Background. Part 1. Units 1-4. Revision

Task I. Fill in the gaps with prepositions or adverbs where necessary:

1. The shift in demand ……….…. Eastern markets caused a trading boom there.

2. Our consultants advised us to target …….….. garden furniture production as our major growth area.

3. There are three main topics .............. the agenda today.

4. What's your view ……... the problem of rationalising the process?

5. Please, don't worry. We are tackling the problem ……… source.

6. As our new invention is already ……… prototype stage, you can see all its advantages with your own eyes.

7. The problem is that at the moment buying a new office is far …………..….. our resources.

8. I must warn you that unless we change our pricing policy, we'll be forced …………....the market.

9. Your offer brings ……….. the problem of restructuring our company.

10. ……. my view, we must examine each of their proposals …….. its merits.

11. If we use their technology without a licence, it will definitely backfire …………. us.

12. The company had no choice but to sell the consignment at a knock............... price.

13. Your suggestion will allow us to reach a break - ………… point two months earlier than we expected

14. All right. We are running …………… time, and I would like to wind the discussion ................. now.

15. Before we finish let me just recap ………… what's been decided so far.

16. - What if we offer our Shareholders a higher dividend this year?

17. - I'd go ………. with that. Our profits are up this year and we can afford better dividends.

18. Don't forget that state …….... the art technology is not enough to overtake our competitors.

19. …..... the one hand this is a very risky project. …….. the other hand, however, it can bring us high profits very soon.

20. A link- ……… with this company will help us to solve a number of problems.

You may check your answers with the key given in File 2.

Task II. Act as interpreters:

• Доброе утро, господа. Начнем работу. Сегодня на повестке дня два вопроса: обсуждение результатов деятельности нашего совместного предприятия и выработка стратегии на второе полугодие. Цель нашей встречи - оценить наши перспективы и определить направление дальнейшего развития. Перейдем к делу. Сначала господин Ричардсон расскажет нам о ситуации на данный момент.

• Well, the present situation is that we are in a better position than our competitors. Our state of the art technology has allowed us to make a serious breakthrough on the market, and our first half figures look quite pleasing.

• Извините, я вас прерву. У меня есть некоторые сомнения на этот счет.

• Подожди, Эдуард. Позволь господину Ричардсон закончить.

• Well, what I'm trying to say is that at the moment we are ahead of our competitors. But it's been confirmed that Technoland, our major competitor, is going to launch their latest invention soon. It will definitely cause a shift in demand towards their production.

• Я согласен с вами, и это подводит нас ко второму вопросу нашей повестки - выработке стратегии.

• Давайте рассмотрим проблему в корне. Я считаю, что наш отдел по исследованиям и развитию немного сбавил темпы после недавнего успеха.

• I couldn’t agree more. Besides, I think that unless we increase our R&D effort, we'll fall behind our competitors very soon.

• Я вижу два способа решения этой проблемы. Во-первых, мы должны найти новых специалистов для работы в отделе и, во-вторых, нам необходима более тесная связь между отделом маркетинга и отделом исследований и развития. Мы не можем разрабатывать новые модели, не зная ситуации на рынке.

• You may have a point, but in my view, your argument overlooks an important problem. Even if our R&D department works out new models it may take us too long to transfer them into real products. Our production department works very slowly.

• Действительно, это очень серьезная проблема, и я считаю, нам необходимо обсудить ее с директором производственного отдела.

• Well, I think that's as far as we can take it today. Let me recap on what we've decided. First, the work of our R&D must be expanded. Second, R&D work should be based on Marketing Department findings. And finally, we will hold another meeting with our Production Manager present.

• Хорошо. Предлагаю на этом закончить.

• ОК. Let's call it a day.

Task III. Write the minutes of the meeting. Use the notes below:

Minutes

Meeting of the Board of Directors of ……..… Co, held ….……. (place, time)

Present: Howard Parker, CEO

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Agenda

1. Introduction and summary of negotiating aims - H.P.

2. Announcing of a press release - R.H.

3. Summary of licence and joint venture options open to Visitron and Kamakura - D.H.

4. The new products, and the Visitron R&D effort in the negotiations - D.C.

5. Formulation of strategy

6. A.O.B.

1. ………………….

2. Structure of the press release was discussed. The following structure was agreed upon:

3. ………………….

…….. R.H was appointed to lead the negotiations.

…….. there was no other business.

File 1

Your company is in a difficult position - the sales volume is falling. You think that the best way of improving the situation is to spend more money on advertising and different forms of sales promotion like special presents for your customers, lotteries and others. Your arguments:

1. You shouldn't decrease prices as it can spoil your product's image.

2. Your sales volume is falling not because of high prices but because people know little about the product and its advantages.

Try to convince your partner that this way will be the best one, but be ready

to consider his point of view. Your common task is to come to some decision.

Your arguments should include the following steps:

Making a promise

Warning

Dealing with interruptions

Summarising the argument

Identifying the central issue

Disagreeing politely but firmly

Presenting a counter argument