13 | Progress test
Working with words
Choose the correct answer from the words in italics.
1 Excuse me, I think there’s a fault / failure with
my washing machine.
2 Your idea’s good, but there’s one major flaw /
faulty in the plan. You haven’t considered what
the union will say.
3 I’m sorry, but there seems to have been some kind
of breakdown / misunderstanding. My
appointment is at 2.00 p.m., and your appointment
is 2.30 p.m., so I should go first.
4 Sorry, you’ll have to wait if you want to use the
Internet. The server will be wrong / down for at
least three hours.
5 Don’t bother trying to use that software on a PC.
It’s incompatible / defective with anything but a
Mac.
6 You won’t believe this. My car is down / has
broken down for the third time this month. It’s at
the garage now.
7 I wouldn’t use them. They’ll fix it for you, but
they’re so unreliable / defective for getting things
done on time.
8 Take the stairs. The lift’s down / out of order
again.
9 I think the problems are due to the mistake /
failure of staff to communicate properly. We need
some more staff training.
10 It’s not always in our interests to achieve zero
failures / defective, as this can be expensive and
push up prices.
Business communication skills
Complete these conversations with the missing
words.
A So what’s the 11m__________ exactly?
B It’s this DVD. It 12k__________ on switching
off.
A When you say it switches off, do you
13
m__________ it stops, or there’s no power at
all?
B No power. It goes dark.
A Are you using it on battery, or mains?
B Battery I think.
A Have you 14t__________ plugging in the power
cable?
B Is there one?
Business Result Intermediate Progress Test 13
A What appears to be the 15t__________?
B My boss is 16a__________ giving me more
projects when we haven’t finished the last ones. I
just can’t keep up.
A It 17m__________ be useful to talk to her.
B But she’s never here. I just get notes stuck on yet
more reports.
A The 18b__________ thing would be to ring her.
Just talking should solve the problem.
A Hello, how can I 19h__________?
B Well I bought this from you last week, but it
doesn’t work.
A What’s wrong with it 20e__________?
B It won’t come on, and there’s a smell when you
plug it in.
A What 21s__________ of smell?
B A kind of burning.
A It sounds 22l__________ there’s a problem with
the electrics. I’ll give you another one.
Language at work
Tick () the correct sentences and change the
incorrect sentences.
23 I think you should to ask for help.
_________________________
24 You have to get it approved by your boss.
_________________________
25 I’d speak to her if I would be you.
_________________________
26 What would you do in this situation?
_________________________
27 Is it enough easy for you?
_________________________
28 Sorry, but I don’t have enough time for that.
_________________________
29 This is really too complicated to fix.
_________________________
30 The main problem is that we don’t have too
resources. _________________________
Result __________ / 30 marks
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Speaking test
Role cards
Copy this page and cut out the role cards for the students. Students should do both role-plays. Then use the
Speaking test results forms to evaluate each student’s performance. You can then cut out the results and give
them to the students.

Student A Student B

1 Call customer services at a computer supplier.
Main problem: you bought a faulty computer.
Details: you loaded some old software on to it,
but it won’t work with this computer; you’d like
to send the computer back and get a refund.
2 Your colleague calls you with a problem. Answer
the call and do the following:
• find out the main problem and details
• note that the problem is probably just a simple
misunderstanding
• advise your colleague to talk with his / her boss
• confirm that better communication is the
solution.
1 You work at the call centre for a computer
supplier. Answer a call and do the following:
• find out the main problem and details
• note that there is nothing wrong with the
computer, the customer’s software sounds out-
of-date and incompatible
• advise the customer to buy new software
• the company has a no refund policy.
2 Call a colleague.
Main problem: your boss is always giving you
work.
Details: you have three reports to complete and
have now been given another; your boss is never
here.

Speaking test results

Use these forms to evaluate the students.

Student A Student B

Can the student … Didn’t do this Yes, but with Yes, did this Can the student … Didn’t do this Yes, but with Yes, did this
(0 points) some mistakes very well (0 points) some mistakes very well
(1 point) (2 points) (1 point) (2 points)

ask what the ask what the problem

problem is? is?

ask for details? ask for details?

diagnose the diagnose the

problem? problem?

give advice? give advice?

confirm a solution? confirm a solution?

Result __________ / 10 marks Result __________ / 10 marks

Business Result Intermediate Progress Test 13 Photocopiable © Oxford University Press