ANGLAIS BTS 2000

I- COMPREHENSION

Read the passage below and answer the questions which follow it.

Too many American companies regard the factory as just another cost centre. Plants and the
people who run them usually play supporting roles, seldom hearing ; loud applause from headquarters.
But for a few right-thinking businesses, the factory is becoming the star.
Take for example, caterpillar. Earlier this year caterpillar was reorganised into 13 profit centres
based in the plants. At first, it intended to move only its design engineers to the plants to work closely
with the production people. But it thought otherwise and decided to involve the whole team working
together. So marketing and pricing folks had to be moved into the plants and, where there wasn’t enough
room, to new adjacent offices.
Standing room-only crowds at a factory ? It is hard to believe. But other companies would do
well to emulate caterpillar’s lead. Amid all the heroic fits performed by U.S corporation to become more
competitive in the last decade-improving quality empowering workers, revolutionising cultures-ones
ingredient was missing : they did not pay enough attention to manufacturing, to the nuts and bolts of
making things, US industry remain the biggest and most productive machine in the world. But it need a
good overhaul. Throughout the 1980’s manufacturing productivity grew much faster in Japan than in the
latest fortune 500 ceo pol, 64 % of ceo cite manufacturing as Japan’s strongest competitive advantage.
Large manufacturers are up against plenty of problems they cannot do much about : schools that
produce sub-literate workers, a budget deficit that makes borrowing expensive, a fallen yen that lowers
the price of Japanese exports. But the management of caterpillar have aimed their heavy machinery at one
problem they can fix : the management of manufacturing. Academics, consultants, and executives agree
the US industry must focus on three key aspects of manufacturing : people, process, and design.

Questions
1- What do Americans think about a factory ?
2- Why did caterpillar move its design engineers to the plants?
3- While companies were not paying much attention to manufacturing in which areas were they
making progress ?
4- Which problems can manufacturers do little about ?

II- GRAMMAR

Turn the verbs in brackets in the appropriate verb forms, following instructions
where necessary.

When I finish working, I (to go)..................to a chicken parlour with my friends and we (to
eat).............and (to drink)...............for hours ; but for the time being, I (to be “obligation”) (to
sort).................out this pile of files. I (to finish : “obligation”) ...................before 7 pm. After this hard
work, I (to take)...................my revenge on bottles of beer and my friends) (to be) ............surprised.
At this moment, they too (to work) .................in their offices, but they (to stop)................(to
work)...............soon. It’s (to go).................(to be)...................hectic tonight. I (not to eat)
.................anything before (to reach)....................the chicken parlour. Where we (to go)...................
after the chicken parlour ? We (to move).................to a night-club or to the cinema ? Look I (to
dream).....................and time (to run) ....................out very fast. I (not to be)..................ready on time.

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III- VOCABULARY

Choose the correct meaning of the following words and expressions.

1- Revenues soared
a) Revenues went slowly down
b) Revenues stagnated
c) Revenues went up fast
2- Happy-go-lucky
a) Unrestricted
b) Constructive
c) Reasonably optimistic
3- To cope with
a) To negociate
b) To adjust to
c) To survey
4- Thriving
a) prosperous
b) comfortable
c) generous
5- A vacuum cleaner
a) Used for storing information
b) Used for cleaning carpets
c) Used for cutting grass

IV- TRANSLATION

Translate into French

Your market is huge, gentlemen. Huge because it is composed of different sub-markets with
different geographical characteristics. As I see it, there is some competition here. You have got
national as well as foreign firms. And you are quite aware that standards and rules vary from one
place to another.

Translate into English

1- Si j’étais mécontent de mes conditions de travail, j’en parlerais d’abord au syndicat.
2- Le conflit n’aurait pas eu lieu si la direction avait accepté de négocier.
3- Beaucoup de parents camerounais n’ont pas les moyens d’envoyer leurs enfants dans une
université.
4- L’union fait la force.

V- ESSAY

Write an essay of about 35 words on one of the following subjects

1- How can companies encourage their employees not to cheat ?

2- Is it possible to combine a career and a family life?
3- “Managers must show more interest for people that work for them” Discuss.
4- You are the Sales Manager of Sodecoton, 1186 Ahmadou Ahidjo Avenue, Garoua, PO
BOX 198 Garoua, Republic of Cameroun. Write to the purchase Manager of CICAM,
Douala 1385 Charles de Gaule Avenue PO BOX 18 888 Douala, Republic of Cameroon,
apologising for not being able to meet the deadline of supply of that firm. Give reasons for
this failure. Your name is Peter Bright.
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