Grammar Exercises

Exercise 1. Make the sentences negative.

Model: They have held a meeting.

They haven't held a meeting.

1. The stockholders have elected the Board of Directors.

2. This corporation has issued the stock.

3. The Board of Directors has chosen the company officers.

4. This company has greatly expanded.

5. We have already applied for a corporate charter.

Exercise 2. Put up four questions of different types (general, special, disjunctive, alternative) to each sentence.

Model: The stockholders have held the annual meeting.

1. Have the stockholders held the annual meeting?

2. What have the stockholders done?

3. The stockholders have held the annual meeting, haven't they?

4. Have the stockholders held a meeting or a conference?

1. The partners have applied for a corporate charter.

2. The stockholders have voted at the annual meeting.

3. The company has issued the additional stock.

4. They have invested all their money in this company.

Lesson 4 the functions of an executive Dialogue

Anna is having lunch with her sister Barbara. Anna has just accepted a position as an Administrative Assistant. Her boss is an executive with a firm that manufactures heavy machinery used in construction.

Barbara You've got a new job, Anna. My congratulations.

Anna Thanks, Barbara.

Barbara Tell me a few words about your boss. What does he do?

Anna Well, he is one of the vice presidents of the company, so he's rather important. He is an executive.

Barbara Do you know the difference between an executive, a manager and an

administrator?

Anna I am afraid I can hardly tell you the difference. I think these words are

interchangeable and they really aren't different in many companies.

Barbara What about your company?

Anna In our company the top officers are called administrators. The next highest

group - the vice presidents, the heads of major departments and branch plant

managers - are executives like my boss.

Barbara Is that all?

Anna The group below consists of managers, they are general managers and

foremen.

Barbara So I see that an organization has a number of positions and some people have

more authority than others.

Anna You are right.

Barbara But it would be interesting to know more about the functions of an executive

like your boss.

Anna I'd say he makes a lot of important decisions. He sets objectives, coordinates

work, delegates authority, makes hiring, firing, evaluating and just general

leading.

Barbara It seems to be important.

Anna It is important. It's evident that making careful decisions is the basis of good

management.

Barbara But do, you work under much pressure?

Anna Barbara, you know I am quite used to working under pressure from my last

job. I am also accustomed to lots of paper work and red tape.

Barbara Good for you.

Anna And what's more important I feel that I can learn a lot because my boss is very

competent.

Barbara Good, I think we'd be in a hurry not to get late for the work.