16 Weeks6 weeks before birth10 weeks after birthSalary at 84% 16 weeks6 weeks before birth10 weeks after birthSalary at 100%

CHILD BENEFIT

ELDEST CHILDEACH OTHER CHILD 16.50 euros per week14.50 euros per week

HAVE YOU JUST ARRIVED FROM ABROAD?Benefits immediately for: EC members staying for more than 6 months

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Now, let’s look at the position for maternity leave in France and in Switch Electronics. The 1) ... half of the slide tells you how much maternity leave women can expect in France in 2) ... and in Switch Electronics in 3) ... . In the 4) ... part of the slide you can see what the situation is for salary entitlement: the parents of children working for Switch Electronics seem to have a 5) ... better deal than is 6) ... the case in France.

Now, let’s move on to the 7) ... slide which is our 8) ... slide on child benefit. This slide gives details about child benefit. A family receives 16.50 euros for the 9) ... child and 14.50 euros for each other child. Note also the benefits to residents from outside France.

My next slide will look at benefits for families on lower incomes. The system of 10) ... benefit, known as family credit, can be applied for children up to the age of fifteen. Well, those are the figures for families with two, three and more children.

Task 2. Below is the extract from a sales manager’s presentation on the sales of two ranges of personal computers over five years. Complete it making use of the graph and the words from the box.

clearly important gradual considerable faster naturally dramatically firstly greater

1) ... , I’d like you to look at the graph here which compares the sales of the 386 models with the 286s over five years. 2) ... there has been a 3) ... change with the consumer showing 4) ... taste for 386 machines. The 5) ... decline in the popularity of the 286 reflects the complexity and range of software and the fact that users need to have 6) ... operating machines. As for the 386, sales have indeed increased 7) ... . In response to these 8) ... changes, we have 9) ... concentrated our efforts on developing improved 386 models.

Task 3. The sentences below describe the accompanying graphs. Complete the sentences with the most appropriate of the given alternatives.

1. Investment showsa. a sharp increase.b. a slight increase.c. a slight fall.

2. Sales of product A havea. raised by $5,000.b. risen by $5,000.c. developed by $5,000.

3. After a period of continual increase, the share pricea. has remained stable.b. has fallen slightly.c. has expanded.

4. In the first year costsa. stood by $300.b. are standing at $300.c. stood at $300.

5. The pricea. reached a peak and then slumped.b. slumped then reached a peak.c. slumped then grew slowly.

6. The cut in productiona. is dramatic (abrupt, steep, sudden).b. is very slight.c. is very rapid.

Task 4. Match each sentence to one of the following graphs.

1. The level of investment rose suddenly.

2. The sales of Product A fell slightly in the final quarter.

3. The R&D budget has stabilised over the past few years.

4. At the end of the first year the sales stood at 50 per cent of the present level.

5. The share price reached a peak before falling a little and then maintaining the same level.

6. There has been a steady increase in costs over several years.

7. The sudden collapse in share prices has surprised everyone.

8. The value of the shares has shown a steady decline.

Task 5. Look at the graph below, then complete the sentences with appropriate words or phrases.

1. The ......... compares the performance of three products A, B and C.

2. The ......... shows time over ten years.

3. The ......... shows the volume of sales in number of units.

4. Product A is represented by the ......... .

5. The performance of Product B is shown by the ......... .

6. You can see the performance of Product C in the ......... .

7. Clearly ......... is the most successful product.

8. Sales of Product B ......... in recent years.

9. Sales of Product C ааа . 10. Product A has shown a ......... .

Task 6. Look at the graph below. It shows the sales and the expected sales for three products: A, B and C. Complete the following paragraph.

Product A is an old product, nearing the end of its life. As the graph shows, sales for Product A ... (to fall) whereas sales for Product B, which is profitable, ... (to rise). Because of this, we ... (to cut) the production of A and at the same time concentrate our efforts on B. In addition, we ... (to launch) a new product, C.

Task 7. Look at the graph below then complete the sentences with appropriate prepositions.

At the end of May sales stood ... ‡125mln, having risen ... a previous low point ... ‡98mln. Then in June they went а ... just ... ‡130mln but in July and August went ... ... ... ‡120mln. In September this fall continued and sales decreased ... another ‡1,5mln.

Task 8. Look at the table illustrating the financial highlights of a major UK firm. Then complete the sentences with suitable prepositions.

This year Last year

TurnoverProfit before taxationEarnings per ordinary shareDividends per ordinary shareCapital expenditureFixed assetsCapital and reserves ‡9,424mln‡2,027mln20.9p8.45p‡2,107mln‡11,500mln‡7,557mln ‡8,387mln‡1,851mln17.1p7.5p‡1,973mln‡10,714mln‡7,090mln

1. Turnover went up а ‡1,037mln.

2. Dividends rose а 7.5p а 8.45p.

3. This year earnings per share are just а 21p.

4. Last year profit before tax stood а ‡1,851mln.

5. This year it is just а ‡2,000mln.

6. Capital and reserves increased а ‡467 а just а ‡7,550mln.

Task 9. Look at the visuals below and complete the sentences with appropriate words. Include already, yet, again or still.

The comparison of the sales of Products A, B and C last year and this year.1. A is … the top selling product.2. The sales for C are … the lowest.

Last year This year

The market share of the market leaders (last year and this year).3. The PDS market share is … 28 per cent. 4. The KGV market share has … dropped by 5 per cent.

The projected and the actual sales for the current year at the end of the third quarter.5. At the end of the third quarter we have … reached the target for the end of the year.

The sales development for Haracel (years 1–3).6. Over the last three years the sales have not reached 20,000 units … .

Task 10. Look at the table below. On the basis of the data given in it choose the correct variant.

Countries % population over 65

1. Sweden2. Italy3. Greece4. UK5. France/Germany6. Spain7. Japan8. Hungary9. USA10. Canada/Russia11. Australia12. Poland 17.316.115.915.815.215.014.214.012.612.011.711.0

1. The figure for the UK/USA is marginally lower than for Greece.

2. The figure for Russia/Sweden is substantially higher than for Poland.

3. The figure for Poland is nothing like as high as for Russia/Sweden.

4. The figure for France/Italy is approximately 16.

5. The figure for Germany/Japan is a little less than for the UK.

6. The figure for Australia/Canada is the same as for Russia.

7. The figure for Spain/Sweden is nearly 6% more than for Poland.

Now match the underlined words and phrases with the following: almost, far/much less than, a great deal, identical to, fractionally, roughly, slightly less.

Task 11. Look at the graph below and fulfil the tasks that follow.

1. Complete the sentences with appropriate prepositions.

1. а the years 1991-1992 the sales stood а 13.5 million.

2. а 1992 а 1993 the car registrations collapsed а 13.5 million а 11.2 million.

3. The registrations increased а 11.2 million а 1993 а 11.9 million а 1994.

4. The sales decreased а 400,000 а 6 years (1991-1997).

5. There was a drop а 600,000 а 1999 а 2000.

2. Complete the sentences with appropriate adverbs.

1. The car sales fell а from 1992 to 1993.

2. They rose а from 1993 to 1997.

3. The sales dropped а from 1997 to 1999.

4. They decreased а from 1999 to 2000.

3. Answer the questions.

1. When was the biggest decrease/a slump?

2. When was the biggest increase/a jump?

3. When was the smallest decrease/the slightest slip?

4. When was the smallest increase/the most negligible

growth?

Task 12. Decide whether the following statements represent no movement at all, a slow movement or a rapid one.

1. The plummeting dollar has boosted American exports.

2. The sales have been stagnant.

3. There has been a surge in the number of complaints.

4. The imports have risen somewhat.

5. There has been a slight increase in production costs.

6. The glut in the market has caused prices to slump.

7. The home sales have slipped back.

8. Prices are likely to remain steady overall.

9. The price of gold eased back by the end of the day to $423 an ounce.

10. Coffee futures edged up yesterday.

Task 13. Draw plans according to the descriptions given below. Pay attention to the prepositions used.

a. This is the plan of the Conference Centre.

The reception area and the auditorium are on the ground floor. The lifts are on the left, the entrance to the bar is on the right. Next to the bar are the stairs which go down to the basement.

The computer room, the library, the telephone booths and the exhibition area are on the first floor. The computer room is behind the stairs, just along the corridor to the right. The telephone booths are next to the library and the exhibition area is across the landing in front of you.

On the second floor there are a number of rooms used for meetings and above them on the third floor there is a television studio which is used for video-conferences. At the top of the building there is a roof restaurant with a fine view over the city.

b. This is the plan of the Randall Components factory.

Let’s imagine that we are standing here in the reception area. As you can see directly opposite us is the Administration Block which has four floors. On the ground floor we have the main entrance and production department offices. On the first floor we have the R&D department offices and above them the Sales and Personnel sections. At the top of the building there are the offices used by the senior executives.

To the right of this building you can see the assembly workshop and behind that the delivery bay and car park. To the left of the Administration Block we have the stores and next to them a smaller and a larger warehouse.

To get to the canteen and the First Aid Centre you have to go out of this building, go across the road and walk down a path along the river bank. After about 30 yards on the right you come to a single-storey building which is our staff restaurant.

Task 14. Complete the following sentences with the correct form of the verbs rise, raise, arise.

1. The Chancellor has just а the duty on petrol.

2. Our share prices has а recently.

3. She а an important point at the meeting yesterday.

4. Bank landing rates а by 0.5% last month.

5. Please, get in touch with me if the need а .

6. We were able to а $100,000 through subscriptions.

7. If a firm’s costs go up then the price of its products will а … .

8. The staff’s discontent а from the fact that they are underpaid and overworked.

9. I would like to а an objection to what has been suggested.

10. The Unions state that because the cost of living а by 8% last year, management should а wages by an equivalent amount.

Task 15. Link each word on the left to its synonym or definition on the right.

1. to fluctuate 2. a recession 3. a pace 4. Precisely 5. to vary 6. to plunge 7. Extensively 8. a trough 9. to soar 10. a peak a. a tempo b. to change c. widely d. the highest point on a graph e. to rise very fast f. a decline in economic activity g. exactly h. to move downwards suddenly i. the lowest point on a graph j. to rise and fall wildly

TRANSLATION

Task 1. Translate into Russian.

1. This chart shows a marked improvement in home sales compared to the last year. This improved performance is due in part to lower interest rates.

2. As we see from the next table, this group has not responded well to treatment. However, when we turn to the male patients we can notice a more positive result.

3. Over the last year the workforce has been slashed by 50%.

4. During the 1970s there was rapid growth in industrial production and consumption.

5. The house prices have plummeted over the last three months.

6. This year there has been a moderate rise in turnover of 5%.

7. The stock exchanges throughout the whole country witnessed a dramatic plunge in shares last week.

8. Oil prices have been static for months, but are now beginning to edge up.

9. The sales volume is rallying this week after earlier falls.

10. The defence budget is to be trimmed by a further $1mln.

11. The governmental program when implemented entailed a slump in agricultural prices.

12. The industrial output has remained stagnant since the beginning of the year.

13. The company’s profits were buoyed by a successful publishing venture.

14. Inflation currently stands at 4%. It has decreased negligibly since March.

15. All the models were reduced by half to $120. This reduction in prices was enormous.

16. ICA’s profits jumped from $20mln to $40mln last year.

17. A substantial rise in taxes will be necessary if the education system is to be improved.

18. The number of the unemployed is expected to drop a great deal next quarter.

19. This year there has been a significant increase in turnover to $3mln.

20. Our GNP has been falling for the last three quarters. The situation is extremely dangerous.

21. The banks raised their interest rates. This sudden rise in rates was quite unexpected.

22. These statistics show that so far this year the production of manufactured goods has increased by 1.5% and exports have risen by 2.1%. The figures for the same period last year were 0.9% and 0.4% respectively.

23. A week ago the Prime Minister announced a drop of 0.5% in interest rates. Since then the Stock Market has reacted accordingly with the FT 30 Index now standing at 1772.

24. Originally aiming for a turnover of $1,5mln, that figure has grown to more than 10 times that amount, with a phenomenal growth of 35%.

25. However, despite this encouraging news, the volume of retail sales fell back by 2% last month, though it was still 6% higher than at the end of December.

Task 2. Translate into English.

1. Индекс Токийской фондовой биржи Nikkei за неделю вырос на 3,1%, т.е. до величины 8152,16.

2. Доходность 10-летних правительственных облигаций составила 0,575% (упала за неделю на 0,025 пункта).

3. Ставка рефинансирования остается на уровне 1,5%.

4. Самый серьезный скачок произошел в пятницу утром.

5. Это позволит увеличить доходы к 2015 году примерно в два раза.

6. Как следствие, за последние 2,5 года доля местной продукции на отечественном рынке снизилась с 77 до 42%.

7. В настоящее время мировой рынок упаковки переживает период вялой деловой активности.

8. Среднемировой показатель в этом секторе достигает 62%.

9. Спад потребления пива в Германии наблюдается на фоне увеличения потребления вина.

10. Торговля шла чрезвычайно активно, поскольку покупатели предлагали цену за акцию в несколько раз выше номинала.

11. Более высокий рост цен отмечался только в феврале (на 2,5%), а, начиная с мая, месячный рост цен колебался в пределах 1,1-2,2%.

12. Бюджет-2003 рассчитывался исходя из следующих макроэкономических показателей: ВВП – рост на 66,5% (с 25,33 трлн. в 2002 г. до 31,7-32,9 трлн. в 2003 г.), …

13. Постановлением Минэкономики от 13 декабря определены верхние пределы тарифов на услуги по отоплению и горячему водоснабжению, которые будут повышены не более чем в 1,25 раза, а услуги холодного водоснабжения и канализации – не более чем в 1,5 раза.

14. В ближайшей перспективе доля экспорта достигнет 10%, а может даже и превысит это значение.

15. Даже сократившись на 52 млн., налоговая недоимка, тем не менее, остается устрашающе огромной.

16. С такими темпами роста цен к осени, когда выращенная рыба поступит на реализацию, она будет стоить около 1380 рублей, хотя, по расчетам специалистов, ее цена должна быть не ниже 2340 рублей.

17. Экспорт высоких технологий у нас всего 6%, в России – 14%, а в Эстонии – уже 25%.

18. Диаграмма 1 показывает, что динамика промышленности отражает экономический цикл страны последних лет.

19. Как видно из приведенной таблицы, их доля выросла с 44% в 1998 году до 67% в 2002 году и, по мнению экспертов компании, эта тенденция сохраниться в дальнейшем.

20. За 7 месяцев текущего года значительных колебаний не наблюдалось, продажи оставались приблизительно на одном и том же уровне.

DISCUSSION

Task 1. The visuals below are from various presentations. Describe the visuals drawing the audience’s attention to the information given in them.

1. The following horizontal bar chart illustrates household savings. Draw attention to:

a. the high proportion of savings in Greece;

b. the negative savings in the Nordic countries;

c. the similar levels of savings in Italy and Austria.

2. The following table shows the number of cars used. Draw attention to:

a. Spain as potentially one of the best markets in Europe;

b. the number of cars in the USA – perhaps not really unexpected;

c. the relatively low number of cars in Japan considering its development.

CARS per 1,000 population

JapanSpain Belgium Britain France Italy USA 263290366372410426496

3. The following vertical bar chart surveys attitudes to national institutions in different EC countries. Draw attention to:

a. the fact that all three countries have rather low confidence in the law, which the presenter thinks is important;

b. the low level of confidence in schools in the UK, which the presenter finds worrying;

c. the fact that the UK has such low confidence in the press, which the presenter didn’t expect; d. the high level of confidence of the French in their schools, which the presenter thinks is significant.

Task 2. Prepare a short commentary for the visual below. Follow the instructions.

Instructions:

1. Focus on the first point of comparison – how much longer people work in Japan than in Germany or the USA.

2. Restate facts from the visual and compare the manufacturing sector.

3. Restate facts from the visual and compare the financial sector.

4. Pay attention to the fact that Japan has the highest number of public holidays – 23 as compared to 13 in Germany and 16 in the USA.

5. Add a comment – possible explanation for why the Japanese work such long hours.

Task 3. Describe the graph using the following words/word expressions.

A dramatic increase, a steady rise, a peak, a trough, a sharp drop, a slight decline, to remain stable, to fluctuate, to decrease substantially, to level off, to fall by 1,000 units, to fall to 1,000 units.

Start this way: There was a steady rise in sales in January-February and in the first half of March, then they fell to 1,000 units in mid April. OR Sales rose steadily for the first 10 weeks of the year, then decreased substantially and there was a trough in mid April.

Task 4. Describe the visuals from T.9/Practice in detail.

Task 5. Find various visuals in original literature (newspapers, magazines, etc.) and bring them to the class. Exchange them with your groupmates. Describe each visual.