3. Complete the sentences below using words from the following list. Referring back to the article will help you with some of them:

market price client cost

profit quality technology

1. We’re a firmly .......... oriented company, so the bottom-line for us is not how big our market share is but how much money we’re going to make.

2. Even at low prices inferior products won’t sell in such a ..........conscious market.

3. The market’s far too .......... sensitive to stand an increase in service charges.

4. We’re constantly forced to respond both to changing customer needs and to what our main competitors are doing in a .......... driven business such as this.

5. The customer always comes first. We’re a very .......... centred company.

6. In a .......... led business, such as ours, it’s vital to plough profits back into R.&.D.

7. If the price of materials goes up any more, production will no longer be .......... effective.

4. Read the passage and fill in the blanks with the words below:

agenda, agree, decisions, follow, opinion, participants, prepared,

proposal, spontaneous, views, waste

There are many different sorts of business meeting, and how the participants behave varies from country to country. In France meetings are generally used for briefing and coordination rather than discussing (1) ... and making decisions. They follow a detailed (2) ... and comments are well thought out rather than (3) ... . The same is true at formal meetings in Germany, where you should be well (4) ... if you wish to express an opinion. In the UK, on the other hand, (5) ... often arrive at meeting unprepared, and papers distributed before the meetings will not be read.. This does not prevent anyone from expressing his opinion or putting forward a (6) ... . Everyone is expected to contribute their (7) …... . In Italy meetings seem to be the most informal in Europe. They

don’t usually (8) ... an agenda and people often come and go as they please. In fact, sometimes Italian meetings are more like a social gathering, used to reinforce a sense of togetherness. It’s very different in Spain, where meetings do little to create a team spirit. The Spanish prefer to be independent and make (9) ... on their own. Meetings are often a (10) ... of time because it is impossible to get everyone to (11) ... .

5. Role-play and group-work:

1. Imagine you are having an interview with applicants of different nationalities. Who are you most and least likely to employ?

2. Imagine you are having a Board Meeting of an international company. Choose a nationality you are going to represent and try to behave in their style.

6. Fill in prepositions where necessary:

1) After leaving school a young person faces .... a very difficult problem — choosing an occupation. 2) The majority of young people do not get around .... making a decision until they leave school. 3) Boys and girls seldom talk about this problem .... with the family. 4) One has to take special courses to qualify .... the job. 5) There is a special advisory service which counsels .... people who are looking .... work. 6) There are nonprofit agencies that deal .... nonskilled positions. 7) This agency specializes .... placing people .... their qualifications. 8) The agency helped me find .... the information I needed. 9) You can turn .... your teacher .... advice and help. 10) Counselors give practical advice .... interview techniques, application forms, etc. 11) He made an appointment with the career officer .... 11 o'clock. 12) A counselor can see only a few applicants .... a day. 13) An interview .... any kind of job generally requires an appointment. 14) He was .... 20 minutes late and created a negative impression .... the employer. 15) American business people schedule their day hour .... hour. 16) On the wall he saw a notice "The agency works .... appointment only". 17) He didn't know how to fill .... the application form. 18) It turned out that he travelled to the agency .... nothing as he didn't make an appointment .... advance. 19) Appointment is a necessary courtesy, you can't just drop ..

7. Translate the following sentences:

1) Когда я вошла в офис агентства, секретарь, встречающий посетителей, спросил меня, назначена ли у меня встреча. 2) У меня назначена встреча с Мисс Харрис на 10:15. 3) Я проходил мимо вашего агентства и решил зайти и поговорить с одним из ваших сотрудников. 4) Он не пришел в назначенное время на встречу с Мистером Брауном, это, конечно, произвело крайне | при нательное впечатление. 5) Анкета для поступления на работу заполняется печатными буквами. 6) Вам придется начать работу с самой маленькой должности, чтобы приобрести необходимый опыт. 7) Вы должны пойти на курсы, чтобы приобрести знания, необходимые для этой работы. 8) Агентство поможет вам подобрать работу согласно вашей квалификации. 9) Агентство "Manpower" специализируется именно в этой области. 10) Ему предложили две разные должности, но он не мог решить, какую выбрать.