1 Warehousing and

A Dialogue
Shipping
Read the dialogue and answer the questions.
A lorry driver has just arrived at the factory of Best Office Equipment (BOE). He is delivering
some goods to the warehouse manager (WM).
Driver: Is this BOE? I’ve got three crates for you.
WM: That’s right. I’ll help you unload them. Tom! Can you help me?
Driver: Thanks a lot. Bye.
WM: That’s funny. I’ve seen those crates before. Check the label, will you, Tom?
Tom: BOE! That’s us!
WM: Who’s the consignee? Where are the crates going?
Tom: TST London. The carrier has made a mistake! He has brought the crates back to us.
WM: Where’s that driver? Has he gone?
Questions
1 What do the words in bold refer to?
2 Who made the mistake? What is the problem?
3 Work in pairs. Tell the story again to your partner. Start like this:
One day, a lorry driver arrived at the factory of BOE. The driver wanted to deliver some crates ...

warehouse

1
B Vocabulary
Here are words related to warehousing and shipping. Match them with their definitions.
1 auto bag rolls a a stretch film used to protect and secure goods
2 flip-top bag b a bag that has a front slit to make product loading simple so it is
often used with automatic bag-filling machinery
3 fragility c a bag with a lip that can be inserted for closing
4 header bags d a small roll of film used for packaging or protecting goods
5 pallet wrap e flexible foam material, reusable and washable, suited for goods with
high weight
6 polyethylene f polyethylene bags with printed graphics for high visibility
merchandising
7 skid g quality of being easily damaged or destroyed
8 stretch tape h wooden or plastic object that is used to elevate the product from the
ground

C Grammar bags

Review of the Verb Forms

Simple Present
The present tense expresses an unchanging, repeated or recurring action or situation. It can
also represent a widespread truth.
Examples
His job is to store the goods in the warehouse. (Unchanging state)
Every year, the company imports thousands of goods. (Recurring action)
They use large trucks to transport goods. (Widespread truth)
Simple Past
The past tense expresses an action or situation that was started and finished in the past. Most
past tense verbs end in -ed. The irregular verbs have special past tense forms which must be
memorised.
Examples
They needed a lot of time to arrange the heavy containers. (Regular form)
The truck drivers drove for hours until they reached the warehouse. (Irregular form)
Future
The future tense expresses an action or situation that will occur in the future. This tense is
formed by using will or shall with the base form of the main verb, or by using am, is or are +
going to with the base form of the main verb.
Examples
The imported goods will arrive soon. (Regular form)
The manager is going to hold a meeting. (am, is or are with going to + base form of the main
verb)
The shipped container arrives tomorrow. (the present tense of the main verb with an adverb or
adverbial phrase to express future, e.g. tomorrow)

2
 Warehousing and Shipping
Present Continuous
The present continuous tense describes an ongoing action that is happening at the same time
the statement is written. This tense is formed by using am, is or are with the main verb form
ending in -ing.
Example
The manager is complaining about the truck’s delay in delivering the goods.
Past Continuous
The past continuous tense describes a past action which was happening when another action
occurred. This tense is formed by using was or were with the base verb form ending in -ing.
Example
The employees were carrying goods when they heard a loud noise.
Present Perfect
The present perfect tense describes an action that happened at an indefinite time in the past,
or that began in the past and continues in the present. This tense is formed by using has or
have with the past participle of the verb. Most past participles end in -ed. Irregular verbs have
special past participles that must be memorised.
Example Usage
The warehouse manager has travelled to many
countries until he found the goods he wanted. Indefinite time

The employee has done this job for ten years. Continues in the present
Past Perfect
The past perfect tense describes an action that took place in the past before another past
action. This tense is formed by using had with the past participle of the main verb.

Example
By the time the truck arrived, the workers had left.

Contrast the meanings of the two sentences. Use number 1 as a model.

Example
1 a That machine unloads five containers per minute.
b That machine is unloading five containers per minute.
Sentence a means the machine is designed to unload five
containers per minute, whereas in b the machine is unloading
five containers now.

2 a The storage room has been empty for twenty days. unloading goods from a container
b The storage room was empty for twenty days.

3 a When the warehouse manager arrived, the employees agreed to ask him for a pay rise.
b By the time the warehouse manager arrived, the employees had agreed to ask him for a
pay rise.

3
D Describing damage
The items in the following pictures were damaged on the way from the factory to the warehouse.
Say what happened. Use words from the box below.
bent bruised cracked crushed dented
scratched stained torn

Example:
The car was dented and scratched.

E Talking about distance

Make sentences using the following words.
Example
flat / warehouse / 400 metres
My flat is 400 metres from the warehouse.

1 airport / city / twenty-four km

2 office / train station / one km
3 a warehouse / catch fire / half a km
4 accident / happen / sixty km / terminal building
5 port / my house / only 500 metres

4
 Warehousing and Shipping
F Ports and warehouses
How much do you know about ports and warehouses? Discuss the following questions with a
partner.
1 What do you store in a government, public and industrial warehouse?
2 Which are the two busiest ports in the world?
3 Which is the busiest port in Romania?

G Reading
Read the following company profile and answer the questions.

___________________________

We are here to meet your packaging needs. It is a top priority at our company. We can do
standard packaging as well as custom packaging. We have solid, long-term relationships with
the world’s largest packaging supply companies, so we can provide the best price.
If your products require a professional finish, we offer you the best shrink-wrap services.
No matter what the size or shape of your products is, we use the latest automated packaging
equipment and technology to make sure your goods are ready for shipment.
We provide you with climate-controlled and protected facilities for any warehouse and
distribution needs. Our warehouses are secure so your products are always monitored and
safeguarded and are immediately available for distribution.
We provide convenient services to our clients with varying needs. For example, you can
track, modify and customise orders from your office or home computer. You can add new
orders or even confirm shipping by email messages. You can also receive daily reports, such
as shipping reports and inventory reports. In addition, we guarantee efficient, affordable and
timely deliveries. We also have return-processing systems, covering everything from receiving
to restocking.
When you contact our mail centre, our professional team of experienced customer-care
specialists will quickly expedite your requests. Moreover, you can count on 100% quality
control with our services. All your products will be examined during picking and packing for
damage, discolouration and other defects.
Questions
1 Give the text a suitable title.
2 What does ‘to meet your packaging needs’ mean?
3 According to the text, what services does the packaging company offer the customers?
4 Write a conclusion of 3 to 4 sentences for the text.
5 If you needed a packaging company, would you choose the one described in the text? Why?

ways of packing

5
 Warehousing and Shipping
H Grammar

Future Time Clauses

Time clauses act as adverbs and tell us when something happens. They usually begin with words
like: when, as soon as, before, until, if and after.

Clauses that refer to the future are formed with the verb in the present tense.

Examples
When they sign the paper, they will have a good deal.

After the meeting, the company employers are going to have dinner together.

Establishments that balance their books daily will also be able to calculate the income balance as
soon as the book of accounts is closed for the day.

Before we ex amine our profits and losses, we will discuss the company’s new policy.

Y ou won’t have to record the exp enses on the cash flow statement until you actually pay them.

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verbs.

1 When the manager _____________ (arrive), they _______________ (start) the meeting.
2 If he _____________ (reach) the sales target this year, the company ____________
(reward) him.
3 We _______________ (start) the construction of a shopping centre as soon as the
government __________ (allow) us to begin.
4 After he __________ (find) a warehouse in Aleppo, he _______________ (buy) some new
items.
5 If Alex _______________ (feel) better, he _______________ (attend) the meeting in the
manager’s office.
6 I _______________ (finish) the reports before the manager _______________ (call).
7 He _______________ (do) anything until the manager _______________ (tell) him to.

6
 Warehousing and Shipping
I Reading
Read the text and answer the questions.
Improving a Profit Margin
To improve a profit margin, time can be spent to work out a reliable inventory system. What
sells and what doesn’t should be studied by talking to the supplier’s representatives. To help
grow the business, the supplier can help in preparing a discount structure and promotion. A
sales analysis report can also be made. Usually, it is preferable to know how the inventory
system is set up; for instance, if it automatically adds up a gross-profit percentage into the
cost or if this cost includes freight, etc.
To make additional gross profit, it is very important to buy on the final day of sales and sell
when the product goes off sale. It is also crucial to pay attention to what is being sold and
what isn’t. However, don’t only buy what is on sale, buy what is interesting for your clientele.
Keeping an eye on the stock in addition to using correct monitoring procedures is a must in
this situation.
When putting items in stock, they should only be the selling products because stocking slow
moving items means using valuable space on the shelves which leads to high-cost interests.
Up-selling helps increase gross-profit margins, because the salesperson can explain to a
customer everything he or she needs which leads to high turnover. Hence, customer service is
a boost to any business.
In conclusion, all that a business needs to improve its profit margin are the above simple
tips.

Questions
1 List the tips that the text gives to improve the profit margin of a company.
2 Which word in the text means “A sales strategy where the seller will provide opportunities to
purchase related products or services, often for the sole purpose of making a larger sale”?
3 What is the meaning of ...?
a turnover b boost
4 Add details and examples to the third and fourth paragraphs to make them as lengthy as the first
two paragraphs to have a balanced text.

J Writing
There is an important distinction between non-recurring and extraordinary events in any
business. Write a paragraph where you define them both and give examples of each. The
following table is given to help you.

A non-recurring event An extraordinary event

It is a one-time charge that the company It includes costs associated with a merger
does not expect to encounter again. or the expense of implementing a new
production system.
It is recorded under operating expenses. It is listed after the net line, after-tax.

7
 2 Competition
A Dialogue
and Pricing
Read the dialogue and answer the questions.
Two government representatives are discussing trade between their two countries.

A: Trade between our countries has developed in recent years,

but I believe that it would increase faster if there were
fewer trade restrictions.
B: Yes, I agree. There are too many tariffs and quotas on both
sides.
A: If we both removed them, trade would increase, and that
would benefit both our countries.
B: I agree.
A: So, if we removed our tariffs on your electrical goods, would
you remove your tariffs on our agricultural products? international trade
B: Unfortunately, I’m afraid we couldn’t do that because it
would be very bad for our farmers. I wish we could, but it’s
not possible.
A: I see.
B: However, I have a proposal which I think is more realistic. I propose that you remove tariffs
on textiles. If you do that, we’ll remove tariffs on furniture and leather goods.
A: That may be possible.
Questions
1 What is the state of trade between the two countries now, compared with a few years ago?
2 What is preventing faster growth between the two countries?
3 Which of the countries would benefit from removing trade restrictions: A’s or B’s?
4 What do the words in bold refer to?
5 In your opinion, how would farmers be affected if B’s country removed their tariffs on
agricultural products?

8
B Matching
Match the organisations with the descriptions.

1 The European Union (EU)

2 The United Nations (UN)
3 The World Trade Organisation (WTO)
4 The International Monetary Fund (IMF)
5 The Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO)
6 United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO)
a an organisation that improves farming, agricultural production and distribution
b an organisation that deals with the rules of trade between countries
c a UN agency that lends money to governments
d a UN agency that helps countries with industrial development
e an international organisation that was set up after World War II to maintain world peace
f a European organisation for economic cooperation and free trade

C Grammar

Non-defining Relative Clause

Non-defining relative clauses give extra information about a noun. They are always separated
from the rest of the sentence by commas. Compare the following sentences.

Examples

Businesses that offer services in areas condensed by cars set prices to compensate for road tax.
(This gives us important information about businesses in areas condensed by cars.)
Competitive businesses, which are growing in number, must set the prices of their services very
carefully. (This gives us extra information about competitive businesses.)

9
 Relative Pronouns
Person Thing Place
Subject who which
Object who / whom which where
Possessive whose whose
1 The preposition in non-defining clauses can go at the end of the clause.
Example
Wall Street is in New York, which you may have heard of.
This pattern is often used in spoken English, but in written or formal English you can also put
the preposition before the pronoun.
Example
Wall Street, of which you may have heard, is situated in New York.
2 Non-defining clauses can be introduced by expressions like all of, many of, both of, each of...
+ relative pronoun (whom for persons and which for things).
Examples
a There were a lot of people at the meeting, many of whom I had known for years.
b He was removing the unsold goods, all of which were spoiled.

3 The relative pronoun at the beginning of a non-defining relative clause can refer to all the
information contained in the previous part of the sentence, not just to one word.
Example
His small shop survived the competition of the chain of supermarkets, which was a big
surprise. (The fact that his small shop survived the competition of the chain of supermarkets
was a big surprise.)

Combine the second sentence with the first using non-defining relative clauses.
1 Pricing is one of the most important elements of the marketing mix. It generates a turnover
for the organisation.
2 Both shopping centres have department store sections. They are among the country’s most
prominent retail chains.
3 The marketer’s pricing strategy depends on the projected winning bid price. The projected
winning bid price is generally the lowest price.
4 The manager’s rivals gave him a hit due to intense competition. The manager’s rivals are
lowering prices.
5 Mr Ahmed owns supermarket chains. Mr Ahmed has tried to be more measured in spending
and price cuts.

10
D Speaking
In pairs, research some other international organisations and say what they do.

factory

E Formal proposals

I / We suggest / propose that we both reduce tariffs on electrical goods.

My / Our suggestion / proposal is that you remove tariffs on textiles.

Change these informal sentences into formal proposals.

1 Let’s cut import duty on textiles.
2 How about removing all trade restrictions immediately?
3 Maybe we should allow the free trade of all agricultural products.
4 Couldn’t we both reduce tariffs on electrical goods by 50%?

F Rejecting proposals politely

We would if we could it wouldn’t
work (because...)
but (unfortunately) /
I wish we could (I’m afraid) it’s not possible
(because...)

Complete the dialogue.

A: I propose that we cut import duty on textiles.
B: We would if we _____________ but ____________ it’s not possible because
________________________________ .

11
G Reading
Read the text and answer the questions.

_______________________________
Market development, costs, demand and competition all affect how products and services
are priced. Every business aims to maximise profits, but the products and services that are
most successful have often made a loss before they have become profitable. All pricing
strategies depend on many factors and there are no fixed rules; however, good management is
the key to successful pricing.
Many businesses price their product or service to achieve an objective. The objective can
be to maximise profits or to achieve a certain market share. It can also be sales growth or a
targeted return for investment.
Small businesses, particularly new ones, need to cover their costs to survive and grow.
Although most businesses will not recover costs in the short term, it is important to set a price
that will recover the costs in the long term. Competition is a very important factor that may
affect pricing. Many businesses develop branding strategies to eliminate competition.
Finally, how the product is marketed influences customer perceptions. This means if a
business markets a product or service as quality or luxury, customers will expect to pay more.
Questions
1 Give the text a suitable title.
2 Find in the text words that mean the following:
a gainful
b the solution
c intended
d views
3 What can the objectives of a business be?
4 How can a business eliminate competition?
5 Do you agree with the author that good management is the key? Explain.

pricing

12
Review
A Match the words with their definitions.
1 warehouse a receiver
2 crate b advantages
3 consignee c packing case
4 facilities d supervised
5 monitored e speed up
6 efficient f storeroom
7 expedite g view
8 perception h well-planned

B Put the correct word in the right place.

inventory system survive and grow income statement
convenient tariffs and quotas turnover boost
1 P ackaging companies provide services to their customers.
2 The is important for both inventors and company managers to understand the
company’s financial condition.
3 A reliable studies what is sold and what isn’t.
4 Good customer service is a to any business.
5 Trade between two countries increases if
6 P ricing is one of the most important elements in generating an outstanding for
the organisation.
7 Small businesses need to cover their costs to .
C Put the verbs in parentheses in their correct tense.
A lorry driver ( j ust, arrive)(1) at the factory of Steel Works. He
(deliver) (2) some goods to the warehouse manager. He (say) (3)
that he (get) (4) three crates for the manager, but he (need) (5)
some help to unload them. While he (unload) (6) , one of the crates (fall)
(7) . Many things (break) (8) . This was not the driver’s first
accident.

D
1 After E l sa (graduate) , she (get) a j ob .
2 The employer (hire) sales representatives after he (interview)
them.
3 As soon as we (finish) our education, we (apply) for a j ob .
4 Research and Development Department (file) the report on purchases as soon
as it (be) ready.
5 Companies (make) gross profit if they (work out) a reliable
inventory system.

13
Culture and
Values Global Warming
Climate change is not a new phenomenon in the history of Earth. However, with the
beginning of the Industrial Revolution, Earth has started to experience unprecedentedly rapid
climate changes due to what we now call global warming.
Global warming is the consequence of the greenhouse gases issued from the combustion
of fossil fuels. Such gases will influence Earth’s climate even years from now, since it has
not adapted yet to such a rapid environmental change. The percentage of greenhouse gases
is directly proportional to the percentage of fossil fuels that are burnt by humans. However,
climate change is not only caused by humans; other factors that existed even prior to the
Industrial Revolution continue to influence Earth’s temperature. Nevertheless, the effect of
these nonhuman factors remains either minimal or unnoticed.
However, increasing temperatures are by no means the only effect of global warming. In
addition, global warming influences annual rainfall, increases the erosion of land that is near
the coast, extends the growing season and results in the melting of glaciers. Finally, it can
cause changes in the frequency of infectious diseases in particular environments.

Questions

1 Rephrase the definition of global warming given by the text and list, in your own words, its
effects on Earth.
2 What is the meaning of the following words: phenomenon, unprecedentedly, rapid, combustion,
glacier?
3 Why can’t the Earth adapt to the changes in climate?
4 In your opinion, are humans to be blamed for global warming? Explain using the evidence given
in the text.
5 Find on the Internet information about two of the latest solutions for global warming (For
example: more white clouds needed in the sky and synthetic trees that absorb a bigger quantity
of carbon dioxide) and put them with photos you can find in a brochure.

14
 3
A Dialogue
Financial Position
Read the dialogue and answer the questions.
Financial analyst: To run a successful business, it is not enough to acquire the basics of
financial recordkeeping and a good handle on your company’s cash.
Business ow ner: Why?
Financial analyst: It is important to look at the financial state of your company too. From
time to time, you should undertake a detailed financial analysis.
Business ow ner: How can I make use of the information contained in my company’s annual
financial statement?
Financial analyst: Financial statements help identify unfavourable trends in your business’s
operation before the situation becomes critical. They also monitor your
cash flow requirements on a regular basis. Most importantly, they monitor
performance against the company’s financial plan.
Business ow ner: In other words, if I study the cash flow , the balance sheet, the position
statement and the financial statements, I can determine the present
condition of my business?
Financial analyst: That is right!
Questions
1 What is the meaning of a to run b a good handle c undertake d make use of e unfavourable trends
f present condition?
2 What is the financial analyst advising the business owner?
3 Are annual financial statements helpful? How?
4 How can a business owner verify the state of his business?

15
B Vocabulary
Match the following words with their definitions.

a b
total reduction in
c
revenue minus what you
value over time earn 10
total expenses Accounts
Receivable
d e
1 earnings
Revenue what you
before interest, spend 9
taxes, depreciation,
and amortisation Accounts
P ayable
2
E xpenses f 8
money owed E B I TDA
to you for products/
services already
3 delivered
Net
rP ofit

4 7
COGS Appreciation
j
total g
5 money you
revenue minus Gross
COGS owe for products
Income and services already
6 received
Depreciation
i
the cost of
goods sold
h
increase in
value over time

16
C Grammar

Reporting yes / no Questions

We report yes / no questions with if or whether.

DIRECT SPEECH : “Do you need help with the financial report?”
REPO RTED SPEECH : I asked him if he needed help with the financial report.
N ote
We do not use the auxiliary verb do, except in negative questions.

DIRECT SPEECH : “Who doesn’t need a business plan?”

REPO RTED SPEECH : She asked me who didn’t need a business plan.
Reporting w h - Questions
When we report questions with who, what or which + to be + complement, the verb to be can
come before or after the complement.

DIRECT SPEECH : “Who is the new stockholder?”

REPO RTED SPEECH : She asked me who the new stockholder was.
or
She asked me who was the new stockholder.

Finish the sentences using the reported speech. You may need to change the tense.

1 Anne: “Is the operating team doing a good job managing costs?”
Yesterday Anne asked me ____________________________________________.
2 J ason: “Who can put the company in a stronger financial position?”
Yesterday J ason wanted to know _______________________________________.
3 Robert: “Is the company preparing a plan for a long-term success?”
Yesterday Robert asked me ____________________________________________.
4 H ind: “Will generating positive net cash be the direct result of operating activities on an
annual basis?”
Yesterday Hind asked me ____________________________________________.
5 Irma “Do we have sufficient capital to cover the company’s debts?”
Yesterday Irma wanted to know _____________________________________.
6 N ancy: “Why aren’t the financial data recorded on the firm’s balance sheet?”
Yesterday Nancy wanted to know _______________________________________.
7 J udy: “Must I take a longer look at the financial state of the company?”
Yesterday J udy asked me ___________________________________________.
8 Adel: “Did financial professionals develop systematic ways of comparing the financial facts?”
Yesterday Adel wanted to know _______________________________________.
9 Th e manager: “Where can we discuss some of the most commonly used tools for financial
analysis?”
Yesterday the manager asked me _______________________________________.
10 Alfred: “When will we determine the optimal operation level of our business?”
Yesterday Alfred asked me ____________________________________________.

17
D Grammar F Categorising
Modal Verbs and th e Passive Letters and kind(s) / correspondence.
faxes are type(s) of
Subj ect Modal verb Passive infinitive
( be + past way(s) of corresponding
Letter writing with someone.
participle) is a
can Correspondence
could include(s)
has to letters and
be imported. Ways of (things
It had to faxes.
corresponding like)
The food is going to be frozen.
be eaten.
must
should
will Study the table above. For each of the
following categories, practise making similar
sentences.
Put these sentences in the passive form.
Example 1 vessels
1 You can import these goods. 2 ways of paying
These goods could be imported. 3 furniture
4 transport
2 They should wear hard hats in the port. 5 documents
3 Warehouse employees should take safety 6 stationery
measures. 7 ways of greeting people
4 We could see the damaged cases. 8 ways of staying healthy
5 We must repair the truck at once.
6 We had to throw away the rest of the
damaged goods.
7 They will repair the security shutter
within a week.
8 We’re going to send those four containers
by rail.
E Contrasting
, but tramps
whereas tramps
Most ships However, tramps
go on go
scheduled . Tramps, on the anywhere.
routes other hand,
On the other
hand, tramps importing food

Practise making contrasts using phrases

from the table above.
1 trains and cars
2 importers and exporters
3 writing and speaking
4 television and the cinema
5 home and school

18
G Reading
Read the text and answer the questions.
Ground Shipping
Ground shipping includes truck and train transportation. It is usually cheaper than other
means of shipping particularly for large, heavy packages. Main ground shipping carriers can
deliver a package of 150 pounds within five days to its destination. They usually don’t work
on weekends. Some extra services that these companies offer are a money-back guarantee,
complete package visibility and free pick-up service.
Sometimes a freight broker handles ground shipping but he is not a shipper and he doesn’t
own a carrier so he is a transportation intermediary that plays a role in the movement of
cargo. He helps carriers fill the trucks and helps shippers find reliable motor carriers. The broker
sometimes coordinates all the shipping needs of a company.
Freight forwarders are often confused with freight brokers. Forwarders take the goods,
combine numerous smaller shipments into one large shipment and then arrange for transport
using various shipping methods.
Finally, shippers’ associations help reduce transportation costs by grouping shipments. They
operate like freight forwarders, but their service is limited to their members.
train
Questions
1 E x plain the following words:
a carrier
b destination
c visibility
d handle
e operate
2 How many main ideas are there in the text? Write two of them.
3 What is the difference between a freight broker and a freight forwarder?
4 If you were to advise your friend to use a ground shipping carrier to ship a large, heavy package
from Romania to another country, what would you tell him / her?

different types of freight

19
 4 Retail and
A Dialogue
Wholesale
Read the dialogue and answer the questions.
Presenter: Good evening ladies and
gentlemen. Welcome to a new
episode of ‘The Marketplace’.
Tonight we are going to discuss
how we can classify retail stores.
Call us now on the number you
can see on the screen or send
us your answers by email to
themarketplace@*******.com.
Now let’s take the first call.
Caller 1: Yes, hello. I think that retail
stores can be classified
according to the amount of
service they offer. Some retail
stores, such as supermarkets,
allow their customers to do their
shopping individually. On the
other hand, some retail stores
provide one-on-one customer
service, such as providing
consumers with extra information
about the goods that they are
going to buy. Moreover, a few
stores and shop assistants help
customers at every stage of the
shopping process.
Presenter: Thank you. I have another caller
waiting. Yes, hello?
20
Caller 2: Hello. I can add to the previous
caller’s information that retailers
can also be grouped according
to the variety of their product
lines. Some offer only a few
narrow product lines, whereas
others carry a broad variety of
items.
Presenter: Ok. There’s just enough time to
take one last call. Good evening.
Caller 3: Good evening. I know that
retailers can also be classified
according to their methods of
distribution. Some retailers are
store-based sellers while others
do not have stores and sell their
goods at a market.
Presenter: Thank you very much ladies and
gentlemen. Don’t forget to join
us next week for another episode
of ‘The Marketplace’.
Questions
1 Find the opposite of the words in bold in the
text.
2 How many types of markets are there
according to the callers? Explain each.
3 What is the function of each of the following
terms: on the other hand (Caller 1), moreover
(Caller 1), also and while (Caller 3)?
4 Which of these types is found in Syria? Give
examples.
B Vocabulary

Put the words in the box in the right place.

Wholesalers retailing retailing process
distribution of merchandise supplying firms
a warehouse or office
A The wholesaling process is an intermediate step in the (1) ____________, whereas the (2)
____________ is the final step.
B (3) ____________ sell goods to other businesses and operate from (4) ____________.
However, (5) ____________ is a distribution channel function where an organisation buys
merchandise from (6) ____________ and sells them directly to consumers.

C Grammar retail store

Reporting Verbs Used in the Negative

With a small number of reporting verbs, you usually make the reporting verb negative, not
the reported clause.
believe
expect
feel
imagine
propose
suppose
think
Example
“We expect the company’s retail food revenue will not rise much.”
They do not expect that the company’s retail food revenue will rise much.

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 Reporting Verbs + Infinitive
Many functions are reported with the following pattern:
Function Reporting Verb O bj ect Infinitive
advising She advised me to buy insurance.
requesting He asked her to work late.
instructing You told us to send the money.
warning They warned him not to drive fast.
encouraging We encouraged them to try again.
reminding I reminded you to bring the key.
In the examples above, the reporting verb introduces an action.

If the verb introduces information, a different pattern is used:

1 The manager told him to avoid bad suppliers. (action)

2 The manager told him that nothing could ruin a business more than bad suppliers. (information)

Rewrite these statements as reported speech using the verb in brackets.

Example
1 Tom Sharp doesn’t understand the wholesaling business. (feel)
I don’t feel that Tom Sharp understands the wholesaling business.
2 Tom has not had much experience in retail. (believe)
3 We should not look for a new retail store. (propose)
4 We could ask for a different wholesale manager. (believe)
5 They will not agree on this in the middle of a critical situation. (expect)
6 They will not understand our position. (feel)

Identify the functions. Then report the speech using the correct verb.

1 Ali: “Would you please phone the manager,Una?”

Requesting. Ali asked Huda to phone the manager.

2 Mike: “June, don’t overlook the possibility of the store having any back stock.”
3 Susie: “Why don’t you look for other stores, Alice? I think you’ll find one in a supermarket.”
4 Ali: “Jane, keep in mind that wholesale selling is better, for you are able to sell more and
earn more profits.”
5 Huda: “Don’t have doubts about the set number of buyers, Ali.”
6 Alfred: “If I were you, I would try to find out how they manage to sell over 100,000$ worth
of products monthly.”
7 Mike: “Please don’t go into that failing wholesale business, Liz.”

people in the supermarket

22
Review
A Put the correct word in the right place.
tramps Suez Canal passenger cargo vessels oil tankers container ship
oil wheat and metals cargo vessels bulk carriers routes vessels
Different kinds of (1) pass through the (2) . (It is the shipping
canal that connects the Mediterranean Sea at Port Said, Egypt, with the Red Sea.) Most of the
ships are (3) . This includes (4) , which transport goods and a few
passengers. This type of ship travels on scheduled (5) unlike (6)
that travel anywhere in the world. Similarly, there’s a resemblance between (7)
and (8) . Tankers carry (9) ; whereas, bulk carriers transport
(10) . Finally, a ship carrying big containers is called a (11) . It
transports a lot of goods.

B Read the text “Ground Shipping” on page 27. Write whether the following statements are true or
false. Correct the false ones.
1 Ground shipping includes truck and train transportation.
2 Ground shipping is good for large and heavy packages, but it is more expensive than other
kinds of shipping.
3 Ground shipping carriers work seven days a week.
4 A freight broker is a transportation intermediary who helps carriers fill the trucks and helps
shippers find reliable motor carriers.
5 Freight forwarders are freight brokers.

C Read the dialogue on page 34 and complete the following sentences.

1 Retail stores can be classified according to
2 Supermarkets allow their customers
3 Some retail stores provide one-on-one customer service, such as
4 Few shop assistants help customers
D Practise making contrasts using words from the box.
but whereas however on the other hand still

1 cargo vessels and passenger cargo vessels

2 tramps and cargo vessels
3 oil tankers and bulk carriers
4 ground shipping and maritime shipping
5 freight forwarder and freight broker
6 retailers and wholesalers

23
E Fill in the blanks with the correct form of do or make.
1 The accountant a mistake.
2 The wholesaler promised his best.
3 Businesses that keep financial records accurately progress.
4 business with successful companies is a pleasure.
5 The politician an excuse and withdrew from a speech.
6 The rude student fun of his slow classmate.
F Put these statements in the passive form.
1 Passenger cargo vessels will transport goods and a few passengers.

2 Big containers can transport a lot of goods.

3 Our company can deliver a package of 150 pounds within five days to its destination.

4 The freight broker has to coordinate all the shipping needs of a company.

G Change the following to the reported speech.

1 The presenter: “How will you classify retail stores?”

2 Caller one: “Aren’t retail stores classified according to the amount of service they offer?”

3 Caller two: “Can’t retailers be grouped according to the variety of their product lines?”

4 The manager: “Nothing can ruin a business more than bad suppliers.”

24
 5
A Dialogue
Advertising
Read the dialogue and answer the questions.
Mike: Salah! We’ve got to choose an advertising agency for the
National Tourist Office of Syria. And you’re going to be
working on the project too, as you know about the tourist
business.
Salah: Why don’t they choose an agency themselves?
Mike: Because they are not as familiar with the advertising
business as we are. And I used to work in an agency, billboard
remember?
Salah: What kind of job did you have?
Mike: I started as an Accounts Executive, working on beauty products. Then I became
Accounts Manager. I had to plan advertising campaigns for our clients.
Salah: Which job do you prefer, working in advertising or working for TST?
Mike: I didn’t care much for beauty products. No, I like working for TST best! You get to work
with lots of different clients. Another good thing about consulting is that salaries are
higher. And the work isn’t quite as stressful.
Salah: I’m very lucky to be in this job. Anyway, I prefer working for lots of clients rather than
working for just one.
Questions 3 “I didn’t care much for beauty products”
means ______
1 Mike says that Salah is suited for the new a I didn’t think the company was very good.
project because _____ b I didn’t work hard at my job.
a he’s Syrian. c I didn’t take care of my skin.
b he knows people in the National Tourist d I wasn’t interested in what the company
Office. was advertising.
c he has worked in tourism.
d he knows several advertising agencies. 4 According to the text, consulting is better
than working for an advertising company
2 The text says that TST is taking on this new because ______
client because ______ a you have more interesting colleagues.
a TST has greater expertise in advertising. b the work is better paid and more varied.
b Mike has worked in an agency. c the stress provides a challenge.
c TST will get a better deal from the agency. d you get to focus on one client.
d The National Tourist Office is too busy.
5 What do the words in bold refer to?

25
B Vocabulary

Read the brochure about an advertising agency. Then match the underlined words to their
definitions (1–8).
TST produces its own TV commercials. It can also produce video documentaries for sales
conferences. For these purposes, it has its own studio and facilities for video editing.
Specialists produce animated cartoons. Editors are skilled at using computer graphics, so your
message comes across loud and clear. The company also has a workshop for producing banners.
TST has links with manufacturers who can produce novelty items for sales promotions at
supermarkets and sporting events. Finally, TST is noted for its high-quality catalogues.

1 visual images produced by computer processing banner

2 video or TV programmes that give facts and information
3 printed booklets with information, photos and prices of products
4 the process of preparing a video by deciding what to include
5 long pieces of cloth on which an advertising slogan is printed
6 filming a series of pictures to give the appearance of movement
7 small cheap objects that are given away as presents
8 advertisements on TV, often thirty or fifteen seconds long

What are these adverts promoting? Match the sentences with the products.

1 2 3
It weighs only Access is via a It is for
1.5 kg and comes sealed double door one to three TV
in a at the rear. monitors, which can be
protective case. The The diesel engine is linked to any number of
screen is clear quiet cameras. It is easy to
and easy to read. and economical. install and operate.

4 5
High They last
quality sound is longer and give
produced, using better ankle support
main power or and have underfoot
batteries. cushioning.

a trainers
b security TV system
c laptop computer
d refrigerated van
e portable CD player

26
C Grammar
The Second Conditional
We use the second conditional if the
condition is impossible now or in the
future:
Condition Result
If we ended tariffs, there would be
advantages and
disadvantages.
Remember
If the speaker thinks the condition is
realistic or likely, the first conditional
is used. For example: If you reduce your
tariffs, we will reduce ours.
Complete the sentences, using the verbs in
brackets.
1 If I ________ (know) how to make this
product appealing, I would tell you.
2 I would think of more creative
presentations if I ________ (be) you.
3 If we ________ (not take) the customers’
interests into consideration, our success
in advertising would not be the same.
4 If it ________ (be) possible, I will
provide you with the final sample of the
new advertisement tomorrow.
5 It would cost less if we ________
(cooperate) with other agencies.
6 I will ring you tomorrow if I ________
(have) any news about what the store
thinks of their new advertisement.
7 If we ________ (have) a million SYP, we
would establish a new advertising agency.
8 If our last advertisement ________
(be) dull, nobody would buy that old-
fashioned product.
27
D Preferences
Are these shoppers talking about things in
general (G) or specific things (S)? Mark the
phrases ‘G’ or ‘S’.
Examples
1 I like those ones more. S
2 Red is not my favourite colour. G
3 I like it more than the green one.
4 I don’t like trainers; I prefer shoes.
5 I don’t like it as much as the green one.
6 I prefer light colours to dark ones.
E Advantages and disadvantages
Work in pairs. What can you say about the
advantages and disadvantages of the items
in the pictures below?
Examples
A The good thing about living on a
houseboat is that you have a nice view.
B And another advantage is that it’s cooler
than a house or a flat in summer.
A The good thing about a small car is that
you can park it easily.
B Yes, but the problem with a 4WD is that it
uses a lot of fuel.
flat
4WD car
small car
house boat
F Reading
Match the titles with the descriptions. Then answer the questions.
A direct mail
B cinema
C television
D posters
E newspapers
F radio
G magazines
1 __________
This is the most effective but it is also the most expensive. It is also difficult to target
consumers. Research shows that many viewers do not watch commercials.
2 __________
It is possible to target national markets by choosing consumer, trade or professional media.
They are suitable for communicating detailed and complicated information. However, they
are expensive.
3 __________
These are expensive for advertisers. However, readership is well researched. As a result, it is
simple to target a specific market, the whole country or a local area.
4 __________
These have a powerful impact, but only a limited message is possible. They are not suitable
for communicating a lot of detailed information.
5 __________
Through mailing lists, this reaches target consumers accurately. However, the response rate
can be low.
6 __________
This has a powerful impact for younger age groups. However, it reaches only a small
percentage of public. Some films are not popular and attract small audiences.
7 __________
This reaches a small audience, and is not available in all countries. Market segments can
be targeted because of listeners’ daily routines. Humour is often used in order to interest
listeners.
Questions
1 Circle the correct answer.
a Advertisers choose the right media in order to obtain the maximum …
i target ii impact iii communication iv segment
b Which media is not described as expensive?
i radio ii TV iii magazines iv newspapers
c A company that wants to target consumers accurately would not consider advertising ...
i on the radio ii in the cinema iii by direct mail iv on the TV
d Advertising agencies find out about newspaper readers by doing ...
i mailing ii routines iii research iv communicating

28
2 Why might a company decide to advertise in a local magazin e?
3 What kind of information are posters suitable and unsuitable for?
4 How do people know that not all viewers watch the commercials?
5 Choose suitable media for these advertising campaigns and explain your reasons.
a prestige advertising for an airline
b a new car model
c a department store sale
d financial services such as banking or insurance
e freight services
G Writing
Imagine you are a copywriter (somebody who writes advertisements). Choose two products from
the items below and write an advertisement for each.

video camera
laptop

computer
TV

29
 6 E-marketing
A Dialogue
Read the dialogue and answer the questions.
U na: Good afternoon, Omar. How are you today?
Omar: Hello Una. I am fine, thanks. I am in a hurry; I need
to go and study for my exam.
U na: Which exam? Marketing?
Omar: Yes. I need to remember a lot of interesting
information about e-marketing.
U na: R eally? Like what?
Omar: You know that e-marketing does not refer only to
marketing on the Internet; it is also marketing done
via email and wireless media.
U na: Yeah, I know. It also includes design, development,
advertising and sales.
Omar: R ight. E-marketing is also associated with several types of businesses such as
e-commerce, affiliate marketing and local Internet marketing.
U na: So do you think e-marketing is very different from magaz ine advertising?
Omar: That is a good question! Do you think the teacher will ask about this in the exam?

Questions
1 Explain the word e-marketing according to the dialogue.
2 What do wireless media refer to? Give examples of your own.
3 Answer Una’s last question.
4 Una says that e-marketing involves design, development, advertising and sales. Explain.

30
B Vocabulary
Match the words with their definitions.
1 customer service
2 cost-effective method
3 disseminate information
4 optimised for success
5 online marketing scheme
6 marketing portfolio
7 potential impact
8 public relations
a maintaining a favourable public image of a company or
individual
b how a company interacts with its customers at the time of
sale and afterwards
c a strategy to advertise a product or service using the
Internet
d a pool of investments or group of complementary or
supplementary products marketed together
e spreading information or ideas as widely as possible
f a system, design or decision which has been designed to be
as effective as possible
g a strategy which has been shown to have a high level of
success relative to its cost
h possible effect

Fill in the blanks with words from above:

To succeed in marketing, advertisers need to disseminate information as quickly as possible by

finding a(n) (1) ____________________ and by being sure that it has the
(2) ____________________ that they expect. Usually (3) ____________________ can be
very helpful because knowing many people in the market is necessary for a successful project.
However, planning a(n) (4) ____________________ can also be beneficial as well as a
well-prepared (5) ____________________.

31
C Grammar

The Third Conditional

The third conditional is a structure used when talking about unreal situations in
the past.
The structure of third conditional sentences
Like the other conditionals, a third conditional sentence consists of two clauses,
an if clause and a main clause.

if clause main clause explanation

If she had joined our she would have received She didn’t receive a
marketing networking a widely recognised widely recognised
group, e-marketing e-marketing
certification. certification because
she didn’t join our
marketing network
group.

If the if clause comes first, a comma is usually used. If the if clause comes
second, there is no need for a comma.

Examples
a If the e-marketing association had not been successful, it wouldn’t have had
members in over sixty-five countries.
b Building and maintaining a customer relationship would have been harder if the
company had not used the Internet.
Form of third conditional
if clause: if + subject + past perfect verb
main clause: subject + (would / could / might) have + past participle

Put the verbs in brackets in the correct tense to form third conditional clauses.
1 The company (be able to elicit) instant responses from us. The company (have) Internet
access.
2 E-marketing (be) easy to understand. We (decide) to tackle its specifics one at a time.
3 Our business (fail). I (not hire) an expert on e-marketing.
4 The Internet connection (fail). Everyone’s work (delay).
5 The company (not survive) the competition. The e-marketing specialists (not bring) in their
contribution.

32
 Read the short text about e-marketing, then put the verbs in the second paragraph into the most
suitable form to make correct conditional sentences (type I, II or III).
E-marketing is about advertising, customer communications, branding and fidelity
programmes using the Internet. A company uses e-marketing to find, attract, win and retain
customers. Studies have indicated that the major economic benefits come from raising
fidelity among customers thanks to customer retention. This is the perspective that led to
the development of relational marketing, which is based on the necessity of developing
interactions with individual customers.
Do you like e-marketing? If you (like) ( 1) __________ it, you (love) ( 2) __________
customer communications, branding and fidelity programmes using the Internet. My friend
hates e-marketing. But if he (hate / not) ( 3) __________ e-marketing, he (enjoy)
( 4) __________ finding, attracting, winning and retaining customers online. Personally, I
(take) ( 5) __________ a course in relational marketing if I had had more time.

D Speaking
Research the components of a good Internet marketing strategy, and prepare a ten-minute
presentation. Use the following outline to organise your ideas.
Introduction

Components of a good marketing strategy

Conclusion

33
E Reading
Read the text and answer the questions.
An E-marketing Plan
To successfully market a product online, you need to identify your target audience. You
should understand the needs of your audience so you can plan your costs and benefits
accordingly. Once your audience has been studied, you need to set your objectives. The
main objectives of an e-marketing plan include raising awareness about your business by
spreading information about it, reducing costs or increasing sales. You shouldn’t forget that
it is beneficial to mix e-marketing with traditional marketing activities. However, you must
remember to control your costs by carefully planning the budget after you have studied the
cost/benefit ratio. You should carefully plan how you are going to implement your marketing
strategies. Finally, you should implement feedback mechanisms such as reviews to help you
assess how successful your marketing strategy has been.
Questions
1 Match the words with their meaning.
a market (v.) 1 making financial arrangements
b identify 2 apply
c raise awareness 3 recognise
d budgeting 4 promote
e implement 5 increase attention towards a certain topic

2 Fill in the flow chart below with the steps of the e-marketing plan mentioned in the text.
Identify ____________ ____________ objectives
___________________

Budgeting __________ Mix ________________

___________________ ____________________

___________________
_________ mechanisms

3 Choose from the text the words or phrases that helped you choose the steps.
4 In the flow chart, one step was skipped. Which one is it?
5 Which of the six steps mentioned in the text do you think is the most important for a good
e-marketing plan? Why?

34
Culture and
Values __________________
Women in Business (WiB) is a nonprofit organisation whose main aim is to facilitate trade
transactions between the Middle East and UK. This organisation is managed by an international
team of unpaid enthusiasts who work hard to realise its ambitions and aspirations.
In addition, WiB is also considered to be a worldwide forum in which women involved in
business share ideas and broaden their experiences with others in conferences and meetings
held in a variety of countries.
Furthermore, WiB has played a major role in encouraging a worldwide interaction between
q ualified employees and business women, with the aim of enhancing women’s economic
development.
Finally, WiB encourages all its participants, regardless of their professional level, to
take part in its seminars. It also provides its members with the opportunity to develop by
participating in its annual events. When questioned, over four-fifths of the participants stated
that they have benefited from participating in WiB’s seminars, which were conducted by
proficient lecturers and included real-life experiences.
Questions
1 Give the text a suitable title.
2 What is the meaning of the words in bold?
3 Do you think WiB can achieve all its goals?
4 Fill, in your own words, the following company profile for WiB.

Profile of ____________________
(Write a brief paragraph here that describes the company, its history, the sector in which it
operates, etc.)
Company Details
Location: _____________________
Financial facts: _____________________
How does the company compare to others in its sector? ___________________
Personnel: ________________________

35
7 Workplace Ethics
A Dialogue
Read the dialogue and answer the questions.
The Human Resources Manager (HR) and the Line Manager (LM) are holding a meeting to discuss
the problem of staff taking too many sick days.

HR: People are taking too many days off because of illness.
Our yearly survey, a copy of which I have now, shows
that the percentage of employees taking sick days has
increased by 12% in the last year. Some are taking as
much as fourteen days which I believe is excessive.
LM: That’s too many. Now I understand why our customer
services have become less efficient during the past year. ill person
Moreover, this is wasting company money.
HR: Well, I suggest that we need to send employees a memo which states that employees will
not be paid for the first three days of sickness.
LM: This could be one way of solving our problem. However, I don’t think it is fair for honest
employees who are truly sick.
HR: I agree. What would you say if we asked employees to suggest ways for minimising sick
leave?
LM: I think it’s a good idea, but how could we do that?
HR: By sending them questionnaires. Could you bring a draft questionnaire to our next
meeting on Monday?
LM: Sure.
Questions
1 What do the words in bold refer to?
2 At first, what did the HR manager suggest to do in order to solve the problem concerning sick
leave?
3 Did the LM agree with him? Why or Why not?
4 What do the HR and LM finally decide to do?

36
B Vocabulary
The following list describes various types of benefits in managing ethics in the workplace. Match
them with the appropriate explanation.
1 improving society through paying attention to business ethics
2 maintaining a moral course in turbulent times
3 cultivating strong teamwork and productivity
4 supporting employee growth and meaning
5 ensuring that policies are legal
6 avoiding criminal acts “of omission” and lowering fines
7 managing values associated with quality management and strategic planning
8 promoting a strong public image

a Employees feel full confidence that they can admit and deal with whatever comes their way.
b The fact that an organisation regularly gives attention to its ethics can portray a good image
to the public. People see those organisations as valuing people more than profit. Aligning
behaviour with values is critical to effective marketing and public relations programmes.
c Society demanded that businesses place high value on fairness and equal rights so unions
were organised and laws and regulations were established.
d When an organisation is aware of an actual or potential violation and does not report it to
the appropriate authorities, this can be considered a criminal act.
e Ongoing attention and dialogue regarding values in the workplace builds openness and
integrity which are ingredients of strong teams in the workplace. Employees feel strong
alignment between their values and those of the organisation so they react with strong
motivation and performance.
f This effort includes recording the values, developing policies and procedures to align
behaviours with preferred values and then training all personnel about the policies and
procedures.
g There is an increasing number of lawsuits in regard to personnel matters and to effects of an
organisation’s services or products on stakeholders.
h Attention to business ethics is critical during times of fundamental change.

37
C Grammar
Tag Questions
Tag questions are used in speech at the end of sentences to check information or opinions.
Usually, positive sentences have negative tags. Negative sentences have positive tags.
Examples
You’re in a hurry (+), aren’t you? (-)
You haven’t been here before (-), have you? (+)

Complete these sentences with the right tag question.

1 You couldn’t break the criminal law in one’s war related activity, ________ ?
2 You don’t stay away from the company’s path of acceptable conduct, ________ ?
3 They’re going to comment on the employees’ improper behaviour, ________ ?
4 We made sure our institution has a proper environment, ________ ?
5 They’ve performed their business duties gracefully, ________ ?
6 I’m right about his unacceptable behaviour, ________ ?
7 You won’t expect him to have a strong external source of morality in business, ________ ?
8 A basic understanding of morality will keep employees out of trouble, ________ ?
D Roleplay
Work in pairs or small groups. Role play this situation.
You are in charge of sales for a hi-fi manufacturer. Your company is suffering due to a loss of
market share. You believe that the reason behind your loss is that one of your competitors is
using unfair ways, such as making cash payments to principal vendors or offering expensive
presents to important customers to publicise their products. Hold a meeting to find solutions
to your problem.

hi-fi stereo

38
E Ethical problem solving
Proposing solutions
In this situation, I’d ...
In this case, I’d ...
What I’d do / say is
If it were the case that ...

Looking at problems from different angles

Having said that,
On the other hand,
At the same time,
There are a lot of issues at play here.
You could argue that ...

Giving reasons for opinions

On the grounds that ...
For the reason that ...
Seeing / given that ...

Work in pairs. Read the following ethical problems and suggest solutions to them. Use
expressions from the box.
Situation 1: An accounting dilemma
You are an accountant. While you were doing your job, you accidentally discovered that your
financial director had been claiming expenses he wasn’t entitled to, such as an opera ticket,
two digital cameras and a laptop for his daughter. He had already taken a small amount of the
total sum. What would you do?
Situation 2: A generous present
You unexpectedly receive a gift of expensive perfume from a company that supplies you with
products. The following week, you receive a call from them asking you if you have received
their gift. They also ask you whether you are willing to renew the contract with them next
year. You assure them that you will let them know as soon as a decision has been made. They
imply that if you are willing to renew the contract, they would offer you other generous gifts
such as a holiday abroad for two. What would you do?
Situation 3: Choosing tenders
You are asked by your manager to examine the tenders from contractors who will be chosen to
build the company’s new office in Syria. There are two winning candidates both of whom have
equal merit. This morning, your manager invites you to his office for a cup of coffee and he
tells you that one of the two contractors is a good friend of his and that he would be upset if
this friend didn’t win the contract. What would you do?

39
F Reading
Read the text and answer the questions.
Did You Bring Your Ethics to Work Today?
It is sometimes hard for employers and employees to abide by the rules of workplace ethics
despite company principles and morals. Failure to abide by agreed principles need not be that
significant. Lapses in workplace ethics are often minor, for example pretending to be sick or
frequently arriving late to work. The following are examples of lapses in workplace ethics:
1 You blame your colleagues for your own mistakes.
2 You ask a colleague to help you with a project, and then tell your boss that you did it on
your own.
3 You do freelance work during working hours.
4 You use company’s resources for personal use, such as printing your homework using the
company’s printer.
5 You launch products into the market without testing them for defects.
6 You talk negatively about your coworkers.
Hundreds of examples could be added to the above list. Each time you fail to abide by the
values of the place you work at, you will be disfiguring your self image and you will also hurt
your colleagues in a real, tangible and unpredictable way.
Questions
1 What do the words in bold refer to?
2 Give two examples of lapses in workplace that are not mentioned in the text.
3 Find in the text words that mean:
a tolerate b slip (n.) c fault d self-employed e spoiling f concrete

Work in pairs. Are the people in the following pictures following rules of ethics at work? Discuss.

40
 8
A Dialogue
IT and Telecoms
1 Read the dialogue and answer the questions.
Sarah: Mobiles are really popular in Romania, aren’t they?
Peter: That’s right. More people are buying them every year.
Sarah: And people can use their mobiles in rural areas, can’t they?
Peter: Of course. You see, Romania’s densely populated.
Sarah: What about remote places like the desert?
Peter: There, people are using satellite phones.
Sarah: That makes sense.
Peter: The phone companies don’t have to put up masts. The signal goes straight up to a
satellite and down to another phone.
Sarah: I really like your new mobile. What features does it have?
Peter: It takes photos and has a built-in radio.
Sarah: Maybe I’ll get a similar one. Then I’ll send you a photo!
Questions
1 Find phrases in the dialogue for these pictures.

a b

2 Why, in your opinion, does Sarah like Peter’s new mobile?

3 What growth/improvements in telecoms are expected in Romani]a in the future?
4 If you are going to work in the desert, you should get ________ .
a a satellite phone b a mobile c a landline d a connection
5 Peter’s mobile has several different ________ .
a signals b photos c features d messages
6 When Sarah is back home, she ________ a phone like Peter’s.
a will buy b won’t buy c might buy d will see

41
 I

B Vocabulary
With some phrasal verbs, you can’t separate the verb from the particle.
VERB + PARTICLE NOUN PHRASE
She went without her lunch. (She didn’t have her lunch that day.)
Examples
look after look into take after take up get through
come into go with go towards get round come across

Complete the sentences using a phrasal verb from the box in the correct form.
1 I must change my tie; this one doesn’t ___________ my shirt.
2 I ___________ a mistake while I was checking the accounts.
3 She ___________ the cost of getting a new computer, but they were too expensive.
4 What a lovely new car! Have you suddenly ___________ some money?
5 Let’s push the filing cabinet behind the door; it will ___________ less space there.
6 Here’s some birthday money for you; it can ___________ a new mobile if you like.
7 London’s expensive; I ___________ a lot of money while I was there.
8 You’d better ___________ your new laptop; it doesn’t like sand or dust.
9 She ___________ her mother; they are both good mathematicians.
10 I think we can ___________ this problem by buying some new software.

42
 I
C Grammar
I ndefinite Pronouns
An indefinite pronoun does not refer to any specific person, thing or amount. It is vague and
“not definite” . Most indefinite pronouns are either singular or plural. However, some of them can
be singular in one context and plural in another.
Singular
another, anybody / anyone, anything, each, either, enough, everybody / everyone, everything, less,
little, much, neither, nobody / no one, nothing, one, other, somebody / someone, something
Plural
both, few, fewer, many, others, several
Singular or plural
all, any, more, most, none, some, such

Fill in the gaps with somebody, anybody, nobody, something, anything, nothing, somewhere,
anywhere or nowhere.
1 I know __________ about how to solve telecom problems, but if I tell you, you must
promise to keep it a secret.
2 __________ knows him. He is a stranger who claims to be the new employee at the telecom
department.
3 I had dinner __________ near the telecom services building.
4 __________ could have known that telecom is a great tool in the facilitation of business
growth.
5 __________ can exceed the capacity of telecom to connect businesses and investors.
6 This company is __________ near considering hiring new telecom employees. Let’s go
__________ else and look for more job opportunities.
7 This is __________ which all telecom students must learn.
8 They took him __________ in London as a manager in telecom services.
9 Please don’t leave __________ uncovered in this telecom project; you know how important
it is.

43
 I
D Likes and dislikes
Each of the verbs in the sentences below expresses opinions of likes and dislikes. Put them in
order from the most favourite to the least favourite.
a I dislike waiting in queues.
b I don’t mind the rain.
c I love camping by the seaside.
d I hate noisy parties late at night.
e I like seafood.
f I can’t stand loud music.

Have discussions in pairs about one of the topics below.

Example
A I really love tomatoes.
B Do you? I can’t stand them.
a types of film
b different sports
c types of music
d food and drink
e other things

E Describing machines
Which objects are the phrases below describing? There may be more than one possible answer
for each sentence.
a It fits into your pocket.
b It plays music.
c It allows you to talk to your friends.
d It can access the Internet.
e It records actions and makes films.
f It takes photographs.

Work in pairs. One student describes one of the pictures below without saying its name. The
second student guesses which one his / her colleague is describing.

44
 I
F Reading
Read the text and answer the questions.

Setting up Your Own Website

If you want to set up your own website, you need three things: content (something to say),
a way of writing it in HTML (web language) and a domain for it (the space where content is
stored).

1 _________________________
Most programmes use WYSIWYG (what-you-see-is-what-you-get). However, you probably
need to understand how HTML works. After you write your text (the easy part), you add
the code marks. Then you can choose the print type (font), the print size, colours and add
pictures.

2 _________________________
Once you have created your own web page, you can link this to other web pages on the
Internet. Users see the ‘hot spot’ on your web page, which may be a button, a picture or
an icon. When they click on this hotspot, they are directed to the linked web page on the
Internet.

3 _________________________
Imagine that you run a shoe shop called Top Trainers. You will need to register a simple,
easy-to-remember domain name such as www.toptrainers.syr .

4 _________________________
As soon as you have registered your domain name, you are ready to connect your web page
to the Internet and publicise it.
Questions
1 Match the paragraphs with the following headings.
A ONTO THE NET
B CREATING YOUR OWN DOMAIN
C WRITING A TEXT IN HTML
D CREATING LINKS
2 What do the words in bold refer to?

45
 I
G Grammar
Prepositions
Prepositions are used before nouns to give additional information in a sentence.
Prepositions are used to show where something is located or when something happened
or an action.

Prepositions showing:

Location
above, below, over, under, among, between, beside, in front of, behind, next to, with, in
the middle of, on, in, at

Time
at, on, by, before, from, since, for, during, to, until, after

Action
at, by, from, into, on, onto, off, out of, towards

Choose the correct preposition for each sentence.

1 I liked the ad where the hero made his escape by jumping ______ a window and ______ a
waiting car.
a over / into b between / into c out of / between d out of / into

2 To get to the advertising department, you need to go ______ those stairs and then ______
the corridor to the room at the end.
a up / along b between / into c out of / between d out of / into

3 I saw your new poster ______ television.

a in b on c at d through

4 Much suspense is introduced in the advertisement when she took the key ______ her pocket
and put it ________ the lock.
a over / into b between / into c out of / in d by / on

5 I took one memory stick ______ the computer and put ______ another one.
a through / in b out of / in c out of / between d out of / into

6 I went ______ him and asked him the best way to get ______ the town centre.
a from / out of b towards / over c over to / into d by / on

7 The talk was ______ the impact of advertising on children ______ the age of five.
a through / in b out of / in c around / under d out of / into

8 I liked the billboard ______ the shopping centre, ______ the cinema.
a through / in b out of / in c under / around d in / next to

46
 9 Latest
A Dialogue
Discoveries
Read and answer the questions.
1 3
A: Hello. Can I ask you a question, please? A: What do you think was the most
B: Yes. important discovery in history?
A: Thank you. What was, according to you, D: Radio waves! We need them for our
the most important discovery in history? mobile phones and satellites. I mean, we
B: I’d say medicine. can’t live without them!
A: Can you be more specific? A: That’s right. Thanks a lot.
B: Vaccines were an important discovery. D: No problem.
Because of vaccines, children don’t get
awful diseases anymore. Questions
A: Thank you for your time. 1 What is the interviewer A interested to know
B: You’re welcome. from the three interviewees (B, C and D)?
2 What were the three answers to his main
2 question?
A: What do you think was the most 3 What is the meaning of ‘awful’?
important discovery in history? 4 According to you, which one of the three
C: Well, there have been so many things, discoveries is the most important? Why?
but I’d say electricity. 5 How would you have answered the
A: Electricity? interviewer’s question? Explain your answer.
C: Yes, I think so. We need it every second
of the day, don’t we? We need it to use
our computers, to browse the Internet,
to put the lights on, for heating and
television.
A: Right, thanks very much.

47
B Vocabulary

Write the words between brackets in the right form.

The first digital (mechanic) (1) __________ calculator was invented in 1623 and the first
(commerce) (2) __________ successful device was produced in 1820.
Many toy inventors have college degrees in engineering, such as (produce) (3) __________
design, mechanical engineering or electronics.
In 1951, the first video tape recorder captured live images from television cameras by
(convert) (4) __________ the information into (electricity) (5) _________ impulses and
saving the information onto magnetic tape.
Scientists are working on how to (integration) (6) __________ solar cells into mobile phones,
allowing them to be powered (continue) (7) __________ on just two hours of sunlight a day.

C Matching

Match the following titles with their specific descriptions.

a Extraction-Assist Robot 1 allows the user to lift 200 pounds hundreds of times
without getting tired
b Tread-Walk 2 helps caregivers who work in hospitals and health
care institutions. It makes use of the company’s
robot hand technology, featuring 16 fingers
c Perpetual Motion Device 3 represents a combination of GPS and walking stick
and includes 4 mini cameras and a GPS receiver
d Phone with Sound Waves 4 turns sound waves into electricity
e Hair-Washing Machine 5 generates more energy than it consumes and
produces power from perpetual motion
f Paper-Based Lithium-Ion Batteries 6 developed for the elderly and disabled in order to
enable them to fulfil their personal mobility needs
g Raytheon’s XOS 2 Exoskeleton 7 carries injured soldiers out of battlefield, breaks
locked doors and lifts heavy cargo
h Visually Impaired Assistant (VIA) 8 used to power electronic newspapers and to make
smart packaging that would assist marketers

48
D Grammar
Sentence Fragments and Run-ons
A sentence fragment is an incomplete sentence. Some fragments are incomplete because they
lack either a subject or a verb, or both.

Example
Some of the inventions studied in Professor Saleh’s class last semester.
A run-on sentence is a sentence in which two or more independent clauses (that is, complete
sentences) are joined without appropriate punctuation or conjunction.

Example
It is nearly half past five we cannot finish the machine before dark.

Select the option which best describes each sentence.

1 Although this machine is helpful and provides many benefits for the elderly.
A There is nothing wrong with the structure of this sentence.
B Run-on: put a comma after helpful.
C Run-on: put a semicolon after helpful.
D Fragment: put a comma after elderly and finish the sentence.
2 This is going to be the most amazing invention, you’d better start selling it immediately.
A There is nothing wrong with the structure of this sentence.
B Fragment: put a comma after immediately and finish the sentence.
C Run-on: replace the comma with a semicolon.

Mark complete sentences with CS, sentence fragments with F, and run-on sentences with RO.
_____ 1 The invention that I saw yesterday.
_____ 2 It is not an exceptional discovery, it is only average.
_____ 3 Your idea to invent a time machine is quite impossible.
_____ 4 Because I have no new inventions yet.
_____ 5 Present your new invention carefully.
_____ 6 Our latest discoveries were revolutionary, therefore, our profits will be higher.
_____ 7 Having finished her new project, Joy sat down to an evening of television.
_____ 8 The steam engine, one of the well-known inventions in history.
_____ 9 I went in, I adjusted a few details. The machine worked perfectly well.
_____ 10 Hurry up!

49
E Speaking
The following is a list of six new inventions with a short description of each. In groups of four,
discuss which one is the most important and which is the least important.
Plastic into Oil
This machine is able to turn plastic into oil; it will help people use more renewable energy
sources.
Robot Suit
This is a robot suit that elderly farmers can attach to their bodies to help them carry out their
daily work more easily.
Toothbrush Without Toothpaste
This is a toothbrush that creates a solar-powered chemical reaction inside a person’s mouth
and cleans their teeth without using the toothpaste.
Tea Bag that Filters Water
When put in the drinking cup, the tea bag is able to clean all contaminants and bacteria from
water.
Lamp
This is a desktop lamp that can turn a table-top into an interactive high-resolution three-
dimensional display.
Spoken Words on User’s Glasses
This device helps people who suffer from hearing problems. It includes a microphone and a
mini-computer and is installed on glasses. It records one’s speech, and then converts it into
text displayed on the glasses.

robot

50
F Reading
Read the text and answer the questions.
Self-cleaning Clothing
Wool manufacturers are interested in this invention: coating fibers such as wool with
titanium dioxide nanocrystals, which break down food stains when exposed to sunlight. Of
course, these nanocrystals do not harm the skin. They don’t even affect the feel or look of the
fabric. When coated with titanium dioxide, fabrics become self-cleaning and may be useful in
hospitals, for instance.
Some may say that this is not a new invention since materials that use nanoparticles are
already on the market. However, such materials are stain-repellent fabrics with a nanofibre
coating that pushes the liquid off the fabric by making the particles roll off instead of being
absorbed into the material.
Titanium dioxide can decompose organic matter when exposed to ultraviolet light and when
mixed with water. It can also destroy bacteria when exposed to sunlight.
The most important feature of titanium dioxide is that it can get rid of ink stains in
seventeen hours and coffee stains in two hours.
Questions
1 Write a suitable introduction to this text.
2 Find five difficult words and explain them using the dictionary.
3 Give an example of ‘stain-repellent fabrics’.
4 Explain, in your own words, the difference between the type of fabric described in the text and
stain-repellent fabrics.
5 Write a suitable conclusion to this text.

clean laundry in baskets

G Writing
Write a well organised paragraph about a recent invention you are interested in.

51
Review

A Match the phrasal verbs with their definitions.

1 get along with a meet
2 get together b stop trying
3 give away c reach the same position
4 give up d be careful
5 look out e be friends
6 look over f select
7 catch up g review or check carefully
8 pick out h tolerate
9 put up with i make a present
10 find out j discover

B Fill in the gaps with someone, anybody, nobody, something, anything, nothing, somewhere, or
anywhere.
1 There’s in the wastepaper basket. It is empty.
2 Is there interesting on radio tonight? No, there isn’t.
3 Have you seen my mobile ? No, I haven’t.
4 Ask you know about IT, and he’ll tell you it is essential in telecom.

C Write the correct form of the verb in parentheses.

1 In today’s changing economies, anyone with a good job (be) fortunate.
2 Everyone (worry) about losing their money.
3 Every company (have) its own employment policies.
4 Some companies (allow) everyone to give their ideas.
5 Nobody (be) surprised when people complain.
6 None of the workers (be) at the meeting last night.

52
D Circle the correct word in parentheses.
In (all/ any) economic systems today, most businesses plan their organisations carefully.
(Another/ One) organisational system is the division of labour.
There, each worker is specialised and has his own specific duties to perform. E ach duty
(is/ are) one part of the whole operation. A good example of division of labour is an assembly
line in an automobile factory. (One/ Other) worker may install a door, (another/ others) the
hood. (The other/ The others) add lights, windshield wipers and so on. The workers don’t move.
E veryone (stay/ stays) in one place, and a conveyor belt moves the product to (him/ them).
That’s why, (few/ little) people understand all (aspect/ aspects) of an operation. Mass
production is efficient, but (many/ much) workers complain that they get (few/ little) job
satisfaction from working on one small task, day after day. To them, there is (many/ much)
more satisfaction in doing a job from start to finish.
E Fill in the gaps with the correct prepositions.
1 I like the ad where the actress j umped the river and swam the
treasure box.
2 She went of the river and put the box the river bank.
3 She opened the box and took the most beautiful pearl necklace.
4 Someone is standing the door the professor.
5 We walked the river Friday.
6 I shall stay here next Monday.

53
Part One: Written Communication

1 Documents for Accounting

NOTE
Source documents are documents in which all kinds of business transactions are recorded.
These include invoice, sales order, purchase order, debit note, credit note, goods received
note, quotation, remittance advice and receipt.

Match the following words with their definitions.

a quotation 1 order issued by a business to a customer
b credit note 2 commercial document issued by a buyer to a seller, indicating
types, quantities, and agreed prices for products or services
c debit note 3 a document used to record the inward entry of the goods
received at the premises of the organisation
d remittance advice 4 a commercial document issued by a seller to a buyer stating that
an amount of money has been credited to the buyer’s account
e goods received note 5 a note indicating an amount owed by a person or company
f purchase order 6 a statement or listing of the price for something
g sales order 7 letter sent by a customer to a supplier to inform the supplier
that his invoice has been paid
The following is a sample of a petty cash voucher. Create a situation where you, as an
accountant, would need to use it for a specific business transaction. Write the situation and fill
the voucher accordingly.
Account Description Amount

Total cash amount $

Voucher # _____________ Received by ____________ Authorised by ______________
Period covered: From _________________________ to __________________________

54
2 Job Documents
Put the following statements under the appropriate heading. Some of them can be put under
both headings.
1 They can help one get an interview.
2 They can be completed on paper or online.
3 The “Objective” is typically the first section and consists of a statement in which one
declares the career goal.
4 Poor spelling and wrinkled documents are typically viewed as indicators that the applicant
lacks the ability to perform well as an employee.
5 They provide the company with an overview of professional achievements and background.
6 Employers use them to evaluate the experience, continuity of employment, educational
background and overall potential of prospective employees.
7 They help employers collect specific data from potential employees for the purpose of
evaluating their qualifications.
8 They can be designed by the applicant to serve a specific purpose.
Job Application Forms CVs

NOTE
Different Types of CVs
CVs are the cornerstone of most job searches. Candidates spend hours creating
and polishing the perfect CV to be the best representation of their abilities and
accomplishments. Candidates can use different CVs for different purposes. Most candidates
should choose between a chronological and functional CV.
Chronological CVs present information in calendar order beginning with the most recent
position. On the other hand, functional CVs divide skills and accomplishments among
relevant headings. Hence, chronological CVs are best for applying for a similar job in the
same industry, while a functional CV is more relevant if a change in career direction is
sought.

Read the note above and then decide if the following statements are true or false. Correct the
false statements.
1 A CV is not important for a job search.
2 Chronological and functional CVs are the two most common types of CVs.
3 Information on a chronological CV are organised in descending calendar order.
4 Functional CVs and chronological CVs serve the same purpose.
5 Functional CVs highlight the job seekers’ skills and accomplishments.

55
 Choose a CV format that you like and fill it. Explain why you liked it.
CV 1
Applicant’s Name
Home Address: Term Address:
Tel: Date of Birth:
Email: Nationality:

EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS

Name of University Degree Year of graduation

Subjects:

WORK EXPERIENCE
Name of company, from to

Job title Job description

ACTIVITIES AND INTERESTS

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

REFEREES:

CV 2
Name of applicant
Address:
Tel: Email:
Date of Birth: Nationality:

SKILLS

EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS

Year of graduation Degree attained

WORK EXPERIENCE
from to Job title Job description Name of company

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

REFEREES
Name of referee 1 Name of referee 2
Contact details Contact details

56
 Circle the correct answer.
1 Your CV should be ______ and ______ - only put in information which you think is
important for the job.
a concise / relentless
b consize / relevant
c concise / relevant
d coincide / reverend

2 A good CV should have a clear ______ and lots of ______ space.

a white / layout
b outline / black
c layout / white
d outlay / white

3 A good CV should include as much information as possible: true or false?

a False: you should select information carefully.
b False: you should include as little information as possible.
c True.
d Neither true nor false.

4 The most important features are that your CV is _____ to read and looks good.
a simple
b light
c easy
d effortless

5 A good CV won’t guarantee a good job, but it could help you get ______.
a a discussion
b an interview
c a panel
d a board

6 Which of the following statements found in a resume do not clearly demonstrate the action
done?
i Administered a variety of surveys to collect data about employees
ii Maximised profits by 15% during the month of July
iii Surveyed a group of postgraduates with regard to mobile usage
iv Was the boss of a team of six service employees
v Participated in an interior design layout activity
a i & ii
b iv & v
c i,ii & iii
d iii & iv

57
B Business Cards

Note
Parts of a Business Card

The following seven categories should usually appear on a business card:

1 Name of business or organisation: A business card always has the name of a business or
organisation name on it. It is the most important part of a business card.

2 Name of individual: Most business cards give the name of an individual.

In a large organisation, the job title usually appears below it.

3 Address: A physical address or a mailing address, or both are crucial parts of a business card.

4 Phone number(s): Numbers are listed in order of voice, fax and mobile. The area and/or
country codes and extension should be added.

5 Email address: Including an email address is an important element nowadays since most
communications happen through it. If the company has a website this should appear as well.

6 Description of business: A brief description can be useful when the company’s name is
somewhat ambiguous or doesn’t clearly convey what it does. Taglines can also convey
benefits and features.

7 Logo: A logo is used consistently on business cards to help establish a company’s identity.

PS: Your business card should stand out from the rest. It should work as a mini advertisement
for your business in many different situations.

Sample business cards

Are the following statements true or false.

1 All business cards should include the individual’s name and job title.
2 It takes a few minutes for your card to convey the general idea of what you do.
3 You shouldn’t include your personal mobile phone number on your business card.
4 The logo portrays the company’s identity.

58
C Reports

Note
How to W rite a Business Report
When you are asked to write a report, you are provided with information. You are expected to
analyse that information, draw conclusions and make recommendations since the main object
of writing reports is to offer directly related suggestions.
A report is divided into five sections:
1 Terms of R eference: This section gives background information on the reason for the
report. It usually includes the person requesting the report.
2 Procedure: The procedure provides the exact steps taken and methods used for the report.
3 Findings: The findings point out discoveries made during the course of the report
investigation.
4 Conclusions: This part provides logical conclusions based on the findings.
5 R ecommendations: The recommendations state actions that the writer of the report feels
need to be taken based on the findings and conclusions.

Tips:
• Be concise and factual.
• Opinions are given in the “ conclusions” section. However, these opinions should be based
on facts presented in the “ findings” .
• Use the simple present tense to express facts.
• Use the imperative form (Discuss the possibility ..., Give priority ..., etc.) in the
“ recommendations” section as these apply to the company as a whole.
Some phrases that can be used in report writing are:
to agree with
as agreed
as far as I’m concerned
as follows
as per to the conditions
as per your request
as requested
as soon as possible
at your convenience
to be authorised to
to be held responsible for
provided that

Put the steps of writing a report in the correct order.

a Conduct research and gather information. _____
b Decide on methods or procedures for gathering data. _____
c Submit improved report. _____
d Write draft report. _____
e Edit and proofread the draft to improve it. _____
f Identify personnel to research the area and produce a report. _____
g Identify an area for investigation. _____
h Determine the purpose of the report. _____
i Organise and analyse the information collected. _____

59
Match each report with its description.
Type of Report Description
1 Incident Report A a report describing how someone was hurt or something was damaged
2 Accident Report B a report on how and why something has changed over time
3 Progress Report C a report on how practical a proposal is
4 Feasibility Study D a report describing something that has happened
5 Recommendation E a report on a particular situation over a period of time
Report
6 Case Study F a report presented to people in authority to accept or refuse a plan
and choose from among other recommendation.

The following are tips to evaluate the effectiveness of your report. Put them in the right group.
A Content B Format C Language
1 Is space used appropriately?
2 Is the information organised so that it clearly and effectively conveys the message?
3 Is the report grammatically correct?
4 Is the report free of spelling mistakes?
5 Is there consistency in heading and formatting?
6 Are the recommendations supported by facts?
7 Has all the necessary information been included?
8 Is all the information relevant?
Match the report stages with the appropriate phrases.
Report Stages Phrases
a Who requested the report
b Data for the report was gathered from (date) ... to (date) ...
c When the report was requested
d The report presents ...
e Why the report was requested, and the aim
1 Introduction f I believe that the reasons for this include ...
g Overview of the structure of the report
2 Procedure h The survey respondents said that ...
3 Findings i When the data was collected
j In conclusion, the results show that ...
4 Recommendations k How the data was collected
l Conclusions lead to possibilities for further action
5 Conclusion m Description of the information discovered
n The report was requested on ...
o Summary of what you discovered
p Primary data was collected by surveying ...
q Ideas about the reasons for the things discovered
r The report aims to ...
s What you think should happen
t This report was requested by ...

60
D Business Questionnaires

NOTE
The success of any business depends greatly on its customers’ satisfaction. One way to get
feedback from the clients is through business questionnaires. The information in a questionnaire
can be used to improve and help business people in managing their businesses better. It is
best to administer business questionnaires exclusively to clients, as their own opinion is very
important for the success/improvement of a business. It is important to ask relevant details
about the clients and their needs to help achieve the aim at the end of the survey. While
preparing a business questionnaire, it is important to concentrate on various areas of the
business to get an overall impression and feedback. It is a good idea to include more open-
ended questions in the business questionnaire to get a better response.

The following table presents four types of questionnaires needed in business.

Type of Description Sample Questions

Questionnaire
It determines the fields where
the business is doing well, as
well as areas where there is
loss of income. Gathered data
is then used for reforming the
business. The questionnaires
also help collect data that is
Business important to determine the
Questionnaire strengths and weaknesses in
the marketing department,
employee effectiveness,
financial management, employee
satisfaction and the viability
of organisational systems and
processes.
It is useful to collect data that
would benefit businessmen
who want to draft a successful
Business Plan business plan. The questions help
Questionnaire the business people evaluate their
financial plans.
- Is the business heading towards
the same direction that was
intended since its inception?
- Does the profitability in the
business steadily increase
annually?
- What are the responsibilities of
the sales team?
- How can each employee
contribute to the development of
the organisation?
- How does the company motivate
its staff members?
- Why do you want to invest in this
specific business?
- What are the main investment
goals?
- What products or services will the
business deal with?
- Where are the target clients for
this business located?

61
 Type of Description
Questionnaire
It’s a guide that aims at surveying
business opportunities. It
highlights business concepts
that attract investors. It guides
businessmen find better ways to
convey their ideas and evaluate
Business their performance. It mainly
Questionnaire identifies the making of money
Template and solutions for customer
problems.
It aims to help a businessman
identify the business needs
required for his business to
succeed. The data collected is
also necessary to find solutions
to problems such as system
development, organisational
change, policy development,
Business process improvement and
Analysis strategic planning.
Questionnaire
Sample Questions
- What purpose does your business
serve?
- What is the motivation behind
starting the business?
- Who is your target customer?
- What service or product does your
business offer?
- How can people benefit from the
services that you provide?
- What gives you an edge over other
businesses in the same field?
- Does your business consist of a
team?
- What has your business
accomplished so far?
- Is there an increase in business
competition within your target
market? If yes, what has your
business done to counter the
increased competition? Has your
reaction to the competition
benefited your business interests?
If yes, state in which ways.
- Is the business utilising cost-
saving measures effectively
without compromising the quality
of its products or services?
- Are all staff members in the
business well-enumerated and
motivated? Is their motivation
level reflected in their
performance? If not, what needs
to be changed in the human
resource policy?

Are the following statements true or false?

1 A business analysis questionnaire can be helpful in spotting the needs of a business to be
successful.
2 Business ideas are not clear when put in a template.
3 A business plan questionnaire is not a draft of the actual business plan.
4 A business questionnaire identifies areas where the business is behind but not where it is
doing well.
5 A template is a guide.
6 The data collected from a business analysis questionnaire is not very important in planning
solutions to problems in a business.
7 Strengths and weaknesses in the marketing department are determined through a business
questionnaire.

62
NOTE
The following is a list of the different types of questions in a questionnaire design:
1 Open Format Questions: In these types of questions, there is no predetermined set of
responses and the person is free to answer however he/she chooses.
Example
State your opinion about the q uality of our products and services.
2 Closed Format Questions: Closed format questions are questions that include multiple
choice answers.
Example
Which are the gadgets you cannot live without?
Mobile phone La ptop iPod
3 Leading Questions: Leading questions are questions that force your audience for a particular
type of answer.
Example
H ow would you rate this product?
Fair Go od Excellent
4 Dichotomous Questions: Dichotomous questions are simple questions that ask respondents
to just answer Yes or No .
Example
D o you like this product?
Yes No
5 Rating Scale Questions: They ask the audience to rank items in a certain order using 1, 2,
3, etc …
Example
Place 1 next to the item you like best and 3 next to the item you like least.
Potatoes Tomatoes Carrots

Tips
The following questions should be avoided when preparing a questionnaire.
1 Embarrassing Questions: Embarrassing questions are questions that ask respondents details
about personal and private matters.
2 Positive / Negative Connotation Questions: While defining a question, strong negative or
positive overtones must be avoided. Ideal questions should have neutral overtones.

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Imagine you are going to open a business in your hometown. Explain what tool(s) you will use
to decide on the type of business that will be successful there. Then, devise ten questions that
you will ask the citizens to help you make decisions regarding the new business (you can take
examples from the samples in the table on pages 89-90).
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
What types are the following questions?
1 Have you ever purchased a product or service from our website?
__ Yes
__ No
____________________________________
2 How did you first hear about our website?
__ Television
__ R adio
__ Newspaper
__ Magaz ine
__ Word-of-mouth
__ Internet
____________________________________
3 Based upon what you have seen, heard and experienced, please rank the following packaging
methods according to their durability. Place a “ 1 ” next to the brand that is most reliable, a “ 2”
next to the brand that is next most reliable, and so on.
__ plastic bags
__ paper bags
__ boxes
__ cans
____________________________________
4 How would you describe your last experience purchasing a product or service on our website?
Would you say that your experience was:
__ V ery pleasant
__ Somewhat pleasant
__ Neither pleasant nor unpleasant
__ Somewhat unpleasant
__ V ery unpleasant
____________________________________
5 What products or services were you looking for that were not found on our website?
____________________________________

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E Graphs and Charts
Note
Graphs and charts are great because they communicate information visually. They can help
impress people by getting a point across quickly and visually. They should be used to make facts
clearer and more understandable.

W hat is the difference betw een charts and graphs?

Charts and graphs illustrate relationships between data in different ways. Graphs are best for
illustrating a trend over time. Charts cannot show this relationship since they use a series of
bars rather than data points connected by a line that goes up and down. On one hand, graphs
are much better at showing trends for a single set of data than charts are. On the other hand,
charts are useful for displaying patterns or information about frequency. The bars on a chart are
higher or longer depending on the value they represent. It’s not possible to use a graph to show
proportions or percentages. However, pie charts, a specific type of chart, can do this well.

How to choose w hich type of graph or chart to use?

Line graphs are used to track changes over short and long periods of time. When smaller changes
exist, line graphs are better to use than bar graphs. Line graphs can also be used to compare
changes over the same period of time for more than one category of information.

Pie charts are best to use when you are trying to compare parts of a whole. They do not show
changes over time.

Bar graphs are used to compare quantities of different categories or to track changes over time.
However, when trying to measure changes over time, bar graphs are only clear when the changes
are large.

Area graphs are very similar to line graphs. They can be used to track changes over time for one
or more groups. Area graphs are good to use when you are tracking the changes in two or more
related groups that make up one whole category (for example public and private groups).

X -Y plots are used to determine relationships between the two different things. The x-axis is used
to measure one event or variable and the y-axis is used to measure the other.

Graphs and Charts

Pie chart Line graph Bar graph

65
Match the types of charts with their appropriate definitions (1-3) and pictures (A-C).
• line graph _____ _____ _____
• pie chart _____ _____ _____
• bar graph _____ _____ _____
1 It is a way to summarise how two pieces of information are related and how they vary
depending on one another.
2 It is divided into pieces, each displaying the size of some related piece of information. They
are used to display the sizes of parts that make up some whole.
3 It consists of an axis and a series of labelled horizontal or vertical bars that show different
values.
A B C

Use words from the box to label the following pie chart.
title key number one source of news second source of news

Sources of News
22 Online News

7.3 Major Newspaper Sites

Local TV / Newspaper Sites
Network TV Pages
Online News
34 24.4

34

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Look at the pie chart from task b and decide if the following statements are true or false. Correct
the false statements.
1 Local TV or newspaper sites are the second most visited source of online news.
2 The pie chart shows that people more often use online opinion magazines as a major source
of news.
3Online News is the third favourite source of online news.
4 More people prefer to use major newspaper sites than Network TV pages.
Read the bar graph and answer the questions.

100%
90%

80%

60%
girls
50%
40% 42% boys

20%
17% 17% 17% 17%
8.5%
0%
green cars red cars blue cars other cars
Bar chart

1 What do the bars stand for?

a the percentage of girls interviewed c the number of boys and girls interviewed
b popular car colours d the number of boys or girls interviewed
2 Which car colour was selected as the second choice by the girls?
a red b green c blue d other
3 What is the percentage of boys and girls who preferred blue cars?
a 42 b 59 c 100 d 17
4 The height of each bar is determined by the number of students (male or female) who choose
a particular food.
a true b false

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Part Two: Oral Communication
Oral communication describes any type of interaction that makes use of spoken words, and
it is a vital, integral part of the modern business world. The types of oral communication
commonly used within an organisation include staff meetings, personal discussions,
presentations, telephone discourse and informal conversation. Oral communication with
those outside of the organisation might take the form of face-to-face meetings, telephone
calls, speeches, teleconferences or videoconferences.

Conversation management skills are essential in business contexts. For oral communication
to be effective, it should be clear, relevant, diplomatic, concise and informative. On one
hand, presentations or conversations that bear these characteristics can be an invaluable
tool in ensuring business health and growth. Unclear, inaccurate or inconsiderate business
communication, on the other hand, can waste valuable time, alienate employees or
customers and destroy goodwill toward management or the overall business.

Negotiations

NOTE
Is Negotiation Necessary?
Negotiation, can be a lengthy and cumbersome process. By asking whether negotiation is
necessary, time may sometimes be saved and unnecessary compromise avoided. On occasions,
a request to negotiate may best be met by pointing out that the party making the request has
no standing in the matter. If a manager has the undoubted authority to act, making a decision
rather than negotiating may be the best tactic.
Alternatively, there are cases in which the best response to a request or a claim is to concede
it without argument. Why waste time negotiating if the other party has a good case and there
are no adverse consequences in conceding? Unnecessary negotiation, followed perhaps by
a grudging concession of the other party’s claim, will lose all the advantage that might be
gained with a quick unexpected yes.
An alternative to a simple yes or no when a difference of view occurs is to skip negotiation
and proceed immediately to some form of third-party intervention.

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Look at the following table and write a paragraph comparing and contrasting the two types of
negotiation presented in it using the examples given.
Types Parties Involved Examples
Day-to-day • Different levels of • Negotiation for pay terms
Managerial Negotiations management and working conditions
• In between colleagues • Description of the job and
• Trade unions fixation of responsibility
• Legal advisers • Increasing productivity
• Management • Striking a contract with
• Suppliers the customer
• Customers • Negotiations for the price
• Trade unions and quality of goods to
• Public be purchased
• Negotiations with
financial institutions
regarding the availability
of capital
Read the following case and use the statements given to you to prepare a conversation

Paul works for a company called Landscaping. Paul is a landscaper who has been with this
company for ten years. He believes he is underpaid. He also thinks he deserves more seniority
over his colleagues. Paul's manager, Joshua, is the owner of Landscaping. Though Joshua values
Paul more than any of his other labourers, he isn't sure that he can afford to pay him more,
especially at this time of year when work is unsteady. Paul is preparing his case to present to
Joshua. Joshua is trying to negotiate with him to keep things the way they are now.

• I’ll accept a pay rise of one dollar per hour, but that’s my bottom-line.
• We can’t offer you the pay rise you requested, but let’s discuss some other alternatives.
• I’d be willing to comply if you can offer me my own private office.
• We are willing to compromise on this issue because it means so much to you.
• It would be great if we could come to a consensus by 5:00 p.m.
• You have some last minute demands that are entirely unrealistic.
• My contract says that I am entitled to full benefits after six months of employment.
• We’ve been haggling over this issue for too long now.

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 Correspondence
B Oral Presentations

NOTE
The public presentation is generally recognised as the most important of the various genres
of oral business communication. As is true of all kinds of communication, the first step in
preparing a public speech is to determine the essential goal of the communication. Business
presentations tend to have one of three general purposes: to persuade, to inform or to
entertain. Out of the purpose will come the main ideas to be included in the presentation.
The ideas should then be organised to include an introduction, a main body or text and a
summary or conclusion. The introduction should grab the listener’s interest and establish the
theme of the remainder of the presentation. The main body should concentrate on points of
emphasis. The conclusion should restate the key points and summarise the message that is
being conveyed.
Vis ual aids are an important component of many oral presentations. They should be
meaningful, creative and interesting in order to help the speaker get a message across.
Once the presentation has been organised and the visual aids have been selected, the
speaker should rehearse aloud and revise as needed to fit time constraints. It may help to
practise in front of a mirror or a friend in order to gain confidence. A good oral presentation
will include transitional phrases to help listeners move through the material.
The delivery of effective oral presentations requires a speaker to consider his or her
vocal pitch, speed and volume. It is important to incorporate changes in vocal pitch to add
emphasis and avoid monotony. It is also helpful to vary the rate of speaking and incorporate
pauses to allow the listener to reflect upon specific elements of the overall message. Finding
the appropriate volume is crucial to the success of a presentation as well.
Nonverbal elements such as posture, gestures and facial expression are also important
factors in developing good oral communication skills. Some movement may be helpful to hold
the listeners’ attention or to increase emphasis, but constant shifting or pacing should be
avoided. Likewise, hand and arm gestures can be used to point, describe or emphasise, but
they should be varied, carefully timed and adapted to the audience. Finally, good speakers
should make frequent eye contact with the audience, let their facial expression show their
interest in the ideas they are presenting and dress in a way that is appropriate for the
occasion.

Are the following statements true or false? Correct the false statements.
1 Good presenters are born not made.
2 You can become an excellent presenter overnight.
3 Good communicators have to have constant practice and some rules to follow.
4 Learning how to speak clearly and avoiding a monotonous voice is a must for a good
presenter.
5 Good presenters use the same words when sending their message to different persons
because people are identical.
6 Good presenters always give feedback based on facts and not on opinions.
7 Good presenters avoid vagueness.

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Put the following characteristics of a good communicator under the appropriate category.
1 answer all questions asked
2 choose vivid, image-building words
3 omit expressions that irritate or hurt
4 focus on “you” instead of “I” or “we”
5 construct effective sentences and paragraphs
6 apply integrity and ethics
7 avoid unnecessary repetition
8 include examples, illustrations and other visual aids
9 use specific and accurate words, facts and figures
10 include only relevant statements
11 choose non-discriminatory expressions
12 check for the five W’s and any other essentials
13 be sincerely tactful, thoughtful and appreciative

Completeness (context)
Conciseness (style)
Consideration (context/delivery)
Concreteness (style/sources)
Clarity (organisation/sources)
Courtesy (delivery)
Correctness (style)

Prepare a research on one of the following topics and be ready to present it orally in class.

• Starting a business
• Business skills development and training
• Buying a franchise

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C Socialising and Etiquette

NOTE
Social and business etiquette can be tricky, and making the right moves can make a big
difference. Hence, here are some tips that you can learn about socialising and etiquette.

Basic social conversation rules:

• Keep the conversation short and moving. Limit responses to 60 seconds or less.
• Avoid opinion and emotion-evoking topics such as money, politics and religion.
• Do not interrupt.
• Do not finish other people’s statements.
• If someone does or says something rude, ignore it.
• Do not criticise others.

The top five most common topics of conversation are:

current events, sports, the event or job at hand, the organisation sponsoring the event and
personal demographics.

Some conversation timing rules are:

• At breakfast, business conversation can begin as soon as the coffee is poured.
• At lunch, make small talk until orders have been taken. Then you can talk business.
• At dinner, wait for the host to bring business into the conversation.

The following is a quiz regarding business etiquette. Do you agree or disagree? Justify your
answer.
1 Your boss Ms Alpha enters the room when you’re meeting with an important client, Mr Beta.
You rise and say “Ms Alpha, I’d like you to meet Mr Beta, our client from San Diego.”
2 At a social function, you meet the CEO of an important Japanese corporation. After a brief
chat, you give him your business card.
3 You’re getting into a taxi with an important client. You should sit so the client is nearest the
curb.
4 You’re hosting a dinner at a restaurant. You’ve pre-ordered for everyone and indicated where
they should sit.
Choose the correct answer. There may be more than one.
1 You’re in a restaurant and a thin soup is served in a cup with no handles. To eat it you
should:
A pick it up and drink it.
B use the spoon provided.
C eat half of it with a spoon and drink the remainder.
2 You’re at a table in a restaurant for a business dinner. Midway through the meal, you’re
called to the telephone. What do you do with your napkin?
A Fold and place it to the left of your plate.
B Loosely fold it and place it on the right side.
C Leave it on your chair.

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3 You’re hosting a dinner party at a restaurant. Included are two other couples, and your most
valuable client and his wife. You instruct the waiter to:
A serve your spouse first.
B serve your client’s spouse first.
C serve your client first.
4 You’re invited to a business reception and the invitation states 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. You should
arrive:
A anytime between 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.
B between 7:00 pm and 7:30 p.m.
C a few minutes before 7:00 p.m.
5 You’re greeting or saying goodbye to someone. When’s the proper time to shake their hand?
A When you’re introduced.
B When you say goodbye.
C Both A and B.
6 You’re talking with a group of four people. Do you make eye contact with:
A just the person to whom you’re speaking at the moment?
B each of the four, moving your eye contact from one to another?
C no one particular person (not looking directly into anyone’s eyes)?
7 You’re invited to dinner in someone’s house. When do you take your napkin from the table
and place it on your lap?
A Immediately.
B Wait for the host to take his napkin.
C Wait for the oldest person at the table to take his.
8 You’re scheduled to meet a business associate for lunch and you arrive a few minutes early to
find a suitable table. Thirty minutes later, your associate hasn’t yet arrived. Do you:
A order your lunch and eat?
B continue waiting and fuming about your associate being late?
C call your associate after 15 minutes?
9 You’ve forgotten a lunch with a business associate. You feel terrible and know he’s furious.
Do you:
A write a letter of apology?
B keep quiet and hope he forgets about it?
C call and set up another appointment?

73
 Work in pairs to research two of the following business etiquette topics. Then, write a short
paragraph about it.
• Setting a professional tone with co-workers, clients and customers
• Making proper introductions
• Casual dress rules
• Handshake protocol
• Guest etiquette
• Workplace behaviour faux pas
• Business dining etiquette
• How your office decorations may affect your professional image
Put the following tips under the appropriate heading in the table below.
1 Grant your neighbours private time.
2 Never talk with your mouth full. Instead, take small bites so you can quickly swallow if
somebody asks you a question.
3 K eep your dignity and respect the dignity of others.
4 A good handshake will grant you instant rapport when meeting someone new.
5 Always be kind to the waiters, no matter what happens.
6 A good, well-timed handshake to pair with your smile is a sure way to stand out, whether
you’re at the company picnic or an industry conference.
7 K eep lunch in the kitchen. Or, when you absolutely can’t leave your desk for a meal, choose
foods without strong odours, and dispose of your trash in the kitchen, not in your own bin.
8 Put some thought into choosing the right restaurant. If it is too casual or inexpensive, the
person may not feel valued. If it is too expensive, they may perceive you as wasteful. When
in doubt, suggest that the other person picks the place.
9 As you walk down the passageways, don’t peek into each workstation.
10 Don’t do anything that you don’t want the entire company to be talking about for several
years to come.
Workplace etiquette
Handshake etiquette
Business dining etiquette
General etiquette

How would you behave in the following situations?

1 Tell your CEO that he has spinach stuck in his teeth.
2 You find a personal – and potentially embarrassing – document left behind on the
photocopier. Normally, you’d put forgotten pages in a tray beside the copier, for people to
claim later.

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NOTE
Smart Socialising for Business Success

Business-related gatherings provide an excellent opportunity to mix and mingle with clients,
prospects and other contacts. It’s a relaxed, friendly atmosphere conducive to building
relationships and cultivating new business. If you spend the duration in non-productive
situations, you waste time and miss valuable networking opportunities. The idea is to network,
to circulate and be sociable, meeting new people, starting and ending conversations smoothly
and establishing a rapport that ensures a productive follow-up.

Networking can be your number one marketing strategy. It virtually costs you nothing but it
can certainly bring in new business.

Tips
1 Go prepared and don’t leave until you achieve your objectives.
2 Show up early.
3 Smile when you walk in the door and don’t stop smiling until you leave.
4 If you attend a business gathering with a friend or associate, split up.
5 Be the first to say “ Hello” .
6 Avoid approaching two people who are deep in conversation.
7 J oin groups of three or more.
8 Stand in high-traffic areas.
9 Look for common ground in getting-to-know-you conversations with new contacts.
10 You can connect with just about everyone if you make the effort.
11 Shake hands firmly.
12 Hold your glass in the left hand so your right hand will be free for handshaking.
13 If you forget someone’s name, don’t be afraid to ask him or her to repeat it.
14 Have fun and be funny.
15 Aim for quality rather than quantity when it comes to the conversations you have.
16 K eep your goals in mind.
17 Show interest in everyone you meet.

Some of the above tips can be difficult to achieve while others can be very easy. Put them in two
categories and explain your answer.

Easy Difficult

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