Слухай та говори англійською про економіку (стр. 5 из 12)

1. high profile

2. to stand alone

3. long-established

4. presence

5. excellent results

6. to be aware

7. well-segmented

8. strongly linked

9. to diversify

10. to expand

11. to benefit from

6. Discussion

Present or discuss the benefits of a strong corporate identity from a global marketing point of view.

NEGOTIATING A LOAN

1. Pre-Listening Task

What aspects of a company’s business will a lender be interested

in? How will he decide whether to lend money or not?

2. Listening and note-taking

Listen to the meeting between a bank manager and one of her customers. As you listen, complete the information below:

Reason for loan: _______________________________________

Amount of loan: ________________________________________

Term of loan: __________________________________________

Interest rate: ___________________________________________

Current installment: _____________________________________

Security: type: _________________________________________ market value: __________________________________

Turnover: _____________________________________________

Profits: _______________________________________________

Assets: _______________________________________________ Liabilities: ____________________________________________

3. Comprehension check

3.1. How could the firm raise £50,000 towards the cost of the

property? 3.2. What are the firm’s projections for turnover and profits?

3.3. What is its current overdraft?

3.4. Who does it owe money to?

4. Language focus

4.1. Asking questions — direct forms.

Look at the following questions taken from the Listening passage:

«How much are they asking for it?»

«Are you. looking for a loan to cover the lolal price?» Now ask questions for the following answers:

1. A: We’d like to borrow £20,000.

2. A: It’s for a new computer system.

3. A: Yes, we’ve had three quotations. This is the best.

4. A: No, it’s not the full amount. It’s actually costing £25,000.

5. A: We’d like to repay it over five years.

6. A: Yes, I realize the total interest payment will be high.

7. A: Well, we thought our existing security arrangements would cover it. 8. A: Well, you have second mortgages on two partners’ houses.

9. A: At present values, I’d say £200,000-£100,000 for each.

10. A: No, that’s all. We’d be grateful if the paperwork could go

through as soon as possible.

4.2. Questions — statement type.

Look at the following questions taken from the Listening passage: «But ideally you’d like to borrow the full £300,000 (wouldn’t you)?»

«Perhaps you can leave the figures with me?»

Now change the following direct questions into leading (statement) questions. Question tags are optional.

1. Would you like to extend the repayment period?

2. Have you got any financial problems at the moment?

3. Do you see any improvement in your cash flow?

4. Can you offer any form of collateral?

5. Could you tell me if your current liabilities are higher than usual?

6. Would you mind telling me whether you intend to reduce the payment periods?

5. Word study

Match the words/expressions on the left with an appropriate combination on the right, to make an idiomatic phrase:

1. short of	a. figures
2. a major drain	b. the wrong side
3. close to	c. investment
4. our line of	d. space
5. to come down	e. business
6. a firm of	f. calculation
7. to stray	g. on cash
8. up-to-date	h. in favour of
9. rough	i. the limit
10. sound	j. your size

6. Discussion

Use the information and the language above to discuss the loan. Would you lend the money? If so, why? If not, why not?

PRESENTING A CASH FLOW FORECAST

1. Pre-Listening Task

1.1. How does a company calculate its needs for working capital?

1.2. How can a company improve its cash flow?

2. Listening and note-taking

Listen to the presentation of a cash flow forecast. As you listen, fill in the missing figures in Chart 20

Chart 20

CASH FLOW FORE CAST
Opening cash balance	June July –11,300		August –22,100	Sept. –29,400	Oct. —	Nov. —
Capital introduction Sales Total receipts Wages Raw materials Production overhead Administrative overhead Selling and distrib. Factory rent Equipment and machinery Drawings Total payments Movement in cash Closing cash balance	30,000 30,000 6,000 — 1,500 — 1,800 — — — 41,300 –11,300 – –11,300 –	2,000 2,000 — 1,500 1,500 — 1,800 12,800 10,800 22,100	5,000 5,000 — — 1,500 — 1,800 12,300 –7,300 –29,400	10,000 10,000 — — 1,500 — 1,800 12,300 –2,300 — –	15,000 15,000 — — 1,500 — 1,800 12,300 +3,700 28,000	18,000 18,000 — — 1,500 — 1,800 12,300 +5,700 —

3. Comprehension check

3.1. Why are there no sales receipts until the second month?

3.2. Are his forecasts for overheads over-optimistic?

3.3. Does he think the rent is too high?

3.4. Why has he decided not to lease equipment?

4. Language focus

Future reference — forecasting

Look at the following sentences taken from the Listening passage:

«The sales will not begin to picture until the second month...»

«After that, they rise quite rapidly to reach...»

Now choose between the following three forms to complete the dialogue below:

will + verb (e. g. will rise) present simple (e. g. rises) going to + verb (e. g. is going to rise)

A: When _________ you (plan) to open the factory?

В: We ______ (reckon) it _______ (open) at the beginning of July. A: In the meantime, ________ you (promote) your product?

B: No, we ________ (hope) to start selling in July.

A: So you ________ not (expect) any orders in July?

B: Probably not, we ______ (anticipate) orders ______ (come) in from August onwards.

A: What level of sales _______ you (forecast) for August?

B: Well, we ______ (project) sales of about £20,000.

A: That _______ (sound) very optimistic. ______ you (have) the figures to support that?

B: No, not on me. We ______ (inform) all prospective customers by direct mail and we ______ (be) confident of £20,000 sales, as an early result.

A: The effect of direct mail ______ (be) notoriously difficult to predict. _______ you (do) anything else?

B: Yes, we ________ (telephone) all major users in the industry and arrange appointments.

5. Word study

Match up the verbs with a suitable preposition to form an expression:

Verb Preposition Object

To work	out	the figures
To put	on	your own money
To start	in	a business
To buy	into	raw materials
To settle	up	a low figure
To set	down	sales
To put effort
To be better
To take	off	the profits.
To manage	at	a low salary.

6. Discussion

Analyse the cash flow forecast (Chart 20). Discuss whether you would give this entrepreneur a bank overdraft.

PROFIT AND CASH FLOW

1. Pre-Listening Task

How can a company be highly profitable but short of cash?

2. Listening and note-taking

Listen to the extract from an internal meeting. Two managers (one finance, the other marketing) are discussing the company’s cash flow problems. As you listen, complete Chart 21 by ticking the problems which Pete and Simon analyse as the causes of the cash flow problem:

Chart 21

Problems	Pete (finance)	Simon (marketing)
Credit terms Investment planning Under-capitalisation Over-trading Financial planning

3. Comprehension check

3.1. What have they recently invested in?

3.2. Why has the depreciation figure been so low in the P&L account?

3.3. How have they managed to increase their margins so substantially?

3.4. What happened to the funds which were retained for tax?

4. Language focus

4.1. Opinion-giving

Look at the following extracts taken from the Listening passage:

«In my opinion, the fundamental problem is our deferred terms of payment...»

«I think you’re exaggerating...»

Now classify the following expressions as strong (S), neutral (N) or Weak (W).

1. In my opinion...

2. There are two sides to the argument... 3. I’m absolutely convinced...

4. I tend to think... 5. It’s true that...

6. There’s absolutely no doubt that...

7. We believe...

8. I’m inclined towards saying...

9. I’m sure you’ll agree with me...

10. Don’t you think we should...

4.2. Agreeing and disagreeing

Look at the following extracts taken from the Listening passage:

«Yes, that’s probably true but I feel...»

«I resent that... I think my department...»

Now match phrases of agreement with those of disagreement. Match them so that they carry a similar strength of feeling:

1. I agree	a. I’m inclined to disagree
2. I couldn’t agree more	b. I see your point of view but...
3. I’m with you	c. I disagree
4. I tend to agree	d. Rubbish!
5. I can see what you mean	e. I don’t go along with that
6. You’re absolutely right	f. I disagree entirely
7. Exactly!	g. You’ve missed my point altogether
8. That’s exactly my point	h. You’re completely wrong

COSTING AND PRICING A NEW PRODUCT

1. Pre-Listening Task

How does a company decide on an appropriate price for a new product?

2. Listening and note-taking

Listen to an extract from a meeting in which the costing and pricing of a new product are discussed. As you listen, complete the cost/price breakdown in Chart 22

Chart 22

Recommended retail price	a.________________________
Discount	b.________________________
Manufacturer’s margin	c.________________________
Fixed costs	d.________________________
Direct costs	e.________________________

3. Comprehension check

3.1. What is the difference between direct (variable) costs and fixed (overhead) costs?

3.2. What sorts of mark-up would you expect in the following sectors: food, consumer durables (e.g. televisions), and services (e.g. consultancy, training)?

3.3. Why does a drop in production mean an increase in total cost per unit?

3.4. What is the advantage of setting a discounted retail price?

4 Language focus

4.1. Conditionals I and II

Look at the following sentences taken from the Listening passage:

«What if we achieve higher sales through a lower retail price?»

«If we lost sales through too high a price, it would jeopardize the whole project».

Now complete the following sentences:

1. If we _______ (set) a market price of £13, what _______ that (do) to sales?

2. We _______ still (protect) our margins if we fixed a price of

£11.50.

3. If the market could bear it, we _____ (able to) push the price up.

4. We would lose market share if our competitor _______ (drop) its price.

5. I ________ (resign) if I ________ (win) the lottery.

6. Unless there is a price war, we _________ (make) a good profit.

7. If production __________ (fall), our unit costs will go up.

8. We _______ not (offer) a discount if the retailers are prepared to limit their margins.

4.2. Verb + preposition

Look at the following sentences taken from the Listening passage:

«So can we all agree about the facts?»

«That’s a fair average based on projected sales figures...»

Now complete the following sentences by inserting one of the prepositions below:

on up at to from out with for down

1. We compared our prices ____________ our competitors’.

2. Do you agree ________________ Peter?

3. They agreed ________ the project and signed the contract.

4. These figures have been worked ____ by our accountants.

5. Sales are likely to respond quickly ____ changes in price.

6. If we push ______ the price, sales might come _____________.

7. Are you prepared __________ the price war?

8. We aimed ______ a lower price than our competitors. 9. We set the price _______ £12.50.

10. We prevented the competitors ________ gaining market share.

5. Word study

Match the expressions on the left with their best equivalents on the right:

1. projected a. shop

2. achieve b. perceived value

3. mark-up c. cautious

4. retail outlet d. endanger

5. elastic f. forecast

6. set (a price) g. increase

7. jeopardize h. reach

8. conservative i. responsive to price

9. push up (the price) j. margin

10. price the market can bear k. fix

6. Discussion

Speak on the pricing of the above product. Use these headings.

Introduction

Findings

Conclusions

Recommendations

VALUING GOODWILL

1. Pre-Listening Task

1.1. What does the goodwill of a company really represent?

1.2. How can the goodwill value be calculated?