Vocabulary notes

inherit – наследовать

fail – терпеть неудачу, становиться банкротом

chef – шеф-повар

“Blue ribbon” – “голубая лента” – почётный титул,

присуждаемый мастеру высшей

квалификации, чаще всего в поварском искусстве

B)

Liza – Hi, Nancy! You’re looking pretty fit! Do you exercise very much?

Nancy – Glad to see you, Liz. To tell the truth, I have no time for exercises.

I’ve been working too much for the last few weeks, so I’ve lost a

good couple of kilograms. You know, it’s uneasy business to run a

company.

L – I know that quite well, Nancy. I’ve been running my beauty shop

for three years already, and I’ve got a lot of problems. Yes, I work

for myself and I make my own decisions, but I work day and night!

I need experienced managers and specialists but I’m short of

finance to offer them higher salaries. As a proprietor, I have to pay

much for credit! Banks are likely to charge higher interest rates to

small companies than to large ones.

N – Proprietorships have too many disadvantages, haven’t they? My

perfumery shop is doing quite well and I’m thinking to expand the

business but my financial resources are limited.

L – Look Nancy! What about working as a team? I mean we could

form a partnership. Combining our capital and skills we’ll expand

our business for larger profits. Just imagine! Your perfumery will

be sold in my beauty shop. Furthermore, your cosmetics will be used in the beauty shop and it will be recommended to our clients.

N – It sounds interesting. We’ve known each other for many years, Liz

and I think we’ll get along well. Your idea is really great. As

partners, we can start a more ambitious enterprise. One day it

might grow from a small firm into a beauty empire.

L – That would be great! But first we should get a lawyer’s advice on

the partnership agreement. We’ll have time to discuss everything

in detail.

Vocabulary notes

fit – в хорошей форме

interest rate – ставка (норма) процента

get along – ладить (с кем-либо)

empire – империя

C)

Ron – Look, Harry! What about going into business together? We are

both doctors with a large practice and we could start a small private clinic – a kind of a partnership. It will bring us a handsome profit.

Harry – Oh Ron, I’m not much of a businessman. I’m too lazy for it. I’ve

been curing my patients for many years and I don’t feel like having adventures. My aunt says that adventure is a romantic name for trouble.

R – Your aunt is too pessimistic, isn’t she? Pessimism never won any

battle.

H – Maybe you’re right, Ron. You see, my aunt is an old lonely woman

and she always takes care of me. I’m the only nephew of hers. She is good at finance and she advised me to invest in a flourishing corporation.

R – Did you follow her advice?

H – Oh, yes and I’m a stockholder now.

R – What’s the name of the corporation?

H – “Clair Lu Cliff Incorporated”. It has been producing jeans since

1955 and it is really big and successful. As I know, it employs

about 200,000 people and it is still being expanded.

R – Sounds impressive! Well, how do you like to be a stockholder?

H – It’s great! I’ve got rid of making financial decisions – I took it out

on the management of the corporation. And it seems to be competent and qualified, otherwise I wouldn’t receive such high dividends.

R – Are they really high?

H – They are. They’ve been growing constantly ever since I became a

shareholder. My aunt is very pleased with it. She is sure I’ll

receive dividends twice as much next year. You know, my aunt

makes no mistakes as a rule.

R – Your aunt is a fantastic woman! What’s her name by the way?

H – Haven’t I told you yet? She is Clair Lu Cliff.