Tesztek_iras_uzleti_kozep_bgf - 5 Grammar, Reading, Letter

Angol Írásbeli Nyelvvizsga Gyakorló Tesztgyűjtemény

Üzleti Angol Középfok 2. BGF típusú üzleti nyelvvizsgára készülőknek

Kedves Nyelvtanuló!

A középfokú üzleti írásbeli nyelvvizsgán egyaránt mérik a vizsgázó nyelvtani tudását, üzleti szókincsét, olvasott szöveg értési készségét és íráskészségét. Üzleti, gazdasági tanulmányokat folytató, vagy ilyen területen dolgozó vizsgázók választják leginkább. Ugyan ez hangsúlyozottan egy nyelvvizsga, azért feltételezi, hogy a vizsgázó anyanyelvén is rendelkezik meglévő háttértudással és bizonyos fokú jártassággal üzleti témákban. Az előforduló szövegek autentikus forrásokból merített gazdasági szövegek, amellyel a vizsgázó a való életben is találkozhat folyóiratokban, könyvekben, vagy tanulmányai, illetve munkája során bárhol. A sikeres vizsgához nem tökéletes megoldást kell elérni, hanem a feladatok összértékét tekintve 60%-ot meghaladó teljesítményt. Mivel a középfokú üzleti nyelvvizsgát megszerezni nem könnyű, érdemes sokat gyakorolni azokat a feladat típusokat, amelyek előfordulnak a vizsgán. Minden nyelvvizsgán nagy előnyt jelent, ha ott úgy jelenünk meg, hogy előtte már nagy feladatmegoldó rutint szereztünk. Reményeink szerint ebben tud eredményesen segíteni ez a gyakorlókönyv.

Jó munkát és sok sikert kívánunk!

Contents Feladat típusok........................................................................................................................... 4 SET 1 Test 1 – Use of English – Grammar and Business English Vocabulary ..................................................... 5 Test 2 – Reading comprehension 1 ......................................................................................................... 10 Test 2 – Reading comprehension 1 ......................................................................................................... 12 Test 3 – Writing ...................................................................................................................................... 15 Answers Set 1 ........................................................................................................................................ 17 SET 2 Test 1 – Use of English – Grammar and Business English Vocabulary ................................................... 22 Test 2 – Reading comprehension 1 ......................................................................................................... 27 Test 2 – Reading comprehension 1 ......................................................................................................... 29 Test 3 – Writing ...................................................................................................................................... 32 Answers Set 2 ........................................................................................................................................ 34 SET 3 Test 1 – Use of English – Grammar and Business English Vocabulary ................................................... 39 Test 2 – Reading comprehension 1 ......................................................................................................... 44 Test 2 – Reading comprehension 1 ......................................................................................................... 46 Test 3 – Writing ...................................................................................................................................... 49 Answers Set 3 ........................................................................................................................................ 51 SET 4 Test 1 – Use of English – Grammar and Business English Vocabulary ................................................... 56 Test 2 – Reading comprehension 1 ......................................................................................................... 61 Test 2 – Reading comprehension 1 ......................................................................................................... 63 Test 3 – Writing ...................................................................................................................................... 66 Answers Set 4 ........................................................................................................................................ 68 SET 5 Test 1 – Use of English – Grammar and Business English Vocabulary ................................................... 73 Test 2 – Reading comprehension 1 ......................................................................................................... 78 Test 2 – Reading comprehension 1 ......................................................................................................... 80 Test 3 – Writing ...................................................................................................................................... 83 Answers Set 5 ........................................................................................................................................ 85

3

Feladat típusok

Use of English – Grammar and Business Vocabulary A vizsga ezen részében változatos tesztfeladatok vannak. Ezek egy része az üzleti szókincset méri, mások a nyelvtani tudást. Szótár nem használható.

Reading comprehension 1 - 2 Olvasási készséget mérő feladat. Két üzleti jellegű szöveget kell elolvasni, majd megoldani a hozzájuk tartozó feladatokat, amelyek között van Igaz-hamis típusú feladat, feleletválasztós teszt, adatok megadása, szókeresési feladat a megadott definíciókhoz, illetve a szövegre vonatkozó nyílt végű kérdések. Az utóbbi feladatnál csak a lehető legrövidebben kell válaszolni a feltett kérdésekre angolul. Szótár használata megengedett.

Writing Íráskészséget mérő feladat. Egy kb. 120 - 150 szóból álló hivatalos üzleti levél írása megadott szempontok szerint. Minden megadott szempontra ki kell térni. Figyelni kell arra, hogy a szöveget nem ömlesztett formában kell megírni, hanem megfelelően bekezdésekre kell tagolni, valamint be kell tartani az angol levélformátumra vonatkozó formai követelményeket. (Címzés, dátum, megszólítás, elköszönés, aláírás). Szótár használata megengedett.

A gyakorlókönyvben minden rész végén találsz megoldókulcsot, amellyel ellenőrizheted megoldásaidat. A levélírási feladathoz mintamegoldás van, hiszen a levélírás kreatív jellegű feladat, így annak nem létezik egyféle jó megoldása. Az olvasott szöveg értése (Reading comprehension 1 - 2) feladatoknál sárgával vannak kiemelve a megoldókulcsban azok a szövegrészek, amelyek a kérdésekre adandó válaszokhoz tartalmazzák az információt.

4

SET 1 Test 1 Use of English – Grammar and Business English Vocabulary TASK 1 Match the expressions with the business definition. There are TWO extra expressions which you do not need to use. balance

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

benefit retail

brand warehouse

commercial wholesale

the place where finished goods are kept paid advertisement on radio or TV advantage of a product or service, usually derived from its features the difference between credits and debits in an account to sell in bulk (as to a shop for resale to the public)

TASK 2 Complete each sentence with the correct form of the word in capital letters.

6. DIVISION The calendar year __________ into four quarters. 7. EXPERT I’m not surprised he managed to solve the problem as financial planning is his area of __________ . 8. EFFECT I don’t think these programs are very __________ . 9. SUPPLY Ms Green is the person who deals with paying our __________ .

TASK 3 Which of the two words on the left form partnership with the word on the right? 10. Outdoor External

advertising

5

11. Pay Salary

rise

12. Market Marketing

penetration

13. Pension Retirement

age

TASK 4 Which is the odd word out in each line? 14. withdraw 15. bear 16. be in debt 17. truck

deposit deer be in the red cargo

transfer stag owe port

invest bull be in the black aboard

TASK 5 What do the following abbreviations stand for? 18. WTO 19. EXW 20. t/o

TASK 6 Complete each sentence so that it means the same as the one before it. 21. Mr Gregory said, “I will be showing the German group around when you arrive.” Mr Gregory said he ...

22. We started selling this product in 2003. We have ...

23. Inflation has caused all sorts of problems. All sorts of problems ...

24. It was not necessary to wait for the answer to the fax. You need ... 6

TASK 7 Choose the best alternative. 25. Most American people prefer __________ their money to saving it. A. spend B. spending C. to spend D. to spending 26. Prices __________ out of control. A. gone B. have spiralled

C. was going

D. have been spiralled

27. If you __________ the sales report carefully, you wouldn’t have asked anything. A. had read B. would read C. have read D. would have read 28. You still have a lot__________ about marketing strategies. A. learn B. learning C. to learn

D. to learning

29. The offices are open all day and night, __________ means that staff can use the facilities whenever they like. A. which B. that C. what D. so 30. The warehouse is full of goods waiting __________ to shops. A. to be delivered B. to being delivered C. to delivered

D. to deliver

TASK 8 Fill in the following sentences with suitable prepositions.

31. They will be stuck in customs awaiting clearance _____ at least two weeks. 32. Mr Abraham is responsible _____ sales and marketing. 33. Christine is our best sales rep, she is very good _____ persuading others.

TASK 9 Use the correct form of the verbs in brackets to complete the following sentences. 34. I’ve bought a new dictaphone. I __________ (record) the presentation later this afternoon. 35. The state-of-art office building __________ (have) a swimming pool. Many employees have a swim after work. 36. When I entered the office, my secretary ___________ (talk) to the Sales Manager on the phone. 37. We ___________ (not have) any problems so far implementing the innovations.

7

TASK 10 Fill the gaps in the following sentences with a linking word or expression from the box. You will not need two of the expressions.

although,

because of,

but,

in order to,

nevertheless,

38. A loss leader is an article that is sold cheaply ______ attract the public and make them buy other things. 39. The price of most kinds of fruit will be high ______ frost damage. 40. The question was very difficult. ______, he managed to answer it.

8

Answer sheet Test 1 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40.

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Test 2 Reading comprehension 1

Sleep deprivation If you lay awake late at night worrying about your finances you’re not alone. The credit crunch is taking its toll on sleep habits, with people losing valuable shut-eye every night, according to a new research. Nearly half of people interviewed claim they are getting a worse night’s sleep than before, mostly thanks to the economic downturn. Conducted in March in the US, the survey of more than 1,000 people reveals the extent of sleep lost each night across the country as men and women toss and turn worrying about the economic crisis. Twenty-eight percent of people are suffering from at least one hour of less sleep each night than in previous years, with men more badly affected than women. And one in eight people are losing at least two hours more sleep per night than before the credit crunch kicked in. Not surprisingly, the research reveals that money worries are the No. 1 sleep-depriver, cited by 38 percent of those surveyed. Furthermore, Americans are also having restless nights worrying about their families. High up the list of things stopping people from nodding off at night are worries relating to: * Job security (21 percent) * Food bills (16 percent) * Paying mortgage or rent (15 percent) * Cost of heating bills (13 percent) Sleep deprivation has a negative effect on productivity and stress levels. At a time when people are worrying about financial security, most people said that lack of sleep made it hard for them to concentrate, while 31 percent said it was more difficult to focus at work. Worryingly, the effects of sleep loss have been cited as being similar or worse than the effects of drinking alcohol to excess. Twenty percent of people say they are more likely to argue with their partners when they are sleep-deprived, while a few have even admitted to snapping at strangers.

10

Fill in the gaps with figures from the article. The research revealed that 1. ___________ of people slept at least one hour more before than they do now. 2. ___________ of those interviewed said they could not sleep well because they were worried about being laid off. 3. One in ___________ people said they had more arguments at home.

Find words in the text that correspond with the meanings given below. 4. Very important because there is not much of it 5. Decline; a tendency downward, especially in business or economic activity. 6. The degree to which something happens 7. The money you borrow from a bank to buy a house 8. Influenced in a negative way 9. The quality to be efficient at work

11

Reading comprehension 2

Union strike ends

Machinists union members ratified a new contract with The Boeing Co. on Saturday, ending an eightweek strike that cut the airplane maker's profits and stalled jetliner deliveries. The vote by members of the union, which represents about 27,000 workers at plants in Washington state, Oregon and Kansas, was about 74 percent in favor of the proposal five days after the two sides tentatively agreed to the deal and union leaders recommended its approval. The workers are expected to return to Boeing's commercial airplane factories, which have been closed since the Sept. 6 walkout, starting Sunday night. "This contract gives the workers at Boeing an opportunity to share in the extraordinary success this company has achieved over the past several years," Mark Blondin, the union's aerospace coordinator and chief negotiator, said in a union news release. The union has said the contract protects more than 5,000 factory jobs, prevents the outsourcing of certain positions and preserves health care benefits. It also promises pay increases over four years rather than three, as outlined in earlier offers. The union members, including electricians, painters, mechanics and other production workers, have lost an average of about $7,000 in base pay since the strike began. They had rejected earlier proposals by the company, headquartered in Chicago. "We're looking forward to having our team back together to resume the work of building airplanes for our customers," Scott Carson, Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and CEO, said in a statement. "This new contract addresses the union's job security issues while enabling Boeing to retain the flexibility needed to run the business ... and allows us to remain competitive." The work stoppage was costing the company an estimated $100 million per day in deferred revenue and postponing delivery of its long-awaited 787 jetliner, which has already been delayed three times, and other commercial planes. The strike came amid surging demand for Boeing's commercial jetliners, which include 737s, 747s, 767s and 777s. Boeing has said its order backlog has swollen to a record $349 billion in value. It remains unclear how long it would take Boeing's commercial aircraft business to return to pre-strike production levels, but the company's chief financial officer, James Bell, has said Boeing hopes it would take less than two months.

12

Decide if the following statements are true or false according to the article.

10. The strike that began on Sept. 6 lasted for about two months. 11. 27,000 workers at Boeing Co. in 3 US states agreed to make an end to the strike. 12. The Machinists Union’s strike resulted in a $100 million loss for Boeing. 13. The new contract that has been ratified promises a pay rise for four years for all Boeing workers. 14. Machinists Union leaders were in favour of the proposals concerning the new contract.

Give short answers to the following questions. 15. – 16. Mention 2 negative effects the Machinists Union’s strike had on Boeing Co. (a, b) 17. – 19. Mention 3 things the union managed to achieve in the new contract ratified with Boeing. (a, b, c)

20. When will Boeing Co. reach the same production levels it had before the machinists’ strike?

13

Answer Sheet Test 2 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. a.)

15. – 16.

b.)

a.)

17. – 19.

b.) c.)

20.

14

Test 3 Writing

Ön Kalmár Elek / Éva, a Kisgép Kft. (4025 Debrecen, Alma utca 133) vezetője, amely háztartási gépek összeszerelésével és értékesítésével foglalkozik. Az Electro Max osztrák cég (Jahngasse 54/b, Graz 8015) január 10-én megrendelt Önöktől 50 db sütőt. A teljesítés idejét március 10-ére jelölték meg. Közben azonban az Önök fő alkatrész beszállítója csődbe ment, így ez néhány napra megakasztotta a termelés menetét. Sikerült másik beszállítót találniuk, de a megrendeléseket csak néhány hét késéssel tudják teljesíteni. Írjon levelet az osztrák partner kereskedelmi vezetőjének. Ø

Hivatkozzon a megrendelésre

Ø

Mondja el, hogy csak néhány hetes késéssel tudják a megrendelést teljesíteni

Ø

Foglalja össze röviden a késés okát

Ø

Kérjen elnézést a késedelmes teljesítés miatt

Ø

Amennyiben partnere nem tud várni, törölheti a megrendelést, de biztosítsa, hogy ha tud még néhány hetet várni, március végére biztosan tudnak szállítani

15

Answer sheet Test 3 ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ...................................................................................................................................................

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Answers Set 1 Test 1 Use of English – Grammar and Business Vocabulary 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40.

warehouse commercial benefit balance wholesale is divided expertise effective suppliers Outdoor advertising Pay rise Market penetration Retirement age invest deer be in the black truck World Trade Organization Ex Works turnover Mr Gregory said he would be showing the German group around when I arrived. We have been selling this product since 2003. All sorts of problems have been caused by inflation. You needn’t have waited for the answer to the fax. B. spending B. have spiralled A. had read C. to learn A. which A. to be delivered for for at am going to record has was talking haven’t had in order to because of Nevertheless

17

Test 2 Reading comprehension 1 – 2

1.

28%

2.

21%

3.

5

4.

Valuable

5.

Downturn

6.

Extent

7.

Mortgage

8.

Affected

9.

Productivity

10.

True

11.

False

12.

False

13.

False

14.

True Mention 2 of these possible answers:

15. – 16.

- cut the airplane maker's profits - stalled jetliner deliveries. - cost the company $100 million per day Mention 3 of these possible answers:

17. – 19.

20.

- It protects more than 5,000 factory jobs - It prevents the outsourcing of certain positions. - It preserves health care benefits - It promises pay increases over four years) It is unclear

18

Sleep deprivation If you lay awake late at night worrying about your finances you’re not alone. The credit crunch is taking its toll on sleep habits, with people losing valuable shut-eye every night, according to a new research. Nearly half of people interviewed claim they are getting a worse night’s sleep than before, mostly thanks to the economic downturn. Conducted in March in the US, the survey of more than 1,000 people reveals the extent of sleep lost each night across the country as men and women toss and turn worrying about the economic crisis. Twenty-eight percent of people are suffering from at least one hour of less sleep each night than in previous years, with men more badly affected than women. And one in eight people are losing at least two hours more sleep per night than before the credit crunch kicked in. Not surprisingly, the research reveals that money worries are the No. 1 sleep-depriver, cited by 38 percent of those surveyed. Furthermore, Americans are also having restless nights worrying about their families. High up the list of things stopping people from nodding off at night are worries relating to: * Job security (21 percent) * Food bills (16 percent) * Paying mortgage or rent (15 percent) * Cost of heating bills (13 percent) Sleep deprivation has a negative effect on productivity and stress levels. At a time when people are worrying about financial security, most people said that lack of sleep made it hard for them to concentrate, while 31 percent said it was more difficult to focus at work. Worryingly, the effects of sleep loss have been cited as being similar or worse than the effects of drinking alcohol to excess. Twenty percent of people say they are more likely to argue with their partners when they are sleep-deprived, while a few have even admitted to snapping at strangers.

19

Union strike ends

Machinists union members ratified a new contract with The Boeing Co. on Saturday, ending an eight-week strike that cut the airplane maker's profits and stalled jetliner deliveries. The vote by members of the union, which represents about 27,000 workers at plants in Washington state, Oregon and Kansas, was about 74 percent in favor of the proposal five days after the two sides tentatively agreed to the deal and union leaders recommended its approval. The workers are expected to return to Boeing's commercial airplane factories, which have been closed since the Sept. 6 walkout, starting Sunday night. "This contract gives the workers at Boeing an opportunity to share in the extraordinary success this company has achieved over the past several years," Mark Blondin, the union's aerospace coordinator and chief negotiator, said in a union news release. The union has said the contract protects more than 5,000 factory jobs, prevents the outsourcing of certain positions and preserves health care benefits. It also promises pay increases over four years rather than three, as outlined in earlier offers. The union members, including electricians, painters, mechanics and other production workers, have lost an average of about $7,000 in base pay since the strike began. They had rejected earlier proposals by the company, headquartered in Chicago. "We're looking forward to having our team back together to resume the work of building airplanes for our customers," Scott Carson, Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and CEO, said in a statement. "This new contract addresses the union's job security issues while enabling Boeing to retain the flexibility needed to run the business ... and allows us to remain competitive." The work stoppage was costing the company an estimated $100 million per day in deferred revenue and postponing delivery of its long-awaited 787 jetliner, which has already been delayed three times, and other commercial planes. The strike came amid surging demand for Boeing's commercial jetliners, which include 737s, 747s, 767s and 777s. Boeing has said its order backlog has swollen to a record $349 billion in value. It remains unclear how long it would take Boeing's commercial aircraft business to return to pre-strike production levels, but the company's chief financial officer, James Bell, has said Boeing hopes it would take less than two months.

20

Test 3 Writing Kisgép Kft. 133 Alma utca Debrecen 4025

Electro Max Jahngasse 54/b Graz 8015 Austria Attn.:Mr. Johann Kraus

1 March 2011

Dear Mr. Kraus

I am writing to you in reference to your order No. MO 125867, which you placed with our company on 10 January. We gave you the delivery time of 10 March because at that time we were confident that we would be able to deliver the 50 ovens you had ordered within a month. Since then some unforeseen circumstances have arisen. We have been informed that our main supplier has gone bankrupt. It has held up our production for some days. We have found an alternative supplier who can provide us with the spare parts necessary for the assembly of the ovens. We expect that we will back to normal production next week and will be able to complete all our outstanding orders with an estimated two weeks’ delay in delivery. Let me say how much I regret this unfortunate situation. We will understand if you wish to cancel your order, but let me emphasize once again that we should be able to fulfil our outstanding commitments by the end of March. Please, let me know if you wish us to complete your order or whether you would prefer to cancel it. I apologize for the inconvenience this delay in delivery might cause.

Yours sincerely,

Elek / Éva Kalmár Managing Director 21

SET 2 Test 1 Use of English – Grammar and Business English Vocabulary TASK 1 Match the expressions with the business definition. There are TWO extra expressions which you do not need to use. agreement

bill of lading stock house

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

freight

headquarters

staff

terms

a company’s principal or main office or centre of control an arrangement between two or more people, countries etc conditions or stipulations the people who work for a firm or a particular department list of goods and shipping instructions

TASK 2 Complete each sentence with the correct form of the word in capital letters.

6. COMPETE ANC Ltd. is one of our main _____ . 7. INVEST Mr York did a brilliant presentation on _____ strategies. 8. ANALYZE We need to carry out a detailed _____ of consumer trends. 9. AWARE At the meeting we came to the conclusion that we have to improve our brand name _____ .

TASK 3 Which of the two words on the left form partnership with the word on the right? 10. Dress Clothing

code

22

11. Goods Product

range

12. Recruitment Staff

turnover

13. Global Earth

trade

TASK 4 Which is the odd word out in each line? 14. share 15. fine 16. wealthy 17. warehouse

invoice wages affluent factory

bond salary prosperous stores

deposit account bonus broke inventory

TASK 5 What do the following abbreviations stand for? 18. VAT 19. IMF 20. GDP

TASK 6 Complete each sentence so that it means the same as the one before it. 21. They will organize customs formalities. Customs formalities ... 22. “Do you know what price-matching is?” she asked. She asked

23. On a seller's market there are more buyers than suppliers. On a seller’s market there aren’t

24. I was exhausted but I agreed to work overtime. I agreed to work overtime despite 23

TASK 7 Choose the best alternative.

25. What _____ if you were unemployed? A) will you do B) would you do C) would you have done

D) did you do

26. A unique selling point is a characteristic of a product which will persuade people _____ it. A) to buy B) buy C) buying D) to buying 27. Luncheon vouchers _____ by employers to employees to buy meals in some restaurants. A) give B) have given C) gave D) are given 28. In an open market a country allows companies from other countries _____ business there A) doing B) to do C) make D) to making 29. The company hasn’t made a profit this year. Therefore, the manager _____. A) will fired B) is going to fire C) will be fire D) is going to be fired 30. I sent them our catalogue two weeks ago so they _____ it by now. A) must have received B) might received C) can’t receive

D) could be receiving

TASK 8 Fill in the following sentences with the correct article a, an, the or nothing (Ø). 31. Make sure you put your name at _____ end of the report. 32. They have received billions of dollars from _____ World Bank. 33. I'm sure it won't be long before people are living and working in _____ space.

TASK 9 Use the correct form of the verbs in brackets to complete the following sentences. 34. Don’t call me at one o’clock in the afternoon, I _____ (have) lunch with a client. 35. I have an important letter to write so I _____ (go) in to the office early tomorrow morning. 36. Donald Trump is a business magnate. He _____ (own) many hotels, casinos, companies and 60% of The Empire State Building. 37. How long _____ you _____ (work) on that sales report?

24

TASK 10 Fill the gaps in the following sentences with a linking word or expression from the box. You will not need two of the expressions.

despite

however

in case

moreover

so

38. Costs have fallen _____ we can afford to reduce our prices. 39. Please, take your laptop _____ mine doesn’t work. 40. Personally, I think this is a good suggestion. _____ , I don’t think the management will accept it.

25

Answer sheet Test 1 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40.

26

Test 2 Reading comprehension 1

Joining the euro

Sharing a currency but not a government—the hybrid arrangement for the 15 countries that use the euro—may look less than ideal in times of turmoil. But from the outside, the single currency looks like an increasingly attractive shelter. Even solid ex-communist countries such as Poland want to speed up their preparations to meet the conditions for joining the common currency. And rich EU members that stayed out by choice, Sweden and Denmark, are thinking again. Joining the euro, at least in some eyes, means a loss of national identity. It also means governments cannot devalue or change interest rates to suit economic needs. During the sunny financial weather of the past years, that seemed to argue for staying out. The balance of the argument is now changing. Denmark twice raised interest rates in October to help protect its currency, the krone, which is pegged closely to the euro. Sweden’s krona fell to a record low against the euro in October as the central bank there cut interest rates in the hope of fending off a recession. The Danish prime minister, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, says that being outside the euro zone during the financial crisis is “detrimental” to the economy, and he wants a referendum by 2011. Even in non-EU countries, such as Iceland, adopting the euro is now a hot topic. In eastern Europe, meanwhile, Slovenia has already adopted the euro and Slovakia will do so by the end of the year. But no other country looks close. Standard & Poor’s this week cut Romania’s credit rating to “junk” status, blaming politicians’ irresponsibility about public-sector wage increases. Poland, ambitiously, says it wants to meet the criteria and set a fixed rate for the zloty against the euro in 2011. To join the euro, countries are required to have inflation and budget deficits at sustainably low levels (“low” is an average based on other countries’ performance). In past years, eastern European countries have missed that because roaring growth pushed up prices. The prospect of euro membership in three years’ time is unlikely to calm panicky financial markets now. That requires, at a minimum, large quantities of cash—as seen in this week’s bail-out of Hungary This week the European Union said it would raise its own rescue fund from €12 billion ($15 billion) perhaps to €25 billion. Yet even with such outside help, running an independent currency is beginning to look too risky for all but the biggest economies.

27

Decide if the following statements are true (T) or false (F) according to the article.

1. Poland, Denmark and Sweden are hesitating whether to join the euro or not. 2. According to Standard & Poor’s Romanian politicians are mainly responsible for the unfavourable economic situation in Romania. 3. In order to protect their economies Denmark and Sweden decided to raise the interest rates. 4. Mr Rasmussen believes it would be beneficial for Denmark to adopt the common currency of the EU. 5. For the European economies it seems very risky to have a common currency.

Give short answers to the following questions.

6. – 8. According to some financial experts, what are some of the negative aspects of joining the euro zone? (a, b, c) 9. Why can the EU be considered a hybrid arrangement for the countries in the euro zone? 10. Why would it be a special case if Iceland could join the common currency? 11. What happened to the Swedish national currency after the Swedish Central Bank had lowered interest rates? 12. What requirement must a country fulfil to be able to join the euro?

28

Reading comprehension 2

Benefit from new banking services Life is hectic enough and in these economic times, it’s all the more important to carefully manage your money in a way that fits into your lifestyle. Utilizing tools that offer easy access to and constant control of your cash can save you valuable time and hassle. The first thing to consider is that today, banks are enabling you to manage your finances on the go. Tools like mobile banking, online banking, and your local ATM simply make doing the hard stuff a little bit easier by giving you more control, convenience and choice. If you know you’re going to be a road warrior for the next few months or simply decide to go green, sign up for bill pay and e-Bills through your bank. Utilizing e-Bills means that you don’t have to wait for the bill to come to you and instead, can pay all your bills online at once. “Bill pay takes it one step further and gives you extra control,” says Laurie Readhead, Bank of America executive. “By allowing you to set a schedule to pay any amount, bill pay can help you to avoid fees and simplify your life by knowing your bills will be paid on time.” Keep yourself, your credentials and personal information secure. Always look for extra protection to provide you with peace of mind like Bank of America's SiteKey -- an award winning online security sign-in feature that helps customers deter fraud. If Bank of America doesn't recognize the computer you're using, you will also be asked challenge questions to ensure only you can access your account. If you’re an online shopper, use ShopSafe -another security feature that customers can log into to create a unique, temporary credit card number, eliminating the need to expose your real credit card number to online merchants. Be sure to keep your computer up to date with anti-virus software, and before typing in account or credit card information on a Web site, make sure the site is trusted and secure. Stay current on your financial transactions by taking advantage of your bank's alerts, which can often be forwarded to your cell phone. Alerts can help you recognize any fraudulent activity on your account and can help you to avoid overdraft fees. Alerts also help you monitor your account balance to help decide if it’s the right time for that last minute purchase. To keep life simple and stay in control of your finances you can sign up for alerts that inform you when your account balance falls below a certain threshold. Make sure your financial life fits seamlessly into your everyday routine through your bank’s mobile banking service. Check your balances and transactions, pay bills, transfer money, locate ATMs and more. Utilizing this convenient banking tool gives you immediate access to your finances through your mobile phone -- it’s just like having a bank branch in your pocket. And in today’s unpredictable economic environment, it has never been more important to have control of your money whenever, wherever you need it. Look for added value in your banking relationships that give you money back on things that are meaningful to your life. Use tools such as Bank of America’s online shopping portal, Add It Up, where online banking customers can earn up to 20 percent cash back on purchases from more than 300 online retailers. Add It Up also allows you to shop on your time from your home. Be sure to also monitor your accounts daily to see how much money you are spending and saving. By keeping current on your budget and checking your accounts online, you may discover areas where spending can be cut back.

29

Find words in the text that correspond with the meanings given below. . 13. people or companies that sell goods in small quantities directly to the public 14. the act of spending more money than the amount you have left in your bank account 15. limit 16. the local division of a bank

Choose the best answer to each question according to the article. 17. Using electronic banking A. can save time and money B. is less efficient C. is more time-consuming D. is not a good idea 18. If you sign up for e-Bills, A. you do something to help protect the environment B. your bank will send you a paper bank statement later C. you will have less control over your budget D. you can avoid fees even if you pay your bills late 19. Bank of America offers various mobile banking and online banking services such as A. anti-virus software to your mobile phone B. SiteKey, a tool you can use when buying goods online C. sending you credit card numbers in SMS D. alerts sent to your mobile to deter fraud

20. Add It Up A. offers all sorts of products at reduced prices B. gives you the possibility to shop at any time of the day C. is available to any US citizen without restrictions D. is a portal offering 300 different products

30

Answer sheet Test 2 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. a.) 6. - 8.

b.)

9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

31

Test 3 Writing

Ön Kovács Katalin / Károly, Sportruházat Kft. (1199 Bp., Kossuth utca 224.) kereskedelmi vezetője. Múlt héten az Ön cége a Szabadidő és Sport Kiállításon vett részt, ahol standjukon bemutatták legújabb sportruházati termékeiket. Ott találkozott Jan Mostowicz úrral, aki egy lengyel cég képviseletében érdeklődött az Ön cége iránt. Írjon levelet a lengyel cégnek. Ø

Köszönje meg, hogy ellátogattak az Önök standjához a kiállításon

Ø

Néhány szóban mutassa be cégét és annak fő profilját, termékeit.

Ø

Mondja el, hogy jelenleg is exportálnak több Kelet-Európai országba, és most szeretnének megjelenni a lengyelországi piacon is.

Ø

Írja le, hogy olyan lengyel partnercéget keresnek, amely az egész lengyel piacot képes lefedni.

Ø

Mondja el, hogy milyen feltételekkel szeretnének együttműködni.

32

Answer sheet Test 3 ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ...................................................................................................................................................

33

Answers Set 2 Test 1 Use of English – Grammar and Business Vocabulary

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40.

headquarters agreement terms staff bill of lading competitors investment analysis awareness Dress code Product range Staff turnover Global trade invoice fine broke factory Value added tax International Monetary Fund Gross domestic product Customs formalities will be organized by them. She asked if I knew what price-matching was. On a seller’s market there aren’t as many suppliers as buyers. I agreed to work overtime despite being exhausted. B) would you do A) to buy D) are given B) to do D) is going to be fired A) must have received the the Ø will be having am going (to go) owns have you been working so in case However

34

Test 2 Reading comprehension 1 - 2

1.

False

2.

True

3.

False

4.

True

5.

False

6. - 8.

- Loss of national identity - Government cannot devalue - Government cannot change interest rates

9.

Shared currency but not government

10.

It’s a non-EU country

11.

Krone fell to record low against the Euro

12.

To have inflation and budget deficits at sustainably low levels

13.

retailers

14.

overdraft

15.

threshold

16.

(bank) branch

17.

A - can save time and money

18.

A - you do something to help protect the environment

19.

D - alerts sent to your mobile to deter fraud

20.

B - gives you the possibility to shop at any time of the day

35

Joining the euro

Sharing a currency but not a government—the hybrid arrangement for the 15 countries that use the euro—may look less than ideal in times of turmoil. But from the outside, the single currency looks like an increasingly attractive shelter. Even solid ex-communist countries such as Poland want to speed up their preparations to meet the conditions for joining the common currency. And rich EU members that stayed out by choice, Sweden and Denmark, are thinking again. Joining the euro, at least in some eyes, means a loss of national identity. It also means governments cannot devalue or change interest rates to suit economic needs. During the sunny financial weather of the past years, that seemed to argue for staying out. The balance of the argument is now changing. Denmark twice raised interest rates in October to help protect its currency, the krone, which is pegged closely to the euro. Sweden’s krona fell to a record low against the euro in October as the central bank there cut interest rates in the hope of fending off a recession. The Danish prime minister, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, says that being outside the euro zone during the financial crisis is “detrimental” to the economy, and he wants a referendum by 2011. Even in non-EU countries, such as Iceland, adopting the euro is now a hot topic. In eastern Europe, meanwhile, Slovenia has already adopted the euro and Slovakia will do so by the end of the year. But no other country looks close. Standard & Poor’s this week cut Romania’s credit rating to “junk” status, blaming politicians’ irresponsibility about public-sector wage increases. Poland, ambitiously, says it wants to meet the criteria and set a fixed rate for the zloty against the euro in 2011.. To join the euro, countries are required to have inflation and budget deficits at sustainably low levels (“low” is an average based on other countries’ performance). In past years, eastern European countries have missed that because roaring growth pushed up prices. The prospect of euro membership in three years’ time is unlikely to calm panicky financial markets now. That requires, at a minimum, large quantities of cash—as seen in this week’s bail-out of Hungary This week the European Union said it would raise its own rescue fund from €12 billion ($15 billion) perhaps to €25 billion. Yet even with such outside help, running an independent currency is beginning to look too risky for all but the biggest economies.

36

Benefit from new banking services Life is hectic enough and in these economic times, it’s all the more important to carefully manage your money in a way that fits into your lifestyle. Utilizing tools that offer easy access to and constant control of your cash can save you valuable time and hassle. The first thing to consider is that today, banks are enabling you to manage your finances on the go. Tools like mobile banking, online banking, and your local ATM simply make doing the hard stuff a little bit easier by giving you more control, convenience and choice. If you know you’re going to be a road warrior for the next few months or simply decide to go green, sign up for bill pay and e-Bills through your bank. Utilizing e-Bills means that you don’t have to wait for the bill to come to you and instead, can pay all your bills online at once. “Bill pay takes it one step further and gives you extra control,” says Laurie Readhead, Bank of America executive. “By allowing you to set a schedule to pay any amount, bill pay can help you to avoid fees and simplify your life by knowing your bills will be paid on time.” Keep yourself, your credentials and personal information secure. Always look for extra protection to provide you with peace of mind like Bank of America's SiteKey -- an award winning online security sign-in feature that helps customers deter fraud. If Bank of America doesn't recognize the computer you're using, you will also be asked challenge questions to ensure only you can access your account. If you’re an online shopper, use ShopSafe -another security feature that customers can log into to create a unique, temporary credit card number, eliminating the need to expose your real credit card number to online merchants. Be sure to keep your computer up to date with anti-virus software, and before typing in account or credit card information on a Web site, make sure the site is trusted and secure. Stay current on your financial transactions by taking advantage of your bank's alerts, which can often be forwarded to your cell phone. Alerts can help you recognize any fraudulent activity on your account and can help you to avoid overdraft fees. Alerts also help you monitor your account balance to help decide if it’s the right time for that last minute purchase. To keep life simple and stay in control of your finances you can sign up for alerts that inform you when your account balance falls below a certain threshold. Make sure your financial life fits seamlessly into your everyday routine through your bank’s mobile banking service. Check your balances and transactions, pay bills, transfer money, locate ATMs and more. Utilizing this convenient banking tool gives you immediate access to your finances through your mobile phone -- it’s just like having a bank branch in your pocket. And in today’s unpredictable economic environment, it has never been more important to have control of your money whenever, wherever you need it. Look for added value in your banking relationships that give you money back on things that are meaningful to your life. Use tools such as Bank of America’s online shopping portal, Add It Up, where online banking customers can earn up to 20 percent cash back on purchases from more than 300 online retailers. Add It Up also allows you to shop on your time from your home. Be sure to also monitor your accounts daily to see how much money you are spending and saving. By keeping current on your budget and checking your accounts online, you may discover areas where spending can be cut back.

37

Test 3 Writing

Sportruházat Kft. 224 Kossuth utca Budapest 1199 Hungary

Zabawa Ltd. 115 Ulica Rzeka Warsaw 01-463 Poland

30 March 2012

Dear Sirs, Thank you for visiting our stand at the Leisure and Sports Trade Fair last week. We were very pleased that our products displayed on our stand raised your interest. As your representative, Mr Jan Mostowicz, informed us at the fair, your company might be interested in acting as our agent in your country. We are a manufacturer of high quality sportswear. I enclosed our current catalogue and price list from which you will see that we offer a wide range of products from moderately priced garments to specially designed garments for professional athletes. We already export to Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Romania and now we would like to expand into Polish market. The market research that we had previously carried out to discover the market potential in Poland shows that there is an increasing demand for high quality sportswear in your country. We are currently looking for an agent that will be able to cover the whole of Poland. If we manage to establish business cooperation with you, we can offer you a 15% commission on net list prices. In addition, we will provide advertising support, if necessary. We feel that this is a unique opportunity to start in an expanding market. If you believe that you could successfully act as our agent in Poland and develop this market, please let us know as soon as possible. We look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully, Katalin / Károly Kovács Export Manager

38

SET 3 Test 1 Use of English – Grammar and Business English Vocabulary TASK 1 Match the expressions with the business definition. There are TWO extra expressions which you do not need to use. account

customs retire

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

dismiss overdraft standing order

to remove or discharge from employment an instruction to a bank to make regular payments deficit in a bank account caused by withdrawing more money than is paid in government tax or duty on imported goods a contract of insurance

TASK 2 Complete each sentence with the correct form of the word in capital letters.

6. EMPLOY I have to share my office room with two other _____ . 7. PROMOTION She was one of the top performers, so she _____ last month. 8. CORRUPT Unfortunately, there is a lot of _____ in that country. 9. CONSIDER The news of the merger have caused _____ alarm on Wall Street.

TASK 3 Which of the two words on the left form partnership with the word on the right? 10. Advertising Market

campaign 39

policy

11. Commercial Sales

figures

12. Trading Commerce

partner

13. After-sales After-selling

service

TASK 4 Which is the odd word out in each line? 14. deteriorate 15. process 16. edge 17. acquire

improve benefit border gain

worsen procedure margin obtain

TASK 5 What do the following abbreviations stand for? 18. FOB 19. D/A 20. Ltd.

TASK 6 Complete each sentence so that it means the same as the one before it. 21. It wasn’t necessary to send them the samples. They’ve already got them. You need ...

22. The management has accepted the Sales Manager’s suggestions. The Sales Manager’s suggestions ...

23. I didn’t know about the meeting, that’s why I didn’t go. If I ...

24. We had to cancel the business trip because the weather conditions were bad. We had to cancel the business trip due ...

40

decline method balance presume

TASK 7 Choose the best alternative.

25. The Embassy refused _____ me the cell phone number of the Ambassador. A) say B) telling C) to saying D) to tell 26. I _____ hard and I don’t mind it. A) am used to working B) use to work

C) used to work

27. I’ll inform him about the promotion as soon as I _____ him. A) am going to see B) will see C) see

D) am used to work

D) will be seeing

28. The customer asked the shop assistant what the price of the product _____ . A) were B) is C) was D) has 29. This photocopier is useless. It’s the fifth time it _____ . A) is breaking down B) breaks down C) has broken down D) broke down 30. His assistant works much _____ than Mr Smith. A) harder B) more hard C) hardlier

D) more hardly

TASK 8 Fill in the following sentences with suitable prepositions. 31. I’m in charge ______ the marketing department. 32. What I really like ______ my job is its financial aspect. 33. Our share of the domestic market stayed the same ______ 48%.

TASK 9 Use the correct form of the verbs in brackets to complete the following sentences. 34. You _____ (read) a magazine during the presentation, that’s why you don’t remember what it was about. 35. Coffee beans _____ (pick) on plantations. 36. He _____ (sell) computer software since 1998. 37. Ms Green wrote an e-mail to her boss and then _____ (go) home.

41

TASK 10 Fill the gaps in the following sentences with a linking word or expression from the box. You will not need two of the expressions.

consequently

due to

during

unless

while

38. Please, wait _____ I make a phone call. 39. His performance was above average. _____ , the management decided to promote him. 40. Nobody will buy that product _____ they reduce the price.

42

Answer sheet Test 1 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40.

43

Test 2 Reading comprehension 1 IMF bailout in 2008

Time was when a bail-out by the International Monetary Fund was a uniformly horrid experience. Coldeyed, sharp-suited men pored over your country’s books, demanding painful structural reforms and bone-chilling fiscal stringency. Faced with the current turmoil in emerging markets, the fund now seems more like a generous uncle. Well-run countries now have fewer hoops to jump through to gain IMF money. On October 29th the fund announced the creation of a new short-term liquidity facility for the soundest emerging markets. The facility will disburse three-month loans to countries with good policies and manageable debts without attaching any of its usual conditions. The Federal Reserve added its considerable firepower to the rescue effort, announcing the establishment of $30 billion swap lines with each of the central banks of Brazil, Mexico, South Korea and Singapore. The fund’s traditional lending also comes with fewer strings attached. The IMF-led $25.1 billion bail-out of Hungary on October 28th was “fast, light and big”, in the words of one person involved. The rescue came just days after the fund agreed on a $16.5 billion package to shore up Ukraine’s collapsing economy, a prospect which seems to be unblocking the country’s wretchedly deadlocked politics. It is also standing by to help Pakistan. The huge international support package for Hungary is a shocking turn of fortune for eastern Europe, a region that has enjoyed growth and stability for a decade. But a toxic combination of external debt and collapsing confidence left the economy floundering. Even spending cuts, tax increases, a €5 billion ($6.7 billion) loan from the European Central Bank and a sharp rise in interest rates, from 8.5% to 11.5%, had failed to calm the markets. The fund had tried to get the governments of Germany, Italy and Austria on board for the rescue. Their banks are most exposed to Hungarian borrowers (thanks to eager lending in euros and Swiss francs). Austria was willing to take part; Germany was not. So the IMF has put up $15.7 billion (to be agreed on at an IMF board meeting shortly), the European Union has added $8.1 billion, and the World Bank a further $1.3 billion. In return, all Hungary has to do is pass a law on fiscal responsibility that is already before parliament.

44

Fill in the gaps with figures from the text. 1. In October the interest rates were increased by _____ per cent in Hungary. 2. The IMF agreed to give Hungary a short-term loan of $ _____ . 3. The World Bank added $ _____ to the bail-out of Hungary.

Give short answers to the following questions. 4. – 5. What are some of the demands the IMF used to impose on countries when giving financial aid? (a, b) 6. Why did the IMF create a new liquidity facility in October 2008? 7. – 8. What are the criteria now to give a loan to a country from the newly created liquidity facility? (a, b) 9. Why did the IMF give financial support to Ukraine in October 2008? 10. According to the article, why was it a surprise that Hungary turned to the IMF for financial aid? 11. – 13. Before asking for an IMF loan, what internal measures did the Hungarian government try to impose to rescue the Hungarian economy? (a, b, c)

45

Reading comprehension 2

How small businesses can stay afloat Whether you shop at a local small business in your neighborhood, are a small business owner yourself, or are thinking about starting a small business, everyone in the country is impacted by America’s small business economy. Small businesses continue to be the heartbeat of America, representing 99.7 percent of all employer firms and generating 60 to 80 percent of new jobs over the past decade, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration. While many think that small businesses have been hit harder than the average consumer in the current economic environment, small businesses are often credited as the sector that will likely lead us out of the current “Great Recession.” To remain successful in today’s economy, it’s critical for small business owners to reduce expenses and better manage their day-to-day work. Here are some tips from Rieva Lesonsky, a small business expert. "Everyone has heard the phrase 'cash is king,' but for today's small business owners, I recommend adopting the mantra, 'smart cash flow is king,'" says Lesonsky. Maximizing your earnings potential on idle cash balances is a smart way to get the most out of your cash flow. Small business owners can do this by placing funds in money market savings or short-term CD accounts. Interest earned on money sitting idle will always benefit your business in the long run. For many small business owners, this is the first time they are navigating their business through this type of economy. It’s important to remember that it’s okay to ask for help. Asking for advice and information from peers who may have experienced a similar situation is a great way to strengthen your business. There are also free forums out there for small business owners to obtain expert advice and gain access to additional information they might need for their business. The current economic environment has brought with it many discount opportunities. Many vendors are offering deals right now, making it a good time to invest in new technologies and equipment for your business. Investing in your business now will ensure that when the economy turns around, you are prepared to take advantage of any and all growth opportunities. “As a small business owner, you need to focus your time on innovation and business growth. This means remembering to delegate other office work like staying on top of invoices and collecting on receivables to a trusted employee or service,” says Lesonsky. There are many tools available to help small business owners be more efficient and make managing your company’s money easier and less time consuming. For example, electronic banking services give business owners the ability to invoice customers, receive payments and pay vendors and employees electronically. Electronic payroll for employees instantly calculates federal, state, local and voluntary withholdings, with 100 percent accuracy guaranteed so you don’t have to worry about making these deductions manually.

46

Choose the best answer according to the information in the article. 14. Small businesses... A. are believed to disappear in the long run B. are in a better situation than the average consumer C. do not play an important role in the US economy D. need to cut down on their expenditures

15. One positive point about the recession is that small businesses can... A. buy new technology more cheaply B. hire new staff C. make more profit than before D. afford to provide discount opportunities 16. Small business owners... A. should postpone spending on new office equipment B. have to find ways to manage their office work better C. have wide experience in navigating their businesses through recession D. should not trust their employees 17. Mr. Lesonsky believes that... A. it is very hard for small businesses to optimize efficiency B. delegation and outsourcing are a good idea C. information from peers cannot be trusted D. small businesses should invest all their earnings on the money market

Decide if the following sentences are true (T) or false (F) according to the article. 18. It is believed that the small business sector is the key sector to help the US economy recover from the recession. 19. Small business owners always have to pay financial experts for professional advice. 20. Electronic payroll saves small business owners valuable time.

47

Answer sheet Test 2 1. 2. 3. a.) 4. – 5.

b.)

6. a.) 7. – 8.

b.)

9. 10. a.) 11. – 13.

b.) c.)

14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

48

Test 3 Writing

Ön Előd / Emese Völgyes a Dreamland Bútor Kft. (6722 Szeged, Fő utca 125) kereskedelmi vezetője. Múlt héten Londonban ellátogatott a Furniture Fair szakkiállításra. Ott találkozott a Century Design Ltd. (78 Oak Road, Oxford, OX10 9BD) egyedi tervezésű bútorokat gyártó cég termékeivel.

Írjon levelet az angol cégnek későbbi üzleti kapcsolat reményében.

Ø

Mondja el, mennyire megnyerte az Önök tetszését az angol cég modern bútorkínálata

Ø

Röviden mutassa be cégét: bútorbolt hálózatuk van Magyarországon és más Kelet-európai országokban, fő vásárlóik az újdonságokat kedvelő fiatalok, akik mind irodájukba, mind otthonukba vásárolnak Önöktől bútort.

Ø

Olyan beszállítókat keresnek, akik a legújabb trend szerinti, modern bútorokat gyártanak.

Ø

Írja le, hogy milyen feltételekben szoktak általában a beszállítóikkal megállapodni

Ø

Amennyiben az angol céget érdekli az együttműködés, kérjen tőlük katalógust és árlistát.

49

Answer sheet Test 3 ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... 50

Answers Set 3 Test 1 Use of English – Grammar and Business English Vocabulary 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40.

dismiss standing order overdraft customs policy employees was promoted corruption considerable Advertising campaign Sales figures Trading partner After-sales service improve benefit balance presume Free on board Deposit account Limited You needn’t have sent them the samples. The Sales Manager’s suggestions have been accepted by the management. If I had known about the meeting, I would have gone. We had to cancel the business trip due to the bad weather conditions. D) to tell A) am used to working C) see C) was C) has broken down A) harder of about at were reading are picked has been selling went while Consequently unless

51

Test 2 Reading comprehension 1 - 2 1.

3%

2.

$ 15.7 billion

3.

$ 1.3 billion

4. – 5. 6. 7. – 8.

- structural reforms - fiscal stringency. Because of a turmoil in emerging markets - Countries must have good policies - and have manageable debts

9.

to shore up Ukraine’s collapsing economy

10.

Eastern Europe enjoyed growth and stability before

11. – 13.

- spending cuts - tax increases - sharp rise in interest rates

14.

D - need to cut down on their expenditures

15.

A - buy new technology more cheaply

16.

B - have to find ways to manage their office work better

17.

B - delegation and outsourcing are a good idea

18.

True

19.

False

20.

True

52

IMF bailout in 2008

TIME was when a bail-out by the International Monetary Fund was a uniformly horrid experience. Coldeyed, sharp-suited men pored over your country’s books, demanding painful structural reforms and bone-chilling fiscal stringency. Faced with the current turmoil in emerging markets, the fund now seems more like a generous uncle. Well-run countries now have fewer hoops to jump through to gain IMF money. On October 29th the fund announced the creation of a new short-term liquidity facility for the soundest emerging markets. The facility will disburse three-month loans to countries with good policies and manageable debts without attaching any of its usual conditions. The Federal Reserve added its considerable firepower to the rescue effort, announcing the establishment of $30 billion swap lines with each of the central banks of Brazil, Mexico, South Korea and Singapore. The fund’s traditional lending also comes with fewer strings attached. The IMF-led $25.1 billion bail-out of Hungary on October 28th was “fast, light and big”, in the words of one person involved. The rescue came just days after the fund agreed on a $16.5 billion package to shore up Ukraine’s collapsing economy, a prospect which seems to be unblocking the country’s wretchedly deadlocked politics. It is also standing by to help Pakistan. The huge international support package for Hungary is a shocking turn of fortune for eastern Europe, a region that has enjoyed growth and stability for a decade. But a toxic combination of external debt and collapsing confidence left the economy floundering. Even spending cuts, tax increases, a €5 billion ($6.7 billion) loan from the European Central Bank and a sharp rise in interest rates, from 8.5% to 11.5%, had failed to calm the markets. The fund had tried to get the governments of Germany, Italy and Austria on board for the rescue. Their banks are most exposed to Hungarian borrowers (thanks to eager lending in euros and Swiss francs). Austria was willing to take part; Germany was not. So the IMF has put up $15.7 billion (to be agreed on at an IMF board meeting shortly), the European Union has added $8.1 billion, and the World Bank a further $1.3 billion. In return, all Hungary has to do is pass a law on fiscal responsibility that is already before parliament.

53

Reading comprehension 2

How small businesses can stay afloat Whether you shop at a local small business in your neighborhood, are a small business owner yourself, or are thinking about starting a small business, everyone in the country is impacted by America’s small business economy. Small businesses continue to be the heartbeat of America, representing 99.7 percent of all employer firms and generating 60 to 80 percent of new jobs over the past decade, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration. While many think that small businesses have been hit harder than the average consumer in the current economic environment, small businesses are often credited as the sector that will likely lead us out of the current “Great Recession.” To remain successful in today’s economy, it’s critical for small business owners to reduce expenses and better manage their day-to-day work. Here are some tips from Rieva Lesonsky, a small business expert. "Everyone has heard the phrase 'cash is king,' but for today's small business owners, I recommend adopting the mantra, 'smart cash flow is king,'" says Lesonsky. Maximizing your earnings potential on idle cash balances is a smart way to get the most out of your cash flow. Small business owners can do this by placing funds in money market savings or short-term CD accounts. Interest earned on money sitting idle will always benefit your business in the long run. For many small business owners, this is the first time they are navigating their business through this type of economy. It’s important to remember that it’s okay to ask for help. Asking for advice and information from peers who may have experienced a similar situation is a great way to strengthen your business. There are also free forums out there for small business owners to obtain expert advice and gain access to additional information they might need for their business. The current economic environment has brought with it many discount opportunities. Many vendors are offering deals right now, making it a good time to invest in new technologies and equipment for your business. Investing in your business now will ensure that when the economy turns around, you are prepared to take advantage of any and all growth opportunities. “As a small business owner, you need to focus your time on innovation and business growth. This means remembering to delegate other office work like staying on top of invoices and collecting on receivables to a trusted employee or service,” says Lesonsky. There are many tools available to help small business owners be more efficient and make managing your company’s money easier and less time consuming. For example, electronic banking services give business owners the ability to invoice customers, receive payments and pay vendors and employees electronically. Electronic payroll for employees instantly calculates federal, state, local and voluntary withholdings, with 100 percent accuracy guaranteed so you don’t have to worry about making these deductions manually.

54

Test 3 Writing

Dreamland Bútor Kft. 125 Fő utca Szeged 6722 Hungary

Century Design Ltd. 78 Oak Road Oxford, OX10 9BD

24 June 2010

Dear Sirs I am writing in regard to our discussion at the 21st Century Furniture Fair in London last week. First, let me tell you once again how impressed we were by your new designs displayed on your stand. Now I would like to confirm the main points of our discussion. We are a chain of retailers that sell furniture all over Hungary and in Eastern European countries. Most of customers are young people who seek fresh and revolutionary designs in the furniture market and buy pieces of furniture both in to their offices and homes. That is why we continuously look for manufacturers who follow the latest trends and can supply our shop with new style furniture. We were amazed by your innovative ideas at the fair and believe that your products could fit into our existing range of products for sale. As we usually place orders in large quantities, we expect a quantity discount in addition to a 10% trade discount off net list price. Our terms of payment are normally 60-day bill of exchange, D/A. If these conditions are acceptable for you and you can meet orders of over 50 pieces of furniture at one time, please send us your latest catalogue of furniture and your current price list. We are looking forward to doing business with you.

Yours faithfully,

Előd / Emese Völgyes Sales Director

55

SET 4 Test 1 Use of English – Grammar and Business English Vocabulary TASK 1 Match the expressions with the business definition. There are TWO extra expressions which you do not need to use. cash

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

currency hire purchase

discount mail order

freight sales

a way of buying goods in which you choose what you want, usually from a catalogue the buyer pays part of the cost immediately and then makes small regular payments a reduction in the price the money in general use or circulation in any country goods being transported

TASK 2 Complete each sentence with the correct form of the word in capital letters.

6. APPLY Please, send us your formal _____ for the job. 7. DISMISS His _____ surprised everyone as he had been one of our top performers. 8. REDUNDANT A _____ payment is what a company pays to workers who are no longer needed. 9. AGREE We have a binding _____ with that company and we must respect it.

TASK 3 Which of the two words on the left form partnership with the word on the right? 10. Internal Indoor

audit 56

11. Stock Shares

market

12. Work Job

satisfaction

13. Brand Product

awareness

TASK 4 Which is the odd word out in each line? 14. 15. 16. 17.

earn display cash produce

save show fee charge

research exhibit coins manufacture

waste command notes create

TASK 5 What do the following abbreviations stand for? 18. 19. 20.

GNP POS L/C

TASK 6 Complete each sentence so that it means the same as the one before it. 21. You won’t get a pay rise if you don’t work harder. You won’t get a pay rise unless ...

22. They were probably listening to my presentation. They must ...

23. On receipt of the invoice we will immediately transfer the money. We will transfer the money as soon ...

24. Investing your money in real estate is better than keeping it on your bank account. It is ... 57

TASK 7 Choose the best alternative. 25. The price of the product was _____ high that we finally decided not to order it. A) so B) such C) as D) that 26. Why are you keeping that sales report in your drawer? You ____ it weeks ago. A) should send B) should be sending C) should sent D) should have sent 27. We refuse _____ the invoice as it is for the wrong amount. A) pay B) to pay C) paying

D) to paying

28. We are looking forward _____ business with you. A) do B) to do C) doing

D) to doing

29. We will take legal action if you _____ within 10 days. A) don’t pay B) are not going to pay C) won’t pay

D) didn’t pay

30. Our partners _____ with samples so that they could test the product. A) must supply B) must be supplied C) have to supply D) have to supplied

TASK 8 Fill in the following sentences with suitable prepositions. 31.

I would only work ______ an employer who treats me fairly.

32.

The EU spends about 50 million euros a year ______ research projects.

33.

Microsoft reduced their number of employees ______ 5% last year.

TASK 9 Use the correct form of the verbs in brackets to complete the following sentences.

34.

The sales representative tried _____ (persuade) me to buy the more expensive product.

35.

I think we should order this office desk. It only _____ (cost) $100.

36.

She is looking for a job. She _____ (be) unemployed for six months.

37.

The contract must _____ (sign) by both parties.

58

TASK 10 Fill the gaps in the following sentences with a linking word or expression from the box. You will not need two of the expressions.

because

because of

in order to

nevertheless

therefore

38.

I did not pay the invoice from the cleaning company _____ it was for the wrong amount.

39.

They decided to reduce the price of their software _____ attract more customers.

40.

We couldn’t send out the invitation cards _____ the lack of time.

59

Answer sheet Test 1 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40.

60

Test 2 Reading comprehension 1

Financial crisis AS President Obama stages a populist campaign against credit card companies’ predatory practices, the United States Senate is working on new regulations to protect card holders. Meanwhile, Americans’ credit card debt has risen to the point where it now tops $960 billion. And with the economy in a downswing, it’s hard to see how the debt can ever be paid back. If it’s any consolation, South Koreans have been there, done that and come out alive — if just barely. In 1999, after the Asian financial crisis, the South Korean government encouraged banks to issue credit cards to as many people as possible as a way to increase consumer spending (as well as to make it easier to collect taxes, which had been harder to monitor in a predominantly cash economy). Hong Kwon-heui, a columnist for a South Korean newspaper, recalled how, in the early 2000s, the streets of Seoul were littered with credit card vendors. “They were literally handing them out to college students, to the unemployed, to anyone who had time to fill out an application.” He said, “The country was force-feeding its people debts.” South Koreans became hooked on plastic so dizzyingly fast that by 2003 they owned on average four credit cards each and their collective debts amounted to about $100 billion. The cards had an additional allure as a status symbol, because previously in South Korea only the elite had them. The bill soon came due for many South Koreans. Families unraveled as their breadwinners lost their savings. A sudden surge in crime and prostitution led South Koreans to bemoan their “bankrupted society.” Finally, after millions had defaulted on payments, the government stepped in to help bail out LG Card, then the country’s largest issuer. “The excess was similar to what’s happening with the American housing market today,” recalled Song Ji-hoon, a South Korean lawyer. “Koreans wanted fancy cars, bigger TVs — although there was no real money to buy them — much the way those Americans thought that they could own houses with nothing but loans. Of course, in both instances, banks got greedy extending credits and mortgages to people who couldn’t pay back.” It’s true that South Korea’s economic path bears little resemblance to America’s. In the 1960s, the South Korean government had nationalized the banks and divided the country’s resources among a handful of companies, including Samsung, Hyundai and LG. These family-owned conglomerates dominated the economy. In the early 2000s, the credit card divisions of Samsung and LG, trailed by Hyundai, competed fiercely in the new market. When their credit card divisions faltered in 2003, the South Korean government had little choice but to step in and ease social unrest by forgiving individual debts. The move was criticized by some as a return to the old ways of keeping the conglomerats afloat. Still, the government’s bailout worked. Although unemployment and personal bankruptcy rates remained high for a while, the worst was soon over. The credit card companies instituted stricter rules for issuing cards, and consumer spending plummeted briefly. The real hangover can be seen in a shift in buying habits. Before the mass use of credit cards, Koreans had been big savers. In a culture where family members are expected to help one another financially, they put money away for everything. In 1998, the household savings rate was 25 percent. By 2007, it had fallen to 2.5 percent. South Korea managed to weather the storm, albeit with no shortage of heartbreak. Today Seoul’s neon-lighted streets burst with credit-card friendly shops — but high household debt has depressed spending. Some habits are hard to break.

61

Give short answers to the following questions. 1. – 2. Why did the South Korean government want people to use credit cards? 3. In the early 2000s, what did South Koreans have to do if they wanted to get a credit card? 4. What banking practices led to the credit crisis in the US? 5. How did South Korean credit card companies change their credit extension practices in 2003?

Decide if the following statements are true (T) or false (F) according to the article. 6. The US Senate has recently imposed significant restrictions on credit card companies. 7. The South Korean government managed to solve the financial crisis quite easily. 8. As a result of the financial crisis, crime levels rose considerably in South Korea. 9. In South Korea it is a tradition that family members help each other financially.

62

Reading comprehension 2

Aussies welcome Russian Standard A battle is looming in the $480 million vodka market when the first global Russian vodka brand launches in Australia next month and challenges the purity and country of origin of rivals in its marketing. Russia’s largest vodka brand, Russian Standard, arrives with the bold ambition to be number two in the market within two years, and is investing more than $6 million in marketing to go up against Smirnoff and Absolut. The brand’s owner, Roustam Tariko, 47, has struck a deal with Beam Global Australia to distribute its three vodka labels: Original, Platinum and Imperia. Mr Tariko, who owns a bank and a credit-card company, sees little risk in launching a luxury brand in a recession: "The feeling I get on the street is that people here take pleasure seriously. People seem to be less affected by events. They are still spending.’’ Sales of bottles of vodka – excluding the ready-mixed market – have grown 32 per cent in value in three years, according to Nielsen research. The market for premium and "uber-premium" brands, such as Belvedere, Grey Goose, Ketel One and the soon-to-be-launched Imperia, is growing by 19 per cent by volume and is worth $98 million. The Kalashnikov and the KGB aside, Russian Standard can claim to be Russia’s first and only truly global Russian brand. After communism collapsed Russians woke up to the fact that other countries – Poland, Sweden, Finland and France – were making money out of their national drink. "Russians were celebrating their marriages with those brands and they were upset they were not Russian,’’ Mr Tariko says. And, as with any premium brand, there is a back story, in this case the tsar’s original recipe, made from Russian grain with glacial water drawn from a lake near the St Petersburg distillery. In a thinly veiled attack on Smirnoff, which accounts for half the 1.15 million cases sold in Australia each year, Mr Sykes says that ‘‘unlike other brands that are Russian in name only, this is the genuine article’’. Smirnoff’s owner, Diageo, does not produce any vodka in Russia and makes scant mention of the country even though it was founded in Moscow 140 years ago. Diageo Australia’s marketing director, John Green, defends its purity. ‘‘Consumers choose Smirnoff because it’s original, authentic and delivers exceptional quality.’’ Since its introduction in Britain in 2007 Russian Standard has overtaken Absolut to be the secondbiggest-selling brand behind Smirnoff, which still has 60 per cent of the market. Absolut’s owner, Pernod-Ricard, declined to comment on the Russian’s entry other than to say it was ‘‘pleased with its acquisition [a year ago] and that the brand was in growth’’.

63

Fill in the gaps with figures from the article. 10. Russian Standard’s objective in Australia is to overtake Absolut in the vodka market in the next ________ years. 11. In the past _________ years there has been a significant increase of over thirty percent in the sales of vodka in Australia. 12. In Australia, Smirnoff is the leading vodka brand with a market share of _________ percent. 13. The vodka brand, Russian Standard, launched in the UK in ________ . 14. Smirnoff’s market share in the UK is _________ higher than in Australia.

Find words in the text that correspond with the meanings given below. 15. The possibility that something harmful or unpleasant might happen 16. Amount; quantity 17. Including the whole world; worldwide 18. An establishment where strong alcoholic drinks are made 19. People who buy and use goods or services 20. Degree or grade of excellence (of a product or service)

64

Answer sheet Test 2

1. – 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

65

Test 3 Writing

Ön Imre / Ilona Horváth az Üvegáru Kft. (1253 Budapest, Fa utca 24. ) beszerzési vezetője. Írjon levelet a Majestic Glasswear Ltd. cégnek (58 Queen Lane, London SE7 2AD).

Ø

Rendeljen meg 45 Royal típusú pohárkészletet

Ø

Hivatkozzon a partner korábbi levelére, (melyben 10% árengedményt ajánlott) és a fizetési feltételekre

Ø

Írja le, milyen csomagolást várnak: minden darabot külön kell csomagolni, a 45 készletet 15 rekeszbe kell tenni és a rekeszeket 1-15 számozással és a cég nevével ellátni, valamint jelezni, hogy az áru törékeny.

Ø

Ha nincs meg az a színárnyalat, amelyet kiválasztottak, megfelel másik szín is, de csak ugyanazzal a mintázattal.

Ø

Írja le, hogy a hónap végéig szeretnék megkapni az árut.

66

Answer sheet Test 3 ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... 67

Answers Set 4 Test 1 Use of English – Grammar and Business English vocabulary

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40.

mail order hire purchase discount currency freight application dismissal redundancy agreement Internal audit Stock market Job satisfaction Brand awareness research command fee charge Gross national product Point of sale Letter of credit You won’t get a pay rise unless you work harder. They must have been listening to my presentation. We will transfer the money as soon as we receive the invoice. It is better to invest your money in real estate than keep it on your bank account. A) so D) should have sent B) to pay D) to doing A) don’t pay B) must be supplied for on by to persuade costs has been be signed because in order to because of

68

Test 2 Reading comprehension 1 - 2 1. - 2.

- to increase consumer spending - to make it easier to collect taxes

3.

Only fill out an application form

4.

Banks extended credits and mortgages to people who couldn’t pay back

5.

The credit card companies instituted stricter rules for issuing cards

6.

False

7.

False

8.

True

9.

True

10.

2

11.

3

12.

50

13.

2007

14.

10%

15.

Risk

16.

Volume

17.

Global

18.

Distillery

19.

Consumers

20.

Quality

69

Financial crisis AS President Obama stages a populist campaign against credit card companies’ predatory practices, the United States Senate is working on new regulations to protect card holders. Meanwhile, Americans’ credit card debt has risen to the point where it now tops $960 billion. And with the economy in a downswing, it’s hard to see how the debt can ever be paid back. If it’s any consolation, South Koreans have been there, done that and come out alive — if just barely. In 1999, after the Asian financial crisis, the South Korean government encouraged banks to issue credit cards to as many people as possible as a way to increase consumer spending (as well as to make it easier to collect taxes, which had been harder to monitor in a predominantly cash economy). Hong Kwon-heui, a columnist for a South Korean newspaper, recalled how, in the early 2000s, the streets of Seoul were littered with credit card vendors. “They were literally handing them out to college students, to the unemployed, to anyone who had time to fill out an application.” He said, “The country was force-feeding its people debts.” South Koreans became hooked on plastic so dizzyingly fast that by 2003 they owned on average four credit cards each and their collective debts amounted to about $100 billion. The cards had an additional allure as a status symbol, because previously in South Korea only the elite had them. The bill soon came due for many South Koreans. Families unraveled as their breadwinners lost their savings. A sudden surge in crime and prostitution led South Koreans to bemoan their “bankrupted society.” Finally, after millions had defaulted on payments, the government stepped in to help bail out LG Card, then the country’s largest issuer. “The excess was similar to what’s happening with the American housing market today,” recalled Song Ji-hoon, a South Korean lawyer. “Koreans wanted fancy cars, bigger TVs — although there was no real money to buy them — much the way those Americans thought that they could own houses with nothing but loans. Of course, in both instances, banks got greedy extending credits and mortgages to people who couldn’t pay back.” It’s true that South Korea’s economic path bears little resemblance to America’s. In the 1960s, the South Korean government had nationalized the banks and divided the country’s resources among a handful of companies, including Samsung, Hyundai and LG. These family-owned conglomerates dominated the economy. In the early 2000s, the credit card divisions of Samsung and LG, trailed by Hyundai, competed fiercely in the new market. When their credit card divisions faltered in 2003, the South Korean government had little choice but to step in and ease social unrest by forgiving individual debts. The move was criticized by some as a return to the old ways of keeping the conglomerats afloat. Still, the government’s bailout worked. Although unemployment and personal bankruptcy rates remained high for a while, the worst was soon over. The credit card companies instituted stricter rules for issuing cards, and consumer spending plummeted briefly. The real hangover can be seen in a shift in buying habits. Before the mass use of credit cards, Koreans had been big savers. In a culture where family members are expected to help one another financially, they put money away for everything. In 1998, the household savings rate was 25 percent. By 2007, it had fallen to 2.5 percent. South Korea managed to weather the storm, albeit with no shortage of heartbreak. Today Seoul’s neon-lighted streets burst with credit-card friendly shops — but high household debt has depressed spending. Some habits are hard to break.

70

Ausssies welcome Russian Standard A battle is looming in the $480 million vodka market when the first global Russian vodka brand launches in Australia next month and challenges the purity and country of origin of rivals in its marketing. Russia’s largest vodka brand, Russian Standard, arrives with the bold ambition to be number two in the market within two years, and is investing more than $6 million in marketing to go up against Smirnoff and Absolut. The brand’s owner, Roustam Tariko, 47, has struck a deal with Beam Global Australia to distribute its three vodka labels: Original, Platinum and Imperia. Mr Tariko, who owns a bank and a credit-card company, sees little risk in launching a luxury brand in a recession: "The feeling I get on the street is that people here take pleasure seriously. People seem to be less affected by events. They are still spending.’’ Sales of bottles of vodka – excluding the ready-mixed market – have grown 32 per cent in value in three years, according to Nielsen research. The market for premium and "uber-premium" brands, such as Belvedere, Grey Goose, Ketel One and the soon-to-be-launched Imperia, is growing by 19 per cent by volume and is worth $98 million. The Kalashnikov and the KGB aside, Russian Standard can claim to be Russia’s first and only truly global Russian brand. After communism collapsed Russians woke up to the fact that other countries – Poland, Sweden, Finland and France – were making money out of their national drink. "Russians were celebrating their marriages with those brands and they were upset they were not Russian,’’ Mr Tariko says. And, as with any premium brand, there is a back story, in this case the tsar’s original recipe, made from Russian grain with glacial water drawn from a lake near the St Petersburg distillery. In a thinly veiled attack on Smirnoff, which accounts for half the 1.15 million cases sold in Australia each year, Mr Sykes says that ‘‘unlike other brands that are Russian in name only, this is the genuine article’’. Smirnoff’s owner, Diageo, does not produce any vodka in Russia and makes scant mention of the country even though it was founded in Moscow 140 years ago. Diageo Australia’s marketing director, John Green, defends its purity. ‘‘Consumers choose Smirnoff because it’s original, authentic and delivers exceptional quality.’’ Since its introduction in Britain in 2007 Russian Standard has overtaken Absolut to be the secondbiggest-selling brand behind Smirnoff, which still has 60 per cent of the market. Absolut’s owner, Pernod-Ricard, declined to comment on the Russian’s entry other than to say it was ‘‘pleased with its acquisition [a year ago] and that the brand was in growth’’.

71

Test 3 Writing Üvegáru Kft. 24 Fa utca. Budapest 1253 4 Oct, 2011

Majestic Glasswear Ltd. 58 Queen Lane. London SE7 2AD Attn.: Mr Alan MacFerson

Dear .Mr MacFerson, I attached our official order (V6542) for 45 sets of Royal glasses (6 glasses per each set). For this order we accept the 10% trade discount you offered in your letter of 24 Sept. and agree to pay by letter of credit. However, we hope you are willing to review these terms once we have established a firm relationship. We would appreciate delivery before the end of this month. As for packaging, please find the following instructions. The 45 sets of glasses should be packed in 15 crates, 3 sets per crate (1 set of whisky glasses, 1 set of wine glasses and 1 set of champagne glasses) with each piece individually wrapped. The crates should be numbered 1-15 and clearly marked with the word “fragile” and our name. If you do not have in stock the colours we have chosen, we will accept an alternative provided that the designs are those stipulated in the order. We look forward to your acknowledgement.

Yours sincerely, Imre / Ilona Horváth Purchasing Manager

72

SET 5 Test 1 Use of English – Grammar and Business English Vocabulary TASK 1 Match the expressions with the business definition. There are TWO extra expressions which you do not need to use. boardroom

currency profit

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

interest promote

loan target

money lent by a bank and that must be repaid the place where the directors meet to try to increase sales of a product by publicising and advertising it objective; what one is aiming at money paid for the use of money lent

TASK 2 Complete each sentence with the correct form of the word in capital letters.

6. EXTEND If he wants to stay in the country for another month, he has to ask for the __________ of his visa. 7. ACT We will have to take legal __________ if you don’t pay up within 10 days. 8. DECIDE I’m not sure it was a good __________ to hire him. 9. PROFIT Starting a __________ business is not easy.

TASK 3 Which of the two words on the left form partnership with the word on the right? 10. Forecasting Plan

software 73

11. Sample Case

study

12. Interest Currency

rate

13. Takeover Policy

bid

TASK 4 Which is the odd word out in each line? 14. cheque 15. damaged 16. obstacle 17. fire

debit card impoverished dismiss take on

cash penniless dilemma make redundant

bill poverty-stricken difficulty dismiss

TASK 5 What do the following abbreviations stand for? 18. GATT 19. F.P.A. 20. FOB

TASK 6 Complete each sentence so that it means the same as the one before it. 21. The Company provides staff uniforms. Staff uniforms ....

22. I’m sure they weren’t listening to the Managing Director’s instructions. They can’t ... .

23. They cancelled the garden party because it was raining. They cancelled the garden party because of ... 24. You shouldn’t confront your supervisor in such questions. You had better ... 74

TASK 7 Choose the best alternative. 25. Last week a German group took the first steps __________ a very important restaurant chain A. acquire B. acquiring C. to acquire D. to acquiring 26. A minimum wage is the smallest amount of money that an employer__________ to pay someone. A. allows B. allowed C. is allowed D. allow 27. He might have been given a pay rise if he __________ for it. A. asked B. had asked C. has asked

D. would have asked

28. They have too __________ money to be able to develop their business. A. little B. a little C. few D. a few 29. In these hard times it is difficult __________ money from the banks. A. to borrow B. borrowing C. to lend D. lending 30. This gift voucher __________ for goods in a shop. A. can be exchanged B. will exchanged C. could exchanged D. would be exchanging

TASK 8 Fill in the following sentences with suitable prepositions. 31. The gold reserve is the amount of gold held _____ a national bank. 32. They charged an unreasonably high price _____ their product. 33. This group of shops belongs _____ the same company.

TASK 9 Use the correct form of the verbs in brackets to complete the following sentences. 34. Will you please give my regards to Alex when you __________ (be) in New York. 35. He __________ (come) to the meeting so we couldn’t discuss all the issues. 36. Last week I __________ (invite) to make a presentation at the conference. 37. Without any reason, our customer returned the goods that we __________ (delivered).

75

TASK 10 Fill the gaps in the following sentences with a linking word or expression from the box. You will not need two of the expressions.

although

because

despite

in addition to

38. Do you get any fringe benefits ______ your pay? 39. We closed the offices in Paris ______ they were too expensive to run. 40. ______ the issues were very important, not many MPs bothered to vote.

76

however

Answer sheet Test 1 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40.

77

Test 2 Reading comprehension 1

Sales of champagne decline Champagne has long been associated with luxury, success and extravagance, thanks to a constrained supply, clever marketing, literary associations (James Bond was fond of Taittinger in the books and Bollinger in the films) and powerful customers, from the Russian imperial court, for whom Roederer’s Cristal was invented, to Sir Winston Churchill, who downed copious amounts of Pol Roger. Over the past two decades champagne shipments went up by an average of 2.2% a year. Recently some markets have grown even faster: America’s consumption rose by 3.5% a year, Britain’s by 4.2% and Japan’s by a foaming 18.1% between 2002 and 2007. This has raised the champagne houses’ return on capital to well above the norm in the wine world: Laurent Perrier’s return on capital was 13% last year, for example. A successful campaign to restrict the use of the champagne name—and even the term méthode champenoise—to a tiny region of northern France means that champagne commands a huge premium over sparkling wines produced by the same firms, using the same method, from the same grape varietals in other countries. Buoyed by the strength of demand, and faced with increasing grape costs from growers, most of whom are independent, the big houses have raised prices steadily in the past five years. Laurent Perrier, the pushiest, raised its average prices by 5% in 2006-07 and by 9% during the second and third quarters of 2008. But the bubble has now burst, says Trevor Stirling, an analyst at Sanford Bernstein. Only Moët et Chandon, the biggest of the five public producers (responsible for Veuve Clicquot, Mercier, Ruinart and Krug, as well as the Moët marque) maintained its revenues in the third quarter. The other four—Rémy (Piper Heidsieck and Charles Heidsieck), Vranken Pommery, Boizel (Lanson) and Laurent Perrier—have seen their sales plunge. Worst hit was Laurent Perrier, where sales were 30% lower in the third quarter than in the same period in 2007. Because the financial turmoil has deepened since September, Mr Stirling reckons that sales have since fallen even further. “Wholesalers will be sitting on a lot of stock, so we are expecting big price cuts even before Christmas, traditionally the busiest selling season,” he says. Perhaps cheap fizz is just what depressed bankers need right now. As Churchill (or was it Napoleon?) is supposed to have said of champagne, “In victory you deserve it; in defeat you need it.”

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Choose the best answer to each question according to the article. 1. In the past twenty years champagne shipments... A. considerably increased. B. rose by more than 2 per cent. C. went up by nearly 20% in Japan. D. rose more rapidly in Europe than in America.

2. Laurent Perrier ... A. is the biggest public champagne producer in France. B. increased its prices in the first quarter of 2008. C. cut its prices in the third quarter of 2008. D. raised its prices and its sales fell in the third quarter of 2008.

3. Trevor Stirling ... A. reckons that a lot of people need to drink champagne in hard times and also to celebrate. B. believes that sales of champagne was continuously falling in the second half of 2008. C. thinks that there is a consistent demand for champagne. D. says that wholesalers will be trying to keep their stocks of champagne.

4. In the past few years champagne producers increased their prices ... A. mainly because most of the grape growers are independent. B. because the use of the champagne name had been restricted to a small region of northern France. C. partly because their suppliers also increased prices. D. because their return on capital had significantly increased.

Give short answers to the following questions. 5. – 7. What has helped champagne keep its luxurious image for a long time? (Mention 3 factors.) 8. What effect had the growth of the markets on the champagne producers? 9. Why is Mr Sterling expecting champagne price cuts? 10. – 11. Name 2 big champagne producers that were mentioned in the article.

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Reading comprehension 2

Project Working Mom Earning a degree has long been a dream of many working mothers. While it might seem the recession would put that dream even further out of reach for most, many working and single mothers are actually drawing inspiration from the economy to pursue their dream of getting a higher education. “We are seeing an increase in the number of women returning to school,” says Adena E. Johnston, campus dean of DeVry University’s Philadelphia campus. “Degree completion programs are very popular for those who have not finished their education, but we’re also seeing more questions about the bachelor’s programs with an entrepreneurship specialty. Women seem to want to learn more about starting their own businesses or having more flexibility and control over their movement in and out of the workforce.” There’s no arguing that an advanced degree can help mothers improve their employment situation, judging by Bureau of Labor Statistics. The higher an individual’s level of education, the less likely she or he is to be unemployed, according to the bureau. The unemployment rate in 2007 (the latest year for which data is available) for women 25 and older lacking a high school diploma was 8.2 percent. For those with a bachelor’s degree or higher, the unemployment rate drops to about 2 percent. Many working mothers, it seems, now perceive a return to school as not just a dream but a necessity. In an increasingly competitive job market, they recognize they can no longer afford to remain in low-paying jobs, or to be the only competitors in the field without a degree. “In 1968, my father advised me I didn’t need a college education. He said all I needed was to get married and take up homemaking,” says Chris Dulaigh-Bates, a 56-year-old medical transcriptionist and mother of two. “I have worked out of my home for the last 17 years, but over the course of the last five years, technology and world trade have eroded away the job security I once enjoyed. My future needs a new ending,” she says. “I’m going to school to help rewrite the ending to my story.” Dulaigh-Bates is a DeVry University student who was awarded a full-ride scholarship in 2008 through a special “Project Working Mom” scholarship program for working mothers who wanted to return to school through an online program. For many working mothers, the online nature of the scholarship means they will be able to better fit their education into their busy lives, which already revolve around their children, family and jobs. Johnston says schools are seeing an increase in the number of women seeking information, scholarships and degrees in areas deemed recession-proof, like accounting. “Accounting concentrations for undergrad and graduate students are popular as more and more want to be able to have portable skills,” she says.

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Find words or expressions in the text that correspond with the meanings given below. 12. All the people working or available to work in a nation 13. The percentage of people who do not have a job 14. Rivals 15. The feeling that your job is permanent

Decide if the following statements are true (T) or false (F) according to the article. 16. If you have a university degree, you have better opportunities on the labour market. 17. Recession inspires more housewives to go back to school. 18. The economic downturn makes it easier for most workers to continue their studies. 19. Many students choose to learn accounting because accounting jobs have not been hit so hard by recession. 20. Chris Dulaigh-Bates is very determined in changing her life for the better.

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Answer sheet Test 2

1. 2. 3. 4. a.) 5. – 7.

b.) c.)

8. 9. a.) 10. – 11.

b.)

12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

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Test 3 Writing

A Johnson Advertising cég meghirdetett egy marketing asszisztensi állást az e havi Budapest Times magazinban. Önt érdekli ez az állás. Írjon motivációs levelet a cégnek (1265 Budapest, Láng utca 15), melyben jelentkezik az állásra. Levelében térjen ki az alábbi szempontokra:

Ø

Miért érdekli az állás

Ø

Iskolai végzettsége, korábbi tanulmányai

Ø

Eddigi munkatapasztalata

Ø

Miért érzi úgy, hogy alkalmas jelölt a meghirdetett pozícióra.

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Answer sheet Test 3 ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... 84

Answers Set 5 Test 1 Use of English – Grammar and Business English Vocabulary 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40.

loan boardroom promote target interest extension action decision profitable Forecasting software Case study Interest rate Takeover bid bill damaged dismiss take on General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade Free of particular average Free on board Staff uniforms are provided by the company. They can’t have been listening to the Managing Director’s instructions. They cancelled the garden party because of the rain. You had better not confront your supervisor in such questions. C - to acquire C - is allowed B - had asked A - little A - to borrow A - can be exchanged by for to are did not come was invited had delivered in addition to because Although

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Test 2 Reading comprehension 1 - 2

1. 2. 3. 4.

A. - considerably increased. D. - raised its prices and its sales fell in the third quarter of 2008. B. - believes that sales of champagne was continuously falling in the second half of 2008. C. - partly because their suppliers also increased prices. a.) constrained supply

5. – 7.

b.) clever marketing b.)literary associations

8.

It raised the champagne houses’ return on capital to well above the norm

9.

Wholesalers have a lot of stock that they would like to sell Mention 2 of these possible answers:

10. – 11.

- Moët et Chandon - Rémy - Vranken Pommery - Boizel - Laurent Perrier

12.

Workforce

13.

Unemployment rate

14.

Competitors

15.

Job security

16.

True

17.

True

18.

False

19.

True

20.

True

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Sales of champagne decline Champagne has long been associated with luxury, success and extravagance, thanks to a constrained supply, clever marketing, literary associations (James Bond was fond of Taittinger in the books and Bollinger in the films) and powerful customers, from the Russian imperial court, for whom Roederer’s Cristal was invented, to Sir Winston Churchill, who downed copious amounts of Pol Roger. Over the past two decades champagne shipments went up by an average of 2.2% a year. Recently some markets have grown even faster: America’s consumption rose by 3.5% a year, Britain’s by 4.2% and Japan’s by a foaming 18.1% between 2002 and 2007. This has raised the champagne houses’ return on capital to well above the norm in the wine world: Laurent Perrier’s return on capital was 13% last year, for example. A successful campaign to restrict the use of the champagne name—and even the term méthode champenoise—to a tiny region of northern France means that champagne commands a huge premium over sparkling wines produced by the same firms, using the same method, from the same grape varietals in other countries. Buoyed by the strength of demand, and faced with increasing grape costs from growers, most of whom are independent, the big houses have raised prices steadily in the past five years. Laurent Perrier, the pushiest, raised its average prices by 5% in 2006-07 and by 9% during the second and third quarters of 2008. But the bubble has now burst, says Trevor Stirling, an analyst at Sanford Bernstein. Only Moët et Chandon, the biggest of the five public producers (responsible for Veuve Clicquot, Mercier, Ruinart and Krug, as well as the Moët marque) maintained its revenues in the third quarter. The other four—Rémy (Piper Heidsieck and Charles Heidsieck), Vranken Pommery, Boizel (Lanson) and Laurent Perrier—have seen their sales plunge. Worst hit was Laurent Perrier, where sales were 30% lower in the third quarter than in the same period in 2007. Because the financial turmoil has deepened since September, Mr Stirling reckons that sales have since fallen even further. “Wholesalers will be sitting on a lot of stock, so we are expecting big price cuts even before Christmas, traditionally the busiest selling season,” he says. Perhaps cheap fizz is just what depressed bankers need right now. As Churchill (or was it Napoleon?) is supposed to have said of champagne, “In victory you deserve it; in defeat you need it.”

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Project Working Mom Earning a degree has long been a dream of many working mothers. While it might seem the recession would put that dream even further out of reach for most, many working and single mothers are actually drawing inspiration from the economy to pursue their dream of getting a higher education. “We are seeing an increase in the number of women returning to school,” says Adena E. Johnston, campus dean of DeVry University’s Philadelphia campus. “Degree completion programs are very popular for those who have not finished their education, but we’re also seeing more questions about the bachelor’s programs with an entrepreneurship specialty. Women seem to want to learn more about starting their own businesses or having more flexibility and control over their movement in and out of the workforce.” There’s no arguing that an advanced degree can help mothers improve their employment situation, judging by Bureau of Labor Statistics. The higher an individual’s level of education, the less likely she or he is to be unemployed, according to the bureau. The unemployment rate in 2007 (the latest year for which data is available) for women 25 and older lacking a high school diploma was 8.2 percent. For those with a bachelor’s degree or higher, the unemployment rate drops to about 2 percent. Many working mothers, it seems, now perceive a return to school as not just a dream but a necessity. In an increasingly competitive job market, they recognize they can no longer afford to remain in low-paying jobs, or to be the only competitors in the field without a degree. “In 1968, my father advised me I didn’t need a college education. He said all I needed was to get married and take up homemaking,” says Chris Dulaigh-Bates, a 56-year-old medical transcriptionist and mother of two. “I have worked out of my home for the last 17 years, but over the course of the last five years, technology and world trade have eroded away the job security I once enjoyed. My future needs a new ending,” she says. “I’m going to school to help rewrite the ending to my story.” Dulaigh-Bates is a DeVry University student who was awarded a full-ride scholarship in 2008 through a special “Project Working Mom” scholarship program for working mothers who wanted to return to school through an online program. For many working mothers, the online nature of the scholarship means they will be able to better fit their education into their busy lives, which already revolve around their children, family and jobs. Johnston says schools are seeing an increase in the number of women seeking information, scholarships and degrees in areas deemed recession-proof, like accounting. “Accounting concentrations for undergrad and graduate students are popular as more and more want to be able to have portable skills,” she says.

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Test 3 Writing Barbara Takács 59 Mókus utca Budapest 1268 22 July 2010

Johnson Advertising 15 Láng utca Budapest 1265 Attn.: The Human Resources Manager

Dear Sir or Madam, I read your advertisement No. 8594-2 in this month’s edition of Budapest Times. I am writing to you because I would like to submit my CV for consideration. I believe that I meet the qualifications for the position of marketing assistant. I recently graduated from the Budapest Business School with a degree in economics. As you can see from my enclosed CV, although I am a recent graduate, I am not a typical new graduate. I have already garnered considerable experience in different areas of marketing and advertising, doing temporary jobs for different companies (Madison Kft., Globe Inc. and International Advertising). My interest in an advertising career is a result of work I did last year as a part-time assistant in the marketing department of Brown & Parker, a well-known advertising agency. I feel that my creativity, enthusiasm and ability to work under pressure make me a strong candidate for the position. I would welcome the privilege of speaking to you further about the job and look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully, Barbara Takács

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