had not anticipated this sudden boom, this revolution in the eating habits of the British public. He goes on to explain to all the managing directors present at this special head office meeting that the new plan is one for the co-ordination of production and distribution and will last for as long as it takes the Group to establish itself firmly in the convenience foods market. He is at pains to reassure everyone that their autonomy will not be affected and quotes the case of the UK subsidiary of a US multinational that was forced to sell parts at cost price to another subsidiary based in France and was then criticised for a drop in their profits. Carrington goes on to speak about the help the Group is receiving from TV Meals, part of whose production is now being sold under the Fresh Frozen Foods label in order to get the public used to the new label in readiness'* for the launching of a more comprehensive range in a few weeks’ time. This is what he would like to see done before Grimsby and Perth come on stream with their own production. In this way they will have an initial boost. Everyone present agrees that what Carrington suggests is logical and will benefit them all. Matthew Collins is particularly pleased because it means he can already start stepping up production of products that have only just been launched, thereby'® bringing closer the break-even date and the move into profit. Everything has always gone well for the managing director of Norther Ireland Canning, but now it seems to be going even better. stewed bee! came bovina cozida "sighs suspira * greatly admires acimra muito "to meet satisfazer "mildest © mais leve ‘in readiness em praparagdo * safeguard salvaguardar "thereby assim, deste modo 989990 A CORPORATE BUSINESS Key business words Comments on key structures Text Comprehension ‘Answer the following questions: 1. Does Matthew Collins think it is good or bad for an executive to know the history of his company? . Did Collins write the history of Northern Ireland canning or did the secretary of the company write it? 3. Did Collins have 500 or 1,000 copies of the history printed? 4, Was it a fat 300-page volume or a slim 50-page volume? 5. Was Holloway particularly impressed by the first or the last chapter of the book? 6. What was the reaction of those who read the book? 7. 8 a » What has Collins been investing in the RP9O project? How many people are permanently occupied with RP9O? |. What were the market researchers able to do as a result of the precise information they had collected? 10, What does Collins prefer to do instead of worrying about profits? 11. Does the parent company monitor its subsidiaries as an excuse to inter- fere? 12. How many research staff has Charles Garrick already engaged for the new factories? 13, What is Carrington's new plan of corporate strategy designed to meet? 14, How long will Carrington's plan last? 15. What does everyone present at the meeting think about what Carrington suggests? Notes on the Introduction affiliates fiigis overall strategy estratégia global wasteful overlapping supe/posi¢ao dispendiosa coordinated strategy estratégia coordenada * Note the phrase get into serious difficulties - encontrar-se em sérias dificuldades. * Note the use of should (ought to} with the meaning of what is advisable ~ deveria — in the following phrases: It should exert, there should be, should take the form of, should not im- pose, should be kept. * As should is interchangeable with ought to here, we can say it ought to exert - deveria exercer. For notes on the use of should and ought to see The Use of English in Business’ Unit 43. ‘* Notice the use of the gerund being after the preposition on even when they are separated by certain actions.Notes on the Text break even equilirar receita e despesas Key business corporate image imagem da empresa words break-even date data do ponto de equilibrio Note the construction had 500 copies printed - mandou imprimir 500 Comments on key exemplares. structur # Note the construction let us make sure it is... - asseguremo-nos de que. Compare the following: the company that gains. the companies that gain. Let us make sure that it isthe product that has priority. the products that have priority. the profits that come first. ‘* Note the phrase was full of praise - elogiou muito. «Note the reference to Star Wars (Guerra nas Estrelas) ~ the popular name given to the US space defence project. ‘+ Note the phrase he is at pains to reassure - esmera-se em tranquilizar. ‘* Note the phrase almost overnight - quase da noite para o dia. ‘= Note the phrase to move into profit, meaning to pass the break-even point and start making a profit. * Note the phrase to get the public. used to ~ para acostumar o publico. Note the much used phrase he! goes on (when reporting a speech or a meeting) in he goes on to explain and he goes on to speak about — continuando, explica (fala de). The World's Top Ten Chemical Companies The world's top ten chemical companies and not one of them is Japanese. They are having a hard time at the moment, though (see Business News Units 38-41); so perhaps the Japanese don’t mind not being among them. 1990 ($bn) Sales Pre-tax profits BASF Germany 31.20 1.84 Hoechst Germany 30.02 2.15 Bayer Germany 27.86 2.25 Icl_UK 24.91 1.89 Du Pont US 2227 1.50" Dow Chemicals US 19.77 256 Rhéne-Poulenc France 15.48 0.74 Ciba-Geigy Switzerland 15.46 081" Shell" UK/Netherlands 12.70 1,00" | Elt-Aquitaine France 10.41 0.98" | “Chemicals only. ** After tax operating profit. Source: Chemical Insight (Published in the ‘Financial Times’ May 18, 1991).A CORPORATE BUSINESS Dialogue Executive Confessions [#% | Subject: Two executives speak about their shortcomings’. a) Leslie Carrington and Charles Garrick are the only two having lunch in the directors’ dining-room today. All the others are either away or have appoint. ments elsewhere. Having chatted about this and that during the meal, they ‘suddenly become serious as? one starts to speak of his annoyance with himself for not having done something he should have done. This leads the other to mention one of his own mistakes. Garrick is the first to make his confession Garrick: Those of us? in top management, ARRINGTON: At the top of the pyramid. Garrick: Those of us at the top of the management pyramid have so many people under us and are so often having to get annoyed with them that we tend to forget that we, too, make mistakes CARRINGTON: Yes, we the gods‘, we the all perfect —ones, are sometimes forced to show our displeasure? with lesser mortals®, Garrick: If you watched TV more instead of reading so many books, perhaps you'd be able” to speak normal English like the rest of us. Anyway, | was about to say that from time to time we our- selves blunder. CARRINGTON: But so rarely it's hardly worth mentioning. GARRICK: Quite frankly, Leslie, I'm furious with myself for not having thought about the technical staff that will be needed at the new Elsham and Craigend factories. Collins reminded me in a letter | had from him this morning. ARRINGTON: If it was Collins who reminded you, then you've no need to worry. He's always a jump ahead of everyone. GanRIck: Yes, but it's so obvious. We can't wait till the factories are almost ready for production before we start looking round® for the right® people to occupy key technical posts. CARRINGTON: You haven't succeeded in convincing me that you are inefficient. Now let's see if | can convince you that | am. GARRICK: Hang on’? a moment while | get a pen and paper. ARRINGTON: A few weeks ago | carpeted young Duncan McGill for not having given me reliable statistics about convenience food sales. | was, annoyed because Frank made me look a fool, so | got furious with McGill GARRICK: When you should have been furious with yourselt ARRINGTON: Exactly. Why didn't it occur to me to query'" his figures? Why do I never go to his office to see where he gets his information from? No, it was my fault as much as his. Garrick: It depends how you look at it. After all, McGill is not an office junior; he's an experienced statistician who's been in market- ing research for a number of years now.CARRINGTON: But even so, I'm the one at the top of the pyramid and as such am ultimately responsible. GARRICK: Had we been Japanese executives, | suppose we would both have resigned by now. Dialogue Comprehension Answer the following questions: 1. What does Carrington compare being in top management to? 2. What does Garrick say that top executives tend to forget? 3. Is Carrington joking when he speaks about the gods and displeasure or does he always speak like that? What does Garrick say that top executives do from time to time? What was Garrick furious with himself for? Does Carrington say Collins is always a step behind? Does Garrick really get a pen and paper to make a note of Carrington’s confession or is he joking? What does Carrington carpet McGill for? Is McGill an office junior? What does Garrick suppose that he and Carrington would have done if they had been Japanese executives? Noose Som Notes on the Dialogue statistician estatistico research — pesquisa * Note the forms of the verb to annoy (amolar, molestar, imritar) - to be (to get) annoyed, annoying, annoyance (displeasure). Compare the following: When something annoys the boss, he shows his annoyance by shouting. Shouting is an annoying habit, so when the boss shouts, the staff get annoyed. * Note that as people (pessoas) is plural, we must sayso many people (tanta gente, tantas pessoas). ‘* Note that a blunder (verb to blunder) is to make a serious mistake (cometer um grave erro, dar um grande fora). ‘* Note that by saying a jump ahead instead of a step ahead we indicate that the person who is a jump ahead is dynamic, quick-thinking and efficient. " shortcomings — defeitos you'd be able voce poderia 2as quando looking round procurar Sthose of us nds que estamos ®right ccerta, adequada ‘the gods os deuses ‘hang on espere Sdispleasure —desprazer,imtacao "to query expressar diividas sobre lesser mortals _inferores mortais Key business words Comments on key structures 993994 BUSINESS EXECUTIVES An Executive Writes +e Letter 1 Informing a business friend of a move to another company. Subject: An executive about to move to another company writes to inform a business friend of his change of job. When an executive writes to a business colleague with whom he has had dealings over @ number of years, his letters tend to be less formal. Even when writing about serious business matters, he will usually make some such personal comment as ‘I hope to see you at the golf club next month’ or "Remember me to your charming secretary’. Here below, in an example of this type of letter, an executive writes to inform a business friend that he will short- ly be moving to another company. GEERING & HATFIELD LTD 120, Milneshaw Lane, Oldham OL6 2SR Tel: 061-657 2879 Fax: 061-679 2138 HI/EL 12 March, 1991 Mc G. Kelvin, Page & Qook Plc. Southport Road Eocleston PR6 3G Lanes. Dear George, When Humphrey Weldon left Pratt & Gough last month to take over business development at Bifton Industries, he recomended me to ‘succeed him as marketing manager. T received such a tempting offer from Pratt that I just could not refuse. Margaret was delighted, since it means our going to live in Bristol, where it only rains twice a week instead of every day. Continuity here will be maintained because my deputy Tony Gibbs, whom you met at the Glasgow Fair last year, will take over my job. T'm due to start at Pratt's on 25 March. AS soon as I've settled in, I'll drop you a line. My regards to Jane. With all best wishes,PAGE & COOK PLC. Southport Road Eccleston PR6 3GH Lancs Tel: 0257 2891534 Fax: 0257 2813997 Gyy/sP 14 March, 1991 Me H. Tomkins Geering & Hatfield Ltd 120, Milneshaw Lane, Oldham O16 2SR Dear Hugh, You have no idea how delighted I was to read in your letter of 12 March of your new appointment at Pratt & Gough. David Goss, their export manager and an old friend of mine, is always saying ‘what a good firm they are to work for. As I've got to go to.Bristol in a couple of months’ time, T'11 contact you beforehand and arrange to meet. Meanwhile, my heartiest congratulations on your new job. Please renenber me to Margaret. With all best wishes, SG AeLUIM 9 ~carge Kelvin General Manager Notes on the Text and Letters ‘* Note the phrase Remember me to (lembrangas a, recomende-me a), which is more or less the same as My regards to. ‘* Note that business development is the department that includes marketing and sales. * Note that the verb to meet in the context of the phrase whom you met is conhecer, * Note the verb to settle in (acomoder-se) in the phrase as soon as I've settled in, ‘* Note the use of a couple of months. In a more formal letter this would be written as about two months. Letter 2 The reply to Letter 1. Comments on key structures 995996 BUSINESS EXECUTIVES An Executive Travels ** [an] Subject: South Korea (2). An executive finds out something about South Korea before going there. The huge London offices of the large multinational corporation Basil Gregson works for has a staff of over 500, so it is not surprising that such an organisa- tion should have its own travel department. Jack Bowes is the manager of the department and when Gregson went to see him about a trip he must make to South Korea next week, they agreed to have lunch together to discuss the trip. They have just carried their lunches from the counter in the firm's self-service restaurant across to an empty table in a corner. Bowes: GREGsON: Bowes: GREGSON: Bowes: GRE@soN: Bowes: GREGSON: Bowes: GREGSON: Bowes: GREGSON: Bowes: Shall | take your tray? Thank you. Ican never settle down to lunch until I've got rid of the tray. Now we can eat and chat about Korea. When | say Korea, | mean South Korea, of course. There's no point in saying South Korea all the time, though, is there? It's like saying Severiano Ballesteros all the time when you only need say ‘Seve’. Do you play golf, by the way? It's my passion. In that case you'll be able to accept if anyone invites you to play in Korea. The golf courses there, the finest in Asia, are excellent places for improving business relations. Now what other tips can | give you? ‘Some tips on tips would be useful. | suppose you mean some tips on tipping. You don't tip in res- taurants and hotels because there is a service charge included. You don't tip taxi drivers either; but don't be surprised if they keep the change when there's not much to give back. Which brings us to taxis. There are two types. The brown ones are more comfortable and a bit more expensive. But when you think that a taxi from the airport into Seoul, a distance of 26 kilometres and a half an hour ride, only costs you US$5 then they can't really be considered expen- sive. | may have to go to Pusan one day. Would you advise me to go by train or by plane? The trains are very good: they're clean, fast, air-conditioned and have restaurant cars; but if you haven't got much time, i's quicker by plane. Incidentally, i you think security is tight at Heathrow, wait till you get to Korea. You can't take any hand baggage on the plane and they'll probably search’ you for firearms®. Apart from that and the fact that the air hostesses are Korean, it's just like flying from London to Manchester. What are the Koreans like to do business with? Like most Orientals, they like to take their time. Don't think you're going to have everything wrapped up after twenty minutes. It pays0 to be patient. The proof is that they are the 14th largest trading nation in the world; so they're not doing too badly. Now as you've finished your lunch and | haven't started yet, perhaps you'll excuse me while | attack my lasagne al forno. Dialogue Comprehension Answer the following questions: 1. Did Gregson offer to take Bowes's tray? 2. Does Bowes think that golf courses have any function in business? 3. How much do you tip in Korean restaurants? Do Korean taxi drivers always keep the change? in what way are brown taxis different from the others in Seoul? How long does it take to go by taxi from Seoul Airport to the city? What are Korean trains like? How much hand baggage are you allowed to take on Korean planes? Do most Orientals prefer to do business quickly? Why does Bowes say the Koreans aren't doing too badly? Seenoas Notes on the Dialogue tight security seguranga rigorosa hand baggage (luggage) bagagern de mao trading nation pais mercantil '* Note the use of the subjunctive in the phrase It is not surprising ... should have... ~ ndo é nenhuma surpresa ... que tenha... ‘* Note that settle down to lunch is to make yourself comfortable before you begin eating. '* Note that tips on tips is a pun (trocadilho) because tips has two meanings here. Compare tips on tips - conselhos sobre gorjetas ~ and tips on tipping - ~ conselhos sobre quanto dar de gorjeta. © Note that a half an hour taxi ride is a journey by taxi lasting half an hour. * Note the phrase to do business with. Compare: We do business with them because they are good to do business with. We do business for him because he's good to do busines for. We do business in this place because it's a good place to do business in. * Note that wrapped up (envoito) is here used metaphorically with the sense of all the business concluded satisfactorily. "search —_revistar 2frearms armas de fogo a Key business words Comments on key structures 997998 BUSINESS MATTERS Some Questions and Answers about. Financial Management (12) weal Subject: Credit management (2). Having discussed during lunch the ethics of owing money in business and how, when excessive, it can contribute to the survival of the debtor and the demise &) of the creditor, Mr Wilton and Anthony are now back in the former's office. Mr Wilton is just beginning his explanation of credit management, which consists of assessing’ the creditworthiness of the customers, controlling the amount of credit allowed and collecting overdue accounts. WILTON: — As | think | mentioned at lunch, credit management is credit con- trol. First you have to control those you give credit to by finding out something about them to assess their credit worthiness. ANTHONY: Investigating customers to see if they are solvent. Is that it? WILTON: Are solvent and will continue to be so. This is easier said than done. In our own case, as we deal mostly with quite large companies, we get hold of their last annual report and balance sheet and work out the quick ratio. ANTHONY: What happens if their last annual report was published almost a year ago? WILTON: — | agree that is a problem, specially when trying to calculate their current trading situation, which could be appreciably different from the previous year. ANTHONY: What about references? WILTON: Although we always take up customers’ references, the system is not very satisfactory. No bank will say anything that might preju- dice its customers and no company will give as a reference the names of suppliers it owes money to. ANTHONY: So what do you do? WILTON: — We normally phone the credit control department of other firms we think have dealings with the customer and have a chat. As what- ever they say? is off the record, accountants are less inhibited about what they say. ANTHONY: Aren't there any organisations that can give this information? WILTON: — Oh, yes; if you look in the Yellow Pages under Debt Collectors, you'll find credit agencies listed. i's possible to get information on a firm's creditworthiness from them. ANTHONY: For a fee. WILTON: — For a fee, naturally. Now we come to the question of how to avoid, or rather control, credit abuse. ANTHONY: That is preventing the customer from owing too much for too long, isn't it? WILTON: More or less, yes. This can be done in various ways, one of which fej is to ask for a deposit when a large order is placed, particularly if it is a customized order.ANTHONY: WILTON: ANTHONY: WILTON: ANTHONY: WILTON: ANTHONY: WILTON: ANTHONY: WILTON: ANTHONY: WILTON: ANTHONY: WILTON: ANTHONY: WILTON: ANTHONY: WILTON: What's ‘customized’? A term invented by our American cousins. It refers to orders made especially for customers and usually to their specifications, like a motor company, for example, that receives an order for 60 delivery vans of a slightly modified design from the basic product. Another way is by granting? credit facilities with a strictly controlled limit. This limit can be relaxed as the customer builds up* a good name, or track record, as they say, for credit worthiness. By regularly settling his account. Yes. In the case of overseas customers, however, great care® should be taken in granting open credit facilities. For smaller orders, specially those sent by post, the customer can pay cash on delivery, which is more acceptable to him than cash in advance. This can be done with some overseas orders too. | suppose the arrangements for settling overseas accounts vary a lot from those used for orders within the country. They do indeed. For overseas customers we use banker's drafts, irrevocable letters of credit and, when an established relationship exists between customer and supplier, bills of exchange or pro- missory notes. How do you deal with slow payers? Provision is usually made for this in the initial terms of purchase, which allow for a 2 or 3% loading to cover the cost of interest. | imagine the really difficult part of credit management is actually collecting overdue accounts. Itis indeed. A lot of trouble can be avoided, though, by taking sim- ple precautions. When quoting a price and terms, the discount for prompt payment and the surcharge for overdue payment should be clearly specified. These could be 2% in each case, for exam- ple. Some companies offer as much as 5% discount for immediate payment. Which on an order for £100,000 is worth having ttis indeed. So how do you collect overdue payments? Well, the first step is the polite letter of reminder, or better still a phone call And if this fails, what then? Another, more strongly worded, reminder. This is usually sent by registered post or by messenger so as to provide proof of re- ceipt. The final step, | suppose, is the law. Yes, though litigation can be very expensive, especially if i's for an overseas order. Talking about the collection of overdue accounts always makes me thirsty. | think we'd better have a cup of tea. * assessing avaliar “builds up estabelece 2 whatever they say 0 que quer que digam “great care grande cuidacio conceder granting 999BUSINESS MATTERS Dialogue Comprehension Answer the following questions: . What does Mr Wilton say that credit control is another name for? . What does he say is easier said than done? |. What do you need to work out a company’s quick ratio? . What is the advantage of a credit reference obtained by telephone? . Where can you find the names, addresses and telephone numbers of debt collectors and credit agencies? What is a customized order? When can a customer's credit limit be relaxed? When is it possible to use bills of exchange and promissory notes when dealing with an overseas customer? How much discount do some companies offer for the immediate settle- ‘ment of an account? 10. Why are final reminders sent by registered post or messenger? erens © @ND Notes on the Dialogue Key business solvent solvente words current trading situation _situacao comercial corrente to take up references tomar referéncias off the record “em off", extra-oficialmente Yellow Pages Paginas Amarelas debt collectors cobradores credit agencies agéncias de crédito customized order pedido personalizado, sob medida motor company fabricante de automéveis, montadora open credit facilities servico de crédito aberto ‘cash on delivery reembolso contra entrega loading (of 2%) encargo (de 2%) ‘surcharge sobrecarga, sobretaxa registered post correio registrado messenger mensageiro proof of receipt comprovante de recebimento Comments on key —* Note the use of demise (desaparecimento). This word is now being used as a structures synonym of the end, death, extinction and disappearance of somebody or something, In the present context the demise of the creditor, it refers to his going out of business, the end of his company. * Note the construction those you give credit to (to whom you give credit) and suppliers it owes money to (to whom it owes money). * Note the expression easier said than done - mais facil aizer que fazer. # Note that to get hold of, as in the phrase we get hold of their last annual report - conseguimos um exemplar de seu Ultimo relatério anual. * For quick ratio see Unit 39, * Note the phrase more strongly worded - redigido em termos mais fortes. * Note the phrase always makes me thirsty - sempre me dé sede. 1000 * Note that we'd better have a cup of tea ~ melhor tomarmos uma xicara de cha.Executive Search (17) Subject: A repack engineering manager in frozen foods. There are companies that have factories built and then choose the managers and top staff who are going to operate them. Other companies, however, prefer to select their key staff months in advance of the completion of the factory so that they can form part of the project team. One such company is Christian Salvesen. It is hardly surprising that it is the UK's largest company in its chosen field. STATE-OF-THE-ART FOOD REPACKING Green Field Opportunities san siren Food Seca rt ac procrnr Soca meee Se Repack Engineering Manager fneg + benefits Rocce cena in cine Ese terg ee creet ee eee aa Lae owe apn Notes on the Text state-of-the-art a Ultima palavra em, 0 mais modero greenfield pprojeto para instalar um negocio em outro pais £neg ssalério (em libras esterlinas) negociével ‘* Note that in order to understand the references two senior managers and both these posts it should be pointed out that only one of the two posts advertised has been reproduced above. * Note that HNC stands for Higher National Certificate, which is below the diploma - HND - mentioned in Unit 41 * Note that upper quartile salaries refers to salaries in the top range (salarios de primeiro escalao). | ee Key business words Comments on key structures 10011002 BUSINESS NEWS. Spanish Banks Invade (1) Pry Subject: Spanish banks in Portugal. In a six-page supplement on Portugal, published in the ‘Financial Times’ of April 23 1991 in its series ‘European finance and Investment’ there appears an article by Patrick Blum entitled ‘Spanish Banks Invade’. It records the end of an era for Lloyds Bank, which began in Portugal in 1865 and which has just come to an end with the selling of the Lloyds Bank building in Lisbon. The atticle begins: Sometime soon! the distinctive rich, blue colours of Banco Bilbao Vizcaya (BBV), Spain's biggest banking group, will be hoisted? on to the front of the modern headquarters of Lloyds Bank Portugal on Lisbon’s busy? Avenida da Liberdade. The occasion will mark the end of an era for the British bank which put down its first roots in Portugal in 1865 as the Anglo Portuguese Bank, later trans- formed into the Bank of London’ and South America, and which has operated under its present® name since the 1970s. One of the few banks to escape the 1975 revolu- tion’s sweeping nationalisations, Lloyds kept and de- veloped a small but highly profitable business miche in the country. When the bank’s sale to BBV for £110m is approved by the’ Portuguese authorities, it will also highlight’ the recent inroads made by Spanish banks into the Portuguese market. It is not quite a flood, but itis already a good deal more than a trickle. Apart from BBV, Banesto has bought a leading stake in Banco Tota & Acores (BTA), Banco Santander has a substantial share of Banco de Comercio ¢ Industria (BCI) and Banco Exterior de Espafia has a main branch in Lisbon and plans to open several more branches this year. Furthermore’, Banco Hispano Americano is waiting for authorisation to transform its Portuguese invest- ment company into a bank, Banco Central has a re- presentative office and a standing request for a branch and several regional savings banks have representations in Portugal. "sometime soon num futuro préximo 2hoisted levantado busy concorrda, movimentada “present atual Swill highlight destacard * inroads incurs6es “furthermore alm disso, ademaisText Comprehension ‘Answer the following questions: 4. Will the dull grey and red flag of the Bank of Sverdiovsk soon be hoisted ‘on to the front of the Lloyds Bank building in Lisbon? When did Lloyds bank start up in Portugal? ‘What did Lloyds bank keep and develop in Portugal after the 1975 revolu- tion? 4, Who must approve the sale of the Lloyds Bank sale to BBV? 5. Is the Spanish banks invasion of Portugal just a trickle? 6. Has Banco Central got a representative office or a branch office in Portu- gal? en Notes on the Text headquarters sede, quartel-general niche nicho standing request solicitagdo pendente * Note the phrase records the end of an era - marca o final de uma era. * Note the use of sweeping (gerais, extensas) in the phrase sweeping nationalisations. = Note the use of keep (manter) in the phrase Lloyds kept and developed. * Note the use of niche in the phrase a highly profitable business niche. This is a much used word in business, particularly in a niche market, which refers to a small and specialised section of the market. For example, if there are twenty companies making carpets only one of which makes them by hand and alone satisfies the demand for hand-made carpets, then that com- pany has a niche market, * Notice the analogy with water flooding in (entrando em grande volume) or trickling in/entering in a trickle (entrando gota a gota) in describing the inroads of Spanish banks as not quite a flood, but a great deal more (muito mais) than a trickle. * Note that plans is a verb in the phrase plans to open several more bran- ches. Although the verb to plan is generally translated as planejar, tencionar or projetar, more appropriate synonyms may often be found to suit the con- text. In the present example plans could be tem a intencdo. Compare the following: They plan to sell the factory. les fencionam vender a fébrica. They plan to call a meeting. __Eles pensamn em convocar uma reuniao. They plan their production well. Eles planejam bem sua producao. They plan to build a new factory. Eles projetam construir uma nova fébrica. Key business words Comments on key structures1004 THE USE OF ENGLISH IN BUSINESS The Special Verbs (4) [ee] Subject: The special verbs can and may. As the special verb can has no infinitive, the substitute to be able has to be used. Compare the following translations: We can send a sample of the material next week. Podemos enviar uma amostra do material semana que vem. We should like to be able to send more than one sample. Gostariamos de poder enviar mais de uma amostra. Apart from not having an infinitive, can is detective because it has no inflec- tions other than can in the present, and has no future form. In the latter case to be able has to be used, as in We shall be able to send the sample on Monday (Poderemas enviar a amostra segunda-feira) The verb can has four basic uses, two of which correspond to the use of poder in Portuguese. They are as follows: 1. To express ability. 2. To express possibility and the logically impossible (as in Portuguese) 3. For permission (as in Portuguese). 4. With verbs of perception and some other verbs. Here are some examples: Ability Can you drive a lorry? _—_Yes, | can. Can you use a computer? Yes, | can. Can you speak Japanese? No, | can't. Note that the above useis the equivalent of Do you know how to drive? (Vocé sabe dirigir?) Do you know how to use a computer? (Vocé sabe operar um computa- dor?) etc. Possibility Can you come to head office on Monday? Of course I can. ‘Can you phone the bank now? No, but | can phone later. Can you type this letter before lunch? —_—_Yess, of course | can. Note that the above use is the equivalent of Is it possible for you to come to head office on Monday?, Is it possible for you phone the bank now? etc. The logically impossible Mr Johnson is at the factory. He can't be; he was in Japan this morning. Mr Johnson has gone home. Ha can't have; the light is still on in his office. Permission Can | borrow your pen? Can | have a day off this week? Can | use your typewriter? ‘Note that the more usual and more polite form is with could. Could | borrow your pen?Could | have a day off this week? Note that the second example of the use of could corresponds to the much longer Would it be possible for me to have a day off this week? With verbs of perception and some other verbs Can you see any defects in the material? Can you hear a strange noise coming from the engine? Can you smell petrol? Can you feel any rough edges? I can never remember their address. I can't forget what they said about my last project. The past of can is could and the future is with be able. Note that be able may also be used in the present and past. Compare the following He can drive a lorry - he is able to drive a lorry. He could drive one last year - he was able to drive one last year. He will be able to drive one next year. They can't come to the fair - they aren't able to come to the fair. They couldn't come last year - they weren't able to come last year. They can’t come next year - they won't be able to come next year. Note the use of can't for the future in the last example. This is possible when ‘can expresses permission/possibility, as in Portuguese sometimes. Compare: Can you come tomorrow? Vocé pode vir amanha? Can | smoke at the meeting tomorrow? Posso (poderei) fumar na reuniéo de amanha? Note that the conditional perfect form of can is often used without an if clause in answer to a question using can. Compare the following: Can you visit the factory one day next week? No, but | could have visited it one day last week. Can Miss Jones type this report now? No, but she could have typed it this morning. The special verb may is a defective verb with no infinitive and no other inflec- May tion except its past form might. It has two main uses: 1. For permission and polite requests (more formal than can). 2. To express doubtful possibility. Here are some examples: Permission and polite requests - compared with can. Can | wait here? Posso esperar aqui? May I wait here? Idem (mais formal) Could I wait here? Eu poderia esperar aqui? Might I wait here? Idem (mais formal). Doubtful possibility - compared with the perhaps + future equivalent. Perhaps | shall go to the meeting. Talvez eu va & reuniéo, | may go to the meeting. Pode ser que eu vd d reuniéo. Perhaps they will come. Talvez venham. 10051006 THE USE OF ENGLISH IN BUSINESS They may come. Pode ser que venham. Perhaps they would come. Talvez viessem. They might come. Podia ser que viessem. Perhaps he would resign. Talvez se demitisse. He might resign. Ele poderia se demitr. Note that the use of might instead of may indicates that the possibility is more remote. Compare the following They will definitely order 10 tons. They may order more than 10 tons. They might order a lot more than 10 tons. We will probably get a 10 a week rise. We may get a £12 a week rise. We might get a £15 a week rise. We might even get a £20 a week rise. Note that the difference in stress in the two uses of may and might: Doubttul possibilty: | may go tomorrow, | might go tomorrow, They may come next week, They might come next week. Permission: May | smoke? Might | smoke? May they wait? Might they wait? Note that the difference between may and might above is that in the first ex- amples | might go tomorrow is much less of a possibility than | may go to- morrow and Might | smoke? is much more formal than May | smoke? In the past the perfect form of may and might are used. Compare the follow- ing Will he go to Paris today? He may go today. He might go today. Did he go to Paris yesterday? He may have gone yesterday. He might have gone yesterday.Glossary of the Key Business Words and Phrases Used affiliates break-even date break even, to ‘cash on delivery corporate image (see image) credit agency ‘current trading situation customized order debt collectors greenfield hand baggage (luggage) headquarters image, corporate loading (of 2%) messenger motor company riche off the record open credit facilities ‘overlapping, wasteful proof of receipt registered post research project security, tight solvent standing request state-of-the-art statistician strategy, coordinated strategy, overall surcharge trading nation yellow pages fiiais data do ponto de equilorio equilbrar despesas reembolso contra entrega agéncia de crédito ‘stuagdo comercial atual pedido sob media, personalzado cobradores projeto para instalar negécio ‘em outro pals ‘bagagem de méo sede, quartel-general imagem da empresa encargo (de 2%) mensageiro fabricante de automéveis, ‘montadora ncho extra-ofcial, “em off servigo de crédito aberto superposi¢do aispendiosa ‘comprovante de recebimento correla registrado projeto de pesquisa seguranga rigorosa solvente solicitagdo pendente ‘mais avancade, a titima palavra em estatistico estratégia coordenada estratégia global sobrecarga, sobretara pais mercanti paginas amarelas —__—— Phrasal Verbs Used to build up construir, estabelecer to hang on esperar to settle down (to lunch) acomodar-se O07,ANSWERS: Answers to the questions on page 990. 1. He thinks itis good. 2. Coling wrote 1 3, He had 500 copies printed, 4. It was a slim 50-page volume. 5. He was particularly impressed by the last chapter. 6. They were full of praise for it 7. He has been investing an appreciable amount of his mar- keting and research and development budget. 8 Five are, 9. They were able to specily the packs for each product. 10. He prefers to concentrate on running the company ima- Ginatively and efficiently, leaving the profits to come auto- ‘matically 11, No, it monitors them to safeguard the interests of the ‘group. 12. He hasn't engaged any. 18. Itis designed to meet the demands of the changing em- phasis of production. 14, It will last for as Jona as it takes the Group to establish itsel in the convenience foods market 15. They think it is logical and will benefit them all Answers to the questions on page 993. 1. He compares it to being at the top of a pyramid. 2. He says that they tend to forget that they, too, make mis- takes. 3. He's joking 4. He says they themselves blunder. 5. He was furious with himsel for not having thought about the technical staf that wil be needed atthe new Eisham and Graigend factories. 6. On the contrary, he says he's always a jump ahead. 7. He says he's joking 8 He carpets him for not having given him reliable statis- tics about convenience food sales. 9. On the contrary, ne is an experienced statscian who has. been in marketing research for a number of years. 10, He supposes that they would have resigned. Answers to the questions on page 997. 1, On the contrary, Bowes offered to take Gregson's. 2. Yes, he thinks they are excellent places for improving business relations. You don't tip anything, 'No, they only keep the change when there's not much to give back. They are more comfortable and a bit more expensive. It takes half an hour. They are very good: they are clean, fast, air-conditioned and have restaurant cars. You aren't allowed any. On the contrary, they like to take their time. Because they are the 14th largest trading nation in the world. Answers to the questions on page 1000. 1. He says it's another name for credit management 2. He says thal investigating customers to see if they are solvent is easier said than done, ‘3, You need the balance sheet. 4. The advantage is that as its olf the record, accountants ate less inhibited about what they say, ‘5, You can find them in the Yellow Pages. 6. It's an order especially made for the customer. 7. It can be relaxed when the customer builds up a good ‘name for creditworthiness. & is possible to use them when an established relation- ship between customer and buyer exists. 9, They offer 5 per cent 10. They are sent by registered post so as to provide proot of receipt ‘Answers to the questions on page 1003. 1. No, the distinctive rich blue flag of the Banco de Bilbao Vizcaya will soon be hoisted It started up in 1865. It kept and developed a small but highly proftable niche in the country. 4. The Portuguese authorities must 5. No, itis a good deal more than a trickle 6. thas got'a representative office.EXERCISES 19 After having carefully studied the texts and dialogues in the main section of the course, do the tests and exercises on the following pages. When these have been done, turn to pages 7 and 8 and check with the answers. In this way you will know if the material in the main section has been assimilated. Assimilation Test 1 Fill in the spaces with the correct word. The number of letters in each word is indicated by the number of dashes. ‘A. Matthew Collins has always maintained that if an _ has a good knowledge of the _______ of his company, it will help him to make the decisions. Three years ago Collins wrote a short history of Northern Ireland Canning, had 500 copies printed and gave one to every ______ of the company. A copy was sent to Frank Holloway, who liked it so much that he __. for a special edition of the slim fifty-page volume to be sent to all the Triple F executives, overseas as ____ as in the UK. Holloway was particularly impressed by the last — of the book, in which Collins discusses the lessons to be learned from the past ‘It __ history is to repeat itself, he wrote, ‘then let us make ____ that it is its successes and not its ________ that are repeated B. Sometime soon the distinctive rich, blue colours of Banco Bilbao Vizcaya (BBV), Spain's a banking group, will be hoisted on to the front of the modern _ _ of Lloyds Bank Portugal on Lisbon's busy Avenida da Liberdade. The occasion will ____ the end of an era for the British bank which put down its first _____ in Portugal in 1865 as the Anglo Portuguese Bank, later trans- formed into the Bank of London and South America, and which has _ _ under its present name _____ the 1970s. One of the few banks to escape the 1975 revolution’s _ national- isations, Lloyds kept and developed a small but highly profitable business _____ in the country. When the bank's sale to BBV for £110m is approved by the Portuguese authorities, it will also oe the recent inroads made by Spanish banks into the Portuguese market. It is not quite a flood, but it is already a good ____ more than a trickle. Now check your answers with the original texts and see how many of the 20 spaces you have filled correctly.Assimilation Test 2 There are eleven mistakes in the following dialogue. The first mistake has already been corrected. Now see if you can find and correct the other ten mistakes. 1 Subject: Two executives speak about their poeta” Portcomingr 2 Leslie Carrington and Charles Garrick are the only two having lunch in the directors’ dining-room 3 today. All the others are either away or have disappointments elsewhere. Having chatted about this «and that during the meal, they suddenly become serious as one starts to speak of his annoyance with + himself for not having done something he should have done. This leads the other to mention one of «his own mistakes. Garrick is the first to make his confession, 7 GARRICK: 8 CARRINGTON: » GARRICK: 12 CARRINGTON: 1 GARRICK: 1 CARRINGTON: 1 GARRICK: 2 CARRINGTON: x GARRICK: 2s CARRINGTON: 2 GARRICK: 22 CARRINGTON: 1 GARRICK: ARRINGTON: x GARRICK: 8 CARRINGTON: os GARRICK: Those of us in top management At the top of the pyramid. Those of us at the top of the management pyramid have so many people under us and are so often having to get annoyed with them that we tend to forget that we, too, make mistakes. Yes, we the gods, we the all perfect ones, are sometimes forced to show our dish- washer with lesser mortals. If you watched TV more instead of reading so many books, perhaps you'd be able to speak normal English like the rest of us. Anyway, | was about to say that from time to time we ourselves thunder. But so rarely it's hardly worth mentioning Quite crankily, Lestie, I'm furious with myself far not having thought about the technical chaff that will be needed at the new Elsham and Craigend factories. Collins reminded me in a letter | had from him this morning. It it was Collins who reminded you, then you've no need to worry. He's always a jump ahead of everyone. Yes, but it's so obvious. We can't wait till the factories are almost giddy for production before we start looking round for the right people to occupy wee technical posts. You haven't succeeded in convincing me that you are inefficient. Now let's see if | can convince you that | am. Hang on a moment while | get a pen and scraper. A few weeks ago | carpeted young Duncan McGill for not having given me reliable Statistics about convenience food pails. | was annoyed because Frank made me look € fool, so | got furious with McGill. When you should have been furious with yoursel. Exactly. Why didn't it occur to me to query his figures? Why do | never go to his office to see where he gets his information from? No, it was my fault as much as his. lt depends how you look at it. After all, McGill is not an office junior; he's an experienced statistician who's been in carpeting research for a number of years now. True; but even so, I'm the one at the top of the pyramid and as such am ultimately responsible. Had we been Japanese executives, | suppose we would both have resigned by now.Translation Test Translate the following sentences into English: 1. Como séo os trens na Coréia do Sul? 2. A divisdo de pratos congelados ainda estd crescendo. 3. Calcula-se que a linha recém-langada chegue ao ponto de equilibrio no fim do més que vem. 4. E verdade que 0 contador quer ir para outra firma? 9. Ble pretere se dedicar a gerir a empresa em vez de se preocupar com lucros. 10 Ble é um estatistica, muito experiente, que tem trabalhado em pesquisa de mercado ha dez anos, 12. Deve haver um minimo de controle para evitar que uma subsidiéria entre em apuros. 13. H4 uma mudianga de énfase e agora quase toda a produao se concentra em pratos prontos. 14, Quem tem que aprovar a venda do banco? 15, Este pedido personalizado?Letter-Writing Test Write out the letters below using the information given, 1. Just before Dan Williams left Payton & Sons/phoned me/asked//be interested/take on/his old job as production manager. Naturally/said | would. Few days later | wenV/interview/yesterday/eceived letter/ offer me/job. Start/1st/month. Mary/particularly pleased/means/we/be living nearer/her mother. Bill Jackson/who/been assistant production manager here/three years/be taking over my job/so you/no problems/your dealings/firm. As soon/\/settled in/Met you have/impressions. Remember/Katheleen. With/wishes. Dear Charles, Yours. 2. You/no idea/delighted/was/read/your |letter/4 September/you are/be/new production manager/ Payton's/one/bes! firms/country. I/sure/you/be very happy there. VgoV/iew days holidays owing/me/ so/l/probably come down/Janel/see you towards/end/October. My heartiest/you/splendid new job. Give/regards/Mary. With all. Dear Digby,Language Exercises A 1. Can you drive a lorry? No, but | can drive a car. Can Jones speak German? .. French. Can Ms Dean do shorthand? type. Can you use a computer? word processor. . Can you type? No, but I will be able to next year. 2 3 4 5 6. Can Smith drive? 7. Can he use a computer? ~ 8 Can they speak French? 9. Can you come on Monday? No, but I can come on Friday. 10. Can Joe be here at 9.007 10.00. 11. Can you check it now? tomorrow. 12. Can he go this morning? - afternoon. 13, Can you see the factory? \ can't see anything, 14, Can you hear the engines? . 15. Can you smell the chemicals? 16. Can you feel the vibrations? Can | wait here? No, but you can wait outside. May | wait here? Of course you may. Can we come on Monday? Friday. May we come at 11.00? _ Can they park here? snuomnansonnnnnamnnanne ONOF tHEFe, or awn May we park there? . 1. L can't visit the factory today. Perhaps not; but you could have visited it yesterday. 2. We can't speak to the manager today. 3. They can't check alll the stock today. 4.1 can't write the report today. 5. They can't install the machine today. 6. She can't type that memorandum today.D. 1. They may finish the project before September. They might even finish it before August. 2. They may need to employ two more electricians. aay four 3. They may require another load of cement. 4, They may have to work on Saturdays. 5. They may want to work till eight o'clock at night. 6. They may ask for an advance of £50,000. 2 i £100,000. E. 1. Did the manager go to head office yesterday? He may have gone yesterday; | don’t know. 2. Did Miss Brown send out the new catalogues last week? might ia 3. Did Mr Harris see the accountant on Wednesday? sn MAY . 4, Did the chairman come here last Friday? sue MIQHE 5. Did your secretary arrive late this morning? may 21 6. Did the liftmen leave early yesterday? sens MIght .. adicAnswers Assimilation Test 2 incomes shortcomings sidey ready & disappointments appointments ° woe ey a dishwasher displeasure"? scraper paper m thunder bunaer 98 pails sales om cranky frankly om carpeting ‘marketing 0 chaft staff “ Translation Test 1, What are the traing like in South Korea? 2. The frozen foods division is stil expanding, 3. The recently launched range is calculated to break even at the end of next month, 4. Is it true that the accountant wants to move to another frm? 5, The public wil get used to seeing the firm's label on this type of product 6. Have you decided to accept the post of assistant production manager? 7. They've got a small but very profitable niche in the tourist market 8. Are you allowed to take hand baggage on the plane? 9, He prefers to dedicate his efforts to managing the company instead of worrying about profits. 10. He is a very experienced statistician who has been working in market research for ten years. 11. | was about to say that even we blunder from time to time. 12, There should be a minimum of contol to prevent a subsidiary from getting into dificult. 13. There is a change of emphasis and now almost all the production is. concentrated on convenience foods. 14. Who has to approve the sale of the bank? 15, Is this a customized order? Letter-Writing Test 1, Dear Charles, «Just before Dan Wiliams le Payton & Sons, he phoned me up and asked it | would be interested in taking on his old job as production manager. Naturally | said | would. A few days later | went for an interview and yesterday | received a letter atfering me the job. | start on the 1st of the month. Mary is particularly pleased because it means we shall be living nearer to her mother. Bill Jackson, who has been assistant production manager here for three years, wll be taking over my job, so you will have 1 problems in your dealings withthe firm. ‘As soon as Ive settled in at Payton’, Il lel you have my impressions. Remember me to Kathleen. With all best wishes, Yours, 2. Dear Digby, ‘You have no idea how delighted | was to read in your letter of 4 September that you are to be the new production manager at Payton's, one of the best firms in the country. | am sure you will be very happy there. Ive got a few days holiday owing to me, so Ill probably come down with Janet and see you towards the end of October. My heartiest congratulations to you on your splendid new job. Give my regards to Mary. With all best wishes, Yours,Language Exercises A 1. Can you drive a lory? No, but I can drive a car 2. Can Jones speak German? No, but he can speak French, 3. Can Ms Dean do shorthand? No, but she can type. 4, Can you use a computer? No, but I can use a word processor. ‘5. Can you type? No, but Iwill be able to next year 6 Can Smith drive? No, but he will be able to next year. 7. Can he use a computer? No, but he will be able to next year. ‘8 Can they speak French? No, but they will be able fo nex! year. 9. Can you come on Monday? No, but I can come on Friday. 10. Can Joe be here at 9.00? No, but he can be here at 10.00. 11. Can you check it now? No, but I can check it tomorrow. 12, Can he go this morning? No, but he can go this atternoon. 13. Can you see the factory? | can't see anything. 14. Can you hear the engines? | can't near anything. 15, Can you smell the chemicals? can't smell anything 16. Can you feel the vibrations? | can't feet anything. B. 1. Cant wait here? No, but you can wait outside. 2. May | wait here? Of course you may. 3, Can we come on Monday? No, but you can come on Friday. 4, May we come at 11.00? (Of course you may. 5. Can they park here? NNo, but they can park over there. 6. May we park there? Of course you may, | can't visit the factory today. Perhaps not; but you could have visited it yesterday. We can't speak to the manager today. Pethaps not; but you could have spoken to him yesterday. They can't check all the stock today. Perhaps not; but they could have checked it yesterday. | can’t wnte the report today. Pethaps not; but you could have writen it yesterday. They can't install the machine today. Perhaps not; but they could have installed it yesterday. ‘She can't ype that memorandum today. Perhaps not; but she could have typed it yesterday. They may finish the project before September. They might even finish i before August. They may need to employ two more electricians. They might even need to employ four more. They may require another load of cement. They might even require another load of bricks. They may have to work on Saturdays. They might even have to work on Sundays. They may want 10 work till eight o'clock at night They might even want to work till ten They may ask for an advance of £50,000. They might even ask for an advance of £100,000. Did the manager go to head office yesterday? He may have gone yesterday; | don't know. Did Miss Brown send out the new catalogues last week? She might have sent thern out last week; | don't know. Did Mr Harris see the accountant on Wednesday? He may have seen him on Wednesday; | don't know. Did the chairman come here last Friday? He might have come here last Friday; | don't know. Did your secretary arrive late this morning? She may have arrived late this morning; | don't know. Did the litmen leave early yesterday? They might have left early, I don't know.