Unit 2 In this unit you will learn: A Case Study  The Personal Pronoun Present Simple Present Continuous

Pre-reading tasksHave you ever written a case study? What parts does it include?

Reading

Read the following case study on Fournier et CIE. Then read

and translate the article on Fournier et CIE published in an economic magazine. Pay attention to the present tenses:

Fournier et CIE is a medium-sized company producing for export hand-made shoes and gloves in natural materials. They obtained good prices for their fashionable designs. Yet customers are dissatisfied with the standard of the materials which seem to be too loosely woven. Another complaint is that deliveries are not prompt, which makes impossible for the customers to maintain satisfactory stock levels and fulfil their sale schedules. In order to solve their problems, they had a meeting with one of their most important clients, Mr. Jacobson. The general manager was not present due to health problems.Here is the minutes of the meeting.

Today, April, 26, 2002, we had a short meeting in order to solve the problem of delivery and the complaints concerning the standard materials.Mr. Jacobson explained that the moment his company saw the samples of our hand-made lines, he was authorized to discuss the terms of an order with us and negotiate a contract. Yet the quality of the standard materials was much better at that time, as he showed us two different types of gloves and shoes, and consequently the difference in texture. Mrs. Higgins, our production manager explained that due to the extended needs of materials, we changed the supplier of materials, yet Mr. Jacobson had been told about this two months before this change, and he had been also sent the standard materials at that time, when he approved their quality.

Mr. Jacobson mentioned that delivery order no. 3425 had a problem, in the sense that the material of the summer shoes seemed to be too loosely woven and was inclined to pull out of shape. He said that his representatives relied on the high quality of the materials we sent them and they were all the more disappointed in the case because we supplied the cloth to new customers.Mrs. Higgins assured him of a better quality in the future. The problem of delivery will also be solved, as we had to solve out problems of cloth delivery last week. As we couldn’t possibly allow this situation to continue, we had to make our supplier understand that unless they could guarantee to deliver supplies by the dates specified in future orders, we would be forced to look for another supplier.

No longer excellent merchandise for their customers?

Several weeks ago we published an incredible story of a medium-sized company producing for export hand-made shoes and gloves in natural materials which amazingly succeeded in attracting customers, due to their excellent products. Yet it seems that every dream is over sooner or later. Fournier et CIE experiences difficulties with their biggest customer, R&T Lines. Today they obtained good prices for their fashionable designs. In a meeting today, the representative of R&T Lines explained that his staff is dissatisfied with the standard of the materials which seem to be too loosely woven. How could this happen? Higgins, the one in charge of production seems not to know. Yet the answer is very simple: the moment Fournier et CIE extended, they realized that they needed more suppliers of materials, and due to good prices they also accepted lower offers, as well as lower quality. The truth is somewhere in the middle, as Jacobson answered our questions in a very ambiguous manner: Yes, I knew about the change of the supplier. He also admitted that he had approved the standard material for order no 3425. Yet it seems that indeed they are experiencing problems, as this is not the only unsatisfied customers. The problem of delivery will be solved, according to Higgins: We had to solve out problems of cloth delivery last week. Yet, should we really believe that? Clients are quite fed up with promises. They want facts. It seems that the great boon the company had in the beginning has changed a lot nowadays, unfortunately. Probably they need a new company policy and a new board.

Ways with words1. How do you translate the sentence: As we couldn’t possibly allow this situation to continue…? . Let’s learn some expressions containing the word as:as compared with = în comparaţie cu;as a consequence of = ca o consecinţã a;as if/ as though = ca şi cum;as far as = întrucât, pe cât, în mãsura în care;as far as it goes = în ceea ce priveşte;as follows = precum/ dupã cum urmeazã;as long as = atât timp cât;as regards = în ceea ce priveşte;as a rule = de regulã, în principiu;as seen = dupã cum se vede;as shown in Table. 2 = cum s-a arãtat în Tabelul 2;as soon as possible = cât de curând posibilas such = ca atare;as well = deopotrivã, de asemenea;as well as = cât şi, tot aşa ca;

as when = ca atunci când, ca în cazul în care;as yet/ so far/ up to now/ up to the present = pânã în prezent;such as = astfel ca, ca de exemplu.

2. Read the following sentence taken from the same text: How do you translate they were all the more disappointed in the case? Now learn some expressions with the adjective all.beyond all doubt = în afarã de orice îndoialã;all at once = dintr-o datã;all the better = cu atât mai bine;all in all = în întregime, cu totul;all in good time = toate la timpul lor;all the more as = cu atât mai mult cu cât;all over = peste tot;first of all = înainte de toate;of all kinds = de toate felurile;that is about all = ca, asta-i tot;it is all one to them = le este tot una;once for all = o datã pentru totdeauna.Now practise these expressions in sentences of your own.

3. Read the following sentence again: Clients are quite fed up with promises. How do you translate to be fed up with something? Now learn some phrasal verbs containing the particle up. Use your dictionary in order to translate them. weigh up bring uptake up (three meanings) draw upstep up pick upNow replace the words in italics in the following sentences with the following phrasal verbs.

a. Before preparing the contract, may I go over one or two points again, please?b. We have to increase our work-rate if we are going to get the accounts finished in time.c. If I’m going to have any chance of becoming a member of the Board, I’ll have to start playing golf.d. I’d like to mention the subject of expense claims at our next meeting.e. (Chairman, at a meeting).Your point is interesting, Donna, but I’d like to discuss it later, if I may.f. We must consider all the possibilities before we decide which market to enter.g. I start my new appointment next month.h. We didn’t get many orders last quarter but now sales have improved.

4. Choose the colour (you will need to use some words more than once)black green redblue grey whitebrown pink yellow

a. In most countries, goods that are scarce are usually freely available on the ……………… market – provided you have the money to pay for them.b. You can argue with her until you’re ………………… in the face, but once she’s made up her mind she won’t listen to you, no matter what you say.c. After several weeks of discussions, the group were given the ………………. light, and could finally go ahead with the new project.d. There’s no point in asking my boss for a day off next week. I’m in her ………………. books at the moment so she’s bound to say no.e. She had only recently had lunch with her cousin, so the news of his death came as bolt from the ……………f. Although we got a lot of nice wedding presents, we also got one or two ……………… elephants.g. There is a common prejudice that girls who are very beautiful must automatically be lacking in ………………. matter – so-called “dumb blondes”.h. Next Friday is a ……………….-letter day for my sister and her husband; it’s their 25th anniversary.i. After sunbathing for two hours every day, Joanna was as …………………… as a berry.

j. The managing director’s reference to the forthcoming sales conference was a ……………. herring. He just wanted to get off the subject of this month’s poor sales figures.k. She went as ………………. as a sheet when she heard about the accident.l. If there was a war, I don’t think I’d fight. I’ve got too much of a …………….. streak. I’d be terrified of getting killed.m. I’m sorry, James, I refuse to believe it unless you can show it to me in …………….. and ……………!n. Ever since Tom got that huge order with Saudi-Arabia he’s been the boss’s ……………..-eyed boy.o. Don’t mention the present government in front of my father; it’s like a …………………. rag to a bull.p. I was ……………… with envy when my neighbour drove up in a brand-new Jaguar.q. By the way, Joyce, my husband was tickled ………………….. at your asking him to judge the flower show.r. For some reason, Swedish films are often synonymous with …………………. films, which is very strange as there is relatively little pornography in Sweden.s. Sometimes it is better to tell a …………………. lie than to hurt someone’s feelings.t. My wife always goes bright ………………… whenever she gets embarrassed.

5. Put each of the following phrases in its correct place in the sentences below.out of the blue in black and whiteonce in a blue moon a black sheepto have green fingers green with envyin the red to catch someone red-handed red tape

a. The offer of a job sounded very good on the phone but I won’t believe it till I have it ………………… b. I must remind you that this is a non-smoking office. I suspect that some of you have been smoking. If I happen …………………… I’m afraid it will mean dismissal.c. To import firearms into Britain you’ll have to fill in a lot of forms. There’s a lot of …………………d. If you want to be a successful gardener, of course you’ve got ……………………e. The rest of the family were respectable, honest people but he was always in trouble. I’m afraid he was …………………….f. When I saw him in his new sports car, I was………………………….g. Tourists often go to the Louvre, but most Parisians only go ……………………h. The firm is ……………………. . It owes a lot of money.i. I had lost touch with Jake, and then one night he arrived at my flat right ……………………… What a surprise!

Grammar reference

The personal pronoun

The nominative. Form

Person Singular PluralFirst person I weSecond person you youThird person he - masculine

she - feminineit - objects and animals

they

The accusative/The dative. Form

Person Singular PluralFirst person (to) me (to) usSecond person (to) you (to) youThird person (to) him

(to) her(to) it

(to) them

Mood, tense and aspect

Mood, tense and aspect are grammatical categories of the verb. Roughly speaking, mood presents the attitude of the speaker towards an action or a state expressed by the verb, tense gives an indication of when the action happens and aspect reflects the status of action referring to duration, result, etc.

Present Simple

Present Simple is used to express: a repeated action or habit (it is often used with adverbs of frequency such as: always, constantly, continually,

ever, frequently, forever, hardly, never, normally, occasionally, often, rarely, regularly, seldom, sometimes, usually, etc.):

I usually get up at 7.30.Japanese people like to travel.Most evenings we stay in. a fact which is always true (general truths and states):Wood floats on water.The Earth moves round the Sun.The Danube floats into the Black Sea. a fact which is true for a long timeI live in Ploiesti.She works in a bank.Present Simple is used in explanations, demonstrations and stage directions:Her drawing shows two parts of a hyperbolic curve.I add flour to the egg yolks and place the basin into the oven.The door bell rings. She listens quietly. A window opens and a masked man enters the room.Form

Affirmative Interrogative NegativeI work Do I work? I do not (don’t) workYou work Do you work? You do not (don’t) workHe works Does he work? He does not (doesn’t) workShe works Does she work? She does not (doesn’t) workIt works Does it work? It does not (doesn’t) workWe work Do we work? We do not (don’t) workYou work Do you work? You do not (don’t) workThey work Do they work? They do not (don’t) work

Short answerDo you like spring?Yes, I do.Does he speak French?No, he doesn’t.

Present Continuous

Present Continuous is used to express: an activity happening now or around nowThey are watching TV in their bedroom now.I am living with my parents this week. a planned future arrangement:I’m meeting them at 11 o’clock tomorrow.

Form

Present Continuous is formed with the present tense of the auxiliary verb be followed by the indefinite participle of the main verb (verb+-ing).

Affirmative Interrogative NegativeI am working Am I working? I am not workingYou are working Are you working? You are not (aren’t) workingHe is working Is he working? He is not (isn’t) workingShe is working Is she working? She is not (isn’t) workingIt is working Is it working? It is not (isn’t) workingWe are working Are we working? We are not (aren’t) workingYou are working Are you working? You are not(aren’t) workingThey are working Are they working? They are not (aren’t) working

Short answerAre you coming?Yes, I am. No, I’m not.Is she watching TV?Yes, she is. No, she isn’t.

Controlled practice

1. Translate the following sentences into English:a. El este contabil la o companie importantă. b. Ei nu vorbesc engleza, dar noi îi putem ajuta. c. Pe ea o văd la curs, dar pe el nu îl văd. d. Îmi oferă o carte de contabilitate, pentru cã el are douã exemplare. e. Îl strig pe Victor, dar nu mă aude.

2. Choose the appropriate forms of the personal pronoun:a. He is studying English as he/we intends to join an American insurance company.b. I gave her/him that laptop as he needed it.c. She told me/ to me that she needed five days off.d. I think I saw him/ he in the bank yesterday.e. Have you told they/ them about your project?

3. Put the verbs in brackets into the Present Simple or Present Continuous:a. He usually (drink) coffee but today he (drink) tea.b. It (rain) now. It often (rain) in summer.c. He (come) to see me tonight; we (go) on a trip to Sinaia next week and we (want) to make plans for it.d. I (live) in Ploiesti, but this week, as I (attend) a course in Bucharest, I (stay) with my uncle in Calea Floreasca.e. Pardon me, sir, but I (think) you (stand) on my feet.f. Maria (come) from Spain this week.g. She (speak) French, English and Italian.h. I (cut) two slices of bread and she (prepare) an omlette.i. What you (do) here? I (look) for my glasses.j. Where you (live)? I (live) in Scotland.

4. Complete this postcard using the correct form of the verbs on the right:Greetings from Scotland! John and I …..... something different this year. We’re at the

do

Edinburgh Activity Centre, where we …….. a good time and at the same time we …….. different things. People…….. here every summer to learn more about their

havelearncome

hobbies and interests.I …….. photography and tennis this week doand John …….. about computers. We …….. up at half past eight every morning

learn, get

and …….. lessons from ten to half past twelve. We …….. lunch at one, and then there are more lessons.

do have

So it’s hard work. But I …….. it here. We …..... a post-office in front of the Centre. The weather is good. See you soon.Love, Kate

like, have

5. Put the verbs in brackets into the present simple or continuousa. He (live) in London at present but he (hope) to move to Edinburgh next year.b. I (hope) they (realize) what a difficult job they (undertake).c. Mike and Jack (spend) a fortnight at the seaside; they (come) back next week. d. Who (talk) to the pretty girl in the blue dress? e. The teacher (say) that you usually (make) a lot of mistakes.f. Anybody who (look) at his passenger while he (drive) is a danger on the roads.g. Mary (sleep) in the sitting room this week because her bedroom (be) redecorated.h. The path (lead) to the big house that you (see) on the hill.i. My son (work) very hard. He (study) for an examination now.j. “You (hear) anything?” “I (listen) hard but I can’t hear anything.”k. Daddy (leave) always lighted cigarettes all over the house. We’ll burn down one day.l. Mary (leave) for London in a fortnight.m. They (clean up) the whole town in preparation for the summer.n. Mr Green always (get up) early.o. My husband usually (leave) his office at 3.00 p.m., but this month he (work) late.p. Jack often (go) to the theatre but his wife (not go) very often. He (like) all sorts of plays. She (prefer) comedies.q. Professor Brown (be) the perfect linguist. He already (speak) seven foreign languages. Now he (learn) an eighth.r. My dog always (bark) at the postman. But look at that! For once, he (be) friendly to the poor man.s. They left for London an hour ago. I (wonder) whether they (travel) by airplane or by train.t. He (walk) very slowly because the bottle he (carry) (hold) nitro-glycerine and nitro-glycerine (explode) if it (be) shaken.v. Let me explain what you have to do. First you (take) the photos and (sort) them into categories. Then you (file) them according to subject.w. The play is set in London in 1890. The action (take) place in Mary’s living-room. When the curtain (go) up, the hero and heroine (sit) down. They (argue).x. Dear Jane, sorry to hear about your problem at work. I (think) you (do) the right thing, but I (doubt) whether your boss really (know) his job from what you (tell) me. y. The house is a mess because we’ve got the workmen in. The plumber (put) in a new bath. The electricians (rewire) the system and the carpenter (build) us some new bookshelves.

6. Translate into English:a. Nu cred că te pot ajuta.b. Mama gustă ciorba să vadă dacă mai e nevoie de sare.c. Nu beau cafea de obicei, dar astăzi fac o excepţie.d. El merge cu autobuzul la şcoală în fiecare zi.e. Noi nu învăţăm decât vinerea, sâmbăta şi duminica.

Unit 3 

In this unit you will learn:A presentation of the distance learning department Verbs which do not take a Continuous Aspect in English The Imperative The possessive pronoun and adjective

Pre-reading tasksHow did you hear about the distance learning department? Why have you chosen this specialisation?

ReadingRead the following presentation which was part of a project by which our university inaugurated courses within the distance learning department. Pay attention to the aspect of the verbs (simple/ continuous aspect). Translate the text into Romanian:

The specialisations in the Distance-Learning Department within Petroleum-Gas university of Ploiesti are: Economic engineering in the mechanical field Fiability of Petroleum and Petrochemical Equipment Drilling-Production and Reservoir Engineering Engineering of Environment Protection and Chemical and Petrochemical Industry Petroleum Technology and Petrochemistry Romanian Language and Literature- English Language and Literature Accountancy and Administration Informatics Primary School- Teachers: English/FrenchFor the above-mentioned specialisations we identified three categories of potential candidates:

persons who want to improve their knowledge in the field of petroleum industry and refining, yet the daily work programme and the distance from the only petroleum-gas university in Romania does not allow them to enroll in a training programme (day courses, evening courses)

persons who want to specialise in very important fields such as accountancy, informatics, foreign languages

primary school-teachers who, in order to compete with the new undergraduate educational system, compatible with the European system, must attend the specialisation Primary School- Teachers: English/French.

Within our university we could say that we have experience in such programmes due to the fact that we had a project Leonardo da Vinci, in which we worked with our colleagues from Minho University from Portugal.In the beginning the Distance-Learning Department will make use of the resources offered by the new IT Centre (developed within the project 76/1999) which offers internet access, video-conference systems Part of the course-books for our future students is already on magnetic support, as a result of the grant CNFIS 39691/2000. Some books which were previously published were up-dated last year. This will allow us to start such a project in autumn. At the same time on the web www.ttr.lc.com (within the project of distance-learning trainers’ training) we elaborated a course on informatics and communicational technologies which are necessary in the training process as well as a course on pedagogical strategies which may be adapted to such distance-learning. A Plei@d Programme has been recently elaborated by a university from CNAM, Nantes, France. There is a legal basis on distance learning organization and functioning: Romanian Government Decision no. 1214/07.12.2000. At the same time the standards for Authorizing the functioning of distance learning are elaborated by C.N.E.AA (National Council of Authorizing and Academic Assessment), standards which may be fulfilled by our department.

Ways with words1. In the sentences below, use one suitable word from the list that follows. Not all the words are possible:

a. I sent in my ...... to the address given in the advertisement.

b. They told me I lacked ...... as I had never had that kind of job before.c. The manager told me he couldn’t wait as he had ...... to do.d. Not many people enjoy sitting at a/an ...... all day long.e. Before I left that oil company, I handed in my ......f. When I applied for this position, I asked my previous boss for a ......g. You have to be well-dressed and punctual to succeed in a/an ......h. My first ...... was helping in a shop at weekends.i. In our company every ...... receives a month’s salary.j. You could ...... over 2,000 a month as a sales representative in this company.qualifications; reference; experiences; application; work; employer; interview; gain; resignation; job; diploma; department; applicant; earn; wages; office; gain; desk; salary; employee.

2. Read the sentence We had a project Leonardo da Vinci, in which we worked with our colleagues from Minho University again. Now learn some expressions containing the preposition with:with due regard for/ with all due deference to = cu tot respectul cuvenit;with an eye to = urmãrind, fãrã a pierde din vedere;with the exception of = cu excepţia cã;with reason = pe drept, pe bunã dreptate;with reference/ respect to = în privinţa, referitor, cu privire la;with a view of = în scopul de a;as with = la fel ca şi; together with = împreunã cu;to do away with = a înlãtura, a termina cu.

3. Look at the following sentences belonging to this unit: Within our university we could say that we have experience in such programmes due to the fact that we had a project Leonardo da Vinci . As you can see these are two meaning of the word that. In the first sentence it introduces a direct object clause and in the other it introduces a relative clause. Here are some expressions containing the word that:that far = atât de departe;that is the point = aceasta-i problema;that much = cam atât;that’s how it happened = aşa s-a întâmplat;that is why (that’s why) = de aceea, din aceastã cauzã;that is to say = adicã;but for that = dacã nu ar fi fost asta;for all that = cu toate acestea; in order that = pentru ca, sã;like that (just like that) = aşa;Now practise these expressions in sentences of your own.4. Read the following sentence again: Some books which were previously published were up-dated last year. How do you translate to up-date? Now explain the meaning of the words and phrases in italics in the following sentences.

a. To date, we haven’t received a single order for our new product.b. Our advertising is beginning to look very dated.c. We try to use up-to-date methods in our Production Department.d. Our problems date from the time we lost that Russian contract.e. Computer sales people have to constantly up-date their knowledge.f. They are using out-dated plant and machinery to manufacture their products.

5. Word buildingComplete the following sentences with the correct form of the words in italics.

1 relya. He is a very reliable worker.b. Her main quality is her ……………… . c. My assistant is someone who can be ……………… on.2 criticisea. The report has been received very…………….. by top management.b. The Personnel Director is an outspoken……………… of our reorganization.

c. I thought her……………… were unfair and not based on fact.3 skilla. The Chairman was………………… at avoiding answering awkward questions.b. The ……………… workers in the Production Department are well paid.c. To be a good manager, you need many ……………… . d. The ………………… workers in our company are the lowest paid because they need no training for their jobs.4 employa. Most …………………in an organisation can benefit from training.b. ……………………… is almost 8% in my country — that’s far too high.c. The………………… are entitled to various social security payments.d. He’s fairly old and hasn’t had a job for years. I’d say he’s virtually ……………… 5 surea. Performance appraisals help to ………………… that promising staff are not overlooked for promotion.b. At my interview, my boss ………………… me that I had a bright future in the company.c. ………………… you agree she’s one of the high fliers in the department.6 ablea. This young trainee has considerable …………………… b. Due to our ………………… to get certain supplies, we lost the order.c. Because of a production hold-up, we are ………………… to provide the product.7 decisiona. Being a currency dealer in a bank, she has to make quick decisions and be very ……………… at all times.b. Because we were ………………we wasted time and lost the contract.c. I am still……………..whether to leave my present job but I must make up my mind soon.

6. Complete the following sentences with suitable forms of the words from the list below.authorize, authority, control, function, autonomy, innovate, innovative, delegate, delegation, initiative

a. In many department store groups, buying and finance are two ……………… which are handled by Head Office.b. Managers who like power find it difficult to ……………… responsibility.c. To stay competitive, high technology firms must constantly ………………… or else their products become out of date.d. When you delegate authority in a business, you lose a degree of ………………… over certain functions.e. In some multinational organisations, subsidiaries are given a great deal of ……………… - they rarely have to consult Head Office.f. Firms often make the mistake of not concentrating enough on marketing …………………g. In our factory, the General Manager is ………………… to spend up to £1,000 a month on repairs and maintenance.h. I like my staff to make decisions for themselves, but they seem afraid to show any ………………… .

7. Supply the most suitable words from the list on the right.1. ………….is hard to find nowadays. a) boss2. The quality of the food in a restaurant depends on its……. b) chauffeur3. I work in a garage as a car ……………… c) chef4. Nancy has started a new………….. d) colleague5. Mrs. Wilks is the …………of this shop, not the owner. e) college6. If you want to know the way, ask a ………….. f) conductor7. Who’s the …………of the Boston Symphony Orchestra? g) doctor8. Brenda was a university ………….. at the age of 36. h) engineer9. He has a car with a uniformed …………… i) job

10. His ………….. at school has given him a good report. j) manager11. What’s the name of the ………..of your company? k) mechanic12. An …………..designs bridges or roads. l) medicine13. The ……………of our shop is putting up the rent. m) owner14. There had been a burglary, so we called the ………… n) police15. I went into business after I left …………. o) policeman16. I can’t use a …………, never mind a word processor. p) professor17. Gordon is a …………at the local hospital. q) teacher18. Has the nurse given you your …………… r) typist19. Smithers is a …………of mine at the office. s) typewriter20. It’s useful to be a good …………if you use a computer. t) work

8. Supply the best word or words:1. The person in charge of a business is informally known as the ………………a) chef b) chief c) boss2. The person who is in charge of a car is the ………………a) guide b) leaderc) motorist d) drivere) conductor3. A person who prepares food is a ………………a) cook b) cooker4. A person who works in an office is an ………………a) officer b) office worker5. A woman who looks after other people’s children is a ………………a) nanny b) nurse6. The person who is in charge of a restaurant is the ………………a) patron b) manager7. A person who studies the origins of the universe is a ………………a) physician b) physicist c) physics8. Another word for ‘doctor’ is ……………a) physician b) physicist c) medicine9. If you are one of the people waiting to be served in a shop you are a ………………a) client b) customer c) patient d) guest10. If serve people who come into a shop, you are ………………a) an official b) a shop assistant c) a bank clerk

Grammar reference

Verbs which do not take a continuous aspect in English

There are verbs in English which generally are not used in the continuous aspect: verbs of the senses (verbs of perception): see, hear, smell, taste, notice, recognize, etc.I smell gas. verbs of thinking: think, realize, know, understand, suppose, expect, remember, forget, mind, etc.I don’t remember your name. verbs of having and being: have, own, owe, belong to, possess, be, contain, matter, hold, etc.The house belongs to my mother.I have a very good lathe. verbs of emotion: love, hate, like, dislike, refuse, want, wish, forgive, etc.I hate people calling me late at night.He wants to buy a new tool.

The Imperative

The imperative is a mood which expresses an order, a command, a wish, a greeting, a piece of advice, a threat:Come here!Leave me alone!Watch your step!Let’s go!FormThe imperative has forms only for the second person singular and plural.

Affirmative NegativeGet ready!Start working!

Don’t get ready!Don’t start working!

The possessive pronoun and the posessive adjective

The possessive pronoun. FormPerson Singular PluralFirst person mine oursSecond person yours yoursThird person his

hersits

theirs

The possesive adjective. FormPerson Singular PluralFirst person my ourSecond person your yourThird person his

herits

their

Controlled practice 1. Translate into English:

a. Aceastã sticlã conţine apă minerală.b. Creionul Rotring este al Mariei.c. Urãsc sã mi se cearã sã fac o lucrare de azi pe mâine.d. Ea are doar un curs de statistică şi două de finanţe.e. Acest curs conţine 14 capitole.

2. Decide which is the most appropriate form of the verb in the following sentences:a. I’m thinking/ I think of you.b. She smells/ is smelling gas.c. Mother is tasting/ tastes the soup to see if it needs more salt.d. We have/ are having dinner now.e. Could you call him back in twenty minutes as he has/ is having a bath right now.

3. Translate the following into English:a. Serveşte-te şi serveşte-i şi pe ceilalţi!b. Vino, te rog, la noi sã ne ajuţi sã rezolvãm o problemã de statisticã. c. Îi dai un deget şi îţi ia toatã mâna!d. Scrie tu proiectul la calculator, pentru cã dupã aceea trebuie sã-l folosesc şi eu.e. Luaţi loc, vã rog, doamnã!f. Nu pleca, pentru că nu am terminat proiectul!g. Nu te apropia de firele acelea pentru că sunt sub tensiune.h. Nu încerca să mă faci să mă răzgândesc, pentru că o faci degeaba.i. Du-te şi vezi dacă au terminat cursul.

j. Grăbeşte-te, mai ai doar cinci minute!

4. Make the following sentences negative:a. Come here!b. Get ready as we are in a hurry!c. Be on time, because English people are never late.d. Go home and we’ll finish this tomorrow.e. Work faster as we need to finish this until two o’clock.

5. Choose the appropriate possessive pronouns or adjectives:a. My/ mine father’s car is new. Mine/my is very old and ugly.b. We have been looking for these magazines. Someone took them from your/our room. They belong to us. We’re using the pictures for a project of ours/yours.c. There are five billion people in our/his world and they live in all different corners of it.d. This is her/hers car. She bought it two months ago.e. My results are better than yours/your.f. Is that book yours/your as I think I saw you when you lent it to your/yours friend, Tom.g. I don’t think this is one of Emma’s pens. I know she has lost her/hers calculator, but I haven’t heard her say she has lost a pen . What do you think?h. My/mine speciality is accountancy.i. After we have acquired some knowledge about the oil industry and the kind of work that is involved, we will prove ours/our knowledge later.j. Your/yours article on world economy is a good one.

Unit 4 

In this unit you will learn: Writing a CV Writing a letter of application Classification of Nouns Number of Nouns The Genitive

Pre-reading tasksWhat information should your CV contain?What information should your letter of application contain?

Reading 1

Read the following CV. Can you find any improvements? Work with your mates and report your findings to the rest of the class:

CURRICULUM VITAEPERSONAL DETAILSName: Mihaela VladAddress: 23 Bvd. Bucureşti

Ploieşti 2000 PrahovaTelephone: 044165342Date of birth: 1 January 1974Nationality: RomanianLanguages: Fluent English; Conversational FrenchComputer literacy: Wordperfect, Lotus 1-2-3, Windows 2000, Math-Cad; Math-Lab.EDUCATION2000-2002: Master of Business and Administration - ”Petroleum-Gas” University of Ploieşti- CNAM Paris1995-2000: “Petroleum-Gas” University of Ploieşti- Faculty of Economic Sciences“A” levels: Mathematics, EconomyWORK HISTORYSept. 2000-Sept. 2001: accountant at GPS AradSummer 1999-Summer 2000: college position: required to prepare accountsSummer 1998: Bucharest Chemical Services - assistantINTERESTS: cinema, theatre, readingREFERENCES: available on request.

Ways with words 11. Here are some pieces of advice for you when you write your CV:

a. Bold is used selectively. Your name is obviously important, so you should make sure it stands out.b. When you state the languages you can speak, conversational and fluent are the only words to use about them. Don’t use qualifications such as well, very well, etc. If they really want to find out about your language skills, they will surely test you. c. Education and qualifications should be listed together. The “A” levels are important, as they may show that you are suitable for that job, as you had the best degrees in those objects which are of major importance for your future job.d. For the Work History section, it is vital to highlight your student activities.

e. Don’t make up a list of names and addresses in your reference section. You should mention references only if they are very impressive.

Reading 2Here is the letter of application Mihaela Vlad has written. Skim through the letter and see what information the applicant is conveying about himself:

23 Bvd BucureştiPloieşti 200 Prahova

Mr A. D. VladPersonnel ManagerPetrom Bucureşti Ref.: chief accountant vacancy

Dear Mr. A. D. VladI am writing to apply for the position of chief accountant that you advertised in Bursa on 5 October 2001, as I believe it offers the career challenge which I am seeking.As you will see from my enclosed Curriculum Vitae, I graduated from “Petroleum-Gas” University of Ploieşti last year, and then I have had a successful year working in a scientific environment with GPS Arad.I would like to highlight the following skills which I believe would add value to your organization:Organizational skills - developed in my current job with GPS Arad.Accounting skills - developed in my role as university officer where I prepared annual reports and accounts and I was responsible for a budget of 1,000,000,000 lei per annum.Interpersonal skills - developed through working in a team environment in my current role and through a number of holiday positions when I was a student.I have a keen interest in accountancy and would appreciate the opportunity of an interview to discuss why I believe I am good match for your requirements.I look forward to hearing from you.Yours sincerely, Mihaela Vlad

Ways with words 21. Here are some lines from different letters of application of several candidates for this job. Choose the most appropriate and convincing sentence in each group. What do you think is wrong with some of the sentences listed below?

a. I am familiar with this type of work./ I am totally knowledgeable about this type of work./ I know this type of work. b. I am well-liked by everybody and I am very convincing./ I can maintain friendly relationships with people./ I am a friendly and tactful person.c. I can make decisions when it is really necessary and I am very responsive./ I always make the best decisions in my office, as I am a reliable person./ I am not afraid to make decisions if necessary.d. I feel sure my studies recommend me for this job./ I hope I am right for this sort of work./ I am sure I am the most suitable person for this job.e. I am quite interested in this kind of work./ I have a genuine interest in this kind of work./ I am extremely interested in this type of work.

2. Here is an advertisement which was published in Bursa on 4 April 2001. Look at it and write your CV. Then write the letter to cover your CV applying for the vacancy:

CONSTRUCT Ltd.Romanian-Canadian company providing

expertise, human resources and equipment for the construction industry

requires

Human Resource Officers

Applications are accepted from recent graduates of Sociology or Business Studies with some background in income tax laws and computer literacy, or company management. Applicants should be willing to work in teams and should be able to meet deadlines. Applicants should be fluent in English and French.Please enclose a current CV and your letter of application addressed to Mr Ion Pop, Human Resources Manager, Construct (Romania) Ltd., 13, Piaţa Romanã, Bucharest.

3. Vocabulary buildingAn antonym is a word that means the opposite of another. For example, the opposite of short is long, the opposite of old is young. Complete the following sentences with words opposite in meaning to the words in italics.e.g. interesting He does not like his job because it is uninteresting.

a. satisfied Workers become……………………… if their jobs offer no challenge.b. conclusive Since the report was so………………… no recommendations were made.c. responsible ………………… behaviour by staff can be costly to an organisation.d. popular Managers become……………………… if they fail to pay bonuses.e. respect No manager likes a subordinate to be…………………… .f. secure A worker who feels…………………. in his job will probably not be committed to the firm he works for.g. social People who work ………………… hours, for example at night-time, generally receive extra – pay.h. efficient Nowadays, it is not easy to get rid of an employee who is ……………………

4. Complete the following sentences with one suitable word meaning the opposite of the word in capital letters:a. Jack much prefers being EMPLOYED to being .……..….b. Alex did a number of TEMPORARY jobs before he managed to find a ……..….. position.c. The first shop he opened was a big SUCCESS but the second was a total ……..…..d. Many people would rather work ………….than FULL-TIME.e. The management said salaries had INCREASED, but official reports showed that as a matter of fact they had .………….

5. Word sets. Try to think of the word time. Now think of words connected to time. In this way you may create a word set which may include among other words: day, month, year, century, year, etc. Now complete the following sentences with one appropriate word connected with the subject of money:

a. They refused to accept a cheque so I had to pay in ………....b. When she started with the company her …………. was only $10000 a year. Now it’s at least four times that.c. When Mr Michael retired he received a .………… of $300 a month.d. Pierre is very worried because he is in ……….... Nobody will lend him any money.e. If you want a new car why not go and see your bank manager about a ………....

6. Here is a list of words and expressions to do with money. Use your dictionary and divide them into the following categories:-borrowing money; saving and investing money; having a personal bank account.Sometimes the same word will fit different categories:-to withdraw money; a building society; a current account; a cheque card; a mortgage; to cash a cheque; to buy shares in a company; the Stock Market; to put money in; a monthly statement; a deposit account; to earn 15% interest.

Grammar Reference

Classification of nounsCountable nouns Uncountable nounsa girla mana toola cupan applea guitara pounda cara well

watersugarmilkmusicweathermoney oil/ petroleumcoalgas

We can say two cups, four girls, ten pounds, twenty cars. We can count them. We cannot count sugar, water or oil.Countable nouns can be singular or plural:This cup is empty.These cups are full.Uncountable nouns can only be singular:The water is cold.The weather is fine.The coal has a good quality.

Number of nouns

FormVariable nouns form the plural in the following way: -s is added to the singular:books-books, tool-tools -es is added to the singular nouns ending in -s, -z, -x, -ch, -sh, nouns ending in -y preceded by a consonant (-y

changes to i), nouns ending in -o: bus-buses, box-boxes, match-matches, brush-brushes, city-cities; potato- potatoes (But: photo-photos) -(e)s is added to nouns ending in -f(e) (which changes to -v):knife-knives, leaf-leaves, shelf-shelves (But: roof-roofs)Irregular plural nouns:man-men, woman-women, foot-feet, tooth-teeth, goose-geese, louse-lice, mouse-mice, child-children, ox-oxenForeign pluralsstimulus-stimuli, larva-larvae, stratum-strata, basis-bases, criterion-criteria, phenomenon-phenomena, datum-data, etc.

The Genitive

The analytical genitive is used with the preposition of, used with neuter nouns: the tower of London, the colour of oil, the cover of the book, etc.The synthetical genitive (‘s genitive) is used after: nouns denoting persons or other beings:John’s lecture, my parents’ advice nouns denoting measurement, time, space, quantity, value:a two months’ practice, yesterday’s newspaper, a pound’s worth of pears collective nouns:the governement’s decisions, the Parliament’s laws geographical names, vehicles, natural phenomena, etc.:England’s mountains, the spaceship’s crew, the afternoon’s heat.

Controlled practice1. Complete this newspaper article. Choose the correct singular or plural form in the brackets:

Johnson Factory for MilchesterThe Johnson Clothing Company is going to build a new factory in Milchester. (This/These) news (was/were) announced by company chairman Mr David Johnson yesterday. Mr Johnson spent the morning in Milchester before returning to the Johnson headquarters at Edinburgh.The Johnson company (has/have) been in existence for 100 years and (is/are) famous for its (product/products). The slogans “You’re never alone with a pair of Johnson (trouser/ trousers)” and “Johnson (jean/jeans) (is/are) the (one/ones) for you” are well known. The company’s profit last year of two million pounds (was/were) the highest in the clothing business.Mr Johnson will not say how (much/many) new (job/jobs) there will be, but the information that there will be (work/works) (is/are) hard to find at the moment, and 2,000 unemployed people (is/are) a high figure for a small town.

2. Complete the following passage with the correct form of the words in the box below.strategy right venture personnel finance skillplanning drawback expertise set up delegate innovative

trust segment

The problems of small high-tech firms have attracted a lot of attention recently. Research shows that many of these firms are …………………… (1) by talented, creative scientists. Their owners have no trouble coming up with………………… (2) products but they often can’t build on their early success.

One reason for this is that they don’t have much management ………………..(3). Therefore, they are unable to develop the ……………………(4) which are necessary for their company’s growth. They are in a rush to develop products, and don’t think enough about how to market them. When they do try to sell their products, they spend too much time trying to gain the………………… (5) of potential customers. Another mistake they make is to underprice their products so that they have no …………………… (6) for future development.

Once the firms begin to grow, their owners underestimate the future costs of developing and marketing new products. Lack of financial ………………… (7) is a major weakness of such companies. It is difficult for the high-tech firm to attract the right………………… (8) because it cannot offer the same job security as a large organisation.

The high-tech firm can get round some of these problems by developing a specialist image. It can aim at a particular ……………………(9) of the market. Customers then start seeking out the firm, so its marketing costs are reduced. The only ………………… (10) is that it may take some time before customers accept the firm’s new technology.

As soon as the high-tech business has reached a certain size, it will be a good idea to bring in professional management. The founder of the firm can then…………………(11) responsibility for activities like marketing and finance. If a high-tech firm needs money very badly, it may arrange a link-up with a larger company. It will offer that company exclusive ………………… (12) to its technology.

Enthusiasm, bright ideas ……………………(13) capital and technology are not enough to ensure success. Basic management…………………. (14) - especially financial and marketing ones - are also vital.

3. Complete the following passage, using the suitable forms of the words given below.achieve reach report feedback objectiveprogress performance role stage view

My boss called me into his office to discuss my …………………… (1) during the last six months. She said that I had made good ………………………(2) and had had no difficulty in …………………… (3) my goals. She made it clear that she was going to give me a good……………………… (4).I suppose I should have been grateful to her. However, one thing bothered me. I wondered why she didn’t ask me what I felt about the job. Why didn’t she get some …………………. (5) from me? I thought that was one of the main …………………(6) of the interview.Since my …………………(7) was obviously to sit quietly and say nothing, I did just that. At this …………………… (8) of my career, I can’t afford to upset my boss. But if I ever………………………

(9) her position, I shall handle these interviews differently. In my……………………(10), it’s vital to listen to employees.

4. Rewrite the following sentences, using the word in capital letters, so that the meaning stays the same:a. My cousin is somebody I can really trust. CONFIDENCEb. I can recite Eminescu’s poems from memory. HEARTc. Your office is being redecorated at the moment, so temporarily you will have to share one with John. BEINGd. He was going to leave for London when he heard his flight has been canceled. POINTe. It was proposed that a new church should be built. FORWARDf. Once the results of the experiment are made public, the Government will make a decision. OPENg. Her answer took the audienc by surprise. ABACKh. Our manager want us to call him „Sir”. ADDRESSED

5. Translate into English:a. Inventatorul televiziunii prin cablu a fost un om bogat.b. S-au fãcut progrese semnificative în acest domeniu al cunoaşterii.c. El foloseşte multe coli pentru a scrie un CV.d. La începutul secolului XX, nu erau foarte erau multe studente în colegii.e. Tatãl studentului a venit la universitate sã vorbeascã cu profesorul de economie.f. Cunoştinţele de engleză sunt foarte vagi. g. Sfatul pe care mi l-ai dat m-a ajutat foarte mult.h. Aş vrea să cumpăr trei pâini, două ciocolate şi trei săpunuri.i. Nu ştiu dacă vom avea bani să cumpărăm şi mobila pe care ne-o dorim (două dulapuri şi trei fotolii).j. Fulgerul a fost urmat de un tunet asurzitor.k. Părinţii prietenei mele sunt plecaţi în Canada.l. Ne întrebăm dacă vom putea procesa atâtea informaţii.m. Nu am primit nişte ştiri foarte îmbucurătoare.n. Mi-e teamă că ea are speranţe mai mari decât ar trebui.o. A cumpărat un buchet de flori care a costat 200.000 lei.

6. Fill each space in the sentence with the correct form of the word in capitals print about it:a. They tried to ……………. him to participate in that contest. COURAGEb. Your solution seems to be the most ………………. And, as we are rather short on money, we’ll decide in favour of it. ECONOMYc. His opinion is …………….. from mine. We seem never to agree on this issue. DIFFERENCEd. Until you have solved your health problems, it is ……………… not to travel to Paris. ADVICEe. All the time he proved to be very ………………. I can’t put up with his coleric attitude. ARGUEf. Choosing this course is entirely voluntary. There is no …………….. whatsoever. COMPELg. Everytime he starts speaking about her scientific research he keeps on speaking about modernism. I think I know her sentences by heart now. It’s very …………….. REPEATh. They really ………….. over my idea and threw themselves into creating the data basis. ENTHUSIASMi. To ……….. the balloon they had to throw away their luggage. STABLEj. In childhood she was ……………… by Mira who helped her a lot. FRIENDk. This is the PM’s …………… RESIDEl. The doctor gave me pull to ……….. the pain in my back. DEADm. His writing style is really………….. IMITATEn. His disappearance is ………… EXPLAIN

7. Supply the blanks with suitable nouns from those in brackets. Use the plural forms:a. He threw a stone at the rock and ..... came back. (piano, volcano, echo)b. The ship was sunk by well-aimed ..... (potato, torpedo, dynamo)c. Winter fodder for cattle is kept in ..... (calico, casino, silo)d. The opera company was advertising for ..... (octavo, soprano, cuckoo)e. The delegates carried their ..... (portfolio, photo, piano)f. The ..... hit the island with tremendous force.(tornado, hobo, albino)g. They threw rotten ..... to show their disgust. (tomato, canto, halo)

h. He was bitten by ..... and got malaria. (hero, soprano, mosquito)i. There are hundreds of ..... along the Mediterranean coast. (hero, casino)j. How many...(hero, cargo, kilo) of ..... (tomato, piano, photo) do you need to make 1 liter of juice?

8. Fill in the correct forms of the nouns in brackets:a. The (deer) have left their usual pastures. b. They don’t even try to hunt (lion); it is too dangerous. c. There is no (mean) of learning what is happening.d. They say (fish) are good for the brain. e. They raise lots of (duck) on their farm. f. Despite their size (giraffe) are harmless creatures.g. The (Navaho) were almost completely destroyed. h. He made a living by raising (goose).i. A (series) of unexpected events prevented him from going on holiday to Scotland.j. It’s not allowed to hunt (bear). But still many (bear) are killed.

9. Fill in the correct plural form of the words in brackets:a. Do other planets revolve on their ..... like the Earth? (axis)b. It can be dangerous if chemists make mistakes in their ..... (analysis).c. ...... are rare in the desert. (oasis)d. A great deal of ..... was collected by the scientist. (datum)e. All good reference books contain ..... (index).f. The consul sent several ..... back to London. (memorandum)g. He spent his time playing with mathematical ..... (formula).h. Geologists search the rock ..... for valuable minerals. (stratum)i. There are not many types of ..... around the British coast. (alga)j. There have been many international ..... since the war. (crisis)k. The ..... of these lenses are perfect for distance photography. (focus)l. What are the ..... of success? (criterion)m. I’ve always found the idea of ..... in algebra rather difficult.(index)n. There are many ..... of animals. (genus)o. ..... are exact positions of things. (locus)p. The ..... of theorists must conform to the real world. (hypothesis)q. Post-graduate students have to write ..... to obtain their Ph.D.s (thesis)r. The optician found that both his patient’s eyes had defective .....(retina)s. They were all well trained and so they responded like ..... (automaton)t. Two ..... to the resolution were proposed. (addendum)

10. Decide which of the two verb forms should be used in the following sentences:a. Physics (was/were) my most difficult subject in high school.b. Ballistics (is/are) the study of the motion of projectiles.c. Athletics (has/have) been virtually abolished from smaller schools.d. His motives may be good, but his tactics (is/are) deplorable.e. In every group, politics (is/are) a subject that arouses interest.f. Radical politics (was/were) offensive to the Federalists. g. Acoustics (is/are) a branch of science that is growing fast. h. The acoustics of this room (is/are) not all they might be. i. Economics (doesn’t/don’t) require extensive knowledge of mathematics.j. His ethics (leave/leaves) a lot to be desired.k. Classics (take/takes) a back seat these days.l. Einstein’s mathematics (was/were) a revelation. m. Tactics (is/are) really short term strategy.n. Your heroics (is/are) worthy of a better cause.o. Her hysterics (does/do) not move anybody that knows her.

11. What are the feminine forms of the following words: actor, son, lord, bachelor, marquis, duke, master, negro, hero, chauffeur, czar, executor, driver, clown, wizard, aviator, widower, landlord, stallion, drake, gander, ram, drone, peacock, fox

12. What are the masculine forms of the following words: madam, queen, countess, doe, hind, tabby cat, bitch, wife, maidservant, she-wolf, jenny-ass, czarina, governess, heir, niece, nurse, abbess, chauffeuse

Unit 5 

In this unit you will learn: Business letters Past Simple  Past Continuous  Expressions of quantity The Adjective

Pre-reading tasksHave you ever written a business letter? What are the basic rules in composing a business letter?

ReadingRead this text about composing business letters. Look at the tenses of the verbs. Translate the text into Romanian:Business lettersBusiness letters are usually typed on notepaper bearing a specially designed heading which provides the reader of the letter with the essential information about the organisation sending it. Normally the heading will include the company’s name and address, its telephone numbers and telegraphic addresses, the type of business it is engaged in, its telex code and V.A.T. number, and in many cases the names of the directors. It is becoming increasingly common for firms to print an emblem or trademark on their stationery. Read the following business letter and try to distinguish the parts it contains:

a. GRAJO LEEDS Leeds 978653GRADEN &JONES LIMITEDHome and Overseas Merchants

Directors: Upper Bridge StreetL. L. Graden, P.G. Jones Leeds 2b. JAS/DS c. 13 June 2003d. Oliver Green and Co., Limited\25 King Edward VII. St.Manchester M24 5 BDe. Dear SirsWe understand from several of our trade connections in Bolton that you are the British agents for Petrou and Galitopoulous AE of Athens.Will you please send us price-lists and catalogues for all products manufactured by this company, together with details of trade discounts and terms of payment,We look forward to hearing from you.f. Yours faithfully,Graden and Jones Ltd.g. J.A. StevensChief buyer

Ways with words1. The parts of the letter

a. The heading. b. The referenceThis is typed on the same line as the date, but on the left, and consists of the initials of the person who signs the letter and those of the typist. Sometimes other initials or figures are added, according to whatever may suit the filling system of the firm in question. It is usual to quote the reference initials of the addressee company in a reply.

c. The dateThe form in which the date is written in this letter -13 June 2003 is probably the simplest and clearest of all the current forms used in the English-speaking world, but there are alternative ways of writing the date:

June 13 20003 13th June 2003, and June 13th 2003

d. The inside addressA few points concerning the name and address of the firm written to need to be made. Firstly, they are typed on the left, normally against the margin. The diagonal granding of the name and address is rare nowadays, and the style shown in the example is neater, as well as being quicker for the typist.e. The salutationBelow the address a double space at least is left, and the words “Dear Sirs” are typed. This is the usual salutation in British business letters addressed to a company rather than to an individual within the company. Very often a comma is typed after the salutation, but an increasing number of firms are eliminating this, considering the spacing to fulfil the function of traditional punctuation.f. The complimentary closeThis is typed above the name of the firm sending the letter, then a space is left for the signature. If the salutation is “Dear Sirs” or “Dear Sir”, the complimentary close will read “Yours faithfully” or, less commonly, “Yours truly”. If the correspondent is addressed by his or her name, “Dear Mr. Brown”, “Dear Miss Prism” etc. the complimentary close will take the form “Yours sincerely.”g. The signatureIt often happens that the person who has dictated a letter is unable to sign it as soon as it has been typed. Since it is often essential to send a letter as soon as possible, the typist or some other employee connected with the letter in question will sign it instead: in such cases he or she will write the word “for” or the initials “p.p.” immediately before the typed name of the employee responsible for the letter, The name of the person signing the letter is typed below the space left for the signature, and is followed on the next line by his position in the company or by the name of the department he represents.Traditionally the complimentary close and signature have been typed in the middle of the page, but it is becoming more and more common for firms to place them against the left-hand margin.If an enclosure accompanies the letter, this fact is indicated both in the text itself and by the word Enclosure (often reduced to Enc. or Encl.) typed against the left-hand margin some distance below the signature. There are other ways of referring to enclosures – the use of adhesive labels, for instance, or the typing of lines in the left-hand margin beside the reference in the text to the document or documents enclosed – but typing the word Enclosure at the bottom of the letter is by far the most common.

Now look at the following letters and try to write a reply.