The Pension Fund Meeting

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.

a compulsory scheme

to sack somebody/ to be sacked syn. to dismiss

There is no call for ...

the Pension Fund Trustees’ Meeting to come up

to save somebody from redundancy a pension scheme

to pay contributions into the pension fund a period of employment

to qualify for a pension

to be entitled to the (full) pension to be due to retire

the articles of the pension fund to be impeccable

to do something for the sake of something to agree the accounts

at a rough guess

to be compensated out of something

to make something up to the proper amount to make full use of something/somebody to take over (a takeover)

to hold percentage

to streamline the company

to persuade somebody to see reason

to use one’s ingenuity in doing something

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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 do we call a pension? Is it a compulsory scheme?

(to pay money to an employee; to retire on reaching a certain age; a compulsory scheme; to pay a fixed amount every week; to pay a larger amount; on retirement; to get the state pension; to operate one’s own pension scheme)

2.In what way do the companies arrange their own pension schemes?

(to give the employees money to retire on; to be governed by a trust-deed; to be separate from the company; to be appointed; to hold meetings regularly; to approve money for pensions; to examine the fund accounts)

3.Is it the same in Harper & Grant Ltd.?

(to pay a certain amount of one’s wages into the fund; to invest money; to increase the value of money; a period of employment; to qualify for a pension)

4.What does Mr. Grant want to do as a result of the productivity drive?

(to close down unprofitable departments; the redundant workers; to be absorbed into other departments; to be a craftsman in the old style; to be a carpenter able to do fine hand carving; to be hardly ever required)

5.What does Ian Hampden, the Personnel Manager, think about Mr. Grant’s intentions?

(to get rid of someone; to make somebody change his mind; to be determined on something; to streamline the company; to make the company more profitable and competitive; to find out; to suggest a way of persuading somebody to see reason)

6. What circumstances did Peter recall when he discussed the situation with Ian before the meeting?

(to be due to be held shortly; to be approved; to have to leave the firm; to look after somebody; to become an invalid; to rejoin the company; according to the articles of the trust; to leave the firm for a time; to work a certain number of years; to qualify for the full pension)

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7.What do the articles of the trust read?

(to complete the time; to have some years to go; to be sacked, or fired; to be given a full pension; to have an extremely bad effect on everybody; to be with the firm)

8.In what way does Peter contribute to Ian’s decision to save B. Hardiman from redundancy?

(to suggest something cunningly; to make up the difference; to pay the money to make up the pension to the full amount; to interrupt employment; to be shrewd enough; the lesser of the two evils; to let somebody stay; the proper retirement age)

9.In what way can Ambrose Harper’s illness effect the future of the firm?

(to be an elderly man; to own half the shares in the company; to be bought by a rival firm; to want to take over; to change the present set-up)

Task 2

Give the English equivalents for the following word combinations:

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LISTENING

Exercise 1

You are going to hear a talk between Ian Hampden and Peter Wiles. Before you listen to the conversation look at these statements. After you have listened to the tape determine whether these statements are true (T) or false (F). Explain why.

1.Bob Hardiman's been with the firm since it started, and he's the only real craftsman they've got.

2.Ian Hampden disagrees with H.G. that there's no call for elaborate handcarving on desks those days; he is sure they need hand-carved desks.

3.Peter assumes that the only chance to save the old man from redundancy may occur at the Pension Fund Trustees' Meeting, because his name's bound to come up if he's being dismissed; his pension will have to be approved.

4.Ian doubts that Bob Hardiman can be saved from redundancy because the two of them are against H.G., Ambrose Harper and Mr. Buckhurst, company secretary.

5.Ambrose Harper has a very soft heart and the pension scheme itself was his idea. He will agree with H.G. and Mr. Buckhurst when he comes to the Pension Fund Meeting.

6.Hardiman left the firm for a while about two years ago because he had to look after his father. He came back to Harper & Grant Ltd. five months ago, when his father died.

7.He left all the contributions he had paid into the pension fund in the fund and still qualifies for a pension.

8.There is nothing to worry about because Bob Hardiman is entitled to the full pension according to the articles of the pension fund.

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