CAMBRIDGE
Business
a
Pre-Intermediate to Intermediate
DS a
Yael edule i004
Norman Whitby(CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS
Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid, Cape Town, Singapore, Sio Paulo
Cambridge University Press
‘The Edinburgh Building, Cambridge CB2 2RU, UK.
wow.cambridge org
Information on this tite: www: cambridge.org/9780521671170
© Cambridge University Press 2006
Ths publication isin copyright. Subject to statutory exception
and to the provisions of relevant collective licensing agreements,
no reproduction of any part may take place without the written
permission of Cambridge University Press.
ist published 2006
Printed in taly by Burografiea (part of the LEGO group)
A catalogue record for this publication is available from the British Library
ISBN-13 978.0.821.67117-0 Student's Book BEC Preliminary Edition
ISBN-10 0-521-67117-5 Student's Book BEC Preliminary Edition
ISBN-13 978-0-521.67284-9 Student's Hook BULATS Edition Pre-Intermediate to Intermediate with CD-ROM
ISBN-10 0-521-67284-8 Student's Book BULATS Edition Pre-Intermediate to Intermediate with CD-ROM
ISBN-13 978-0-521-67285.6 Teachers Resoutce Book Pre-Intermediate to Intermediate/ Preliminary
ISBN-10 0-521-67285-6 Teacher's Resource Book Pre-Intermediate to Intermediate/Preliminary
ISBN-13 978-0521-67286-3 Personal Study Book PreIntermediate to Intermediate/Preliminary
ISBN-10 0-521-67286-4 Personal Study Book Pre-intermediate to Intermediate/Preliminary
ISBN-13 978.0-521-67287-0 Audio Cassette BEC Preliminary Eaition
ISBN-10 0-521-67287-2 Audio Cassette BEC Preliminary Eaton
ISBN-13 9780:521-67288-7 Audio CD BEC Preliminary Edition
JSBN-10 0-521-67288-0 Audio CD BEC Preliminary Edition
ISBN-13 978-0-521-67657-1 Audio Cassette BULATS Edition Pre Intermediate to Intermediate
ISBN-10 0-521-67657-6 Audio Cassette BULATS Edition Pre-Intermediate to Intermediate
ISBN-13 978-0-521-67658-8 Audio CD BULATS Baltion Pre-Intemediate 10 Intermediate
ISBN-10 0-521-67658-4 Audio CD BULATS Edition Pre-Intermediate o IntermediateIntroduction
Who this book is for
‘This book is intended to be an interesting and stimulating
course for lower intermediate students of Business English
(Common European Framework Level B1). It provides a
general Business English course both for students who
hhave not yet worked in business and for people who are
‘working and have experience of business environments.
Itprovides practical reading, speaking, listening and
‘writing skills for people who need English for working in
‘business. It also contains a wide range of essential
business vocabulary and grammar.
Forstudents who want to study for a Business English
‘qualification, this book gives you a complete preparation
for the Cambridge Business English Certificate (BEC)
Preliminary exam, together with a complete past BEC
Preliminary paper supplied by Cambridge ESOL.
What the book contains
‘The book contains the following elements:
‘+ 24.units for classroom study. These units are organised
{in groups of four around a theme: company profiles,
production and selling, etc. In each group of four, two of
the units have a vocabulary focus and two have a
grammar focus. Each unit gives training and practice in
a variety of skills, These include:
~ different reading strategies for a variety of different
business texts
~ listening for gist and specific information in a
business context
~ writing business letters and emails
= accuracy and fluency in speaking
+ Communication activities for role-play situations, etc.
‘+ Sample answers for writing activities.
‘+ Exam skills and Exam practice section. This section,
which starts on page 113, gives you detailed guidance
‘on how to approach each BEC Preliminary exam task,
the skills required and what the exam taskiis testing
‘The Exam skills pages contain exercises to build up
your exam skills, The Exam practice pages contain all
the questions/tasks from a past BEC Preliminary exam,
supplied by Cambridge ESOL.
‘+ Fall answer key for all the exercises in this book.
+ Transcripts forall the listening activities in the book.
Also available are:
+ 2audio CDs/cassettes containing a variety of recorded
material and BEC exam listening tasks.
* Teacher's Resource Book, containing guidance and
suggestions on how to approach activities in the book,
plus extra photocopiable activities to supplement the
tnits inthe Student's Book.
* Personal Study Book, containing activites and
‘exercises based on the vocabulary, grammar and skills
covered in each unit. Itis intended as reinforcement of
material you have studied in class. The Personal Study
Book contains Keys to all ts exercises, so you will be
able to check your answers yourself. It also contains a
Word list of vocabulary from the Stucent’s Book.
Introduction
3Map of the book
Unit Reading Writing
| Towortina | Sranarhons
day ‘swapping at work
jos
2 corporate What nd ofcompary cuture | Company cuture:a conversation
3 culture ‘would sutyou?: reading and | betwesntwo employees
5 sear answoring a que; Acompany
2 cate statement |
23 Company LeiStrss:anartidean | Joseph Rowntree «business
8 fistory ‘company istry; Horaou: | studies lecture
1e-2t an arcle onthe history ofa
Chinese thing company
4 Treiteret | Dasinayeurnets:an | Enahedosses Set phrases for emai and ters;
22-25 ace ‘ring eras: formal andiniral isle |
5 Desering | esuigeaemert aed | Leora io destensotonde's | Finainaiom
equipment | page: Potlems wh
26-28 equipment: enalland
headings on aor
Processes | Warattvanartleonan | ChaneINoS:anintewiew about a
andprocedures | Ausralnothing company | procuction process; Otice
20-33 Procedures: conversation
Distribution | Satingyourproductabrona: | Erqung about orders and Phone messages
anddelvery | anarico, iver; Chasing an oir:
3-37 telephone conversations
Advertising | Desziplonsotedvetisng | Methods ofadverising: an
‘andmarketing _meder Singapore Arines.an | intrvew wh the rector ofan
38-41 azicleonthe brancingofan | advertising ogency
aiine
Maing ‘Making and changing appointments: !
arrangements ‘vjeemal messages and phone
42a conversations Fue intentions
fang pediclons: shor tacts
2/40 tower Traveterangements: notices | Garcia radi intense }
é 46-49 and short messages, Eure:
: enero on tran ave!
a We Hotel advertisements; Capsule | Distinquiehing potte and rude \Wrting an email or fax,
accommodation | holes: aarcle onasoecal | iionaton ahote
50-83, ‘ypeotroiel
4D outarine Thinking outside thabox an | Tn coleaguee choosing a venus:
office aticeonofstemesings | Awelcome speech al aconforece
557
4 Map ofthe bookSpeaking
Vocabulary
Grammar
Taking about yourjob; Asking about other poops
pbs
4od titles and describing jobs; Names of
‘company departments
Present simple end present
Continuous; Time expressions
‘Asking questions about companies
Finaing and recording colocations
Asking about products: past smple questions
Past simple; Regular and iregular
‘verbs; Question forms
‘Discussion: now to design a website
Email and websitetoms
Describing obects when you don't know the name
\Vocabuiary to describe objects:
‘component part, shapes, materials,
uses: Office equipment; Describing
problems with equipment
ole pay: nteniening a company ower Verostodesenbe processes ‘The present oassive
‘
Fale-pay: makinga telephone calito a super ‘Taeohone language: completngaauiz | Modal verbs ofobtaation
Describing brands and markets; Discussing cifferent
advertising metiiods and advertising techriques
Vocabulary to tak about advertising and
‘marketing; Language to describe cause
and eiect
Fole-play: making an appointment; Role-play planning
sais avert
Lepauage formaking appointinants
Present continuous for future
arrangements; wiland going 9
future forms.
Yocebulay oar rave Guessing
unknoemvocablary through contrast
words
Contrast words
Describing hotels ole-pay: at the hotel reception Vocabulary to describe hotels and hotel
‘cities
Discussing hoiiays and arrangements for tine of Guessing vocabulary from context ‘Comparativesand superlatives
Fole-pay!lnding out about conference facies;
Discussing how and where to make key decisions
Map ofthe book
5Unit Reading Listening Writing
43 Pevserina Business Network CCorversations when meeting
contacts, International: anaticle someone forth ste
58-61
(44 cus! Marketing in China: an Cultural awareness: arexio
q issues aticle;Dong businessin intervew; Gift-giving ia Japan:a tat
5 52-65 Finland: an extract rom @
q idebook
= = -
4/45 = “Team uicing events; ‘Creating good teams:
a 86-60 Kaizen: an orice presentation
46 Emerainina | Aressranrevow Business ‘writing a thank you etterto ahost
clients ‘90 an aricle
70-78
47 ane Interreting bar charts stoning to startical information:
statistics short extracis,
Tet
18 cemesny Haima’ asecretve success: | Aprosentaton by @ compeny
finances, anartce finance director
76-81
8
£/4Q imine | Stee ardite sock ‘Men's and women's investments
— 80-85 ‘exchange: a web page; Short | anintenfew witn the founder ofan
artcles fromthe business Investment club
news; Men's and women
investments: an article
D0 strove ‘Smoothiedrinks:readingana | Rago interdew: the marketing | Wtingleters to express interestin a
86-89 ‘comparing two artcles;Kaido: | drector of a business support new product
anartcieon funding senice
21 rina your C¥-an extract rom Letter applying for job; Letterinvtiog
applications | atook; Onna racruliment 8 cancicatt for interview Letter giving
90-83 the result ofan application: Letters
diving good and bad news.
Poiana
Preparing for aninterview:
extrac rom a book aiving
‘acvico; ACivistas text: an
aide
Fado interview on work situations:
short extracts
Human resources
28 serpent
‘Advertisements fr training
‘courses; Amemo and an advert
‘360 degree teedoack-a radio
nterview
Fling na form; Writing an eral to
book piace on a course
98-101 Genie Grcle: an arte
DA sift icts Use of emails a business {Witing part ofa business report
and figures report: The ight treatment ior
102-105 absontees: anaricle
‘Communication activities 106
‘Sample answers to wring exercises 110
EXAM SKILLS AND EXAMPRACTICE 113-152
Contents of exam saction 118
Answer keys. 183
“Transcripts 168
Map ofthe book‘Speaking Vocabulary Grammar
Making srl tall; Giving timed speech to introduce | Guessing vocabulary from context Present perectand past simple
‘company
Vocabulary to describe gits:verb-noun | Desoribing habits and customs
collocations
Discussing teams and team projects Vocabulary to describe aims and
achiavemonts; Word-bulaing
Discussing ways of entertaining visitors Teling a visor | Ways f descroing food ‘Countable and uncountable nouns;
‘about an event Expressions of quantity
Deeariting fowres and trends \ocebulary to describe araphs and Adjectives and adverbs; Comparisons
chats; Desoriong ends
Discussing company information Finance vocabulary Pronouns and referance wards
ole-pay: conversation witha financial adviser ‘Stocks and shares vocabulary: Guessing
Lunkrenwm words rom context
‘Giving a summary ofan ertiole (Collocation sets abouttime and money | whichiwho/thatiwhere clauses
Discussing what teincludeinacy Headings for CVs; Describing appicalion
procedures
‘Discussing applicants fora post; Hypotnesising Employment vocabulary First and second condtonals
‘Discussing ways of giving feedback to stat ‘Sports vocabulary in business
‘Doinga sis audit; Discussing company poicies, Reported speach
‘enabsentecism
Mapofthebook 7Acknowledgements
The author and pbs woul ike Lo hake folowing people for ke
‘invaluable fetack when renetingthicouse moteal- ivi Beth nd Hos
‘atttan ors Cambridge ESOL: Eline Allen, ft Sess, ache Connabeep,
Php Doves Rosemary Richey Rage Sco, Thirwenlatswa, Crs Tne,
‘Bruce Waban, Julan When, De Bob Wht Th publishers woul ko
ike to thal Kevin Brown Phe Reseach), Germs Wikis (Production
Conair, tale Senpsoa (estan Prine Coto] ad Fe Costs
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geo aly SeayWhat is Business English?
‘As the global economy grows, companies from diferent
countries increasingly have to work, trade and
communicate with each other. English is often the
Janguage used for this communication, not just between
native speakers of English but hetween business people
‘who do not speak each other's language, but speak English
asa foreign language.
Business English therefore helps business people
worldwide to be able to trade and work together. Business
English includes:
* the vocabulary which business people use
the particular language skills which they require in
order to do business in English
+ the ability o read about and discuss top
interest to business people,
general
Business vocabulary
Business English vocabulary isthe words and phrases
which allow business people to communicate about
general business matters, Within Business English, is
possible to specialise much further, for example English for
Banking, English for Marketing or English fr Finance
Business English is less specialised than this an tres to
cover the main general needs of business rather thaa the
very technical specialisations.
Other titles of interest from Cambridge University Press:
Business Vocabulary
in Use Intermediate
BEC Preliminary
Practice tests
Language skills useful for business
These include being able to:
‘© listen and speak during normal business activities such,
as interviews, meetings, telephone conversations or
negotiations:
‘+ read business letters, emails, reports, articles,
information on the Internet, etc
‘+ write for business purposes (examples of business:
‘writing are reports, leters, emails and proposals)
Grammar
Correct grammatical expression is becoming more and,
‘more important for successful business communication in
English, The quality of a company’s and a business
person's communications is increasingly seen as a
reflection of the quality of the company, its products or
services and the work of its employees,
Business topics
Business people are generally interested in business-related
topies, and Business English allows them to read about and
discuss these topics in English, They can read what is
being written in the business sections of newspapers; they
can tead and discuss the latest ideas coming from
international business schools, This allows them to keep
up to date with the latest trends, business techniques,
innovations and developments in the business world.
Cambridge
Learner's
Dictionary
ean
Whatis Business English?
9‘Ym Jenny, 'm
J responsible for
‘recruitment and
issues to dowith
staffwettare.”
Getting started
1. Read the introductions and
write the correct first names
on the organigram below.
“Myname’s Leila,
Myjob isto make
ute thatthe
‘companys
producing what
people wantto buy”
“Ym Kevin, Ihave
general responsibilty
forthe entire company,
Lrepresentthe
company inthe
financial community
andthe business
world’
“Ym Richard. }do
the bookkeeping
H} andthe payrall’
“Ym Bernard, min
charge ofthe
people who sell our
products,
'm Gamal.t'm
responsible for
‘money planning
4. Kes... Thompson
‘Managing Director
"wy name's Diane.
Ymesponsibe for
the whole company
winan Kevin's not
here.
‘nay name's
Beverloy. My area
ofresponsibilty is
finding and testing
coutneye products
Bi Drow
‘Assistant Managing Director
Yates 4 Asad 5 Smith
Sales Director Finance Director Marketing Director
cae Green Taseneenen TANGY 8 Laporte
Research andDevelopmentManager Human ResourcesManager Production Manager
ome Roy
Accountant.
10 The working day2 ‘Ifyou are working, tell your partner about your job. lf you are still
studying, think about someone youknow and tell your partner about Useful language
theirjob, using the phrases in the Useful language box. Geeeraer be
Imresponsile for
Company departments Myod reopens 10
Imincharge ot
Vocabulary ony
Look at the list of departments in a company (a-h) and read people's situations (1-6) Peon
below. Decide which department each person should ask to speak to when phoning a,beponnel
Accounts
the company. There are more departments than you need.
Technical support
1. MrMitchellis a marketing executive who has eceved several complaints from ose
customers about faulty goods. 4. easier
2. MrDaviesisa consultant who thinks he has not ben paid fo an invoice cnnatctne
3. MrFiner has just received the reelis of some laboratory tests on a possible new ayia
product development
4 Ma Slater is a sales execative wo is interested in working forthe compan: nmeadaeten
5. Ms Evans works inthe company as a secretary and she asa problem with her
computer.
6 Mr Martin is a retailer who is interested in stocking the company's products,
Personal assistants
Listening
1. Many busy people have a personal assistant or ‘PA’. Work in paits and make alist
of at least three things you think a PA does.
2 You are going to hear an interview with a PA who works for the director of a TV
channel. Which of the following do you think could be part of her job?
answering letters 1 making coffee Oo /
booking flights (1) prioritising appointments a <
booking train tickets [1 taking notes in meetings Bo
co-ordinating special events [1] takingphone calls Oo
looking up information welcoming visitors a
£23 Liston to the first part of the interview to see if you were right.
4 Read the following questions (1-6) and match them with correct reply (a-f
What kindof amoaphere do you work nt 2 Organisation ithe most important tin
What do you like best about your job? aaa a You can be under a lot of pressure (o meet deadlines.
1
2
3. And what do you like least? It’s very busy
4 Do you have a good working relationship with your boss? d_Yes, we geton very well
5. What kind of qualities do you think a PA needs? Being aPA isa valuable career,
6 Doyou have any words of encouragement for anyone £ The people work with
who is thinking of becoming a PA?
{25 Listen tothe rest ofthe interview and check your Talking point
answers.
Work in pairs. Choose four questions from the interview
to ask your partner about their job.
Theworkingday 11Changing places
Reading
Reality TVs wher real people are filmed in different
situations. One example s Big Bother where a group of
people who do not know each other have to live together
inthe same house
1 Discuss these questions in small groups.
* Do you know any other examples of realty TV?
What do you think of 1?
2 Read the article below quickly, without using a
dictionary, to get a general understanding of what it
is about. This is called skimming and is very useful in
‘work environment when you have a let of text to
read. After you have skimmed the text, you can
decide if you are interested in reading any parts of it
in more detail,
3. When you have skimmed the text and clecided which
‘sentences or paragraphs you would like to read,
again in more detail, you need to be able find them
quickly. Looking through a text for the key words.
which you are interested ins called scanning.
‘The text Changing Places has four paragraphs. Scan
the text and write the paragraph numbers which talk.
about the following.
Paragraph(s)
+ Donald Eisner
+ Alex Jennings
Both men
4 Scan the text again to sce if the following statements
are true or false. For each statement, you will need to
check two paragraphs.
Donald Eisner
1 He comes from a rich family,
2. He can cook pancakes.
3. Inthe programme, he successfully cleans rooms up 10
his company’s required standards.
4 Heis thinking of making a different person responsible
for ordering te cleaning materials.
CHANGING PLACES
4 Mony critics dislike reality TV but one show whieh has
received very favouroble reviews is Changing Ploces. The
‘main idea is simple. Toke the ChieF Executive Officer of |
‘compory and put him or herin the position oF one of the
company low-end workers.
2 Donald Eisner is the CEO of the Absolon chain of
hotels in Australia, His family have been hotel owners for
{three generations and are one of the wealthiest in the
Australian hotel industry In the programme, we see
Donale Eisner working oso bellboy, cook ond cleaner
while supervisors monitor his performance, noting any
tmistokes. He has some triumphs, itis true, Inthe kitchen,
he successfully cooks several pancakes, for example, ond,
cos ahousekeeper, he makes the beds correctly, The rest
of his housekeeping, however, is not « success, as he fils
to dlean ony roams to the company’s required standards
At the end of the programme, we see his supervisor
taking him from room to room, pointing out his mistakes,
3 Alex Jennings runs successful choin of steak bors
called Wayside Inn. He hos 0 reputation for demanding
quality from his stoff, both in terms of food and service.
‘When he dranges places with some of his stlf, we see
him fail a numberof tasks in the restaurant, As o waiter,
he continually forgets ta ask customers
hhow they want their steaks to be done
‘ond mixes up the orders completely
‘when he has to serve five tables at the
same time. A few minutes later,
disaster strikes when his tie becomes,
caught under the drinks on o trey! The
nextday, when he takes the ploce of
Une cook, his supervisor makes him
redo several ofthe steaks,
‘4 Now thot their experience is over,
crete EOs thinking of rekingory Alt
changes? The answer is that they already
have, “We have carried out several dranges, like
sorting the knives forks and spoons, to make it easier
forthe person who woshes the dishes," soys Mr
Jennings. “We'e also redesigning the staff uniforms.”
MrEisner found the experience even more of a shock.
Heis not only making changes in his hotels, ike the
policy on who orders new supplies of leaning
‘materials buthe also wants to create a Changing
Places day ot oll Absalon Hotels so thot al senior
‘management con go through a similar process.
42. Theworking day5 He would not like other senior executives to work as
cooks and cleaners,
‘Alex Jennings
6. He believes quality is important in his restaurants,
7. He has good skills as a waiter,
8 He is making changes to the uniforms that staff wear,
5 Discuss these questions in small groups.
‘© What do you think about having a Changing Places day?
‘© Would it be a good idea in your company or place of
study?
Grammar workshop
Present simple and present continuous
a You use the present simple total about habits and
things that are always or usually true.
Alex Jennings runs a chain of steak bars
{He does this as pat of everyday life)
Question: Does fe run a chain of steak bars?
Negative: He doesn’t run a chain of steak bas.
1 You use the present continuous o talk about things
which are tue only inthis period of time, ora
process which is not completed
They are redesigning the staff uniforms.
(This is true only in this period of time.)
Question: Ave they redesigning the staff uniforms?
Negative: They aren't redesigning the staff
uniforms,
(Formed with am/is/are + redesigning /making,
etc)
the time phrases in the box below into two.
groups to show if they are used with the present
simple of the present continuous.
always atthemoment at this moment in time
curently @verymorth every week
generally aew never
often sometimes this month
today this week twica amonth
wetally
Present simple Present continuous
usually | now
Note: Some verbs are not usually used in the continuous
because they talk about states, not actions eg. want, he
likes, we know, Ibelieve, 1think, she prefers, they
understand, et.
2. Complete this interview with Donald Eisner by
Putting the verbs in brackets into the correct form,
using elther the present simple or the present
continuous. Sometimes you need to use the
‘question or negative form.
Interviewer So, now you've experienced workin al these
different hotel jobs. Which job 1