University of Economics, HCMC End of Unit Test.U9.

M3
School of Foreign Languages
Division of English for General Purposes

EXAM IN ENGLISH FOR BUSINESS COMMUNICATION (75 minutes)

Section 1: Language knowledge (40 marks)
I. Choose the best answer for each blank.
The European Union and the USA will soon begin formal (1) ………… on a free trade agreement, paving the
way for the biggest trade deal in history. The two trading blocs currently (2) ………… around half the world's
economic output. European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said discussions could start by the end
of June. The talks will involve (3) ………… of negotiations on the many sticking points between the two
economic powerhouses. Europe is likely to want greater access (4) ………… many key American industries such
as (5) ………… and transport.

EU-US (6) ………… is presently worth around €455 billion / $613 billion a year. Estimates are that a trade deal
could boost their annual GDP (7) ………… 0.5%. Mr. Barroso said: "A future deal between the world's two most
important economic powers will be a game-changer, (8) ………… a strong boost to our economies on both sides
of the Atlantic." US President Barack Obama was equally enthusiastic about a deal, (9) ………… he spoke about
in his State of the Union address to the US Congress on Tuesday. He said an agreement would "boost American
exports, support American jobs and (10) ………… the playing field in the growing markets of Asia".

1. A. agreements B. talks C. launches D. shows

2. A. look for B. call for C. account for D. ask for
3. A. rounds B. circles C. cycles D. barriers
4. A. on B. into C. over D. to
5. A. statements B. telecommunications C. commodities D. circumstances
6. A. platform B. protectionism C. trade D. discount
7. A. for B. of C. with D. by
8. A. giving B. striving C. dumping D. catering
9. A. that B. where C. whose D. which
10. A. take B. level C. impact D. downsize

II. Choose the best answer.

11. International markets for labor, capital, goods and services provide ………… for people to work / study
abroad and improve their lives.
A. workers B. the gap C. poverty D. opportunities
12. ………… is defined as a situation in which goods come into and out of a country without any controls or
taxes.
A. Competition B. Free trade C. Dumping D. Unemployment
13. ………… are taxes on imported goods, so that the imports cannot compete so well against domestic products.
A. Tariffs B. Licences C. Documents D. Regulations
14. ………… are money paid to domestic producers so that they can sell their goods more cheaply than foreign
competitors.
A. Taxes B. Borders C. Subsidies D. Quotas
15. When companies ………… goods in overseas markets, they sell goods at very low prices, usually for less
than it costs the company to produce the goods.
A. protect B. dump C. export D. negotiate
16. The figures show a trade ………… of $4 billion.
A. interest B. show C. fair D. deficit
17. I talked about ………… , which limit the quantity of a product which can be imported into a country.
A. quotas B. taxes C. free markets D. standards
18. This is the ‘………… industry’ argument: In developing countries, industries need to be protected until they
are strong enough to compete in world markets.
A. strategic B. light C. infant D. heavy
19. Countries which open their markets usually have a policy of ………… i.e., they free their companies to
compete in markets, without government control or subsidies.
A. appropriateness B. circumstances C. effectiveness D. deregulation
20. Countries which truly believe in free trade try to ………… their trade, that is to say, they take away barriers
to trade.
A. change B. liberalise C. protect D. fight against
21. If you ………… me at four o’clock, I’ll be in the office.
A. call B. called C. will call D. would call
22. If they ………… 10,000 silk scarves, we would give them a bigger discount.
A. order B. will order C. must order D. ordered
23. ………… you ………… the goods by Friday if we place the order on Monday?
A. Would / deliver B. Have / delivered C. Will / deliver D. Had / delivered
24. What would you do if we ………… the order?
A. cancel B. cancelled C. will cancel D. cancelling
25. If we ………… have our own fleet of trucks, we wouldn’t be able to deliver on schedule.
A. don’t B. won’t C. didn’t D. shouldn’t
26. We will sign the contract ………… you guarantee prices for the next 18 months.
A. as long as B. as long C. so long D. for so long
27. We can reach agreement on a joint venture ………… our firm has a representative on your board.
A. provide B. provided that C. have provided D. having provided
28. If you agreed to create more jobs, we ………… about a productivity deal.
A. thought B. had thought C. think D. might think
29. We won’t be able to start construction ………… you train our personnel.
A. unless B. that C. who D. Ø
30. If you ………… your price by 5%, we’ll buy at least 4,000 units.
A. as low as B. lowest C. lower D. lowering
31. Our company was established in 2003 and despite this short period, we already managed to break …………
the market of taxi services.
A. into B. away C. from D. down
32. You should carry ………… a market survey before you make a major investment.
A. away B. off C. forward D. out
33. All businesses, regardless of type, must comply ………… regulations and statutes, which come from all
levels of government.
A. on B. in C. with D. at
34. I ………… the order online, and they said it should arrive in two or three weeks.
A. obeyed B. placed C. gave D. took
35. Delivery date is often specified as part of the terms of a contract of sale, and the contract may specify
financial penalties for ………… delivery.
A. late B. easy C. difficult D. poor
36. The purpose of the meeting is to make a deal acceptable to both sides, ………… could be the basis for a
long-term relationship.
A. if B. when C. which D. in order to
37. On receiving a business card, examine it carefully, ………… place it on the table in front of you.
A. so that B. then C. more than D. where
38. Avoid direct questions, especially questions ………… may require a ‘no’ answer.
A. whom B. Ø C. when D. which
39. Some countries do not practice free trade ………… they wish to fight against unfair competition, e.g.,
dumping.
A. because B. to C. as a result D. who
40. International markets for labor, capital, goods and services mean lower costs and cheaper retail prices,
………… benefit consumers.
A. if B. such C. which D. however
Section 2: Language use (60 marks)
I. Read the following passages and answer the questions that follow.
 Alibaba
by Kathrin Hille
Every time a salesperson at online trading site Alibaba signs up an important new account, the entire sales
department cheers in triumph. But today they have been asked to keep the noise down, as Jack Ma, founder and
chairman of the world's largest online trading platform for businesses, is being interviewed in the open-plan office.
If Mr. Ma feels most comfortable next to his sales force, it is because their work comes closest to what the 44-
year-old has been doing over the past 15 years: preaching the importance of the Internet and convincing companies
to pay for offering their products on Alibaba's business-to-business e-commerce website.

Today, Alibaba has 36 million registered users worldwide and generated revenues of 2.2bn renminbi ($322m) in
the first nine months of last year - 43 per cent up from the previous year. The group employs 12,000 people and
intends to hire another 4,500 this year. It also controls Yahoo China and Taobao, China's leading consumer e-
commerce platform, which Mr. Ma founded in 2003.

The key to Alibaba's business model is the assumption that small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) are those
that can benefit most from the Internet because it gives them access to buyers they would otherwise only meet at
trade shows. With access to a wider pool of customers, it also reduces their dependency on market-dominant
clients.

'Companies like Wal-Mart, these big-size buyers, killed a lot of SME buyers,' says Mr. Ma. 'But now most of the
SME buyers and sellers started to do business throughout the world because of the Internet. So I think the world
has moved, I strongly believe small is beautiful.'

Although China's economy is so far faring better than others, domestic trade has slowed, affecting a large chunk
of Alibaba's business - 28.7 million of its registered users are in its home market. To soften the blow, Alibaba has
provided loans in excess of Rmb1bn to SMEs that would otherwise have struggled to get money.

But a bigger change for Mr. Ma's company is the group's shifting geographic focus. 'Before this financial crisis,
we were helping China's products abroad. Now we are thinking about helping SMEs in the other parts of the
world. Help them sell across the nations. Help them to sell to China,' he says. 'In the next 10 years, we are moving
from a pure China exporting centre to a global platform for SMEs to exchange products.' In the past six months,
Alibaba has made a big push in this direction with a programme called Export to China, which offers non-Chinese
sellers virtual Chinese language storefronts.
Choose the best answer.
1. According to paragraph 2, which of the following statement is NOT true?
A. Alibaba's revenues for the whole of last year will be less than Rmb 2 billion.
B. There are nearly seven renminbi (Rmb) to the dollar.
C. The increase in revenue in relation to the previous year is more than 40 per cent.
D. By the end of this year, Alibaba will employ nearly 17,000 people.
2. As stated in paragraph 3, Alibaba ……………
A. only deals with business-to-business e-commerce.
B. gives small businesses access to a larger number of customers.
C. introduces SMEs to customers that they would hardly meet at trade fairs.
D. relies on a few, very large customers.
3. Why has Alibaba provided loans in excess of Rmb1bn to SMEs?
A. To get interest C. To keep them afloat
B. To promote its image D. To increase its registered users
What does each of the following underlined words/ phrases refer to?
4. But today they have been asked to keep the noise down, … (paragraph 1)
5. Help them sell across the nations. (paragraph 6)
Which words/ phrases in the passage mean the following?
6. workplace without walls:
7. between companies rather than consumers:
8. get a new customer:
Find one suitable word from the passage to fill in each blank. Use correct form of verb where necessary.
9. To deal with tough economic times, Mr. Smith, is trying to………. the merits of downsizing to the board of
directors.
10. The impact of the tax was ……….by large tax-free allowances.
II. Writing: Marketing report - Recommendations
You work in Marketing Department of Spring Balm. In the last three months, the launch of your company’s new
products has not been successful. You are asked to conduct a market survey to find out what the reasons are.
After collecting data, you have to write a marketing report to submit to the management so that they can make
right decisions for a new marketing campaign. One of the most important parts of your report is
Recommendations, which are based on the Findings. And here is what you need to complete. (20 marks)
On the basis of the above findings, I would like to make the following recommendations (1).

I recommend that (2) the deodorant spray should be temporarily withdrawn and submitted to laboratory tests
without delay. Our laboratory should also develop a new flavor for the toothpaste (3) like green tea, mint, or
bamboo salt.

With regard to price (4), we should look carefully at our competitors’ policy and make sure that (5) our price
is right because our products are targeted at (6) consumers with medium income.

As for promotion (7), I suggest that we should advertise (8) more on TV and possibly the Internet in order to
draw more attention from (9) massive potential consumers.

Finally, as regards place (10), it is advisable to ensure that the Spring Balm collection is available not only
from a wider range of supermarkets, but also from more convenient retail outlets such as Circle K, Mini stop,
Bach Hoa Xanh, and other stores near residential areas.
III. Listening:
PART 1. Listen and choose the best answer to each question.
1. What is the talk about?
A. The Internet as an important tool for the tour industry C. The new ways to travel much cost
B. The decrease in use of the Internet among tourists D. The tourists who travel independently
2. For whom is the new way of business intended?
A. People who have easy access to the Internet C. People who like business magazines
B. People who are teenagers D. People who are young adults and play games
3. What will be improved?
A. Boilers B. Cafeteria C. Computers D. Gas
4. Who are the employees to contact if they have any questions?
A. The cafeteria employees C. The manager
B. The gas company D. Facilities Office staff
5. Why will the cafeteria be closed?
A. There is no hot water. C. The improvements will take place in the cafeteria.
B. There is no electricity. D. The cooks are on break.
PART 2. Listen and complete notes.

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(6) ……….:
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Saturday: (7) ……………
Sunday: Noon - 5:00 p.m.

Tickets for Nick Sawyer: Nov. 22nd and 23rd, starting at (8) $ ……….
Tickets for Russian Ballet at the Pater Chandler Pavilion: Dec 12th, 13th and 14th : $50 - $150
No tickets for the Lakers-Celtics (9) ……………….. on Nov 28th.

For more information: call during our (10………… hours.