PART ONE

Read the text and choose the correct tense.

TWENTY YEARS AGO most people (1) have started / started work around the age
of twenty and (2) retired / have retired at the age of sixty-five. Normally they worked
for the same company all their life. In the last twenty years things (3) are changing /
have changed. Today people often (4) work / are working for different employers, many
are self-employed and many, unfortunately, are unemployed. Companies employ fewer people
and many processes (5) computerize / are computerized.

People change jobs for different reasons. ‘I was forty, says Jürgen Klimmer, and an
engineer. ‘I liked my job, but the prospects weren’t good, and there was very little
chance of promotion. I read the papers and wrote one or two letters. One day I
got a telephone call and an offer from Lufthansa. I said immediately, (6) ‘I’ll take /
I take it. The job offered a better salary and excellent prospects, but I had to
move which was a problem for my family.’ Jürgen took the job and (7) is / has been
with the company for the last three years.

Sergio Laguardia, an accountant in Milan, was less fortunate. (8) ‘I am / was made
redundant six months ago. I am over fifty and it is hard to get another job. People
think I am too old. I read the papers every day. I (9) have written / write a lot
of letters of application in the last few weeks. Next week (10) I will go / I’m
going to Turin for an interview but I am not confident. If they offer me the job I
(11) will / would take it but the salary is not really high enough.’

Patrizia Rojas lives in Madrid. She is a secretary with a pharmaceutical company,

but she (12) is looking / looks for another job. She has registered at a
recruitment agency. ‘I like my job but there was a merger between my company and
another one last year. I am employed by a large multinational now, instead of a small
Spanish firm. There are too many people in my department now, and (13) I’ll / I
would probably leave quite soon.

Karel Sudek lives in Prague where he works for himself. ‘I (14) worked / have
worked for a car manufacturing company for six years. I liked my job, but I had a
bad relationship with my boss and I wanted to be more independent. In 1995 I left
to start my own business. It is very stressful, but I like it. At least I know that I
am responsible for my own future.’

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PART TWO

With the information from the text complete the following questions and answers.

15. What/Patrizia/do?

16. She/look/for/another job.

17. What/Jürgen/do?.

18. He/work/for/Lufthansa.

19. Where/Sergio/go/next week?

20. He/go/to/Turin.

21. How long/Karel/work/for/car manufacturing company?

22. He/work/there/for six years

23. How long/Jürgen/be/Lufthansa?

24. He/be/there/for three years.

25. When/Karel/start/his own business?

26. He/start/his own business in 1995.

27. What/Sergio/do?

28. He/write/a lot of letters.

29. Where/Patrizia/registered?

30. She/register/at a recruitment agency.

31. Who/Patrizia/employ/by?

32. She/employ/by/a large multi-national.

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PART THREE

Complete the letter using the words underneath

WADCO MANUFACTURING CO. LTD

24 Crescent Street, London S.W.4

24th February 2010

Mr John Lelot,
Service des Achats,
Société Unicoupe,
191 av. Halévy,
69002 LYON CEDEX 02
France

Dear Mr Lelot,

We were (33)………………………………………. to receive your (34) ………………………………. of 20 March

(35)………………………………………………. the SILVA range of machine tools (36)………………………… in
our new catalogue.

Mr. Donald Jenkins, our Area Sales Manager, will (37)…………………………….. your office
shortly in (38)………………………………………… to arrange a (39) …………………………………………... He
will be (40) …………………………………………….. to give more complete (41)……………………………………..
of the machines and (42)……………………………………………………. you on suitable items for
(43)……………………………………….

We are (44)……………………………………. you will find our SILVA (45)…………………………..

excellently (46)………………………………………………. to your requirements.

Yours (47)…………………………………………..,

ftomkins

F. TOMKINS
Sales and (48) ………………………………………….. Manager

Choose from these words:

range sincerely sure telephone Marketing
able inquiry meeting concerning advise
featured trial order details pleased
suited

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PART FOUR

For each group of words : - find the missing vowels

- match them with their definitions a) b) or c)

49 r_s_ _ rch a) the percentage of sales a

company has
50 market s_gm_nt b) information about what customers
want and need
51 sh_re c) a group of customers of similar age,
income level and social group

52 b _h _ v _ _ _ r a) description of a typical customer

53 consumer pr_f_l_ b) where and how people buy things

54 g__ds c) things people buy for their own use

55
l _ _n c h a) introduction of a product to the market

56 product l_f_ c y c l _ b) length of time people continue to buy a

product
57 r_ng_ c) set of products made by a company

58 a) how much a company wants to sell in a

f_r_c_st period
59 sales b)
f_g_r_s how much a company thinks it will sell in
60 c) a period
t_rg_t how much a company has sold in a period

61 a) a business which advises companies on

c_mp__gn advertising and makes ads.
62 advertising b) an amount of money available for
b_dg_t advertising during a particular period
63 c) a programme of advertising activities
_g_ncy over a period, with particular aims

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PART FOUR

Write a letter

Below are the notes your secretary left on your desk with details of a
telephone conversation with John Lancaster

(He spoke to you at a Trade Fair two months ago and you agreed to a 4% discount
plus an extra 2% if he paid within 30 days.)

Call received: 12 January

From: Mr. John Lancaster
Order: 5000 A4 plastic wallets
(3000 clear, 1000 yellow, 1000 red)
Action: Delivery 15 February latest
Notes: 4% discount (+ 2% if payment /within 30
days) as confirmed when we met in
December.
Please confirm in writing

Write a LETTER to Mr Lancaster confirming (50-60 words)

 the phone call

 the order quantity
 the delivery date
 the discount
 thanking him for first order

Use a suitable greeting and a suitable closing formula. Be careful with the
layout.

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KEY

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1. started

2. retired

3. have changed

4. work

5. are computerized

6. I’ll take

7. has been

8. was

9. have written

10. I’m going

11. will

12. is looking

13. I’ll

14. worked

15. What is Patrizia doing?

16. She’s looking for another job

17. What does Jürgen do?

18. He works for Lufthansa

19. Where is Sergio going next week?

20. He’s going to Turin

21. How long did Karel work for the car manufacturing company?

22. He worked there for six years

23. How long has Jürgen been with Lufthansa?

24. He has been there for three years

25. When did Karel start his own business?

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26. He started his own business in 1995

27. What has Sergio done?

28. He has written a lot of letters

29. Where has Patrizia registered?

30. She has registered at a recruitment agency

31. Who is Patrizia employed by?

32. She is employed by a large multi-national

33. pleased

34. inquiry

35. concerning

36. featured

37. telephone

38. order

39. meeting

40. able

41. details

42. advise

43. trial

44. sure

45. range

46. suited

47. sincerely

48. marketing

49. research b

50. segment c

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51. share a

52. behaviour b

53. profile a

54. goods c

55. launch a

56. life cycle b

57. range c

58. forecast b

59. figures c

60. target a

61. campaign c

62. budget b

63. agency a

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 Priory Meadow, Queens Road
Hastings, East Sussex TN34 1PH
01424 420624 www.whsmith.co.uk
E-mail: info@whsmith.co.uk

Mr John Lancaster,
142 Elphinstone Road 15th January, 20__
Brighton
East Sussex
BN1 1AA

Dear Mr Lancaster,

With reference to your phone call of the 12th January, we would like to confirm your
order for:

 500 A4 Plastic Wallets

 300 clear
 100 yellow
 100 red

We note that delivery should be by 15th February at the latest and we confirm a 4%
discount plus a further 2% if you pay within 30 days.

We would like to take this opportunity of welcoming you as a new client and please
do not hesitate to call me for any other information.

Yours sincerely,

Janet Brown
Janet Brown
Sales Manager
j.brown@whsmith.co.uk

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