Year
of Study
2
Department of Foreign Languages for Professional Communication
Master Your Business Idioms: A Workbook for the Students of English
Міністерство освіти і науки України
Донецький національний технічний університет
Факультет економіки і менеджменту
Кафедра іноземних мов професійного спілкування
Збірник вправ
по освоєнню ідіоматичної лексики
ділової англійської мови
Частина 3
(для студентів спеціальностей “Міжнародна економіка” і
“Зовнішньоекономічна діяльність підприємств”)
Р о з г л я н у т о
на засіданні кафедри іноземних мов
професійного спілкування
Протокол № _______ від ___________2007 р.
З а т в е р д ж е н о
на засіданні ради ІМС
Протокол № ______ від _______________ р.
Донецьк - 2007
a workbook for the students of english
Master Your Business Idioms
РЕЦЕНЗЕНТИ
Кафедра англійської мови для економічних спеціальностей
Донецького національного університету
Доцент, канд.філол.наук. Г.Є.Бакаєва
ББК … Англ
Збірник вправ по освоєнню ідіоматичної лексики ділової англійської мови. Частина 3./Укл. А.С.Глєбова, А.О.Карапетян, О.І.Стародубцева - Донецьк: ДонНТУ, 2007. - с. 53 (англійською мовою)
Збірник містить тренувальні вправи по ідіоматичній лексиці ділової англійської мови і призначений для студентів середнього і просунутого рівня мовної компетенції. Матеріалом для вправ служать оригінальні речення, запозичені з творів англомовних письменників, преси та інтернет-публікацій. Збірник є складовою частиною учбово-методичного комплексу з ділової англійської мови для студентів другого курсу з поглибленим рівнем вивчання іноземної мови.
Вправи можуть бути корисні усім, хто самостійно вивчає ділову англійську мову і прагне опанувати своєрідністю автентичного розмовного ділового англійського мовлення.
А.С. Глєбова, А.О.Карапетян, О.І.Стародубцева 2007
Table of Contents
A Compulsory Minimum 4
U N I T 1 Companies & Organisations 10
U N I T 2 People in Organisation 14
U N I T 3 Managing a Company 19
Revision Test 1. Units 1-3 21
U N I T 4 Company Activities 24
U N I T 5 Hierarchy 28
U N I T 6 Pursuits of Profit 32
Revision Test 2. Units 4-6 36
U N I T 7 Money & Funding 38
U N I T 8 Hard Job 41
U N I T 9 Marketing Mix 44
U N I T 10 Teamwork 48
Revision Test 3. Units 7-10 51
List of Sources and References 53
Fall
Semester
3
Parent company – company having in excess of 50% of the stock of a subsidiary. Opp.: Daughter company, subsidiary.
Agencies, advertising agencies = companies that produce advertising for other companies
Tech firms = technology companies
Sales outlets = retail stores; Unit = a part or division of a larger company; BRANCH = a division of a bank
Service facilities = business which maintains & repairs products
Fledgling companies = small or new companies
Home turf = domestic or local market [turf = grass]
Spin-off (n) = separation of one part of a parent corporation into an unattached independent corporate firm
Franchise = a chain store or restaurant such as McDonalds.
A sole trader – a single person who runs a business. SOLE PROPRIETOR
Widget = a generic term [not an actual object] meaning a company’s product. This is a favorite term used in economics, especially in hypothetical cases.
Funding [noun] = financing or financial backing for a project or business venture; money.
A start-up [noun] = a new business that is just beginning
A pecking order = a hierarchical system which determines who dominates
burn the candle at both ends = exhaust, make too great demand on one’s physical or mental resources by overwork
work one’s fingers to the bone = work very hard manually for a long period of time usually because one needs the money
keep one’s nose to the grindstone = work hard without taking any rest
BITE OFF MORE THAN ONE CAN CHEW = take on a task that is too difficult
TAKE ITS TOLL OF SOMETHING = cause a lot of harm or damage
a tall order = a task which is difficult to accomplish
to promote goodwill = to encourage employees to build up the company’s reputation by means of their knowledge, loyalty, ethics, to act for the benefit of the business
A sleeping/silent partner – a person who provides a percentage of the capital of a business but who does not play a part in its management.
Black economy -- work which is paid in cash & therefore not declared for tax
Outside investors [noun] = investors who are not part of the company
Stake = investment
The upper echelons of [noun] = the highest levels of
big wheel -- very important person, top gun
tycoon - a businessperson of great wealth and power; magnate.
movers and shakers – important, influential people
dinosaurs – large, slow-moving companies that have not changed with the times
top brass – senior executives
a rolling stone = a person who moves from place to place, job to job
a back seat = a position in which one has little or nothing to say in the managing or running of affairs, without importance, influence, or responsibility; take a back seat - let the subordinate decide the direction in which we're going
yuppie = a 'young urban professional person.' A popular, uncomplimentary characterization of young American business people in the 1980s. It implied that these people were overly concerned with money.
the rank and file = the ordinary people in an organization who have no special position, masses
a small cog in the machine = an unimportant person in, or a small part of a large organization
a square peg in a round hole = someone who is not suited to his position, job; who does not fit in.
A stepping stone = a job/ position/ success which helps to something better/ higher in profession, social status
A skeleton staff = the smallest number of employees needed to keep the office, service going e.g. at holiday times
whizz-kid – a young person who becomes successful very quickly, esp. in business.
blue collar (worker) – manual worker in a factory; WHITE COLLAR – office employees, clerks.
cowboy = an unmanageable but often very successful person who tends to act independently rather than cooperatively with others; dishonest & careless person in business
big cheese – important person; big shot (derog.) – an important person
fat cat – a person who is rich & powerful
a big fish in a small pond – sb whose importance & influence are great only in a restricted situation
sign on the dotted line = to write your signature at the bottom of a contract, agreement, memo of understanding, or other form. Fig. to approve of smth.
in the driver's seat – in control, in charge
A tail wagging the dog - when a subordinate makes decisions for the manager
play ball = to cooperate, to work together; to get started [baseball]
TO DELEGATE AUTHORITY = involve the employees at lower levels in decision making
endorsement = advertisement technique in which a famous person speaks in favour of a product
commercial = an advertisement on radio or television
status symbol = a sign of wealth and importance in society
to promote a product or service = try to sell them by advertising; speak in favour of sth
TO GO PUBLIC = sell shares of a privately owned company to the public; to go global [verb] = to begin business dealings on a global scale, for example, to find suppliers with the best deal no matter where they are located.
in full swing = in fully active operation
core business – basic activities of the company
get a jump on – get a head start, get started before your competitors
clinch a deal – strike a deal, come to an agreement
hang out one's shingle – start a business, announce the opening of a business to set up in business – to start a new firm, shop, etc.
branching out – expansion/diversification; branch out into - start new type of business
going out of business – stopping trading; going bankrupt; CLOSE DOWN – to stop/cause to stop operating.
a house-cleaning – reorganization of a business, usu. Including dismissal of many employees
be in the black – operating at a profit, making money; be in the red – operating at a loss, losing money
be on to a good thing = have found a pleasant, financially advantageous position
throw good money after bad = lose more money in an attempt to compensate for a loss
drive a hard bargain = be tough in business dealings and consider only one's own advantages, profits etc. often unfairly
to learn the ropes – to learn how an organization works; to know the ropes – to know the procedures or rules for doing sth.
to take over – to buy a company or gain control of it by buying of its shares or the company.
to diversify into sth. – vary range of products or services in order to expand operation.
red tape – troublesome rules and procedures which delay business; cut out the red tapE – get rid of bureaucratic procedure
to wind up – to cease to exist; wind up a company - put a company into liquidation; TO WIND UP IN THE WRONG HANDS = to end up in the possession of someone you don't want, for example, in the hands of a competitor
hang up ones hat – finish working
to talk shop – to talk about business.
to shop around – to compare prices at different shops.
to go window-shopping – to look at goods in the shop windows.
turn the company (a)round - make business profitable again after losses
cash in on - profit from
miss the boat - lose opportunity
get out from under - recover financially from indebtedness or bankruptcy
run a tight ship – run an organization in an orderly & disciplined manner
corner the market – own most or all of the supply of a certain commodity & so control the price
a down payment = partial payment paid when a purchase deal is made or when an order is given, before one is in possession of goods
money for jam/ old rope = money earned without any effort
a vested interest = an interest in or connection with some enterprise that involves personal gain; VESTED INTERESTS = groups who promote their personal goals, usually at the expense of others
on the dole = (informal) receiving unemployment benefit from the state
proceeds – money obtained by selling sth; profits.
venture capital – capital for investments, which may easily be lost in risky project, but can also provide high returns.
to see eye to eye with sb on sth = to agree entirely with; to have identical views
to be a black sheep of the family = to be a good-for-nothing person
to be tied to someone’s apron strings = to be too much under the influence/control
to go out of one’s way = to exceed one’s power over sb
to bring sb into the day-to-day process of business = to admit sb as a partner
to value SB’s input = to acknowledge sb’s participation
to hurt productivity = to slow down/decrease productivity
to mend fences = to repair relationship with sb
to keep costs down = to control expenses/ to prevent from increasing
at stake = at risk
to win credibility with SB = to be trustworthy
to do the spadework = to make the preliminary preparations or do the preliminary research for something
to impose one’s point of view ON SB = to force acceptance of
to be worth one’s salt = with a reputation to uphold
to muddle through = to try to reach results without proper preparation or clear strategy
to take one’s cue from sb - to observe what sb does as a guide to one’s own action
to meet someone halfway - to compromise
TO headhunt - look for specialists & offer them job in other companies
have got a foot in the door - have taken the first step towards getting sth.
fringe benefits (perks) - sth valuable that an employee gets besides wages or salary
pull the carpet from under sb's feet - stop giving help / support
to tighten one’s belt – eat less food, spend less money, because there is little available.
freelance (v.adj.adv) - do work for several companies but not be employed by any of them
UNSOLICITED MAIL = direct mail, junk mail; MAIL DROP; MAILSHOT
DATA MINING = collecting information about consumer tastes and preferences
BY HOOK OR BY CROOK = by one means or another
HYPE = unnecessary promotion [of a product or service] in newspapers and the media
dead end job = a job without prospects or opportunities for the future
head and shoulders above sb = superior in skill, ability, intelligence, physical force
bring someone to heel = make sb obey orders, bring sb under control
make head or tail of sth = understand sth that is confusing, mixed up
stick at nothing = do everything to accomplish one’s aim
COMPANIES & ORGANIZATIONS
I dioms in focus:
Task 1. Study the following examples and try to understand the underlined idioms in context. Find their Russian equivalents.
Sea Containers, the parent company of the East Coast Mainline train operator GNER, slipped further into financial crisis yesterday after admitting it may not be able to pay back a $115 million loan.
In 1977, Apple Computer, a young fledgling company on the West Coast, introduced the Apple II, the first personal computer as we know it today.
Russel Herder advertising agency in Minnesota specializes in strategic planning, research, brand development and public relations.
Borland software plans to spin off its renowned Borland Developer Tools Group as an independent organization, a company executive confirmed.
Google plans to strengthen its Picasa photo management software and service with the acquisition of Neven Vision, a Santa Monica, California, tech firm specializing in mobile photo search.
‘I was surprised recently when realized that that all the worst problems we faced in our startup were not due to competitors but investors.’
Initially all of McDonald restaurants in the UK were owned and managed by the company. In the 1986 the company opened its first franchise restaurant and since that time the number of UK franchisees has steadily grown.
As a sole trader, you are personally responsible for any debts run up by your business.
Stanford University law professor Lawrence Lessing declared that the Internet will soon belong to Hollywood studios, record labels, and cable operators – corporate dinosaurs that he says are trying to block off data network.
Benetton has sales outlets in every major European city.
“It’s normal that she hasn’t taken part in the discussion as she is our silent partner.”
Yesterday we discussed the financial results of 2005 year and our CEO announced that some outside investors were interested in cooperation.
Our service facilities will help you keep your machines running and keep your down time to the shortest time.
Task 2. Match the following idioms with their corresponding definitions.
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Task 3. Substitute for the underlined phrase an idiom with the same meaning.
When a SlovTeledat and its company having in excess of 50% of the stock Telekom Slovenie invited us to design the new Telephone directory, our artist created such an exquisite series of covers that the art galleries will fight for them .
As an owner of the company that produces promotion materials for other companies I’ve interviewed and spoken to hundreds of candidates looking for positions of ad agents.
Our new catalog of technology companies contains history, up-to-date news and top-line financial information.
Business which maintains and repairs products of Japanese automaker Honda Motor Co. will be set in the U.S. to oversee further development of its small jet that it debuted last year.
“From McDonald’s perspective, I think it’s a pretty good idea to separate the Goldenpizza in order to focus on their traditional food,” says Dennis Milton.
An interest in all things relating to well-being and looking good has never been higher in the UK. This is great news for businessmen looking to buy a chain store in the Hair, Health, Fitness& Beauty sector.
How Roger Embury turned his young, small company into the Nations largest supplier of golf equipment.
One illustration over a fifteen-year period demonstrates that 40% of total return is allocated to the people holding the percentage of capital but not participating in management .
People operating as a single person can trade under their own names, or choose a different business name.
The amount of manpower is typically small for business that is just beginning as they try to decrease expenses.
The data from the American Customer Satisfaction Index show that Apple leads other personal computer manufacturers, beating out such large old companies as Dell, HP and others.
“Please look at the map below to see a table of retail stores locations,” said the representative.
Even if the company is successful it may not meet the expectations of investors who are not part of the company.
Task 4. Complete the sentences with one of the idioms in focus, paying special attention to the form of the verbs.
The book concisely describes the changes in business practices, technology, labor relations, and global markets that transformed Charles Schwab’s corporation into an industrial ………………..in less than one hundred years.
‘SafeAirTech’ and many other ……………… specializing in security equipment are the most likely to benefit from the heightened alert at London airports because it may inspire new investment in airport security system.
How many ……………….. does your store have?
In a ……………..company separates one of its subsidiaries of divisions in order to create an independent company.
I needed a professional site for my …………………..which was only a month old at the time.
With all its resources and marketing potential this company is highly attractive for ……………
You need three things to create a successful ………..: to start with good people, to make something customers actually want, and to spend as little money as possible.
AdBrands Company Profiles assess more than 1,000 leading advertisers, brands and………………….
If you have questions or need guidance with your new laser printer, apply to one of our …………….
Although buying a …………………. is not an easy way to owning your individual business, in some cases it is a lot easier than starting from scratch.
Being ………………… has its own pro’s and con’s. On the one hand, you don’t have to make difficult decisions, but on the other hand you can’t influence something you don’t like.
………………are individuals that own small business e.g. a corner shop.
In the 1920s the Pullman Company went through a series of restructuring steps, which in the end resulted in a ……………….…………, Pullman Incorporated, controlling the Pullman-Standard Car Manufacturing …………………………..
Task 5. Translate the following sentences into English using idioms instead of the phrases underlined.
После основания дочерней фирмы в нее перешли некоторые сотрудники из материнской компании.
Совет директоров решил ввести униформу для продавцов во всех торговых точках нашей компании.
Эта небольшая книга поможет вам узнать все о работе в рекламном агентстве.
Маленьким технологическим фирмам, разрабатывающим программное обеспечение, трудно конкурировать с такими мировыми гигантами как Эппл, Интел, Майкрософт и др.
Я всегда мечтал стать частным предпринимателем и открыть собственный винный магазин.
Лучший способ решить наши проблемы – привлечь инвесторов со стороны.
В первом квартале 2006 года наша начинающая компания продала 12 комплектов офисной мебели.
Когда мы наладили работу в этом направлении и получили отличные результаты, президент компании объявил об отделении его в самостоятельную фирму.
В нашем регионе расположены такие «динозавры» тяжелой промышленности как Азовсталь, Мариупольский металлургический комбинат им. Ильича, Харцызский трубный завод и др.
Фирмы по обслуживанию такой стиральной машины в нашем городе нет, поэтому мы советуем вам строго придерживаться правил, указанных в инструкции по эксплуатации.
Тогда мы еще не знали, что фирма по продаже и организации фейерверков – рискованное и опасное начинание.
Мой папа является «молчаливым» совладельцем большой торговой компании и поэтому может позволить себе тратить большие суммы на благотворительность.
Хотя никто из друзей не поддержал его в покупке франшизы, он рискнул, и сейчас является успешным владельцем трех ресторанов сети «Челентано».
PEOPLE IN ORGANIZATION