Elementary Sample Readings (Business English).pdf

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Business English Study - Elementary 1: Units

1. The BLACKBERRY – swot analysis The BlackBerry is a desirable product for business executives. Why?

2. COCA-COLA – number one brand Does Coca-Cola only produce its famous drink or has it diversified?

3. McDONALD’S – successful franchising The company uses a successful franchise model. How?

4. GOOGLE – how to make a profit Google’s annual revenue is over $8 billion. How does it make money?

5. SWATCH – business timing How did Swatch become a global brand?

6. KODAK – business mistakes Kodak made a serious business mistake. Can it survive?

7. YOUTUBE – new business Why is YouTube so popular and is it making any money?

8. DELL – customer service Dell is the biggest PC seller in the world. Why is it a success?

9. The BODY SHOP – women in business Anita Roddick founded The Body Shop with $6000. How?

10. NINTENDO Wii – product innovation Is the Nintendo Wii a great innovation?


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Unit 1

BLACKBERRY: SWOT analysis

Elementary Level: Unit Objectives In this unit:

• Grammar: Prepositions of Time

• Pronunciation: v / b / w

• Business Etiquette point: Using a BlackBerry

• Functional Vocabulary: SWOT analysis

• Listening: The BlackBerry

• Reading: BlackBerry’s success

• Role Play: SWOT analysis



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INTRODUCTION: Discuss these questions: • What do you know about the BlackBerry? Why is the product so popular?

LISTENING 1: Visit www.businessenglishstudy.com for the free MP3 listening file What do these words mean? You will hear them in the listening exercise. To dominate - wireless - fruit - strawberry - threat - patent - dispute

PRONUNCIATION PRACTICE – v / b / w Pronounce these phrases with your tutor: 1. When Victor visits Vienna he never wears a winter vest

2. William always goes on walking vacations in Venezuela

3. Bessie lives in a very big villa in the village of West Beverly

Business Etiquette: Using a BlackBerry

Discuss: • Do you think it is acceptable to use a BlackBerry in a meeting?

• Is it a good idea to turn your BlackBerry off when you go on holiday?

1. What company produces the BlackBerry?

2. How many people used the BlackBerry in 2007?

3. What was $7billion?

4. Why is it called the BlackBerry and not the Strawberry?

5. What threats does RIM have?



GRAMMAR PRACTICE: PREPOSITIONS OF TIME FORM: A preposition is a grammatical unit. It can come in front of a noun: e.g. in the morning preposition noun The most important prepositions of time are: At – for the time At 3 o’clock In – for parts of the day In the morning / in the afternoon / in the evening On – for days of the week On Monday – on Wednesday afternoon On – for dates On 4th April In - for months, years, seasons In March / In 2008 / In winter Until - for an action that continues up to a deadline (a time limit): They worked here until March 2008 and then changed jobs Before - for action that happens earlier than something else She arrived at the office before 8am After - for action that happens later than something else We will go to the factory after lunch From … To - for time limits The shop is open from 8am to 5pm For – for a duration / quantity of time I worked at RIM for five years EXERCISE: put the correct preposition in the gaps 1. The party is December 31st 2009.

2. The presentation starts 10.30.

3. Please finish the report you go home.

4. The training is the morning.

5. The meeting will be three hours.

6. The secretary was at the office 10am 6pm

At In On Before From… To…

Until For

After

Speaking Practice: In pairs, ask each other questions to practice Prepositions of Time e.g. When is your birthday – What time is the meeting – How long did you live there?



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Introduction: Do you know what a SWOT analysis is? What do these words mean? Strength, Weakness, Threats, Opportunities

FUNCTIONAL VOCABULARY: A SWOT Analysis

A SWOT analysis is a process to measure a company’s position in the market. It can be used to help a company make a decision about a proposal or plan. The SWOT analysis template is normally presented in four sections, one for each of the SWOT headings: S = Strengths W = Weaknesses O = Opportunities T =Threats EXERCISE: Add these points to the correct section of a business SWOT analysis. (Some points could go in two boxes). • Reputation

• Limited finances

• Competitors

• Weak economy

• New market

• Distribution

• Innovative product

• No patent

EXERCISE 2: Speaking Practice: In pairs, think of other points to add to each section of the SWOT analysis.

STRENGTHS

WEAKNESSES

OPPORTUNITIES

THREATS



READING: BlackBerry’s success EXERCISE: Put the correct preposition of time in the gaps. The BlackBerry was introduced 1997 and 2005, the Canadian company, Research in Motion (RIM), dominated the global market. Every year analysts say that the BlackBerry is in danger from new and better competitors but 2005 2008 RIM has remained market leader with 30% of the global market. According to RIM, the success of BlackBerry is because of: • Great security • Good service • The battery lasts a long time • Simple to use • It looks good Executives need to be able to email anywhere and at anytime. The BlackBerry provides this in a very simple way. the BlackBerry, mobile emailing was a problem for the business community.

LISTENING 2: Visit www.businessenglishstudy.com for the free MP3 listening file You will hear these words in the listening – do you know what they mean? Handheld device – screen – download - addictive – nickname - to check for Now listen to the audio and answer these questions. 1. When was the BlackBerry first introduced?

2. Why is it popular with executives?

3. What is ‘push technology’?

4. What is the BlackBerry’s nickname?

5. What is a sign that an executive is addicted to the BlackBerry?

ROLE-PLAY Background: Choose a company, a product or a service and discuss its the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. Role Play: In groups, create a SWOT report and then present it to the class. Practice: Use the pronunciation, vocabulary and functional language you have studied in this unit.



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Unit 2

COCA-COLA: number one brand

Elementary Level: Unit Objectives

In this unit:

• Listening: Coca-Cola - the company history • Pronunciation: /k/ - sounded and silent • Cultural Awareness Point: Americanisation • Grammar: The Present Simple tense • Functional Vocabulary: Business expressions • Reading Text: Coca-Cola brand • Role Play: Invest in water



INTRODUCTION: Discuss these questions: • What do you know about the Coca-Cola Company? • Do you drink Coca-Cola? If no, why not? Vocabulary: Can you explain the meaning of these words you will hear in the listening exercise?

Listening 1: Visit www.businessenglishstudy.com for the free MP3 listening file A spokesperson talks about Coca-Cola. Answer the questions below.

Pronunciation Sounds: /k/ sounded or silent

Practice: say these words and sentences with your teacher: Coca – Cola – Knee – Keep – Knowledge – Can - Kilometre – Can’t – Career – Critic

- Knock – Knife – Kilo – Kill – Know – Kind – Could – Company – Course – Character

• To control a cow you don’t need a knife, you need kindness and knowledge

• The chemist comes every week, and he walks ten kilometres with a bad knee

logo – power – headquarters – soda – caffeine - diet obesity – to own – ranks – addictive - beverages

1. How many Coke drinks are consumed in the world every day?

2. What were the Coca-Cola Company revenues in 2007?

3. Coca-Cola is criticized for what?

4. What other drink brands does the Coca-Cola Company own?

Cultural Awareness Point: Americanisation Some people think big American companies (e.g. Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Microsoft) dominate business and promote American culture. This has a negative impact on local and national identity. What do you think? • Do American companies influence your

national culture?

• Is it a problem?

• What does your country / culture promote?



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Grammar Review: The PRESENT SIMPLE

In the listening you heard about Coca-Cola and its position in the world of business. The speaker used the present simple to describe the events that are facts and generally true e.g. • Coca-Cola sells its products in 300 countries … the public consumes over 1.5

billion Coke drinks every day.

Exercise: Fill the gaps with the correct form of the verb in the present simple (positive, negative, question) e.g. Do you drink (drink) Coca-Cola?

1. I not (be) your boss, I (be) your colleague.

2. you (live) in London?

3. We (want) to speak to the manager.

4. She (work) for Coca-Cola.

5. he (drive) a BMW?

6. They (not work) on Sunday. That (be) when they rest.

7. you (think) Coca-Cola is a good business?

Sample Sentences: Every year Coca-Cola produces 600 billion drinks. (Positive) Does Coca-Cola sell a lot of drinks in Pakistan? (Questions) No, it doesn’t sell a lot of drinks in Pakistan. (Negative) Form: 1. Positive 2. Negative - with the

auxiliary verb ‘do’ 3. Question - with the auxiliary verb ‘do’

I work You work He/she/it works We work You work They work

I don’t work You don’t work He/she/it doesn’t work We don’t work You don’t work They don’t work

Do I work? Do you work? Does he/she/it work? Do we work? Do you work? Do they work?

When to use the Present Simple

a. General action and habits e.g. I drink Coca-Cola. b. Facts e.g. I don’t have blue eyes. c. Long-term situations e.g. Do you live in London? NOTE: The verbs ‘to be’ (I am) and ‘to be able to’ (I can) do not use the auxiliary verb ‘do’ in the negative and question forms e.g. • Are you Spanish? No I’m not Spanish, I’m English. • Can you fly an airplane? No, I can’t, but I can drive a car

Elementary Sample Readings (Business English).pdf

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