ГМУ учебник по английскому

Tom Cruise

Born in Syracuse, New York on 3rd July 1962, Tom Cruise had a difficult childhood. His parents divorced when he was twelve, and in the first eleven years of his life his family moved a total of seven times. He had problems at school, partly because he never stayed in one place long enough to make friends and partly because he suffered from dyslexia and found reading very hard. As a teenager he couldn’t decide whether to become a priest or a wrestler, but

at the age of eighteen he chose acting as a career.

His first film Endless love, in 1981, was followed quickly in the same year by Taps in which he had a strong supporting role as an angry young cadet. Over the next few years he made a name for himself in a series of fairy successful films often playing attractive types. His big break came in 1986 in the hit Top Gun, where he played a rebellious fighter pilot with a killer smile.

By the late 1980s magazines were calling him “easily the most powerful star of his generation” because of his more serious roles in Rain Man, in 1988, opposite Dustin Hoffman, and Born on the fourth of July, which was made in the following year. For this film he received his first Oscar nomination for Best Actor for his powerful performance as the anti-war hero Ron Covic. People who have worked with him say he’s a perfectionist, preparing carefully for each role, and focusing 100 per cent whilst in the studio. Success continued in the 90s with films such as Mission Impossible and Eyes Wide Shut. He is now on of the few actors who receives more than 20 million dollars a picture.

Cruise is a very private man, who rarely gives interviews. His personal life has had its ups and downs. In 1987 he married actress Mimi Rogers who was several years older than him, but the marriage ended in divorce in 1990. In the same year he married his co-star from Days of Thunder, red-headed actress Nicole Kidman.

Whatever happens in his private life, people will remember him as one of the most charismatic actors of modern cinema and many will probably agree with People magazine in 1997 when they chose him as one of the fifty most beautiful people in the world.

a.Tom Cruise was very successful at school.

b.He always wanted to become an actor.

c.He played the star part in Taps.

d.Top Gun was his most successful early film.

e.He was nominated for an Oscar for Born on the Fourth of July.

f.He is a very hard worker.

g.He hardly ever gives interviews.

h.He got married to Nicole Kidman in 1991.

¨ Grammar snack: Complete the text using the correct forms of the

verbs.

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A GENUINE* REMBRANDT

When I went to school I always (think)1 ____ that if one day I (get)2 ____

to London I certainly (go)3 ___ to the National Gallery. Last year my friend Dick and I (take)4 ____ by our parents to the city of our dreams. We (hear)5

____ so much about the Gallery that we (go)6 ____ to see all the exhibits. Very soon I realized how much Dick (know)7 ____ about painting. He (make)8 ____

me (admire)9 ____ the pictures more and more. I (understand)10 _____ that my knowledge (improve)11 ____ by the end of our visit. Presently Dick (stop)12

____ (look)13 ____ at something which (hang)14 ____ in the corner. He said thoughtfully that it (look)15 ____ a genuine Rembrandt to him. I (come)16 _____

closer to the picture and (see)17 _____ my own face (stare**)18 ____ at me from the wall. It (be)19 ____ a mirror. Up to now I (not, forget)20 ____ Dick’s embarrassment***.

— Skills: 1. Comment on the picture.

Notes:

*genuine – подлинный.

**stare – пристально смотреть.

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***embarrassment – смущение.

?2. Translate from Russian into English using the dictionary.

Генри Форд (1863-1947)

Конвейер служит людям

Сегодня вряд ли можно найти человека, который не знал бы имени Генри Форда – одного из автомобильных «королей». Машины, выпускаемые на многих заводах компании «Форд», летят по улицам практически всех городов мира, в том числе и России.

Интерес Генри к технике стал очевидным еще с детства. Его сестра Маргарет вспоминала: «Когда на Рождество нам дарили механические игрушки, мы всегда говорили: не давайте их Генри! Он просто разберет их по деталям на мелкие части». Детские способности привели к тому, что взрослый Форд занялся организацией по производству автомобилей. И

хотя в руководстве своим делом Генри Форд проявлял огромные способности и железную волю, первые две фирмы лопнули – не хватило опыта. В 1913 в тяжелом положении оказалась и третья – она не справлялась с возросшим объемом заказов. И тут у Форда появилась гениальная идея, воплощение которой означало настоящий прорыв в промышленном производстве.

Дело в том, что в то время сборка деталей одного автомобиля осуществлялась одним и тем же рабочим, который сам выполнял все необходимые операции. При таком подходе автомобиль строился долго и стоил очень дорого. Форд разбил вес процесс сборки на ряд

последовательных операций и каждую из них поручил отдельному рабочему. Получалось, что весь коллектив завода делал один автомобиль. Производительность труда возросла. И совсем резко она подскочила, когда Форд решил заменить низкий стол для сборки на движущуюся ленту – так появился первый конвейер! Компания Форда значительно увеличила и, что существенно, удешевила выпуск своих машин. Теперь их могли приобретать семьи со средним достатком. Конкуренты оказались далеко позади. Ну а Генри Форд вписал свое имя в историю развития промышленности на планете!

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Lesson 9. Competition

“Competition brings out the best in products and worst in people.”

David Sarnoff (1891-1971), American business leader

&Useful vocabulary

1.to compete – конкурировать, соревноваться: Several advertising agencies are competing to get the contract.

2.competitor – конкурент: We lost the contract to our competitors.

3.competitive – конкурентоспособный:I always shop at that supermarket; its prices are very competitive.

4.competition – конкуренция, соревнование: They had to keep their prices low because of foreign competition.

5.to impress – впечатлять: My father impressed me with the value of hard work.

6.jealous – завистливый, ревнивый: He is jealous of their success.

7.to boast – хвастаться: Don’t believe her; she’s just boasting.

8.to insist – настаивать: You must come with us – I insist! All right, I’ll do it, if you insist.

9.queue – очередь: There was a long queue outside the cinema.

10.luxury – роскошный, роскошь: It’s a real luxury to be able to stay in bed instead of getting up for university.

11.quantity – количество: It was a bad year for new films, in terms of both quantity and quality.

12.attribute – свойство, характерная черта: Kindness is one of his best attributes.

13.to perceive – осознавать, понимать, воспринимать: They perceived that they were unwelcome and left.

14.unique – единственный в своем роде, несравнимый: Each person’s fingerprints are unique.

15.durability – прочность, стойкость, длительность: “Durability” means long-lasting.

16.to tailor – работать портным, портняжничать: We can tailor the insurance policy according to your special needs.

17.exclusion – исключение; to the ~ of за исключением: He plays golf to the exclusion of all other sports.

18.narrow – узкий, ограниченный, трудный: The decision was taken for narrow economic reasons, without considering its social effects.

19.to gain – зарабатывать, добиваться, достигать: I hope you’ll gain by the experience (= learn a useful lesson from it).

20.to relate – связывать, устанавливать связь, иметь отношение: The cost relates directly to the amount of time spent on the job.

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21.to vary – менять(ся), отличаться: Opinions on this matter vary.

22.to depend on – зависеть от, полагаться на: The price of the shares will depend on the number of people who want to buy them.

23.pursuit – преследование, погоня, in ~ of в поисках: The pop stars ran from the theatre to their car, with dozens of fans in hot pursuit.

24.raw material – сырье: Coal and oil are important raw materials for the manufacture of plastics.

25.dimension – измерение, размеры, величина: Length is one dimension, and breadth is another.

26.peculiar – индивидуальное свойство, особенность: This style of cooking is peculiar to the south-west of the country.

27.approach – приближение, подход, приближаться: He’s a god player, but doesn’t approach international standard.

28.availability – пригодность, полезность, наличие, ассортимент:

Details of the competition are available from our head office.

29.to possess – владеть, обладать: I don’t know what possessed him to (= made him) drive so fast down that busy street.

30.to engage – нанимать, заказывать заранее: I’ve engaged a room at a

hotel.

31.performance – исполнение, выполнение: Her performance in the exams was rather disappointing.

32.cheap – дешевый: The industry is maintained by the cheap labour (= work done for low pay) of immigrant workers.

33.rival – соперник, конкурент: She left her job and went to work for a rival company.

34.to enter – входить, вступать, вносить, приступать: Before you enter into an agreement of this nature, you should read the contract carefully.

35.to launch – запускать, начинать, выпускать: He left his father’s shop and launched out into business for himself.

36.campaign – кампания, to launch a ~ начать кампанию: The government has launched a campaign against smoking.

37.fashionable – модный: It’s fashionable among the British to go to the south of France for their holidays.

38.to respond – отвечать, удовлетворять, реагировать: He responded that he would come.

39.value – ценность, стоимость, цена: You’ll find this map of great value in helping you to get around London.

40.to guess – предполагать, догадываться: “I don’t know the answer” “Well, just guess!”

41.budget – бюджет: The sales director is preparing the company’s advertising budget for 2006.

Starting up: Answer the questions in the quiz. Then turn to Appendix and find out your score.

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How competitive are you?

1. Which of the following statements do you agree with?

a)Winning is everything.

b)It’s not the winning that counts; it’s the taking part.

c)We are in this world to help each other.

2. Which of the following would satisfy you?

a)Earning more money than anyone else you know.

b)Earning more than most of your friends.

c)Earning enough to have a comfortable life.

3. You have just won $40,000 and need to buy a new car. Do you: a) spend $ 9,000 on a reliable car that will get you from A to B? b) spend $ 16,000 on a middle-ranged car?

c) Spend $ 40,000 on a top-of-the range car that will impress your friends?

4. If a colleague did something very successful, would you feel:

a)pleased for then?

b)pleased for them, but a bit jealous?

c)very jealous and unhappy?

5. If you lose at something, do you:

a)forget about it immediately?

b)think about it for a while?

c)never forget?

6. How do you feel when you win? Do you:

a)boast about it and tell everyone?

b)feel good, but keep it to yourself?

c)feel sorry for the person who lost?

7. What do you want for your children? Do you want them:

a)to be happy?

b)to achieve more than you did?

c)to be the first at everything?

8. You are at the traffic lights next to another car. The lights change to ‘go’. Do you:

a)let the other car go first?

b)move away slowly, without being aware of another car?

c)try to be the first away?

9. You are waiting to check in at a crowded airline counter. There does not seem to be a system of queuing. Would you:

a)push your way to the front?

b)insist loudly that a fair system is adapted?

c)keep quiet and wait?

10.How do you feel about doing this quiz? Do you want to:

a)show that you are the most competitive person in the group?

b)show that you are the least competitive person in the group?

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c)find out something about yourself?

Reading I: 1. The text below presents three strategies for firms to achieve above-average performance. Before you read it, discuss what strategies companies in the following sectors might use to compete with their rivals: a) supermarkets b) construction equipment c) luxury cars.

2.Read the first sentence only of each paragraph. What three strategies does the text mention? Do you think they are similar to any of the ideas you discussed?

3.Match the words below to the definitions. Then read paragraph one.

Three strategies to gain a competitive advantage

Cost leadership is perhaps the clearest of the three strategies. In it, a firm sets out to become the low-cost producer in its industry. The firm has a broad scope and serves many industry segments, and may even operate in related industries; the firm's breadth is often important to its cost advantage. The sources of cost advantage are varied and depend on the structure of the industry. They may include the pursuit of economies of level, technology, special access to raw materials and other factors.

The second strategy is differentiation. In a differentiation strategy, a firm tries to be unique in its industry along some dimensions that are widely valued by buyers. It selects one or more attributes that many buyers in an industry perceive as important, and uniquely positions itself to meet those needs. It is rewarded for its uniqueness with a best price.

The means for differentiation are peculiar to each industry. Differentiation can be based on the product itself, the delivery system by which it is sold, the marketing approach, and a broad range of other factors. In construction equipment, for example, Caterpillar Tractor's differentiation is

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based on product strength, service, additional parts availability, and an excellent seller network.

The third strategy is focus. This strategy is quite different from the others because it is based on the choice of a narrow competitive scope within an industry. The focuser selects a segment or group of segments in the industry and tailors its strategy to serving them to the exclusion of others. By optimizing its strategy for the target segments, the focuser tries to achieve a competitive advantage in its targets segments even though it does not possess a competitive advantage in general.

A firm that engages in each strategy but doesn’t achieve any of them is “fixed in the middle”. It possesses no competitive advantage. This strategic position is usually a method for below-average performance. A firm that is fixed in the middle will compete at a disadvantage because the cost leader, differentiators, or focusers will be better positioned to compete in any segment. In most industries, quite a few competitors are fixed in the middle.

7. Answer these questions about the text.

1.Which sentence best expresses the main idea in paragraph one? A firm can get a competitive advantage by:

a) selling goods in many markets.

b) making as wide a range of goods as possible. c) producing goods more cheaply than its rivals.

2.Which sentence best expresses the main idea in paragraphs two and three? When a firm uses a differentiation strategy:

a) it tries to persuade consumers that its products have special qualities. b) it tries to reach a small group of loyal customers.

c) it wants to attract as many buyers as possible.

3.Which of these sentences best expresses the main idea in paragraph four? If a firm chooses focus as its strategy, it tries to:

a) do better than its rivals in a small part of the market. b) prevent other firms from entering the market.

c) do business in a large number of narrow markets.

4.In the final paragraph, does the writer say it is a good or bad thing for firms to be stuck in the middle? Why?

8.Discuss these questions.

1)Can you think of companies which use one of the strategies in the text? What about your own company or a company you know well?

2)Can you think of any companies which are fixed in the middle? What do you think they could do to improve their competitive position?

Reading II: Read the two texts below. Discuss the questions that follow.

The Reds

In 1996, after over 100 years of competition, Pepsi launched “Project Blue” to challenge Coca-Cola's position as market leader in the soft drinks

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market. At a cost of £330 million, Pepsi changed the colour of their can to blue as well as painting a Concorde airliner blue. They also used supermodels Claudia Schiffer and Cindy Crawford, and tennis star Andre Agassi in the campaign. It was felt that blue was a fashionable, innovative colour which would differentiate Pepsi from the red of Coca-Cola. However the campaign failed to achieve its main aim.

1.Why do you think the campaign was unsuccessful?

2.Can you suggest ways for Pepsi to compete more successfully with Coca Cola?

Fly Me, I'm Cheap

In autumn 1995 Easyjet and Ryanair, two small North European airlines, introduced budget flights on UK domestic routes. Other carriers responded with similar services but British Airways decided not to. Later, British Airways changed its mind and in

May 1998 it launched its successful airline Go. This offers low-cost flights with no on-flight food or entertainment on certain domestic and European routes.

1.Why do you think British Airways changed its strategy?

2.How do you think its decision affected the small airlines? What can they do to respond?

Reading III: Read the story.

Not Guilty1

Going through the Customs2 is a tiresome business. The strangest thing about it is that really honest people are often made to feel guilty. The hardened professional smuggler3, on the other hand, is never troubled by such feelings, even if he has five hundred gold watches hidden in his suitcase. When I returned from abroad recently, a particularly officious4 young Customs Officer clearly regarded5 me as a smuggler.

“Have you anything to declare?” he asked, looking me in the eye. “No,” I answered confidently6.

“Would you mind unlocking this suitcase please?” “Not at all,” I answered.

The Officer went through the case with great care. All the things I had packed so carefully were soon in a dreadful mess7. I felt sure I would never be able to close the case again. Suddenly, I saw the Officer’s face light up. He had spotted8 a tiny bottle9 at the bottom of my case and he pounced on it with delight10.

“Perfume, eh?” he asked sarcastically. “You should have declared that. Perfume is not exempt from import duty.”

“But it isn’t perfume,” I said. “It’s hair-oil.” Then I added with a smile, “It’s a strange mixture I make myself.”

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As I expected, he didn’t believe me.

“Try it!” I said encouragingly11. The Officer unscrewed12 the cap and put the bottle to his nostrils13. He was greeted by an unpleasant smell14 which convinced him that I was telling the truth. A few minutes later, I was able to hurry away with precious chalk-marks on my baggage.

Notes:

1.guilty – виновный.

2.the Customs – таможня.

3.smuggler – контрабандист.

4.particularly officious – особенно назойливый.

5.clearly regarded as… – явно считал (рассматривал) …

6.confidently – уверенно.

7.dreadful mess – ужасный беспорядок.

8.spot – заметить.

9.a tiny bottle – крошечная бутылка.

10.he pounced on it with delight – он накинулся на нее с наслаждением.

11.encouragingly – с подстреканием.

12.unscrew – отвинтить.

13.nostrils – ноздри.

14.an unpleasant smell – неприятный запах.

Give your opinion about the information you have read, retell the text. ¨ Grammar snack: Complete the text using the best tense forms of the

verbs in brackets.

AN UNUSIAL CHESS PLAYER

The other day I went to see Jim. I (not see)1 _____ for a couple of months. When I (drive)2 ____ up to the house, I (ring)3 _____ the door bell. The doctor (open)4 ____ and Jim’s wife said that Jim (be)5 ____ very glad to see me. She added that he (play)6 ____ chess with his partner in the sitting room. What I (see)7 ____ there (make)8 ____ me speechless for some time. Jim (sit)9 ____ at the head of the table and opposite him there (be)10 ____ his dog Spot. Their eyes (fix)11 ____ on the chess-board lying between them. At the sound of my voice Spot (begin)12 ____ barking, but Jim (keep)13 ____ silent. When I called Spot the cleverest dog I ever (know)14 ____ Jim answered: “Not at all. He just (lose)15

____ his third game”.

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