Assignment 5 (to p.80-98)

1. Get ready to answer the questions in class, make a list of topic vocabulary for each question and use it in your speech:

1. How does Falcon feel about New York? What pipe dream keeps reverberating in his mind?

2. Describe the venue that Barksdale picked up for their meeting. Why did Falcon dislike it?

3. What was Falcon’s first impression of Devon Chambers?

4. What relations were established between Falcon and Chambers and how did it influence the presentation?

5. Comment on Falcon’s reaction to Chambers’ coughing attack.

6. Sum up the main points of Falcon’s presentation.

7. Enumerate small details in Falcon’s handling the meeting that illustrate his perfect professional skills. (e.g. Why did he start calling Chambers by his first name?)

8. Sum up the discussion on the top value for Penn-Mar’s equities.

9. Sum up the conversation about the Federal Reserve Chairman. Comment on Falcon’s reaction to Chambers’ words.

10. Why did Falcon say that Penn-Mar was not a safe place for senior executives?

11. What can you say about the German company and Werner Prausch, its representative? Does Veens and Co appear to be a good choice to take over Penn Mar?

12. In what context is Harvard mentioned in this Unit? Do you remember, how many times and on what occasions was it mentioned in the previous parts of the novel?

13. What new touches does the scene at Manny’s Pool Hall add to Falcon’s personality portrait?

14. How sincere is Jenny Cagle with Falcon? What is her true motivation for re-establishing intimate relations with him?

15. Do you agree with Falcon’s statement: “Money is the constant against which every individual could be measured objectively”?

2. Write a short company profile for Veens and Co.

3. Collect all the information on Devon Chambers and add a new entry into your exercise-book notes on the characters. Revise your previous notes on the characters and add the latest information to them. Don’t forget to add new topic words.

4. Get ready for a quiz on topic vocabulary to Units 1-4.

5. Find in the text the English equivalents for the word combinations given below and recollect the context in which they were used:

1. (p.82) неосуществимая мечта

2. (p.83) внимательное прочтение

3. (p.88 ) знаменательный день

4. (p.88) справиться с ч-л

5. (p.90) прослышать о ч-л

6. (p.94) (не) быть в своей стихии

7. (p.95) легкая добыча

8. (p.98) прилежно

6. Find in the text synonyms for the following words and comment on the context of their usage:

1. (p.81) place

2. (p.81) participants

3. (p.82) criterion

4. (p.82) branch

5. (p.83) pale

6. (p.83) to threaten

7. (p.83) seriously

8. (p.85) jar

9. (p.86) short, brief

10. (p.90) peace

11. (p.94) barman

12. (p.96) bet

7. Translate into English in writing:

1. Винз будет юридическим лицом, совершающим сделку поглощения. 2. Фолкон объяснил, в какую максимальную сумму он оценил стоимость одной акции. 3. Они обсудили потенциальных конкурентов на предстоящих торгах. 4. Какова будет ожидаемая прибыль от огромных инвестиций «Винз и Ко»? 5. Фолкон считал, что максимальная стоимость акции не должна превысить 75 долларов. 6. Прирост годового дохода составит полмиллиарда долларов. 7. Мы должны быть готовы заплатить более высокую цену. 8. Вы должны познакомить эти банки со своим анализом ситуации.

8. Translate into Russian:

1. He explained that there were no significant concentrations in the stock—no individuals or related groups that owned more than five percent of Penn-Mar's shares. 2. He discussed potential competing bidders and the divisions he would recommend for sale immedi­ately following the transaction, and who the most likely buyers for those divisions would be. 3. He ex­plained how Veens & Co would pay for the shares; what levels of debt and equity would be used; what interest rate and fees the banks and junk-bond in­vestors would require for their money, which Veens & Co would use to pay for the shares; and what re­turn Veens & Co could expect from its huge in­vestment in Penn-Mar Chemical Corporation.

9. Write a 100-word synopsis of Falcon’s presentation.

LISTENING:

You will hear ten people talking about how their working lives have changed since their company merged with or was acquired by another business. Read the sentences below, which summarise the attitudes of the speakers, and match them with the speakers on the cassette.

a A person who thinks it is now easier to get answers to questions

b A person who found the new management structure confusing.

c A person who feels under greater stress than before.

d A person who is happy to be part of a dynamic business.

e A person who finds that there are more advantages available now.

f A person who finds the journey to work more difficult.

g A person who had hoped to move to a more important job.

h A person who finds the new company structure more formal.

i A person who preferred the previous office working environment.

j A person who was made redundant.