Учебное пособие по английскому языку с упражнениями по развитию креативного мышления. Часть 2
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Ex. 7. Make your own sentences based from four words, in which every word begins with the following letters:
Example: O…M…D… - One Million Dollars.
1). T…M…D…
2). H…I…A…M…
3). I…M…A…M…
4). Y…A…A…M…
5). D…F…T…W…
6). D…R…T…W…
Ex. 8. Pay attention to the picture. Explain what you see in it orally.
For example: view from the window.
Ex. 9. Retell the text.
Purchasing Power Parity
According to many economists, exchange rates equalize in the long term. This is known as the Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) theory. This suggests that in the long term an identical basket of goods should cost exactly the same in all countries. In the meantime, short-term variations in the rates are taking place, sometimes with violent swings, and it is within this shorter term that decisions are taken. The US dollar has in the years between 1993 and 2003 varied widely in relation to other major currencies. Wide variations underscore the difficulties confronting a seller when exchanging the foreign currency on his export earnings
for domestic: currency as the level of earnings on similar transactions at different
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times may differ, which is why most companies prefer to enter some form of hedging of transactions.
Vocabulary
basket n 1. ɤɨɪɡɢɧɚ 2. ɧɚɛɨɪ, ɤɨɦɩɥɟɤɬ differ v ɨɬɥɢɱɚɬɶɫɹ, ɪɚɡɥɢɱɚɬɶɫɹ equalize v ɭɪɚɜɧɢɜɚɬɶ, ɜɵɪɚɜɧɢɜɚɬɶ
exchange rate – ɜɚɥɸɬɧɵɣ ɤɭɪɫ, ɨɛɦɟɧɧɵɣ ɤɭɪɫ, ɛɢɪɠɟɜɨɣ ɤɭɪɫ hedging n ɯɟɞɠɢɪɨɜɚɧɢɟ
identical adj ɢɞɟɧɬɢɱɧɵɣ
in the meantime – ɬɟɦ ɜɪɟɦɟɧɟɦ, ɦɟɠɞɭ ɬɟɦ take place v ɢɦɟɬɶ ɦɟɫɬɨ
transaction n 1. ɜɟɞɟɧɢɟ ɞɟɥ 2. ɫɞɟɥɤɚ underscore v ɩɨɞɱɟɪɤɢɜɚɬɶ, ɜɵɞɟɥɹɬɶ
variation n 1. ɢɡɦɟɧɟɧɢɟ 2. ɨɬɤɥɨɧɟɧɢɟ 3. ɤɨɥɟɛɚɧɢɟ 4. ɜɚɪɢɚɧɬ 5. ɪɚɡɛɪɨɫ (ɩɚɪɚɦɟɬɪɨɜ)
Ex. 10. Make question on the text above.
Ex. 11. Creativity has always been an important business skill, but in our turbulent economy it is essential. The current economic realities have placed us all beyond what is known. The only way to meet this challenge of operating in this unknown terrain is to make it up as we go. It follows then, that building a creatively agile company will not only help us survive but give us a powerful competitive advantage (Juanita Weaver, How to Incorporate Creativity into Your Business Practice).
I.Are you an idea champion?
Speak about yourself using these sentences as a launch pad for discussion.
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1.I quickly see and take advantage of new opportunities.
2.I have a tendency to avoid the obvious and to come out with the unexpected.
3.I bring a touch of perfectionism to any job I undertake.
4.I like to find a field that stretches my imagination.
5.Producing ideas is one of my natural assets.
6.1 feel in my element where I can think strategically, creatively and philosophically.
II.Creative Thinking
Answer these questions about creativity and its role in maintaining a company excellence.
1.Is creativity the domain of a talented few or is it our birth right?
2.Can creativity be fostered?
3.Why is idea production so vital to business success and survival?
4.How do employers encourage employees to think creatively?
III. Tips for developing creativity
Agree or disagree with these points:
—You shouldn't bring in judgment until you've finished generating ideas because judging too soon is one of the most common ways to shut down your creativity.
—You must use metaphors to get ideas flowing.
—You need to encourage lateral thinking, that is thinking about something that is not immediately obvious and about ideas that may not be obtainable by using only traditional step-by-step logic.
—You must try to do lateral thinking puzzles.
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Now try your hand at solving this puzzle. There is usually more than one answer to any given puzzle, but in general, only one solution is truly satisfying.
"A man lives on the twelfth floor of an apartment building. Every morning he takes the elevator down to the lobby and leaves the building. In the evening, he gets into the elevator, and, if there is someone else in the elevator - or if it was raining that day - he goes back to his floor directly. Otherwise, he goes to the tenth floor and walks up two flights of stairs to his apartment".
Meetings and discussions: Making suggestions
Vocabulary
Language Summary 1 Requesting suggestions and ideas
During the meeting the European Commercial Manager needs to get the opinions and suggestions of the two Marketing Managers about the structure of the new marketing department. He does this in several ways.
a)An open request I'd like to hear some of your suggestions.
b)A question directed at one person What's your reaction to that, Rene?
ɫ) A request for confirmation of his own opinion
Don't you think that your three division structure might be more expensive to operate, Herve?
Other phrases that can be used here are:
I'd like to hear your ideas on this.
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Do any of you have any suggestions? How do you think we should do this? What would you suggest?
What do you recommend?
Do you think we should. ..?
Any suggestions?
I suggest we should. . .
What do you think?
What are your views on this?
What's your opinion?
How do you see this?
Ex. 12. Introduce the following topics for discussion and ask for suggestions. Follow the example.
EXAMPLE
Need to choose a new Computer Manager. Promote internally or recruit from outside.
Well, as you know, we need to choose a new Computer Manager, and the problem is whether to promote internally or to recruit from outside. I'd like to hear your ideas on this.
a)Objective is to improve productivity without extra investment in equipment.
b)Problem is to keep pay rises within government limits and to maintain
motivation of the workforce at the same time.
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ɫ) How to expand the business without losing control or borrowing large amounts of money. My idea is franchising.
d)There is a proposal to introduce early retirement for all managers over 50 because they are not in tune with new technology. This would leave the company without valuable experience.
e)Fuel prices have risen. This affects distribution costs. Should we increase
prices?
f ) The company needs to change its image from that of a traditional safe insurance giant to a dynamic financial services group.
Language Summary 2. Making suggestions and recommendations
The two Marketing Managers both gave suggestions and recommendations about the organization of the marketing activities of the new group. The phrases they used were:
Our suggestion is that the new group marketing structure should reflect the existing Anker one.
We strongly recommend that the new company should be modelled on our two division structure.
Suggestions and recommendations can be strong, neutral or tentative. Examples of other phrases to use are:
Strong suggestions
The only solution is to. . .
I see no other alternative but to. . .
There is no alternative but to. . .
We must…
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Neutral suggestions
I recommend that we should. . . I think we should. . .
My recommendation is that we should. . .
I would suggest that we. . .
We should/ought to. . .
If I were you I would. . .
Tentative suggestions
We could always. . .
It might be a good idea to. . .
Have you thought of ______ ing. . .
One solution would be to. . .
What about ______ing. . .
Ex. 13. Give suggestions and recommendations to respond to the following problems. Follow the example.
EXAMPLE
Problem: Sales of a new electric car have not been as good as predicted, and stocks are high.
Suggestions: 1 Stop production, (strong) 2 Cut prices, (neutral)
As I see it, we have no alternative but to stop production. In addition, I think we should cut prices to move the stock and improve cashflow.
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a) Problem: Deliveries of goods have been delayed frequently in recent months, due to rail strikes.
Suggestions: 1 Investigate road transport, (neutral) 2 Set up small regional warehouses, (tentative)
b) Problem: Some tinned fruit sold by a German supermarket and imported from Spain has caused customer complaints.
Suggestions:
1.Withdraw all tins from the shelves, (strong)
2.Arrange a meeting with the production people from the Spanish plant,
(neutral)
3.Send some of our production people to Spain to check quality control, (tentative)
ɫ) Problem: Your company is trying to take over another company in a similar field. Your bid has been rejected because it is too low. You really want to succeed.
Suggestions:
1). |
Increase the bid. (strong) |
2). |
Try to buy more shares privately, (neutral) |
3). |
Write to the other company's shareholders, (tentative) |
d) A bank has lent $500,000 to a medium sized company for research and development into a new product. However, progress has been slow and the company needs more money to finish the research.
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Suggestions:
1). Send a consultant to investigate progress, (strong)
2). Establish a deadline for results, (tentative)
3). Take a participation in the company, (tentative)
e) Problem: A newspaper group is having problems with its circulation. Costs are also high for setting and printing.
Suggestions:
1Hire a new editor, (neutral)
2Negotiate with the print unions to modernize production methods, (strong)
LESSON 10
Ex. 1. Answer the following questions.
1.Have you ever thought of a new idea which might prove to be of help, either in work or play?
2.What objects, customs, institutions, or facts would you change if you had the chance?
3.Which local and national agencies and organizations make your lives more interesting, healthful, and fun?
4.Can you name an important invention of the past ten years? In what ways is it important? How do you think the inventor got the idea? Are there any disadvantages in our having this invention? Can you think of any additional improvements for the invention? How would you go about working them out?
Ex. 2. Answer the following questions.
1. What is the name of the principle which can be stated: “the faster a fluid such as air or water moves, the less pressure it exerts”?
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2.Which of these principles is illustrated by a window curtain’s blowing out of an open window on a windy day? a) Bernoulli’s Effect, b) Newton’s First Law of Motion, c) Corioli’s Effect, or d) Newton’s Third Law of Motion.
3.Does Bernoulli’s principle have anything to do with the movement of an airplane? Why or why not?
4.If you stepped into a shower stall and turned on the water full-force, and the shower curtain blew in and hit you, what principle might be illustrated by this chain of events?
5.These three incidents are examples of what principle? a) A window curtain blows out of an open window on a windy day. b) Larry steps into a shower stall and turns on the water full-force, and the shower curtain blows in and hit him. c) Henry places a folded strip of paper below his mouth and blows hard across the top of the paper; the strip of paper rises so that it is perpendicular to his lip.
6.What kinds of everyday events can be explained by Bernoulli’s principle?
7.Do you think that a window curtain blowing out of an open window on a windy day is adequately explained by Bernoulli’s principle? Why is it adequate or inadequate?
8.The faster a fluid such as air or water moves, the less pressure it exerts. Is it right?
9.How might you see Bernoulli’s principle to make life more enjoyable or interesting?
Ex. 3. Answer the following questions.
a)How would you preserve:
1. Raspberries?
2. The flavor of mint?
3. The fragrance of roses?
4. The excitement of a holiday?
5. Dignity?
6. Honesty?
7. A friendship?
b)Which of the items above would you most like to preserve or have preserved for you?
Why?
Would it really be the same if you tried to keep it just as it is?
Explain.
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