U4 - Lecture notes 1,3 PDF

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University of Economics, HCMC School of Foreign Languages Division of English for General Purposes

End of Unit Test.U4.M3

EXAM IN ENGLISH FOR BUSINESS COMMUNICATION (75 minutes) Read the instruction carefully. RECORD your answers on your answer sheets. Section 1: Language knowledge (40 marks) I. Choose the words that best fit the gaps in the following passage. Ask Refa Sumerman (1) ………… his business is and he says: “We do everything.” Sumerman International is really several companies in one. It was set (2) ………… in the early seventies by two Singaporean brothers, Ali and Rahman Sumerman, (3) ………… in the transportation of goods overseas by air or by surface transport. In 1980, it expanded into the home market, handling house removals and (4) ………… storage facilities. Based in Singapore, it soon (5) ………… offices in coastal cities, starting with Kyoto and Sydney in (6) ………… mid-eighties. The latest is the Indian office in Madras, opened in 1987. When the brothers retired in 1990, Ali’s son, Refa, took (7) ………… as Chairman. Refa already had his own plant hire business, (8) ………… he had set up in 1978. It was incorporated into Sumerman International in 1991. In 1992, with the increasing mobility of labour in the region, the company saw another chance to (9) ………… money: they set up a service to help immigrants to deal (10) ………… Singaporean’s rules regarding work and residence permits, opening bank accounts, etc. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

A. which A. on A. specialize A. providing A. started A. a A. over A. that A. do A. with

B. what B. up B. to specialize B. giving B. began B. an B. up B. where B. make B. about

C. when C. into C. specializing C. putting C. opened C. 0 C. into C. when C. give C. over

D. where D. over D. specialized D. receiving D. set D. the D. at D. which D. offer D. into

II. Choose the best answer. 11. California First Bank is a 77%-owned ……………………. of Bank of Tokyo. A. headquarter B. warehouse C. subsidiary D. office 12. In …………………., people research and develop new product. A. Human Resources B. R&D C. Logistics D. Finance 13. He has a very ……………. approach to management. A. celebratory B. voluntary C. conservative D. free 14. When it …………… to the serious business of work, great emphasis is placed on engaging employees. A. goes B. gets C. appeals D. comes 15. The group's legal advisers said they were taking the ………… to tackle online privacy issues. A. freedom B. philosophy C. initiative D. emphasis 16. She is likely to play a(n) ……………… part in the forthcoming election campaign. A. informal B. friendly C. prominent D. intellectual 17. They invited university faculty …………… to discuss their latest research. A. on B. in C. out D. off 18. The company uses an unusual …………….. distribution system. A. decentralized B. caring C. democratic D. challenging 19. A company car and a mobile phone are some of the ………………. that come with the job. A. objectives B. perks C. prizes D. goals 20. This approach to management emphasizes the ………… of workers to make decisions. A. investment B. contact C. interaction D. empowerment 21. It was a(n) …………… company, originally an accordion manufacturer.

A. informal B. quarterly C. well established D. hierarchical 22. Another part of Google's objective is to make its workplace ……….. fun. A. feel B. feels C. feeling D. to feel 23. …………. terms ……….. money, he was better off in his last job. A. On – for B. In – about C. On – of D. In – of 24. The company was inefficient because it was highly …………….. . A. hierarchical B. dynamic C. impersonal D. bureaucratic 25. New products accounted for 35 to 40% of …………. for industrial firms. A. customer loyalty B. product range C. sales revenue D. consumer goods 26. The company needs to change from being driven by production or technology to being ………………. . A. competitive B. independent C. market-driven D. understanding 27. Advertising on relevant websites is an efficient way of raising customer …………. of your business. A. care B. awareness C. service D. loyalty 28. Great emphasis is …………. on engaging employees. A. done B. made C. placed D. taken 29. Apple's iPhone is a very successful ……………… , with models at a wide range of price points. A. company logo B. product line C. sales team D. management style 30. Each of the area managers enjoys considerable ……………. in the running of his or her own area. A. reward B. autonomy C. emphasis D. development 31. This used to be a marvelous hotel but it has lost its ………….. in recent years. A. challenge B. policy C. appeal D. promotion 32. Developed countries should …………… global economic growth to help new democracies. A. invite B. engage C. celebrate D. foster 33. Any staff reductions will be made on a(n) ………….. basis. A. independent B. voluntary C. serious D. interactive 34. We celebrated the successful ………….. of our task. A. event B. empowerment C. faculty D. accomplishment 35. The government recently announced details of its ………… plan. A. 10-year B. 10 years C. 10-years D. 10-of-years 36. A/an …………………… is an office where people answer questions and make sales over the phone. A. service center B. outlet C. warehouse D. call center 37. The company denied responsibility ……………… the disaster. A. of B. for C. with D. on 38. In …………………….. , people draw up contracts. A. Logistics B. Human Resources C. Legal D. Finance 39. Which word does not go with ‘sales’? A. target B. trade C. revenue D. team 40. I will need to respond …………. his email today. A. on B. in C. about D. to Section 2: Language use (60 marks) I. Read the following passages and answer the questions that follow. Graduate recruitment By Stephen Overell It is part of the mythology of the modern world of work that the days when it was possible to enter a big company as a graduate fresh from college and stay there for 20 years, provided one was not incompetent, are long gone and will never return. Today, the world changes too fast, it is sometimes alleged. People are more likely to hop between jobs. How reassuring, then, to learn that many big companies are still keen to catch graduates young, shape them over a long period and turn them into executives. At AstraZeneca, the pharmaceuticals company, graduates can choose between several different specialist schemes, such as in engineering, finance and product strategy. At any one time, 15 people are on a three-year course working towards qualifications as chartered management accountants. The explicit intention, says David Powell, Audit Director for Global Operations who manages the scheme within the company, is to ‘bring people on to be future finance directors and finance vice-presidents’.

Could the company not recruit qualified management accountants on the open market? Mr. Powell says it could and sometimes does. But he argues that the virtue of a formal graduate scheme is that trainees experience life in different business units during the training and acquire contacts which serve them well in the future. Paul Farrer, Chief Executive of the Graduate Recruitment Company, a division of recruitment company PFJ, notes that graduate management trainee-schemes are heavily over-subscribed by applicants because they understand the nature of the future marked out for them if they are successful; every position has about 30 applicants. During their time on a management scheme, graduates will be rotated through various business units, get access to high-profile people in the organization, gain broad skills and be handed opportunities to work their way up. ‘Organizations are hoping to get their CEO of the future from these schemes.’ he says. That is not to say they don’t also recruit outside them , but for people who come in from outside, there is less certainty, less of a definite future within the company. With graduate trainees, the aim is to turn them into business unit managers in seven or eight years. Organizations differ widely in how successful they are in this aim. At the top of the retention league are employers in the public sector, information technology and oil. At the bottom are construction and retail companies. Some employers manage to lose half their graduate intake in the first year. Choose the best answer. 1. To learn that big companies are still catching graduate young, shape them over a long period and turn them into executives is _____. A. Sad to know B. Good to know C. Uninteresting to know D. Overwhelming to know 2. In paragraphs 2 and 3, the three year course … A. Takes place in a company that produces drugs and medicines B. Is part of the specialist scheme in engineering C. Is managed by someone who only deals with the UK. D. Produces all the senior managers that the company needs. 3. Which statement best summarizes the article? A. Companies’ graduate schemes for recruiting people who will become senior managers are becoming rarer and will eventually disappear. B. Organizations often combine graduate schemes with recruitment from outside, and the outside recruits feel just as certain of their place there. C. Despite what many people think, some organizations still have graduate schemes for recruiting people who will become senior managers. D. Organizations are trying their hardest to recruit graduates from outside to take on management positions in the long term. What does each of the following underlined words/phrases refer to? 4. Mr. Powell says it could and sometimes does. (Paragraph 3) 5. That is not to say they don’t also recruit outside them … (paragraph 4) Which words in the passage mean the following? 6. ……………………= ideas that may or may not be true 7. ……………………= unable to do one’s job 8. ……………………= change jobs frequently Fill in each blank with ONE suitable word from the passage. Put it in its correct form or tense. 9. In-company programs for graduate development are referred to here as graduate management trainee __________ 10. If too many people apply to be on a program like this, it is ______________

II. Writing: Writing a Memo Paul Edwards, the Head of Customer Care Unit from Business Travel Services (BTS), wants to remind his unit members about the use of work facilities. As Paul Edwards, write a memo to all of your staff based on the following notes. Customers’ complaints - try to get through to us on the phone becomes rather difficult

Practices - an increase in telephone bills over the past 18 months

Assumptions - use our phones for personal calls - decrease the volume of our business and lose our customers loyalty

Warnings - to use our phone for private calls are not allowed - use personal mobiles or the public phone in the canteen - reduce the end-of-year bonus

From: Paul Edwards – Head of Customer Care (BTS) To: All Customer Care members Subject: Use of work facilities MEMO Recently, two of our main customers have complained …………………………………….……… . And, in fact, …………………………………………………………… Therefore, I am forced to assume that ……………………………..…. This problem can badly ……………… …………………………………………………………… Consequently, I have to remind ………………………………….……………………….………… . If you want to make a call for private purposes, please……………….………………………….……….…… If this matter still happens, we …...……….…………………………………………………..………………… Paul Edwards Head of Customer Care (BTS) III. Listening: PART 1: Listen and choose the best answer to each question. 1. What type of business does the speaker work for? (A) A battery manufacturer (B) A courier service (C) A power company (D) A computer repair shop 2. What is the listener asked to do? (A) Confirm an ID number (C) Send a copy of an invoice

(B) Return the speaker’s call (D) Reply to the speaker’s email

3. What is the main topic of the talk? (A) A change in wage payment (C) An upgraded telephone system

(B) A new employee in accounting (D) A weekly sales goal

4. What should listeners do if they have any concerns? (A) Put them in writing (B) Discuss them with the speaker (C) Schedule a meeting with Susan (D) Talk to the manager on duty 5. What will managers receive? (A) Updated work schedules (C) Some display materials

(B) An instruction manual (D) A summary of expenses

PART 2: Listen and complete notes. Hillary Morgan in Fill Your Basket show: + selects a portfolio of promising companies whose (6) .............................. are ..............................  EP Electronics - online gaming company: went public 9 months ago, since then its shares have been rising at a (7) .............................. .............................. .

+ recommends investing in EP: it still has great (8) .............................. .............................. , with strong management and skilled design and programing personnel. + after the commercial break: will be playing a (9) .............................. .............................. with Steve Lee, the founder and CEO, who reveals some of EP Electronics’ (10) .............................. for the ........................... . The end

KEYS - EOU TEST.U4.M3 Section 1 (40 m) I. 1. B 6. D

2. B 7. A

3. C 8. D

4. A 9. B

5. C 10. A

12. B 17. B 22. C 27. B 32. D 37. B

13. C 18. A 23. D 28. C 33. B 38. C

14. D 19. B 24. D 29. B 34. D 39. B

15. C 20. D 25. C 30. B 35. A 40. D

II. 11. C 16. C 21. C 26. C 31. C 36. D

Section 2 (60 m)

I. Reading 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

B A C The company Organizations

6. Mythology 7. Incompetent 8. Hop between 9. Schemes 10. Over-subscribed

II. Writing: Suggested answer From: Paul Edwards – Head of Customer Care (BTS) To: All Customer Care members Subject: Use of work facilities MEMO Recently, two of our main customers have complained that trying to get through to us on the phone becomes rather difficult. And, in fact, there has been an increase in telephone bills over the past 18 months. Therefore, I am forced to assume that our members are using our phones for personal calls. This problem can badly decrease the volume of our business and lose our customers loyalty.

Consequently, I have to remind you that using our phone for private calls are not allowed. If you want to make a call for private purposes, please use personal mobiles or the public phone in the canteen. If this matter still happens, we will have to reduce your end-of-year bonus.

Paul Edwards Head of Customer Care (BTS)

III. Listening PART 1: l.D

2. B

3. A

4. A

5. C

PART 2: 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

shares ... undervalued steady rate growth potential pre-taped interview strategies ... future

SCRIPTS: PART 1: Questions 1 and 2 refer to the following telephone message. Good afternoon, Ms. Briggs. This is Steven calling from Avenue Computer Repair. You dropped off your laptop this morning for an issue with your internal speakers. While I was working on the device, I noticed that the battery loses power quickly. I suggest getting a new one put in right away. We can take care of that here in the stores, but we need your approval first. Please call me back to let me know if you’d like the replacement. Thank you.

Questions 3 through 5 refer to the following excerpt for a meeting. The first item on the agenda today is the payroll system. We are moving from a weekly to a monthly pay schedule for part-time employees. The accounting department expects to have the system ready by the end of the month. We would, therefore, like to make sure all managers have informed their teams of the change by the end of the week. If anyone anticipates any problems with the changeover, please send a written summary of the concerns to Susan in accounting. Later in the week, I’ll distribute informational posters about the new system to all department heads. Please put these on your bulletin boards.

PART 2: Good morning, everyone. I’m Hillary Morgan. You’re listening to Fill Your Basket. Each week I select a portfolio of promising companies whose shares are undervalued. Let’s start the show by taking a look at EP Electronics. This online gaming company went public 9 months ago, and since then its shares have been rising at a steady rate. The reason I recommend investing in this company is that it still has great growth potential, with strong management and skilled design and programing personnel. When we come back after the commercial break, we’ll be playing a pre-taped interview I did with Steve Lee, the company’s founder and CEO. Stick around to hear him reveal some of EP Electronics’ strategies for the future....