University of Economics, HCMC Paper Code: SPECIMEN TEST HP4

English Language Division

Exam in English for Business Communication (75 minutes)

Read the instruction carefully. RECORD your answers on your answer sheets.
Section 1: Language knowledge (40 marks)
I. Select and fill in each blank in the passage below with ONE suitable word.
Many of the products (1) _________ people in the Northern hemisphere depend on – (2) __________ as coffee, tea,
and chocolate – are (3)___________ in the warmer climates of the South. The prices consumers pay (4) _________
these commodities have not risen in real terms over the last 40 years, (5) _________ the value of fertilizers,
pesticide, machinery, and equipment (6) __________ from richer countries has increased (7) ___________. On top

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of this, the market price of commodities frequently drops below the cost of producing them. (8) __________ a result
of this imbalance, (9) ________ of the people who grow these crops now have to work harder and longer for less
money. They are often isolated, and not in a position to negotiate when selling their (10) __________.

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1 (A) in which (B) that (C) where (D) when

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2 (A) as far (B) as long (C) such (D) as well
3 (A) produced (B) proved (C) probated (D) proceeded

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4 (A) in (B) for (C) with (D) to
5 (A) however (B) so (C) consequently (D) but

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6 (A) exported (B) dispatched (C) imported (D) sold
7 (A) substantially (B) perfectly (C) completely (D) approximately
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9
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(A)
(A)
(A)
from
much
produce
(B)
(B)
(B)
in
many
production
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(C)
(C)
with
amount
producing
(D)
(D)
(D)
as
almost
productive
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II. Choose the best answer
11. If the division head had not resigned last month, our 18. The decision of the city planners ____________ the
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company probably________ its sales record. opinion of the citizens.

A. would break C. would have broken A. refers C. reflexes
B. had been breaking D. will have broken B. reflects D. reacts
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12. The director_________ he was in a hurry. 19. The National Executive is expected to ___________
He_______ me to ask his deputy. these recommendations.
A. told/said C. tell/say A. strive C. dominate
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B. said/told D. say/talk B. endorse D. renovate

13.If we ________ our order, they would give us a 20. They _________ a large drop in unemployment over
bigger discount. the next two years.
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A. will increase C. could increase A. campaign C. forecast

B. increased D. increases B. motivate D. create
14. Managers should be prepared to________ 21. City Insurance _________ the market into three by
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responsibilities to their employees whenever possible. issuing three types of policy.

A. delegate C. hand A. ranks C. ranges
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B. send D. listen B. modernizes D. segments

15. I would be very surprised why you______________ 22. The hospital has already ______ on its drugs budget.
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any of those complaints yourself. A. overspent C. overspending

A. hear C. heard B. been overspent D. to overspend
B. hadn’t heard D. don’t hear 23. Introducing technology to use in our stereos is
16. Although the solution was obvious, it had never been ________than developing our own technology.
______________ . A. cheap C. cheaper
A. proposed C. suggesting B. cheapest D. cheaply
B. proposing D. imposed 24. The majority of the town’s_________ agreed to
17. It has been _____________ that last month’s storm expand the business district to include Western Avenue.
damage will cost insurance companies $500 million. A. populate C. population
A. sponsored C. invested B. popularity D. populous
B. estimated D. boosted

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25. The manager made an___________ estimation of the 33. The company president has __________ denied the
number of items produced on the assembly line each rumors.
day. A. consistently C. consistent
A. exact C. exactness B. consisted D. consistency
B. exactly D. exacting 34. A good manager should respond_________ to his
26. She always has good ideas and easily finds solutions employees’ concerns promptly.
to problems. She is a very______ person. A. to C. with
A. emotional C. creative B. in D. for
B. formal D. patient 35. Next year, our agent in Shanghai will be in
27. The financial resources we have available for charge_______ distributing our products throughout
expanding the factory facilities are ______limited. China.
A. extremes C. extremity A. for C. by

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B. extreme D. extremely B. of D. from
28. We’re still waiting for someone ______ the customer 36. Members of the sales department will start calling
service department to respond to our complaint. clients________ the rest of the staff plans the event.

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A. with C. towards A. whether C. from
B. upon D. from B. during D. while

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29. Changes in last quarter’s _______________ process 37. For such a large building project, you’ll need to take
were criticized at first. out a massive loan to raise the necessary_______.

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A. budgeted C. budgetary A. assistance C. timeline
B. budgeters D. budget’s B. institution D. capital

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30. Most analysts agree that __________ operation is the 38. Though________ lasted more than a year,
key to succeeding in the rapidly changing global employees still have not finished preparing for the
marketplace.
A. efficiency
B. efficiently
C. effect
D. efficient
mmerger with MT&L, Inc.
A. expenditures
B. prospects
C. negotiations
D. alterations
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31. The job I've been offered is ___________ attractive, 39. Initial ______________ for the project was not
but I think I might find it boring after a while. followed by later public acceptance.
A. superficially C. superficial A. enthusiastic C. enthusiasm
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B. superb D. superficiality B. enthusiast D. enthusiastically

32. This world-famous agency specializes in providing 40. It was an unpopular policy and caused a number of
the ideas, methods and tools to help organizations _____________ within the party.
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___________ improve their performance. A. responds C. profiles

A. radical C. radically B. conflicts D. agents
B. radiant D. radiantly
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Section 2: Language use (60 marks)

I. Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.
SHARES FALLS AS BskyB PLANS FOR LONG TERM
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British Sky Broadcasting saw more than £2bn ($3.6bn) wiped off its market value on Wednesday after Europe’s
largest pay-television group outlined growth plans. Investors took fright at proposals to increase marketing and
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infrastructure investment to attract customers to the pay-TV market and the pressure this puts on the company’s
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short-term profitability. The share fell 19 percent, or 114p, to a two-year low of 448p.
James Murdoch, BskyB’s Chief Executive, said “a short term fall in operating margin” was expected in 2006,
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with significant growth from 2007 onwards. “There will be a reduction in terms of margin in the short term because
of the increased volume of subscribers coming in those years,” he added.
Some analysts’ fears that growth was running out of steam under the existing business model were worsened by
yesterday’s disappointing news that just 81,000 new subscribers were added in the final quarter of last year to 7.4m.
But Mr. Murdoch said BskyB was on track to meet its target of 8m subscribers by the end of 2005. He also set out a
new target of 10m subscribers by 2010. Although £25m will be spent on advertising and a further £450 would be
invested in its infrastructure over four years.

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 Pre-tax profit almost quadrupled to £480m in the year to June 30, compared with £122 the previous year. Group
turnover was £3.66bn, up from £3.19bn in 2003. The full year dividend was 6p, payable from earnings per share of
15.5p, up from 9.6p. BskyB expected the penetration of pay television to reach 80 percent of UK households in the
long term, compared with 43 percent at the end of this period.
It is believed that it would benefit from increasing take-up of pay television as younger customers arrive on the
market, and by technological advances. Mr. Murdoch said: “As a management team you have to be focused on the
long term, on creating real, durable value…we’ve only scratched the surface here. This is especially a business that
has its best year ahead.”

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Choose the best answer
1. Which statement is NOT TRUE?

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A. Its market value- the total current value of BskyB’s shares- is now £2 billion.

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B. BskyB’s share price has fallen.
C. The share fell 19%.

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D. There were under 100,000 new subscribers in the last quarter of last term.

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2. James Murdoch thinks……
A. The number of new subscribers will continue to rise in the long term.

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B. BskyB will spend £25bn on advertising in the next few years.
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C. A further £450 would be invested in its human resources development over four years.
D. The company did not expect that happened.
3. Which statement is TRUE?
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A. BskyB had turnover of below £3bn and already reaches 80% of UK homes.
B. BskyB had turnover of £3.66bn and will reach 43% of the UK homes.
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C. BskyB had turnover of £3.66bn and will reach 80% of the UK homes.
D. BskyB had turnover of below £3.19bn and already reaches 80% of UK homes
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What does each of the following underlined words/ phrases refer to?
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4. Investors took fright at proposals to increase marketing and infrastructure investment to attract customers to the
pay-TV market and the pressure this puts on the company’s short-term profitability. (Paragraph 1)
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5. It is believed that it would benefit from increasing take-up of pay television as younger customers arrive on the
market, and by technological advances (Paragraph 5)
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Which words / phrases in the passage mean the following?

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6. a person who pays to receive a service

7. the basic systems and services that are necessary for a country or an organization to run smoothly, for example
buildings, transport and water and power supplies
8. the act or process of making a way into or through something
Fill in the blank with ONE suitable word from the passage. Put it in its correct form or tense if necessary.
9. His ……………………… that the system should be changed was rejected.
10. Cigarettes ……………………… has been banned.

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II. WRITING: You are working as the Sales Manager of a beverage company. Last month, the company’s sales
were below target. You had a meeting with the sales representatives to decide what actions to take in order to
increase sales. Study the following notes about the actions agreed on in the meeting with their effects and write the
Recommendations section of a report to the CEO.

Actions to be taken Effects

Distribute free samples to customers Increase words of mouth for our products.
Listen to customers Understand and meet their needs and wants
Reward our top salespersons with vacation days or Give our sales staff a greater incentive to perform their tasks
monetary awards at a higher level than ever

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Your writing should begin like this:
RECOMMENDATIONS

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To increase sales, we have agreed on the following three points.
Firstly, _______________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

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_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

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III. LISTENING: (20 marks)

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PART ONE: Listen to the conversations and choose the best answer to each question
Conversation1: Questions 1 – 3
1. When will John arrive? m
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A. Noon C. 2:00
B. 2:15 D. 2:50
2. How long has he been gone?
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A. Four days C. Two weeks

B. Three weeks D. One month
3. Where will the woman take him?
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A. The train station C. The airport

B. The office D. Home
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Conversation2: Questions 4 – 5
4. Who are the speakers waiting for?
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A. A taxi cab driver C. A pilot

B. A train conductor D. A newspaper delivery person
5. What did the man just do?
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A. He played a ball game. C. He arrived at the airport.

B. He wrote an editorial. D. He made a phone call.
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PART TWO: Listen to a weather report and complete the notes

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 A severe (6) _________ moving into area, beginning before midnight, continue most of
tomorrow, end early tomorrow evening;
 Expected total snowfall of (7) _________ centimeters;
 Wednesday will be (8) _________ but very cold;
 Cold weather expected to last until the end of the month if not (9)_________ through next
month;
 No signs of spring until mid-April despite a (10) _________ than average winter last year.
THE END

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KEY TO SPECIMEN TEST HP4
SECTION I
I. CLOZE
1. (B) that 2. (C) such 3. (A) produced |4. (B) for 5. (D) but
6. (D) imported 7. (A) substantially 8. (D) As 9. (B) many 10. (A) produce

II. GRAMMAR & VOC. 4.1

11 C would have broken 21 D segments 31 A superficially
12 B said / told 22 A overspent 32 C radically
13 B increased 23 C cheaper 33 A consistently
14 A delegate 24 C population 34 A to

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15 B hadn’t heard 25 A exact 35 B of
16 A proposed 26 C creative 36 D while

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17 B estimated 27 D extremely 37 D capital
18 B reflects 28 D from 38 C negotiations

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19 B endorse 29 C budgetary 39 C enthusiasm
20 C forecast 30 D efficient 40 B conflicts

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SECTION 2

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I. READING
1 A 2 A 3 C
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4. to increase marketing and infrastructure investment (to attract customers to the pay-TV market)
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5. BskyB
6 subscriber 7 infrastructure 8 penetration 9 proposal 10 advertising
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II. WRITING
Suggested Answers
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To increase sales, we have agreed on the following three points.

Firstly, our company should distribute (2.5m) free samples to customers. This will help
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increase (2.5m) words of mouth for our products.

Secondly / Next (2.5m), we should listen (2.5m) to customers in order to understand (2.5m)
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and meet their needs and wants.

Thirdly/ Finally (2.5m), we should reward (2.5m) our top salespersons with vacation days or
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monetary awards. In this way, we can give (2.5m) our sales staff a greater incentive to
perform their tasks at a higher level than ever.
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III. LISTENING
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Part one:
1 B 2 C 3 B 4 A 5 D

Part two:
6 snowstorm 7 30/thirty 8 sunny 9 halfway 10 milder