Post-listening

Sum up everything you came to know from the unit.

1. Suppose you are the Chief Clerk in the General Office. Brief the audience of the activities you are responsible for.

2. Recount the situation when Elisabeth Corby gives a few helpful hints to Fenella in John Martin’s office. Report the situation as if you were Fenella. Prove that you will be able to manage.

3. At the end of this hectic day John had cleared up some of his work, but poor Fenella was nearly at her wits' end. Explain why she still wanted to work for John Martin while Sally was away.

4. Act on behalf of Mr. Van Eyck and state the reason for his telephone call to Harper & Grant Ltd.

5. Report to H. Grant as if you were John Martin and say who was responsible for the hold up with the thirty M-type desks.

6. Act out the dialogue between:

1. John Martin and Peter Wiles in which John informs Peter of prospective activities in Abraca

2. John Martin and Mr. Best, the Sales Clerk about the emergency in the Sales Office after the mess has been cleared.

Unit 4

Trouble with a Special Order

Phrase list

Listen to the tape and practise the pronunciation of the following words and word combinations, quote the sentences in which they are used in the unit. Consult a dictionary and translate them into Russian.

the delivery delay (on the console control desks)

steel sheets

to be a special order

a penalty clause

to stand to do something

overdue delivery

the Buying Department

the production line

to handle something

to be a dreadful nuisance

to meet the delivery date

to claim compensation (for failure to deliver on time)

to offset the penalty clause

plastic coated sheets

the time limit (in the contract)

to be ordered against a special job

to be wanted for stock

to honour the delivery (contract)

annealing oven

to be on the line

to put somebody in a mess

to be due to deliver something by some date

to share the extra cost of doing something

to have half the items ready ex works

to try somebody on the public address

to involve rescheduling production line

to pay double time

PRE-LISTENING

Task 1

Consider the introduction to the unit. Answer the following questions and be ready to give a story line. Use the word combinations in brackets.

1. What are Peter Wiles’ plans for the day in question?

(to be the Production Manager; to have a very hectic day; to dictate a report into a dictating machine; to type something back later)

2. Why is John Martin very worried when he comes into Peter's office?

(to receive a memo from the Production Department; a delay in delivery; special plastic coated steel sheets)

3. What are these sheets wanted for?

(an important order; to form part of a console for a computerised control system; to sit and be responsible for the production; a large fully-automatic chemical plant)

4. What will happen if Harper & Grant fail to deliver the sheets on time?

(to get the order; to promise to deliver something before a certain date; to fail to deliver on time; to lose money; a penalty clause in the contract)

5. Who is guilty in the delay?

(to need steel sheets which are covered with plastic; plastic coating; to be finished in a heat-treatment oven; an annealing oven; to supply the sheets; to be able to deliver; to promise the date; to honour the contract with somebody)

6. Will Harper & Grant Ltd. lose money in this case?

(to have a penalty clause; the contract with the suppliers; to lose money; to do something about something pretty quickly)

Task 2

Give the English equivalents for the following word combinations:

пункт о штрафных санкциях (неустойка)	потребовать компенсации за несвоевременную поставку
отдел снабжения	стальные листы
требоваться по спецзаказу	уложиться в сроки поставки
задержка поставки пультов управления	предельные сроки поставки в контракте
требоваться для запасов	производственная линия
разделить дополнительные расходы	компенсировать штрафные санкции
являться спецзаказом	стоять перед каким-либо фактом
включать в себя перестройку производственной линии уложиться в сроки поставки	иметь половину продукции готовой к отправке с предприятия (франко-склад)