Text 1. Bic's success in a throwaway world

Bic is a household name, synonymous with a disposable age.

Few companies can say that they are responsible for changing the everyday habits of billions of people throughout the world, but the French company Bic, founded in 1950, is one that can. The ballpoint pen came first. The original biros - named after Lazlo Biro, their Hungarian inventor - were expensive and difficult to use. Baron Marcel Bich, the owner of a small office supplies company, brought together French and British scientists to refine and modify the design. He negotiated the rights to produce and sell the pen with Biro. Production of the Bic "Crystal" began in 1953. The "Crystal" had a clear blue plastic tube and a visible ink supply which was sufficient to draw a line three kilometres long.

Sales rose from around 50 000 a week in the first year to a quarter of a million a day by 1956. Today sales of Bic writing instruments total more than 20 million a day in 160 countries.

Bich was not content with a one-product business and wanted to find other throwaway ideas. In 1972 came the disposable lighter. It is another success story which made Bic world leaders in the sector, with daily sales of disposable lighters now numbering almost 4 million.

Bic's winning formula was a combination of simplicity of production and reliability; the company claims that its lighters will work 3 000 times compared with competing brands’ 1 000.

The company used healthy profits to invest in its third major product range - the throwaway razor - in 1975. It now contests market leadership with Gillette. Bic subsequently diversified further - into windsurfing boards and fashion - but the three original throwaway ideas remain its success stories.

1. Learn the new words to the text:

throwaway, disposable	одноразовий
biro, ballpoint pen	кулькова ручка
to refine, to improve	поліпшувати, покращувати
to modify	видозмінювати
sufficient	достатній
to be content	бути задоволеним
simplicity	простота
reliability	надійність
competing brand	конкуруючий бренд, торгова марка
healthy profit	значний прибуток
to contest	оспорювати, відстоювати
market leadership	ринкове керівництво
to diversify	вкладати капітал в різноманітні галузі
launch	запускати
appeal	звертатись
penetrate	входити, проходити, пронизувати
slogan	лозунг, гасло, девіз
product range	номенклатура продукції
brand	торгова марка, бренд
partnership	співробітництво, партнерство
trademark	торгова марка
store	магазин

2. Answer the questions:

1. When the company was founded?

2. When did Lazlo Biro invent the first pen?

3. Who modified the biros’ design?

4. What did Bich negotiate with Biro?

5. What was the sales rate of “Crystal”?

6. What was the second Bic’s success?

7. What was the Bic’s third major product range?

8. Are disposable products popular in your country?

9. What disposable products do you use and why?

10. Are disposable products good for the environment?

3. Define if the sentences are true or false. Correct the false sentences.

1. It is easy for any company to change the everyday habits of billions of people.

2. The company Bic is a French company.

3. Lazlo Biro, the inventor of balloons, was a Hungarian.

4. Marcel Bich brought together French and British scientists to refine and modify the design of the biros.

5. Bic "Crystal" was the first their disposal invention, that had a great success.

6. In 1972 came the throwaway razor.

7. The invention of disposable lighter was not successful.

8. Bic subsequently diversified further - into windsurfing boards and fashion

4. Match the adjectives with the nouns to make six word partners:

Adjective	Noun
product	age
disposable	name
household	habits
healthy	brand
competing	profits
everyday	range

5. Translate into English the following sentences:

   1. Небагато компаній можуть сказати, що відповідальні за зміну умов життя мільйонів людей в різних країнах світу.

   2. Барон Marcel Bich поліпшив і модифікував дизайн кулькової ручки за допомогою французьких і британських учених.

   3. Компанія Bic один з світових лідерів по виробництву разових товарів.

   4. Разова запальничка це дуже корисний винахід.

   5. Одноразові бритви компанії Bic здатні конкурувати з компанією Gillette.