- •I Learn the words and expressions:
- •II Find Russian equivalents to the following expressions:
- •V Translate from Russian into English:
- •VI Answer the questions:
- •Part II
- •I New words and expressions:
- •VII Translate from Russian into English:
- •Guinness Part I Proper names
- •Words to be remembered
- •Part II
- •Task V Read about Ernest Saunders and give written translation of this fact file.
- •I Learn new words and expressions:
- •II Find Russian equivalents, recollect the situations these expression were used in; be ready to the dictation:
- •III Make up 10 sentences with new words and expressions.
- •IV True or false?
- •V Answer the questions:
- •VI Put down the following extracts and fill in the blanks where necessary. Give written translation.
- •Part II
- •II Find English equivalents:
VII Translate from Russian into English:
В апреле 1985 года на прилавках американских магазинов появились бутылки с новой этикеткой - New Coke. Что тогда началось - трудно даже представить. Американцы вдруг открыли для себя, что кока-кола является национальным достоянием. В офисы Coca Cola ежедневно звонили и писали около 10 тыс. возмущенных американцев, требовавших вернуть нации вкус старой "колы". И в июле того же года Coca Cola восстановила прежнюю рецептуру. После чего на бутылки долгое время клеили этикетки с надписью Coca Cola Classic.
Самое интересное, что эта провальная акция Гозуэты привела к стремительному (почти на 30%) росту продаж оригинального напитка. В прессе появились версии о том, что фиаско "новой колы" на самом деле не что иное, как грандиозная и тщательно спланированная рекламная акция. Когда журналисты попытались выведать у "главного фокусника", так ли это на самом деле, Гозуэта загадочно ответил: "Ну мы не настолько проницательны, но и не совсем уж бестолковые".
Guinness Part I Proper names
Guinness James Gulliver
Distillers Company David Brochen
Our Guyle Group Independent Newspaper
Ernest Saunders Lyons
Bells Whisky Company Shenly Industries
Johnny-Walk-a-Whisky Gerald Ronson
Golden Gin Ivan Boesky
Words to be remembered
takeover – приобретение контрольного пакета акций, поглощение одной компании другой
rival – конкурент
managing director – директор-распорядитель
to devise a ruthless turnaround strategy – разработать жесткую стратегию
key team – основная команда
to implement – привести в исполнение, делать
scale – масштаб, размер, охват
streamline – направление движения
to spot – заметить
target – цель
to launch a hostile bid – развернуть борьбу за слияние фирм
to bug – ставить жучок
stock market – рынок ценных бумаг
bid documents – официальная заявка (цены акции на торгах)
takeover bid – условия, предлагаемые при приобретении контрольного пакета акций
to inflate – вздувать цены
on smb’s behalf – от ч-л имени
rigid – непреклонный, стойкий
infamous – пользующийся дурной славой
arbitrage – скупщик ценных бумаг (брокер)
to rocket – взмыть вверх
to swap for – обменять
Task I Explain who or what the underlined proper names stand for.
Task II Agree or disagree
Guinness is famous worldwide for its whisky.
Ernest Saunders managed to solve Guinness’ problems.
In early 80s Saunders was ready to expand the Guinness Company.
Distillers was 300 mln pounds worth.
The battle between Our Guyle Group and Guinness Company was quite fair.
The price of Distillers’ shares was fixed by the official bid documents.
The Company’s Act of 1985 forbids to manipulate share prices during a takeover bid.
Saunders knew the law and observed it.
Saunders’s friends agreed to help him to support the Guinness share price and their help was free of charge.
Guinness’ shares became much more expensive than those of Our Guyle Group.
Guinness won their historic battle against the Our Guyle Group.
Task III Finish up the sentences.
The takeover battle for the Scottish Distillers company involving Guinness and their rival Our Guyle Group was ………….
Ernest Saunders took over as …..
In the early years of the 80s Saunders efforts were …………………
Well, Guinness with Distillers will be able to have a scale that is necessary to develop business in world markets and that’s terribly important, because ………………………
James Gulliver, head of the Scottish-based Our Guyle supermarket group ………………….
Each company attacked the other …………………………………… (up to “but the real battlefield’)
The other lessons are that in big takeover bids anything goes unless the controllers are ………………………
During the course of the Distillers takeover battle………………………….
The value of the Guinness bid was impossible…………………………….
Well, we’ve just heard that Guinness have won their historic battle ………………………………
Task IV Answer the questions:
Why was the takeover battle for the Distillers so scandalous?
Was Saunders a professional? Prove.
What were the Guinness Company’s plans in early 80s and in the middle of the 80s?
What is Distillers company famous for?
What made Guinness fight for Distillers with all its might?
How did the rivals try to get Distillers’ shares?
What made Saunders act against the law?
What plan did Saunders devise to win the battle?
Whom did he ask for help?
Was his plan a success?
Task V Put down the extract from “But the real battlefield was London’s stock market…” up to “on its behalf.”
Task VI Retell the first part in James Gulliver’s name.