Vocabulary

Describing change

in mi mumm

eTFfank H in sales for Bayer, the German chemicals company. Frank talks about changes in his organisation.

3 A changing world

Frank works In sales. Would you like to work in sales'* Why' Why not'

Read on

A year in Germany

1 We interviewed Frank about his work. Match our questions with Frank's answers.

1. Is it difficult to find work in eastern Germany at the moment?

2. Is the German economy healthy?

3. What do you do, Frank?

4. How was business last year?

I work in Leverkusen. near Cologne, to help develop sales for the northern European pari ot our business. We've had many changes in the lasl lew years and my work has increased a lot But it's very interesting and I enjoy it.

Ust year was a very good year for our company We increased our sales and, more importantly, our market share went up a little, so we reached our target. The most important thing in business is to reach your target. But I have to say that competition in my business area is very strong now. You can see that with prices. Some of our product prices decreased a little last year.

At the moment it is a bil difficult because of political questions. We now have the euro and I Wpe this will strengthen the economy In Germany. But prices have risen a lot. For example, petrol prices and typical supermarket goods are very high right now.

HMh many people. Alter the Wall came down a lot ol factories closed Id the eastern pan. people

lost their jobs and so unemployment went up a lot. I am from eastern Germany so I know about this problem. It's still difficult to find work and I Iliink it will be a long time before we see unemployment go down,

Unit twenty-nine 95

Read the text again and find out what has happened to the following.

1. Unemployment in eastern Germany

2. The price of some of Frank's products

3. Bayer's market share

4. Tlie amount of work Frank has to do

Do you agree with Frank? He says: The most important thing in business is to reach your target:

The words you need ... to talk about change

Match the sentences with the sales trends (a-e)

1. Sales went up a lot last month.

2. Sales have fallen gradually this year,

3. Turnover increased a little but then went down by €2 million.

4. Market share has stayed the same for the last few years.

5. Turnover decreased in the first quarter but went up by the end of the year.

2 The tenses we use with the language of trends are very important.

Past years/months Current year

We use the past simple: Sales went up last month / If the year is not finished, we use the present perfect:

lust year I in January. Sales have gone up this year.

Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb given.

1. Unemployment (decrease) by 5% last year.

2. Inflation (rise) by 2% so far this year.

3. Bank interest rates (fall) by 0.5% last month.

4. Taxes (increase) a lot already this year.

5. Petrol prices (go up) by 20 cents in July.