1.2. Match the words with the definitions:

1) company

2) executive

3) plan

4) expert

5) chance

6) store

7) chairman

8) neighborhood

9) billion (GB)

10) billion (US)

a. a person with special knowledge or training

b. a place where people buy things

c. a business organized for trade, industrial or other purposes

d. a possibility of winning or losing or that something will happen

e. (people living in a) district or area near a certain place

f. an organized or developed idea or method

g. million millions

h. thousand millions

i. the person in an organization who has administrative or managerial powers

j. a person leading a meeting or an organized group

2. Idioms

Идиомы встречаются и в сфере бизнеса и политики. Они могут быть широко использованы в описаниях положения компаний на рынках, в анализах SWOT.

2.1. Read the text.

SWOT analysis - current situation of the organization. It consists of making the strategic plan of the company (if it is necessary). To do this, we will have to analyse our internal and external organization to obtain a realistic situation about the business, later we will define suitably the vision of our organization. In order to make it we have a tool which is great accepted by the critical and by the objective obtained results , this tool it is known as SWOT, but. SWOT analyses offer outcome dates to know the real situation of the enterprise as well as the risk and opportunities available in the market which affect directly to our business.

Internal analysis of the organization

Strength: describes the resources and the skills that our company has acquired. What is the difference from the company? What can we improve?

Weakness: describes the factors in which we have unfavorable position with regard to the competence. In order to make the internal analysis.

External analysis of the organization

Opportunities: they describe the possible markets, business niches that can be seen by everyone, but if they are not recognized on time that would mean the loss of the competitive advantage.

Threats : The describe the factors that cab put in danger the survival of the organization , if they are recognized on time they can dodge or they can become opportunities.

In order to make the internal analysis we have to take into account the analysis of the environment, of the interested groups, the legislation, and the demographic and political aspects.

Once we have described the threats, the opportunities, the strengths and the weakness of the company, we can construct the SWOT matrix. Matrix let us visualize and summarize the present situation of the company.

2.2. Examples:

1. Have the inside track — иметь преимущество (по самой короткой дорожке). It’s easy to be successful when you have the inside track. (Легко преуспеть, если имеешь преимущество.)

2. A false start — фальстарт, начало движения до выстрела.

He got off to a false start at his new job but later he became successful. (Он начал с фальстарта на новой работе, но позднее преуспел.)

3. To jump the gun — опередить события.

I think we jumped the gun by buying the wedding gift. They called off the wedding. (поторопились — отменили)

4. The front runner — самый вероятный победитель, фаворит.

5. Down to the wire — до упора, до последнего.

It’s coming down to the wire but we will get it done on time. (Время поджимает, но мы все же успеем.)

6. Hands down — легкая победа.

Most of the other team’s players were sick so we won hands down. (… поэтому мы выиграли легко.)

7. Home stretch — финишная прямая.

Jane’s pregnancy is in the home stretch. (на последнем сроке)

8. Win by a nose — минимальное преимущество.

9. It’s neck and neck — ноздря в ноздрю, вровень, не отставая.

10. Сarry the ball — взять дело в свои руки, нести ответственность.

Jane stopped carrying the ball on the project after John threw in the towel. (Джейн перестала нести ответственность за проект, когда Джон сдался.)

11. Drop the ball — упустить возможность (буквально выронить мяч).

We can’t trust James. He is always dropping the ball. (Он постоянно упускает возможности.)

12. Move the goalposts — вносить изменения с целью собственной выгоды.

13. Keep one’s eye on the ball — быть начеку, не отвлекаться.

Keep your eye on the ball if you want to get an A in my class.

14. Start the ball rolling — сдвинуть дело с мертвой точки.

15. Keep the ball rolling — продолжать начатое дело.

We need more donations to keep the ball rolling.

16. Score an own goal — автогол, сыграть против себя.

The government has scored an own goal with accepting the new law.

17. А whole new ball game — совсем другое дело, «совсем другая опера».

We did not do a lot last year, but now it is a whole new ball game.

18. Out of someone’s league —быть в неравной ситуации, неровня.

Peter would like to date Mary, but he decided that he was out of her league.

19. Throw in the towel — сдаться, признать себя побежденным.

We are going to throw in the towel if they don’t accept our offer this time. (Нам придется признать поражение, если они снова отклонят наше предложение.)

20. Below the belt — удар ниже пояса.

Sam hit below the belt when he sold his shares.

21. Take it on the chin — не падать духом, что бы ни произошло.

We lost the contract but took it on the chin. (…, но не упали духом.)

22. Have someone in your corner — иметь союзников, иметь поддержку.

It’s great to have someone in your corner. (Хорошо, когда есть союзники.)

23. Be second to none — не иметь себе равных