8. Complete the following sentences with the correct form of either ‘do’ or

‘make’, and one of the words given above. Translate them into Russian.

1. Janine, can you try to ____ me ____ with my dentist for this afternoon, please?

2. Michael, can you ____ me ____? I need to borrow a car.

3. No, we don’t know what went wrong yet, but we’re ____ some _____ .

4. He said I wasn’t working hard enough and I’d really have to ____ an ____ .

5. I can’t tell you now, but we expect to ____ a ____ early next week.

6. We’re ____ much ____ than last year; we’re definitely ____ progress.

7. We spent three days ____ to the warehouse roof after the storm last week.

8. We ____ a lot of ____ in Japan, and since the profit margin is high, we ____ a lot of ____ .

9. I checked the figures last night and found that I’d ____ a lot of ____ .

10. It’s either one or the other. You’ll have to ____ a ____ .

11. Have you had to ____ a ____ in front of an audience?

12. What is the longest ____ you’ve ever ____ to a foreign country?

13. Have you ever ____ a ____ about poor quality of something you bought?

14. Is complaining useful? Do you think it ____ any ____ ?

15. Have you ever ____ any ____ about customer service could be improved?

16. What ____ have you ____ for the next summer holidays?

Reading-Listening - 2 / Business analysis and decision-making /

Read the internal report about the investment which has gone wrong. After you have read it, discuss the questions below.

Manx Office Equipment.

Confidential report

Acquisition of Gordon brown Ltd.

Background

Two years ago Gordon Brown Ltd was acquired for 2.5 million pounds. Gordon Brown Ltd had been a family company specializing in supplying office furniture in the North East of England. Manx Office Equipment saw this acquisition as an effective way to extend their customer base in this part of the country.

Results

After two years, the Gordon Brown operation has still not made a profit (last year’s figures reveal a 250,000 pounds loss). Despite considerable restructuring and a complete change of management, the company has seen a steady decline in the number of customers and volume of business.

Analysis

We have identified the following:

1. Gordon Brown’s reputation in the region was as a family company. The restructuring changed not only the senior management but also the ethos of the company. Customers no longer identified with the company.

2. Gordon Brown products were mainly traditional office furniture; Manx office equipment is predominantly modern style. There has been no clear product strategy to promote these two different styles.

Conclusions

1. If our objective was to increase our customer base in the North East of England, we should have considered the needs and demands of Gordon Brown’s customers.

2. If we want to turn the company round and start earning profits, we will have to pay more attention to customer needs in the future.

Listen to the tape and discuss the options and possible outcomes of the situation with the Gordon Brown Ltd in the context of their business.

1. Diversification into different sectors.

2. Expansion into new markets.

3. Relocation of part of the business (production / head office etc.).

4. Acquisition by a larger company.

5. Closure of part of the business due to contraction.

Communication skills

Asking for the facts Agreeing

Can you bring us to the date? You’re absolutely right.

Can you give us the background? I totally agree with you.

Where do we stand with?

Making a suggestion Expressing doubt

We should sell out as soon as possible I’m worried about the store’s location

Why don’t we sell out? I’m not sure about it.

Disagreeing Making a decision

I don’t agree with that all. The solution, then, is to keep the

I totally disagree. store going.

I think on balance we feel we should

keep the store going.