Business Partner B2 Extra activities

UNIT 8 Change
Lesson 8.1 Change at Brompton Bikes

VIDEO A 8.1.1 Watch the last part of the video again (3:08–4:18) and complete what the
speakers say. Use one to four words in each gap.
G: We only lost two days 1 for each of the
departments as we moved them. And in personnel terms, we lost approximately
2
out of the total 230.
T: … I had to 3 with my parents, which reduced the
journey time by quite a bit, so now it takes me around 4
to cycle, or even 40 minutes part by bicycle, part by bus.
G: So we’ve been at the new site for 18 months and people have adapted well to this new
location.
T: The working conditions on the new site are much better. It’s 5 ,
there are a lot more windows, which actually makes it a much nicer view altogether. We have
a6 where everyone can sit together and have lunch.
And, as a whole, there’s just 7 .
G: One of the 8 of moving to the new factory site is
that we’ve now got all our employees working on one 9
and the morale of the staff has 10 as a result.

Vocabulary B Complete the table with the correct word forms.

Verb Noun Adjective

1
adaptation, adaptability 2
,
benefit 3
beneficial
4
engagement engaged
improve 5
improved
6
implementation implemented
7
measure(s), measurement measured
plan plan(s), 8 planned
9
risk(s) risky
succeed success(es) 10

C Match the definitions with words in the table in Exercise B.

1 get involved with other people and their ideas in order to understand them
2 the act of making something better or the state of being improved
3 an advantage, improvement, or help that you get from something
4 an action or step, especially an official one, that is intended to deal with a particular problem
5 when you achieve what you want or intend 
6 do something that you know may have dangerous or unpleasant results
7 able to change in order to be successful in new and different situations
8 take action or make changes that you have officially decided should happen

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UNIT 8 Change
Lesson 8.2 Managing change

Listening A 8.03 Complete the summaries using the words and phrases in the boxes. Listen
to the recording again if necessary.
Ethan

changing departments cope with get on with got upset smooth transition

Ethan doesn’t adapt well to change. He 1
was leaving. The company said it would be a 2
told staff that they just had to 3
same pay. He says he‘s finding it difficult to 4
looking for a new job or 5 .
at work when his boss told him she
but they didn’t replace her and
it. Ethan had to take on more work for the
the change and is thinking of

Pranali

comfort zone flexible good at adapting support stressful

Pranali says that her friends tell her she’s very 1 and is 2 to
change. However, she found it very 3 when she was made redundant because
she had just got a mortgage. Her friend suggested that she left her 4 and did
something different. Pranali then set up her own business. Now she’s very happy, although
she says she wouldn’t have been able to do it if she hadn’t had the 5 of her
family and friends.

Boon Tek

be informed change for the better consulted move planned well relocation

Boon Tek’s university needed to 1 laboratories and relocate to another city.

He’s annoyed because management hadn’t 2 them about the 3 .
Boon Tek says it’s extremely important to have a shared purpose and for everyone to
4
of any changes. He says, all in all, it was a 5 , although it wasn’t
6
and it wasn’t an easy transition.

Leticia

part-time product manager purpose retirement retrain stress

Leticia thought she would enjoy her early 1 but she missed working as a
2
and many of her friends were still in work. Her husband, Juan, suggested
going back to work, but she decided to 3 and become a tai-chi instructor.
Leticia wants to help people cope with 4 . It has been a positive change and
Juan says it’s given her a new 5 in life. Her 6 job means she also
has time to help look after their grandchildren.

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Business Partner B2 Extra activities

UNIT 8 Change
Lesson 8.2 Managing change

Grammar B Choose the correct reporting verb to complete the sentences.

1 My friend starting my own company.
a informed b suggested c complained d confirmed
2 My parents have always me to do what I love.
a suggested b insisted c advised d said
3 My brother has that I swap subjects if I’m not enjoying my degree.
a suggested b advised c said d told
4 They that they would be updating our software the following week as planned.
a suggested b advised c confirmed d told
5 Our CEO to consult managers about the change in strategy.
a informed b suggested c said d promised
6 Management we changed suppliers, although they’d always delivered
on time.
a complained b insisted c promised d informed
7 We’ve all our clients that we’ll be closed next week for the summer holidays.
a said b confirmed c informed d tell
8 You not to tell anyone that I was thinking of leaving!
a advised b promised c suggested d told
9 My mentor I should get out of my comfort zone and learn new skills.
a promised b advised c told d said
10 The HR department that it would have been a smooth transition if we had
listened to their advice. But we hadn’t.
a complained b told c promised d informed

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Business Partner B2 Extra activities

UNIT 8 Change
Lesson 8.3 Communication skills: Coaching and mentoring

Functional A Match the sentence halves.

language 1 What are
2 How do you think
3 How would you feel about
4 I can’t tell you what to do
5 You should get
6 You need to make
7 I think it would be best
8 If I were you, I’d
a your mind up about this soon.
b but I can help you decide.
c going abroad for a while?
d get some more information.
e your goals?
f for you to think about it.
g you could best achieve this?
h some further training.

B In pairs, take turns to discuss your options regarding the next steps in your career.

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Business Partner B2 Extra activities

UNIT 8 Change
Lesson 8.4 Business skills: Brainstorming

Functional A Complete the sentences from a brainstorming meeting using the words
language in the box.

action elaborate follow input outline progress session

1 Let me the structure of this session before we begin.

2 It’s been a great . Thanks everyone for your .
3 Could you on that point for us?
4 Let’s see what we can make in 45 minutes.
5 I’m not sure if I you. Can you explain what you mean?
6 Let’s go with that as a plan of .

B Match the sentences in Exercise A with the functions.

a Setting up
b Asking for clarification
c Coming to an end

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Business Partner B2 Extra activities

UNIT 8 Change
Lesson 8.5 Writing: Press release

Functional A Complete the press release using words from the box. Some are not used.
language
announced announcements assured compensate compensation
complained independent independently key progress
progressing regretted told went

Natbon product recall

After launching its range of reformulated organic beauty products,
Natbon Beauty was forced to recall one of its most popular products last
week. Natbon has 1 a full investigation after hundreds of
customers 2
that they were allergic to something in the
revised product.

The company takes safety very seriously and has therefore invited outside
chemists to 3 test the whole range of natural products, not
just the cream which was recalled. The news of the allergies 4
viral and suddenly there were hundreds of photos of skin rashes on social
media, all of which are thought to have been caused by a Natbon cream.

The founder of the company, Ms Nova, confirmed that safety is

5
to her company’s success and promised to discover how
one of its products could be guilty. She said she deeply 6 the
distress which this had caused her loyal customers and 7
the public that this would not happen again. She also guaranteed that the
company would 8 customers if it were proved that their
new-formula cream had caused the allergies.

It is expected that the investigation will be completed within a week.

Further 9 will be made on how the investigation is
10
.

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