Vocabulary

A-(117) There are many idioms from sport used in the

business, particularly when talking about competition.
Use the nouns from the box to complete these idioms
(p.113).
Field : phạm vi, lĩnh vực
Ball : quả cầu, hình cầu
Seat : chỗ ngồi, ghế
Goalposts : khung chống
Race : giống, loài
 IDIOMS
1. A level playing field (football)
2. In the driving seat (motor racing)
3. To be neck and neck (horse racing)
4. Flogging a dead horse (horse racing)
5. A major player (football, baseball)
6. Move the goalposts (football)
7. Keep your eye on the ball (tennis or any ball
game)
8. Ahead of the game (any sport)
9. A one-horse race (horse racing)
10.On the ropes (boxing)
 IDIOMATIC MEANING
1. A level playing field = a/ a situation of fair
competition
2. In the driving seat = h/ being in control
3. To be neck and neck = c/ being at the same level as
the competition
4. Flogging a dead = e/ wasting your time on a hopeless
situation
5. A major player = j/ being in a very bad situation
6. Move the goalposts = g/ a change in the rules
7. Keep your eye on the ball = f/ staying focused
8. Ahead of the game = b/ being in front of the
competition
9. A one-horse race = d/ being the only competition
10.On the ropes = i/ being in a very bad situation
Play
 Câu 1
Câu 2

Câu 3

Câu 4

Câu 5

Câu 6
Câu 7

Câu 8
POINTS
B-(117) Which of the idioms in Exercise A refer to:

1) A situation of fair competition? (Tình

hình có sự cạnh tranh công bằng?)

a. A level playing field

b. Move the goalposts
c. A level play area
d. Fair competition
2) Being in front of the competition?
(Dẫn trước đối thủ cạnh tranh?)
a. lead of the game
b. Ahead of the game
c. A one horse race
d. In the driving seat
3) Being at the same level as the
competition? (Ở cùng cấp độ với đối
thủ?)
a. equally intelligent
b. to be ahead to ahead
c. Keep your eye on the ball
d. To be neck and neck
4) Being the only competition? (Là đối
thủ cạnh tranh duy nhất?)
a. serious competitor
b. A level play area
c. A one horse race
d. It is the competition
5) Wasting your time on a hopeless
situation? (Lãng phí thời gian vào một
tình huống vô vọng?)

a. Flogging a dead horse

b. the hopelessness
c. disappointed that someone
d. Move the goalposts
6) Staying focused? (Duy trì sự tập
trung?)

a. keep your eye on the seat

b. In the driving seat
c. Move the goalposts
d. Keep your eye on the ball
7) A change in the rules? (Một sự
thay đổi trong các quy tắc?)

a. change from one to the other

b. In the driving seat
c. Move the goalposts
d. movement of the earth
8) Being a control? (Đang được
kiểm soát?)

a. In the driving seat

b. Flogging a dead horse
c. Move the goalposts
d. A level playing field
BẤT PHÂN THẮNG BẠI
C – (119) The following verbs related to competition all
appear in the article.

dominate

Being in
a strong exceed
rival
position
?

crush
 regain

match Equality? overtake

rival
 crush

regain exceed
Doing better than?
=>exceed
D-119/ Select the best alternative in each example below.

1. Our sales results ( rivalled / exceeded) all our

expectations.
(Kết quả bán hàng của chúng tôi vượt quá sự mong
đợi).
2. After buying their largest competitor they totally
( dominated / exceeded) the market.

(Sau khi thâu tóm đối thủ cạnh tranh duy nhất của
mình, họ hoàn toàn thống trị thị trường).
3. Our factory (rivals/ regains) many of our compectitors.

(Nhà máy của chúng tôi phải cạnh tranh với rất
nhiều đối thủ).

4. After only three years, US sales (crushed/ overtook)

sales in Europe.

(Chỉ sau 3 năm doanh số bán hàng của Mỹ đã vượt

qua doanh số bán hàng của Châu Âu).
5. Following the bankruptcy of our main competitor we
(overtook/ regained) our position as market leader.

(Do đối thủ cạnh tranh của chúng tôi bị phá sản nên
chúng tôi đã lấy lại vị trí thống lĩnh thị trường).

6. They can ( Match/ dominate) us on price but not on

quality.

(Họ có thể cạnh tranh về giá cả nhưng chất lượng thì

không).
7. We are going to (regain/ Crush) the
competition with our new handset.
(Chúng tôi dự định đè bẹp đối thủ cạnh tranh
bằng thiết bị cầm tay mới).
 C U T T H R O A T
A G G R E S S I V E
D E E P
F I E R C E
H E A V Y
I N T E N S E
S T R O N G
T O U G H
U N F A I
R
T O S I NK OR SW I M
 A-(56) Complete each pair of tentences with the same
adjective from the box.

cut – throat
1. a) The …………………..competition in PCs is
keeping prices relatively low.
Sự cạnh tranh gay gắt trong PCs là nhằm duy trì giá
tương đối thấp
cut – throat
b) Alfitel and Deltelcom are engaged in a….………….…….battle
for market share.

Alfitel và Deltelcom đang tham gia vào cuộc chiến khốc
liệt để dành lấy thị phần.
2. a) Sonara reduced their prices so much that they
were accused of .................competition
unfair
Sonara giảm giá quá nhiều cho nên họ bị cáo buộc cạnh
tranh không công bằng

b) Brent & Kay have an …………....advantage

unfair over
their competitors because of their connections with
the Board of Trade
Brent & Kay có một lợi thế hơn các đối thủ cạnh tranh
của ho, bởi vì họ có mối quan hệ với Hội Đồng Thương
Mại
 intense competition for the
3 a) There will be ……………..
contract as the terms are excellent.
(Sự cạnh tranh mạnh mẽ là điều khoản tuyệt vời trong
hợp đồng.)

b) At this time of the year, all fruit growers are

intense
involved in …………….activity.

(Vào thời điểm này trong năm, những người trồng cây
ăn quả tham gia vào rất nhiều hoạt động sôi nổi)
4. a) Everybody knows that competition to win a
fierce
stake in United Telecommunications will be …………..

(Mọi người đều biết sự cạnh tranh để giành lấy cổ phần
của United Telecommunications là cực kì ác liệt.)

fierce storms
b) Deliveries were delayed owing to …………
in the north of the country.
(Việc giao hàng bị trễ vì gặp phải 1 cơn bão dữ dội ở
phía bắc đất nước.)
 5. a) European mobile phone manufactures are under
tough
…………….price competition from Korean companies.

(Các hãng điện thoại di động Châu Âu sản xuất có giá cả
cứng hơn với các hãng cùng ngành ở Hàn Quốc.)

tough
b) A good leader has to be able to make…….....decisions
when necessary, and to make them quickly.
(Một nhà lãnh đạo xuất sắc là người có quyết định rõ ràng
và thực hiện chúng một cách nhanh chóng.)
6. a) Prices have gone down owing to …………
strong
competition.

(Giá cả bị giảm mạnh do cạnh tranh.)

b) The CEO says the ................pound

strong is
responsible for the fall in exports.

(Giám đốc điều hành nói bảng Anh có ảnh hưởng

lớn tới sự sụt giảm của xuất khẩu.)
 READING p.114
Read the article p.114 then decide “M” (McDonald’s) or S
(Starbucks’) for the following statements:
1. Start competing in the coffee-bar market
2. Replace their Chief Executive
3. Slow expansion in the US.
4. Introduce coffee bars with “baristas”
5. Close under-performing stores
6. Focus on international plans
7. Allow customers to see drinks being made
8. Use simple sizes for coffees
9. Probably offer coffee at a lower price than their
major competitors
 READING p.114
Read the article p.114 then decide “M” (McDonald’s) or S
(Starbucks’) for the following statements:
1. Start competing in the coffee-bar market → M
2. Replace their Chief Executive → S
3. Slow expansion in the US. → S
4. Introduce coffee bars with “baristas” → M
5. Close under-performing stores → S
6. Focus on international plans → S
7. Allow customers to see drinks being made → M
8. Use simple sizes for coffees → M
9. Probably offer coffee at a lower price than their
major competitors → M
 PREPOSITION E. p.115
1. To not get smt because sb else gets it instead =
lose out to
2. To compete or fight against sb = take on
3. To give all your attention to a particular thing =
focus on
4. To take smt else’s place = replace by
5. To deliberately cause problems = stir up
 PHRASAL VERBS WITH “TAKE”
Exercise F p. 115
1. Be taken aback = be surprised
2. Take off = grow rapidly
3. Take on = give employment to
4. Take out = arrange (of money)
5. Take over = gain control of a company
Exercise G p. 115
1. We were going to take on 5 new staff next month, but then the
economy crashed
2. They pretended it was a merger, but it feels like we were taken
over.
3. We were taken aback when the president announced his
resignation
4. It is very difficult to take out a loan these days.
5. After the new product launch, sales are expected to take off
 DISCUSS…
• 1. Do you think that McDonald’s strategy will
be successful?
• 2. How do you think Starbucks will respond?
E (115) Complete the sentences with prepositions

1. Lowering our prices would be a rather ineffective way

to ..the competition.
of responding .......
Giảm giá sẽ là một phương thức cạnh tranh không
hiệu quả
2. Many corner shops were unable to cope ..……..
with the
competition from supermarkets and had to close down.

Nhiều cửa hàng nhỏ ở góc phố không thể đối đầu với
sự cạnh tranh từ các siêu thị nên đã phải đóng cửa.
3. If they invest in the mobile phone technology, they
to
stand a good chance of catching ………………..
with their
competitors.
Nếu họ đầu tư vào mảng công nghệ điện thoại di động,
họ có một cơ hội tốt để bắt kịp đối thủ cạnh tranh của
họ.
to
4. Some businesses are finding it difficult to adapt …….
such a volatile market.
Một số doanh nghiệp đang gặp khó khăn để thích nghi
với sự biến động của thị trường
 5. Local clothes manufacturers can no longer fight…….
off
the competition from global brands.
Quần áo của các nhà sản xuất địa phương không thể
tiếp tục chống lại sự cạnh tranh từ các nhãn hiệu toàn
cầu.
6. If you opened a computer retail shop in our city, you
up against
would be …………….....very strong competition.

Nếu bạn mở một cửa hàng máy tính bán lẻ trong thành
phố của chúng tôi, bạn sẽ phải chống lại sự cạnh tranh
rất khốc liệt.
C-57 Correct the two sentences in which te idioms
are used incorrectly.

1. Although she is past normal retirement age, she is

obviously still in the driving seat of the company.

(Mặc dù cô ấy đã quá tuổi về hưu, nhưng cô ấy vẫn điều

hành công ty rất tốt).
2. The market keeps changing all the time, so you
have to stay allert and keep your eye on the ball.

(Thị trường không ngừng biến động theo thời gian, vì vậy
bạn phải cảnh giác và tập trung).
3. With Alfitel years ahead of their competitors, many
people say it is now a one race horse.
(Với nhiều năm dẫn trước đối thủ cạnh tranh của họ nên
nhiều người cho rằng Alfitel không có đối thủ.)

→ With Alfitel years ahead of their competitors, many

people say it is now a one horse race.
4. In our country, Nokia and Ericsson are neck and
neck. They are both equally successful.
Ở nước ta, Nokia và Ericsson đối thủ ngang tài ngang
sức. Họ đều rất thành công.

TRUE FALSE
5. Now they want to extend the deadline and re-discuss the
terms and conditions. We’ll never reach an agreement if they
keep changing the goalkeepers.
(Hiện nay họ đang nâng cao yêu cầu về thời hạn các điều
khoản và điều kiện. Chúng tôi sẽ không bao giờ đạt được 1 thỏa
thuận nếu họ tiếp tục thay đổi các nguyên tắc.)
→ Now they want to extend the deadline and rediscuss the
terms and conditions. We’ll never reach an agreement if they
keep changing the goal.

TRUE FALSE
1. To pull one’s a). It is your turn to take the
punches next step

b). To be given something

2. To kick off difficult to do without any
help
3. The ball is in
your court c). To act or fight with less
force than you could
4. To sink or
swim d). To go back on a promise

5. To backpebal e). To be able to succeed

alone, or to fail
6. To be thrown
in at the deep
f).To starts
end
 LISTENING CD 2.36. P.115
1. What does the Competition Commission do?
→ It carries out investigations into particular mergers
and markets in the UK and into regulated industries
2. Why are they investigating the ownership of UK
airport?
→ To see if the ownership structure is in the interests
of consumers (i.e. to see if it is a competitive market)
 LISTENING CD 2.37 P.115- T OR F?
1. For the Competition Commission, the most
important thing is the number of providers in a
market.
2. In static markets, there is not much competition
3. The UK grocery market is dominated by a few
companies
4. The grocery market is not competitive
 LISTENING CD 2.37 P.115- T OR F?
1. For the Competition Commission, the most
important thing is the number of providers in a
market. → F (… looking at the dynamic of the
market)
2. In static markets, there is not much competition T
3. The UK grocery market is dominated by a few
companies → T
4. The grocery market is not competitive → F (this is
a market where these companies are competing
actively with each other)
GRAMMAR REVIEW- PASSIVE
Grammar exercise p. 116
 Case Study – FASHION HOUSE
Company Fashion House
Based in Miami, Florida
Activity Chain of stores selling high-class jewellery products,
including necklaces, bracelets, earrings
Profit margin At least 80% on most products
Date now 1 October
Delivery 5,000 necklaces and bracelets and 3,000 earrings to be
deadline delivered by 15 November
Confident of 3,000 necklaces and bracelets and 2,000 earrings; more
selling if the prices are competitive and the demand strong
Cashflow Temporarily problematic, wishes to pay as late as
possible
Possible Three companies in India, Peru, Chile
suppliers