Adopted from

Business START-UP 2
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS

English for

BUSINESS
Student’s Book
Internal used only.

English for Business 2

Contents

Unit 1 Introductions
1.1 Talking about job
1.2 Talking about product and services
1.3 Eating out

Unit 2 Teamwork
2.1 Discussing work in progress
2.2 Discussing strengths and weakness
2.3 Talking about your hobby and interest.

Unit 3 Choices
3.1 Comparing offers
3.2 Discussing requirements
3.3 Describing places

Unit 4 Booking a flight

Unit 5 Success
5.1 Talking about your education and career
5.2 Giving an update
5.3 Discussing interesting experiences

Unit 6 Using the Internet

Unit 7 Solutions
7.1 Discussing ideas
7.2 Making decisions
7.3 Dealing with problems

English for Business 3

 1. Introductions

The books in this serried present and practice spoken English and practical writing for

business communication; they feature key word and expressions which will help you in a wide

range of work situations. The target language is introduced through short dialogues and texts,

and developed in language notes and practice exercise.

English for Business is suitable for anyone who needs to work in the business world, and

for students in adult education classes, schools, colleges and universities.

The book contains a range of language common to all who need to use English in their

business lives. Whether you use English in meetings, presentations, on the phone or in emails, you

will find language to help you work more effectively in this book.

English for Business 4

 1.1 Talking about Job
Decide what kind of job you want. In order to streamline the job application process, examine
what your needs and desires are for employment. You can narrow down your options by taking
a few things into consideration:

 Consider the career field. Whether you are transitioning from another field or are
looking to make a lateral move, it is important to find work that is both challenging and
rewarding for you. Knowing what you don’t want to do is just as important and knowing
what you do want to do.
 Consider the skills required for a particular position. The Feeling like your skills are
being well utilized and acknowledged is the key to feeling satisfaction at a job. Having
an idea about which of your skills will be tapped, and which you will be able to
develop, is key to deciding on a worthwhile job.
 Consider your salary and benefit requirements. Be honest and realistic about your
bottom line. If you need health coverage and require a certain amount of income per
month, it is best to home in on jobs that fulfill those requirements.

Do your research. Before you begin sending out resumes and cover letters en masse, look into
the companies you are applying for.

 Get a sense of the company’s personality and values by reading its mission statement.
This information can come in handy when writing your cover letter and in an interview
situation.
 Read up on new products or services the company is providing. This information is often
located in the company’s “news” section. This section can also be a source of information
on community activities the company is involved in.
 Review the jobs or careers section of the company website for insight into job openings.
You may find more options for employment in other departments or locations

Write a resume. Even if the job you want doesn’t require the submission of a traditional resume,
having an up-to-date resume is highly recommended. Resumes not only outline your education
and work history, but they can also point to specific projects you’ve worked on or awards
you’ve won. Information to include on your resume should entail:

 Your current contact information, including your full name, phone number, mailing
address, and email address.
 Your educational background. List the colleges you have attended (beginning with your
most recent), the year you attended, and any degrees or certificates earned. You may
opt to include your course of study.
 Your work history for the past few years. The unofficial rule is one resume page per ten
years of experience. Be aware that large gaps in employment, or multiple jobs within a
short amount of time, will be something you may be asked about in an interview.

English for Business 5

 Be sure to include dates of employment, the company name, your title, and a brief
description of your activities.

 Your relevant skills. This is your eopportunity to list all the skills you have acquired
through the years. Knowledge of office equipment, familiarity with computer operating
systems, software programs (such as Microsoft Office Suite or Adobe Creative Suite),
typing speed, database experience, and other relevant information should be included
in your resume.

Task 1

1. Read the examples of curriculum vitae and letter of application below!

2. Make your own curriculum vitae and letter of application!

English for Business 6

English for Business 7
English for Business 8
Make your curriculum vitae, here!

English for Business 9

Make your letter of application, here!

English for Business 10

 Task 2

Listening Practice

I. Ivan Magnusson, a trainer, is talking at the start of a training course. Listen and complete
the information!

1. Length of course: ______________ days.

2. Course name: International ___________________
3. Ivan’s job: _____________ Consultant.

II. Listen to Ella Grady, one of the people on the course, talking about her job. Fill in the
gaps in the Organisation Chart.

Organisation Chart

Sue Arpel
Managing director

Responsibilities:
 7 departments
 145 people

David Kemp
Customer service manager

Responsibilities:
 Customer service department
 3 regional customer

Ella Grady

…………. Customer service manager

Responsibilities:
 …. assistants
 …. countries

English for Business 11

 III. Listen to Ivan Magnussion telling the group about his “secret job”. Then complete the
sentences.

1. Ivan works for ___________________________________________________

.
2. He writes reports about ___________________________________________
.
3. The company doesn’t pay him, but ___________________________________
.
4. Ivan is the right person for the job because ____________________________
_______________________________________________________________
.

Task 3

Answer the questions based on Organisation Chart on page 8!

I. Which other person from the chart is on the training course?

II. Fill in the gaps in these sentences!

of after to with for

1. I look …………. customer service for Europe.

2. I report to …………. the customer service manager.
3. He’s in charge …………. of the department.
4. We’re responsible …………. customers in Europe.
5. I deal …………. problems most of the time.

Task 4

I. Fill in the gaps with these forms of the verb be.

are is I’m he’s isn’t we’re they’re aren’t isn’t

1. My name’s Ella Grady. ……… in customer service. It ……… a very big department
– only six people.
English for Business 12
 2. I’m not in charge of the department. David Kemp ……… the manager. …… my boss.
3. I work with five colleagues. ……… in the European section of the department.
4. Alicia, Todd, Mike, Eric and Hans ……… all in my team. ……… my assistants.
5. Sue Arpel ……… on the course. There ……… any directors on the course.

II. Underline the correct verbs forms in these sentences.

1. I work/works for a hotel company.

2. We check/checks customer service.

3. I write/writes a report.

4. It don’t/doesn’t take long.

5. I don’t/doesn’t pay.

6. She go/goes to office.

7. They travel/travels a lot.

8. I don’t/doesn’t like the paperwork.

9. I want/wants to give you some example of bad customer service.

10. She has/have a difficult boss.

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION GAMES

Chinese Whisper

 The teacher will show sentences to students in the front, one sentence at a time.

 Then, the students in the front will whisper the sentence to the students in their back. The

second students then whisper to students in their back.

 The students do these until the last students in the back hear the sentences. After that, the

last students write the sentences on the board. Do it as quickly as possible!

 The group that finishes first and the sentences are all correct will be the winner.

English for Business 13

English for Business 14
 1.2 Talking about product and services
Task 1

Read about the IAAPA trade fair and answer the questions in FAQs (Frequently Asked
Questions) below!

1. What do the letters IAAPA stand for?

............................................................................................................................................................
2. Where is the fair?
............................................................................................................................................................

3. When does the show start?

English for Business 15

 ............................................................................................................................................................

4. How many companies are at the fair?

............................................................................................................................................................
5. Is the fair open to the public?
............................................................................................................................................................
6. Are there rollercoaster at the show?
............................................................................................................................................................
7. Does the fair have an outdoor area?
............................................................................................................................................................

Task 2

One of the companies at the IAAPA is Vekoma.

Read the text below, then answer question!

For a lot of firms, global business is a rollercoaster. But for

Vekoma, rollercoaster are a global business. The Dutch company
is one of the world’s top rollercoaster builders. It exports to
customers worldwide.

1. What does the first sentence of the text mean?

............................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................
2. What does Vekoma make?
............................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................
3. Is it an international company?
............................................................................................................................................................

English for Business 16

 Task 3

Read about the service that Vekome offers. Match the photos to the sentences from the text!

Task 4

Match the definitions 1-7 to the verb a-g.

1. offer goods/services a. design

2. sell abroad b. supply
3. create/draw c. deliver
4. make d. English for Business 17
manufacture
5. help/give information e. install
6. build/put in f. export
 Task 5

Listening Practice

I. A Salesman from a company called Fun Farm is talking to a potential customer at a

trade fair. Listen and answer the questions.
a. What does the Fun Farm manufacture?
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................

b. What’s the woman’s job?

...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................

c. Where does Fun Farm make its products?

...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................

II. Listen again. What does the salesman say about:

a. Customers around the world

...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................

b. Installation and after-sales service in Germany.

...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................

English for Business 18

1.3 Eating out
Task 1

1. What’s your favorite restaurant? Why do you like it?

. ............................................................................................................................................ .
............................................................................................................................................. .
............................................................................................................................................. .
2. Do you think it’s an expensive restaurant? Why/why not?
................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................ .
3. What sort of customers do you think go to this restaurant?
................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................ .

Task 2

English for Business 19

Look at the extract from the menu. Match the dishes (a-h) to the parts of meal (1-5).

c. apple pie with fresh cream or ice cream.

d. roast chicken, beef or lamb, grilled steak.
e. Tomato soup
f. fried haddock or cod, grilled salmon.
g. fruit salad
h. chips, mashed potato, rice, mixed vegetables, leeks in cheese sauce
i. mixed salad
j. strawberries and cream

1. Starters: ........................................................................................................................................ .
English for Business 20
 2. Meat for the main course: ........................................................................................................ .
3. Fish for the main course: ........................................................................................................... .
4. Side dishes: .................................................................................................................................. .
5. Desserts: ....................................................................................................................................... .

Listening
TaskPractice
3
Listening Practice

I. Check your understanding: true or false

1. . ........................................................................................... True or False

2. . ........................................................................................... True or False
3. . ........................................................................................... True or False
4. . ........................................................................................... True or False
5. . ........................................................................................... True or False
6. . ........................................................................................... True or False

II. Check your understanding: fill the gap

1. A table _______________ two, please.

2. Are you ready _______________ order?
3. What would you _______________ for your starter?
4. I’d _______________ French onion soup, please.
5. What _______________ you like to drink?
6. I’ll _______________ a fresh orange juice.

.
Task 4

Look at the example of menu below and make your own menu from your favorite restaurant!

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Make your own menu here!

English for Business 22

 GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARY PRACTICE

I. Find the words and fill in the gaps.

brispolenes lead troper agmane grehac kool

1. He’s responsible for export sales.

2. I ……… five people.

3. I ……… to the office manager.

4. I’m in ……… of the London office.

5. They ……… with financial problems.

6. We ……… after customers in 50 countries.

II. Make positive and negative sentences.

1. I / be in charge
I’m in charge.
I’m not in charge.
2. They / be in my team.
.......................................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................................
3. It / be an unusual job.
.......................................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................................
4. You / be his boss.
.......................................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................................
5. They / check customer service.
.......................................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................................
6. He / travel a lot.
.......................................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................................
7. She / work in the London office.

English for Business 23

 .......................................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................................

III. Make questions for these answers.

1. Where’s the trade fair?

The trade fair is in Frankfurt.

2. . ......................................................................................................................................................

The show ends on the May 20th.

3. . ......................................................................................................................................................

Yes, we’re an international company.

4. . ......................................................................................................................................................

We manufacture rollercoasters.

5. . ......................................................................................................................................................

Yes, the company delivers products all over the world.

6. . ......................................................................................................................................................

No, I’m not in customer service.

7. . ......................................................................................................................................................

Yes, the site is large.

install export supply manufacture deliver design advise

IV. Fill in the gaps.

1. We usually deliver orders the next day.

2. We export ……… our products China and Japan.

3. Our engineers ……… the equipment at customer’s factory.

4. We use computer to ……… our products.

5. They ……… the parts at their factory in France.

English for Business 24

 6. These two companies ……… us with spare parts for our machine.

7. We ……… new customers on the maintenance of the machines.

beef apple potato chicken roast haddock grilled

lamb salmon fried broccoli cod salad mashed

pea carrot leek strawberry

V. Fill in the chart.

Meat Fish Vegetables Fruit Cooking for preparation

Beef haddock potato apple roast

VI. Match the pairs to make sentences.

1. We have a) for the main course?

2. Are you ready to b) for dessert, please.

3. I’d like soup c) order now?

4. Could I have chicken d) anything else to drink?

5. Could I have ice cream e) we just have the bill, please?

6. Can I get you f) for the starter.

7. No coffee, could g) a reservation.

VII. Listening Practice

A. Check your understanding: gap fill
Do these exercise while you listen! Complete the gaps with a word from the box.

English for Business 25

 1. Speaker A works as a _______________.
2. Speaker B works as a _______________.
3. Speaker C works as a _______________.
4. Speaker D works as a _______________.
5. Speaker E works as a _______________.

B. Check your understanding: multiple choice

Do these exercise while you listen. Circle the best answer for these questions!

1. Does speaker A enjoy his job?

Yes.
Sometimes.
No.
2. When does speaker A work?
When he is at university.
Weekends.
Summer holidays.

3. When does speaker B work?

Weekdays.
Weekends and holidays.
Summer holidays.

4. What does speaker B say tourists love doing?

Visiting universities.
Taking a boat trip.
Swimming in the river.

5. Does speaker C like his job?

Yes.
pilot dentist shop assistant tour guide nurse
Sometimes.
No.

6. What does speaker D say is difficult about being a pilot?

Travelling to many countries.

English for Business 26

 Learning many languages.
Flying planes in bad weather.

7. What does speaker D say is the best thing about his job?
Visiting different places.
Meeting different people.
The different weather.

8. What does speaker E not like about her job?

The doctors.
The sick people.
The uniform.

COMMUNICATION PRACTICE

COMMUNICATION PRACTICE I
Work in a group of four.

You are on a training course. Talk about:

Your company: Context interiors.

Your product: design and manufacture of wallpaper.

Your position:

- One student as product development manager

- One student as design manager
- Two students as designer

Your responsibilities:

- Introduce yourself
- design new products
- do market research on competitor’s product

COMMUNICATION PRACTICE II
Work in a group of four.

You are a representative at a trade fair. Talk about:

English for Business 27

Your company: Electronic Solution

Your product:

- Television
- Laptop/computer
- Printer
- CD/DVD Player
- Camera
- Washing machine

Your position: two students as sales representative and two students as customer

Your services:

- Description of your product

- Available to buy or rent
- Engineers install and operate
COMMUNICATION PRACTICE III
Work in a group of four.

Practice ordering a meal in a restaurant.

Your position: one student as waiter/waitress and three students as customer.

Customer: You arrive at the restaurant. You have a reservation. Look at the menu and order.
After the meal, ask for the bill and pay.

Waiter/waitress: Welcome the customer and show him/her a table. Give him/her a menu and
take the order. During the meal, check that everything is OK. Finally bring the bill.

English for Business 28

 BUSINESS COMMUNICATION GAMES

What’s your position?

9
M
A
7 8 N
1 P R O D U C T I O N M A N A G E R A
& X G
D E I
M 2 A C C O U N T A N T N
A U G
N 3 R E C E P T I O N I S T 10 D
A I F I
G V I R
E 4 S A L E S A N D M A R K E T I N G M A N A G E R
R S A C
E N T
C C O

English for Business 29

5 P E R S O N N E L M A N A G E R E R
E D
6 S A L E S R E P R E S E N T A T I V E I
A R
R E
Y C
T
O
R
Across
1. Someone who heads the department responsible for staff manufacturing the product.
2. Someone who keeps the accounts in the finance department.
3. Someone who sits in the lobby, answers the phone, and greets visitors.
4. Someone who heads the department that advertises and sells the product
5. Someone who is responsible for staff matters, such as the hiring of employees.
6. Someone who is responsible for selling the product to customers.
Down
7. Someone who heads the department responsible for scientific research and the development of new
products.
8. Someone who does secretarial work for top management.
9. Someone who heads a company and is responsible for its running
10. Someone responsible for running the company's finance affairs.

2. Teamwork
Teamwork is the process of working collaboratively with a group of people in order to
achieve a goal. Teamwork is often a crucial part of a business, as it is often necessary for
colleagues to work well together, trying their best in any circumstance. Teamwork means that
people will try to cooperate, using their individual skills, and providing constructive feedback,
despite any personal conflict between individuals.

2.1 Discussing work in progress

Task 1

Read the comments. Which do you agree and disagree with? Say why?

1. It’s important to plan work in detail.

...........................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................

English for Business 30

 2. You can’t manage a project without a schedule.
...........................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................
3. To be realistic, add 30% to the budget of most projects.
...........................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................
4. Progress reports don’t help much. They’re always out of date.
...........................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................

Task 2

Listening Practice

John Perry, a British architect, is working in project abroad. Vanessa Wood, from European
Life magazine, is interviewing him by phone. Listen and answer the questions.

1. Which country is John working in?

............................................................................................................................................................
2. What’s the project?
...........................................................................................................................................................
3. What’s the budget for the project?
...........................................................................................................................................................
4. How much of the work is John paying for?
...........................................................................................................................................................
5. How long is the schedule?
............................................................................................................................................................
Task 3

Make sentences from the conversation. Use the present continuous!

1. Where / work ?
Where are you working?
2. I / stay / in one of the rooms .
...........................................................................................................................................................
3. You / not / pay .
...........................................................................................................................................................
4. This project / cost / a fortune !
English for Business 31
 ...........................................................................................................................................................
5. I / manage / the project .
...........................................................................................................................................................
6. At the moment, we / work / on the bathroom .
...........................................................................................................................................................

Task 4

II. Use the verbs at the box to describe what the people at the top of the next page are
doing!

1. They’re decorating a room.

2. ...........................................................................................................................................................

3. ...........................................................................................................................................................

4. ...........................................................................................................................................................

5. ...........................................................................................................................................................

build design paint decorate install

English for Business 32

II. Look at the schedule for work on the hotel. When does each part of the project start and
finish?

III. It is May 1st. John is writing to his partners to give an update on the project. Fill in the
gaps in the emails on page 27.

English for Business 33

IV. Underline the phrases in the emails that mean:

1. We are having problems.

2. Finish (the work).
3. We are behind schedule.

English for Business 34

 2.2 Discussing strengths and weaknesses
Task 1

Match the descriptions of people (1-10) to the skills and characteristics (a-j).

1. She works well with other people.

2. He certainly knows the business,
after 30 years. a. creative
3. She always does a lot of work. b. hard-working
4. He has some really good ideas. c. experienced
5. Things are changing fast, but she’s d. a strong leader
coping well. e. reliable
6. She’s an excellent manager. f. a good team player
7. He always completes work on time. g. adaptable
8. He’s very good at making h. can cope with pressure
presentations. i. a confident communicator
9. There’s a lot of stress, but she can j. analytical
deal with it.
10. He’s good at looking at problems in
detail.

Task 2

Listening Practice

Judith Lehman, the managing director PAF, and Rowan Evans, the human resources
manager are talking about the type of people they are looking for. Listen and make notes.

The new people need to be _____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

English for Business 35

____________________________________________________________________________ .

make making manage managing sell selling work working

Task 3
Fill in the gaps in these sentences from the conversation.

1. We want someone to manage the department.

2. We need a manager to . . . . . . . . . . . . . . the new strategy work.

3. But . . . . . . . . . . . . Marco the department manager’s also a risk.

4. OK, he enjoys . . . . . . . . . . . . . for the company.

5. …………… but that doesn’t mean he’s good at ……………….. a team.

6. The manager has to …………………. The new strategy to the team.

7. We know Marco’s a good salesman. He likes ………………… ideas.

8. They work with him at the moment. What happens if they have to ……………… for

him?

English for Business 36

English for Business 37
 BUSINESS COMMUNICATION GAMES

 Your teacher will give your group a set of cards.

 Your group must appoint a dealer who shuffles, deals one card to each of you and then
puts the remaining cards in a pile face down on the table.
 Think about the card you have been given and how it reflects your personality, as either a
strength or a weakness. If the card means something to you, KEEP IT.
 Starting to the left of the dealer each member of the group, in turn has the chance to reject
their card and put it face down underneath the pile, and replace it with another from the
top of the pile.
 If you get a blank card you can write in strengths or weaknesses of your choice.
 Then, in turn each one of you has to pick up another card which you can either keep or out
back under the pile and replace it with another from the top until all the cards are picked
up.
 You can only reject one card in each turn.
 The exercise is complete when all the cards have been used, although it is likely that some
cards may not be acceptable to anyone.
 Everyone in the group then shows their selection of cards to the rest of the group and, in
turn, each of you explains your choice of strengths and weaknesses cards.
 Other members of the group may ask you to give examples e.g.
 Honest – found $5.00 and handed it in to the school office
 Ambitious – want to compete in the Olympics
 Indecisive – took an hour to decide what to wear last Saturday
 When you have all had your turn, discuss any changes you would like to make to your
selections.
 Think about what you have learned as a result of this game.

English for Business 38

 2.3 Talking about your hobbies and interests
A great way to make small talk is to talk about what are your hobbies/interests. It’s also
a great way to get to know someone. Talking about hobbies means you can share details about
yourself.
Here are some phrases you can use:
Questions you ask
 What is your hobby?
 What are you into?
 What do you like to do in your spare time?
 What sort of things do you do to help you relax?
 What are you keen on?

How to reply
 In my free time I …..
 When I have some spare time I … .
 When I get the time, I . . …
 I relax by watching TV / listening to music, etc.
 My main hobby is golf, but I also like to play football on a Sunday.
 My hobbies are playing games, and reading books.

 I am interested in ( + noun / gerund)

 I am keen on ( + noun / gerund)
 I am into ( + noun / gerund)
 I enjoy ( + noun / gerund)

You can add “really” or “quite” after “I’m… for emphasis.

 “I’m really keen on football.”
 “I’m really into . . . .”

In more detail is you can give more information about your hobbies and interest.

 “I like arts and crafts. I’m a creative / practical person, and I like doing things with
my hands.”
 “I am an outgoing person, and like socializing / hanging out with friends.”
 “I enjoy being physically active and spend a lot of time playing sports and team
games.”
English for Business 39
 Saying why you like your hobby. You can also explain why you spend time on your hobby
to make the conversation longer and more interesting.
 “I really enjoy going to the gym because . . . ..”
…. It keeps me fit.
…. It gets me out of the house, you know!

…. It’s sociable. I’ve met lots of new people.

…. It gives me something interesting to do with my time.
….. it’s not very expensive, and anyone can do it.

 “My hobbies are all creative…”

… I’ve always enjoyed painting and drawing.
… because my job is technical, it’s good to spend time doing something completely
different.
… I enjoy spending time making things like clothes.
 More words that you can describe your hobbies:
creative enjoyable
fascinating relaxing
practical different
cheap unusual

The example of dialogue

Jason has taken up a new hobby and has decided to call his friend Juan to share the news.

Juan : Hello?

Jason : Hi man. Guess what? Today I was at the bookstore and I found a Spiderman comic
book from 1971. Guess how much it's worth?

Juan : I am not into comics so my guess wouldn't be good. How much?

Jason : $140! Can you believe it!

Juan : I guess $140 is a good price?

English for Business 40

Jason : Yes. One reason is because there aren't a lot of them out there anymore and the
second reason is because I only paid $2 for it!

Juan : That is really good... I didn't know you were into comic books. I thought you were
keen on collecting model cars?

Jason : I am still into that, but I was at the bookstore and saw boxes of old comic books a
week ago that they were trying to get rid of and started to go through it and found it to be
fruitful.

Juan : Really? How?

Jason: Because most of the comic books were in very fine condition. The problem is that they
have so many of them and nowhere to store them. Maybe you would like to consider collecting
it.

Juan: That's okay. I will stick to collecting guitars, but thanks for the invitation.

Jason: You are going to regret it. I got to run.

Juan: Bye.

Task 1

1. What are the most popular sports and leisure activities in your country?
. .........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................

2. What do you think the most popular sport and leisure activities in the world are?
. .........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................

English for Business 41

 Task 2

1. In pairs, use the phrases above to make a dialogue about your hobbies/interests!

English for Business 42

 Task 3

Listening Practice

Listen to two colleagues discussing their interest. Does the man like or dislike 1-3?
Tick (√) the boxes!
Man  
1. Football
2. Golf
3. Horse riding

Listen again. This time, tick (√) the boxes for the woman!
Woman  
1. Football
2. Golf
3. Horse riding

Listen again and answer the questions.

1. Why doesn’t the man watch football on TV?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

2. Why does he talk about polo?

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

3. What’s he interested in, apart from golf?

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

Task 4

Match the pairs with a similar meaning!

1. I can’t stand it. a. I’m hopeless at it!
2. I can’t play, that’s my problem. b. I bet it’s good fun.
3. I’m not interested in it … c. I hate it.
4. I’d love to have a go at riding ... d. It’s not my cup of tea.

English for Business 43

 GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARY PRACTICE

I. Write the present continuous of the verbs.

1. They’re building the walls in the morning. (build)
2. She ________________ the project very well. (not manage)
3. What ____ the project manager ____________ this morning. (do)
4. Where ____ the architect ___________ today? (work)
5. The lights __________________ at the moment. (not work)
6. We _______________ problems with the budget. (have)

II. Fill in the gaps.

a head of
budget over
behind on schedule
complete update

1. Can you give me an update ?

Is the project __________________?
2. They’re opening early – they’re _______________ schedule.
3. We’re spending too much. We’re ______________ budget.
4. They’re running a month late. They’re ______________ schedule.
5. The costs are quite low. They’re under _______________.
6. When can you _______________ the decorating?

III. Fill in the gaps.

hard-working adaptable
confident strong
reliable creative
experinced analytical

1. She’s very experienced after 15 years in the job.

2. He’s never behind schedule. He’s so ___________.
3. She only takes a 20 minute break for lunch. She’s really ________________.

English for Business 44

 4. They are a very _____________ team. They always think of new ways of doing
things.
5. He can work in lots of different situations, because he’s so _______________.
6. He’s very ______________ and can quickly see what the problem is.
7. He sets clear objectives for his team. He’s a very ___________ leader.
8. She’s a ________________ speaker, even with people she doesn’t know.

IV. Write the gerund of the verbs.

1. He likes solving other people’s problem. (solve)
2. The manager is only good at _____________ our coffee break. (organise)
3. I enjoy ___________ in very small teams. (work)
4. She’s not very quick at ____________ decisions. (make)
5. He’s not good at _____________ people. (manage)
6. He likes ____________ on creative projects. (work)

V. Are these sentences sense (S) or nonsense (N)?

Write S or N in the boxes.
1. I love scuba diving. It’s a lot of fun.
2. I can’t stand boxing. I’d love to have a go at it.
3. I can’t play tennis, that’s my problem. I’m good at it.
4. I don’t like watching football. It’s not my cup of tea.
5. I enjoy playing golf. I’m not interested in it.
6. I’d love to have a go at underwater hockey. I bet it’s good fun.

English for Business 45

 COMMUNICATION PRACTICE

COMMUNICATION PRACTICE IV
Work in a group of two.

Your position:

- One student as managing director (A)

- One student as office manager (B)

Your company is moving to new offices this week. The managing director telephone the office
manager to get an update. Ask question and make notes of the answers.

A : are the technicians installing the computers?

B : yes, but they’re one day behind schedule.

Start the call. Say who you are and ask about the schedule.

Technicians / install computers?

Workers / paint reception?
Electricians / work on the fourth floor?
Engineers / check telephone lines?
Photocopier / work?
Move / go well?

English for Business 46

COMMUNICATION PRACTICE V
Work in a group of two.

Read the job advert. Decide which skills, personal characteristics and experience are most
important for the job!

Now read the human resources manager’s note about two people the company wants to
interview for the job. Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each and decide who is the
best person for the job. Give your reason why.

English for Business 47

English for Business 48
COMMUNICATION PRACTICE VI
Work in a group of two.

Discuss with your partner what you did last weekend, or what you normally do at the
weekend. Try to find five things that you both did/normally do.

English for Business 49

 3. Choices
Choice involves decision making. It can include judging the merits of multiple options and
selecting one or more of them.

3.1 Comparing offers

Task 1

1. Do you sometimes buy things from internet stores? If so, what and why?
...................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................

2. What products do people almost never buy online? Why not?

....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................

3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of shopping on the internet?

....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................

Comparatives

Short adjectives
It’s often faster and cheaper to buy online

Long adjectives
(+) BMWs are a lot more expensive than Skodas
(-) Skodas are a lot less expensive than BMWs

Irregular adjectives
The situation is worse/better now

as….as
This one isn’t as popular as the other one.

English for Business 50

 Task 2

Read the article above and choose the best title from a-c!

.comparison: why customers prefer Internet stores to ‘traditional’ shops

a.

b. .competition: why Internet stores can’t compete with ‘traditional’ shops

c. .combination: why customers want Internet stores and ‘traditional’ shops

English for Business 51

 Task 3

Fill in 1-8 with words from the text.

1. the cost of transport = delivery charges

2. not an extra cost = _________________ in the price.
3. spend less = _________________ money
4. how good a product is = the _________________ of a product.
5. to order = to _________________ an order
6. money off the full price = a _________________
7. products = _________________

Task 4
Read the article again. Are these sentences true (T) or false (F)?

1. Goods from shops often cost more than goods from online stores. (…)
2. At online stores, customers can try on and feel the quality of clothes. (…)
3. People often place orders at online stores after looking at products in shops. (…)
4. Compared with online stores, a lot of shops offer bigger discount. (…)
5. A lot of people use the internet to compare products and quotes. (…)

Task 5

English for Business 52

 Vacscape.com is
an online store
which sells
vacuum cleaners.
The company
has two quotes
from suppliers.

Compare the
vacuum cleaners,
using these
adjectives.

1. cheap
2. expensive
3. old-fashioned
4. modern

Your answer:

1. .............................................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................................
2. .............................................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................................
3. .............................................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................................
4. .............................................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................................

Task 6

Listening Practice

Marilyn Casey
and Lionel
Wilmington, two
managers from
Vacscape.com, are
discussing the

English for Business 53

quotes and looking at samples of the products. Listen and answer the questions.

1. Is there much difference between the qualities of the products?

. .........................................................................................................................................
2. What’s the main difference between the products?
. .........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
3. What does Marilyn think of the Aerosaurus?
. .........................................................................................................................................
. .........................................................................................................................................
. .........................................................................................................................................
4. What does Lionel think of the Aerosaurus?
. .........................................................................................................................................
. .........................................................................................................................................
. .........................................................................................................................................

Task 7

Work with a partner. Compare the price and quality of pairs of competing products and
stores you both know.
 Mobile phones
 Supermarkets
 Clothes shops
… is much cheaper, but the quality isn’t as good … .

English for Business 54

… sells better quality products than … .

Your answer:

...............................................................................................................................................................................
USEFUL LANGUAGE
...............................................................................................................................................................................
This product is better quality than that one.
...............................................................................................................................................................................
The other quote is much cheaper.
...............................................................................................................................................................................
Is there an extra charge or is the cost of delivery included?
...............................................................................................................................................................................
If you place an order now we can offer you a five percent discount.
...............................................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................................

3.2 Discussing requirements

Task 1

Work with a partner. Discuss the opinions. Do you agree or disagree with them? Explain!

English for Business 55

 1. ‘Offices are just places to work.
They only need to be basic.’
. ........................................................................................
. ........................................................................................
. ........................................................................................
. ........................................................................................
. ........................................................................................
.........................................................................................
. ........................................................................................

2. ‘Good officers and good

facilities attract good people.’
. ........................................................................................
. ........................................................................................
. ........................................................................................
. ........................................................................................
.........................................................................................
.........................................................................................
.........................................................................................

Task 2

Look at the photos of three offices!

a. Can you match them to the

companies (!-3)? Write a-c in
the boxes!

1. Pixar, the movie animation

company based in California.

2. McLaren, the Grand Pix

motor racing team, based in
UK.

3. Wernham Hogg, the

company in the BBC TV
comedy, The office.

b. Which of the three offices

would you most/least like to
work in? Say why.
...........................................
...........................................
...........................................
English for Business 56
...........................................
...........................................
...........................................
 Superlatives

(+) small This is the smallest office.

(+) expensive This is the most expensive.
( -) expensive That’s the least expensive.
(+) good/bad I think this is the best and
that's the worst.

Task 3
English for Business 57
Work with your partner. Ask and answer the questions. Use the superlatives of the words in
brackets.

A. What do you think is the best job in the world?

B. I think . ...........................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................
1. What do you think is (+ good) job in the world?
......................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................
2. What do you think is (+ bad) job in the world?
......................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................
3. Which companies use (+ advanced) technology?
......................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................
4. What’s (+ expensive) restaurant in your town/city?
......................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................
5. What’s the (+ unusual) office building you know?
......................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................

3.3 Describing places

Task 1

1. Where would you like to have a holiday home? In your country? What about abroad?
.........................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................

English for Business 58

 2. Read the first paragraph of the article. What sort of company is Vladi Private Islands?
.........................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................

3. Read the rest of the article and fill in the gaps.

tropical lake islands coast climates forests beaches ocean

Lots of people own, or would like to own, a holiday home in the sun. But imagine buying
a whole island. It sounds like a dream, but for some people, private islands are a reality. There
are hundreds of private islands around the world. Vladi Private Islands, an island real-estate
agency, has nearly 100 properties for sale. And you don’t have to be a millionaire to buy one
– although it helps.
Some of the most beautiful properties are in the tropical regions of the Atlantic – in the
Caribbean and the Bahamas. In the southern hemisphere, there are a few private 1islands in
French Polynesia, in the Pacific. There are also some places in the Indian 2_______________,
mostly in the Seychelles, 600 km off the eastern 3_______________ of Africa. (Although,
further east, there are thousands of islands around Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and the
Philippines, there are almost no private islands in Asia.)
Typical prices for 4_______________ islands are between one and five million dollars.
But if you don’t have a multi-million dollar budget, you can buy an island for as little as
$100,000. However, instead of warm, white sand, you get cold, white snow and an island on
an icy 5_______________ in western Canada. Of course, mountains and pine
6_______________ can be as beautiful as 7_______________ and palm trees. In fact, some of

the most expensive islands in the world are in colder 8_______________ - mostly in North

English for Business 59

America and Europe – not too far from the northern business capitals of New York and London,
where their owners work.

Task 2

1. Where would you like to have a private island? Explain why?

.........................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................
2. Describe place in your country or abroad, and explain where they are!
.........................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................

Task 3

Listening Practice
Alistrair Alby, from New Zaeland, is on a business trip in Hawaii. He’s having lunch with
Caroline Carmen, a colleague.
Listen and answer the questions.
1. What does Alistair like about Hawaii?
..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
2. What time of year is it in New Zealand?
..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
3. Why does Alistair talk about Christmas dinner?
..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................

4. What’s the name of the mountains he talks about?

..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
5. What does he say about travelling on the South Island?
English for Business 60
 ..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................

Task 4

Match the questions and answers from the conversation. Write a-e in the boxes.

1. What’s the best time of year to visit? a. Pretty hot, usually.

b. Yeah, I can give you some
2. And what’s the weather like?
good addresses.
3. So, what are the best places to see? c. Early summer’s nice.
d. Yeah. Or you can rent a
4. Do you need a car to travel around?
camper van.
5. So, can you recommend some campsites? e. The nicest part of the
country’s the South Island …

Task 5

Work with a partner. Talk about a tourist destination, in your country or abroad, that would
like to visit and say why.

USEFUL LANGUAGE

What’s it like there?

It’s beautiful. The beaches are really nice.
It’s in the Pacific. It’s on southern coast of . . ..
It’s in the mountains, but it’s not too far from
the sea.
What’s the weather like in summer?
What’s the best time of year to visit?
Can you recommend any good places to stay?

English for Business 61

 BUSINESS COMMUNICATION GAMES

The snowball definition game

English for Business 62

Across

1. Everything a company or person owns.

2. The total sales of a company.
3. A paper showing you’ve paid.
4. Money spent for goods and services.
5. What a bank charges for goods and services.
6. A business selling goods to retail stores.
7. A reduction in price.
8. When you get your money back.
9. The money you earn from your job.
10. Money needed to start a business.

Down

1. The people who buy products.

2. A person owning shares of a company.
3. A bill listing the products delivered.
4. Money borrowed from a bank.
5. A business selling products to the public.
6. When revenue is higher than costs.
7. When costs are higher than sales.

English for Business 63

8. The money a country uses.
9. Money you pay to the government.
10. Money that a company owes.

English for Business 64

 GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARY PRACTICE

I. Match the pairs to make sentences. Write a-g in the boxes.

1. There is a 20% a. money, if you shop online.

2. The delivery charge b. discount on all products.

3. You can save the time and c. directly from the warehouse.

d. buying expensive goods online.

4. All the products in that
e. is included in the price.
5. People don’t like
f. a quote before you place an order
6. They deliver the goods g. store are good quality

7. It’s important to get

II. Make comparisons. Use the correct form of the adjectives.

1. It’s much cheaper to book flights and hotels on the internet. (+cheap)
2. It’s ____________ ____________ to buy a laptop in a store than online. (+expensive)
3. Train travel in Europe is ____________ ____________ flying nowadays. (=cheap)
4. It’s a lot ____________ and ____________ to order goods directly from warehouse.
(+good / +quick)
5. The service with the new manager is much ____________ than with the old one.
(+bad)
6. It’s ____________ ____________ to place an order with the new software. (-difficult)

III. Make superlatives. Use the correct form of the adjectives.

1. This is the most advanced technology in the world. (+advanced)
2. He has ____________ ____________ job in our company. (+bad)
3. We guarantee that our products are ____________ ____________ ____________ .
(-expensive)
4. We have ____________ ____________ ____________ offices in the city. (+modern)
5. That’s ____________ ____________ discount we can offer. (+good)
6. This is ____________ ____________ room for meetings. (+nice)
IV. Match the pairs to make sentences. Write a-f in the boxes.
a. not necessary to open the windows.
1. The most important
b. to have good light to work in.
2. The regulations make it
c. compulsory to have fire exits.
3. We have air-conditioning, so it’s d. problem to solve.
4. There’s only one possible e. solution to this problem.
f. thing is to finish the job on time.
5. It’s absolutely essential
6. It’s quite a difficult

V. Fill in the gaps.

island mountain ocean forest northern coast

1. We could see the southern coast of England from the ferry.

2. Europe is in the ____________ hemisphere.
3. The Pacific is the biggest ____________ in the world.
4. That ____________ is over 1,500 meters high.
5. Jersey is a small ____________ near France.
6. The trees in the ____________ were very high.

English for Business 66

 4. Booking a flight

Task 1

1. Which are the most popular airlines in your

country? why are they popular?
................................................................................
................................................................................
................................................................................
................................................................................
................................................................................
................................................................................
................................................................................
................................................................................

2. Look at the advert below for GlenAir, a low-cost airline.

a. Do you have airlines like this in your country?
......................................................................
......................................................................

b. What are the disadvantages of very cheap

plane tickets?
................................................................................
................................................................................
................................................................................
................................................................................
................................................................................
................................................................................
................................................................................
................................................................................
................................................................................

c. Find words and phrases in the advert with the same meaning!
1. If you buy your ticket early, you’ll get a good price.
Book your seat in advance for even lower prices.

English for Business 67

 2. We don’t pay money back and you can’t change your ticket.
................................................................................................................................................................
3. a single ticket
................................................................................................................................................................
4. a ticket to go and come back
................................................................................................................................................................
5. less-expensive tickets
................................................................................................................................................................
6. extra luggage
................................................................................................................................................................
7. Young people pay less
................................................................................................................................................................
8. a limited amount of baggage
................................................................................................................................................................
9. a long time before you travel
................................................................................................................................................................
10. reserve
................................................................................................................................................................

Task 2

Listening Practice
Listen to a customer booking a flight with GlenAir. Answer the questions.

1. Where does he want to go?

................................................................................................................................................................

2. What type of ticket does he want?

.............................................................................................................................................

3. What item of luggage does he want to take?

................................................................................................................................................................

English for Business 68

 Task 3

Listen again. Complete the information.

1. Date of departure : _______ May

2. Date of return trip : _______May
3. Price of ticket : £______
4. Baggage allowance : _______kg
5. Excess baggage charge : £______per kg

Task 3

Put the words in order. Make sentences from the conversation.

1. fly / to / end / Lisbon / at / the / like / to / of / May / I’d.

I’d like to fly to Lisbon at the end of May.
2. date / what / leave / planning / to / you / are ?
.............................................................................................................................................
3. the / come / want / back / 31st / I / on / to.
................................................................................................................................................................
4. cheapest / fare’s / pounds / return / fifty-five / the.
................................................................................................................................................................
5. extra / are / charges / there / any ?
................................................................................................................................................................
6. baggage / maximum / the / what’s / allowance ?
................................................................................................................................................................
7. the / excess / is / pounds / charge / per / baggage / kilogram / six.
................................................................................................................................................................

English for Business 69

 Task 4

Work with a partner. Student a plays the part of the airline assistant. Student B plays the part
of the customer. Invent sentences. Change roles.

A Hello, can I help you?

B Yes. I’d like to fly to . . ..

1. Assistant Hello, can I help you?

Customer ___________________________________________________________

2. Customer ___________________________________________________________
Assistant I’m sorry, the ticket is non-transferable.

3. Assistant The price is £150.

Customer ___________________________________________________________

4. Assistant OK, so you’d like a ticket to Madrid?

Customer Yes. ______________________________________________________?
5. Customer ________________________________________________________ ?
Assistant No, all taxes are included in the price.

6. Assistant When would you like to return?

Customer ___________________________________________________________

7. Customer ___________________________________________________________
Assistant 20kg.

English for Business 70

 Task 5

Answer these questions!

1. Which airlines do you use?

................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
2. Which is your favorite airline?
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
3. Do you often fly long distances?
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
4. Do you like traveling by plane? Why/why not?
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................

English for Business 71

 5. Success
Success is achievement of an action within a specified period of time or within a specified
parameter. Success can also mean completing an objective or reaching a goal. Success can be
expanded to encompass an entire project or be restricted to a single component of a project or
task. It can be achieved within the workplace, or in an individual’s personal life. For example, if
an individual’s personal goal is to be accepted in a new career, success would occur after the
individual has been officially accepted into his or her new place of employment.

5.1 Talking about your education and career

Task 1

5.2 Giving un update

5.3 Discussing interesting experiences

6.

English for Business 72

English for Business 73