Post-listening

1. Consider the following points. Share your ideas with a partner or a small group. Be prepared to explain your answers to the class.

   1. What is a private company? In what way does it apply to Harper & Grant Ltd.?

   2. Why did the death of Ambrose Harper cause a crisis in the firm?

   3. What is Alfred Wentworth’s ambition?

   4. What for does H.G. want to raise a loan?

   5. Is the bank manager positive about H.G.’s application for a loan? Why?

   6. How did H.G. manage to raise a loan?

   7. In what way are the shares of the company distributed? What changes are under way?

2. Recount the situation as if you were Mr. Brewer. What rules do bank managers stick to when granting loans?

3. Suppose you are Alfred Wentworth. What does Ambrose Harper’s death mean to you? What are you going to do?

4. Act out

   1. the announcement of the will with a solicitor, Caroline, Hector Grant and Peter Wiles taking part

   2. an imaginary conversation between Hector Grant and Caroline

   3. an imaginary talk between Peter Wiles and Mr. Brewer in the bank

   4. an imaginary talk between Mr. Brewer and the President of his bank

   5. an imaginary talk between Peter Wiles and John Martin

Unit 15

Dealing with an Important New Market

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.

quarterly breakdown of overheads

expenditure against budget

to place the order with somebody

to have the production capacity to do something

to meet the delivery dates

to put something at somebody’s disposal

to incur expenses

pro forma invoice

to apply to the National Bank for foreign exchange

a reduction on the unit price per desk

c.i.f. (f.o.b.)

a single order

a package deal

the budgeted turnover

marginal cost

the recovery on something

merchandise

an original letter of inquiry

irrevocable letter of credit, confirmed on a London bank

to quote in local currency

to be conditional on something (the rate of exchange)

PRE-LISTENING

Task I

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. Is the situation with the new export market in Abraca encouraging?

(to open up a new export market; to have orders from Abraca; to have a look at the quarterly breakdown of overheads; to detail actual expenditure against budget; the amount spent on travelling and entertainment)

2. Why did John Martin keep quiet about an enquiry from the Abracan government?

(to have an enquiry from the government; to give a quotation; to supply office furniture for government buildings; to place the order with somebody; to be one of the largest orders the firm has ever received; to wait until the order was definite)

3. Did John undertake anything in anticipation of the order?

(to check something with somebody; to have the production capacity; to meet the quoted delivery dates; to propose to visit England to see the factory)

4. What does the inquiry from the Abracan Ministry of Public Works read?

(to see the factory; to negotiate the order; to be suitably entertained; to book a hotel for somebody; to put a car at one’s disposal; a curious reference; 'special requirements'; to be astonished; to discover something)

Task2

Give the English equivalents for the following word combinations:

предоставить что-либо в чье-либо распоряжение	иметь (соответствующие) производственные мощности
обратиться с просьбой об обмене валюты	объем продаж, предусмотренный бюджетом
реальные расходы по сравнению с предусмотренными бюджетом	ориентировочный (предвари-тельный) счет-фактура
комплексная сделка	потребительские товары
первоначальный запрос	понести расходы
все, что мы получим сверх затраченных средств, будет представлять прибыль	безотзывный аккредитив, под-твержденный Лондонским банком
уложиться в определенные сроки поставки	квартальный отчет по накладным расходам
разместить заказ	одноразовый заказ
иметь силу при каком-либо условии	снижение стоимости единицы товара

LISTENING

Exercise 1

You are going to hear a talk between Hector Grant and John Martin. Before you listen to the conversation look at these statements, which you will mark T (True) or F (False) after you have listened to the tape.

1.	Hector Grant is discouraged to find out that they haven't had a single order out of John Martin’s visit to Abraca.
2.	John Martin is optimistic about the Abracan market because a very large order has already been made - office furniture and equipment for two entire government departments.
3.	John has already sent pro forma invoices to Abraca so that the Ministry of Works can apply to the National Bank for foreign exchange.
4.	In their order the Abracan Ministry of Works want a reduction on a unit price per desk for a larger quantity than Harper & Grant Ltd. originally quoted for the price to be f.o.b. Djemsa.
5.	If Harper & Grant accept the requirements of the Abracan Ministry of Works it would be the largest single order in the history of the country.
6.	Harper & Grant hardly have the capacity to produce the order also it'd be in addition to the budgeted turnover for the year, so there will be no recovery on marginal cost.
7.	The terms of payment are conditional on the rate of exchange which prevails on the date of Harper & Grant’s quotation not fluctuating more than three per cent either way.

Exercise 2

Act as an interpreter.

Джон Мартин: Это комплексная сделка. Мы все подробно просчитали. Правда цены придется установить немного ниже обычных, ведь у нас есть серьезные конкуренты. Наши производственные мощности позволяют выполнить этот заказ, и это будет в дополнение к продукции, предусмотренной бюджетом, а все, что мы получим сверх затраченных средств, будет прибылью. Я уверен, что это приведен к другим заказам в этой стране.

Hector Grant: “A representative of our Ministry of Works will be coming to London … obliged if you would book him accommodation ... glad to visit your factory and view the merchandise ... special requirements ...” Here what's this about 'special requirements'? What do they mean by that?

Джон: Не знаю. Это единственная загадка. Об этом говорилось и в первоначальном письме-запросе.

Grant: I don't much like the sound of that. What do they mean by 'special requirements'? I suppose we'll soon find out. What's the method of payment?

Джон: Мы потребовали безотзывный аккредитив, подтвержденный Лондонским банком. Мы указали цены в местной валюте, но это, конечно, условно. То есть при условии, что за основу берется котировка по обменному курсу на день ее предоставления, плюс-минус три процента. Мы будем защищены, даже если, например, курс валюты Абраки упадет по отношению к фунту стерлинга.

Grant: Hmm! Is Peter happy about delivery dates?

Джон: Да, мы сможем уложиться в сроки. Это потребует огромной работы по части планирования.

Grant: Well, you'll arrange some sort of meeting for us all then?

Have you booked their representative into a hotel?

Джон: Заказал. Я думаю, что надо предоставить в его распоряжение машину и немного показать ему страну.

Grant: All right. But you'd better find out more about the special requirements. It may be some condition we can't fulfil.