3.5. Listening and speaking

Ex.1. You will hear an interview with a woman called Tansy Burton, who runs a company which makes beauty products. For questions 1–5, choose the answer (A,B,C or D) which fits best according to what you hear. One mark is given for each correct answer.

1. To what does Tansy attribute her success as a businessperson?

A It was a family tradition.

B It reflects her early training.

C It grew out of a desire to please people.

D It’s something which came naturally to her.

2. What was Tansy’s main role in setting up the production company?

A drawing up a business plan

B attracting sufficient investment

C responding to customer preferences

D establishing administrative system

3. According to Tansy, her fragrances are successful because they

A are elegantly packed.

B appeal to a wide range of people.

C suggest an expensive lifestyle.

D reflect changes in consumer taste.

4. Increasingly, Tansy sees people’s choice of fragrances as a reflection of the wearer’s

A social standing.

B taste in other products.

C emotional state.

D financial solution.

5. In the future, Tansy expects to see

A a wider use of fragrances in society.

B fewer companies involved in producing fragrances.

C single products fulfilling a range of functions.

D increasing profitability for producers of fragrances.

Ex. 2. Choose one of the suggested topics and comment on it or discuss it with your partner.

1. Some people say that advertising encourages us to buy things we really do not need. Others say that advertisements tell us about new products that may improve our lives. Which viewpoint do you agree with?

2. Which media (TV, magazines, radio, and poster) is the most successful advertising medium? Why?

3. Strategies used in the ads to persuade the customers to buy products. Which techniques of persuasion are the most effective and attractive?

4. You work for a company that plans promotional campaigns for different products. You’ve been asked to advertise a new hi-fi system. Would you invite celebrities to endorse it?

5. Comment on the terms: slanted language, weasel words, subliminal advertising. What do you know about this advertising?

SELF-ASSESSMENT TEST

Ex..1. You will hear part of an announcement about an airline company. For questions 1-9, complete the sentences.

PRIVILAIR: AIRCRAFT CHARTER COMPANY

When an aircraft is chartered, the client gets use of the plane, (1) ………… and inflight services.

Before the trip, the company’s (2) ……….. discusses the client’s particular needs.

Privilair sees (3) ……….. as its main selling point.

As well as celebrities, Privilair’s passengers have included members of governments and (4) ………. .

Privilair planes have plenty of (5) …………. in both first and business class seats.

An internationally-known (6) ………… once worked on board a Privilair flight.

Prililair’s new first-class aircraft holds up to (7) ………. passengers.

The two new aircraft have areas where passengers can use (8) ………… .

Privilair flights have visited all the main (9) ……….. in Europe.

Ex. 2. For questions 1 – 16, match the following words with appropriate definitions.

1. to boost (sales) a. to inflict similar trouble, harm,

injury, etc

2. brand name b. a very rich, important and influential

man

3. catch phrase c. the name given to a particular

product by the company that produces it for sale

4. commercial breaks d. a sensitive issue that causes argument

5. to get even with e. a large notice, often with a picture on

it, that is displayed in a public place

6. keeping up with the Jones’s f. to supply or make available food,

services, etc

7. to launch products g. to help or encourage sth.

8. a letter of inquiry h. statements that are deliberately not clear

9. logo i. progressing at the same level as sb.

10. to lure customers j. a well-known phrase first used by an entertainer, etc.

11. mogul k. to put sth. into action; to start

12. poster l. a printed symbol designed for and used by a company or a society as its special sign

13. to purvey sth. m. to change gradually to a lower or worse condition

14. a real bone of content n. request for help, information about sb.

15. to slide downhill o. to attract or tempt customers

16. weasel words p. pauses during a TV programme to announce sth.

Ex. 3. Fill in the blanks (1 – 19) with the correct particle or preposition where necessary.

A catch phrase comes to be (1) … everyone’ s lips and stays (2) … use (3) … decades. 2. You must come (4) … … a new advertising campaign for the autumn. 3. I have tried it (5) … … the children’s clothes and it really works. 4. I might stop smoking if cigarettes go (6) … … price. 5. When factory production came (7) … the market, national advertising campaigns and brand-naming of products became necessary. 6. From the beginning of the 19^th century production had steadily expanded and there had been a corresponding growth (8) … retail outlets. 7. A good example of the changes that occurred (9) … manufacture and distribution (10) …the turn of the century can be formed in the soap trade. 8. It translates perfectly well into Roman, Arabic, Cyrillic and stands (11) … an instantly recognizable products in Brussels, Bali or Bangkok. 9. Huge resources are being poured (12) … single advertising campaigns. 10. A trademark is useless unless the manufacturer sets and maintains high standards (13) …quality, but once consumers gain confidence (14) ……it, the owner can use it (15) … a persuader. 11. (16) … these are humorous and entertaining television and radio commercials, appeal (17) … the sense of smell (18) … the use of perfumed ink on paper. 12. His lack of practice counted (19) … him in the tennis tournament.

Ex. 4. For questions 1 – 16, read the text carefully and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each space. One mark is given for each correct answer.

HOW TO COMPLAIN IN SHOPS

People love to complain. Moaning to friends can be a (1) ……. of relief from the (2) …….. and strains of work, study or relationships. But when it comes to protesting to a retailer about (3) ……. goods and services, many of us find we don’t have the nerve and choose to (4) …….. in silence.

By the time we do (5) ……. summon up the courage to make our (6) ……. , we have generally already allowed the problem to get to us, and we are angry. In this (7) ……., we can all too (8) ………. become aggressive, gearing up for battle and turning what should be a rational discussion into a conflict.

To complain effectively, you need to be specific about your problem and communicate it clearly using words which are objective and fair. (9) ……. over the top with emotional language and unreasonable claims will get you nowhere. Good negotiators tend to be calm and logical. They start by explaining the situation and stating their requirements clearly, without threat. Most complaints prompt a defensive (10) ……… from the other person, but by being reasonable yourself, you (11) ……..more chance of achieving the positive (12) ….….. you want.

If you feel angry or upset about what has happened, by all means tell the company, but do so calmly, (13) ……. that you understand the situation from all points of (14) ……., but explaining what you will do if your complaint is ignored. Be sure to remember, however, that it is unwise to (15) ……… threats unless you are in a position to (16) ………them out.

1 A source B well C cause D way

2 A pressures B pains C stresses D struggles

3 A faulty B inexpert C improper D scruffy

4 A stick B suppress C stay D suffer

5 A essentially B especially C exceptionally D eventually

6 A turn B point C mark D say

7 A manner B form C state D mode

8 A easily B happily C simply D casually

9 A Being B Going C Getting D Feeling

10 A response B respect C revenge D regard

11 A spend B attract C stand D establish

12 A fallout B outcome C turnout D output

13 A revealing B exhibiting C displaying D demonstrating

14 A mind B opinion C view D reason

15 A make B bear C do D carry

16 A fill B work C do D carry

Ex. 5. Read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end of some of the lines to form a word that fits in the space in the same line. One mark is given for each correct answer (1 – 11).

A TASTE FOR SUCCESS

Founded in 1892, the Coca-Cola Company is today engaged

(1)………in the manufacture and sale of the famous PRIME

carbonated beverage that is a (2) ..…......institution in the CULTURE

United States and a symbol around the world of American

tastes. The drink was (3)………in 1886 by an Atlanta ORIGIN

pharmacist, John S. Pemberton; his bookkeeper, Frank

Robinson, chose the name for the drink and penned it in the

flowing script that became the Coca-cola trademark.

Pemberton originally touted his drink as a tonic for most

common (4) …… . He sold his syrup to local soda fountains, AIL

and, with advertising, the drink became (5)………. successful. EXPECT

By 1891 another Atlanta pharmacist, Asa Griggs Candler had

secured complete (6) …….. of the business for a total cash OWN

outlay of $2.300 and the exchange of some proprietary rights.

In 1899 the Coca-Cola company signed its first (7) .............with AGREE an independent bottling company, which was allowed to buy

the syrup and produce, bottle, and distribute the drink.

Such licensing deals formed the basis of a unique distribution

system that now (8) ……most of the American soft-drink CHARACTER

industry. The post-World War II years saw (9) ………….. DIVERSE

in the packaging of Coca and also in the development or

(10)…….. of new products. Today, Coca-Cola stands as ACQUIRE

one of the most (11) ……. of US businesses. PROSPER

Ex. 6. Complete the sentences with an appropriate form in parentheses (1 – 26).

1. It may be impossible (persuade) (1) ……..my mother (give) (2) ………. up her job even though she’s having health problems. We can’t even get her (cut) (3) …… down on her working hours. She enjoys (work) (4) …….. so much that she refuses (retire) (5) ……… and (take) (6) …… it easy. I admire her for (dedicate) (7) ….. to her work, but I also want her to take care of her health.

2. Traffic has become too heavy for the Steinbergs (commune) (8)……..easily to their jobs in the city. They’re considering (move) (9) ………to an apartment close to their places of work. They don’t want (give) (10) …….. up their present home, but they need (live) (11) …….. in the city (be) (12) …… closer to their work so they can spend more time (do) (13) …….. the things they really enjoy (do) (14) ……… in their free time.

3. I can’t seem (get) (15) ……… rid of the cockroaches in my apartment. Every night I see them (run) (16) ……. all over my kitchen counters. It drives me crazy. I am considering (have) (17 ) ………..the whole apartment (spray) (18) ………. by a professional pest control expert.

4. The employees were unhappy when the new management took over. They weren’t accustomed to (treat) (19) …….. disrespectfully by the managers of the production departments. By (threaten) (20) ………. (stop) (21) ……….. (work) (22) ………. , they got the company (listen) (23) ……… to their grievances. In the end, a strike was averted.

5. According to some estimates, well over half of the world’s population is functionally illiterate. Imagine (be) (24) …….. a parent with a sick child and (be) (25) ………… unable to read the directions on a medicine bottle. We all know that it is important for medical directions (understand) (26) …….. clearly.