Ученик по английскому

UNITS

Harry: Upset?! Frustrated! I was at the meeting at the CEO’s office and learned about the new performance appraisal system our bosses are going to adopt.

Ben: They are said to be planning to implement some new strategies to show how they appreciate our good work.

Harry: That’s what they are expected to do. You should know that if any trouble with customer service occurs the blame is always put on us. The bosses always deny they have made a mistake!

Ben: They make us implement lots of unfeasible projects instead of letting us deal with customer complaints and encouraging our own initiative.

Harry: Precisely! By the way, have you seen the Training Manager bring a heap of questionnaires into the room? He wants us to fill them in to get the idea of our team spirit. That will let him arrange another stupid team building seminar to waste our time!

Ben: Yes, and after that he is going to present his innovative project and get a bonus for hard work made at our expense.

Harry: Why don’t our bosses let us do our job in peace and quiet instead of persuading us to answer the stupid questions and attend time-consuming meetings? Our performance can be ten times higher if we are not put pressure on.

Ben: Look, Harry! What about dropping in at a nice pub after work? We really need to relax a little over a nice pint of ale.

Harry: Unfortunately, it won’t resolve all the conflicts in our department. We are supposed to realize all the bosses’ stupid projects even if we consider them to be unfeasible or pointless.

Ben: Rule 1: Bosses are assumed to be right; and if they are not, see point 1. Take it easy, old boy, we’ll survive.

Notes:

1.appraisal – оценка

2.heap – масса, множество

Answer the questions based on the dialogue:

1.Why does Harry seem to be upset?

2.What is the purpose of introducing the performance appraisal system?

3.What is Ben’s attitude to this innovation?

4.How do their bosses usually respond to the problems?

5.What does the management make the staff do?

6.Why has the Training Manager brought the questionnaires to the office?

7.When is the staff performance considered to be higher?

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8. Do you agree with office rule 1 quoted by Ben? What are the employees supposed to do? What is the boss expected to make and let them do?

Make up a dialogue on the following assignment:

A.: You are a trainee at a large software company. Your trial period has come to an end, you suppose you have shown good results. You expect to be promoted. But the boss doesn’t seem to notice you. You told the boss that you are undervalued. He/ she got angry. Speak to the company HR manager.

B.: You are the HR manager. Give the young employee recommendations how to handle this conflict but remind him/ her about the office promotion policy.

Vocabulary

1. adopt (v) – применять, принимать

to adopt new methods – применять новые методы to adopt a new law – принять новый закон

2. appreciate (v) – ценить, понимать

E.g. I appreciate your kindness. – Я ценю Вашу доброту.

3. blame (n, U) – вина

to put the blame on smb for smth – возложить вину на кого-л. за что-л.

to take the blame – взять вину на себя

to blame smb for doing smth – винить кого-л. за что-л. 4. cause (v) – быть причиной чего-л., вызывать что-л.

E.g. What caused the increase in oil prices? – Что вызвало увеличение цен на нефть?

cause (n, C) – причина

the cause of the conflict – причина конфликта

5. deny smth/doing smth (v) – отрицать что-л.

E.g. He denied that it was his blame. – Он отрицал, что это – его вина.

He denied using the confidential information. – Он отрицал, что использовал конфиденциальную информацию.

6.expense (n, C) – расход, трата, счет at smb’s expense – за чей-л. счет

to cut down expenses – сократить расходы

7.feasible (adj) – выполнимый, реальный

8.implement (v) – выполнять, осуществлять

to implement an agreement – выполнить соглашение

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9. occur (v) – случаться, происходить

E.g. When did this occur? – Когда это произошло? 10. presume (v) – полагать, предполагать

E.g. I presume you have told me everything. – Полагаю, Вы мне все рассказали.

11. resolve (v) – решить, разрешить

E.g. The problem was resolved in the end. – В конце концов, проблема была решена.

12. response (n, C) – ответ, отклик

in response to smth– в ответ на что-л.

13.technique (n, C) – метод, способ a sales technique – метод продажи

14.upset (adj) – расстроенный

to upset smb – расстраивать кого-л.

to be upset by smth, smb – быть расстроенным чем-л., кем-л.

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UNIT 14

Grammar: Conditionals

Reading: Legal Aspects of Business

Legal aspects are a vital part of any business environment in any country. Every enterprise must take it into account while setting the basic aims and objectives of the business. The knowledge of legal aspects is necessary for efficient and healthy functioning of the organization. Businesses should know about the rights, responsibilities and challenges they may face. If they always found good lawyers and accountants whose opinions they could trust, if they knew everything about hiring and firing the employees and if they were properly insured they would get out of a lot of trouble. In other words, if they knew which pitfalls to avoid they would always be a business success and not a business failure. In reality businesses make legal mistakes all the time and some of them can be disastrous.

During the holiday in Tunis, Alan Smith, the owner of ABC Plastics, a small producer of plastic items, realized that there was a potential market for his plastic bowls and containers in hospitals of the country. At a party one night he was introduced to a senior member of the department of health who was to visit Britain the next month and arrangements were made for him to call at ABC Plastics. The visit was successful and a three-year contract was agreed on the spot at a fixed price. It was decided that goods would be shipped in containers to the nearest major port to the hospital site to wait for collection. The items were duly manufactured, inspected and packed into a container for shipment. Several weeks later the shipment arrived in Tunis and was unloaded to wait for collection. The trailer arrived four days later to pick up the container and take it to the hospital. During the four days on the dockside where temperatures inside the container had reached 60 to 70 degrees Centigrade the consignment sustained considerable damage. However, this was only found when the container was eventually unloaded and the full scale of disaster became apparent. Mr. Smith was left with a very large bill for production and transport which his insurers didn’t want to meet. Moreover, his new customer made it quite clear that they wouldn’t place any further orders with ABC Plastics.

If Mr. Smith had hired a trustworthy lawyer the lawyer would have specified the collection terms properly. If immediate clearance had been noted on the documentation the shipment hadn’t been left unloaded on the dockside. If the shipment had been collected in due

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time Mr. Smith wouldn’t have had financial problems and wouldn’t have lost a client.

Exercises

Ex.1. Answer the following questions using the text.

1.Why is the knowledge of legal aspects necessary for any business?

2.Which legal mistakes could businesses avoid to be a success?

3.What kind of business does Alan Smith have?

4.Which contact did Alan Smith make at a party in Tunis?

5.What kind of contract was made?

6.Which problem of collection arose when the shipment arrived in Tunis?

7.Why did the consignment sustain considerable damage?

8.What financial losses did Mr. Smith come across?

9.Which mistakes could have been avoided?

Ex.2. Read the following statements and say whether they are true or false.

1.Every enterprise must take into account the challenges it might

face.

2.Businesses always find good lawyers and accountants.

3.Sometimes businesses make business mistakes and some of them are disastrous.

4.Alan Smith went to Tunis to look for a potential market for his plastic items.

5.A senior member of the Health Department accepted the invitation of Mr. Smith to visit Britain.

6.A three-year contract was signed in Britain.

7.The shipment was arranged properly.

8.There were problems with collection.

9.Mr. Smith lost his new client because of incorrect legal arrangements of his lawyer.

Ex.3. Translate the following sentences from English into Russian.

1. I could not have afforded to go to that resort if I had not received a bonus. 2. If you had been more attentive you would not have failed the written exam. 3. In your place I would not trust that person. 4. You would not have been in trouble if you had made arrangements in advance. 5. He would not have been fired if he had worked hard. 6. Why did you start a private enterprise? 7. Last year was disastrous

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for our business, I would say it was a failure. 8. Have you taken into account all the risks connected with this strategy?

Ex.4. Translate the following word combinations from Russian into English.

Увольнять работников; договориться о встрече менеджеров среднего звена; принять во внимание факторы риска; доверять деловым партнерам; гибельная стратегия; очевидная неудача; договориться о том, чтобы разгрузить машину; осуществлять планы.

Ex.5. Complete the following sentences using the necessary prepositions.

1.I do not trust … this manager. 2. She failed … her business.

3.Who have you made arrangements …? 4. What have you made arrangements …? 5. I cannot afford … this car. 6. I think you should arrange … this meeting. 7. I tried to take … account all the ideas.

Ex.6. Insert the missing words. Use your active vocabulary.

1.I cannot … to buy this furniture, it is too expensive. 2. How many

…of the contract have you already discussed? 3. When the government declared default it caused the national … . 4. Why don’t you take into

…her illness? You are too strict with her 5. I think it is better to work for a public … instead of a private … . 6. The new employee … the task because he was inexperienced. I am afraid he will be … . 7. We have made all the … for the conference.

Ex.7. Paraphrase the following words and expressions using your active vocabulary.

1. to dismiss	8. evident
2. to organize	9. to come to an agreement
3. to understand clearly	10. a business venture
4. to have confidence	11. to become bankrupt
5. terrible	12. to take into consideration
6. to implement	13. an individual subject
7. a catastrophe

Ex. 8. Open the brackets using Conditionals.

1.If you (can afford) to spend six months in Great Britain what you (do)?

2.We (not to make) an arrangement with him if we (know) that he was so inexperienced in this job.

3.If the truck (not to be overloaded) it (not to overturn).

4.I (to start) a private enterprise if I (to have) more entrepreneurial talent.

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5.The whole plan (to be) a failure if the R&D manager (not to invite) this computer genius to help us out.

6.If I (to be) you I (to put) this item on the agenda at our next board meeting.

7.She (to fire) the secretary long ago if the girl (not to be) her boss’s niece.

8.If Jack (to realize) the importance of this project he (to work) as efficiently as the rest of his team.

9.If they (to take into account) the forecasts of the ecologists this disaster never (to occur).

10.If his lie (not to be) so apparent I (can) try to trust him.

Ex. 9. Complete the sentences with your own ideas using Conditionals.

1.If I could afford to live anywhere in the world …

2.My interview would have been a disaster if…

3.I would have cancelled this arrangement if…

4.If our boss took into account our opinions…

5.The fire wouldn’t have started if…

6.If you trusted people more…

7.You would have failed your driving test if…

8.She would apparently accept this job offer if…

9.If they had made the arrangements for last Friday I…

10.If people realized how fragile our environment is …

Ex.10. Translate the following sentences from Russian into English.

1. Если бы у вас были надежные поставщики, ваше предприятие не потерпело бы неудачу. 2. Они смогли бы реализовать

свои планы, если бы доверяли своим партнерам. 3. Почему вы не приняли во внимание все пункты контракта? 4. Если бы его не уволили, он бы смог позволить себе купить квартиру. 5. Они, очевидно, не смогли договориться с зарубежными партнерами об открытии дочерней компании. 6. На вашем месте, я бы не загружал эту программу. 7. Этот контракт был гибельным для компании, она не успела поставить оборудование вовремя, и потерпела крах в бизнесе. 8. Многие менеджеры среднего звена не могут позволить себе длительный отпуск, так как они перегружены на работе.

Ex.11. Read the dialogue and answer the questions given below.

Spafit Limited was contacted by a Portuguese-based building consortium interested in negotiating a five-year contract. It was to

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supply shower units and other bathroom accessories for a number of holiday complexes. Although this was potentially a very large order, their sales director, Alex Born, failed to go to Portugal by himself because of the previous business arrangements. As their only sales representative was away on holiday at that time, he decided that his assistant, David Crooks, could make the trip. Now Alex is calling David who is in Portugal.

Alex: Hello, David. How are things going there?

David: Hello, Alex. I wouldn’t say that this is an apparently easy matter. The Portuguese buyer was impressed by the quality of the samples I showed him. However, he was not so happy with the prices quoted. If you had authorized me to re-negotiate the quotation without your previous permission I would have clinched the deal yesterday evening.

Alex: Which discount do they ask for?

David: They insist on a five-percent reduction.

Alex: That sounds reasonable. We shouldn’t forget that this contract is very important for us. It could give Spafit entry into a potentially profitable market. I am sorry for not briefing you properly beforehand. If we had taken into account all the Buyer’s requirements the contract would have already been concluded.

David: Oh, hold on for a moment. There’s a second call coming. Three minutes later. That was Mr.Simmons, the Buyer, with

disastrous news. We have lost the contract. He said that they had clinched the deal with our competitor. Their General Sales Manager arrived yesterday evening to conduct the negotiations and was able to make decisions on the spot. The buyer told me that the product quality and delivery time were alike. The decisive factor was a fast decision. If only you had been able to fit a trip to Portugal into your schedule, Alex!

Answer the questions based on the dialogue:

1.What was the Portuguese buyer impressed by?

2.Why didn’t David clinch the deal yesterday evening?

3.What could have happened if Alex had authorized David to renegotiate the quotation?

4.Which discount did the Buyer ask for?

5.Did the Seller find it reasonable?

6.Why is this contract very important for Spafit Limited?

7.What happened at the end of the dialogue?

8.Why was the news disastrous?

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Make up a dialogue on the following assignment:

A:You are going to buy some land to build a family hotel. You have arranged to see a legal business consultant to clarify some details of the future project. Ask him/ her about the necessary documentation, regulations and restrictions.

B:You are a legal adviser of a consultancy dealing with small and medium-size business. Inform your client about the necessary steps to register the land rights, to get the permission to use the land for commercial purposes, to estimate the costs of construction and the potential profits. Tell him/her about a business person who didn’t follow your advice and failed.

Vocabulary

1.afford smth/to do smth (v) – позволить себе что-л./сделать что-л.

E.g. She could not afford to travel abroad. – Она не могла позволить себе поехать за границу.

2.apparent (adj) – очевидный, явный

E.g. The solution to the problem is apparent. – Решение этой проблемы очевидно.

apparently (adv) – очевидно, явно

3. arrangement (n, C) – мероприятие, план

E.g. What are the arrangements for today? – Какие планы на сегодня?

to make arrangements with smb – договариваться с кем-л.

to make arrangements for smth – делать приготовления к чему-

л.

E.g. Who will make arrangements with Mr Brown for the trade fair? – Кто договорится с господином Брауном по поводу торговой ярмарки?

arrange (v) – устроить, условиться, договориться

to arrange to do smth – договориться о том, чтобы сделать что-

л.;

E.g. I am afraid I can not arrange this meeting. – Боюсь, я не могу организовать эту встречу.

4. disaster (n, C) – бедствие, несчастье to cause a disaster – вызвать катастрофу.

E.g. What caused this national disaster? – Что вызвало эту национальную катастрофу?

disastrous (adj) – бедственный, гибельный, отвратительный 5. enterprise (n, C) – 1) промышленное предприятие

a private enterprise – частное предприятие

a public enterprise – государственное предприятие 2) (n, U) предпринимательство

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4. failure (n, C) – неудача, провал

E.g. That enterprise was a failure. – Это предприятие потерпело провал.

fail smth (v) – потерпеть неудачу, провалить что-л.

E.g. She failed her driving test. – Она не сдала экзамен по вождению.

fail in smth (v) – потерпеть неудачу в чем-л. 5. fire (v) – увольнять

Syn: dismiss, sack Ant: hire, employ

E.g. He is responsible for hiring and firing. – Он отвечает за наем на работу и увольнение.

6.item (n, C) – пункт, вопрос (на повестке заседания), пред-

мет

an item of the contract – пункт контракта

7.load (v) – грузить, загружать

E.g. Load the new programme into your PC. – Загрузи в свой компьютер новую программу.

to unload – разгружать

E.g. They unloaded the ship. – Они разгрузили корабль. to overload – перегружать

E.g. Students think they are overloaded. – Студенты думают, что они перегружены.

8.realize (v) – 1)осуществлять, реализовывать; to realize a strategy – осуществлять стратегию 2) понимать, осознавать

to realize that we are wrong – понять, что мы неправы

9.take into account – принимать во внимание

E.g. Why haven’t you taken into account his ideas? – Почему вы не приняли во внимание его идеи?

10. trust (v) – верить, доверять

E.g. I do not trust this bank. – Я не доверяю этому банку. trust (n, U)– вера, доверие

E.g. Don’t lose trust in your ideals. – Не теряйте веру в свои идеалы.

trustworthy (adj) – заслуживающий доверия; надёжный a trustworthy person – надежный человек

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