ARB700 Academic Reading and Writing Student Book

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ESCUELA DE IDIOMAS
UNIVERSIDAD DE LAS AMRICAS
ARB700 COURSE BOOK:
ACADEMIC READING & WRITING
FOR BUSINESS
EXPLANATION OF THE COURSEBOOK
A variety of resources were compiled in the making of this coursebook, which is intended for
the sole use of students of the Escuela de Idiomas of the Universidad de las Amricas for
work inside and outside class. No sale or unauthorized reproduction of this coursebook is
permitted. All of the materials reproduced in this coursebook, whether reproduced in part or
in whole, have been acknowledged through the use of intext references. This coursebook is
intended for use in ARB700.
Escuela de Idiomas
Universidad de las Amricas
UNIT 1: THE ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY

REVIEW OF ACADEMIC READING & WRITING SKILLS FOR BUSINESS
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Lesson 1.1: Responding to Opinion
Assignment instructions: Read the article below and complete the tasks.
The bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers, an American investment bank, in 2008 turned a nasty
credit crunch into the worst financial crisis in 80 years. Massive bailouts from governments
and central banks staved off a second Depression, but failed to prevent a deep recession
from which many rich economies have yet fully to recover. Five years after that calamity,
two big questions need to be answered. Is global finance safer? And are more crises on the
horizon?
The quick answers are yes, and yes. Global finance looks less vulnerable because reforms
to the financial industry have made it more resilient, and because America, the country at
the heart of the Lehman mess, has got rid of much of the excess debt and righted many of
the imbalances in its economy. Todays danger zones are elsewhere. They are unlikely to
spawn a collapse on the scale of 2008. But they could produce enough turmoil to hit growth
hard.
The three harbingers of the apocalypse
The disaster of September 2008 had many causes. But, put crudely, Lehmans demise
spawned catastrophe because it combined three separate vulnerabilities. The underlying
one was a surge in debt, particularly in the financial sector, brought on by a housing bubble.
The ensuing bust was made more dangerous because of the second weakness: the
complex interconnections of securitised finance meant that no one understood what assets
were worth or who owed what. Lehmans failure added a third devastating dimension:
confusion about whether governments could, or would, step in as finance failed. A rule of
thumb for spotting future disaster is how far those weaknessesa debt surge, ill understood
interconnections and uncertainty about a safety netare repeated.
The overhaul of financial regulation since 2008 has made most progress on the first two.
Under the new Basel capital standards banks are being compelled to hold more, and better,
capital relative to their assets the biggest systemic banks even more than others. Another
strand of reforms, such as pushi ng derivatives trading onto clearinghouses, has tried to
improve transparency. Least progress has been made on what to do when big banks fail
though new efforts to write global rules that would force banks to issue bonds that can be
bailed in in the event of failure is a promising step.
American finance has become safer. The countrys big banks have raised more capital and
written off more dud assets than most others. At around 13%, their riskweighted capital
ratio is far above the new global norms and some 60% higher than before the crisis.
American property prices have adjusted and households have cut their debts. Government
debt has risen, but most of that rise is the sensible mirrorimage of efforts by households to
reduce theirs. Now that the economy is recovering, the budget deficit is tumbling. You can
find bubbliness in bits of American finance, including the corporatebond market, and some
nasty offbalancesheet liabilities like student loans and publicsector pensions, but America
does not look like a source of imminent trouble.
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Britain and Japan have changed less. Abenomics has improved Japans prospects, but
government debt is still close to 250% of GDP. In Britain the combination of budget cuts and
weak private investment has produced a recovery that is built on the same ingredients
particularly rising house pricesthat caused the last bust. Britain is not about to fell the
world economy, but growth that was based more on investment, both public and private,
would be an awful lot safer.
What about emerging economies, many of which have seen a big runup in debt? China is
often dubbed a Lehmaninthemaking. Since 2008 credit growth in the Middle Kingdom, now
the worlds secondlargest economy, has exploded, and by some estimates is over 200% of
GDP. Chinas financial system has few international connections. But, as in America in 2008,
there is uncertainty about the true size of its debts and how much of them will be repaid. The
danger China poses depends on the third ingredient of the Lehman conflagration: how the
government behaves when trouble strikes. The country is a big net saver, the banking
system is still largely depositfunded and the government has the fiscal capacity to underwrite
troubled loans. Provided it does so, the odds of a sudden collapse with global ramifications
are low.
From Brazil to Thailand, many of the other emerging economies that are now wobbling
have also seen credit booms. The difference with China is their vulnerability to global
financial flows. Todays drought in foreign
capital is pushing down currencies like Indias rupee and making currentaccount deficits
harder to finance. In the 1990s that dynamic caused crises. But this time round most
countries defences are more powerful. Exchange rates float, far more debt is denominated
in domestic currency and reserves are fatter. Some places may be overwhelmed: our index
of vulnerability has Turkey flashing reddest. Most are likely to suffer slower growth.
The shadow over Europe
If there is one part of the world that could still bring about another global meltdown, it is the
euro area. Though less Lehmanlike than a year ago, it remains a worry. Its debt problems
are growing, not shrinking: European banks have thinner equity buffers than their American
counterparts, and have written down far fewer debts. In the troubled economies on Europes
periphery recession has made it hard to reduce debt burdens of all sorts. Too much
austerity has proved counterproductive. A destabilising political backlash remains a danger,
given Europes skyhigh jobless rates. Its sleepwalking leaders cannot agree on how to
complete necessary reforms, such as a proper banking union, while the European Central
Banks ability to live up to its brave pledge to do whatever it takes to save the euro remains
untested.
There may be no new Lehmansized catastrophes on the near horizon. But five years on,
global finance is a long way from safe.
Tasks:
1. Define the bolded terms within the context of the article.

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2. Summarize the article's main ideas and arguments.
3. Paraphrase the third paragraph of the article in your own words.
4. Describe the author's tone. Is he optimistic or pessimistic about the stability of the
global financial system? Explain your answer.
5. Write an opinion paragraph about the topic in 120150 words.
Assignment 1
Instructions: Read the article below and then write a short response to the passage
answering the question How might Nuclear Power change Japan Lifestyle? Then,
define the bolded terms within the context of the article.
Nuclear Power in Japan

The government and voters are putting economics before atoms, opening the way for Japan
to restart its nuclear power plants
JUST three years on from the catastrophic meltdown in March 2011 of three reactors at the
Fukushima Daiichi plant, Japan is taking steps to revive its nuclear dream. A rush to restart
some of the countrys 48 mothballed commercial nuclear reactors is well under way.
Hundreds of technicians from utility firms are camped out in downmarket Tokyo hotels,
working at the beck and call of the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA), the countrys new
nuclear watchdog, in hopes of meeting new safety requirements. On February 25th the
government published a draft energy plan which put nuclear power at the core. It is a sharp
reversal of the previous energy strategy, devised by a former government in 2012, eventually
to eliminate nuclear power altogether.
The sense of urgency is driven, first, by the mounting costs of doing without the nuclear
plants. One by one, nearly all reactors were shut down in 201112. Utilities fired up
conventional power stations to make up for lost electricity generation. But the cost of
importing extra oil, coal and gas has been all the steeper with a weak yen. The trade deficit
has climbed, along with electricity charges, particularly for businesses. Should nuclear plants
be left idle, the programme of Shinzo Abe, the prime minister, to revive the economy could
be in doubt.
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Second, the establishment fears that time is running out. A fourth summer without nuclear
powerbut also without any sudden blackout to alarm the publicmight permanently shift
opinion against switching the plants back on. Shigeru Ishiba, secretarygeneral of the ruling
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), says that people have noticed the lights are still blazing and
the trains running. So some 15 months after returning to power, the government is ready to
take the political risk of restarts. But it is wary of being thought ahead of the agency charged
with nuclear safety.
This month the NRA is due to choose which few reactors it wants to fire up first. The most
modern reactors and those farthest from the Pacific coast and the threat of tsunamis are at
the head of the queue, and may be restarted as early as the summer. A favoured candidate
is the plant at Oi, on the west coast of the countrys main island. Two of its four reactors
were the first to restart once before, in the summer of 2012, only to close again in
September 2013. Public demonstrations in Tokyo accompanied their return to the grid. At the
time Japan had not reformed its tax regime for regulating nuclear power.
Now the government hopes that the NRA, more independent than its ridiculed predecessor,
will allay the publics fears. The agency is replacing Japans shattered myth of absolute
nuclear safety with the concept of defence in depth, that is, multiple backup plans against a
series of worst cases. Several reactors, such as those at Hamaoka, located near Tokyo
above the Nankai trough, where two tectonic plates collide, may never restart. But the
regulator, understaffed and still susceptible to political pressure, faces a daunting task.
As for the cosy nuclear village of utilities, heavy industry, bureaucrats and pronuclear
media and politicians, it remains largely intact. TEPCO, the operator of the Fukushima Dai
ichi plant, still bestrides the electricity industry, though its credibility with the public is gone.
Mr Abe can take comfort from the fact that the antinuclear movement appears spent as a
political force, despite the backing of a hugely popular former prime minister, Junichiro
Koizumi. In the Tokyo governors election last month, economic concerns trumped nuclear
ones.
The very first reactor will be the hardest to switch back on. After that, once the NRA gives the
allclear, local governments hosting nuclear plants will waste no time. During the shutdown
their economies have been deprived of generous subsidies from nuclear utilities. The
governor of Niigata, which hosts TEPCOs KashiwazakiKariwa plant, the worlds largest, is a
loud critic of nuclear power. But last September even he gave permission for the utility to
press ahead with its plan to restart reactors.
The longrun future of nuclear power is more uncertain. The age of todays reactors means
that new ones must soon be builta detail the governments new energy plan skated over.
Along with the Tokyo election, a governors race last month in Yamaguchi, the southern
prefecture from which Mr Abe hails, was closely watched for signs of the mood about new
plants. A battle has raged for decades over one to be built in Kaminoseki, a small fishing
town in the prefecture. The result, again, was defeat for antinuclear candidates. The
government has said it may allow three other reactors already under construction before
March 2011 to be completed. Just a short time ago, that would have been unthinkable.
Source:
The Economist. (2014, March 8th). Nuclear Powers in Japan. Retrieved from
http://www.economist.com/news/asia/21598714governmentandvotersareputting
economicsatomsopeningwayjapan restart?
spc=scode&spv=xm&ah=9d7f7ab945510a56fa6d37c30b6f1709
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1.Why do some countries need to incorporate a nuclear power plant? What kind of
benefit does it bring for those countries?
2.In what ways can energy generated by a nuclear power plant help the environment?
3.Mention three disadvantages of a nuclear power plant?
4.What would be a better choice for generating electricity?
5.Why is Japan thinking of incorporating a nuclear power plant?
6.Why is the longrun future of nuclear power uncertain?
Lesson 1.2: Argumentative Research Essay
Assignment instructions: Read the essay below and then fill in the gaps with an
appropriate connector. More than one connector is possible.
Should examinations be banned?
Life is about challenges, and examinations are part of it. Currently, SENESCYT is
evaluating the quality of education and the skills of each student in Ecuador as in the past it
did not occur. Most people get stressed and get discouraged with examinations
.., they allow to show the level of knowledge that each student has
acquired. .., they help to force everybody to work hard and make an effort.
There are several reasons why examinations need to continue in the different situations
and ,.., they should not be banned for the authorities or people in charge.
.., people can demonstrate their skills and their knowledge with a
test or an exam. Most of the time, they allow teachers to know the things that students need
to reinforce, and they can evaluate their job with grades. With different numbers or scales of
assessment, a teacher and a student can have real information about the progress made in
class. .., in elementary school children have a report card to their parents.
.., an examination can demonstrate if a student is ready to pass to the next
level or not, this is the case of kids in kindergarten.
Another issue is that a quiz can force a student to work hard. .., in
real life a person needs to work under pressure, for that reason taking examinations
provides a good training for everyones future. .., not always exams will be
approved, this is why a person will try to do their best in their assignments and be persistent
with the different challenges. A clear example is with mathematics when a student fails the
quiz he/she needs an extra effort to achieve the goal. By repeating an action several times,
achievement will be allowed.
.., some people claim that examinations have people get stressed as
the pressure that students put on themselves to do well is huge. They can create emotional
problems .., people will get worse and less accurate grades since they
cannot concentrate. They will not show their real knowledge or potential
.., many students do not remember the answers 5 minutes after the exam,
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and that means they just memorize content, but they do not really know. Tests can create
confusion, and most of the time they are a matter of luck. Students can cheat with cell
phones too, so the level of intelligence cannot be determined by a test score.
.., people claim that exams can block the knowledge of students
.., testing students demonstrate how much the student learned. They help to
develop people's skills as they motivate and push students to solidify their knowledge
encouraging them to study hard. Also, they develop a spirit of competition among students
that would be useful in university, work and life. It is important that students know how to
handle pressure. Abolishing examinations have more negative points than positive
.. ,evaluation should not disappear since exams are helpful tools of
learning.
Additional resources on Connectors:

https://blog.abaenglish.com/english-grammar-an-introduction-to-sentence-connectors/
1. Argumentative Essays
See Davis, J. & Liss, R. (2006). Effective Academic Writing 3. Oxford: Oxford University
Press. Unit 4: The Argumentative Essay.
Example Argumentative Research Essay
The question should be polemicalmeaning that it should be debatable and controversial.
Topic: The costs and benefits of nationalism.

Question: Is nationalism a beneficial ideology for humanity?
The hook should include information, statistics, a quotation, or a question that both
narrows the scope of the essay topic and captures the readers interest.
Hook: Nationalism can be an important intangible force that helps large societies to
functioncitizens are more likely to make common sacrifices if they see themselves as part
of a community. However, the benefits of nationalism often mask its more sinister truth:
nationalism is an ideology based on an us versus them mentality, which can often cause
great frictions between nations.
Thesis: The costs of nationalism outweigh its benefits due to an inherently violent
ideology that can, and often has, mobilize people towards extreme demonstrations of
violence.
Typically, the introduction begins in a general way and moves logically toward the
thesis statement, which expresses the main idea of the essay in a sentence. The
thesis statement is often the last sentence in this first paragraph.
1st (Supporting) Argument: Nationalism can be one the main causes of war
between nations. Conflicts are more likely escalate to war than be settled through diplomacy
when the nationalistic passions of a people are invoked.
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The supporting argument must be based on evidence and research, including inter
alia factual information, logical reasoning, or expert opinion.
Evidence: The wars between European nations from 1789 to 1945.
2nd (Supporting) Argument: Nationalism can be a unifying force within a country

that can help citizens to identify with one another, and, as a result, mitigate potential
conflicts within societies.
The second supporting argument must be based on evidence and research, including
inter alia factual information, logical reasoning, or expert opinion.
Evidence: Canada is a multicultural country, which could conceivably be at high risk

of inter ethnic conflicts between groups. However, the feeling of a Canadian
community reduces this probably to the extent that intergroup violence is almost
unheard of.
The rebuttal must respond to the counterargument, with the purpose of showing that
the opposite perspectivealthough validis not as strong as the essays thesis.
Rebuttal: It is true that nationalism can become a unifying force within nations.
However, nationalism can also cause social exclusion and even civil war within
ethnically diverse societies, where one ethnic or religious group is perceived as not
being part of the nation.
The rebuttal must be based on evidence and research, including inter alia factual
information, logical reasoning, or expert opinion.It should recognize a weakness with
the thesis statement, and introduce a compelling argument in the opposite direction.
Evidence: The Holocaust, where German Jews did not fit within the German nation
and were exterminated.
The conclusion should be a restatement of the essays thesis in new words, and
ending with a recommendation.
Conclusion: From wars between states to genocides within them, nationalism has
been a cause of extreme violence throughout history, all in the name of the nation.
Brainstorming Argumentative Essay Topics
Students brainstorm and put together an outline for an argumentative essay. Students need
inter alia:
A polemic topic
An academic question
A thesis statement
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Two supporting arguments

One rebuttal
Assignment 1
Instructions: Students read two different documents on Free trade agreement and
democracy. (topics may vary) Define the words in bold and summarize the text in a
paragraph. After that, they need to write a twopart thesis statement based on both
readings and structure the outline of an an argumentative essay individually.
Eventually, they will deliver a presentation on the topic.
EUUS free trade agreement risks undermining democracy

Written by Eleanora Forenza on 4 November 2014 in Opinion
TTIP represents an empowerment of corporations against the interest of citizens,

argues Eleonora Forenza.
On 11 October, thousands of citizens, social movements and NGOs throughout Europe
voiced concerns on developments related to the free trade agreement currently in discussion
between the European Union and the US.
Why are so many people protesting against this agreement? First, they reject how
negotiations are being carried out: the lack of transparency and the undue influence of
corporate power is apparent to all. The second reason lies in the objective of this agreement
which is to wipe out what is considered an obstacle to free trade between both sides of the
Atlantic, so called 'regulatory barriers'.
"TTIP will not only be about reducing tariffs, but it will deeply impact our environmental, food,
social and labour laws"
Indeed, the transatlantic trade and investment partnership (TTIP) will not only be about
reducing tariffs, but it will deeply impact our environmental, food, social and labour laws
through the revision of regulatory frameworks. This will also be done through a strong
liberalisation of the services sector, with the risk of undermining the social and
environmental mission that many of these services play in European societies, for example,
public transport, water management, healthcare and educational services, that traditionally
are more protected in Europe than the US.
Furthermore, another controversial point is how the agreement will be implemented. The
management will be transferred to a 'transatlantic council' tasked with monitoring whether
regulations and laws are in line with the TTIP. Those risks will certainly be worsened if
negotiators decide to adopt a legal instrument called the investor to state dispute settlement
mechanism, which allows corporations to sue governments, for any action at any level,
including local government level that limits a corporation's future profits. Imagine if 14,000
US firms had the possibility to sue EU member states through their almost 58,000 branches
legally established in Europe, especially in fields such as GMOs, automotive, chemical,
pharmaceutical, medical, and ICT industries.
The dispute panel will only take account of provisions contained within the agreement,
disregarding values such as public health, human rights, environmental protection, labour
and other social rights. Those forms of arbitration represent a clear blemish on the powers
of our democratic institutions and risks reducing the room for any social or economic actions
in the coming decades.
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These are only some of the concerns that we are raising on this agreement, in countering
the mainstream enthusiastic rhetoric on the TTIP and its effects on our economy. Past trade
agreements have shown that rather than boosting our economy, they have destroyed our
SMEs and manufacturing industrial fabric, profiting big corporations and multinationals.
Is there any alternative to TTIP? We believe so. We are aware that trade can mean the
difference between wealth and poverty and we are convinced that a world with fairer trade
rules has the potential to transform the lives of millions.
This is why we are supporting, together with hundreds of policymakers, social movements
and NGOs the idea of an alternative trade mandate that puts people and the planet before
big business. We are doing so because EU trade policy needs to be fundamentally
democratised, as part of a wider democratisation of Europe and the GUE group in the
European parliament will work in this direction.
About the author
Eleonora Forenza is a member of parliament's international trade committee
Source:
https://www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/articles/opinion/euusfreetradeagreementrisks
underminingdemocracy
1. Define the words in bold
2. Summarize the text in an only paragraph.
Businesses 'must be freed from the shackles of burdensome regulation'

Written by Vicky Ford on 24 March 2015 in Opinion
Calls for less EU red tape 'must be backed up with action', urges Vicky Ford.
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As Europe and the world seek to recover from one of the deepest recessions of modern
times, everyone regardless of political colour is highlighting the need for jobs and growth.
To allow businesses to grow and create more jobs, they must be freed from the shackles of
overburdensome regulation. The single market is meant to help businesses trade across all
28 member states, but all too often EU laws create unnecessary costs for businesses, which
in turn are passed on to Europe's consumers.
Parliament's internal market and consumer protection (IMCO) committee is in favour of
cutting EU red tape, as demonstrated this week when a significant number of my colleagues
voted through Othmar Karas' opinion report on the commission's regulatory fitness and
performance (Refit) programme, thereby backing a series of proposals to remove
unnecessary costs. "The single market is meant to help businesses trade across all 28
member states, but all too often EU laws create unnecessary costs for businesses, which in
turn are passed on to Europe's consumers"
I was heartened to see a number of measures proposed by MEPs make it into the final
report on better lawmaking, including setting a 25 per cent target for reducing the cost of
bureaucracy, and establishing a business forum to enable grassroots suggestions for
reducing administrative burdens to be put forward.
In my country, a similar forum the business taskforce on cutting EU red tape has existed for
a number of years, and a similar initiative is in operation in Denmark. It gives businesses a
real voice in alerting officials to overburdensome laws. The Conservatives have supported
the UK's 'red tape challenge', which identified 3000 pieces of regulation to be scrapped or
improved.
I was especially happy to see that my call for draft laws to go through a 'competitiveness
test' was backed. This would ensure that if a draft law adds additional costs, then it should
be reconsidered.
The Conservativeled government in the UK has a policy of 'one in, one out', so that if a
minister feels the need to bring in a new law, they must find a law to remove at the same
time. I believe this policy should now be urgently taken up by the European commission.
The IMCO committee has also backed my demand for the college to be required to produce
an annual statement of new costs to businesses from EU law, shining a light on the often
hidden costs of EU red tape.
And it is not only regulations and directives that we want to be fully costed. The opaque
world of implementing and delegating acts where much of the detail of EU laws is to be
found must also be fully costed and impact assessed.
With these amendments in place, I am optimistic that Karas' opinion for the IMCO committee
will be taken up in the full parliamentary report, and that this will fundamentally shape the
commission's Refit programme on better regulation and cutting red tape.
We know there are good intentions, and none of my proposals should be difficult to
implement if there is the political will.
At his confirmation hearing last October, commission first vicepresident Frans Timmermans
promised less red tape for small businesses, the removal of outdated legislation, and the
return of greater powers to national governments.
These words must now be backed up with action it is time to make sure that the EU's
single market truly works for businesses and citizens.
About the author

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Vicky Ford (ECR, UK) is chair of parliament's internal market and consumer
protection committee
Source:
https://www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/articles/opinion/businesses mustbefreedshackles
burdensomeregulation
1. Define the words in bold
2. Summarize the text in an only paragraph.
3. Write a thesis statement based on both readings
4. Structure the outline of an argumentative essay on Free trade agreements

and Democracy
Activity 1 Outline
Structure
Topic: Free trade agreement and Democracy.
Rhetorical Question: .?
Hook
Background
Opposing Viewpoint
Arg.1
Arg2.
Thesis Statement: ..
Argument 1
.
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Examples and details.
Argument 2
.
Examples and details
Opposing Viewpoint
..
Conclusion
...
Lesson 1.3 Speculating about the future: possibility and probability
Definitely, probably and others

Definitely, probably and perhaps /maybe show how probable we think a future event
is. Notice that wont normally comes after probably and definitely:
Example: TTIP probably wont bring growth to the European Union.
Degree of chance In the next 10 years...

100% computers will definitely become faster and
more powerful.
75% computers will probably get much smaller.

50% maybe/perhaps computer will be able to
recognize speech better.
25% computers probably wont be able to
translate perfectly.
0% computers definitely wont start having
feelings or emotions
Likely to, certain to

We can also use the verb be + (un)likely/certain + infinitive to refer to the future. We use the
present tense of the verb be (is certain to) and we do not say: * will be certain to.
We use certain to refer to things that we think are certain, likely to/expected to to refer to
things that are probable, and unlikely to to refer to things that are improbable:
You will meet Jane at the Sales Conference next week. She .be there (definite)
The final cost of the project .. be higher than the correct estimates
(probable)
The European Central Bank ...lower interest rates again this year. (improbable)
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I think, I doubt, etc.

Various verbs and expressions show how probable we think a future event is. For example:
High probability Im quite sure that .
Im confident that ...
I expect that .
The chances are that .

they will give you a pay rise.
I should think that .
I shouldnt think that .
I doubt if .
I doubt very much whether ...

Low probability
Im quite sure that + (wont) ....
Modal verbs
We can use may, might and could + bare infinitive to refer to the future:
The latest statistics suggest that house prices may/might/could fall over the coming year.
Definitely, maybe, probably
A leading newspaper interviewed a selection of financial experts and business people and
asked them to predict what would happen to the economy in the coming 12 months. Look at
the results below and write sentences about the predictions using definitely, probably, or
maybe + will/wont.
1. Will interest rates fall in the Eurozone countries?

2. Will the euro rise against other leading currencies?
3. Will there be a recession in Europe?
4. Will the stock market in Japan recover?
5. Will there be a fall in unemployment?
6. Will overall taxation risse?
7. Will exports to the US go up?
8. Will imports from the Fars East increase?
1. Maybe interest rates will fall in the Eurozone countries.

2. ..
3. ..
4. ..
5. ..
6. ..
7. ..
8. ..
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Oral Task 1:
Students watch a video in small groups of 4 to 5 students, debating Business and change.
The video is followed by a short group discussion of approximately 10 minutes, with students
communicating their opinions on the debate topic and responding to discussion questions.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4UESFIdc8s
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UNIT 2: PUNCTUATION, PARAPHRASING & SUMMARIZING
Lesson 2.1: Listening Comprehension
Exercise 1
You will hear part of a conversation between a Management Consultant and the
Human Resources Manager of Jenkins, a company which manufactures childrens
clothing. For questions 23 to 30 mark one letter A, B or C for the correct answer. You
will hear the recording twice. You have 45 seconds to read through the questions.
23. What is said about the ownership of Jenkins?
A. The founder has sold the company to someone else.

B. Jenkins has merged with another company.
C. There has been no change of ownership.
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24. What does the Human Resources Manager see as the main external threat to
Jenkins?
A. The retailers are becoming less willing to pay their prices.

B. Consumers are buying more topofthe range childrens clothes.
C. More and more companies are producing childrens clothes.
25. The Human Resources Manager sees the companys main strength as the fact
that
A. It has several longterm contracts.

B. It makes products of high quality
C. Its distribution system is effective
26. The Human Resources Manager believes that Jenkinss main weakness at
present is that
A. The machinery is inadequate for current requirements.

B. The management style is out of line with modern demands.
C. The relations between management and workers are poor.
27. According to the Human Resources Manager, why do many machinists choose
to leave?
A. They think that they can get better paid work somewhere else.
B. They feel that too much is expected of them.
C. They lack confidence in the companys future.
28. When working to produce a batch of clothes
A. Each team is responsible for a particular operation.

B. Each member of the team produces a complete item.
C. Each person carries out one part of the production process.
29. What change has been made to the range of goods?
A. A smaller number of different items is produced.

B. Each item is now made in smaller quantities.
C. Fewer new styles are introduced each year.
30. What is said about the machinists?
A. More of their work is falling below the required standard.

B. Some of them are earning less than they used to.
C. They have to spend longer learning to operate new machines.
Lesson 2.2: Proper Punctuation Use

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The following provides an explanation of the proper uses of colons (:), semicolons (),
commas (,) and apostrophes (').
The Colon
The colon is a widely misused but very useful piece of punctuation. Use it correctly and it
can add precision to your written work. The colon has a number of functions:
1. To introduce an idea
The colon has two main uses. Firstly it is used to introduce an idea that is an explanation or
continuation of the one that comes before the colon.
Ex: You are left with only one option: Press on until you have mastered it.
2. To introduce a list
The second main use of the colon is to introduce a list. You need to take care many people
assume that a colon always precedes a list. This is not the case.
Ex: The potion contained some exotic ingredients: snails' eyes, bats' tongues and
garlic.
Ex: The magic potion contained sesame seeds, bran flakes and coleslaw.
3. To introduce quoted material
The colon has other uses: it can also be used after a clause introducing quoted material. If
the colon precedes a quotation, you should begin the language of that quote with a capital
letter.
Ex: Charles Tilly is most often remembered for his infamous quote on war: War
made the state, and the state made war.
The SemiColon
The semicolon is a hugely powerful punctuation mark. Getting it right will allow you to
express your ideas and opinions with more subtlety and precision than ever before. The
semicolon has a number of functions:
1. Complicated lists
The semicolon can be used to sort out a complicated list containing many items, many of
which themselves contain commas. In most lists a comma is enough to separate the items.
In a complicated list like the below examples, the use of semicolons makes the list more
understandable.
19
Ex (wrong): In the meeting today we have Professor Wilson, University of Barnsley,

Dr Watson, University of Barrow in Furness, Colonel Custard, Metropolitan Police
and Dr Mable Syrup, Genius General, University of Otago, New Zealand.
Ex (right): In the meeting today we have Professor Wilson, University of Barnsley Dr

Watson, University of Barrow in Furness Colonel Custard, Metropolitan Police and Dr
Mable Syrup, Genius General, University of Otago, New Zealand.
2. Separating closelyrelated independent clauses
The semicolon is also used to connect two closelyrelated independent clauses.
Ex: Terry always slept with the light on he was afraid of the dark.
The two clauses here are closely connected but the link has not been made explicit. They
could have been separated by a full stop.
Ex: Terry always slept with the light on. He was afraid of the dark.
They could have been connected by a conjunction.
Ex: Terry always slept with the light on because he was afraid of the dark.
The Comma
The comma is a much misused and often over used piece of punctuation. The complexity of
its usage stems primarily from the fact that there are several different situations in which the
comma is the correct piece of punctuation to use. The trick is to identify those situations so
as not to use the comma in places where it really should not be. The comma has many
functions:
1. To separate the elements in a list of three or more items
Ex: The potion included gobstoppers, chewing gum, bran flakes(,) and coleslaw.
There is debate over whether or not a comma is needed before the last item in a list, and
therefore both ways are commonly seen. But be consistent in the way that you choose.
2. Before certain conjunctions
A comma should be used beforenot afterthese conjunctions: and, but, for, nor, yet, or,
so to separate two independent clauses. They are called coordinating conjunctions.
Ex: She was a fantastic cook, but would never be as good as her mother in law.
Ex: He hated his neighbours, so he never invited them round.
3. To separate introductory elements in a sentence

20
Ex: Given the appalling weather conditions, Michael was lucky to survive the storm.
Ex: As the night drew to a close, the clubbers wandered home.
Ex: Having mastered the use of the colon, it is important to make it work for you in
your writing.
This should also be used before connectors that begin a sentence, such as however,
nevertheless, on the other hand, etc.
4. To separate parenthetical elements in a sentence
A comma is used to set off parenthetical elements in a sentence. The parenthetical element
(also known as an aside) is part of the sentence that can be removed without changing the
essential meaning of the sentence.
Ex: Sarah, the most intelligent pupil in the class, was always late for school.
Ex: The pyramids, one of the wonders of the ancient world, lie just outside Cairo.
*Comma splices
The comma splice is one of the most frequent mistakes made when using a comma. The
comma splice occurs when a comma is used to connect two independent clauses. In these
cases, the use of a comma is incorrect.
Ex: Jim usually gets on with everybody, he is an understanding person.
Apostrophes
Apostrophes have two uses in English.
1. Contractions
One use of the apostrophe is in contracted words. The apostrophe is used to indicate that a
letter or letters has/have been removed.
He is = he's
I am = I'm
Do not = Don't
Can not = Can't
They have = They've
It is = It's
I would = I'd
Let us = Let's
She has = She's
Who is = who's
Contracted forms are very common in spoken English but should not be used in formal or
academic writing. The full, unabbreviated forms should be used in formal or academic
writing.
21
2. Possession
A second and trickier use of the apostrophe is to show possession. If the possessor is a
singular noun, an 's is added to the end of the noun. This is true for both proper nouns
(people and places beginning with a capital letter) and common nouns (other nouns).
Ex: He found himself lost in Madrid's winding streets.

Ex: I cannot understand Tim's point of view.
Ex: The building's foundations were very unstable.
Ex: The poet's work was highly regarded around the world.
A very common mistake is to put apostrophes where they should not be. Many people,
unsure about using the apostrophe, put it in every time they see a word ending in s.
Ex: Bristol contain's a lot of lovely old building's and street's. (Wrong)
If the possessor is a plural noun ending in s, simply adding an apostrophe after the final s
indicates possession
Ex: The teacher was always losing her pupils' books.

Ex: I can never understand the politicians' obsession with spin.
As you can see, the positioning of the apostrophe makes a big difference to the meaning of
the sentence. Make sure when adding the apostrophe that it indicates your intended
meaning very precisely.
Ex: The monk's meals were served in a cold, damp room. (One monk)
Ex: The monks' meals were served in a cold, damp room. (Lots of monks and lots of
meals)
If the possessor is a singular noun that happens to end in an s, there is some debate about
whether the apostrophe is simply added after the s or whether an 's is needed. It seems that
both are acceptable, but be consistent.
Ex: Have you read James' book?

Ex: Have you read James's book?
Today, most style guides recommend adding an 's (e.g. James's is preferable).
Source:
Faculty of Arts. (2012). Improve Your Writing: Punctuation marks. University of Bristol.
Retrieved from
http://www.bristol.ac.uk/arts/exercises/grammar/grammar_tutorial/page_03.htm
Assignment 1
22
Instructions: This exercise is designed to test understanding of punctuation,

particularly the use of commas, colons, semicolons and apostrophes. Choose the
correct form of punctuation in the multiplechoice options below.
1. a) Spain is a beautiful country the beache's are warm, sandy and spotlessly
clean. b) Spain is a beautiful country: the beaches are warm, sandy and
spotlessly clean.
c) Spain is a beautiful country, the beaches are warm, sandy and spotlessly clean. d)
Spain is a beautiful country the beaches are warm, sandy and spotlessly clean.
2. a) The children's books were all left in the following places: Mrs Smith's room, Mr
Powell's office and the caretaker's cupboard.
b) The children's books were all left in the following places Mrs Smith's room, Mr Powell's
office and the caretaker's cupboard.
c) The childrens books were all left in the following places: Mrs Smiths room, Mr Powells
office and the caretakers cupboard.
d) The children's books were all left in the following places, Mrs Smith's room, Mr Powell's
office and the caretaker's cupboard.
3. a) She always enjoyed sweets, chocolate, marshmallows and toffee apples.

b) She always enjoyed: sweets, chocolate, marshmallows and toffee apples.
c) She always enjoyed sweets chocolate marshmallows and toffee apples.
d) She always enjoyed sweet's, chocolate, marshmallow's and toffee apple's.
4. a) Sarah's uncle's car was found without its wheels in that old derelict
warehouse. b) Sarah's uncle's car was found without its wheels in that old,
derelict warehouse. c) Sarahs uncles car was found without its wheels in
that old, derelict warehouse. d) Sarah's uncle's car was found without it's
wheels in that old, derelict warehouse.
5. a) I can't see Tim's car, there must have been an accident.

b) I cant see Tim's car there must have been an accident.
c) I can't see Tim's car there must have been an accident.
d) I can't see Tim's car there must have been an accident.
6. a) Paul's neighbours were terrible so his brother's friends went round to have a
word. b) Paul's neighbours were terrible: so his brother's friends went round to
have a word. c) Paul's neighbours were terrible, so his brother's friends went
round to have a word. d) Paul's neighbours were terrible so his brother's friends
went round to have a word.
7. a) Tims gran, a formidable woman, always bought him chocolate, cakes, sweets and
a nice fresh apple.
b) Tim's gran a formidable woman always bought him chocolate, cakes, sweets and a nice
fresh apple.
c) Tim's gran, a formidable woman, always bought him chocolate cakes sweets and a nice
fresh apple.
d) Tim's gran, a formidable woman, always bought him chocolate, cakes, sweets and a nice
fresh apple.
23
8. a) After stealing Tims car, the thief lost his way and ended up the chief constable's
garage.
b) After stealing Tim's car the thief lost his way and ended up the chief constable's garage.
c) After stealing Tim's car, the thief lost his way and ended up the chief constable's garage.
d) After stealing Tim's car, the thief lost his' way and ended up the chief constable's garage.
9. a) We decided to visit: Spain, Greece, Portugal and Italy's mountains.

b) We decided to visit Spain, Greece, Portugal and Italys mountains.
c) We decided to visit Spain, Greece, Portugal and Italy's mountains.
d) We decided to visit Spain Greece Portugal and Italy's mountains.
10. a) That tall man, Paul's grandad, is this month's winner.

b) That tall man Paul's grandad is this month's winner.
c) That tall man, Paul's grandad, is this months winner.
d) That tall man, Pauls grandad, is this month's winner.
Source:
The Faculty of Arts. (2012). Improve Your Writing: Punctuation marks exercise. The
University of Bristol. Retrieved from
http://www.bristol.ac.uk/arts/exercises/grammar/grammar_tutorial/
page_55.htm
Assignment 2
Instructions: Select the incorrectly punctuated sentence from each group of choices.
If all are correct, select d) all are correct.
1)
a) Her quickly amassed fortune includes a dramatic collection of paintings that are stored in
the basement.
b) Herbs sister yelled "Does anyone have a telephone"?
c) Christina missed her graduation from high school, yet her parents didnt seem to care.
d) all are correct
2)
a) The threeweekold injury does not appear to be healing.
b) Most of the Duck fans were optimistic about the teams chances of winning the
championship.
c) Hoping to reach the summit by midnight, the expedition team pushed forward at a grueling
pace.
d) all are correct
3)
a) The manager told his sales team, "If you want to win the award, you will need to double
your sales."
24
b) Jack Kennedy, who was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald, was a popular president.
c) The local newscaster enjoyed being famous, she was often asked for her autograph.
d) all are correct
4)
a) Pudding and custard are Ted's two favorite desserts which Kate cannot understand at
all.
b) Her inexperienced assistant told the visitor, "My boss didnt feel like working and
went golfing instead."
c) To reach the peak of success in business, most people devote very concentrated
time to their professions.
d) all are correct
5)
a) "These dogs are from championship bloodlines," the breeder explained confidently.
"You should buy one."
b) Matt told the princess that he had "always longed to be a servant."
c) Surrounded by old friends and family the couple said their vows.
d) all are correct
6)
a) Martina asked Chicago Bulls star Michael Jordan to act as the head of the company.
b) After the game ended, the coach complained: "We didnt block. We didnt tackle.
We didnt win."
c) As Carter worked to secure the sail, Seamus went below to get their raincoats.
d) all are correct
7)
a) Did you read Susan Orleans article in The New York Times Magazine?
b) Their sister said, "I want to go to the game. Im sure it will be good. We need to be
on time."
c) The attorney filed the brief because her client opposed the developers plan.
d) all are correct
8)
a) After such a longwinded introduction, the speech itself will certainly be terrible.
b) The balloons pilot climbed a 60 foot cable to repair the leak.
c) She has a deepseated fear of speaking in front of a judge.
d) all are correct
9)
a) The announcer repeated the same thing: "The white zone is for loading and unloading
only."
b) The manicurist thanked the salesman for showing her "the light."
c) Last year Greg read: Gone with the Wind his sister recommended it.
d) all are correct
25
10)
a) The carpenter liked using medieval technology (e.g. a handturned lathe).
b) The gangsters told the shopkeeper, "If you are not careful youll be fish food."
c) Britt Hume himself will lead the news team to Somalia.
d) all are correct
11) a) Every day, Stephen reads The New York Times to his reporting class.
b) Shirley did not expect her trip to Greece to be such an exhilarating, whirlwind adventure.
c) Sarah is intrigued that her Uncle Cliff was a pilot in the war nonetheless, he rarely
discusses it.
d) all are correct
12) a) After she poured the brass, Alice took off her gloves filled the tub with water and
submerged the sculpture.
b) When Daniel got too close to the edge of the cliff his father yelled, "Get back here,
Daniel!"
c) Driven by the need to prove his tormentors wrong, Karl worked hard every day to
improve his backhand.
d) all are correct
13) a) The doctor is popular among his patients although he does not spend much time
with them.
b) Have you seen the new show "The West Wing"?
c) Grant asked the teacher, "When will the test results be posted?"
d) all are correct
14) a) His mother and father chose to stay home and work in the yard.
b) Nerdly is one of the most aptlynamedchildren Monique has ever met.
c) Are you going to see "What Lies Beneath"?
d) all are correct
15) a) Meryl Streep, who has won several acting awards, seems to be just a regular
person.
b) Trying desperately not to cry the young child explained that the "booger monster"
had taken his spinach.
c) Before we start this exercise, lets do a few stretches.
d) all are correct
16) a) The class visited the museum, they went to a baseball game, too.
b) Maria Shriver is a talented journalist and a completely devoted
mother.
c) When they leave for the concertshe thinks it will be near noontheyll call
you. d) all are correct
17) a) Nancy prefers gold to silver she thinks its more elegant.
b) For such a quickwitted employee, she has been rather confused by this easily operated
machine.
26
c) Has Michael enjoyed his internship at The Register Guard?

d) all are correct
18) a) Kimberly is flying to Mexico to meet her husband Jack for a vacation.
b) The race between the two sprinters was widely hyped and completely disappointing.
c) The speaker asked every audience the same thing: "Do you want to be right, or do you
want it to work?"
d) all are correct
19) a) Before you decide that you hate this strawberry pie, take a bite. b)
The moose made its way across the meadow, and into the forest.
c) The picnic basket contains the following: potato salad, Grandmas recipe Jello, Aunt
Judys recipe and fried chicken, the Colonels recipe.
d) all are correct
20) a) Grace is going to the movies without him, Bryce has already seen it.
b) Coles scooter, which he got for his eighth birthday, is totally cool.
c) Have you ever tried to pronounce "ameliorate"?
d) all are correct
Source:
Grammar United. (2008). Punctuation Practice Exercise. Retrieved from

http://www.grammaruntied.com/punctuation/puncpractice.html
Commas vs. Semicolons
Assignment 3
Instructions: Each of the following sentences needs either a comma or a semicolon.
Put in the necessary punctuation.
1. Many companies make sugarfree soft drinks, which are flavored by synthetic
chemicals the drinks usually contain only one or two calories per serving.
2. Mr. Leyland played the viola professionally for many years and he now conducts a
community orchestra.
3. The crab grass was flourishing but the rest of the lawn, unfortunately, was dying.
4. The hill was covered with wildflowers it was a beautiful sight.
5. As I turned around, I heard a loud thump for the cat had upset the goldfish bowl.
6. The artist preferred to paint in oils he did not like watercolors.
7. The house was clean, the table set, and the porch light on everything was ready for
the guests'
arrival.
27
8. He looked carefully in the underbrush but he failed to notice the pair of green eyes
staring at him.
9. The foundations of the house had been poured but, to his disappointment, nothing
else had been done because of the carpenters' strike.
10. The computer could perform millions of operations in a split second however, it could
not think spontaneously.
11. I thought registration day would be tiring but I didn't know I'd have to stand in so
many lines.
12. The dog, growling and snarling, snapped at me I was so frightened that I ran.
13. The snowstorm dumped twelve inches of snow on the interstate subsequently, the
state police closed the road.
14. Professors are supposed to be absentminded and I've seen plenty of evidence to
support that claim since I've been in college.
15. The suspect said that he had never met the victim however, the detective knew that
he was lying.
16. In the first place, it was snowing too hard to see the road in the second place, we had
no chains.
17. I have read Soul on Ice but I have not read The Invisible Man.
18. San Francisco is my favorite city in fact, I plan to spend two weeks there this summer.
19. The quarterback made a brilliant pass and the end crossed the goal line for the
winning touchdown.
20. Large supermarkets fascinate me I can find everything from frozen chow mein to
soybean flour in one place.
Source:
Purdue University. (2013). Semicolons, Colons, and Quotation Marks. Retrieved from
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/engagement/index.phpcategory_id=2&sub_category_id=1&arti
cle_id=44
Apostrophes
Assignment 4
Instructions: Punctuate the following sentences with apostrophes.
28
1. Whos the partys candidate for vice president this year?
2. The fox had its right foreleg caught securely in the traps jaws.
3. Our neighbors car is an old Chrysler, and its just about to fall apart.
4. In three weeks time well have to begin school again.
5. Didnt you hear that theyre leaving tomorrow?
6. Whenever I think of the stories I read as a child, I remember Cinderellas glass slipper
and Snow Whites wicked stepmother.
7. We claimed the picnic table was ours, but the Smiths children looked so disappointed
that we found another spot.
8. Its important that the kitten learns to find its way home.
9. She did not hear her childrens cries.
10. My address has three 7s, and Tims phone number has four 2s.
11. Didnt he say when he would arrive at Arnies house?
12. Its such a beautiful day that Ive decided to take a sun bath.
13. She said the watch Jack found was hers, but she couldnt identify the manufacturers
name on it.
14. Little girls clothing is on the first floor, and the mens department is on the second.
15. The dogs bark was far worse than its bite.
16. The moons rays shone feebly on the path, and I heard the insects chirpings and
whistlings.
17. Theyre not afraid to go ahead with the plans, though the choice is not theirs.
18. The man whose face was tan said that he had spent his two weeks vacation in the
mountains.
19. I found myself constantly putting two cs in the word process.
20. Johns 69 Ford is his proudest possession.
Source:
Purdue University. (2013). Spelling: Apostrophe Exercises. Retrieved from
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/engagement/2/1/46/
29
For Additional Grammar Practice on Commas vs. Semicolons go to

Purdue University. (2013). SemiColons, Colons, and Quotation Marks. Retrieved from
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/engagement/index.phpcategory_id=2&sub_category_id=1&arti
cle_id=44
Quiz Students name: Test date: Final grade: /10

ARB 700
Circle the letter of the sentence that is correctly punctuated.
a) You have only one choice: leave now while you can.
b) You have only one choice leave now while you can.
c) You have only one choice. Leave now while you can.
a) Mankind has only one choice left stop burning fossil fuel.
b) Mankind has only one choice left, stop burning fossil fuel.
c) Mankind has only one choice left: stop burning fossil fuel.
a) I really don't like blancmange, so I never eat the stuff.

b) I really don't like blancmange so, I never eat the stuff.
c) I really don't like blancmange so I never eat the stuff.
a) Jill, a talented woman in the world of business decided to run for president.
b) Jill, a talented woman in the world of business, decided to run for president.
c) Jill a talented woman in the world of business, decided to run for president.
a) The two boy's bags were lying at the river's edge.

b) The two boys bag's were lying at the rivers' edge.
c) The two boys' bags were lying at the river's edge.
d) The two boys' bags' were lying at the rivers edge.
a) My parent's flat is in one of the city's finest areas.

b) My parents' flat is in one of the citys finest areas'.
c) My parents' flat is in one of the citys' finest areas.
d) My parents' flat is in one of the city's finest areas.
Which can/should be connected with a semicolon? More than one answer is possible
a) Paris is a beautiful city ______ wide streets and sunshine.

b) Havana is a lovely city ______ rice pudding is one of my favourite foods.
c) I would love to go to France ______ Paris is a lovely city.
d) I would love to go to Greece ______ I love ancient history.
a) Understanding grammar is very important ______ despite its complexity.

b) Understanding grammar is very important ______ clear communication is an
essential skill.
30
c) Understanding grammar is very important ______ most high level jobs require
good writing skills.
d) Understanding grammar is very important ______ although it is not always the
most fascinating subject on the planet.
Lesson 2.3: Paraphrasing
What is paraphrasing?
Paraphrasing is one's own wording of the important information and ideas expressed by
someone else. It is considered to be a legitimate way to borrow from another source, when
accompanied by proper citations.
Why is paraphrasing useful
Paraphrasing is better than quoting all information. First, it helps to avoid the
overuse of quotations. Second, the mental process used in paraphrasing helps to
dissect and understand the meaning of the passage in a better way than mere
verbatim repetition.
Example of Good and Bad Paraphrasing
The original passage:
Students frequently overuse direct quotation in taking notes, and as a result they overuse
quotations in the final research paper. Probably only about 10% of your final manuscript
should appear as directly quoted matter. Therefore, you should strive to limit the amount of
exact transcribing of source materials while taking notes.
Students often use too many direct quotations when they take notes, resulting in too many of
them in the final research paper. In fact, probably only about 10% of the final copy should
consist of directly quoted material. So it is important to limit the amount of source material
copied while taking notes.
A legitimate paraphrase:
In research papers students often quote excessively, failing to keep quoted material down to
a desirable level. Since the problem usually originates during note taking, it is essential to
minimize the material recorded verbatim (citation).
A plagiarized version:
Students often use too many direct quotations when they take notes, resulting in too many of
them in the final research paper. In fact, probably only about 10% of the final copy should
consist of directly quoted material. So it is important to limit the amount of source material
copied while taking notes.
31
Source:
Purdue Online Writing Lab. (2013). Paraphrase: Write it in Your Own Words. Purdue
University. Retrieved from http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/619/1/
Assignment 5
Instructions: Read the five passages below and paraphrase each of them in the space
provided. Work individually, then compare with a partner once you have finished.
1. Few people would declare the year 2012 a disaster. Equally, though, few would declare it
a great success either. The global economy slowed during the year, and many companies
saw their rate of growth in Asia slow too. But standing on the cusp of 2013, the mood
appears to be improving. Respondents to our latest ABOS survey are certainly feeling
brighter about the future. At a high level, 47% of executives say their expectations for Asia
have improved today compared to a year ago. Only 15% say their expectations have fallen.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
2. Our survey shows that companies are expecting their sales to grow faster in 2013 than
they did in 2012. Indeed, for every territorywith the exception of Japanexecutives are
expecting growth rates to pick up, albeit relatively modestly. Expectations among survey
respondents are highest for China. Indeed, one of the broad themes of this report is how
important China is to company plans, in spite of the many challenges that respondents say
they increasingly face. Not only is it the biggest market in Asia, and the fastest growing, it is
also the number one investment destination for companies... For many firms, China is
reaching a point where it is being managed separately from the rest of Asia Pacific.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
3. The second fastest growing market for company sales is not India, but Southeast Asia. While
Indias economy continues to disappoint, Southeast Asia is showing surprising resilience in the
face of a relatively soft global economy. The lowest expectations for sales growth are reserved
for Australia. The countrys commodity export story has weakened a little as prices for iron ore
and coal have fallen. And the domestic economy remains relatively subdued. Investment into the
mining sectora big contributor to recent domestic growthis
32
falling. And the strong Australian dollardriven up by commodity exportsis hurting

domestic industry, making it cheaper to import goods than to make them locally.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
4. While the growth rates that major multinationals are achieving in their emerging markets
might look impressive by global standards (especially relative to a market like Europe), they
are not as good as they could or should be. Why might this be the case? It could be that the
strength and quality of competition in the markets of Asia Pacific is heating up. Local Asian
firms are rising rapidly, and may enjoy domestic advantages, possibly through better cultural
understanding, more appropriate business models, better relationships with government,
entrenched protectionism, or perhaps less restrictions around how they win new business.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
5. Wages in most parts of Asia Pacific are rising rapidly. Companies can no longer rely on
business models built on big pools of cheap labour. Instead, they are investing heavily in
capital and technology. Many firmsespecially those in manufacturingare shifting towards
greater automation, thereby reducing the need to hire more workers. For instance, Foxconn,
the worlds largest maker of electronic components, announced in 2011 that it would deploy
as many as one million robots in its Chinese factories by 2013 to do much of the work
currently done by human hands.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Source:
Economist Corporate Network. (2013). Investing in an Accelerating Asia: Insights from

Asia's business leaders on their outlook for 2013. Retrieved from
http://ftp01.economist.com.hk/ECN_papers/ABOS2013.pdf
33
Lesson 2.4: Summarizing
What is summarizing?
Summarizing is taking larger texts and reducing them to their bare essentials: the main ideas
and information that is worth repeating.
How to summarize?
The key to summarizing is taking away extraneous details and examples in order to focus on
the most salient points of a text. Find the main ideas and any critical information that
supports them.
Techniques for summarizing
Focus on the main ideas

Look for keywords and phrases
Simplify the larger ideas
When writing, convey only the essentials
Take concise but complete notes
Source:
Jones, R. C. (2012, August 26th). Strategies for Reading Comprehension: Summarizing.

ReadingQuest.org. Retrieved from http://www.readingquest.org/strat/summarize.html
Assignment instructions: Read the article below and highlight or underline the most
important information. Then, write a summary of the article in the space provided below.
GIVEN the economic growth rates in Asia Pacific, the region is clearly a place of great
promise. But which markets and countries are attracting the greatest commitments for new
investment? Top of the list of investment priorities is China. (See chart 7.) As the worlds
second largest economy, and with growth rates that remain impressive, Chinas gravitational
pull appears undiminished. Nearly threequarters of the companies in our survey say they will
increase their investment there in 2013.
This is likely driven in part by the increasing geographical diversification of the China
opportunity. Production centres are drifting inland, and new markets are rising rapidly in Tier
Two, Three and Four cities, most of which lie inland from the established markets of Chinas
eastern and southern provinces. Foreign firms have many gripes in China, from rapidly rising
wages, to entrenched favouritism towards local competitors. But such gripes are not yet
translating into reduced appetite for investing there.
34
After China, investment priorities in this years survey diverge slightly from last year. India
has traditionally been neckandneck with China on the priority list, but this year has fallen
back: only 54% of respondents indicate they will increase spending levels there. Indias
government has in recent months been applying policy tourniquets to staunch the ebbing
economy (particularly around foreign investment legislation), but this may have been too
little, too late to sway decision makers at multinational firms in their 2013 planning cycle.
Indonesia continues to rank highly amongst Economist Corporate Network companies, and
is barely distinguishable from India in terms of attractiveness. However, while India has been
scrambling to make itself more friendly to foreign investors in the second half of 2012,
Indonesia is seemingly walking in the opposite direction. Over the course of 2012, the
government imposed taxes on the mining sector, proposed limits on foreign ownership in the
mining and banking sectors, introduced a raft of minimum wage increases, and dismantled
the state regulator for oil and gas productioncasting doubt over the status of foreign firms
holding oil exploration concessions. All in all, the character of the foreign investment climate
in Indonesia has been deteriorating. And yet foreign firms continue to increase their
commitment to the country. Given economic growth that is running at a reliable 6% to 7% a
year, and a huge domestic population of some 240m, many firms conclude that they simply
cant afford to ignore the country.
Most other southeast Asian countries are also proving to be interesting investment targets.
But two stand out for being somewhat out of favour. The first is the Philippines, which is
attracting the lowest amount of new investment of any ASEAN market. This seems
surprising given the extent to which the country is performing economically (it was the third
fastestgrowing economy in Asia in 2012, behind Mongolia and China). Just as important, the
president, Benigno Aquino, is making vigorous attempts to dismantle corruption, introduce
economic reforms, and improve the business landscape. The country has a world class
business process outsourcing (BPO) industry that is attracting significant investment in back
offices and shared service facilities from around the world. However, call centres and the like
are relatively capitallight operations (beyond the real estate and telecoms infrastructure).
Outside the BPO space, the Philippines has yet to persuade investors that the country is
changing for the better.
The second surprise in Southeast Asia is Vietnam. Over the past two years, the country
ranked just behind the big three of China, India and Indonesia, and has long been a
favorite antidote to rising manufacturing costs in China. However, Vietnam finds itself
dropping to sixth place this year, undoubtedly the result of the governments
mismanagement of the economy. Clients of the Economist Corporate Network complain of a
credit crunch which makes working capital problematic, incomplete domestic supply chains
which still require importing components and materials from China, troublesome wage
inflation, and insufficient road and port infrastructure. While Vietnam does have a lot to offer
foreign investors, the story has lost much of its shine, especially as an alternative location to
China for manufacturing.
Source:
35
Economist Corporate Network. (2013). Investing in an Accelerating Asia: Insights from

Asia's business leaders on their outlook for 2013. Retrieved from
http://ftp01.economist.com.hk/ECN_papers/ABOS2013.pdf
Assignment instructions: Read the text above once again and then answer the
questions given.
1.Why is China a place of great promise?
2. In what ways is not Indonesia as attractive as India to foreign investors?
3. The author states: GIVEN the economic growth rates in Asia Pacific, the region is
clearly a place of great promise. Do you agree with the authors viewpoint? Why?
Explain your answer.
4. What does the expression neck and neck mean in the following passage?
After China, investment priorities in this years survey diverge slightly from last year.
India has traditionally been neckandneck with China on the priority list, but this
year has fallen back:
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Oral Task 2:
After watching the documentary, students will debate the following motion:
Is globalization the most powerful force for change in the world today or a
fundamental cause of many of the problems the world faces today?
36
The class will be divided into three groups: the moderators, the affirmative side, and the
negative side. Students will be given some class time to prepare in their groups, but the
majority of preparation will be done at home. The debate will take one complete session of
class.
OBJECTIVE:
To debate on an academic topic: Is globalization the most powerful force for change in the
world today or a fundamental cause of many of the problems the world faces today?
Rules for Classroom Debate
1. Each group is to agree on three to four significant points of argument.
2. The pro group will read the first point of argument. A debate on the
validity of that particular point will ensue, providing others in the group
opportunities to elaborate and the con group opportunities to counter.
3. Students that choose to speak during objection time will have to be well
informed on the possible arguments from the opposition. Therefore, it is
only fair that they will be allocated extra leniency and credit for taking on
that role.
4. One person speaks at a time. No side discussions!
5. All comments MUST address the previous student comment directly.

You may not simply ignore a comment and shift the argument to an
unrelated point.
6. Each person will credit the source of any statistic, quotation, survey, or
other research information AT THE TIME that source is mentioned during
the debate.
7. The moderators will be responsible for; Introducing the topic, provide a

brief history of Globalization, introduce the main two or three issues
related to the topic, ensuring an orderly debate and maintaining the time
limits, and use their question time by asking intelligent and thought
provoking questions.
Structure for Classroom Debate

Total Time Allowance: 35 minutes
introduction (background + supporting sentences + opposing viewpoint +
thesis statement)
Pro Point #1 Con Objection to Point #1

Pro Point #2 Con Objection to Point #2 Pro Rebuttal to Point
#1 Pro Rebuttal to
Point #2
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Pro Point #3 Con Objection to Pro Rebuttal to

Point #3
Point #3 Pro
Pro Point #4 Con Objection to
Point #4 Rebuttal to Point #4
Questions from Moderators (2 questions each group min based on what they said.)

Con Rebuttal to Point
Con Point #1 Pro Objection to Point #1
#1 Con Rebuttal to
Point #2 Con Rebuttal
to Point #3 Con
Rebuttal to Point #4
Questions from Moderators (2 questions each group min.)
Pro Concluding Remarks Con Concluding Remarks
Debate Etiquette
1. Team members must meet together in preparation for the debate, so they
can work together as an effective team. Practice, practice, practice!
2. All members of each side must participate in the debate.
3. Do not read your materials.
4. You may bring some brief notes, but you may not read them.
5. Maintain good eye contact with the audience.
6. Use proper language and be polite in referring to your opposing team.
7. The Moderators should write the topic on the board before class begins,
listing the names of each pro and con debater in a clear fashion.
38
Debate Question
Is globalization the most powerful force for change in the world today or a fundamental
cause of many of the problems the world faces today?
Insane Globalization vs. Sane Regionalism
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nwHfOR4A
Helena NorbergHodge interview on MSNBC 7:52
sec
Documentary: The Economics of Happiness

Directed By: Helena NorbergHodge , Steven Gorelick ,
Duration: 01:08:16 min
'The Economics of Happiness' features a chorus of voices from six continents calling for
systemic economic change. The documentary describes a world moving simultaneously in
two opposing directions. On the one hand, government and big business continue to
promote globalization and the consolidation of corporate power. At the same time, all around
the world people are resisting those policies, demanding a reregulation of trade and finance
and, far from the old institutions of power, they're starting to forge a very different future.
Communities are coming together to rebuild more human scale, ecological economies
based on a new paradigm an economics of localization.
http://cosmosdocumentaries.blogspot.com/2014/10/theeconomicsofhappiness
documentary.html
subtitles in English, voice in English
The Economics of Happiness

Worksheet
Instructions: Complete the following questions and tasks while watching the
documentary film, The economics of happiness (1:08:16 min)
Is globalization the most powerful force for change in the world today or a fundamental
cause of many of the problems the world faces today?
Vocabulary: Explain the meaning of the terms below.
Isolated:
Tuned to:
Shed:
Strengthen:
Pitiful:
Divisiveness:
Cornerstone.
Deregulation:
Selfreliant economies:
39
Subtle:
Shackled:
Commutes:
beamed:
1.What was Ladakh before the 1970s?

People spiritually grounded
There was no unemployment
Houses were spacious
All of the above
2.The result of globalization in Ladakh was

An undermined local economy
Bombarding with advertising and media images
Vital people and a sustainable culture
All of the above
3.People started feeling inferior because

Of comparison to other cultures
They lost their identity
4.According to the documentary Globalization is...

The emergence of a single world market dominated by transactional companies Often
confused with international collaboration, interdependence, global community
The deregulation of trade and finance in order to enable businesses and banks to operate
globally.
All of the above
5.Globalization focuses on
People
Profit
Increased competition
Division
6.Transnational businesses are so large and powerful nowadays that:

They control governments
They dictate economic policy
They shape peoples opinions and worldviews
All of the above
7.What are the 8 Inconvenient truths about globalization?

Globalization makes us unhappy
Globalization breeds insecurity
Globalization wastes natural resources
Globalization accelerates climate change
Globalization destroys livelihoods
40
Globalization increases conflict

Globalization is built on handouts to big businesses
Globalization is based on false accounting.
8.Parents are no longer raising children as

Schools are doing so
Corporations are doing so
Globalization is doing so
All of the above
9.What will the results of industrializing the whole world be?

Universal famine
Ecosystems will collapse
Climate change
All of the above
10.Why is removing people from land the first step for unemployment?
...
11.Write T for true and F for false statements
Globalization creates terrorism. (..)

Globalization destroys ones identity. (..)
Globalization is unstoppable. (..)
Globalization criminalizes giant businesses and deregulate small producers. (..)
The world needs economic growth. (..)
Business are now working on green economy. (..)
12.Complete the sentences by filling in the gaps.
GPI purpose is to count things more accurately, more comprehensively to take into account
our human, social, community, natural wealth in addition to our produced and material
wealth.
By bringing local producers together it will be possible to reduce dependence on export

markets.
Localization is the removal of fiscal and other supports that currently favor giant
transnational corporations and banks.
Source: http://fortune.com/2014/09/18/africasriseforrealthistime/
Writing Program Task 1:

41
Based on the video The Economics of happiness and the debate held in class, students
write a twopart thesis statement argumentative essay supporting one side of the debate.
Students have two class sessions to write the essay.
Oral Exam 1:
Assignment instructions: Present the essay
PUBLIC SPEAKING tips
Speakers generate a great amount of emotion and interest through the use of nonverbal
communication, often called gestures or body language. A speaker's body can be an
effective tool for emphasizing and clarifying the words they use, while reinforcing their
sincerity and enthusiasm. Here are a few tips on how to use gestures effectively:
Eye contact establishes an immediate bond with an audience, especially when a

speaker focuses in on individual listeners rather than just gazing over the
audience as a whole.
Control mannerisms. Mannerisms are the nervous expressions a speaker might not
be aware of such as putting their hands in their pockets, nodding their head
excessively, or using filler words like um and ah too often.
Put verbs into action when speaking to an audience by physically acting them out
with the hands, face or entire body.
Avoid insincere gestures by involving the entire body as much as possible in the
movement and matching facial expressions to it.
Move around the stage as topics change and move toward the audience when
asking questions, making critical connections, or offering a revelation.
Dont read!!! Even if you have notes, just take a look at the key words and develop
your ideas.
VIDEO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AykYRO5d_lI
UNIT 3: STIMULATING BUSINESS ACADEMIC WRITING SKILLS

42
Lesson 3.1: Reading Comprehension
Nikes Goddess:
Could a famously masculine company finally click with female customers? That was
the challenge behind Nike Goddess, whose goal was to change how the company
designed for, sold to and communicated with women.
In its 30year history, Nike had become the undisputed leader in sports marketing. But
beneath the success was an Achilles heel. Nike is named after a woman the Greek
goddess of victory but for most of its history, the company had been perceived as being
mostly about men.
Could Nike do more to realise the full potential of female costumers? And how could it afford
not to, given the threats to its future with Air Jordan running out of air and brands like
Skechers digging into teen market with shoes inspired by skateboarding, not basketball. that
was the huge question at Nike HQ. The launch of Nike Goddess was the makings of an
answer.
Just doing it differently

For much of its history, Nikes destiny was controlled by its founders, Phil Knight and his
running buddies, who signed up athletes in locker rooms and made the executive decisions.
But by throwing together a diverse team of people with different backgrounds and different
levels of seniority, Nike has found that it can keep many of its core attributes while adding
new sources of inspiration.
Take the combination of star designer John Home and newcomer Mindy Grossman,
vice president of global apparel. Hoke designed the look and feel of the first Nike Goddess
store. Then Grossman, whose career has included helping make Ralph Lauren into a retail
icon, pitched the design ideas to Nikes top retailers as stores within stores, Now it looks like
Nike has a chance to reach a crucial objective: double its sales to women by the end of the
decade.
How to sell to Women

Nike Goddess began as a concept for a womenonly store, and theres a reason why. Many
of the retail settings in which the companys products were found were a turnoff to female
costumers: dark, loud and harsh in a word, male. in sharp contrast, the Nike Goddess stores
have the comforting feel of a womans own home.
How to Design for Women

Designing a new approach to retail was only one element in Nikes campaign. Another was
redesigning the shoes and clothes themselves. Nikes footwear designers worked on 18
month production cycles which made it hard to stay in step with the new styles and colors
for women. The apparel group, which worked around 12month cycles, was better at keeping
up with fashion trends. But that meant that the clothes werent coordinated with the shoes a
big turnoff for women.
43
How to Talk to Women

When Jackie Thomas, Nikes US brand marketing director for women, first heard the phrase
Nike Goddess, she wasnt impressed. I dont like talking to women through gender, she
says. Nike Goddess had to mean something to women and it was her job to make it happen.
Women dont need anybodys permission. We are at our best when we are showing women
a place where they didnt think they could be. For John Hoke, the real power of Nike
Goddess is not about traffic at stores. Its about changing minds inside the company. I knew
that Goddess could galvanise us, he says, It was an opportunity to redefine and reenergise
our entire brand around a market that was taking off.
Glossary
pitch: sales argument
turnoff: demotivating factor
galvanise: shock into finding a solution
From the text. Who was responsible for the following?

1) Nike being seeing as a male brand.
2) taking market share away from Nike.
3) creating a new style of Nike retail outlet.
4) persuading Nike retailers to accept the Nike Goddess concept.
5) putting sports celebrities under contract.
6) communicating more effectively with women.
Replace the words in italics with one that has a similar meaning.
1) Nikes destiny was controlled by its founders
a) designers
b) sponsors
c) creators
2) The company had an Achilles heel.

a. strong point
b. secret weapon
c. hidden weakness
3) ...a collection of people with different levels of seniority

a. knowledge
b. rank
c. performance
4)Nike has found that it can keep many of its core attributes...
a. origins
b. qualities
c. aspects
5)... vice president of global apparel...

a. clothing
b. equipment
c. designs
44
6)Footwear designers worked on 18month production cycles

a. shifts
b. delays
c. periods
7) I knew that Goddess could galvanise us.

a. motivate
b. surprise
c. renew
Complete the text with the following words. There are three extra words not to be
used.
leaders team trends CEO

threat founder
generation opportunity concept
BREAKING INTO A NEW MARKET
Mario Moretti Polegato is the ___________ of Geox footwear. In the early 1990s he
created a new footwear _____________: a special membrane that could be used in shoes
to prevent perspiration. He approached Nike, Adidas, Timberland, the _________ of the
footwear market. But nobody was interested. So he decided to go it alone and set up his
company with five employees. Today the company has 2,800 employees and sales of $350
million. Mario thinks the companys next _____________ will come from the clothing market
and he plans to produce a range of clothes incorporation the same patented material. The
only _________ that Geox faces is the same for all fashion businesses: a sudden shift in
consumer ____________.
Lesson 3.2: Business Approach
Market Research & the 4 principles of marketing strategies
Market Research, or Business Intelligence as it is sometimes called, is a vital weapon in

ensuring your new business survives to become a strong profitable entity.
It is about anticipating and minimising risk, understanding your potential customers and so
helping to ensure success for your new venture. Dont skip this important step in the rush to
get your product to market.
45
Finding customers is the most difficult part of running a business. So it is vital to research
your market, identify potential clients and have a strategy for attracting them before you
invest your time and money in a new venture.
Only about half of new small businesses will survive 5 years. Here are some of the factors
that often contribute to a new businesss failure
Lack of capital, often due to poor planning or unexpected costs

Poor cash flow management
Unexpected market factorsgrowth or reduction in market size
Underestimating the competition
New entrants to the market
Technological problems
Not having a strong business plan in place
Lack of understanding of the market
Poor advertising or marketing
Weak product
lack of selling and marketing expertise
over trading or over expansion
According to First Research, a Dun & Bradstreet firm, the global market research industry
produces about $50 billion in annual revenue.
Quality, professional market research helps you to ask the right questions for your business.
Good market research reports will use a mixture of primary and secondary research to
provide accurate information and conclusions.
Primary research is information gathered through surveys, interviews and other direct
contact with industry experts and participants. For example by contacting industry leaders
and canvasing their opinions.
Secondary research is information gathered from company reports, trade association

documents and industry journals, and published market research reports.
It is a good plan to carry out both Primary and Secondary research. Then you should check
out competition and assess your potential consumer base. This should give you a fair idea of
the viability of your business.
46
If you commission professional advice, you can expect a report that will cover the following
points
Context/Background: This is a review of the recent history of the market how it

has developed into its current size and shape. It will also consider the market in
the context of factors such as the economy, social and cultural changes,
globalization, and technology, and consider how these factors are affecting the
market.
Detailed Market Data: While context and analysis are critical, this section will look
at hard numbers. It will use whatever data is available.
Competitor Information: Players, products, profiles, competitive analysis and other
information on the market.
Trend Analysis: This will look at what the data indicates about the health of the
market and opportunities for future growth. It should cover emerging markets, and
new forms of competition.
An understanding of the market potential should be gained from the information above. The
size of the market and its possible growth will determine the viability of opening up a
business in the sector.
So from this report, or from your own research, you should be able to consider the following
types of questions.
Assume your intended business is selling potted plants:

How many people buy potted plants?
What is the market value?
What is your cost price?
What is the likely gross profit you could make selling a potted plants?
How many potted plants must you sell to run a successful business
Is this a realistic number for your business model?
Is the market already saturated or near saturation?
Can you enhance your business modelfor example can you offer other products, services,
sell online, open other outlets?
Market research should answer key questions, expose risks, and will probably throw up
other questions. Professional analysts who study markets, products, industries, sectors, and
consumer demographics are trained to provide unbiased factual information, clearly stating
the risks associated with a market.
47
If you plan to conduct your own research rather than commissioning a professional Market
Research project, be careful that you dont seize on information and data to back up what
you are hoping to find that your business is a great idea!!
But take care to be open to market realities and factors that may even enhance your
business plans. Keep a look out for niche markets that may present better opportunities than
mainstream, where there is more competition.
Carefully assess market factors. There are many factors which can affect the size of a
market and its pace and direction of growth. They include:
Regional economics, politics, culture, geography and weather

Seasonal and cyclical trends
Fashionability and trends
Customer wants and needs
Competing markets
Technological advances
Educational opportunities
Employment
Regulatory requirements
Financial incentives, grants and programmes
Company schemes and
productivity. Also look carefully at
competition:
Is there a lot of competition in your market?

Who are the players?
Is the market dominated by a few large companies or is it mostly small operators?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors?
What is the market scope of your competitors?
How profitable are they?
What types of problems do they face?
What is your Unique Selling Point (USP)? What can you offer customers that your
competitors do not?
Finding customers is the most difficult part of running a business. But without them you dont
have a business, so do some demographics research as well, to establish who your
customer is.
48
Make sure you know as much as possible about who will be buying from you.
For example, if youre marketing to consumers:
What is their gender, age, marital status, religion, ethnicity

Where do they live?
What is their economic status?
Do they already buy the product or service youll be offering?
How are they purchasing these products or services?
What issues do they have with your competition?
What do they like about your competition?
How much are they paying now, and will be willing to pay for your products or
services?
What do they do for a living?
What are their lifestyles like?
What do they think of your product or service?
Why will they buy from you and no one else?
How will you tell them about your business?
Knowing the answers to these questions will help you promote your business much more
effectively.
Then you need to consider marketing and advertising .How will you attract consumers
attention, get them to purchase your product, and come back to you for repeat purchases.
What is your USP how should you transmit that message?

What can you do to assure customer retention?
How can you exceed customers expectations?
Can you offer some type of guarantee?
What are the best advertising routes to reach customers?
Some of the more common advertising routes include Websites, Social networking sites
(such as Facebook), Radio, Television, Email marketing, Ebay, You Tube, Internet,
magazines, newspapers. Trade magazines, Forums and Billboards.
Social media advertising, blogging, and use of other online social forums, has rapidly
become one of the biggest platforms on which to advertise your business.
49
What type of advertising will work best for your business depends on who you are trying to
reach, your budget, and your product. You need to find the most cost effective method for
you.
All of this information will be valuable in formulating your business plan, which we will
discuss in another lesson. Having all this information at your fingertips will give you an edge
over your competitors, an understanding of your client base and will improve your business's
chances of survival.
Assignment 1
Instructions: Watch the video: The 4 principles of Marketing Strategy with Brian Tracy
then write 3 questions with their corresponding answers. They will be discussed in class.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZLMv5aexto
Business Plan Assignment 1

Write down the market analysis of your product or business as the first step of your
business plan (final exam) It should have at least 500 words, corresponding survey
results and any other useful information. As follows,
Industry (According to the Standard Industry classification)
Target market
Market segmentation
Survey Results
Lesson 3.3: Business Vocabulary Study
The following words are commonly used in the business field. Have a look at them and try to
write their definitions.
1. accounting 19. debt 37. import 55. price

2. actions 20. deficit 38. incentive 56. product
3. asset(s) 21. demand 39. income 57. productivity
4. bankruptcy 22. diminishing 40. inflation 58. profit
5. bonds returns 41. innovation 59. property
6. brand 23. dividend 42. invest 60. protectionism
7. budget 24. ecommerce 43. invisible 61. recession
8. business 25. economies of hand 62. reputation
cycle scale 44. labor/labour 63. revenue
50
9. capital 26. efficiency 45. liability 64. risk

10. cash flow 27. employment 46. liquidity 65. sale(s)
11. CEO 28. entrepreneur 47. loan 66. shareholder(s)
12. 29. expense(s) 48. logo 67. supply
30. export 49. 68. tariff(s)
commodity(ie 31. finance 69. tax(es)
s) 32. foreign manufacturin 70. trade
13. competitive exchange g 71. union
advantage 33. full 50. market(s) 72. unemployment
14. employment 51. marketing
34. gross 52. merger
competitiven domestic 53. opportunity
ess product cost(s)
15. consumer 35. growth 54. patent
16. consumer 36. image
price index
17. credit
18. currency
Teaching idea
Students play a game of hangman as a class using only business vocabulary. One
student chooses a word and goes up to the front of the class, while the rest of the
students must try and guess the word by asking businessrelated questions.
Assignment 2
Instructions
Match the terms on the left to their proper definitions on the right. There are two extra
meanings not to be used.
1.Credit A. A benefit, profit, or value of something

that must be given up to acquire or achieve
2.Recession something else.
3.Economies of scale B. The management process through which

goods and services move from concept to
4.Innovation the customer.
5.Inflation C. Wealth in the form of money or assets,

taken as a sign of the financial strength of
6.Opportunity cost an individual or organization.
51
7. Marketing D. A measure of the efficiency of a person,

machine, factory, or system in converting
8. Productivity inputs into useful outputs.
E. An agreement based largely on trust

under which goods services or money are
exchanged against a promise to pay later.
F. The process of translating an idea or

invention into a good or service that creates
value or for which customers will pay.
G. Period of general economic decline,

defined usually as a contraction in gross
domestic product.
H. The activity of profession of promoting

the sale of commercial products or services.
I. The reduction in longrun average and

marginal costs arising from an increase in
size of an operating unit (e.g. a factory).
J. A sustained, rapid increase in prices

measured over months or years.
Assignment 3
Instructions
In the spaces provided write a word that best completes each sentence.
1. The ... at the firm was so mismanaged that the threat of bankruptcy
was suddenly becoming a very real possibility.
2. I would have gone to the movie since it cost less and the tickets were not refundable,
but I have to see this concert even if the ... doesn't make sense to most
people.
52
3. The two companies decided to make their businesses into one, this would turn to be
the biggest . in history.
4. The company last year made a substantial amount of ..., consequence of

increased sales, putting it at the top of the 'Most Successful' list of businesses.
5. The politician wanted to collect more taxes on items that were imported from other
countries, so he proposed a ... at the debate.
6. It's cheaper to buy things like food and office products in bulk because it's way
cheaper for the manufactures to sell these products in bulkit's simple
..
7. You may want to join a .. if you think you will be working at that company for
a long time so they have your back.
Source: http://www.businessdictionary.com/
Teaching idea
In pairs or groups of three, students choose 1015 words from the ones given and make a
word search or crossword puzzle to be solved by another team. Make sure students write
appropriate clues. They can get some help by going to BusinessDictionary.com
Lesson 3.4: Case study (4 principles)

Using the 4 principles of Marketing strategies find brands that focus on
SPECIALIZATION,DIFFERENTIATION, SEGMENTATION, CONCENTRATION.
DIFFERENTIATION
Hooters
Converse
Juan Valdez
Apples system IOS
Coca Colas flavor
SPECIALIZATION
Coca Cola transmitting a message through advertising
Samsung S5 vs Sony Z2
Mac no virus, safety
53
SEGMENTATION
Huggies
Cat food
Dog food
Shaving cream
CONCENTRATION
Coca Cola: advertising
Mac: tech and development
Pepsi: image
Nike: research and development
Chevrolet: sales
Samsung: aesthetics
Azcar Valdez: quantity
Oral Task 3:
Assignment instructions: In small groups students present the SWOT of the product to
be launched in the final project. Oral presentation of 12 to 15 minutes. Students will
be graded 60% on their English speaking abilities and 40% on content. The oral exam
will take three days of class time to complete.
UNIT 4: THE SUBJUNCTIVE & SUBJECTVERB AGREEMENT
Lesson 4.1: Listening comprehension
Presenting your business idea
(listening pag 77 business benchmark Teachers)

Pg 59 students book
Listening (warm up)

Good presenters make it easy for their audience to know where they are in the presentation.
Handouts and slides can help you to do this, but it is also important to use phrases which
signal where you are in the presentation.
1 Greet audience and thank them for coming

j
2. Introduce yourself
3. Introduce your talk
4. Outline what you are going to say in your talk and suggest
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people leave their questions to the end.
5. Give the main part of your talk
6. Summarize the main points you have made
7. Conclude and invite questions
Look at these extracts from a presentation. In which part of the presentation (17 above)
would you use each of them? Write the corresponding letter in the space given.
a. And I think that just about covers the market research, so now lets deal with the third
part of my presentation, which is to explain our financial requirements and plans.
b. Good morning and welcome to the Adelphi Hotel.
c. In my presentation, I am hoping to do three things. First, I will ..Then I will tell
you..and finally I will..
d. Now to move on to my second point: market research
e. If you have any questions you would like to ask, please leave them to the end, when I
will be very happy to answer them.
f. Now, if can just summarise the main point again, they are these. first,...
g. So, finally, I would like to finish off by saying that its been a pleasure talking to your
all and thank your for patience an interest in listening to me. If you have questions,
please feel free to ask them now.
h. So, let me introduce myself: my names...an this is my partner,...
i. Lets start with my first point our main business idea.
j. Thank you all very much for coming, some of you have travelled a long way to
hear us today
k. The purpose of this presentation is to explain our business plans to you
Listen to Yvonne Furlong giving a presentation of her business ideas and check your
answers above.
Listen again and complete the notes below by writing two words or a number in each
gap.
Name of company
Clock Options Express
Business idea
Information and 1 ..display panels. Will provide information for 2

..and other travellers.
Information on time, 3.., parking and public
transport. Will be placed at 4 ..accesses to the city.
Income from 5 ..space for advertisements.
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Market research
Interviewed more than 6 .. motorists and other travellers.

Advertisers will pay 7 ..for space on panels.
Financial requirements
First year: ..pounds.
Developing a business plan
Assignment instructions: Students listen to the professor's explanation about writing

a business plan and then break into groups of three students in order to brainstorm
for their own group business plan, which will be for the Final Exam.
What is a business plan?
A business plan is any plan that works for a business to look ahead, allocate resources,
focus on key points, and prepare for problems and opportunities.
Unfortunately, many people think of business plans as only for starting a new business or
applying for business loans. But they are also vital for running a business, whether or not the
business needs new loans or new investments.
Businesses need plans to optimize growth and development according to priorities.
Whats a startup plan?
A simple startup plan includes a summary, mission statement, keys to success, market
analysis, and breakeven analysis. This kind of plan is good for deciding whether or not to
proceed with a plan, to tell if there is a business worth pursuing, but it is not enough to run a
business with.
Is there a standard business plan?
A normal business plan (one that follows the advice of business experts) includes a standard
set of elements, as shown below. Plan formats and outlines vary, but generally a plan will
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include components such as descriptions of the company, product or service, market,

forecasts, management team, and financial analysis.
DEVELOPING A BUSINESS PLAN
Once you have a plan, it is relatively simple, and a good discipline, to review each year and
check you are still on track. Your management team can review short, medium and long
term objectives. You will also be asked to submit a business plan regularly if you have
successfully accessed funding from a bank or investors.
When banks and other financial institutions are considering a loan application, they will be
looking for businesses that have good cash flow management, a strong balance sheet, a
sound business plan, a wellbalanced management team, a good business record, and who
are looking to develop and grow. A business plan is a key first step.
Also if you make an application for a grant or any other State Aid, they will inevitably ask to
see your business plan. It is always easier to update an existing plan that to start from
scratch.
As always there are several different formats, none of which is right or wrong. A good small
business plan defines exactly what you want to achieve and how you plan to achieve it.
As a minimum your small business plan should clearly state:
What your business will do

The products or services it will provide
How customers will access your products or services ( e.g. online, by phone, in a high
street shop)
Your approach to pricing
You may also consider including the mission and objectives of a business, development
plan, market strategies, competitive analysis, operations and management structure,
employee need and financial details.
Many banks will have a template you can use, and there are free templates available on the
Internet.
The format I like to use is to have a cover page listing contents, like this example. These are
the sections I like to use, you can use what suits you best.
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Executive summary
Although this will be the first section in your plan, it is easiest to write it last, as with all
summaries.
Introduce the company, its geographical location, provide an overview of product and
market, legal status and sector
Clarify your vision, objectives and aims.
Mention planned launch date.
Then, depending on the reason for writing the plan, you will probably mention the rationale
for the funding you are seeking whether it is startup funding, working capital, or for an
expansion plan.
Summary of Background
Provide some background. Explain why the business was established, its history to date,
what the goals are and how you plan to get there. Are you looking for steady growth or fast
expansion? Why do you need to expand, or secure more capital?
Description of your products and services

USP
Target customer
Outline of the business aims (SMART)
Mention any patent, copyright, design registration
Accreditations
Clients
Legal obligations H&S, licenses, insurance
Business Environment
Start by describing your business what does it do and what makes it different from rivals?
(USP)
Review your market and competitors ideally backed up by Research
Profile of your target market and analysis of demand
Size of target market, market potential, market trends
Potential clients, or customers target demographic
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Proposed Pricing again ideally backed up by research
Business background
Analysis of your sector.
Who are your key competitors?
Assessments of your competitors
SWOT analysis showing the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in your
sector and facing your business.
Operations
Information about your management team and resources
Give details of key personnel and their roles.
. Explain the company structure (hierarchical or flattened)
Describe important assets such as premises and equipment.
Staffing policy will you hire or outsource?
Go to Market Plan
Outline your sales and marketing strategy.
Include information on pricing
Cost of product
Market price
Margin
Route to market internet, store, and phone?
mention product launch dates , seasonality
Investment
Include details of any startup investment, made by Directors
Any bank loans or overdrafts
Set up costs
Equipment
Premises
Materials
Transport
Stock
Data on your current financial situation
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How new funding sought will be used
Cash Flow forecast
This should be a spread sheet, covering at least a year, month by month.

It should show
Projected sales (different income streams with their own line of information)
Cost of sale, Rent, rates, utilities, insurances, fuel, loan repayments, salaries, any other
overheads. These should be totalled monthly.
What is most important in a plan?
It depends on the case, but usually its the cash flow analysis and specific implementation
details.
Cash flow is both vital to a company and hard to follow. Cash is usually misunderstood
as profits, and they are different. Profits dont guarantee cash in the bank. Lots of
profitable companies go under because of cash flow problems. It just isnt intuitive.
Implementation details are what make things happen. Your brilliant strategies and
beautifully formatted planning documents are just theory unless you assign
responsibilities, with dates and budgets, follow up with those responsible, and track
results. Business plans are really about getting results and improving your company.
Can you suggest a standard outline?
If you have the main components, the order doesnt matter that much, but heres the outline
order we suggest:
Executive Summary: Write this last. Its just one or two pages of summary and
highlights.
Company Description: An explanation of the business.
Product or Service: Describe what youre selling. Focus on customer benefits.
Market Analysis: You need to know your market, customer needs, where they are, how
to reach them, etc.
Strategy and Implementation: Be specific. Include management responsibilities with
dates and budget.
Financial Plan: Include profit and loss, cash flow, balance sheet, breakeven analysis,
assumptions, business ratios, etc.
Business Plan
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ABC Company Ltd
June 2015
Contents
A. Executive Summary
B. Summary of Background
C. Business Environment
D. Business
Background
Product or Service
E. Operations
Company Structure (hierarchical or flattened)
F. Go to Market Plan (strategy and implementation)
G. Investment
H. Cash Flow Forecast
A. Executive Summary
We are an IT solutions provider based in London, England with a wellestablished
local and national client base. We deliver consultancy, bespoke IT solutions, and
skills transfer projects, and have a range of elearning courses available.
To support our national and international expansion ambitions we are looking to
make significant investment in the company infrastructure, skills knowledge and staff
resources. This will be enable us to develop our elearning delivery capabilities, and
access new national and international markets.
The expansion project will involve us in working closely with specialist international
sales, marketing and elearning software consultants to undertake comprehensive
market research and build successful commercial relationships with distributors and
partners. We will also invest in marketing activity in new markets.
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Funding is sought principally to provide working capital for this national and
international expansion project.
B. Summary of Background
ABC Company Ltd was established in 2008 as an IT solutions provider. We have

developed our client base, winning some national contracts, and established our
consultancy arm in 2010.
We began our skills transfer projects at the request of clients, who wanted their staff
to receive training in the deployment of systems we had installed. These courses
were subsequently developed into elearning content.
We have achieved Investors in People status, are accredited by the Institution of

Electronics and are Microsoft Partners.
Clients have included The South of England Development Agency, the Department
for Work and Pensions, and XYZ International.
C. Business Environment
We currently have six ongoing IT solutions contracts with local clients, and two with
national clients. These are all renewable annual contracts, with a minimum of six
months left to run. We have a further two similar contracts under negotiation.
There are two skills transfer projects being delivered now, with a further two in
development.
All of the courses we develop for clients are subsequently redeveloped for e
learning. We have a portfolio of ten now, with a further two in development.
We are at an advanced stage of negotiation with several potential clients in Africa
and the Middle East.
D. Business Background
As can be seen from the section C above, we have several new initiatives which will
shortly add to our existing income streams
Market SWOT Analysis
Strengths
In house technical expertise to develop new products as technologies
evolve.
Thorough knowledge of the IT industry, an understanding of emerging
technologies, and an appreciation of the IT skills required by business.
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We have a strong and expanding client base

Six local clients, two national clients, Contracts under negotiation, Potential
international expansion
Skills transfer capabilities.
Elearning course portfolio.
Weaknesses
We do not have the resources to carry out presales research to identify
suitable markets
We do not have adequate sales and marketing resources
We do not have adequate working capital to develop and expand the
business.
Opportunities
We have many years of technical and management expertise, enabling us to
be at the forefront of new technical developments.
New development is a feature of our business strategy
We have established routes to international markets
Threats
We need to move quickly and innovate continually to keep abreast of
competitors
We have to redevelop our elearning content to be current with new systems
E. Operations
We currently have on staff

A technical Directors who works with clients on all technical aspects of their
projects
A commercial Director who manages all Commercial and Financial aspects of
the company and seeks New Business opportunities.
A tutor who delivers skills transfer projects and develops elearning content.
A team of network technicians
We are actively seeking a Sales and Marketing manager
Key existing staff

Technical director John Smith MCSE, COMPTIA, ten years networking experience.
Commercial Director Mary Jones, Ba Hons , twelve years commercial experience
with a major national company .
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F. Go to Market Plan
We have developed a range of off the shelf products which enable us to offer a
comprehensive support package to clients.
We have redeveloped our client courses as elearning courses and are in negotiation
with a portal which will enable wider distribution of them.
We are working with an international sales partner who has made introductions to
several potential overseas partners.
We are working with the International Trade and Investment Department to identify
target markets.
Many of our products are ready for launch into international markets.
We are actively seeking Sales representation, both in the UK and in export markets.
G. Investment
Initial finance was injected into the company by each of the directors. John Smith
injected 50k, Mary Jones 30K. In addition there is a government backed loan for 5
years which now stands at 25K, and a bank overdraft of 50K
Funding of 40K is sought for a business development project, designed to increase

demand for our off the shelf support packages and elearning content developed by
ABC Ltd.
The investment will be used for

UK based research into international markets by an agency (10K)
To cover initial employment cost of a sales representative, who will quickly bring in
revenue to support the cost (10K)
To cover employment cost of an elearning content developer, whose work will
become selffunding as it is sold (10K).
And to access appropriate legal and financial advice. (10K)
Timescale
Subject to availability of funding activity will commence as follows
UK based agency research August 2013
Sales representative September 2013
Content developer September 2013 Legal
and financial advice October 2013
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H. Cash Flow Forecast
Source:
Berry, T. (2013). What Is a Business Plan? Retrieved from

http://articles.bplans.com/writingabusinessplan/whatisabusinessplan
Entrepreneur. (2013). Your Business Plan. Retrieved from

http://www.entrepreneur.com/businessplan/index.html
Small Business Administration. (N.d.) Create Your Business Plan. Retrieved from
http://www.sba.gov/category/navigationstructure/startingmanaging
business/starting
business/howwritebusinessplan

Write down the mission and vision statement of your company as the second step of
your business plan (final exam) Each statement should have at least 100 words.
Lesson 4.3: The subjunctive
Unlike in other Latinbased languages like French and Spanish, the subjunctive is little used
in English but is still worth learning.
The subjunctive mood, as it is known, is used to indicate a hypothetical or speculative
situation:
In the following examples the subjunctive is given in brackets:
If only I was [were] rich, I would be able to afford to buy a house.

I would like him better if he was [were] more sociable.
If the weather was [were] better, we would be in a better mood.
If the 'if' clause is simply reporting a factual situation, there is no need for the subjunctive.
If the weather had been better, we would have enjoyed our holiday better.
The subjunctive is also used after verbs indicating obligation, requirement or compulsion.
The word 'that' in such situations often hints at the need for the subjunctive:
It is important that these new facts are [be] taken into consideration.
The government has rejected calls that it amends [amend] the law.
The coach insisted that the new player plays [play] in the team's opening
match. The boss demanded that we are [be] back in the office by one o'clock.
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The P.M requested that the minister uses [use] plain English.
The subjunctive is quite tricky, partly because it is so little used and therefore very little
taught in English. As it is often not used in situations where it is necessary, sentences, which
require the subjunctive, can sound perfectly correct without it.
Source: University of Bristol. (2013). The Subjunctive. Retrieved from

http://www.bristol.ac.uk/arts/exercises/grammar/grammar_tutorial/page_32.htm
Verbs and expressions followed by the subjunctive...
to advise (that) It is best (that)

to ask (that) It is crucial (that)
to command (that) It is desirable (that)
to demand (that) It is essential (that)
to desire (that) It is imperative (that)
to insist (that) It is important (that)
to propose (that) It is recommended (that)
to recommend (that) It is urgent (that)
to request (that) It is vital (that)
to suggest (that) It is a good idea (that)
to urge (that) It is a bad idea (that)
Assignment 1
Instructions: Circle the correct form of the verb in parentheses.
1. The United Nations requested that the government amends / amend / will amend its policy.
2. If only he was / is / were more talented, he would make a good football player.
3. If the tickets had been / were / are cheaper, we would have gone to the concert.
4. The chairman determined that the meeting was / be / will be moved to Wednesday.
5. I wish it was / is / were warmer.
6. The boss insisted that the salesforce improve / improved / improves its results.
7. If Peter was / were / had been better behaved, he would not be in so much trouble at
school.
8. The commission recommended that the minister will resign / resigns / resign.
9. If the new striker was / were / had been a better goalscorer, we might win more matches.
10. The emperor demanded that the thief were / is / be brought to justice.
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Source: University of Bristol. (2013). Using the subjunctive. Retrieved from

http://www.bristol.ac.uk/arts/exercises/grammar/grammar_tutorial/page_67.htm#subjunctive
ex
Assignment 2
Instructions: Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb in parentheses.
1. It's important that she (remember) _______________ to take her medicine twice a day.
2. I suggest that Frank (read) _______________ the directions carefully before

assembling the bicycle.
3. Mrs. Finkelstein demanded that the heater (repair) _______________ immediately.

Her apartment was freezing.
4. It's vital that the United States (focus) _______________ on improving its public
education system.
5. The monk insisted that the tourists (enter) _______________ the temple until they
had removed their shoes.
6. I am not going to sit here and let her insult me. I demand that she immediately (apologize)
_______________ for what she just said.
7. Judy asked that we (attend) _______________ her graduation ceremony next week.
8. It's a little difficult to find the restaurant. I propose that we all (drive) _______________
together so that nobody gets lost along the way.
11. The woman insisted that the lost child (take) _______________ to the store's
information desk so his parents could be paged.
12. The nutritionist recommended that Sally (reduce) _______________ her daily fat intake.
13. The environmental leader felt it was extremely important that the people of the city
(allow) _______________ to voice their concerns over the
new hotel being built on the bay.
14. She told me that the government (regulate) _______________ the airline industry. I
don't know if that is true.
15. The sign at the pool recommended that you (swim) _______________ after eating a
large meal.
Source: Language Dynamics. (N.d.). Subjunctive. Retrieved from

http://www.englishpage.com/minitutorials/subjunctiveexercise.htm
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Lesson 4.4: Case study
Assignment Instructions: Watch the video clip ( Pepsi Refresh Project) on the link below
and come up with your own project to make your community a better place.As part of your
writing program, write a proposal in about 250 words developing your idea.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21cKRwC_h38
Oral Task 3: Using a slides presentation, in max 3 min. talk about your project and
how it will help the community. Do your best as at the end a winner will be chosen.
UNIT 5: THE STYLE & TONE OF ACADEMIC WRITING
Lesson 5.1: Reading comprehension
A matter of choice
That reliable workhorse of capitalism the jointstock company looks surprisingly
durable. But pressure on it is increasing.
In 1967, John Kenneth Galbraiths The New Industrial State argued that the USA was
run by a handful of big companies who planned the economy in the name of stability.
These were hierarchical and bureaucratic organizations making long runs of
standardised products. They introduced new and improved varieties with predictable
regularity they provided their workers with lifetime employment and they enjoyed fairly good
industrial relations with the giant trade unions.
That world now is dead. The USs giant corporations have either disappeared or
been transformed by global competition. Most have shifted their production systems from
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highvolume to highvalue, from standardised to customised. And they have flattened their
management hierarchies. Few people these days expect to spend their lives moving up the
ladder of a single organization. Dramatic changes are taking place. But where exactly are
they taking us? Where is the modern company heading?
There are three standard answers to this question. The first is that a handful of giant
companies are engaged in a silent takeover of the world. The past couple of decades have
seen a record number of mergers. The survivors, it is maintained, are far more powerful than
nation states.
The second school of thought argues almost the opposite: it says that big companies
are a thing of the past. For a glimpse of the future, look at the Monorail Corporation, which
sells computers. Monorail owns no factories, warehouses or any tangible assets. It operates
from a single floor that it leases in an office building in Atlanta. Freelance workers are
designing the computers while demand is still low. The third school of thought says that
companies are being replaced by networks. Groups of entrepreneurs from such a network
to market an idea. They then sell it to the highest bidder and move on to produce another
idea and to create another firm, with the money being supplied all the time by venture
capitalists.
Another way to look at the future if the company is to focus on the environment that
will determine it. That environment is dominated by one thing: choice. Technology and
globalisation open up even more opportunities for individuals and firms to collect information
and conduct economic activity outside traditional structures. While the age of mass
production lowered the costs of products at the expense of limiting choices, modern flexible
production systems both lower costs and increase choice. Consumers have more choice
over where they spend their money. Producers have more choice over which suppliers to
use. Shareholders have more choice over where to put their money. With all that choice
around, future companies will have to be very flexible in order to quickly adapt to the
changing environments if they are to survive.
Find the words in the text to describe people who:
1. work independently or shortterm contracts

2. are willing to take risks
3. are willing to invest in new and/or risky business projects
4. express a wish to buy something
5. make goods
6. own part of a company
Find the definitions for these words:
BUREAUCRACY FLATTENED HIERARCHY
STANDARDISED PRODUCTS LIFETIME EMPLOYMENT MERGER

CUSTOMISED TANGIBLE ASSETS LEASE
1. goods of the same quality and design

2. inflexible system of administration
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3. rent a building on a temporary basis

4. more middle than senior managers
5. buildings and machinery a company owns
6. permanent jobs
7. made for a particular user
8. when two companies become one
Source. Trappe. T and Tullis. G (2005) Intelligent Business Coursebook. Intermediate

Business English. Pearson Education Limited Edinburgh England. Pages 910
Company Structure
Click on the link below, listen and read it and then solve the exercise given:
http://www.managementskillscourses.com/companystructure/
Common structures are:
The legal structure of the company influences the liability for tax, the paperwork your
business has to complete, the personal liability for the directors and your ability to
raise funding for the business. So this is an important decision.
Sole partner or proprietor, or sole trader
Partnership
Limited company
The limited liability company (LLC)
Limited liability partnership (LLP).
Employee ownership
Not for profit
Charity
Sole trader
The most basic structure is the sole trader or proprietorship, which usually involves just one
person who owns and operates the business. You have complete control over your business
and make all the decisions.
If you decide to start your business as a sole trader but later decide to take on partners, you
can reorganize as a partnership or other entity.
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The tax aspects of a sole proprietorship are simple. The income and expenses are
included on your personal income tax return. This means that any business losses you
suffer may offset the income you have earned from other sources.
The disadvantage is that you are personally responsible for your companys liabilities. As a
result, you are placing your assets at risk, and they could be seized to satisfy a business
debt or a legal claim filed against you.
Raising money may be difficult. Banks and other financing sources may be reluctant to make
business loans to sole traders, so you will have to depend on your own financing sources,
such as savings, home equity or family loans.
Partnership
If your business will be owned and run by several people, structuring your business as a
partnership may be right for you.
Partnerships can be general partnerships or limited partnerships. General partners are liable
for all debts and obligations of the company, limited partners can contribute capital and are
not liable for debts and obligations over that amount as long as they do not receive back
their contribution or take part in the management of the business.
Limited partnerships are more complex administratively a general partnership is much

easier to form.
One of the major advantages of a partnership is the tax treatment. A partnership does not
pay tax on its income but passes any profits or losses to the individual partners.
But personal liability is an issue if you use a general partnership. General partners are
personally liable for the partnerships obligations and debts. Unless the partnership agreement
forbids it, each general partner can act on behalf of the partnership, and may take out loans
and make decisions that will affect and be legally binding on all the partners.
Partnerships are more expensive to establish than sole proprietorships because they
require more legal and accounting services.
Corporation or limited company

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The corporate structure is more complex and expensive than most other business
structures. A corporation or limited company is an independent legal entity, separate from its
owners it has to comply with more regulations and tax requirements.
The biggest benefit for a business that is incorporated is the liability protection. A
corporations debt is not considered that of its owners, so if you organize your business as a
corporation, your personal assets are not at risk.
A corporation can retain some of its profits without the owner paying tax on them. However
many banks and finance companies will often insist on Directors offering personal
guarantees for business loans.
Limited companies or corporations can be privately or publicly owned.
It is also easier for a public corporation to raise money, by selling stock to raise funds.
Corporations do not depend on the involvement of named partners but can continue to
trade, even if one of the shareholders retires, dies or sells the shares.
Disadvantages are higher costs, and more complex rules and regulations. You will probably
need the services of accountants and lawyers.
Another drawback to forming a public corporation is the tax situation. Companies pay
corporate income tax but earnings distributed to shareholders as dividends are taxed as
personal income. However salaries and compensation are paid before corporation tax.
A shareholders agreement can provide for and deal with other important issues, including:
board constitution and control of the management of the business

contributions of each party and how those contributions may be applied
agreeing and amending a business plan
terms on which shares can be transferred
distribution policy
reserved matters to protect any minority shareholders
confidentiality and restrictive covenants
ownership of intellectual property rights
Although these points can be included in the companys articles of association, most of them
will not be included by default on the incorporation of a company, so would need to be
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amended. The articles of association is a public document and any provisions included
would be subject to company law, limiting the scope of bespoke provisions.
The shareholders agreement is a private document, enforceable only between the parties.
This affords flexibility to tailor the provisions according to personal requirements and
circumstances.
The parties exit strategies should be considered when drawing up these documents, and
may be factored into agreements.
Employee ownership
This a business model in which employees totally or significantly own the company.
There are several formats:
The workforce directly own most or all of the share capital

The share capital held in trust for the benefit of the employees
A hybrid of these two formats.
Employee ownership is becoming a popular alternative business structure for startups
seeking employee commitment, longestablished businesses dealing with a succession
challenge, or new forms of public service delivery vehicles.
In the UK, employee ownership already contributes more than 30bn each year to GDP.
Growing interest in this form of business structure in both the private and public sector led to
a 10% increase in the number of employee owned companies created in the UK in 2012.
Economic competitiveness and high performance are a feature of employee owned

business, which tend to have higher productivity, greater levels of innovation, better
resilience to economic turbulence and more engaged workers than externally owned
organisations. Shares in employee owned businesses have significantly outperformed those
in the FTSE (Financial Times Stock Exchange) AllShare Index over the last 15 years.
The implementation of employee ownership can be simple and straightforward. The costs of
creating an employee owned business from the outset or achieving an employee buyout are
modest compared with other types of company formations or mergers and acquisitions.
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Building a structure that creates a genuine sense of ownership amongst employees is one of
the considerations when selecting the model.
Other issues to be considered include
How the transfer to employee ownership will be funded

long term safeguards for employees?
How will the voice of the employees be heard?
How will senior managers be free to commercially drive the business, and still
be properly accountable to the employee owners?
The sense of purpose and commitment that employee ownership delivers makes this an
attractive option. It encourages retention of the very best talent to enable businesses to
compete successfully.
A practical guide to setting up employee owned businesses in the UK is published by the

Employee Ownership Association.
The nonprofit and charity sector
The purpose of the nonprofit sector is to improve and enrich society, and create social
wealth rather than material wealth. Firms in this sector exists to make a difference to society
rather than to make financial profits.
This is also referred to as the third sector, the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS), the
notforprofit sector, the charity sector, the social sector. It is made up of many different
types of activity affecting many aspects of society.
The term, the third sector, indicates that it sits between government (the public sector) and
the private or commercial sector.
These companies can exist in a range of formats from social enterprises, trades unions,
public arts organisations, community interest companies, voluntary and community
organisations, independent schools, faith groups, housing associations, friendly societies,
and mutual societies.
They must be registered and approved by the relevant governing body and abide by their
regulations. Because they broadly exist for public benefit they are usually eligible for a range
of income and property tax exemptions.
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Whatever option you choose for your structure, the name you choose for your business
should reflect the image you want to project to your market. Select one thats easy to
pronounce and remember. And make sure that its not already in use, that it is available as a
web address and will work on your business stationery.
Assignment 1
Instructions: Solve the exercises given.
CIRCLE THE ANSWER THAT BEST COMPLETE EACH STATEMENT
1.The legal structure of the company is an important decision because it influences:
A. the liability for tax

B. the paperwork your business has to complete
C. the personal liability for the directors
D. your ability to raise funding for the business
E. All above
F. None of the above
2.This kind of company structure usually involves having complete control over your
business
A. Partnership
B. Limited company
C. Sole Trader
D. Employee ownership
E. NonProfit making
F. All above
3.The following are all disadvantages of a:
The income and expenses are included on your personal income tax return.
You are personally responsible for your companys liabilities.
Raising money may be difficult.
Banks and other financing sources may be reluctant to make business loans
A. Partnership
B. Limited company
C. Sole Trader
E. NonProfit making
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F. All above
4. All of the following are characteristics of a:
Can be general or limited.

One of the major advantages is the tax treatment.
It does not pay tax on its income
Are more expensive to establish because they require more legal and
accounting services.
A. Partnership
B. Limited company
C. Sole Trader
E. NonProfit making
F. All above
FILL IN THE GAPS USING FIVE OF THE WORDS GIVEN
tight drawback limited liability complex risk benefit
A Corporation or 1.company is more 2.and expensive than most

other business structures. A corporation or limited company is an independent legal entity,
separate from its owners it has to comply with more regulations and tax requirements.
The biggest 3. for a business that is incorporated is the

4.protection. A corporations debt is not considered that of its owners, so if you
organize your business as a corporation, your personal assets are not at 5.
COMPLETE THE DIAGRAM BELOW USING YOUR OWN WORDS

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PROVIDE A HEADLINE FOR THE LEFT COLUMN BASED ON THE INFORMATION ON

THE RIGHT COLUMN.
It is becoming a popular alternative

business structure for startups seeking
employee commitment, longestablished
businesses dealing with a succession
challenge, or new forms of public
service delivery vehicles.
Economic competitiveness and

high performance
Have higher productivity
Greater levels of innovation
Better resilience to economic
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turbulence
More engaged workers than
externally owned organizations
It can be simple and straightforward. The

costs of creating an employee owned
business from the outset or achieving an
employee buyout are modest compared
with other types of company formations or
mergers and acquisitions.
Read the document below, highlight important information and then write a paragraph
summary on the topic. Grammar, spelling and punctuation mistakes will be penalized
with one point off each. (4 points)
The nonprofit and charity sector
The purpose of the nonprofit sector is to improve and enrich society, and create social
wealth rather than material wealth. Firms in this sector exists to make a difference to society
rather than to make financial profits.
This is also referred to as the third sector, the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS), the
notforprofit sector, the charity sector, the social sector. It is made up of many different
types of activity affecting many aspects of society.
The term, the third sector, indicates that it sits between government (the public sector) and
the private or commercial sector.
These companies can exist in a range of formats from social enterprises, trades unions,
public arts organisations, community interest companies, voluntary and community
organisations, independent schools, faith groups, housing associations, friendly societies,
and mutual societies.
They must be registered and approved by the relevant governing body and abide by their
regulations. Because they broadly exist for public benefit they are usually eligible for a range
of income and property tax exemptions.
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Write down your business company information as the third step of your business
plan (final exam) This information should have at least 250 words and must contain
the following:
Summary of Background
Business environment
Business Background
Lesson 5.4: Case study Nonprofit making organization
Oral Task 4: Students are divided into small groups (three or four ss per group) and are
assigned a nonprofit making organization to search about. Then they will create a 3 min.
video to persuade people to fund the organization. Students will present the video to the
class. Eventually, other ARB 700 classmates and instructors will vote for the best video.
UNICEF
MUSEUM OF MODERN ARTS
WIKILEAKS
GREEN PEACE
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS
ROTARY INTERNATIONAL
BOYSCOUTS
STAND UP FOR CANCER
WWF (WORLD WILDLIFE FOUNDATION)
TED
PETA
RONALD Mc. DONALD HOUSE CHARITIES
BIG CAT RESCUE
unit 6 : CRITICAL READING & WRITING

The Secret of Teamwork: CD Listening 2 TRACK 5. Intelligent Business Workbook. Upper
Intermediate Business English. Unit 3 pages 15 and 80
Professors O'Driscoll gives a presentation at a business forum about team roles.

Listen and choose the correct options ac.
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1. What did Belbin think about teams?

a. Teams success depends on its members carrying out their roles effectively.
b. Teams cannot be successful unless all individual members get on.
c. It is important for teams continually to review their effectiveness.
2. Belbins approach helps people to

a. recognise each other's strengths and weaknesses.
b. understand how to develop individuals skills.
c. see how the team is put together.
3. What did the speakers research involve?
a. It compared a small number of sport and music teams.

b. It identified the most competent team members.
c. It focused on the skills all teams need to be effective.
4. The research revealed that
a. groups of musicians were the most stable teams.

b. teams were constructed differently and for different reasons.
c. the needs of teams changed over time.
5. The model the researchers developed
a. sets out the factors that promote team success.

b. shows the links between different teams.
c. divides teams into smaller units.
6. The model can help people to identify
a. potential managers within a team.

b. how to develop a team further.
c. the most appropriate activities for a team to carry out.
Source: Pile.L ( 2006) Intelligent Business Workbook. Upper Intermediate Business English.
Pearson Education Limited. Edinburgh England.
Directors duties
Company Directors have responsibilities which include ensuring that the company trades
lawfully and complies with all legislation and regulation.
Their responsibilities are a series of statutory, common law and equitable obligations owed
by members of the Board of Directors to the organisation that employs them.
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Statutory and regulatory responsibility varies in different jurisdictions, but there are a number
of similarities in the framework for directors duties.
Directors owe duties

to the company , not to individual shareholders, employees or creditors except in
exceptional circumstances.
Directors core duty is to remain loyal to the company, and avoid conflicts of
interest
Directors are expected to display a high standard of care, skill or diligence
Directors are expected to act in good faith to promote the success of the
corporation
While this system works well in many countries, some countries have a weaker culture and
tradition of enforcing these values, and a greater cultural tolerance for conflictofinterest.
Judges may be less likely to review transactions to decide whether they are fair to minority
shareholders.
As a director of a limited company, you have a duty to try to make the company a success,
using your skills, experience and judgment. You must also follow the companys rules, make
decisions for the benefit of the company, not yourself, and declare to other shareholders if
you personally benefit from a company transaction or contract.
The board of directors of a company is primarily responsible for:
setting the companys strategic objectives and policies

monitoring progress towards achieving the objectives and policies
appointing senior management
Accounting for the companys activities to owners or shareholders.
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The Chief Executive Officer, or Managing Director if there is no CEO, is responsible for the
performance of the company, in line with the Boards overall strategy. He or she reports to
the Chairman or Board of Directors.
The first directors of a company are appointed at the time of its registration. Subsequent
appointments are governed by the companys Articles of Association or Shareholders
Agreements.
On appointment a new director will be asked to provide certain personal information for
registration. They will normally give notice of any interests in contracts involving the
company and their interest in the companys shares.
A newly appointed Director should make themselves familiar with the companys
Memorandum and Articles of Association, details of the business e.g. recent board minutes
and management accounts, and the statutory reports and accounts for at least the past two
years.
The Directors are responsible for the management of the company within the relevant legal
system and the articles of association. For example, articles of association may include
restrictions on borrowing by the company.
The directors must act collectively as a board but the articles usually allow the board to
delegate powers to individual directors as appropriate.
Directors need to be aware that they are personally subject to statutory duties in their
capacity as directors of a company. In addition the company, as a separate legal entity, is
subject to statutory controls and the Directors are responsible for ensuring that the company
complies with them.
In the UK the Companies Act 2006 sets out seven general duties of directors which are:
to act within powers in accordance with the companys constitution and to use
those powers only for the purposes for which they were conferred
to promote the success of the company for the benefit of its members
to exercise independent judgment
to exercise reasonable care, skill and diligence
to avoid conflicts of interest
not to accept benefits from third parties
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to declare an interest in a proposed transaction or arrangement

In the UK these statutory duties are interpreted in accordance with previous case law which
remains relevant.
In addition to the seven general duties listed above, a director will be subject to other
regulation and legislation including the Insolvency Act 1986, the Company Directors
Disqualification Act 1986, the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Corporate
Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007.
Directors may be liable to penalties if the company fails to carry out its statutory duties. If
they had reasonable grounds to believe that a competent person, such as another director
or third party, had been given the duty to see that the statutory provisions were complied
with, then they may use that as a defence.
Another responsibility of the directors is to ensure that the company maintains full and
accurate accounting records. A balance sheet and a profit and loss account for each
financial period must be presented to shareholders and filed with the Registrar of
Companies.
Directors are personally liability, both civilly and criminally, for their actions or omissions,
when directing the company. They can also be disqualified from acting as a director of a
company, and can in certain circumstances be made personally liable for the companys
debts.
They also need to ensure Health and Safety at Work is complied with and can be charged
with Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide. If a director is found guilty of these
acts or omissions they can be fined and imprisoned and disqualified.
You can ask other people to manage some of these things daytoday. For example, an
accountant can manage your accounts for you but youre still legally responsible for them.

Write down your business operations as the fourth step of your business plan (final
exam) This information should have at least 250 words.
Lesson 6.3: Collocations
Grammar point
83
The Art of Delegation
Match the words from the left column with those from the right column with similar meaning.
1. inspire a. technique
2. fire b. terror
3. fear c. motivate
4. defeat d. employee
5. upset e. sack
6. subordinate f. failure
7. tactic g. hurt
Complete the sentences with the words below.

manager subordinates coach chief executive (CEO)
workers staff directors employee
1. The new _____________________improved morale in the department.
2. The _____________praised his team upn reaching the Cup Final.
3. Our board of_______________meets every three months to discuss strategy.
4. The factory ______________ went on strike because of low pay.
5. The share price went up when the new ___________was appointed.
6. I have to do the appraisals for the six ___________who report to me.
7. An aggressive management style led to an increase in __________turnover.
8. Every________in the company gets health and safety training.
The Art of Delegation

Getting something done is only half the job. Keeping staff happy at the same time is
every bit as important.
Many 1 ___________believe that getting work done through others requires a free flow of
information and open, productive relationships with 2 _______. Rather than creating a
climate of 3_______, they give clear instructions and realistic deadlines and take care to
give only constructive criticism and not 4_________________employees. they work towards
creating a positive working environment where 5___________feel values and trusted. Some
specialists say that it is essential not to criticise, as this rarely 6_________ and often causes
stress and loss of confidence among the 7________. Managers who successfully maintain
the balance of power will not lose their authority even when certain 8_______members take
control of projects. this style of management is particularly important during an economic
upswing when employees can easily find work with another company.
In what ways can successful leaders win the respect of subordinates and exercise authority
over them?
Collocations
Match each of the following verbs with one set of nouns.
84
set meet make take
1. ___________ a chance 3. _______________ a mistake

an opportunity a judgement
a position a profit/ loss
a point a call
2. ______________ a deadline 4. _________________ a precedent

a need an example
the cost an objective
expectations a limit
Use some of collocations to complete the dialogues below
1. a. Are you sure these figures are correct? they look a little high to me.
b. You are right. I think I ______________a ___________in the calculations.
2. a. What do you think of their proposal?
b. Too risky. We cant __________________a ____________ on an unknown supplier.
3. a. They say they absolutely must have the final version by Friday.
b. We will never be able to meet ____________meet a ____________like that
4. a. It is the first time we have agreed to pay expenses on a project like this.
b. Yes, I know. I hope this wont _______a ________ that we will regret later. 5.
a. I am not sure if we should sell now or wait until the market improves.
b. Yeah. It is difficult to know which would be the best ____________to ____________.
6. a. it looks like we have used almost all of the budget.
b. Right. We are going to have to _______a tighten _____________on spending from now
on.
Source. Trappe. T and Tullis. G (2005) Intelligent Business Coursebook. Intermediate

Business English. Pearson Education Limited Edinburgh England. Pages 1819
Expressing numbers and so on page 91 Business Benchmark
Read the report based on the survey. For each gap, choose the best word.
REPORT ON STAFF SURVEY
Introduction
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The aim of this report is to summarise points which have 1 ..from our recent staff survey
about changes in working practices.
Reasons for changes

Staff 2..represents a major cost in our company. It involves 3.recruitment processes and
staff training. We hope that by introducing these changes we will increase staff retention,
motivation and efficiency.
Opinions of staff
A large 4...of our staff (threequarters) said that they would be interested in flexible working.
Several people stated that they 5...travelling to work at 6.....times stressful and time-
consuming.
A significant number of your employees (29%) thought that career breaks would be
attractive. One 7..of staff told me that he had always wanted to travel round the world,
and that he would like to return to his job 8...
A smaller percentage expresses interest in optional parttime working. These were generally
people with young children. Several employees asked me if we could provide onsite nursery
care for preschool children.
Recommendations
I believe we should go 9....with these changes because staff reactions have been
generally positive and because employees can choose whether to take 10....of the
changes or not.
1 A arisen B raised C rose D risen
2 A outcome B turnover C changeover D downturn
3 A pricey B valuable C extravagant D costly
4 A variety B quantity C majority D range
5 A suffered B experienced C found D discovered
6 A top B high C key D peak
7 A worker B member C colleague D partner
8 A next B after C following D afterwards
9 A on B up C ahead D into
10 A for granted B advantage C note D hold
Expressing Numbers
1. look at these phrases from the report:
a large majority a significant number a smaller percentage

86
Which means:
1. less than the number already mentioned?
2. most people?
3. not a majority, but a number which is worth taking into consideration?
Match these phrases (17) with their meanings (ag).

1. a tiny minority of staff a. approximately 50% of staff
2. growing numbers of staff b. slightly more than 50% of staff
3. a substantial majority of staff c. not many staff
4. a limited number of staff d. nearly all staff
5. around half the staff e. much more than 50% of staff
6. just over half the staff f. an increasing number of staff
7. the vast majority of staff g. a very small number of staff
Source: BrookHart G. (2006) Business Benchmark. UpperIntermediate. Students Book.

Cambridge University Press. CambridgeUK. pages 91
Lesson 6.4: Reading and Analyzing graphs and charts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1uAImH4GwA
It explains the information shown in graphs, charts and/or tables as accurate as possible.
Useful Expressions and Vocabulary
to rise/a rise to decline/a decline
to increase/an increase to fall/a fall
to go up Slight/slightly
to double gradual/gradually
to reach a peak steady/steadily
to hold/remain steady dramatic/dramatically
to be stable steep/steeply
to be constant sharp/sharply
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to level off for the period
to fluctuate/a fluctuation since 1999
erratically for five years
to plummet between 1990 and 2001
to decrease/a decrease in 1987
to dip
peaks and troughs
ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS: Choose from the expressions above and write the
ones that best describe each graph.
88
Adapted from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1uAImH4GwA
ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS: Rewrite the following sentences in another way

without changing the original meaning.
Example,Sales fell steeply.
There was a steep fall.
1. Sales increased rapidly.

2. Sales dropped slowly.
3. There was a slow, steady increase.
4. There was a gradual rise.
5. There was a sharp increase in sales.
6. There was a considerable jump in sales.
7. Sales rose steeply.
8. There was a gentle, steady decrease.
9. There was a gradual fall in sales.
10. There was a continuous drop in sales.
11. There was a peak in sales.
89
See Davis, J. & Liss, R. (2006). Effective Academic Writing 3. Oxford: Oxford University
Press. Unit 3: pp. 149162.
The graph below shows the population change between 1940 and 2000
in three different counties in the U.S. state of Oregon.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main

features, and make comparisons where relevant.
The two pie charts below show the online shopping sales for retail
sectors in Canada in 2005 and 2010.
90

The line graph below gives information about the number of visitors to
three London museums between June and September 2013.

91
The graph below shows the changes in food consumption by Chinese

people between 1985 and 2010.

92
WRITING PORTFOLIO HOMEWORK TASK:
Create a graph or table based on yourself.
Then describe, compare and analyse the graph/table using the
vocabulary learnt. Suggested topics include:
daily spending expenses
time spent on activities over a
week weight changes over a
period of time
Minimum 200 words
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
What is a percentage?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/factsheet/ma17perce1e2fwhatisapercentage
What is a ratio?
(rsh, rsh)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/factsheet/ma19ratie1e2fusingratios
93
How to create a chart
http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/worksheet/ma37grape1e2wcreatingachart
How to create a table
http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/worksheet/ma37grape1e2wcreatinga_table
Bar charts key points

http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/factsheet/ma37grape3fbarcharts
Reading Bar charts
http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/factsheet/ma37grape3freadingbarcharts
Lesson 6.5: Case study (Job satisfaction and leadership)
Writing: A survey report
As a warmer for the writing task, you can ask your students how important working
environment is for staff. Ask them to brainstorm the benefits to staff and to the company of
having a good working environment. (Benefits will include: less stress, more efficiency,
happier staff, gives visitors to the company a better image of the company, etc.
When students have done that, ask them to suggest what things make a good working
environment such as air conditioning, company parking spaces, lack of noise, etc.
Assignment instructions: In small groups design a survey (10 Yes/No questions) to

measure employees job satisfaction and boss leadership in UDLA. Conduct the
survey in any Faculty or School except FACEA. Write a survey report in about 250
words. (Writing Program)
Oral Exam 2: Survey Report
Based on the activity above, report your findings to the class using a slide
presentation including graphs.
tips
Visual aids and props are an effective way of supporting and supplementing any
speech or presentation. Visual aids and props should be colorful and unique, but not so
94
dazzling that they detract from the speaker's presence. Never use visual aids and props as a
way of avoiding eye contact or interaction with an audience, such as reading directly from
slides. Here is a list of common visual aids and props, and quick tips for using them
effectively:
Diagrams, graphs and charts should always coincide with what is being said in the
speech. Always stand to the side of a diagram, graph or chart while facing the
audience.
Maps should be simple and easy to understand, with key places or points clearly
plotted or marked.
PowerPoint slides should present main points as short sentences and bullet points
and should never be read verbatim by the speaker or presenter.
Lists should be kept to a minimum. Five or six listed items are usually enough.
Handouts should be passed out to an audience before or after a presentation to
avoid wasting time and causing a distraction.
Photographs or sketches can be powerful visual aids as long as a speaker
maintains consistency between what is being said and what is being shown.
Physical objects and props should not be too large or too small, nor too few or too
many. They should always be relevant to the presentation or speech and should
always be checked prior to taking the stage to make sure they are working properly.
Additional exercises
95
96
UNIT 7: FRAGMENTS & RUNONS

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Lesson 7.1: Reading Comprehension
Taking the hassle out of finance
Oakwood Financial Management The complete solution

Source: Pile. L ( 2006) Intelligent Business. Workbook. Upper Intermediate Business
English. Pearson.
Financial management can often be one of the biggest pitfalls for a business in its initial
stages of growth. Whether it is producing tax returns, forecasting the companys financial
future or simply managing the daytoday accounts of the business, this complex and time
consuming aspect of running a successful company can often make or break a growing
venture.
Using a reputable and efficient financial consultancy company can provide a
company with essential peace of mind when it comes to financial structuring of this integral
part of the company. A good financial structuring of this integral part of the company. A good
financial advisor will draw upon years of experience and expertise across a variety of
corporate disciplines to not only effectively manage the company's finance, but also instruct
and advise on potential investment, future hurdles the company may encounter and
ultimately help the business move forward and, above all, grow.
Oakwood Financial Management was established in 1999. Employing over 30
financial consultants, the company provides tailored advice to create and protect the wealth
of over 4,500 domestic and commercial clients spanning a range of areas and industry.
Achieving a high level of success through care, diligence and, above all, the skill of the team,
Oakwood maintains a high level of customerfocused service and ensures every client's
business needs are dealt with in both an ethical and professional manner.
We have worked extremely hard at Oakwood to provide our clients with the most
effective financial advice and management possible. The fact that we have built the
company upon personal recommendation, is testament to the honest, open and impartial
way in which we conduct business. Our projected turnover for the forthcoming year is over 2
million pounds and this is a true indication of the dedication that we have not only to the
continued success of Oakwood, but also to our clients business.
Oakwood can help to deal with the financial pressure of running any growing
business. Often it can be difficult to establish the true financial needs of a company because
the person in question does not have the necessary knowledge or training to draw upon.
Oakwood offers clients access to financial consultants who are able to assess and explain
the financial concerns and needs of a growing company in order to not only point out where
the client needs to take action, but also then push the business forward.
All our consultants are highly experienced within the field of commercial finance.
Assisting our clients to plan for their futures in a domestic and commercial sense requires us
to consider all aspects of their financial well being. it makes sense for us to take care of all
the clientsfinancial needs, whether they are encompassed within their business or not. We
can advise on pensions, loans, investment and any other concern or enquiry our client may
have. We are also careful to ensure that we highlight any protection needs or taxsaving
opportunities that may exist. This level of service demands the financial planning skills that
we have built up over the years, enabling us to fully understand the financial situation and
needs of the individual as well as their business.
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Many business people simply do not fully understand the financial situation that their
company is in and this stick your head in the sand approach almost always leads to
difficulties in the future. Successfully planning the financial future success and further
growth. Using a reputable and highly skilled financial Management company such as
Oakwood takes the matter off the agenda. All of the hassle, jargon, regulation and legislation
normally associated with financial matters is dealt with by us on the client's behalf, enabling
them to get back to the most important matter of all running their business.
How to raise finance for your business
What are potential investors looking for in a company? They want to see research and
establish the potential risks and returns involved in investing. Do you know who to approach
for finance, and how? What do they expect from you, what are the legal issues, what
documentation will you be expected to sign? Should you offer personal guarantees or other
security?
Nearly every business being launched will require some investment capital. If you can rely
on savings or family and friends for seed financing that is a great start. Many banks and
investors will expect to see that you and your family have invested in the venture.
But, most entrepreneurs will need additional financing to get a business started.
Check if there are any starts up or support grants in your area.
If you have a business idea that could benefit from an injection of capital, the most usual
financing route is Banks or venture capitalists. Angel investors are becoming more common,
and crowd funding is a growing source of investment.
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In these days of austerity,

raising finance is more difficult and expensive than ever. You should have a business plan in
place that will enable potential investors to see you have a realistic grasp of the costs of the
business and a commercial plan in place to offer them a return on their investment.
Ideally, Investors will want to support firms with good cash flow management, a strong
balance sheet, a sound business plan, a wellbalanced management team, a good business
record, and who are looking to develop and grow.
If you are a startup, there are limits to which of these boxes you can tick, but at least put
yourself in the best light by having the others ticked!!
You need to put some real effort into preparing a business plan. Dont just mindlessly fill in a
template. This needs to be a well thought out document, with particular emphasis on how
you are going to achieve projected sales.
Venture capitalists and financial institutions need to ensure that their money will be well
invested. They will expect you to pitch your product or service to them. They will want to
establish the potential risks and returns involved in doing business with you.
Having your market research and business plan well prepared demonstrates to potential
lenders that you are serious, have thoroughly studied your market sector, your potential
customerbase, and your competitors. And that you are prepared for the possible financial
hurdles ahead.
When it comes to raising debt or equity finance there are a number of legal issues to
consider carefully .You will be asked to sign standard documents, the small print must be
read and understood before you sign them. Be aware of the fees you are accepting.
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Investors will expect you to check carefully what you are committing yourself to. So if you are
not clear what something means, ask for clarification. Be clear at the outset about any
strings attached to the finance that are mentioned in the documentation. Ask for a detailed
term sheet early on in the process.
They may ask for personal guarantees or other security, and may set financial covenants.
You should be wary of using your home as security, and be sure covenants are achievable
and clearly understood.
Crowd funding is the current alternative trend in raising finance. While banks are still
reluctant to offer competitive finance, small businesses are searching for alternative sources
of investment.
Similar to Angel Investment, Crowd Funding is a way of raising finances by selling part of
your equity. The main difference is that instead of there being just one investor, you sell your
investment idea to a crowd.
The success of Crowd Funding has disrupted the investment business, giving entrepreneurs
the opportunity to access funding from the masses, without the usual upfront fees. The
winners seem to be those with the highest social capital or largest database. It demonstrates
the value of trusted relationships and an engaged network.
Business investors want to put their capital behind exciting new projects. Many are finding
that more traditional forms of investment are showing very poor returns. They appreciate that
with new businesses sometimes an exceptional Return on Investment (ROI) is achievable.
Some enjoy the spirit of adventure.
All of them will be successful business people in their own right, they are often strongwilled,
determined, dedicated and hardnosed. These days it is as much about the entrepreneur
choosing their investor as the other way around.
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Currently in the UK the Financial Services Authority (FSA) views Crowd Funding as a raising
money for funding from the public, which is currently illegal unless approved by the FSA.
So check that your chosen Crowd Funding platform complies with the relevant authorities, or
you could put your business and yourself outside the law.
Be aware that investors will want to see some detail of your business before investing. This
could leave your idea vulnerable to copying, so when you are drafting your business pitch
for potential investors, provide enough information to attract attention and interest, without
giving any vital information away. Then, when potential investors come forward, ask them to
sign a NDA (nondisclosure agreement) before you provide further information.
A common error Entrepreneurs seeking additional investment often make is underestimating

their funding requirement. Then when the finance is agreed and provided, they may find that
they need more capital. This can be very damaging to the relationship with the investor and
will leave you short of funds to complete your plans. So ask for a little more than you think
you actually need so that you have a reserve or contingency fund.
If used properly, Crowd Funding can be more successful than sourcing the full investment
required from a single individual or organization. But make sure you have done your
research and taken precautions to protect your business and yourself

Write down your business initial investment and detail fixed costs as the fifth step of
your business plan (final exam) This information should include:
Utilities costs (if appropriate)

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Salaries
Rent
Publicity
Lesson 7.3: Business Vocabulary Study
Assignment 1
Instructions: Complete the word map with the following words.
restructure retail reorganise clients regulate advisor professionalservice firm

customer IT implement accountant legislate auditing advise outsource consultant
tax auditor SEC coordinate branding plan bookkeeping corporate development
multinationals lawyer service provider
Actions business areas people and organizations
Match the verbs and nouns
1.to do a. a transaction
2. to make b. a business
3. to take over c. advice
4. to provide d. a problem
5. to solve e. a deal
6. to give f. a service
7. to introduce g. an image
8. to project h. legislation
9. to carry out i. an audit
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Source: Pile . L (2006) Intelligent Business. Workbook. Upper Intermediate Business

English. Pearson Education Limited. EssexEngland. pages 6263
Lesson 7.4: Fragments & RunOns
Sentence Fragments
A complete sentence will have at least one subject and one verb. Sentences are considered
fragments when they are missing either a subject or a verb. Consider the following two
fragment sentences and their corrected versions:
Went to the store to buy brownie mix. (No subject)
My dad went to the store to buy brownie mix. (Correct)
Brownie mix at the store expensive. (No verb) Brownie
mix at the store is expensive. (Correct)
In addition to containing a subject and verb, a complete sentence will express a complete
thought. Consider the following two sentences and their revised versions.
When he went to the checkout counter to pay for the brownie mix. (Incomplete)
When he went to the checkout counter to pay for the brownie mix, he got distracted
by a display of cake mixes. (Complete)
The variety of yummy cake mixes. (Incomplete)
The variety of yummy cake mixes convinced him that hed rather bake a cake than
brownies tonight. (Complete)
Assignment instructions: Some of the sentences below are fragments. Identify any
sentence fragments and fix sentences that need fixing.
1. Then I attended Morris Junior High. A junior high that was a bad experience.
2. In the seventh grade every young boy goes out for football. To prove to himself and
his parents that he is a man.
3. She opened the door and let us into her home. Not realizing at the time that we
would never enter that door in her home again.
4. Making up his mind quickly. Jim ordered two dozen red roses for his wife. Hoping she
would accept his apology.
5. They were all having a good time. Until one of Joe's oldest and best friends had a
little too much to drink.
RunOn Sentences
A runon sentence occurs when two or more independent clauses are combined without
correct punctuation. An independent clause is a complete, simple sentence, meaning that it
contains a subject, a verb, and a complete thought. There are a few ways to correct run on
sentences.
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Consider the following runon sentence and the following options for revising it.
The grocery store was really packed with people there must have been a big sale
today. (Run on sentence)
In this case, the sentence has been corrected by simply creating two sentences.
The grocery store was really packed with people. There must have been a big sale
today (Correct)
In this case, the sentence has been corrected by adding a coordinating conjunction and a
comma. This is a compound sentence.
The grocery store was really packed with people, so there must have been a big sale
today. (Correct)
Assignment instructions: Some of the sentences below are runons. Identify any run-
on sentences and fix sentences that that need fixing.
1. We were really busy at the restaurant tonight. I waited tables straight through from
3:30 to 11:30 I never sat down for even one break.
2. My dog had to go to the vet today. She cried and cried when they clipped her
toenails, but then she was fine when they gave her a shot!
3. The book we had to read for class was really long my teacher doesnt seem to
understand that we have other classes to read for too.
Source: Purdue University. (2013). Fragments and RunOns. Retrieved from

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/engagement/2/1/33/
Assignment instructions: Read the sentences below looking for sentences fragments.
If the example is fragmented, put an X in the first space and then correct it in the
space provided. If there are no mistakes, write only ok in the first space..
____ 1. Then I attended Morris Junior High. A junior high that was a bad experience.
_________________________________________________________________________
____
____ 2. The scene was filled with beauty. Such as the sun sending its brilliant rays to the
earth and the leaves of various shades of red, yellow, and brown moving slowly in the wind.
_________________________________________________________________________
____
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____ 3. Within each group, a wide range of features to choose from. It was difficult to
distinguish between them.
_________________________________________________________________________
____
____ 4. A few of the less serious fellows would go into a bar for a steak dinner and a few
glasses of beer. After this meal, they were ready for anything.
_________________________________________________________________________
____
____ 5. It can be really embarrassing to be so emotional. Especially when you are on your
first date, you feel that you should be in control.
_________________________________________________________________________
____
____ 6. The magazine has a reputation for a sophisticated, prestigious, and elite group of
readers. Although that is a value judgment and in circumstances not a true premise.
_________________________________________________________________________
____
____ 7. In the seventh grade every young boy goes out for football. To prove to himself and
his parents that he is a man.
_________________________________________________________________________
____
____ 8. She opened the door and let us into her home. Not realizing at the time that we
would never enter that door in her home again.
_________________________________________________________________________
____
____9. As Christmas grows near, I find myself looking back into my childhood days at fun
filled times of snowball fights. To think about this makes me happy.
_________________________________________________________________________
____
____10. Being a friend of mine like he was when we first joined the soccer team. Together
we learned a lot.
_________________________________________________________________________
____
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Lesson 7.5: Case study (Raising finance Business Benchmark pag 52 & 53) (oral task)
Advice about starting a

business Role Play
Work in pairs. Your teacher will tell you whether you are Pair A or Pair B.
Pair A Pair B
You are business advisors. You will give You are entrepreneurs who are thinking of
advice to a pair of entrepreneurs about how starting a new business, but you need
to finance the small printing business they advice on how to finance it, so you are
want to start. going to consult some small business
before talking to them, decide what types of advisors.
finance might be suitable for them: a bank Type of business: a photocopying and
loan, a loan from family or friends, a printing firm specialising in leaflets, small
mortgage or using personal savings. brochures, business cards, etc.
You will need to ask them: Your personal financial circumstances:
about the type of business between you, you have savings of $50,000
if they have done market research
about their personal financial Financing requirements: approximately
circumstances. $70,000 if you are ready to use your
Prepare some questions and when you are personal savings. This extra money is for:
ready, meet the entrepreneurs, discuss their equipment
plans with them and give them your best initial advertising
advice. preparing your premises
materials, etc.
Work together and decide what questions to
ask and what advice you need from the
advisors.
When you are ready, explain your business
idea to the business advisors, and get their
advice on how best to finance your
business.
Source: BrookHart G. ( 2006) Business Benchmark. UpperIntermediate . Students Book.

Cambridge University Press. Cambridge UK. Pages 53.
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UNIT 8: BUSINESS ENGLISH: Starting up
Exercise 1
Section 1
Questions 1317
You will hear 5 short recordings. Five people are talking about a problem that
occurred. For each recording decide what each speaker is talking about. Write one
letter AH next to the number of the recording. Do not use any letter more than once.
You will hear the 5 recordings twice. You have 15 seconds to read the list AH. Now
listen and decide what each speaker is talking about.
13
14
15
16
17
A losing a business card

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B taking the wrong equipment
C arriving late for a meeting
D forgetting an address
E misunderstanding a message
F missing a presentation
G forgetting to make a phone call
H taking the wrong document
Section 2
Questions 1822
You will hear another five recordings. For each recording, decide what the speaker is
doing. Write one letter AH next to the number of the recording. Do not use any letter
more than once. You will hear the five recordings twice. You have 15 seconds to read
the list AH.
18
19
20
21
22
A making a complaint
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B confirming information
C giving instructions
D changing an arrangement
E requesting information
F making a recommendation
G giving an invitation
H requesting advice
Part 1
For questions 1 to 12 you will hear the introduction to a seminar called the business
masterclass about the use of information technology in the workplace. As you listen for
questions 1 to 12 complete the notes using up to three words or a number. You will hear the
recording twice you now have 45 seconds to read through the nets. Listen and complete the
seminar notes.
The Business Master Class
SEMINAR NOTES
Arrangements for Participants
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1.The event will take place over

2.Seminar organized by
3.The title of the last session will be
4.To use the new city car park delegates must obtain a
Dr. Sangalli
5. Dr. Sangalli has advised many

6. The name of his consultancy is
7. He is the author of
8. In Europe, he is the bestknown
The business master class
Two problems for companies:
9. To become more ..
10. To establish new........
Two outcomes of session
11. design your own ....

12. take away documents containing actual ...
Lesson 8.2: Business Approach: Managing your cashflow
Profitability is important in the long run in the short run, cash flow has to be carefully
managed to avoid running out of cash and potentially being forced into liquidation. What
processes can you put in place to manage the situation, what tools are available? Learn to
forecast when the business may run out of cash and take preventative action, in the form of
chasing payments, speaking to your bank manager, or raising a private injection of cash.
Inability to stay on top of cashflow is a common downfall of companies who can then no
longer cover their required outgoings such as salaries, rent, or raw material supplies.
Running out of cash is the reason for the majority of companies being forced into liquidation.
Although profitability is important in the long run for a company, in the short run, cash flow
has to be very carefully managed.
It is important to ensure that you have a regular payment run with processes that are set up
correctly. If you dont send your invoices out to the right contact, at the right time and chase
payment when appropriate, you will probably not be paid on time. Remember to allow time
for the payment to clear in the bank as well.
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One of the biggest problems for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) is that many large
companies are increasing their standard payment terms, which are sometimes up to 90
days. Smaller companies may have no option other than to wait for payment.
The best you can do is invoice

and confirm politely with the
clients early, ensure your payments are in their systems
accounts department that your invoice will be paid on time.
Be very wary of driving down prices in order to win work. By working to low margins you are
having to work much harder to break even, and it is difficult to put prices up.
Try not to be too dependent on an overdraft. Dont see it as part of your cash flow funding,
but as a fall back if funds are tight. If you are likely to breach your overdraft, the best bet is to
advise your bank manager in advance. Tell them why there is a problem, when it will be
resolved, and what other monies you are expecting into the account.
Banks much prefer to work with a management team that has control of their finances, even
if there is a temporary problem, than with people who have no control over their financial
affairs.
Send your lender regular copies of your management accounts with a summary of your
performance. Then if you need to extend loan facilities, you have already demonstrated you
are in control.
Think of your cashflow as the most important aspect of your business, possibly as important
as sales activity.
Know how much it is going to cost to run the company over the next 6 months.
Know where and when the money will come from
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Be wary of hidden costs. Build everything in to your plan including professional

fees, insurance, and interest on your overdraft, contingency for sickness
Remember that every time you give credit to your customers it is costing you
cash flow.
Carry out regular cashflow forecasts. This will vary according to your business, but weekly is
probably a good idea if finances are shaky. The tricky part is predicting payments accurately
for the current week, and future sales. Plan expenses carefully, and be aware of what has to
be paid regularly, as well as one off payments.
Review this every week or month and look at your actual position against your budgeted
position. If you are not on target, then find out why and do something about it. Are payments
late? Do you need to call and chase payment? Are you buying stock at the right price? Are
you making your profit margins on sales?
If your accounting records are well maintained, this becomes a relatively simple task. They
will give you a base for your calculations, combining the sales you believe you will have, and
the costs you know are likely to occur.
By doing this you are able to see clearly when the business may run out of cash and take
preventative action, in the form of chasing payments, speaking to your bank manager, or
raising a private injection of cash.
Some tips:
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Keep your financial forecasts simple and up to date.

Try to have contracts lined up before you start your business.
Negotiate hard for prices and payment terms with suppliers.
If possible negotiate credit terms when you negotiate your sales price, in your
initial sales meetings.
Do credit searches on anyone who will owe you money.
Dont give clients credit , try to get a percentage payment upfront
For new customers ask them to pay on invoice, or in 14 days, before you go to 30
days.
To encourage customers to pay quickly, offer them discounts for early settlement
and consider penalties for late payment. Mark these penalties on your invoice
template, and enforce them if you need to.
Get professional advice on whether to register for taxes
Make sure your company systems and inventory management are efficient.
Turn your financial management into a habit.
Take a proactive approach to managing debtors and keep credit management
near the top of your list.
Today, simply invoicing a client for a product or service is no longer a guarantee of
payment. Chasing payment is time consuming time which could otherwise be used
building up important business and customer relations.
114
There is a point where the cost of chasing customers outweighs the benefits of keeping
them. A good credit manager can reduce the wasted resources invested in such customers
and ultimately prevent writeoffs.
At a time when cash counts, companies with the foresight to integrate credit management
systems and procedures into their business processes will find themselves first in line when
it comes to being paid, and being paid on time.
Good credit control is consistent, and works to a system of statements, letters, and
telephone calls with legal action as a last resort. Most small companies allocate too little
resource to it, and often it will be the ownermanager who chases payment. This can make
relationships with suppliers difficult, so try to employ a credit controller to do that.
A Credit controller will implement a system of consistent and regular contact with the
customer, and focus on actively building relationships with customers finance departments,
encourage customers to communicate with them about their cash flow situation, keeping
them informed of any problems. At least if you know about them you can deal with them!
Unless you are dealing with your State Department, consider debt protection. It will cover
you if a suppliers business fails, but check prices carefully. Sometimes cost are prohibitive
and outweigh benefits.

Write down your business variable costs and determine your cash flow in a
spreadsheet as the sixth step of your business plan (final exam)
Lesson 8.3: Developing an Executive Summary
Even though the executive summary comes first in a business plan, it is written down once
you have already decided on the product, kind of business and so forth.
http://www.inc.com/guides/2010/09/howtowriteanexecutivesummary.html

Write down your business executive summary as the last step of your business plan
(final exam)
Lesson 8.4: Deciding on a logo

The power of brands, business benchmark upper intermediate pag 31 students book.
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Oral task 5: Business colors, logo and slogan

Using a slides presentation, present your business colors, logo and slogan and explain why
you decided to choose them.
Oral task 6: Market Plan

Present the marketing plan of your business or product including the following as
appropriate:
market entry strategy

new product development strategy
strategic channel alliance
pricing strategy
sales promotion
Additional exercises
From this video you can ask students to do SWOTs on different products or services they
know, or different case studies from brands well known around the world.
Reading Comprehension
Assignment instructions: Reading the following article and complete the tasks below.
CRIME sometimes pays unusual social dividends. In 2010 So Paulos museum of modern
art hosted an exhibition of works that had been seized from a variety of crooks and drug
traffickers. Some of the art had belonged to the founder of a Brazilian bank, Banco Santos,
that had collapsed in 2005. After the banks liquidation Edemar Cid Ferreira lost his art
collection and his home, was convicted of crimes against the national financial system and
moneylaundering, and sentenced to 21 years in jail.
For better or worse, many people would love to see more bankers behind bars for their role
in blowing up the Wests financial system. In Britain not one senior banker has faced criminal
charges relating to the failure of his institution. A handful have faced the lesser sanction of
being barred from running another bank or company, or agreeing in settlements with
regulators not to do so. Policymakers have proposed introducing a rebuttable presumption
that the directors of a failed bank should be automatically barred from running another
unless they could prove they werent at fault.
In America, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation has filed over 40 lawsuits against
officers and directors of failed institutions since 2010 more actions are expected. But
prosecutors have brought few criminal charges against highprofile bankers. The American
government secured its first crisisrelated conviction of a senior banker, a Credit Suisse
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employee charged with mismarking mortgagebacked securities, only in April Kareem

Serageldin will be sentenced in August.
The prosecutorial coyness of British and American authorities contrasts with the harder
charging approach taken by their predecessors and by authorities elsewhere. During
Americas savingsandloans (S&L) crisis in the 1980s more than 800 bankers were jailed. A
decade later directors of Barings, a British bank that was felled by the rogue trader Nick
Leeson, were barred from holding directorships despite having no direct connection to his
wrongdoing. Other countries, such as Iceland and Germany, have taken a more muscular
approach in this crisis (see table).
Some of these differences seem to be down to political will. In America the federal
government dedicated considerable resources to investigating fraud during the S&L crisis.
William Black, a professor at the University of Missouri at Kansas City and a former bank
regulator involved in charging S&L executives, has testified to lawmakers that regulators
have given the FBI scant help during the current crisis.
Iceland managed to assemble a dedicated team of more than 100 investigators who have
won convictions against executives in charge of Glitnir, a failed bank, and are bringing
charges against other highprofile bankers and businessmen, including the bosses of
Icelands other two big banks. In Spain the behaviour of some 90 former bank executives
and board members is under investigation. Dodgy deals with cronies, soft loans for
themselves, allegedly irregular salary and pension packages, inflated golden handshakes
and over generous fees for attending rubberstamp meetings are all being scrutinised.
There are also differences in the laws that can be applied. The main reason that American
and British regulators give for the paucity of prosecutions is that they have struggled to
connect wrongdoing lower down in the bank, such as the LIBOR scandal, to those running it.
Another is that it is generally not illegal to run a bank into the ground through incompetence
(although British and German policymakers are consulting on the introduction of criminal
sanctions for reckless management).
The threshold for getting bankers banged up is lower in some places than others, however.
Germany, Switzerland and Austria, for instance, have an elastic concept called Untreue, or
breach of trust, which is defined as a derogation of duty that causes real damage to the
institution. Since the crisis German prosecutors have charged bankers at firms including
WestLB, BayernLB, HSH Nordbank and Sal Oppenheim on offences including Untreue.
In Brazil, the law is stricter still. It holds banks executives and directors (and even their
controlling shareholders) personally liable to repay the debts of failed banks even where no
fault is proven. The idea is really to put the managements net worth at stake, says Jos
Luiz Homem de Mello of Pinheiro Neto, a So Paulo law firm.
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Yet imposing stricter standards of liability has costs. It would overturn a tradition in English
and American law in which courts avoid secondguessing business decisions that are
honestly made but wrong. Heinrich Honsell, a law professor, sees the use of Untreue
recently in commercial cases as a disturbing phenomenon. Its not right to criminalise
negligent mistakes, he says. Very soon judges will be telling us how to manage risk.
Opponents of the idea of a law against reckless management warn that the effect would be
to discourage risktaking of any sort.
But if locking people up for incompetence goes too far, regulators could still get a lot tougher.
Summary justice isnt desirable. Some justice is.
Source: The Economist. (2013, May 4th). Blind justice: Why have so few bankers gone to jail
for their part in the crisis? Retrieved from http://www.economist.com/news/financeand
economics/21577064whyhavesofewbankersgonejailtheirpartcrisisblindjustice
Tasks:
1. Write a thesis for this article that would best convey its main idea.
2. How have the United States' and Great Britain's responses to bankers involved in the
financial crisis differed from the responses of other countries, such as Germany,
Spain and Iceland? Use specific examples in your answer.
3. Why does the articles suggest that the United States and Great Britain have
responded differently?
4. Paraphrase the article's explanation of Untreue (paragraphs 810).
5. Defined the bolded terms within the context of the article.
Lesson 8.4: Business Letters

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Assignment instructions: The following pages explain how to write a cover letter in
English. Students should read the explanations and ask questions to the professor.
What is a cover letter?

A cover letter is the letter that introduces a potential employee to a potential employer. It
generally makes up part of a package in the job/career application process, along with, inter
alia, a curriculum vitae and an interview. A cover letter provides the opportunity for potential
employees to describe themselves in writing in a much more free way than curriculum vitae.
What is the goal of a cover letter?

The goal of a cover letter is to leave the impression with a potential employer that you are a
qualified and ideally the most qualified candidate for the position being solicited and that
you deserve further consideration, most likely through an interview process. A cover letter
looks to sell the potential employee to the potential employer.
What should a cover letter say?

A cover letter should identify your experience, education, and skills that are most directly
related to the position being solicited. A cover letter will be a more personal statement of
items covered by a curriculum vitae. Only the most important and relevant items of your
curriculum vitae should be the foundation of your cover letter.
Important characteristics of cover letters

Cover letters should be written and tailored specifically for the position being applied
for. You should not have a one size fits all cover letter that is overly general.
Employers want to think that you took the time to write a cover letter specifically for
the position that you are applying for.
Cover letters need to be concise. The general rule is that a
cover letter should be no more than one page, single spaced.

Cover letters should be formatted like a letter. It should have your name and address
at the top, as well as the date and the name and address of the potential employer. It
should begin with Dear (name) or To Whom It May Concern, if the name of the
potential employer is not known.
Cover letters must state what position is being applied for.
Cover letters should state your motivation. (Why do you want to work in this particular
position for this particular company?) Your motivation should be more inspiring than
simply money and benefits. Specific experience is generally a good motivation.
Cover letters should convey why you are an appropriate candidate for a particular
position. This may include anecdotal evidence of your experience. A cover letter is
much like a short argumentative essay, with your thesis being why I am the best
candidate for the job and your evidence being your education and personal
experience.
Cover letters should describe your education. Here you want to say how what you
have learned through a formal education has prepared you for a particular position.
You may want to talk about some specific courses that you have taken that have
taught you relevant knowledge and/or skills.
Cover letters should describe your work experience. Here you want to say how your past
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work experience has prepared you for a particular position. You may want to talk about past
positions or internships that you have held that demonstrate your dedication and work ethic
(particularly positions held for a significant period of time), or relevant knowledge and skills
(particularly in closely related fields to the position being applied for). If you lack work
experience, then you may use anecdotal evidence, such as a story of a life experience that
made you a better person.
Cover letters should be generally three to five paragraphs long, which are well
structured on the basis of the above themes. They should begin with an introduction
paragraph (perhaps describing your motivation), followed by a few paragraphs of
evidence (perhaps one on education and one on work experience), and end with a
concluding paragraph (perhaps arguing why all of this makes you an ideal
candidate).
Cover letters can use informal pronouns (i.e. the first person). Nevertheless, this sort
of language should be used at an absolute minimum. You should not begin every
sentence with I.
Model Cover Letter
Your Present Address City, State, Zip Code

Date
Mr./Ms. Name of Individual Job Title of Individual Company or Organization Name Street
Address or P.O. Box Number City, State, Zip Code
Dear Mr./Ms./Dr.________________:
The first paragraph indicates why you are writing. State the position you are applying for and
how you learned of it. Emphasize what you offer to the employer related to the position you
are seeking (not what they can do for you).
The middle paragraphs highlight the most significant information the employer will find when
they read your resume. Briefly state your qualifications. Describe your education, highlighting
your specialized training, related courses, and class projects.
Describe your work experience, activities, and skills which are related to the job you are
seeking. Provide specific examples of accomplishments and situations where you
demonstrated job related skills. You may also add information about your experiences or
personal work characteristics not listed on your resume.
Summarize your qualifications and interest in the employer. Close the letter with an
appropriate request for action. (Ask the employer to contact you and provide your phone
number, OR indicate when you will contact them to arrange a mutually convenient time to
meet.) Thank the employer for their consideration.
Sincerely,
(Your signature in ink)
Printed Name
Useful link
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Here is a short video about 5 tips to write cover letters:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Drg4x9dsFU
Here is a link that shows the worst cover letters they have received. It could be an
interesting tool.http://www.businessinsider.com/worstcoverletters201110?op=1
Writing Portfolio Task:

Students will be sent a real job application (teachers can find positions online.e.g.
http://www.graduatejobs.com/degree/businessandmanagement ) for a professional position.
They are to write an appropriate cover letter for this position, using all the skills and formats
learnt in this unit. Between 150 and 200 words.
Resume or Curriculum Vitae
Assignment instructions: The following pages explain how to write a curriculum vitae
in English. Students should read the explanations and fill in the CLUE PUZZLE below
to find the hidden word.
What are curriculum vitae?

A curriculum vitae (CV), or rsum, is essentially an outline of an individual's educational
background and work experience. A CV is more flexible than a cover letter because it gives
general information that should be applicable to a variety of potential employers. A CV is a
common part of the job/career application process in North America. Potential employers
may have hundreds or thousands of applicants for one or a few available positions, so it is
important to have a strong CV and cover letter to stand out.
How do you write curriculum vitae?

There is no single best way to write curriculum vitae, but there are a number of important
characteristics and useful models.
Characteristics of curriculum vitae:

CV must include the individual's contact information, which should generally be at the
top of the CV. This should include, inter alia, full name, phone number(s), email
address(es) and complete mailing address.
CV may also include the individual's personal information, which should generally be
at the top of the CV. This may include, inter alia, date of birth, place of birth and/or
identification.
CV may include a short personal profile, which provides a selfassessment of the
individual's best skills. It is best for personal profiles to be written in the 3 rd person
and not in complete sentences. For example: A highly ambitious and intelligent
person.
CV may include a short list of objectives or motivations for employment. However,
this may be more suitable in a cover letter.
CV must include information on the individual's educational background. This should
be a list of degree titles and certificates that the individual has received, or is
currently working on. If the individual is currently working towards the completion of a
degree, then the expected date of graduation should be indicated. CV should have a
section dedicated to education that is indicated by a header (e.g. Education or
Educational Background). This should be one of the first sections of the CV.
CV must include information on the individuals work experience. This should include
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information on the title of the position, the employer, the timeframe and the roles and
responsibilities. If young professionals lack official work experience, then they should include
other related experience, such as internships, volunteer work, or individual projects.
CV may also include a section of other relevant information and/or skills, such as an
individual's knowledge of foreign languages, computer and technology skills,
interests and personal achievements, or academic awards, scholarships and honours
earned.
CV should make use of titles and headers for the top of the CV and for different sections.
CV should include a references section. This should include two or three people that
can confirm the good working skills of the individuals. All necessary contact
information of the references should be provided, including name, telephone
number(s), email address(es) and complete mailing address. References should be
selected on the basis of their relationship to the individual. Previous employers or
professors make good references friends and family members are not credible
references.
CV are generally written like a timeline, beginning with the most recent information
followed sequentially by older information.
CV should not embellish the truth about the individual's merits or falsify credentials.
The individual should be able to provide evidence of their qualifications, whether by
official documents or referee testimony.
What makes curriculum vitae great?

It is targeted for the specific job/career that an individual is applying for. Again, this is
more the role of a cover letter, but can be useful in a CV as well.
It is clearly laid out, with a logical flow. This should entail the use of titles and headers
for all sections.
It provides an informative and detailed outline of an individual's qualifications, while
at the same time remaining concise. It should neither leave out important items, nor
be crowded with insignificant details.
It should be one page at the minimum and two pages at the maximum.
It is accurate.
There are no spelling or grammar mistakes.
There is good use of fonts (such as bold, italics and/or underlined sections or statements),
but don't go overboard!
All education and work experience information is dated, with a year or year/month clearly
indicated.
Other tips:
Do not complete a CV in writing it should be typed!
Set your spell checker to UK English.
Do not misspell the name of the potential employer or company.
Do not try to be informal or amusing. Save creativity for your cover letter.
Do not begin sentences with lower case letters.
Avoid personal pronouns, such as I. It is best to write a CV in the 3rd person.
Source:
University of Kenet. (n.d.) How to Write a Successful CV. Retrieved from
<http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/cv.htm>
122
Letters to Request Information/Petition
They are a kind of transactional letters. They are formal or informal in style as it depends on
the audience.They consist of
Greeting: (Dear Mr. Jones)
Introduction: (The purpose of the letter)
Main body: (Important facts / Information required)
Conclusion: (A suitable ending)
Closing: (According to the opening)
Read the following statements about a letter of request and then write T (true) F (false) next
to the given sentences.
1. In a letter of request you include the name and title of the person you are writing to
(........... )
2. If you begin a letter: Dear Sir, you finish it with best wishes (........... )
3. You use contractions and connectives in formal letters of request (........... )
4. In a letter of request you can begin the letter with Dear + the addressees title for
example, Dear Secretary, (........... )
5. Letters of request can be formal or informal (........... )
123
Assignment Instructions: Correct the mistakes if needed. Use the spaces provided.
1.Dear Miss Helen Jackson, ..
2. Dear Sir Stevens, ..
3. Dear Gill, ..
Yours love, ..
4. Dear Madam Sutton, ..
5. Dear Mr. Stratton, ..

Best wishes, ..
6. Dear Miss Laura, ..

Lots of love, ..
7. Dear Mr. Main, ..

Yours sincerely, ..
8. Faithfully yours, ..
9. Dear Mrs. Spielberg, ..

Yours faithfully, ..
10. Fred, ..
Yours faithfully, ..
INDIRECT QUESTIONS IN LETTERS OF REQUEST
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XakBbLdyWt8
Exercises on indirect questions
http://www.engvid.com/conversationalenglishembeddedquestions/#quiz
Letter of Petition/Appeal Letter
(http://manoa.hawaii.edu/ombuds/hints011.htm)
Writing an Effective Petition Letter

124
Format
The elements of a typical business letter are the following:
date
name and address of person to whom you are writing
subject line
salutation
body of letter (the message)
complimentary closing
signature line (be sure to sign your letter)
name and contact information of sender
list of enclosures) (e.g., documentation, receipts, copies of earlier correspondence,
etc.) and names of other persons receiving a copy of your letter.
Content & Tone
While the appearance of a letter is important, the content and tone will determine whether
the letter really does its job. Review any relevant policy and pay particular attention to what
the decision maker needs to know to consider an appeal or request. That information should
be included in your letter. Leaving out essential information may delay a response or even
result in your appeal or request being denied.
Opening Statement
The first sentence or two should state the purpose of the letter clearly:
"I am writing to appeal the disciplinary sanctions arising from my alleged involvement in the
bonfire party that took place in the dorm courtyard on Friday, October 23 . . ."
"I am writing to request that the requirement of Course 123 for the X major be waived in view
of my work on an independent research project (Course 499) directed by Professor
Wilkinson last quarter . . ."
Be Factual
Include factual detail but avoid dramatizing the situation:
"In late October I was diagnosed with tonsillitis. I was sick for over a week and missed most
of my midterm exams."
(not "In late October after feeling really sick for a few days, I finally dragged myself to
Student Health . . .")
Be Specific
If an appeal or request depends on particular facts which the decision maker will want to
verify, be specific:
"I missed the midterm on January 23, because I flew to Seattle on January 19 for my
grandfather's funeral and returned on January 26. I enclose the airline receipt and can
provide further corroboration if that would be helpful."
(not "I had to attend to family business out of town, so I missed the test . . .")
125
Stick To The Point
Don't clutter your letter with information or requests that have no essential connection to the
main message.
(not "I am writing to request a meeting to discuss my term paper. I was born in Ohio and
attended high school in the State of Washington, where my family moved when I was 6 . . .")
Don't Be Manipulative
Threatening, cajoling, begging, pleading, flattering, and making extravagant promises are
manipulative and are usually ineffective. In fact, they may alienate the reader.
(not "It will kill my aging mother, who has been in poor health for years, to learn that you
have barred me from enrolling for the next year. I have always admired you. If you give me a
chance to enroll next quarter, I promise to work really hard, get rich, and donate a million
dollars to the university . . .")
How To Talk About Feelings
It is tempting to overstate the case when something is important to us. When feelings are a
legitimate part of a message, own the feeling and state it as a fact:
"When I saw my grade, I was very disappointed."
(not "When I learned you had given me an F in your class, I realized my life was ruined . . .")
Be Brief
It is more work to write a good short letter than a long one. Busy decision makers appreciate
the extra effort.
Avoid Errors
A letter will make a better impression if it is typed, free of spelling and grammar mistakes,
free of slang, and enclosed in the right size of envelope.
However, it is much more important to MEET DEADLINES and state the purpose clearly
than to submit a letter which is completely errorfree.
Petition for action Letters (http://www.samplelettersworld.com/sampleletters/requisition

letters/3240requestgovernmentserviceoractionsampleletter3)
Sender's Name]
[Address line 1]
[Address line 2]
[State, ZIP Code]
[Letter Date]
126
[Recipient's Name]
[Address line 1]
[Address line 2]
[State, ZIP Code]
[Subject: Normally bold, summarizes the intention of the letter] Optional
Dear [Recipient's Name],
These past few years, homeless individuals sleeping at Golden View Park have increased
by leaps and bounds. On a given night, one can see around ten to twelve homeless
individuals sleeping on the benches or even under the trees. What is worse is that the
restrooms at the park are locked at night, and these homeless people have no toilet to use.
In view of this, I am presenting you a petition signed by over 300 residents asking the city to
place and maintain a temporary toilet at the park. Without a doubt, this is not the answer to
our city's problem with homeless individuals, but this will lessen the sanitation problem that
afflicts our park. You will clearly see that this request is logical and we believe that this can
be implemented until we can properly and fairly address the issue of homelessness in
Gluckwood.
Sincerely,
[Sender's Name]
[Sender's Title] Optional
[Enclosures: number] Optional
cc: [Name of copy recipient] Optional
Express thanks: Thank you for giving me this opportunity. I would like to know about the job
timings? Is there overtime allowance? What is the salary scale for this job?
See the following link
Source:
http://macademic.org/2011/06/08/neverendyouremailwiththanksinadvance/
Writing Portfolio Task:
Students are to write a petition letter to the UDLA University Dean. The format must be
formal and the information must be portrayed in an appropriate manner. The letter should be
23 paragraphs and between 100 and 150 words.
Oral Task 6
127
Job interview
Students will complete a job interview simulation in one of two ways: (1) Students will
prepare a job interview simulation in pairs, with one student acting as the interviewer and
one student as the interviewee, or (2) The professor will interview each student individually.
Students will be assessed on the basis of their English speaking skills and the quality of their
interview skills.
Assignment instructions: Students are to read the text given and answer the
questions based on their own qualifications and experience, if any. They are given
some time to prepare their answers. When done, the instructor has students choose
two or three questions to be answered.
Additional resources
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2IDGXX5YY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kp5uHN__110
10 MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS IN A JOB INTERVIEW
1. Tell me about yourself

You are expected to give information related to previous education, work experience and/or
personal qualities: My name is I have done I have 2 / 3 years of experience.
2. Why should we hire you?
Think of reason why you are important for the company you are applying for. I found that my
skills are matching your requirements: I can showcase my technical skills to contribute to the
company growth.
3. What do you consider your greatest strength?
Think of a word that describes you well: Adaptability, hard work, honesty, self motivation,
persistence, learn quickly
4. May I ask what your greatest weakness is?
straightforward, I trust people quickly, sensitive,
impatient
5. Why do you want to work here?
Gain experience, do something related to your career/personal growth, financial growth
6. Could you tell me why you left your last job?
I am thankful to my previous organization but ...Schedule, no opportunities for promotion,
etc.
7. What is your greatest accomplishment?
Think of something you feel proud of
8. Describe a difficult work situation you had and how you overcome it.
If nothing, the most important thing is to tackle the problem and find a solution for it.
9. Where do you see yourself in five years?
Never say you want to be a CEO (chief executive officer) unless you are applying for that
position. My long term goal is to be in respectable position in the organization
10. Do you have any questions for me?
128
Writing Task:
Write a mini essay about your experience with this English class, from beginning to now.
Suggested topics to include:
What you learnt

Likes
Dislikes
What you wanted to learn
Was it what you expected?
150 words.
ORAL EXAM 3
PROJECT FINAL PRESENTATION PUBLIC SPEAKING tips
Whether you're talking to a small group of people or speaking to a large audience, you want
to be sure your speech is memorable and enjoyable. Follow these five easy tips to help
ensure your speech delivers:
Be prepared. Your audience is giving you their time and consideration, so rehearse
enough to be confident you'll leave a good impression.
Start strong. Begin your speech with a powerful opening that will grab your
audience's attention, such as a startling fact or statistic, an interesting story or a
funny joke.
Be conversational. Avoid reading your speech word for word. Instead, refer to notes
or points from an outline to help your speech have a more freeflowing, conversational
tone.
Speak with passion. If you're truly invested in what you're saying, you'll be better
able to keep your audience's attention.
Be patient. It's easy to get frustrated if you make a mistake. But remember that
public speaking is not easy and it takes time to hone your skills. Keep practicing and
you will reach your goals.
129

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1

UNIVERSIDAD DE LAS AMRICAS

ARB700 COURSE BOOK:

ACADEMIC READING & WRITING

EXPLANATION OF THE COURSEBOOK

UNIT 1: THE ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY

Lesson 1.1: Responding to Opinion

The three harbingers of the apocalypse

The shadow over Europe

1. Define the bolded terms within the context of the article.

2. Summarize the article's main ideas and arguments.

3. Paraphrase the third paragraph of the article in your own words.

5. Write an opinion paragraph about the topic in 120150 words.

Nuclear Power in Japan

Lesson 1.2: Argumentative Research Essay

Should examinations be banned?

Additional resources on Connectors:

Example Argumentative Research Essay

The question should be polemicalmeaning that it should be debatable and controversial.

Topic: The costs and benefits of nationalism.

Evidence: The wars between European nations from 1789 to 1945.

2nd (Supporting) Argument: Nationalism can be a unifying force within a country

Evidence: Canada is a multicultural country, which could conceivably be at high risk

Brainstorming Argumentative Essay Topics

Two supporting arguments

EUUS free trade agreement risks undermining democracy

TTIP represents an empowerment of corporations against the interest of citizens,

1. Define the words in bold

2. Summarize the text in an only paragraph.

Businesses 'must be freed from the shackles of burdensome regulation'

About the author

1. Define the words in bold

2. Summarize the text in an only paragraph.

3. Write a thesis statement based on both readings

4. Structure the outline of an argumentative essay on Free trade agreements

Examples and details.

Lesson 1.3 Speculating about the future: possibility and probability

Definitely, probably and others

Degree of chance In the next 10 years...

75% computers will probably get much smaller.

Likely to, certain to

I think, I doubt, etc.

High probability Im quite sure that .

Im confident that ...

The chances are that .

I shouldnt think that .

I doubt very much whether ...

Definitely, maybe, probably

1. Will interest rates fall in the Eurozone countries?

1. Maybe interest rates will fall in the Eurozone countries.

UNIT 2: PUNCTUATION, PARAPHRASING & SUMMARIZING

Lesson 2.1: Listening Comprehension

23. What is said about the ownership of Jenkins?

A. The founder has sold the company to someone else.

A. The retailers are becoming less willing to pay their prices.

A. It has several longterm contracts.

A. The machinery is inadequate for current requirements.

28. When working to produce a batch of clothes

A. Each team is responsible for a particular operation.