Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
(v) verb (phr v) phrasal verb (conj) conjunction (Am E) American English
(adj) adjective (n pl) plural noun sb somebody (Br E) British English
(n) noun (adv) adverb sth something
in company
/I/ big fish /bIg fIS/ /A/ calm start /kAm stAt/
/i/ green beans /grin binz/ / / hot spot /ht spt/
/U/ should look /SUd lUk/ /I/ ear /I(r)/
/u/ blue moon /blu mun/ /eI/ face /feIs/
/e/ ten eggs /ten egz/ /U/ pure /pjU(r)/
// about mother /baUt mD(r)/ /OI/ boy /bOI(r)/
// learn words /ln wdz/ /U/ nose /nUz/
/O/ short talk /SOt tOk/ /e/ hair /he(r)/
// fat cat /ft kt/ /aI/ eye /aI/
// must come /mst km/ /aU/ mouth /maU/
CONSONANTS
/p/ pen /pen/ /s/ snake /sneIk/
/b/ bad /bd/ /z/ noise /nOIz/
/t/ tea /ti/ /S/ shop /Sp/
/d/ dog /dg/ /Z/ measure /meZ(r)/
/tS/ church /tStS/ /m/ make /meIk/
/dZ/ jazz /dZz/ /n/ nine /naIn/
/k/ cost /kst/ /N/ sing /sIN/
/g/ girl /gl/ /h/ house /haUs/
/f/ far / fa(r)/ /l/ leg /leg/
/v/ voice /vOIs/ /r/ red /red/
// thin /In/ /w/ wet /wet/
/D/ then /Den/ /j/ yes /jes/
advertising (n) \"dvtaIzIN\ Real Madrids marketing deals are worth 70 million a year in advertising.
agreement (n) \"grimnt\ A business agreement is a deal between two companies or organizations.
bargain (n) \"bAgIn\ Many people consider Ronaldo a bargain because of the publicity and income he
brings to his club.
big in \"bIgIn\
be big in plastics/software/ \bi bIgIn CMG is a company that is big in plastics.
mobile phones etc plstIks\sftwe\
mUbaIl fUnz\
boarding pass (n) \"bOdIN pAs\ You need to show your passport and ticket to get a boarding pass.
check in (phr v) \tSek "In\ Try to check in around two hours before your plane departs.
check sth in (phr v) \tSek smTIN "In\ Do you have anything to check in? Just one piece of hand baggage.
deal (n) \dil\ Teams such as AC Milan and Juventus earn millions of euros in deals with their
sponsors.
dollar ($) (n) \"dl\ The deal is thought to be worth 3 billion dollars ($3 billion).
flight (n) \flaIt\ Are you tired after your flight? A little, but Im fine.
How do you do? \haU d j "du\ Im Saskia Slater. How do you do? Pleased to meet you. Im Matt Jensen.
image (n) \"ImIdZ\ Beckham, Figo, Ronaldo and Zidane give the club an international image.
income (n) \"INkm\ Income from sponsors is worth over 70 million a year.
multinational (n) \mltI"nSnl\ Multinationals such as Opel and Siemens market their products all over the world.
organiser (n) \"OgnaIz\ Are you one of the organisers? No, Im not. Im a delegate, like you.
be partners in (doing) sth \bI "pAtnz In duIN Over 200 companies are partners in marketing deals with Real Madrid.
smTIN\
passport (n) \"pAspOt\ Businessmen from the UK need a passport in order to travel abroad.
Pleased to meet you. \plizd t "mit ju\ Im Saskia Slater. How do you do? Pleased to meet you. Im Matt Jensen.
publicity (n) \p"blIstI\ Players such as Beckham and Del Piero are worth millions of euros in publicity to
their clubs.
ticket (n) \"tIkt\ Tickets are not issued for Internet reservations.
trademark (n) \"treIdmAk\ Ronaldos smile is his trademark and is recognised throughout the world.
Youre welcome. \jUr "welkm\ Youre in Room 303. Heres your key. Thank you. Youre welcome.
worldwide (adj) \"wldwaId\ A worldwide TV audience watched the Euro 2004 championships.
be worth 6m /$2 \bI wT sIks mIljn Marketing deals alone are worth 70 million a year to the club.
billion/1.5 million "jUrUz\tu bIljn
"dlz\wn pOInt faIv
mIljn "paUndz\
alarm clock (n) \"lAm klk\ Many mobile phones have added features such as an alarm clock, calculator etc.
answer the phone \Ans D "fUn\ I hate it when people answer the phone in restaurants or theatres.
calculator (n) \"klkjleIt\ Features such as personal organisers and calculators are available on most mobile
phones nowadays.
call (n) \kOl\
answer a call \Ans "kOl\ When Im at the gym I only answer important calls.
incoming call (n) \InkmIN "kOl\ People use their mobiles in different ways and some people only use them to
receive incoming calls.
make a call \meIk "kOl\ I made a quick call home on the train to say what time I would be arriving.
receive a call \rIsiv "kOl\ How do you use your mobile for making or receiving calls, or both?
call (v) \kOl\ My wife called me from the supermarket to ask what I wanted for dinner.
call (sb) back (phr v) \kOl smbdI "bk\ Alan, Im in a restaurant. Can I call you back later?
chatter (n) \"tSt\ Theres nothing worse than sitting on a train and having to listen to somebody
elses annoying mobile phone chatter.
communication (n) \kmjun"keISn\ Young people use their mobiles for entertainment as well as communication.
confidential (adj) \knf"denSl\ Talking about confidential matters in public is bad mobile phone etiquette.
connect (to) (v) \k"nekt tu\ Business people need to be able to connect to their company computers through
their mobile phone.
connection (n) \k"nekSn\
connection to the \knekSn t Di People who use their mobile phone as a work tool see connection to a PC as a
Internet/a PC "Intnet\ pi"si\ vital feature.
cover (n) \"kv\ How often do you change your mobile phone cover?
easy to use (adj) \izI t "juz\ The most important thing about a mobile phone for me is that its easy to use.
(opposite = hard to use)
executive (n) \Ig"zekjtIv\ Executives and salespeople see their mobile phone as a work tool.
extras (n pl) \"ekstrz\ Features such as a note pad, a personal organiser and connection to a PC are
known as extras.
feature (n) \"fitS\ What features does your mobile phone have?
hands-free phone (n) \hndz fri "fUn\ It is now compulsory in Britain to use a hands-free phone in your car.
icon (n) \"aIkn\ Icons are small pictures or symbols that you can attach to text messages.
intimate (adj) \"IntImt\ In general, fellow travellers do not want to share intimate details of your personal life.
leave your phone on/off \liv j fUn "n\"f\ Remember dont leave your phone on when youre at the cinema!
mobile phone (n) \mUbaIl "fUn\ Men tend to like smaller mobile phones while women prefer larger ones.
mobile phone bore (n) \mUbaIl "fUn bO\ Mobile phone bores leave their phones on all the time and use loud and annoying
ring-tones.
mobile phone etiquette (n) \mUbaIl "fUn etiket\ Mobile phone etiquette involves using your mobile phone in a way that does not
annoy other people.
mobile (phone) \mUbaIl "fUn
habits/manners (n pl) hbIts\mnz\ Other peoples bad mobile manners are driving me mad!
mobile phone user (n) \mUbaIl "fUn juz\ Being a smart mobile phone user means using a hands-free phone in the car,
speaking quietly in public etc.
model (n) \"mdl\ Do you keep changing your mobile phone in order to have the latest model?
small/medium-sized/ \smOl\midImsaIzd\ Business people typically use medium-sized models with a large screen to read
large model (n) lAdZ "mdl\ information.
note pad (n) \"nUt pd\ A note pad is a mobile phone extra that allows you to write notes and reminders
to yourself.
personal organiser (n) \psnl "OgnaIz\ A personal organiser allows you to store the names and phone numbers of people
you contact often.
pre-paid card (n) \pripeId "kAd\ Pre-paid cards are more suitable for people who dont often use their phones to
make calls.
public (n) \pblIk\
in public \In "pblIk\ If you want to be a smart mobile phone user, dont discuss confidential matters in
public.
ring-tone (n) \"rINtUn\ Loud ring-tones can be really annoying if youre on a crowded train.
download ring-tones \daUnlUd "rINtUnz\ Download our latest ring-tones for only 1.50 per minute.
set the ring-tone \set D rINtUn t Remember to set your ring-tone at low if youre in a public place.
at low/high "lU\"haI\
salespeople (n pl) \"seIlzpipl\ Salespeople and executives often use their mobiles to connect to their company
computers.
sexy (adj) \"seksI\ Sexy is a term used to describe the latest, slimmest mobile phone models.
size (n) \saIz\ Is size important to you when choosing a mobile phone?
slim (adj) \slIm\ Their latest model is the slimmest and most sophisticated on the market.
sophisticated (adj) \s"fIstIkeItd\ I love my mobile phone its slim, sexy and sophisticated!
(opposite =
unsophisticated)
switch off (phr v) \swItS "f\ Spectators are asked to switch their mobile phones off during the match.
(opposite = switch on)
switched off \swItSt "f\ I always leave my phone switched off in meetings.
(opposite = switched on)
turn off (phr v) \tn "f\ When the phone rang she turned it off without answering.
(opposite = turn on)
user (n) \"juz\ According to the ITU at the end of 2002 there were 1.390 million mobile phone users.
work tool (n) \"wk tul\ Executives and salespeople see their mobile mainly as a work tool.
call (n) \kOl\ Could you ask my secretary to take the call, please?
take a call \teIk "kOl\
client (n) \"klaInt\ The morning usually involves taking calls from clients and dealing with e-mails.
go out with a client \gU aUt wID Sometimes I have lunch at my desk but sometimes I go out with a client.
"klaInt\
visit a client \vIzIt "klaInt\ Shes usually out of the office in the afternoon, visiting clients.
colleague (n) \"klig\ Do you ever see your colleagues socially outside work?
daily routine (n) \deIlI ru"tin\ Always, never and often are useful words for describing your daily routine.
clear your desk \klI j "desk\ Employees clear their desks at the end of the day, leaving them free for colleagues
to use.
share desks \Se "desks\ 60 per cent of staff at IBM hot-desk or share their desks.
desk-sharing (n) \"deskSerIN\ Many workers find desk-sharing more stressful than traditional office
organisation.
disposable (adj) \dI"spUzbl\ Do you have your own coffee cup? Oh no, we have disposable plastic ones.
read your e-mail(s) \rid jr "imeIlz\ As soon as she gets to work she turns the computer on and reads her e-mail.
employee (n) \Im"plOIi; emplOI"i\ In many companies employees share office space and work flexible hours.
flexible (adj) \"fleksbl\ Desk-sharing can be more flexible but it also leads to arguments with colleagues.
flexitime (n) \"fleksItaIm\ Do you work flexitime? No, I dont. Its a nine-to-five job.
get up (phr v) \get "p\ The alarm goes off at 7.15 but she doesnt often get up straightaway.
(opposite = go to bed)
go to bed \gU t "bed\ I usually go to bed between 11 and midnight and sometimes feel very tired.
(opposite = get up)
hot desking (n) \ht "deskIN\ Hot desking is a system in which employees share desks with their colleagues.
involve (v) \In"vlv\ Mornings tend to involve meetings, taking calls and dealing with e-mail.
laptop (n) \"lptp\ Laptops are useful for people who work out of the office a lot.
managing director (n) \"mnIdZIN d"rekt\ Jodie Lawson is managing director of roundpeg.com.
department meeting (n) \dIpAtmnt "mitIN\ The next department meeting will be on Wednesday 12 May at 11.00.
evening/lunchtime \ivnIN\lntStaIm She finishes work at 7.00 but quite often goes to an evening meeting.
meeting (n) "mitIN\
mess up (phr v) \mes "p\ We often have arguments about space and someone always messes up the
computer.
never (adv) \"nev\ He never goes home before half past six in the evening.
(opposite = always)
leave the office \liv Di "fIs\ Employees have to clear their desks before leaving the office at the end of the day.
(opposite = arrive at
the office)
office equipment (n) \"fIs IkwIpmnt\ Office equipment includes furniture and things such as computers, fax machines etc.
office organisation (n) \fIs OgnaI"zeISn\ Many people prefer traditional office organisation to hot desking.
office ritual (n) \fIs "rItSUl\ Office rituals help to create a happy working atmosphere.
office space (n) \"fIs speIs\ Office Angels, a recruitment agency, did a survey about the use of office space.
office worker (n) \"fIs wk\ Hot desking makes some office workers less productive.
work/be out of the office \wk\bi aUt v He works out of the office a lot and has his own laptop.
Di "fIs\
often (adv) \"fn\ I leave work at 7.00 but often have to go to an evening meeting.
personal space (n) \psnl "speIs\ Do you feel happy sharing or do you prefer to have your own personal space?
personalise (v) \"psnlaIz\ Workers often like personalising their work space, e.g. by putting their name on
personal office equipment.
presentation (n) \prezn"teISn\
make a presentation \meIk I get very nervous before making presentations.
prezn"teISn\
productive (adj) \pr"dktIv\ Hot desking can make employees less productive and can lead to arguments about
(opposite = unproductive) space.
recruitment agency/firm (n) \rI"krutmnt Office Angels, the recruitment agency, decided to do a survey about the use of
eIdZnsI\fm\ office space.
sometimes (adv) \"smtaImz\ Desk-sharing can sometimes cause arguments between colleagues.
staff (n) \stAf\ 60 per cent of IBMs staff hot-desk or share desks.
stressful (adj) \"stresfl\ Companies say that the new systems are more flexible but employees often find
(opposite = relaxing) them stressful.
study (n) \"stdI\ A recent study claims that daily routine and office rituals create a happy working
atmosphere.
survey (n) \"sveI\ Were currently doing a survey about the use of office space.
system (n) \"sIstm\ Hot desking is a relatively new system aimed at saving space and cutting costs.
leave work \liv "wk\ I try to leave work no later than 5.30.
(opposite = get to work)
start work \stAt "wk\ Because we share office space you have to start work early if you want to find a
(opposite = finish work) decent desk.
reserve work space \rIzv "wk In some companies, employees reserve their work space for the next day.
speIs\
worker (n) \"wk\ For our survey we interviewed workers about which system they preferred: hot
desking or a personalised work space.
working atmosphere (n) \wkIN Do you agree that office rituals help to create a happy working atmosphere?
"tmsfI\
working hours (n pl) \wkIN "aUz\ Do you work flexitime? No, I do regular working hours.
arrange (v) \"reIndZ\ Arranging a business trip involves things like booking flights and organising the
equipment you need.
attach (v) \"ttS\
attach a file \ttS "faIl\ There was a problem with the file you sent. Could you attach a new file in
Acrobat format?
attached file(s) (n) \ttSt "faIlz\ I am sending you the information you requested as an attached file.
booking reference (n) \"bUkIN refrns\ The flights are booked. Your booking reference is YE8GXC.
brochure (n) \"brUS\ Weve had 2,000 copies of the new brochure printed it looks great!
corporate gift (n) \"kOprt gIft\ Corporate gifts are presents that companies give to their clients.
delay (n) \dI"leI\ There are often delays at the airport. Is there an earlier flight?
details (n pl) \"diteIlz\ Here are the details of your flight: depart Bilbao 10.00; arrive Berlin 12.20.
details to follow \diteIlz t "flU\ The hotel is the same as last year. Is that all right? Details to follow.
e-mail (n) \"imeIl\ E-mail is a very fast and easy form of communication.
get/receive (an) e-mail \get\rIsiv n "imeIl\ How many e-mails do you get a day?
reply to (an) e-mail \rIplaI tu n "imeIl\ I dont have time to reply to all my e-mails.
send (an) e-mail \send n "imeIl\ Theyre sending me an e-mail to confirm the time of the meeting.
equipment (n) \I"kwIpmnt\ Please send further information about your digital photography equipment.
digital photography \didZItl
/safety/sports etc ftgrfI\seIftI\spOts
equipment I"kwIpmnt\
send a fax \send "fks\ Well send a fax to confirm the flight booking.
file (n) \faIl\ My apologies for the problem with the file I sent.
attach a file \ttS "faIl\ Please attach a new file in Acrobat format.
attached file(s) (n) \ttst "faIlz\ Thank you for your e-mail with the attached file for the brochure.
fly out (from/of) \flaI "aUt frm\v\ If you fly out from Bilbao at 10.00, you should arrive in Berlin at 12.20.
(opposite = fly in(to))
let me know \let mI "nU\ Let me know as soon as possible if there are any problems.
be located (in) \bi lU"keItd In\ Where are you located? On your webpage this is not clear.
organise (v) \"OgnaIz\ Theres always a lot to organise when youre giving a presentation.
pick up (phr v) \pIk "p\ The flights are booked. Pick up the tickets at the airport.
product (n) \"prdkt\ Thank you for your interest in our products.
product range (n) \"prdkt reIndZ\ Please find attached information about our latest product range.
projector (n) \pr"dZekt\ For the presentation Ill need a projector to connect to my laptop.
webpage (n) \"webpeIdZ\ Where are you located? On your webpage this is not clear.
acquaintance (n) \"kweIntns\ During a business lunch, dont get up to say hello to other acquaintances in the
restaurant.
alcohol (n) \"lkhl\ Lets have a bottle of wine. Order some for yourself. I dont drink alcohol, you see.
business lunch (n) \"bIzns lntS\ A successful business lunch requires careful organisation.
coldness (n) \"kUldns\ Try not to be too formal it creates distance and coldness.
(opposite = warmth)
delicious (adj) \dI"lISs\ Mines delicious. Hows yours? Well, actually the steaks a bit tough.
dessert (n) \dI"zt\ Would you like a dessert after the main course?
eat out (phr v) \it "aUt\ Eating out is an expression meaning to eat in a restaurant rather than at work
(opposite = eat in) or at home.
formality (n) \fO"mltI\ Too much formality isnt good for business try to relax.
(opposite = informality)
guest (n) \gest\ Try to relax during the lunch so that your guests will feel comfortable.
host (n) \hUst\ Its your duty as host to make your guests feel relaxed.
personal matters (n pl) \"psnl mtz\ Dont talk about personal matters with your guests unless you know them very well.
quiet (adj) \"kwaIt\ Try to get a table in a quiet part of the restaurant with well-separated tables.
(opposite = noisy)
second course (n) \seknd "kOs\ The menu: ask for different starters, followed by a light second course.
share (v) \Se\ Its a good idea to have different starters that you can share.
signal (v) \"sIgnl\ Signal the end of the meal by asking for the bill.
space (n) \SpeIs\ A quiet part of the restaurant surrounded by space is an ideal location for a
business lunch.
speciality (n) \speSI"ltI\ This is one of my favourite restaurants their speciality is fish.
a local speciality \lUkl speSI"ltI\ The squid in black sauce is a local speciality.
starter (n) \"stAt\ No starter for me, thanks. Ill just have the main course.
This way \DIs "weI\ Ill take your coats. This way, gentlemen.
vegetarian (n) \vedZ"terIn\ They do an excellent steak here. Er .. Im afraid I dont eat meat. Im a
vegetarian.
well-separated (adj) \wel"sepreItd\
well-separated tables \welsepretd Look for a quiet part of the restaurant with well-separated tables.
"teIblz\
accommodation (n) \km"deISn\ A good conference centre should offer comfortable, modern accommodation.
atmosphere (n) \"tmsfI\ Engsholm Castle is a beautiful place with a relaxing atmosphere.
business centre (n) \"bIzns sent\ Our business centre is equipped with computers and Internet connections.
conference centre (n) \"knfrns sent\ In your opinion, what are the three most important features of a good conference
centre?
dining (n) \"daInIN\ The dining facilities include a restaurant with seating for 100 people.
entertainment (n) \ent"teInmnt\ Entertainment facilities include pool tables and TV with satellite channels.
facilities (n pl) \f"sIltIz\ The hotel is situated in beautiful surroundings and offers a range of excellent
facilities.
dining/leisure facilities \"daInIN\"leZ Were currently upgrading our dining facilities to meet the criteria of the IACC.
fsIltIz\
file (n) \faIl\ A file is a set of papers or documents about a particular subject, or the box that
they are kept in.
filing cabinet (n) \"faIlIN kbInt\ A filing cabinet is a tall piece of office furniture with drawers for keeping files in.
folder (n) \"fUld\ A folder is a thin flat piece of cardboard used for keeping papers and documents
together.
guest room (n) \"gest rum\ What about accommodation? There are 241 guest rooms.
health centre (n) \"helT sent\ Leisure facilities include a spa, health centre, swimming pool and jacuzzi.
homepage (n) \"hUmpeIdZ\ The IACCs internet site provides information about conference centres, with links
to members homepages.
internet (n) \"Intnet\
internet connection (n) \"Intnet knekSn\ Computers with internet connections are provided for the use of guests.
internet site (n) \"Intnet saIt\ Visit the IACCs internet site for information about the worlds leading conference
centres.
keyboard (n) \"kibOd\ Be careful not to spill your drink on the keyboard!
location (n) \lU"keISn\ In my view, location and facilities are the two most important features of a
conference centre.
lounge (n) \laUndZ\ The hotel has two lounges with open fires and views over the Baltic Sea.
meeting room (n) \"mitIN rum\ The largest meeting room can accommodate 30 to 45 participants.
mini-bar (n) \"mInIbA\ Drinks from the mini-bar are usually fairly expensive.
mouse (n) \maUs\ The mouse is the small object that you move to do things on a computer screen.
mouse mat (n) \"maUs mt\ The mouse mat is the piece of soft material that the mouse rests on.
notepad (n) \"nUtpd\ He quickly wrote down Dieters phone number on the notepad.
notice board (n) \"nUtIs bOd\ Dont forget to check the notice board for further details of next months
conference.
overhead projector (n) \Uvhed pr"dZekt\ The meeting rooms are equipped with overhead projectors, video and Internet
connections.
overlook (v) \Uv"lUk\ Many of our guest rooms have balconies overlooking the sea.
papers (n pl) \"peIpz\ Papers, files and folders covered the desk.
participant (n) \pA"tIsIpnt\ How many participants are expected to attend the conference?
poster (n) \"pUst\ Posters of exotic locations covered the walls of the office.
Post-it note (n) \pUstIt "nUt\ Post-it notes had been stuck around the edges of the computer screen.
relaxing (adj) \rI"lksIN\ Engsholm Castle dates from 1310 and has a charming and relaxing atmosphere.
(opposite = stressful)
resort (n) \rI"zOt\ Hundreds of hotels and resorts add the words conference centre to their name
but only just over 300 meet the criteria of the IACC.
room (n) \rum\
single/double room \"sINgl\"dbl "rum\ The castle offers modern accommodation there are 48 single rooms and 5
double rooms.
satellite channel (n) \"stlaIt tSnl\ TV with satellite channels is available in all rooms.
seating arrangement (n) \"sitIN reIndZmnt\ The largest room is suitable for 30 to 45 participants, depending on the seating
arrangement.
serve (v) \sv\
serve meals/food \sv "milz\"fud\ We have a reputation for serving top-class food.
view (n) \vju\ Both lounges have views over the Baltic Sea.
a view over \"vju Uv\
well-equipped (adj) \welI"kwIpt\ Our well-equipped meeting rooms have a range of facilities including video
(opposite = monitors, overhead projectors and internet connections.
badly-equipped)
access (v) \"kses\ You need a special password to access your bank account.
bank account (n) \"bNk kaUnt\ Can you access your bank account on the Internet?
business leader (n) \"bIzns lid\ The survey showed that two out of three people dont trust what business leaders say.
computer skills (n pl) \km"pjut skIlz\ What are your computer skills? Well, I can use all the usual Office programs.
director (n) \d"rekt; daI"rekt\ Do you believe that the directors of large companies earn too much?
document (n) \"dkjmnt\ Using this program, creating a financial document is fast and easy.
employer (n) \Im"plOI\ Nowadays many people believe you cant trust your employer to pay your pension
when you retire.
fat cat (n) \"ft kt\ Fat cat is an informal term meaning a big company boss who earns a lot of
money.
file-sharing (n) \"faIlSerIN\ The RIAA says that file-sharing costs the music industry millions of dollars every year.
golden handshake (n) \gUldn "hndSeIk\ A golden handshake is a large sum of money given to an executive when he or
she leaves a company.
hardware (n) \"hAdwe\ The physical and electronic parts of a computer are known as hardware.
music industry (n) \"mjuzIk IndstrI\ The music industry is losing millions of dollars each year because of file-sharing.
net pirate (n) \"net paIrt\ Net pirates use special software to swap music and films over the Internet.
program (n) \"prUgrm\ The right candidate will be familiar with all the usual Office programs.
retire (v) \rI"taI\ Many people are no longer confident they will get a pension when they retire.
scandal (n) \"skndl\ You cant always trust the senior managers. Look at all those scandals like Enron.
sell yourself (v refl.) \"sel jself\ In order to succeed at a job interview, you need to be able to sell yourself.
(opposite = undersell
yourself)
touch type (v) \"ttS taIp\ Can you touch type? No, I cant actually, but I can type all right with two
fingers.
type (v) \taIp\ I can type all right with two fingers but I cant touch type.
branch (n) \brAntS\ Starbucks Coffee House is world famous, with over 6,000 branches in more than
32 countries.
business (n) \"bIzns\ Nowadays Mitnick has a business consultancy called Defensive Thinking and
business consultancy (n) \"bIzns knsltnsI\ advises companies on computer security.
business trip (n) \"bIzns trIp\ During a business trip to Milan, Schultz decided to copy the Italian-style coffee
bars in Seattle.
chain (n) \tSeIn\ A chain is a group of shops, restaurants, hotels etc that all belong to the same
person or company.
hypermarket/ \"haIpmAkIt\ In 1973 Carrefour started the Pryca hypermarket chain in Spain.
supermarket etc chain "supmAkIt tSeIn\
computer \km"pjut\
computer expert (n) \km"pjut ekspt\ Mitnick made a big mistake when he hacked into the home computer of Japanese
computer expert, Tsutomu Shimomura.
computer hacker (n) \km"pjut hk\ Computer hackers take information illegally from other computer systems, causing
problems and widespread damage.
computer manual (n) \km"pjut mnjUl\ A computer manual contains instructions on how to operate a computer.
computer security (n) \km"pjut Companies will spend thousands of dollars on computer security to prevent
sIkjUrtI\ hackers such as Mitnick accessing their data.
computer system (n) \km"pjut sIstm\ By the age of 17 Mitnick was an expert in telephone and computer systems.
millions of dollars/ \mIljnz v He hacked into the computers of some well-known multinationals causing
thousands of pounds etc dlz\TaUzndz v thousands of dollars of damage.
of damage paUndz v "dmIdZ\
data (n) \"deIt\ Businesses that are victims of hacking can lose important data.
electronic devices (n pl) \IlektrnIk Mitnick was a genius with electronic devices and computers soon attracted his
dI"vaIsz\ attention.
error (n) \"er\ Mitnicks biggest error was hacking into the home computer of a Japanese
computer expert.
estimate (v) \"estImeIt\
estimate sth to be \"estImeIt smTIN Some reports estimated the damage to computer systems to be over $80 million.
t bi\
group (n) \grup\ Can you remember three facts about the history of the Carrefour group?
join the group \dZOIn D "grup\ In 1998 Mammouth hypermarkets joined the group.
hacker (n) \"hk\ Hackers access data illegally and, in some cases, rob large amounts of money from
organizations.
hacking (n) \"hkIN\ Hacking causes a lot of problems for companies often thousands of dollars of
damage.
home computer (n) \hUm km"pjut\ Tsutomu Shimomura was very angry when Mitnick hacked into his home
computer.
hypermarket (n) \"haIpmakIt\ A hypermarket is a very large supermarket, usually outside a town, selling a wide
range of goods.
local (adj) \"lUkl\ Do you prefer shopping in small local shops or large shopping centres?
marketing director (n) \"mAkItIN drekt\ Howard Schultz joined Starbucks as marketing director in 1982.
merge (v) \mdZ\ Carrefour and Promods merged to form the biggest food retailing group in Europe.
online market (n) \nlaIn "mAkIt\ In 2000 Carrefour, Sears and Oracle created the first online market in the world.
shopping \"SpIN\
shopping centre (n) \"SpIN sent\ There are plans to build a new out-of-town shopping centre.
shopping expedition (n) \"SpIN ekspdISn\ Do you enjoy shopping expeditions with your family?
software piracy (n) \"sftwe paIrsI\ The BSA (Business Software Alliance) organises conferences dedicated to the fight
against software piracy.
supply (v) \s"plaI\ My company supplies other companies with goods and services.
telephone system (n) \"telIfUn sIstm\ As a teenager Mitnick became an expert in computer and telephone systems.
arrest (v) \"rest\ When the plane returned to the terminal police arrested Mr Barghi.
away (adv) \"weI\ Hi Jeff. Where were you last week? Oh hello, John. I was away.
get sth back (phr v) \get smTIN "bk\ On Monday he finally got his passport and money back.
hand luggage (n) \"hnd lgIdZ\ A stewardess asked Mr Barghi to put his hand luggage in an overhead locker.
How? \haU\ How did you travel? I flew to Paris Charles de Gaulle airport.
How long ? \haU "lN\ How long were you away? Five days.
lawyer (n) \"lOj\ Mr Barghi expected someone to find a lawyer for him but nothing happened.
money (n) \"mnI\ He didnt have any money all his money was in the prison office and it was closed.
official (n) \"fISl\ Officials took all his possessions and his passport.
possessions (n pl) \p"zeSnz\ Your possessions are all the things that you are carrying with you or that you own.
prison authorities (n pl) \"prIzn OTrtIz\ Mr Barghi wanted the prison authorities to find him a lawyer.
release (v) \rI"lis\ He was released on a Friday evening but didnt have any money.
(opposite = detain)
stewardess (n) \stju"des\ A stewardess asked him to put his hand luggage in the overhead locker.
successful (adj) \sk"sesfl\ Was it a successful trip? Yes, it was. It all went very well.
(opposite = unsuccessful)
terminal (n) \"tmInl\ The plane returned to the terminal where police arrested Mr Barghi.
travel (v) \"trvl\ When you go away on business for your firm, how do you usually travel?
travel trouble (n) \"trvl trbl\ Travel trouble can include all sorts of things including delayed flights, lost luggage etc.
on your way \n j"weI\ On his way to Halifax in Canada, he flew from Azerbaijan to Frankfurt, and then
on your way to \n j weI tu on to Montreal.
London/Tokyo/ "lndn\"tUkju\
Frankfurt etc "frNkft\
air conditioning (n) \"e kndISnIN\ Air conditioning is essential in a warm climate.
bedside light (n) \bedsaId "laIt\ The bedside lights not working it needs a new bulb.
bill (n) \bIl\ The bill for parking was $20 a day!
unpaid bill (n) \npeId "bIl\ The receptionist asked the man about his unpaid bill.
eat (a good) breakfast \it gUd "brekfst\ People who dont eat breakfast have lower energy levels than people who do.
broken (adj) \"brUkn\ She phoned reception to complain that the air conditioning was broken.
(opposite = working)
cell phone (n) (AmE) \"sel fUn\ Where can I plug in the charger for my cell phone?
(BrE = mobile phone)
cell phone charger (n) \"sel fUn tSAdZ\ I usually travel with a computer, a cell phone charger and an iron all of which I
(AmE) need to plug in.
(BrE = mobile phone
charger)
close (v) \klUz\ The window onto the balcony doesnt close properly.
concentrate (v) \"knsntreIt\ If you dont eat properly, you have less ability to think and concentrate.
data connection (n) \"deIt knekSn\ The plug for the data connection is broken.
downtown (adj) (AmE) \"daUntaUn\ We pay super-high rates for downtown hotels in major cities.
(BrE = city-centre/
town-centre)
energy level (n) \"endZI levl\ Eating a good breakfast gives you high energy levels.
hair product (n) \"he prdkt\ Hotels nearly always provide shower gel and hair products such as shampoo and
conditioner.
heating (n) \"hitIN\ Its too hot in the room. Can I adjust the heating?
instructions (n pl) \In"strkSnz\ You normally invoice my company directly. Im sorry, but I dont have those
instructions.
invoice (v) \"InvOIs\
invoice sb directly \InvOIs smbdI When business people stay at the hotel we normally invoice their company directly.
dI"rektlI\
irritability (n) \IrIt"bIltI\ Not eating breakfast leads to stress and irritability.
locked (adj) \lkt\ The door of the bathroom is locked I cant get in!
(opposite = unlocked)
next-door room (n) \neksdO "rum\ The people in the next-door room were making a lot of noise and I couldnt sleep.
noisy (adj) \"nOIzI\ He complained to reception about the noisy guests in the room next door.
(opposite = quiet)
nutrients (n pl) \"njutrInts\ A well-balanced breakfast provides the nutrients that the body needs.
parking (n) \"pAkIN\ Hotels in big cities often charge daily parking prices of $20, $25 or even $30!
perfumed (adj) \"pfjumd\ There was the usual range of gels, creams and perfumed hair products in the
bathroom.
pillow (n) \"pIlU\ If there arent enough pillows, just phone reception and ask them to send more.
plug (n) \plg\ The plugs broken. Could you send someone up to fix it?
plug sth in (phr v) \plg smTIN "In\ Why are there never enough electrical sockets to plug everything in?
power strip (n) (AmE) \"paU strIp\ Hotels should provide power strips in every room for plugging in electrical
(BrE = distribution socket) equipment.
rate (n) \reIt\ Parking rates at downtown hotels can be very high.
healthy snack (n) \helTI "snk\ If you need to eat between meals, choose healthy snacks.
snack foods (n pl) \"snk fudz\ Most snack foods contain a lot of calories.
straight away (adv) \streIt "weI\ My television isnt working. Ill ask someone to come up straight away, sir.
stress (n) \stres\ Research has shown that people who dont eat breakfast suffer more from stress.
towel (n) \"taUl\ One of the towels in the bathroom was dirty.
well-balanced (adj) \wel"blnst\ A well-balanced breakfast provides you with the nutrients and energy you need.
briefcase (n) \"brifkeIs\ She was carrying all her papers and documents in a smart leather briefcase.
bundle (n) \"bndl\ Put the small bag on top of the clothes to form the centre of the bundle.
bundle wrap (v) \"bndl rp\ The idea of bundle wrapping your clothes is to prevent them getting creased.
carousel (n) \kr"sel\ Passengers were waiting at the carousel to pick up their luggage.
cash (n) \kS\ You can use a credit card in most places but its a good idea to take some cash.
casual clothes (n) \kZUl "klUDz\ All business travellers need casual clothes for those after-work social events.
combine (v) \km"baIn\ Combine your clothes in different ways to make sure you look different every day.
crease (n) \kris\ Bundle wrapping means you can avoid having creases in your clothes.
look good \lUk "gUd\ You look really good in that suit!
outfit (n) \"aUtfIt\ Its possible to make a big variety of outfits with just a small wardrobe.
pack (v) \pk\ The number of creases in your clothes depends on how you pack them.
(opposite = unpack)
packing (n) \"pkIN\ Susana Jones is an expert on packing she has packed and unpacked over 4,000 times.
porter (n) \"pOt\ A porter is someone whose job is to help people with their luggage.
raincoat (n) \"reInkUt\ It rains a lot in London at this time of year. Dont forget to pack a raincoat!
shoulder bag (n) \"SUld bg\ She carried her passport and ticket in a shoulder bag.
suitcase (n) \"sutkeIs\ The advantages of travelling with only carry-on luggage is that you dont have
to worry about your suitcase getting lost!
-sleeved (adj) \slivd\
short-/long-sleeved \"SOt\"lNslivd\ Dont forget to pack a long-sleeved shirt in case it gets cold.
suit (n) \sut\ A suit can look too formal at an after-work social event.
trolley (n) \"trlI\ We spent ages looking for a trolley for our luggage.
unpack (v) \n"pk\ Susana Jones has packed and unpacked over 4,000 times!
(opposite = pack)
weight limit (n) \"weIt lImIt\ Whats the weight limit on hand luggage?
well dressed (adj) \wel"drest\ Your image is important you need to arrive at a meeting looking well dressed.
wrap (v) \rp\ Start bundle wrapping by wrapping the top item of clothing around the centre of
the bundle.
agriculture (n) \"grIkltS\ Agriculture is one industry that depends heavily on the weather.
attraction (n) \"trkSn\ Open-air terraces are an important attraction for customers in the summer
months.
business district (n) \"bIzns dIstrIkt\ Thursday and Friday evening are peak drinking times in Londons business district.
cold (adj) \kUld\ Take some warm clothes to Helsinki. No, its not cold at this time of year.
(opposite = hot)
come into (phr v) \km "Intu\ The money coming into a business is called revenue.
construction (n) \kn"strkSn\ Construction is another industry that can be affected by the weather.
cool (adj) \kul\ February is always quite cool in Frankfurt. Cool? Its freezing!
(opposite = warm)
costly (adj) \"kstlI\ Face-to-face meetings are more costly than video conferences.
(opposite = cheap)
dry (adj) \draI\ Obviously, more customers drink outside in dry, sunny weather.
(opposite = wet)
effective (adj) \I"fektIv\ A phone call can sometimes be more effective than an e-mail message.
(opposite = ineffective)
efficient (adj) \I"fISnt\ In my opinion, working at home is a lot more efficient than working in an office.
(opposite = inefficient)
energy (n) \"endZI\ Energy is another example of an industry that is dependent on the weather.
energy sector (n) \"endZI sekt\ A mild winter reduces the demand for heating and affects the energy sector.
entertaining (adj) \ent"teInIN\ TV advertising is more entertaining than advertising on the Internet.
(opposite = boring)
farming (n) \"fAmIN\ Extreme weather conditions can affect farming very badly.
foreign exchange rate (n) \frIn Iks"tSeIndZ Companies often have insurance against a fall in interest or foreign exchange rates.
reIt\
hot (adj) \ht\ They say that its been the hottest summer on record in Britain this year.
(opposite = cold)
industry (n) \"IndstrI\ Agriculture, energy and leisure are three examples of industries that depend on
the weather.
insurance (n) \In"SUrns\
insurance against \In"SUrns genst\ In the USA the market for insurance against the weather is worth around
$9 billion a year.
take out insurance \teIk aUt In"SUrns Commercial airfields can take out insurance against high wind speeds.
(against) genst\
interest rate (n) \"Intrst reIt\ Some companies insure themselves against negative changes in interest rates.
leisure (n) \"leZ\ The leisure industry can be badly affected by the weather people wont go skiing
if theres no snow and there are fewer visitors to theme parks in a wet summer.
minus (prep) \"maIns\ Profits are the money earned by a business minus costs.
(opposite = plus)
inches of rainfall \IntSz v "reInfOl\ Weather insurance is based on specific measurements such as hours of sunshine,
inches of rainfall etc.
revenue (n) \"revnju\
loss of revenue (n) \ls v "revnju\ We receive compensation for loss of revenue when the weather conditions are
extreme.
assess the risks \ses D "rIsks\ If the weather information isnt very reliable, its difficult to assess the risks.
risk management (n) \"rIsk mnIdZmnt\ Insuring against bad weather is simply another form of risk management.
sunshine (n) \"snSaIn\ One advantage of weather insurance is that it is easy to measure the weather by
specifying wind speed, hours of sunshine etc.
temperature (n) \"temprItS\
average temperature (n) \vrIdZ Whats the average temperature in Helsinki in December?
"temprItS\
tourism (n) \"tUrIzm\ Tourism is badly affected in ski resorts when there is no snow.
video conference (n) \"vIdIU knfrns\ Video conferences are often more convenient than face-to-face meetings.
wet (adj) \wet\ The number of visitors to a theme park like Disneyland falls in a wet summer.
(opposite = dry)
wind speed (n) \"wInd spid\ They take out insurance against the average wind speed exceeding a certain level.
according to \"kOdIN tu\ According to some experts, regular commuters can suffer from high blood
pressure, anxiety or even fatal heart conditions.
angry (adj) \"NgrI\
get angry \get "NgrI\ Passengers on crowded trains get angry because they have to stand.
anxiety (n) \N"zaItI\ Overcrowding on trains causes high blood pressure and anxiety.
by car/bus/train etc \baI "kA\"bs\"treIn\ Dave commutes to the citys business district by tram.
carriage (n) \"krIdZ\ Providing an extra carriage is not profitable for a train company.
clockwork \"klkwk\
like clockwork \laIk "klkwk\ In Melbourne the trams arrive like clockwork.
commuter (n) \k"mjut\ A study by the Rail Passenger Council measured the heart rate and blood pressure
of commuters on overcrowded trains.
regular commuter \regjl k"mjut\ Some regular commuters suffer from stress-related conditions
commuting (n) \k"mjutIN\ The study suggests that commuting can be bad for you.
company car (n) \kmpnI "kA\ I do a lot of driving in my job and have a company car.
consulting company (n) \kn"sltIN Jane Stevens, an executive in a consulting company, prefers driving as it gives her
kmpnI\ time to plan her day.
crowded (adj) \"kraUdId\ The alternative to driving is a 30-minute journey on a crowded train and then two
tube rides.
cycle path (n) \"saIkl paT\ I cycle into work in Strasbourg and almost all the journey is on cycle paths so I
dont have to worry about the traffic.
disadvantage (n) \dIsd"vAntIdZ\
the disadvantages of \D dIsd"vAntIdZz One of the disadvantages of driving to work in London is the amount of traffic on
(opposite = the v\ the roads.
advantages of)
drive (v) \draIv\ She likes having time to plan her day as she drives.
drive to work \draIv t "wk\ She drives to work every day from her home in southeast London.
ecological (adj) \ik"ldZIkl\ The bicycle is a far more ecological form of transport than the car.
financial penalty (n pl) \faInnSl "penltI\ A fine is a word meaning a financial penalty.
frustration (n) \fr"streISn\ Passengers get angry because they have to stand and when the train stops for
20 minutes for no particular reason, this adds to their frustration.
get (v) \get\
get a bus/taxi/train/tram \get "bs\"tksI\ I usually get a bus to work.
"treIn\"trm\
health problem (n) \"helT prblm\ Overcrowded trains can cause health problems for passengers.
heart condition (n) \"hAt kndISn\ As a result of the stress commuters can suffer from high blood pressure or even
fatal heart conditions.
inconvenient (adj) \Inkn"vinInt\ Waiting for half an hour for a train is frustrating and inconvenient.
(opposite = convenient)
loan (n) \lUn\ Companies sometimes help employees to buy their season tickets by giving them
loans.
measure (v) \"meZ\ The study measured the heart rate and blood pressure of commuters on crowded
trains.
overcrowded (adj) \Uv"kraUdId\ Travelling on overcrowded trains can cause a level of tension which is dangerous.
overcrowding (n) \Uv"kraUdIN\ Rail companies prefer to pay a small fine for overcrowding rather than provide an
extra carriage.
passenger (n) \"psIndZ\ Passengers who have to stand on crowded trains often get angry.
rail passenger (n) \"reIl psIndZ\ Putting on an extra carriage to make rail passengers more comfortable is not
profitable.
price (n) \praIs\
high prices (n pl) \haI "prAIsz\ Commuters resent paying high prices for a poor service.
(opposite = low prices)
profitable (adj) \"prfItbl\ Putting on an extra carriage is not profitable for a train company.
(opposite = unprofitable)
public transport (n) \pblIk "trnspOt\ Public transport is unreliable in this country.
rail \"reIl\
rail company (n) \"reIl kmpnI\ For rail companies it is cheaper to pay fines than to provide longer trains.
rail passenger (n) \"reIl psIndZ\ Many rail passengers suffer health problems because of the poor conditions on trains.
rail travel (n) \"reIl trvl\ The disadvantages of rail travel is that it is expensive and often very unreliable.
season ticket (n) \"sizn tIkIt\ A season ticket is a ticket that is valid for an extended period of time.
stressed (adj) \strest\ Many commuters are stressed even before they arrive at the office.
subsidy (n) \"sbsdI\ Employees often buy their season tickets with loans or subsidies from their
company.
sweaty (adj) \"swetI\
hot and sweaty \ht n "swetI\ She doesnt cycle fast because she wants to avoid getting hot and sweaty.
tube ride (n) \"tjub raId\ My journey to work involves a 15-minute walk and two tube rides.
workplace (n) \"wkpleIs\ The majority of Europeans live within 30 minutes of their workplace.
built-in camera (n) \bIltIn "kmr\ Theyre trying to improve the quality of the built-in cameras many mobile phones
feature.
city centre (n) \sItI "sent\ Trams are making a come-back to many city centres around the world.
company rules (n pl) \kmpnI "rulz\ We normally wear a dark suit and tie to work its company rules.
development (n) \dI"velpmnt\ Global Trends is a webpage with information about the latest trends and
developments.
digital camera (n) \dIdZItl "kmr\ Prices of digital cameras are falling.
dress code (n) \"dres kUd\ The dress code where I work is suits and ties.
environmentally-friendly (adj) \InvaIrmentlI More car manufacturers are marketing environmentally-friendly vehicles that run
"frendlI\ on hydrogen.
feature (v) \"fitS\ Many mobile phones now feature built-in cameras.
figures (n pl) \"fIgz\ Sonia, can you help me with these figures? Sorry, Im a bit busy right now.
filter (n) \"fIlt\ A special filter fitted to the screen allows viewers to see solid-looking images
without wearing glasses.
free time (n) \"fri "taIm\ According to the survey, 12% of adults are still enjoying free time at midnight.
get back in contact \get bk In If you get back in contact in July, well probably have some vacancies then.
"kntkt\
hydrogen-powered (adj) \"haIdrdZnpaUd\ Madrid is now using hydrogen-powered buses, which are more environmentally-
friendly.
improve (v) \Im"pruv\ Picture quality on digital cameras is improving all the time.
job vacancy (n) \"dZb veIknsI\ Do you have any job vacancies? No, Im sorry, were not recruiting at the
moment.
manufacturer (n) \mnjU"fktSr\ Car manufacturers are now making more and more environmentally-friendly
vehicles.
market (n) \"mAkIt\
come onto the market \km nt D Robots that do the housework are now coming onto the market.
"mAkIt\
market (v) \"mAkIt\ Pressure has been put on car manufacturers to market environmentally-friendly
vehicles.
notice (n) \"nUtIs\
hand in your notice \hnd In j "nUtIs\ Why are you wearing those old jeans and a T shirt? Im not working; I handed
in my notice yesterday.
order (n) \"Od\
order reference (n) \"Od refrns\ The order reference number is 5948.
special order (n) \speSl "Od\ Im phoning from Laiz Co-op about our special order. When can we expect
delivery?
order despatch \Od "dIsptS Order despatch department. Can I help you?
department (n) dIpAtmnt\
picture quality (n) \"pIktS kwltI\ Digital camera picture quality is improving all the time.
recruit (v) \rI"krut\ There are no job vacancies at the moment were not recruiting.
revolution (n) \rev"luSn\ The first paragraph on the webpage is all about the photographic revolution.
robot (n) \"rUbt\ Robots that do housework are coming onto the market.
run on (phr v) \"rn n\ Theres an increase in the number of environmentally-friendly vehicles running on
hydrogen.
statistics (n pl) \st"tIstIks\ The statistics show the percentage of the population doing a particular activity
each hour over a 24-hour period.
tendency (n) \"tendnsI\ The Global Trends webpage gives information about the latest tendencies and
developments.
a trend in business/ \ trend In Read about the latest trends in technology and business on our webpage.
lifestyle/technology etc "bIzns\"laIfstaIl\
tek"nldZI\
job vacancy (n) \"dZb veIknsI\ Im calling to ask if you have any job vacancies.
viewer (n) \"vju\ With the help of a special filter, viewers can see solid-looking images without
wearing special glasses.
weekday (n) \"wikdeI\ On weekdays the majority of adults are awake and out of bed by 8 a.m.
zoom lens (n) \zum "lenz\ Digital cameras now have new features such as powerful zoom lenses and video.
accumulate (v) \"kjumjleIt\ A lot of work accumulated during the strike and we now have a huge backlog.
airline (n) \"elaIn\ Some of the cheaper airlines sell more tickets for their flights than there are seats.
airline information desk (n) \elaIn Inf"meISn Please approach the airline information desk for details of alternative flights.
desk\
air traffic controller (n) \e trfIk The flight was cancelled due to a strike by air traffic controllers.
kn"trUl\
aisle seat (n) \"aIl sit\ Could I change to an aisle seat? I have a bad leg.
announce (v) \"naUns\ British Airways regrets to announce the cancellation of flight BA146.
approach (v) \"prUtS\ Passengers should approach the airline information desk for further details.
baggage (n) \"bgIdZ\ We all waited for our baggage at the carousel.
boarding (n) \"bOdIN\ We only hold reservation until 20 minutes before boarding.
bump (v) \bmp\ Do you mean youre bumping me? I can offer you a later flight, sir, or a
refund.
cancellation (n) \kns"leISn\ Thousands of passengers were stranded at Heathrow after flight cancellations.
category (n) \"ktgrI\ The Office of Aviation organises the complaints they receive into different
categories.
charges (n pl) \"tSAdZz\
extra charges (n pl) \ekstr "tSAdZz\ Airlines should inform passengers about any extra charges they might have to pay.
check-in (n) \"tSekIn\ When I arrived at check-in, they told me there were no more seats left on the plane.
check-in desk (n) \"tSekIn desk\ Youll have to go back to the check-in desk and check your bag in.
complaint (n) \km"pleInt\ Passenger complaints are organised into different categories.
customer service (n) \kstm "svIs\ The flights are really cheap but the standard of customer service isnt that high.
damaged (adj) \"dmIdZd\ You can claim on your travel insurance if your luggage gets lost or damaged.
discrimination (n) \dIskrImI"neISn\ Companies found guilty of discrimination can be fined heavily.
fare (n) \fe\ For more information about fares and payment methods, visit our website.
flight attendant (n) \"flaIt tendnt\ Passengers complained that the flight attendants were unhelpful and rude.
full (adj) \fUl\ Im afraid the flights full, sir. What do you mean? I have a reservation.
gauge (n) \geIdZ\ You can weigh your own hand luggage by putting it in the gauge.
ground staff (n) \"graUnd stAf\ BA ground staff called the strike because of proposed new working conditions.
hotel accommodation (n) \hU"tel Many people were unable to find hotel accommodation and had to spend the
kmdeISn\ night at the airport.
nationality (n) \nS"nltI\ Unfair treatment on the grounds of race or nationality counts as discrimination.
overbooking (n) \Uv"bUkIN\ Overbooking is sometimes a problem with cheaper airlines who sell more tickets
than there are seats.
on-line (adj) \n"laIn\
on-line booking system (n) \nlaIn "bUkIN Our on-line booking system is quick and easy to use.
sIstm\
publicity (n) \pb"lIstI\ Some people have complained that information in the airlines publicity is untrue.
race (n) \reIs\ Unfair treatment on the grounds of race or nationality counts as discrimination.
refund (n) \"rifnd\ The flights full, but we can offer you a later flight or a refund.
be scheduled to do sth \bI SedZjuld t "du The strike also affected people scheduled to return to Heathrow from destinations
smTIN\ all over Europe.
seat (n) \sit\ Im afraid the flights full there are no more seats.
senior manager (n) \sinI "mnIdZ\ Angry travellers asked why no senior managers were present.
spokesperson (n) \"spUkspsn\ A British Airways spokesperson said they were hoping to return to normal service
as soon as possible.
stock market (n) \"stk "mAkIt\
the New York/London/ \D nju jOk\ Shares fell on the London stock market by 3.9%.
Tokyo etc stock market lndn\tUkjU
"stk mAkIt\
strike (n) \straIk\ British Airways staff returned to work yesterday after a two-day strike.
call a strike (v) \"kOl "straIk\ They called the strike because of proposed new working conditions.
be on strike \bi n "straIk\ Flights were cancelled because air traffic controllers were on strike.
treat (v) \trit\ The man claimed he was treated badly because of his race.
treat sb badly \trit smbdI
"bdlI\
trip (n) \trIp\ The Condie family had saved for over a year for their trip to Spain.
union representative (n) \junjn According to a union representative, the staff later returned to work as a gesture
reprI"zenttIv\ of goodwill.
voucher (n) \"vaUtS\ Airline companies sometimes offer their passengers vouchers for hotels when
flights are cancelled.
working conditions (n pl) \"wkIN kndISnz\ The strike was about proposed new working conditions.
absence rate (n) \"bsns reit\ The absence rate among public service employees is higher than that amongst
private sector workers.
causes of absence (n pl) \kOzz v "bsns\ Managers were asked to say what the top five causes of absence were.
long-/short-term absence \ln\SO tm Long-term absence is responsible for 40 per cent of total working time lost.
"bsns\
reduce absenteeism \rIdjus How can employers take positive action to reduce absenteeism?
bsn"tiIzm\
bonus scheme (n) \"bUns skim\ Introducing bonus schemes can help motivate employees.
build up (phr v) \"bIld "p\ If you stay at home, work starts building up for you in the office when you return.
cold (n) \kUld\ Colds and flu are two of the most common causes of absence.
commitment (n) \k"mItmnt\ Some people feel that going into work when they feel ill shows commitment.
company policy (n) \kmpni "plsI\ Company policy on absenteeism can have a direct effect on the absence rate.
doctors note (n) \"dktz nUt\ You need a doctors note if youre absent for longer than three days.
feel well \fil wel\ David phoned in, saying he wasnt feeling well.
(opposite = feel ill/sick)
fitness programme (n) \"fItns prUgrm\ Fitness programmes can help employees stay fit and healthy.
global capitalism (n) \glUbl World Phone in Sick Day was a day of protest against global capitalism.
"kpItlIzm\
go in (phr v) \gU "In\ The decision about whether to go in or to stay at home can be a difficult one.
illness (n) \"Ilns\ According to a recent survey, British employees had an average of 7.8 days off
work for illness last year.
infect (v) \In"fekt\ If you go into work when youre feeling ill, you risk infecting your workmates.
job swapping (n) \"dZb swpIN\ Job swapping involves allowing one person to do another persons job.
lie down (phr v) \laI "daUn\ If youre not feeling well, go and lie down for a while.
low morale (n) \lU m"rAl\ Managers suspect that low morale is often the real reason for a lot of absences
from work.
massage service (n) \"msAZ svIs\ The massage service we introduced a year ago has proved very popular with
employees.
Monday morning blues (n pl) \mndeI mOnIN Monday morning blues is an expression meaning the sad, unhappy feeling some
"bluz\ people have on Monday, the first day of the working week.
office gossip (n) \fIs "gsIp\ My secretary tells me all the office gossip.
phone in sick \fUn In "sIk\ Is John coming in today? No, hes just phoned in sick.
the private sector (n) \D "praIvt sekt\ Absenteeism is lower in the private sector than in public services.
product launch (n) \"prdkt lOntS\ We really need you tomorrow to help with the product launch.
public services (n pl) \pblIk "svIsz\ Who takes more time off those working in the private sector or in public
services?
relaxation areas (n pl) \rilk"seISn We provide special relaxation areas for employees to use during coffee breaks and
erIz\ their lunch break.
sick \sIk\
report sick \rIpOt "sIk\ Non-union workers report sick less often than trade union members.
sick leave (n) \"sIk liv\ The average amount of sick leave taken by British employees in 2003 was 7.8 days.
sick note (n) \"sIk "nUt\ You need a sick note from the doctor for absences of longer than three days.
travel expenses (n pl) \"trvl Ikspensz\ The company pays all my travel expenses.
union (n) \"jujn\ Who takes more time off work workers who belong to unions or workers who dont?
utilities (n pl) \ju"tIltIz\ The utilities are gas, water and electricity.
work \"wk\
workforce (n) \"wkfOs\ For the whole workforce in Britain, absenteeism represents a total of 10.7 billion
in lost revenue.
working time (n) \wkIN "taIm\ In 2003 in Britain, 3.4 per cent of total working time was lost due to illness.
working week (n) \wkIN "wik\ In your opinion, would a shorter working week help to reduce absenteeism?
workmate (n) \"wkmeIt\ If you go into work when youre ill, you risk infecting your workmates.
annual growth (n) \njul "grUT\ Annual growth is the increase in the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) in one year.
business school (n) \"bIzns skul\ Ortega gave talks in business schools around the world.
set up a business \set p "bIzns\ Last year she set up her own Internet property selling business.
clothes maker (n) \"klUDz meIk\ Ortega is boss of one of the most successful clothes makers in the world.
collection (n) \k"lekSn\ A collection is a term referring to the clothes that a manufacturer produces for
sale at a particular time of year.
conventional (adj) \kn"venSnl\ Product placement in films is cheaper than conventional advertising.
(opposite = unconventional)
cost effective (adj) \"kst IfektIv\ Something that is cost effective produces a good profit in exchange for the
amount of money spent.
counter (n) \"kaUnt\
over the counter \Uv D "kaUnt\ He started business life in a local clothes shop, selling over the counter to
housewives.
do well \du "wel\ The lingerie business that Ortega set up with his wife did well.
(opposite = do badly)
foreign currency (n) \frIn "krnsI\ What amount of money in foreign currencies does the government have?
foreign exchange reserves \frIn Iks"tSeIndZ The foreign exchange reserves are the amount of money in foreign currencies that
(n pl) rIzvz\ the government has.
found (v) \faUnd\ According to Piette, Ortega has founded possibly the most innovative and
devastating retailer in the world.
founder (n) \"faUnd\
the founder of \D "faUnd v\ Amancio Ortega is the founder and boss of Zara and Inditex.
global awareness (n) \glUbl "wens\ Product placement in films is a good way of creating global awareness of a
create global awareness \krieIt glUbl product.
"wens\
global campaign (n) \"glUbl km"peIn\ Smaller companies cant afford the global campaigns of large multinationals.
go up (phr v) \gU "p\ Prices are going up the fastest in Portugal and Germany.
(opposite = go down)
government spending (n) \gvnmnt "spendIN\ Government spending is the amount of money the government spends on things
like education, health and defence.
inflation (n) \In"fleISn\ Annual inflation is the yearly increase in the price of services and things we buy.
in-house (adv) \In"haUs\ The group manufactures most of its clothes in-house.
(opposite = out-of-house)
innovative (adj) \"InvtIv\ An innovative company is one that is not afraid to introduce new ideas,
production methods etc.
item (n) \"aItm\ If an item doesnt sell in our shops, we stop making it.
labour cost (n) \"leIb kst\ Labour costs are much cheaper in parts of Asia and Eastern Europe than they are
in the UK.
overheads (n pl) \"Uvhedz\ Overheads are the general costs of running a business rent, equipment, heating,
lighting etc.
owe (v) \U\
owe money \U "mnI\ Public debt is the amount of money the government owes.
product placement (n) \"prdkt Product placement is the use of a particular companys products during a film as a
"pleIsmnt\ way of advertising.
production (n) \pr"dkSn\ From production to sales we control every stage of the process.
economic production (n) \iknmIk; GDP per person is the total economic production of a country divided by the
eknmIk number of its people.
pr"dkSn\
public debt (n) \pblIk "det\ The amount of money that the government owes because it borrows from banks is
called the public debt.
rate of pay (n) \reIt v "peI\ The hourly rate of pay for the job is 7.50.
retailer (n) \"riteIl\ Daniel Piette, a fashion director, described Inditex as possibly the most innovative
retailer in the world.
sales (n pl) \seIlz\
increase sales \INkris "seIlz\ Aston Martin is hoping to increase sales from 1,500 to 5,000 vehicles a year
worldwide.
seat (n) \sIt\
Have a seat. \hv "sit\ Have a seat. Would you like a coffee?
spokesman (n) \"spUksmn\ We want to create global awareness, said a spokesman for the car company.
unemployment rate (n) \nIm"plOImnt The unemployment rate in Italy is currently 9.5%.
reIt\
yearly (adj) \"jIlI\ The yearly increase in services and the things we buy is known as annual
inflation.
access (n) \"kses\ Access will be thousands of times faster in the future
access speed (n) \"kses spid\ Laser technology will improve access speeds considerably.
access to the Internet \kses t Di There are 500,000,000 people in the world with access to the Internet.
"Intnet\
after-sales service (n) \Aft"seIlz svIs\ Were aiming to improve our after-sales service by responding to all e-mails within
24 hours.
ASDL (n) \eIesdi"el\ ASDL is currently the fastest method of connecting a computer to the Internet.
buying (n) \"baIIN\ People who do their buying on the Internet like to know what other consumers
think about a product.
calculate (v) \"klkjleIt\
calculate figures \klkjleIt "fIgz\ I dont quite understand how you calculated these figures.
catch phrase (n) \"ktS freIz\ Kiss, or keep it simple, stupid is the catch phrase in webpage design.
check (on) (v) \"tSek n\ I check on the stock market at least four times a day.
click (on) (v) \"klIk n\ If you click on I accept the supplier can legally spy on you.
commerce (n) \"kms\ It will be interesting to see how changes to the Internet will affect commerce in
the future.
commission (n) \k"mISn\
pay sb a commission \peI smbdI They have a link to our page and we pay them a commission.
k"mISn\
communicate (v) \k"mjunIkeIt\ The Internet will probably become something we take for granted in order to get
information and to communicate.
compensation (n) \kmpn"seISn\
offer compensation \f kmpn"seISn\ You want the customer to come back, so if something has gone wrong offer
compensation.
consumer (n) \kn"sjum\ As consumers, most of us have no choice when we buy programs for our PC.
corporation (n) \kOp"reISn\ Problems of security affect the reputation of Microsoft with big corporations.
crash (v) \krS\ A computer that crashes twice a day is not acceptable in a busy office like ours.
courier service (n) \"kUrI svIs\ In the interview John Bryce says that many customers are prepared to pay extra for
a courier service.
customer involvement (n) \kstm Having comments from customers on your web site is a good idea as customer
In"vlvmnt\ involvement is an important part of selling online.
delivery method (n) \dI"lIvrI meTd\ You need to be able to offer customers a choice of delivery methods.
double (v) \"dbl\ The number of companies trading on the Internet doubles each year.
download (n) \"daUnlUd\ Some of the most popular downloads on the Net include secret programs or
spyware.
enquiries (n) \In"kwaIrIz\
make enquiries \meIk In"kwaIrIz\ Currently most customers prefer to make their enquiries by phone, but this is
expensive.
fibre optic lines (n pl) \faIb ptIk "laInz\ The article predicts that laser technology will replace copper and fibre optic lines.
hard disk (n) \hAd "dIsk\ Spyware can scan files on your hard disk and modify them.
high-street store (n) \haIstrit "stO\ Do you think that online shopping will replace high-street stores?
hole (n) \hUl\ Computer programs have holes in them which make them open to attacks by
viruses and hackers.
infect (v) \In"fekt\ The virus infected thousands of computers using Microsoft software.
laser technology (n) \"leIz teknldZI\ Laser technology will replace copper and fibre optic lines.
licence agreement (n) \"laIsns grimnt\ Most people dont read licence agreements because they are long and technical.
marketer (n) \"mAkIt\ The job of marketers is to collect information about us.
monitor (v) \"mnIt\ Spyware can monitor the keys you press when you work at your PC.
multimedia (n) \mltI"midI\ Multimedia is the use of video, sound and other methods of communication in
computers.
the Net (n) \D "net\
on the Net \n D "net\ I think we will buy a lot of things on the Net but will go to a shop for others.
online (adj) \n"laIn\ Voting will be online and we will vote on more issues.
online content (n) \nlaIn "kntent\ At the moment about 75% of online content is in English.
online form/ \nlaIn We often fill out online forms with our choices and preferences.
shopping/store (n) "fOm\"SpIN\"stO\
be outdated \bi aUt"deItId\ The Internet is changing so fast that the things we talk about today are outdated
by tomorrow.
page design (n) \"peIdZ dIzaIn\' Page design is very important on a website it needs to be simple so that
everyone can use it.
palmtop (n) \"pAmtp\ A palmtop is a very small computer that you can hold in your hand.
pay rise (n) \"peI raIz\ A pay rise in my company is always a big surprise!
PC (n) \pi"si\ When installing a new program on your PC, you should read the licence
agreement.
prediction (n) \prI"dIkSn\
make predictions \meIk prI"dIkSnz\ The advantages to making a lot of predictions is that some of them will come true!
program (n) \"prUgrm\ From now on if there is a problem with a program, it will be easy to see who
made the mistake.
programmer (n) \"prUgrm\ Each new line of code will now have the programmers name attached to it.
search engine (n) \"stS endZIn\ Search engines such as Google are a fast and efficient way of finding the
information you need.
secure (adj) \sI"kjU\ Microsoft has invested millions of dollars in order to make its software more
secure.
security (n) \sI"kjUrtI\ Computer security has become a big issue for Microsoft.
security problem (n) \sI"kjUrtI Security problems could affect sales of Microsoft products.
prblm\
software engineer (n) \"sftwe "endZInI\ Software engineers will need to be careful as their name will be attached to each
line of new code.
speed (n) \spid\ Access speeds should improve thanks to laser technology.
take sth for granted \teIk smTIN f We are now starting to take the Internet for granted as a means of
"grAntd\ communication and getting information.
trade (v) \treId\ The number of companies trading on the Internet doubles each year.
type in (phr v) \taIp "In\ Type in the name of the thing you are searching for and press return.
videoconferencing (n) \vIdIU"knfrnsIN\ Do you agree that videoconferencing will finally replace face-to-face business
meetings?
virus (n) \"vaIrs\ Currently, programs are open to attacks by viruses and hackers.
put through a call \pUt Tru "kOl\ Just a minute, Ill try to put your call through.
Whos calling? \huz "kOlIN\ Whos calling, please? George Miller from Bryce and Watts.
caller (n) \"kl\ The telephone often interrupts what were doing and sometimes the caller is
someone we dont want to talk to!
cubicle (n) \"kjubIkl\ Maria Cabreras workspace is a cubicle with a computer and a telephone exchange.
dial (v) \"daIl\ If you dial extension 4012, its a direct line.
direct line (n) \dIrekt; daIrekt Do you have a direct line or an extension?
"laIn\
disconnect (v) \dIsk"nekt\ I sometimes feel like disconnecting the phone but my husband needs it for his work.
disconnect the phone \dIsknekt D "fUn\
get through (to sb)(phr v) \get Tru t After phoning several times I finally got through to her.
"smbdI\
hang up (phr v) \hN "p\ Some people are awful but the problem is in my job that I cant just hang up.
hang up on sb \hN "p n Only 6% of those interviewed told researchers they never hung up on people.
smbdI\
headset (n) \"hedset\ My phone has a headset so that my hands are free.
intrude (into) (v) \In"trud Intu\ Because we cant ignore the phone it intrudes into our lives.
try sbs number \traI smbdIz Can I speak to Ana Courtelle, please? One moment, Ill try her number.
"nmb\
suffer from stress \sf frm "stres\ In the end she thinks shell give up her job because she suffers from stress.
stressed (adj) \strest\ Maria gets really stressed at work because she has to answer so many calls.
(opposite = relaxed)
supplier (n) \s"plaI\ I often get calls from suppliers about orders and deliveries.
telephone use (n) \"telIfUn jus\ In a survey on telephone use, 51% of people said they would answer a phone
ringing in someone elses office.
abbreviation (n) \brivI"ISn\ Using abbreviations when you send text messages save time.
abrupt (adj) \"brpt\ The tone used in your e-mail needs to be businesslike but not too abrupt.
aim (for) (v) \"eIm fO\ Aim for short simple sentences in your e-mails.
consider sbs application \knsId smbdIz I am unable to consider your application as I am afraid you do not have the
plI"keISn\ necessary experience.
businesslike (adj) \"bIznslaIk\ Your e-mails should sound businesslike and efficient.
hit a button \hIt "btn\ Its easy to write an e-mail you type it onto a computer screen, hit a button and
off it goes.
confidential (adj) \knfI"denSl\ E-mails are not as confidential and secure as most people think, so be careful what
you write.
contact (n) \"kntkt\
keep in contact \kip In "kntkt\ E-mail is an efficient and easy way for people to keep in contact.
cramped (adj) \krmpt\ I dont like messages with no spaces between paragraphs they look so cramped
(opposite = spaced out) and, after all, space isnt a problem.
disclaimer (n) \dIs"kleIm\ A disclaimer is a written paragraph at the end of an e-mail stating that a company
does not take responsibility for things such as viruses etc.
disorganised (adj) \dIs"OgnaIzd\ A lot of e-mails seem disorganised and this only adds to the stress of peoples jobs.
(opposite = organised)
font (n) \fnt\ A font is the style of printed letters as they appear on a page, e.g. Times Roman.
further to \"fD tu\ Further to our previous correspondence, please find the attached document with
information about my referees.
inappropriate (adj) \In"prUprIt\ Writers often use a cheerful, informal tone that is inappropriate in a business e-mail.
(opposite = appropriate)
internal e-mail (n) \Intnl "imeIl\ One American company banned internal e-mail in favour of face-to-face
(opposite = external communication.
e-mail)
line break (n) \"laIn breIk\ Space is not limited in an e-mail so use extra line breaks to separate text into
paragraphs.
manager (n) \"mnIdZ\ Managers nowadays have to read enormous quantities of e-mail so badly-written
messages add to the stress of their jobs.
organisation (n) \OgnaI"zeISn\ One American multinational banned internal-mail and went back to promoting
face-to-face communication within the organisation.
paragraph (n) \"prgrAf\ Use extra line breaks to separate text into paragraphs.
qualifications (n pl) \kwlIfI"keISnz\ Do you think you have the necessary qualifications to apply for the job?
re-distribute (v) \ridI"strIbjut\ One of the dangers of e-mail is that the reader can easily re-distribute e-mails
which reflect badly on the writer and the company represented.
referee (n) \ref"ri\ Please supply me with the names and e-mail addresses of two referees who can
supply references for you.
with regard to \wID rI"gAd tu\ With regard to your request for work, I regret that I am unable to consider your
application.
sales rep (n) \"seIlz rep\ Sales rep is an informal way of saying or writing sales representative.
security measure (n) \sI"kjUrtI meZ\ A disclaimer at the end of an e-mail is a security measure that companies use to
say that they do not take responsibility for something.
sentence (n) \"sentns\ Aim for short, simple sentences in your e-mails.
size (n) \saIz\ Use a standard font in a size which is not too small and not too big.
skill (n) \skIl\ Typing is one of the most useful skills you can have in business.
space (out) (v) \speIs "aUt\ Space out the text youre not wasting paper!
(v) verb (phr v) phrasal verb (conj) conjunction (Am E) American English
(adj) adjective (n pl) plural noun sb somebody (Br E) British English
(n) noun (adv) adverb sth something
in company
/I/ big fish /bIg fIS/ /A/ calm start /kA:m stA:t/
/i/ green beans /gri:n bi:nz/ / / hot spot /ht spt/
/U/ should look /SUd lUk/ /I/ ear /I(r)/
/u/ blue moon /blu: mu:n/ /eI/ face /feIs/
/e/ ten eggs /ten egz/ /U/ pure /pjU(r)/
// about mother /baUt mD(r)/ /OI/ boy /bOI(r)/
// learn words /l:n w:dz/ /U/ nose /nUz/
/O/ short talk /SO:t tO:k/ /e/ hair /he(r)/
// fat cat /ft kt/ /aI/ eye /aI/
// must come /mst km/ /aU/ mouth /maU/
CONSONANTS
/p/ pen /pen/ /s/ snake /sneIk/
/b/ bad /bd/ /z/ noise /nOIz/
/t/ tea /ti:/ /S/ shop /Sp/
/d/ dog /dg/ /Z/ measure /meZ(r)/
/tS/ church /tS:tS/ /m/ make /meIk/
/dZ/ jazz /dZz/ /n/ nine /naIn/
/k/ cost /kst/ /N/ sing /sIN/
/g/ girl /g:l/ /h/ house /haUs/
/f/ far / fa:(r)/ /l/ leg /leg/
/v/ voice /vOIs/ /r/ red /red/
// thin /In/ /w/ wet /wet/
/D/ then /Den/ /j/ yes /jes/
chain (n) \tSeIn\ Fashion group, Inditex, owns six different clothing chains.
decline (n) \dI"klaIn\ The decline in interest rates has made borrowing easier.
decline in
demand (n) \dI"mAnd\ As demand has grown for the worms, weve tried feeding them using other food
sources.
double (v) \"dbl\ Next year we hope to double production from ten to twenty tons of worms.
ecological (adj) \ik"ldZIkl\ The worms recycle the waste, meaning that the business is also ecological.
economic growth (n) \iknmIk "grUT; Economic growth is slow in times of war.
eknmIk "grUT\
fall (v) \fOl\ The value of stocks and shares has fallen dramatically in recent times.
(opposite = rise)
flexibility (n) \fleks"bIltI\ Our ability to adapt to new situations our flexibility has been a key factor in
(opposite = inflexibility) our success.
go down (phr v) \gU "daUn\ Unemployment figures went down last month.
(opposite = go up)
go up (phr v) \gU "p\ The average price of a house in London has gone up by almost 25%.
(opposite = go down)
group (n) \grup\ Inditex is one of the worlds largest fashion groups.
grow (v) \grU\ Its been a tremendous success story the group has grown enormously.
headquarters (n pl) \hed"kwOtz\ Inditexs activities are controlled from La Corua, where the group recently moved
into new headquarters.
house prices (n pl) \"haUs praIsz\ House prices in Britain are higher than in many other countries in Europe.
increase (v) \In"kris\ Inflation has steadily been increasing over the past twelve months.
(opposite = decrease)
innovation (n) \InU"veISn\ Innovation the ability to use new and original ideas is vital in todays business
world.
interest rates (n pl) \"Intrst reIts\ The decline in interest rates has made borrowing money easier.
level (n) \"levl\ This year net revenues reached a level of $3,249 million.
reach a level
management \"mnIdZmnt\ Inditexs unique management methods are based on flexibility and innovation.
management method (n)
production (n) \pr"dkSn\ Were hoping to double production next year to 20 tons.
rate of inflation (n) \reIt v In"fleISn\ Whats the rate of inflation in your country?
risk (n) \rIsk\ The investment was too big and I didnt want to take a risk.
take a risk
stable (adj) \"steIbl\ Economists predict that interest rates will remain stable over the next twelve
remain stable months.
(opposite = unstable)
staff (n) \stAf\ The higher the number of staff, the higher your wage bills.
number of staff
start-up costs (n pl) \"stAtp ksts\ Why did you decide to set up a worm farm? The start-up costs were relatively
low.
taxes (n pl) \"tksIz\ Taxes in Canada are much higher but the standard of their public services is much
better.
unemployment (n) \nIm"plOImnt\ Unemployment went down last month to 2.7% of the population.
work (n) \wk\ Several members of staff have been made redundant yet the amount of work has
amount of work doubled!
according to \"kOdIN tu\ According to the article, half of lost working days are caused by stress-related
illness.
business (n) \bIzns\ Trying to reduce stress makes good business sense its better for profits and
business sense (n) better for staff morale.
chief executive (n) \tSif Ig"zekjUtIv\ The chief executive is the person responsible for running a company.
communication (n) \kmjunI"keISn\ Poor communication is one of the main causes of stress at work.
good/poor
communication
internal communication (n) \Intnl Employees complained that the level of internal communication at the firm was
kmjunI"keISn\ poor.
in conclusion \In kn"kluZn\ In conclusion, reducing stress at work brings many benefits, including better
health and increased performance.
day-to-day (adj) \deIt"deI\ Middle managers are required to solve day-to-day problems at work.
day-to-day problems/
decisions/tasks etc
deadline (n) \"dedlaIn\ Meeting difficult deadlines puts a lot of pressure on employees.
meet deadlines
decision (n) \dI"sIZn\ Chief executives are responsible for taking strategic decisions.
take a decision
linked to \lINkt tu\ The negative impact of stress is linked to many different illnesses and medical
conditions.
long hours (n pl) \lN "aUz\ Lawyers tend to work very long hours.
work long hours
management technique (n) \"mnIdZmnt A lot of modern management techniques put pressure on workers and make them
teknik\ feel stressed.
middle manager (n) \mIdl "mnIdZ\ A middle manager is responsible for a department within an organisation.
morale (n) \m"rAl\ When the new boss arrived staff morale was very low and nobody was motivated.
staff morale (n)
motivate (v) \"mUtIveIt\ A good manager knows how to motivate his workers.
(opposite = demotivate)
overwork (n) \Uv"wk\ Work-related stress is often caused by overwork and bad management.
performance-related pay (n) \pfOmnsrIleItId Performance-related pay increases when you get good results and decreases when
"peI\ you do not.
pressure (n) \"preS\ A lot of workers cant cope with the pressure that their bosses put on them.
promote (v) \pr"mUt\ He had worked for the firm for five years but had never been promoted.
(opposite = demote)
with regard to \wID rI"gAd tu\ With regard to training, the situation is not very satisfactory.
repetitive (adj) \rI"pettIv\ A lot of factory workers do boring repetitive tasks, which can also be stressful.
(opposite = varied)
the root cause of \D rut "kOz v\ The survey showed that the root causes of stress at work were bad management
and overwork.
staff turnover (n) \stAf "tnUv\ Improving working conditions is a way of reducing staff turnover.
strategic (adj) \str"tidZIk\ Chief executives are responsible for taking strategic decisions.
strategic decision (n)
stress (n) \stres\ A little bit of stress can bring out the best in people but too much stress is a
negative thing.
level of stress \levl v "stres\ To reduce the level of stress the company should try to reduce working hours.
suffer from stress \sf frm "stres\ Do you suffer from stress? Not at work, I find being at home more stressful.
stress-related (adj) \"stresrIleItId\ Doctors told her that her headaches were stress-related.
stressed (adj) \strest\ Do you know any techniques for avoiding getting stressed?
get stressed
stressful (adj) \"stresfl\ A lot of teachers find their jobs very stressful.
sum of money (n) \sm v "mnI\ Company directors have to deal with large sums of money in their day-to-day work.
task (n) \tAsk\ Doing repetitive tasks all day is very stressful.
training (n) \"treInIN\ Firms should provide their employees with adequate training.
turnover (n) \"tnUv\ One of the benefits to firms of reducing stress is lower staff turnover.
staff turnover
work (n) \wk\ One of the people interviewed was off work with stress.
be off work (with
stress/depression etc)
business manager (n) \"bIzns mnIdZ\ Ballmer became Microsofts first business manager 20 years ago.
chairman (n) \"tSemn\ Bill Gates has retained some power as chairman of the company.
in charge of \In "tSAdZ v\ Over the last 20 years Ballmer has been in charge of the operations, marketing
and sales and support divisions.
components (n pl) \km"pUnnts\ The Shimano Iron Works was founded to manufacture bicycle components.
dismiss (v) \dIz"mIs\ The managing director was dismissed after the financial scandal.
enter (v) \"ent\ In 1972 Shimano entered the market for fishing equipment.
enter the market
incorporate (v) \In"kOpreIt\ In 1997 they incorporated Action Sports Division to produce new products for
snowboarding.
management (n) \"mnIdZmnt\ Management consultants search for and recruit top business managers for
management consultants (n) \"mnIdZmnt companies.
knsltnts\
management control (n) \mnIdZmnt Steve Ballmer has now assumed full management control of Microsoft.
kntrUl\
market (n) \"mAkIt\ What made you decide to enter the computer games market?
enter the computer
games/fishing/golf market
open (v) \"Upn\ Were hoping to open a new factory in the autumn.
open a factory
(opposite = close)
resign (v) \rI"zaIn\ The managing director resigned after the financial scandal.
schedule (n) \"Sedjul\ Bill Gates reportedly threatened to sack Ballmer because the project was behind
behind schedule schedule.
step down (phr v) \step "daUn\ The company wasnt doing very well and the CEO decided it was time to step
down.
arrange (v) \"reIndZ\ Sorry, Ill have to go. I arranged to meet someone at the bar five minutes ago.
arrange to do sth
break the ice \breIk Di "aIs\ Talking about sport or the weather is often a good way of breaking the ice with
people you dont know well.
by the way \baI D "weI\ My names Nadine, by the way. Im from Xanadu Electronics.
catch (v) \ktS\ Sorry, I have a call on my mobile. Ill catch you later.
catch sb later
check sth out (phr v) \tSek smTIN "aUt\ Could I have a look at your newspaper? Theres something I want to check out.
console (n) \"knsUl\ Individual consoles allow customers to see who else is in the bar or to send
messages to another stranger.
conversation (n) \knv"seISn\ Asking someone if you can borrow their newspaper is one way of starting a
start a conversation conversation with them.
with sb
cut sb off (phr v) \kt smbdI "f\ Sorry to cut you off, but Ive just seen someone I need to talk to.
dont mention it
Dont mention it. \dUnt "menSn It\ Thanks very much for lending me your paper. Dont mention it.
finish with sth (phr v) \"fInIS wID smTIN\ Would you mind if I had a look at your newspaper? Er no, Ive finished with it.
good luck (with sth) \gUd "lk wID Thanks for the drink and good luck with your meeting.
smTIN\
hand \hnd\ This is the fourth conference Ive been to here. Oh, right, so youre an old
be an old hand (at sth) hand.
handset (n) \"hndset\ People who receive messages can choose to continue the conversation by using
the telephone handset.
How do you do? \haU d jU "du\ Im Bill Smart from Silicon Technologies. Right, how do you do? Im Kazuo
Yamada from Lexico.
How long ? \haU "lN\ How long have you been here? Since Saturday.
How long are you staying? Another four or five days.
I(ll) have to be off. \aIl hv t bi "f\ Well, its getting late. I have to be off.
(It was) nice to meet you. \It wz naIs t "mit Nice to meet you, Sean. Right, it was nice talking to you too.
ju\
local attractions (n pl) \lUkl "trkSnz\ Talking about the local attractions can be a good way of starting a conversation
with people you dont know at a conference.
look (n) \lUk\ Would you mind if I had a quick look at your newspaper?
have a (quick) look at sth
machinery (n) \m"SinrI\ Are you here on business? Yes, Im here to buy some machinery.
No problem. \nU "prblm\ Would you mind lending me your mobile phone? No problem.
Pleased to meet you. \plizd t "mit ju\ Im Boris. Im David. Pleased to meet you.
See you later. \si ju "leIt\ I think the meetings about to start. See you later.
Thats very kind (of you). \Dtz veri "kaInd Can I lend you my mobile? Thats very kind, but I was expecting a call on this
v ju\ number.
Take your time. \teIk j "taIm\ Could I have a look at your newspaper? Go ahead, take your time.
video screen (n) \"vIdIU skrin\ Video screens in the bar enable customers to look at one another.
in advance \In d"vAns\ If you book months in advance, youll be too early for a seat assignment.
air \e\
by air \bai "e\ What sort of problems can you have when you travel by air?
air rage (n) \"e reIdZ\ Air rage is an expression meaning violent or drunken behaviour by passengers
during a flight.
aisle seat (n) \"aIl sit\ If youre sitting in an aisle seat, its easier to get up and go to the toilet.
armrest (n) \"Amrest\ The person sitting in the middle seat should try to dominate the armrests.
available (adj) \"veIlbl\ Ill show you the available seats on the seating plan.
back (n) \bk\ Where would you prefer to sit at the front of the plane or at the back?
the back (of)
(opposite = the front of)
board (v) \bOd\ Passengers should board the flight at Gate 23.
board a flight/plane
boarding pass (n) \"bOdIN pAs\ Youll need to show your boarding pass and passport before getting on the flight.
book (v) \bUk\ Booking early is a good idea it means you can choose your seat.
business (n) \"bIzns\ Even experienced business travellers sometimes end up sitting in the middle seat.
business traveller (n)
check-in (n) \"tSekIn\ Passengers who are rude to check-in staff risk being banned from boarding their
check-in attendant/staff plane!
claustrophobic (adj) \klOstr"fUbIk\ Sitting in the middle seat makes me feel claustrophobic.
deal (n) \dil\ I can offer you 200 units at 5.5 euros a unit. Its a deal!
Its a deal!
exit (n) \"eksIt; "egzIt\ Many people feel safer in aeroplanes if theyre sitting near one of the exits.
flight (n) \flaIt\ The clerk told us there were no seats on the flight due to overbooking.
board a flight \bOd "flaIt\ Difficult passengers can be prevented from boarding their flight.
book a flight \bUk "flaIt\ Try to book your flight early so that you get a good seat.
catch a flight \ktS "flaIt\ Were catching our flight from City of London airport.
(opposite = miss a flight)
connecting flight (n) \k"nektIN flaIt\ Our connecting flight leaves Amsterdam at 15.00.
miss a flight \mIs "flaIt\ If the taxi doesnt come soon, Im going to miss my flight.
(opposite = catch a flight)
frequent flier (n) \"flaI\ Im a frequent flier and travel by air at least twice a month.
front (n) \frnt\ I usually try to sit at the front of the plane so that I can get off faster.
the front (of)
(opposite = the back of)
get off (phr v) \get "f\ Violent or drunken passengers should be forced to get off the plane.
get off a flight/plane
(opposite = get on)
get on (phr v) \get "n\ All passengers must show their boarding pass and passport before getting on the
get on a flight/plane plane.
(opposite = get off)
go higher (than) \gU "haI Dn\ Im sorry, I wont go any higher than 6.5 euros a unit.
go lower (than) \gU "lU Dn\ If we go lower than 4.5 euros per unit, we wont make any profit.
go with sth (phr v) \"gU wID smTIN\ The price is 9 euros a unit. OK, Ill go with that.
ground staff (n) \"graUnd stAf\ The new rules prohibit customers from boarding flights if they behave aggressively
to ground staff or crew.
guarantee (n) \grn"ti\ Would you consider extending the guarantee to 18 months?
hand luggage (n) \"hnd lgIdZ\ Officially, passengers are only allowed one piece of hand luggage.
laptop (n) \"lptp\ Its forbidden to use electrical equipment such as laptops during the flight.
lower (v) \"lU\ We will lower the price for customers who pay within 30 days.
(opposite = raise)
offer (n) \"f\ Lets say 5.5 euros for 200 units or more. Thats my best offer.
best offer
order (v) \"Od\ I can offer a lower price if you order 200 units or more.
overbooking (n) \Uv"bUkIN\ I was informed that there was no seat for me on the flight due to overbooking.
pack (v) \pk\ Did you pack your bags yourself, sir?
passport (n) \"pAspOt\ Youll need to show your boarding pass and passport before getting on the flight.
price (n) \praIs\ What sort of a price can you give me on an order of 300 units?
give sb a price
give/offer a refund \gIv\f "rifnd\ BA will not offer a refund to passengers who are banned from their flights.
receive a refund \rIsiv "rifnd\ You will not receive a refund if you are banned from boarding a BA flight.
ignore a rule \IgnO "rul\ Passengers ignoring the rules concerning threatening or abusive behaviour risk
being banned from boarding flights.
introduce a rule \Intrdjus "rul\ BA have introduced new rules prohibiting customers who behave in an aggressive
way from boarding flights.
obey a rule \beI "rul\ It is in passengers interests to obey the rules concerning threatening or abusive
behaviour.
seat (n) \sit\ Youll be able to choose your seat if you book early.
aisle seat \"aIl sit\ I feel less claustrophobic sitting in an aisle seat.
middle seat \"mIdl sit\ Sitting in a middle seat makes me feel very claustrophobic.
window seat \"wIndU sit\ You get a good view if you sit in the window seat.
stretch (v) \stretS\ Its a good idea to get up during the flight and stretch your legs.
stretch your legs
assembly plant (n) \"semblI plAnt\ An assembly plant is the part of a factory where workers build machinery or
equipment.
backup (n) \"bkp\ Working as an SPC professional involved providing backup to salesmen
provide backup throughout the company.
bid (n) \bId\ We made a million-dollar bid to buy the company out.
make a bid
blue-chip company (n) \"blutSIp kmpnI\ A blue-chip company is very successful and makes a lot of money.
business background (n) \bIzns "bkgraUnd\ Five years working for a multinational have given me a solid business background.
business venture (n) \bIzns "ventS\ The new industrial estate will provide space for approximately 15 business
ventures.
chart (n) \tSAt\ Part of Saras job was to produce reports and charts illustrating sales figures.
commercially aware \k"mSlI we\ His experience at several blue-chip companies means he is extremely commercially
aware.
communication (n) \kmjunI"keISn\ A good manager needs to have excellent communication skills.
communication skills (n pl)
company (n) \"kmpnI\ Workers who reveal company secrets will be sacked.
company secret (n)
conference (n) \"knfrns\ A large part of my job involves organising meetings and conferences.
organise a conference
customer relations (n) \kstm rI"leISnz\ A job in customer relations involves dealing directly with clients and responding to
complaints and queries.
CV (n) (BrE) \si"vi\ If you are interested in applying for the post, please send in a CV with covering
(AmE = rsum) letter.
decrease (v) \di"kris\ The number of orders began to decrease and the factory was finally forced to
(opposite = increase) close.
employee (n) \Im"plOIi; emplOI"i\ The bank has over 600 employees working in ten different countries.
employer (n) \Im"plOI\ Skytronics, Nicola Williamss former employer, refused to be interviewed about the
incident.
employment (n) \Im"plOImnt\ The firm decided to terminate her employment for using a mobile phone in work
terminate sbs hours.
employment
fire (v) \"faI\ She was fired for using her mobile phone during work hours.
fire sb for doing sth
hire (v) \"hai\ We had to hire temporary workers to cope with the increased workload.
incentive (n) \In"sentIv\ Money and security are the incentives in most peoples work.
industrial action (n) \IndstrIl "kSn\ Industrial action is an expression that means the same as to go on strike.
industrial estate (n) \IndstrIl I"steIt\ The company has its premises on an industrial estate on the outskirts of the town.
interpersonal skills (n pl) \Intpsnl "skIlz\ A good manager should have excellent interpersonal skills.
issue (v) \"ISu; "Isju\ The company later issued a statement supporting the action of their manager.
issue a statement
job insecurity (n) \dZb InsIkjUrtI\ Feelings of job insecurity are much more common now than 30 years ago.
(opposite = job security)
labour laws (n pl) \"leIb lOz\ Flexible labour laws help to reduce the unemployment rate.
lay sb off (phr v) \leI smbdI "f\ As the number of orders decreased we had to start laying workers off.
leadership (n) \"lidSIp\ Were looking for someone with excellent leadership qualities to manage our sales
leadership qualities (n pl) team.
logistical (adj) \l"dZIstIkl\ The logistical planning of a department means the way in which it is organised
logistical planning on a day-to-day basis.
the long-term unemployed \D lNtm The new reforms would mean that the long-term unemployed should take any job
(n pl) nIm"plOId\ they are offered.
make up for (phr v) \meIk "p fO\ Firms started recruiting temporary workers in an attempt to make up for the lack
of skilled workers.
managerial (adj) \mn"dZIrIl\ We are looking for someone with previous managerial experience.
managerial experience
objective (n) \b"dZektIv\ We need to find ways of making it easier for team members to meet their
meet an objective objectives.
organisational skills (n pl) \OgnaI"zeISnl skIlz\ The day-to-day running of the department helped to develop my organisational
skills.
plant (n) \plAnt\ Ford has several plants all over Europe.
productivity (n) \prdk"tIvtI\ Feelings of job insecurity often lead to lower productivity.
pursuit of excellence (n) \psjut v "ekslns\ The pursuit of excellence is a formal phrase meaning doing things as well as
possible.
recession (n) \rI"seSn\ Many people lost their jobs during the recession.
(opposite = boom)
result (n) \rI"zlt\ The financial rewards are great for all those who achieve results.
achieve a result
rsum (n) (AmE) \"rezjumeI\ To apply for the post, please send rsum with cover letter.
(BrE = CV)
rise (v) \raIz\ Unemployment is rising and more and more workers are being laid off.
(opposite = fall)
sack (v) (BrE) \sk\ Nicola Williams was sacked for using a mobile phone during work hours.
sack sb for doing sth
sacking (n) \"skIN\ Do you think the sacking of Nicola Williams was justified?
salary (n) \"slrI\ Salaries at management level are often negotiated individually.
sales manager (n) \"seIlz mnIdZ\ Multinational manufacturer seeking International Sales Manager to call on Europe
and Latin America.
sales team (n) \"seIlz tim\ As an SPC professional, my job was to offer support to our sales team.
sector (n) \"sekt\ We offer support to salesmen from different sectors of the company.
shortage (n) \"SOtIdZ\ According to the survey, almost two-thirds of companies are experiencing a
(opposite = excess) shortage of skilled workers.
skilled worker (n) \skIld "wOk\ The electronics industry has been particularly affected by the shortage of skilled
(opposite = unskilled workers.
worker)
staffing needs (n pl) \"stAfIN nidz\ Providing training for our existing workforce is not enough to cover our staffing
needs.
statement (n) \"steItmnt\ The company issued a statement defending the action of their manager.
issue a statement \ISu; Isju
"steItmnt\
strike (n) \straIk\ Workers have threatened to go on strike in reaction to the governments decision
go on strike \gU n "straIk\ to cut unemployment benefits.
supervisor (n) \"supvaIz\ Nicola Williams had already received a warning from her supervisor.
team spirit (n) \tim "spIrIt\ A strong team spirit helps to motivate workers.
temporary staff (n) \"temprrI stAf\ A lot of firms have increased their use of temporary staff due to the shortage of
skilled workers.
terminate (v) \"tmIneIt\ I called Ms Williams into my office and told her I had decided to terminate her
terminate sbs employment.
employment
unemployment rate (n) \nIm"plOImnt reIt\ Our current unemployment rate of 11.3% is the highest in the European Union.
work hours (n pl) \"wk aUz\ Using mobile phones during work hours is against company rules.
workers rights (n pl) \wkz "raIts\ Unions say that the reforms are a direct attack on workers rights.
workforce (n) \"wkfOs\ One solution to the problem would be to provide training for your existing
workforce.
administration (n) \dmInI"streISn\ A well-organised manager should be able to devote more time to customer service
than administration.
analyse (v) \"nlaIz\ The first step in time management is to analyse how you are using your time now.
approach (n) \"prUtS\ Analysing how you use your time requires a methodical approach.
a methodical approach
assign (v) \"saIn\ Its important to learn to assign tasks to other people.
assign tasks
block of time (n) \blk v "taIm\ Try to organise your work so that you have large blocks of time for top priority
tasks.
the bottom line (n) \D btm "laIn\ The bottom line is that the work must be finished on time.
carry on (phr v) \krI "n\ At AOL they took away all the clocks at the UK headquarters and told everybody
to carry on working as usual.
caught (adj) \kOt\ A lot of employees are afraid of wasting time because they think they might get
get caught caught.
clock off (phr v) \klk "f\ As part of the experiment, workers were allowed to clock off as soon as theyd
finished their work.
customer service (n) \kstm "svIs\ An effective manager spends a lot of time dealing with customer service issues.
deadline (n) \"dedlaIn\ Too much pressure at work means things can go wrong so try to set realistic
set a deadline deadlines.
delegate (v) \"delgeIt\ Never do work yourself that you can delegate to other people.
delicate balance (n) \delIkt "blns\ There is a delicate balance between not doing any work and doing too much.
drop off (phr v) \drp "f\ Productivity tends to drop off after lunch.
efficiently (adv) \I"fISntlI\ Time management is all about using techniques which help you use your time
more efficiently.
forward planning (n) \fOwd "plnIN\ Leave plenty of time for top priority tasks like forward planning.
invest (v) \In"vest\ A lot of time and money has been invested in the project.
invest time/money
lead to (phr v) \"lid tu\ One manager commented: An office without clocks leads to chaos.
mess (n) \mes\ I know my desk is in a mess but I know where everything is.
be in a mess
misuse (v) \mIs"juz\ Do not misuse the company PC to surf the Internet.
organise (v) \"OgnaIz\ The third step in effective time management is to organise your time and your
tasks.
pressure of time (n) \preS v "taIm\ The idea of the experiment was to see how pressure of time can lead to stress.
problem analysis (n) \prblm "nlsIs\ Leave plenty of time for top priority tasks like problem analysis.
prioritise (v) \praI"rItaIz\ The second step in effective time management is to prioritise tasks by putting
them in order of importance.
productive (adj) \pr"dktIv\ Most workers are most productive before lunch.
(opposite =
unproductive)
top priority (adj) \tp praI"rtI\ Leave plenty of time for top priority tasks.
put in (phr v) \pUt "In\ British workers put in the longest hours in Europe but are less productive than the
put in time/hours French and the Germans.
record (v) \rI"kOd\ Record what you do in each period of the day.
research (n) \rI"stS\ A good Internet connection is essential if your job involves a lot of research.
resource (n) \rI"zOs\ Time is like money, people and equipment its a limited resource.
limited resource (n)
routine (n) \ru"tin\ Do you agree that a fixed routine is better for productivity?
fixed routine (n)
sales (n) \seIlz\ Have you finished the sales predictions for next month yet?
sales prediction (n)
save (v) \seIv\ If you prepare things well, you can save a lot of time.
save time
(opposite = waste time)
save money Companies can save money by reducing the number of people working in their
(opposite = waste offices.
money)
supplier (n) \s"plaI\ The suppliers have promised to deliver the goods next Tuesday.
surf (v) \sf\ I only search the Internet for specific information. I dont have time to surf the
surf the web web.
task (n) \tAsk\ A lot of day-to-day tasks can be assigned to other people.
assign tasks
technique (n) \tek"nik\ There are certain techniques you can learn to help you with effective time
management.
time limit (n) \"taIm lImIt\ Meetings can last forever if you dont have a time limit.
time management (n) \taIm "mnIdZmnt\ Time management is about making the best possible use of time.
time of day \taIm v "deI\ What time of day are you at your most productive?
unproductive (adj) \npr"dktIv\ According to the Pareto Principle, most work time is unproductive.
(opposite = productive)
waste (v) \weIst\ A lot of employees waste time playing games on the Internet.
waste time
(opposite = save time)
waste money The company wasted a lot of money buying equipment that wasnt suitable for
(opposite = save money) the job.
web search (n) \"web stS\ Managers are watching for employees who waste time by doing web searches for
MP3s and games.
workflow (n) \"wkflU\ The idea of the experiment was to see how an environment without clocks would
affect productivity and workflow.
working day (n) \wkIN "deI\ The human biological clock doesnt necessarily correspond to the standard 8-hour
working day.
working hours (n pl) \wkIN "aUz\ Working hours in the UK are usually 9am5pm.
answer phone (n) \"Ans fUn\ Leaving the answer phone on for a couple of hours creates a bad impression.
appreciate (v) \"priSieIt\ Id appreciate it if you could look into the possibility of my having an upgrade to
Id appreciate it if business class.
authorised (adj) \"OTraIzd\ Im afraid Im not authorised to offer you a discount on your room.
be authorised to do sth
business (n) \"bIzns\ I was wondering if there was any chance of an upgrade to business class.
business class (n)
choice (n) \tSOIs\ If you do it, Ill see it as a personal favour. I see, I dont really have much
not have much choice choice, do I?
discount (n) \"dIskaUnt\ Im not authorised to offer you a discount on your room.
offer a discount
face on to (phr v) \"feIs n tu\ My room faces on to the road and its far too noisy.
favour (n) \"feIv\ I wonder if I could ask you a favour? It depends what it is.
ask sb a favour
get sth back (phr v) \get smTIN "bk\ Could I borrow your dictionary? Yes, as long as I get it back before the end of
the afternoon.
give sth back (phr v) \gIv smTIN "bk\ Could you lend me your pen? Ill give it back later.
impression (n) \Im"preSn\ Leaving the answer phone on for long periods creates a bad impression.
create a bad impression (n)
inconvenient (adj) \Inkn"vinInt\ I realise this is inconvenient but I need your help.
(opposite = convenient)
keen (adj) \kin\ My cars being repaired and I wondered if youd lend me yours. Well, actually,
(not) be keen on sth Im not very keen on the idea.
lift (n) \lIft\ Could you give me a lift? I need to be at the airport at five.
give sb a lift
ready (adj) \"redI\ Could you post the letter for me? All right, as long as you have it ready by five
have sth ready oclock.
renewal (n) \rI"njul\ If you do it, Ill see it as a personal favour, and remember your contracts up for
be up for renewal renewal next month.
time (n) \taIm\ I cant work from 2.00 to 4.00 its not my hours. I know, but you can take the
take the time time later on.
trouble (n) \"trbl\ Im sorry to put you to any trouble but Id really like an upgrade to business class.
put sb to any trouble
worry (v) \"wrI\ I dont feel happy about other people using my car. Oh, all right. Not to
Not to worry. worry.
company policy (n) \kmpnI "plsI\ What do you think of the company policy on coffee breaks?
company strategy (n) \kmpnI "strtdZI\ Gossip is often the only way of finding out about company strategy.
consultant (n) \kn"sltnt\ Somebody overheard one of the bosses talking to a management consultant
about restructuring.
damaging (adj) \"dmIdZIN\ Gossip can be very damaging to relations among work colleagues.
be damaging to
efficiency (n) \I"fISnsI\ As part of the drive for efficiency many companies have removed the opportunity
drive for efficiency to socialise at work.
work environment (n) \"wk InvaIrmnt\ A friendly work environment makes employees happy.
gossip (n) \"gsIp\ Public employees who spread gossip about their colleagues will face the sack.
spread gossip
gossip (v) \"gsIp\ Municipal employees in the city of Cascavel have been banned from gossiping
during working hours.
head (n) \hed\ Im the new head of the eastern sales team. Congratulations!
head of
human resources (n) \hjumn ri"zOsIz\ Many opportunities to socialise have disappeared and this is all part of the
revolution in human resources.
individual (adj) \IndI"vIdZUl\ The employees future depends on their individual performance and attitude.
individual performance
/attitude
insight (n) \"InsaIt\ Some of my biggest insights into problems at work have occurred while chatting
insight into by the coffee machine.
involve (v) \In"vlv\ How many people does the restructuring involve?
let people go \let pipl "gU\ One of the management consultants said we were overstaffed and that wed have
to let some people go.
the management (n) \D "mnIdZmnt\ Where I work, the management refuses to talk to most of the staff.
office politics (n) \fIs "pltIks\ Gossip is the only way to learn about office politics.
overstaffed (adj) \Uv"stAft\ The management consultant said that the firm was overstaffed in some areas and
that we would have to let people go.
place of work (n) \pleIs v "wk\ In my place of work, gossip is the only way of finding out anything about
company strategy.
production figures (n pl) \prdkSn "fIgz\ Have you finished last months production figures yet?
rumours (n pl) \"rumz\ Employees have been banned from spreading rumours about their colleagues.
spread rumours
sack (n) \sk\ Employees spreading rumours about their colleagues will face the sack.
face the sack
salary (n) \"slrI\ As head of the eastern sales team, hes on a salary of 60,000.
be on a salary of
20,000/$80,000
access (v) \"kses\ In future the consumer will be able to access the network from anywhere from
access the network home, the car or even from a pair of glasses.
advertising (n) \"dvtaIzIN\ As far as the teenage Internet market is concerned, you can make money from
advertising but not much from direct sales.
audience (n) \"OdIns\ In order to sell successfully to teenagers on the Internet, you need to clearly define
your audience.
catalogue shopping (n) \"ktlg SpIN\ Catalogue shopping works on the principle that consumers want convenience
more than the best price.
comparison shop (v) \km"prIsn Sp\ The Internet enables consumers to comparison shop without too much effort.
consumer (n) \kn"sjum\ Consumers want things to be simple, easy and fast and the Internet can provide all
of this.
teenage consumers (n pl) \tineIdZ kn"sjumz\ In your opinion, is it ethical to target teenage consumers as a market?
direct sales (n) \daIrekt "seIlz\ Providing teenagers with their own swipe card would enable websites to make
more money from direct sales.
e-commerce (n) \i"kms\ E-commerce is the activity of buying and selling goods on the Internet.
economic boom (n) \iknmIk; Do you think there will be an economic boom in the next five years?
eknmIk "bum\
Internet marketing (n) \"Intnet mAkItIN\ What are the problems associated with teenagers and Internet marketing?
market (n) \"mAkIt\ Market studies have shown that retired people spend a lot of time surfing the
market studies (n pl) Internet.
network (n) \"netwk\ Consumers will be able to access the network from almost anywhere.
access the network
online (adj) \"nlaIn\ Artificial intelligence will provide a virtual shop assistant for every online shopper.
option (n) \"pSn\ The advantage of shopping online is that the network can assemble a range of
a range of options options from a variety of stores.
site (n) \saIt\ Persuading teenagers to buy directly from your site could be a problem.
spending power (n) \"spendIN paU\ One of the problems in marketing to teenagers is that their spending power is
often limited because they dont have jobs.
swipe card (n) \"swaIp kAd\ The swipe card would enable teenagers to buy suitable products online.
target (v) \"tAgIt\ A lot of teenage sites are trying to target an audience thats too wide.
turnover (n) \"tnUv\ A high turnover is important but making good profits is another.
virtual (adj) \"vtSUl\ A virtual shop assistant will be at the service of every online shopper.
virtually shop (v) \vtSUlI "Sp\ Do you enjoy being able to virtually shop without leaving home?
voice recognition (n) \"vOIs rekgnISn\ Voice recognition may make the keyboard obsolete.
business (n) \"bIzns\ If I had more time to think, Id come up with a really great business idea.
business idea (n)
city centre (n) \sItI "sent\ If our employees worked from home, we wouldnt need to pay expensive city
city centre offices/rents centre rents.
close down (phr v) \klUz "daUn\ Wed be able to close down office buildings if more of our employees worked
from home.
come up with (phr v) \km "p wID\ I usually come up with my best business ideas when Im relaxing at home.
commuting (n) \k"mjutIN\ One of the things I hate most about going out to work is the daily commuting.
cut (n) \kt\ Id accept a cut in pay if I could return to work in the UK.
a cut in pay/salary etc
(opposite = increase)
demonstrate (v) \"demnstreIt\ The company could certainly demonstrate the effectiveness of its
telecommunications equipment by allowing its employees to work from home!
financially (adv) \faI"nnSlI\ Working from home, you miss out financially on perks like subsidised meals.
flexibility (n) \fleks"bIltI\ The thing I like most about working from home is the flexibility.
(opposite = inflexibility)
get things/more done \"get TINz\mO "dn\ Home workers get more done in a shorter time because there are fewer
interruptions.
get down to (phr v) \get "daUn tu\ You have to be very self-disciplined when you work from home. It can be difficult
get down to work to get down to work.
home worker (n) \"hUm wk\ Home workers have more freedom and flexibility than people who work in an
office.
investment (n) \In"vestmnt\ If more employees worked from home, we could reduce our investment in new
investment in offices.
leisure time (n) \"leZ taIm\ One of the dangers of working at home is that theres no dividing line between
(opposite = work time) work time and leisure time.
miss out on (phr v) \mIs "aUt n\ Home workers miss out on things like office gossip and financial perks.
office buildings (n pl) \"fIs bIldINz\ City centre office buildings are expensive to rent.
office hours (n pl) \"fIs aUz\ Some people prefer the discipline of working within office hours while other
people prefer the flexibility of working from home.
pay rise (n) \"peI raIz\ The unions are currently negotiating for a pay rise.
perk (n) \pk\ Perks are things such as subsidised meals, not included in your salary.
productivity (n) \prdk"tIvtI\ For a lot of workers, their level of productivity improves when they work from
level of productivity home.
promotion (n) \pr"mUSn\ If I accept the promotion it will mean a lot more travelling and time away from
(opposite = demotion) home.
proposal (n) \pr"pUzl\ What do you think of the companys proposal for home working?
quality of life (n) \kwltI v "laIf\ Do you think working from home would mean an improvement in your quality of
life?
save on (phr v) \"seIv n\ Companies could save on city centre rents by persuading their employees to work
from home.
self-disciplined (adj) \self"dIsplInd\ You have to be self-disciplined to work from home it can be difficult to get
down to work.
subsidised (adj) \"sbsIdaIzd\ Working in an office, you get perks such as subsidised refreshments or travel.
talks (n pl) \tOks\ The company is having talks with the unions about persuading employees to work
have talks with from home.
technical problem (n) \"teknIkl prblm\ Technical problems can be difficult to solve if youre working from home.
telecommunications (n) \telIkmjunI"keISnz\ Employees can work productively from home thanks to the effectiveness of our
telecommunications telecommunications equipment.
company/equipment
teleworking (n) \"teliwkIN\ Teleworking is a phrase that means working from home using a computer and
other equipment.
travel (n) \"trvl\ Working from home preserves the environment by reducing home to office travel.
home to office travel
union (n) \"junjn\ A union is an organisation that represents workers and tries to improve pay and
conditions.
wind down (phr v) \waInd "daUn\ In the evening I like to wind down by listening to music.
work (v) \wk\ What are the advantages and disadvantages of working from home?
work from/at home
board (n) \bOd\ The Managing Director or CEO is the person on the board who is responsible for
on the board the day to day running of the company.
business (n) \"bIzns\ How did it go with Mr Tanaka? Everything went OK until we got down to
get down to business business.
competing (adj) \km"pitIN\ The Japanese dont like it if you criticise competing products.
competing
companies/products
credibility (n) \kred"bIltI\ If you are not completely honest about your product, your credibility will be
damaged.
hard sell (n) \hAd "sel\ The hard sell, using aggressive sales techniques, is often considered offensive in
Japan.
influence (n) \"Influns\ You will lose influence if you are not completely honest about your product.
lose influence
job title (n) \"dZb taItl\ Whats your job title, Neil? Im Product Development Director.
long-term (adj) \lNtm\ The CEO is in charge of long-term strategy and planning.
(opposite = short-term)
low-key (adj) \lU"ki\ In Japan, a low-key approach is preferable to the hard sell.
managing director (n) (BrE) \mnIdZIN daI"rekt\ The managing director is responsible for the day to day running of the company.
(AmE = CEO)
made with/from \"meId wID\frm\ Unagi is a dish made with eels and rice.
product (n) \"prdkt\ Be honest about your products otherwise youll lose your credibility.
report to (phr v) \rI"pOt tu\ As Product Development Director, Neil reports directly to Jeff Segram, the
Managing Director.
responsible (adj) \rI"spnsbl\ Sisi Albright, Director of Marketing, is responsible for marketing policy and the
be responsible for worldwide sales force.
sales pitch (n) \"seIlz pItS\ It is better to use a low-key sales pitch in Japan rather than the hard sell.
served with \"svd wID\ The steak is served with vegetables and potatoes.
set up a business \set p "bIzns\ Good financial advice is important when setting up a business.
competitive advantage (n) \kmpettIv A competitive advantage is the way in which your products are better than
d"vAntIdZ\ other peoples.
costs (n pl) \ksts\ Increasing labour costs have reduced our profit margins.
deliver (v) \dI"lIv\ We guarantee to deliver goods within three days of receiving your order.
direct mail campaign (n) \daIrekt "meIl A direct mail campaign involves sending advertisements to peoples homes by post.
kmpeIn\
dot.com (n) \dt"km\ Dot.coms are companies that trade using the Internet.
download (v) \daUn"lUd\ You can download lots of useful information from their website.
download sth from sth
employ (v) \Im"plOI\ The company employs over 6,000 people worldwide.
expansion (n) \Ik"spnSn\ The pet market has great potential for expansion.
experience (n) \Ik"spIrIns\ Do you have previous experience of working in customer relations?
have (previous) experience
(of)
finance (v) \faI"nns\ They need between 2 and 3 million to finance marketing.
industry (n) \"IndstrI\ Moonpig has revolutionised the greetings card industry.
investment (n) \In"vestmnt\ We need around $2 million of investment to expand the business.
investor (n) \In"vest\ You need to have good ideas in order to convince your investors.
management team (n) \"mnIdZmnt tim\ We have a committed and experienced management team.
margin (n) \"mAdZIn\ They make a profit of 1.20 on each card sold a margin of 60%.
marketing (n) \"makItIN\ How much money would you need to finance marketing?
pioneering (adj) \paI"nIrIN\ Pioneering companies are not afraid to risk doing something new.
pitch (n) \pItS\ A pitch is a description of your company its achievements, aims etc.
potential market \p"tenSl mAkIt\ Your potential market means all the people you can sell to.
production (n) \pr"dkSn\ We have increased production as the market has grown.
profit (n) \"prfIt\ Our investors are happy because we are making a profit.
make a profit
(opposite = make a loss)
profitable (adj) \"prfItbl\ CEO, Nick Jenkins, says the company should be profitable within six months.
(opposite = non-profitable)
run (v) \rn\ Giovanni Bianchi runs a company in Milan, owned by his family.
run a company/a business
running costs (n pl) \"rnIN ksts\ A lot of Internet companies have fairly low running costs.
set up (phr v) \set "p\ We decided to set up a website in order to sell our products online.
set up a business/a
company/a website
staff (n) \staf\ We hire a lot of our staff through recruiting agencies.
hire staff
start-up (n) \"stAtp\ A lot of dot.com start-ups go bankrupt within their first six months.
stock (n) \stk\ All the goods that a shop or business has for sale are called stock.
sustain (v) \s"steIn\ Once you have a competitive advantage, its important to be able to sustain it.
venture capitalist (n) \"ventS kpItlIst\ Venture capitalists are companies who put money into new businesses.
website (n) \"websaIt\ We sell a lot of products online via our website.
Board of Directors (n) \bOd v d"rektz\ The Board of Directors is the group of senior managers who run a company.
CEO (n) (AmE) \sii"U\ The CEO of a company is the person in charge of it.
(BrE = Managing Director)
exercise (n) \"ekssaIz\ Professor Axt believes that moderate exercise is better than strenuous activity.
experience (n) \Ik"spIrIns\ Most companies are more interested in experience than qualifications.
field (n) \fild\ What is the female to male ratio in your field?
marketing (n) \"mAkItIN\ One of the things I enjoy most about my job is developing new marketing
marketing strategy (n) strategies.
multinational (n) \mltI"nSnl\ A multinational is a company that has offices in different countries.
position (n) \p"zISn\ He has a responsible position working as Marketing Director for a multinational.
qualifications (n pl) \kwlIfI"keISnz\ Qualifications are often less important than experience.
ratio (n) \"reISIU\ The ratio of men to women is roughly 60% male, 40% female.
responsibilities (n pl) \rIspns"bIltIz\ My responsibilities include managing our website and liasing with international
offices.
senior manager (n) \sinI "mnIdZ\ Only 12.5% of senior managers in the Fortune 500 are women.
strenuous activity (n) \"strenjus ktIvItI\ Professor Axt recommends avoiding strenuous activity like aerobics or working out
at the gym.
stress (n) \stres\ Do you think that exercise is a good solution for stress?
top earner (n) \tp "n\ Many of the UKs top earners are sports stars.
work experience (n) \"wk IkspIrins\ Its a good idea to get work experience while youre a student.
return a call \rItn "kOl\ I hate it when people dont return my calls.
transfer a call \trnsf "kOl\ Youve got the wrong extension; Im going to transfer your call.
company image (n) \kmpnI "ImIdZ\ The company image we wish to project is one of friendliness, efficiency and
professionalism.
the competition (n) \D kmp"tISn\ Failure to answer a telephone call promptly could result in losing business to the
competition.
contact (n) \"kntkt\ Ill ask Mr Davis to get in contact with you as soon as hes back.
get in contact (with sb)
cut off (phr v) \kt "f\ I hate it when I get cut off in the middle of a call.
get cut off
engaged (adj) (BrE) \In"geIdZd\ Sorry, the lines engaged. Will you hold?
(AmE = busy)
factor (n) \"fkt\ The quality of a firms response to phone calls is a major factor in the type of
major factor company image it projects.
function (n) \"fNkSn\ Do you know how to use all your phones functions?
go over (phr v) \gU "Uv\ I didnt hear that. Could you go over it again?
hold \hUld\ Would you like to ring back or should I put you on hold?
on hold
meeting room (n) \"mitIN rum\ Ive asked my secretary to book the meeting room.
message \"mesIdZ\
leave a message \liv "mesIdZ\ Could I leave a message for Mr Wilson, please?
take a message \teIk "mesIdZ\ Mr Wilsons not here. Can I take a message?
mobile (phone) (n) (BrE) \"mUbaIl fUn\ If Im not in the office, call me on my mobile.
(AmE = cell (phone))
personnel (n) \ps"nel\ Its important for personnel to be trained in telephone skills.
product performance (n) \"prdkt pfOmns\ Poor service and poor product performance can both lead to loss of business.
professionalism (n) \pr"feSnlIzm\ Efficient handling of phone calls helps to create an image of professionalism.
put sb through (phr v) \pUt smbdI "Tru\ Just one moment. Im just putting you through.
revenue (n) \"revnju\ Bad telephone behaviour can result in millions of dollars in lost revenue.
sales enquiry (n) \"seIlz InkwaIrI\ 90% of all sales enquiries begin on the telephone.
switchboard (n) \"swItSbOd\ The switchboard has been busy all morning weve had hundreds of calls!
terminal (n) \"tmInl\ Which terminal does the flight arrive at?
voicemail system (n) \"vOIsmeIl "sIstm\ Customers dont like getting put through to a voicemail system.
be based \bI "beIst\ Where is your company based? Our offices are in Berlin.
a bore (n) \ "bO\ He always talks about himself hes a bit of a bore.
bump into sb (phr v) \bmp "Intu smbdI\ Do you know Jan Novacki? Yes, Ive bumped into him a couple of times at
conferences.
line of business \laIn v "bIzns\ What line of business are you in? Im a sales manager for a clothing firm.
conference (n) \"knfrns\ This year, our annual sales conference is taking place in Madrid.
sales conference
contact (n) \kntkt\ Do you still have contact with Jan in your work?
have contact with sb
be a good laugh \bi gUd "lAf\ I like Cathy shes a really good laugh.
gossip (n) \"gsIp\ Conferences provide a good opportunity for catching up on the latest gossip.
the latest gossip
networking (n) \"netwkIN\ Networking is the activity of talking to people in order to exchange information
and ideas.
public relations (n) \pblIk rI"leISnz\ A Public Relations Manager is responsible for developing a good relationship
between a company and its customers.
store (n) (AmE) \stO\ We have 50 clothing stores throughout the country.
(BrE = shop/outlet)
begin \bI"gIn\ In 1969 the Advanced Research Projects Agency began work on a system to
begin work on sth connect computers.
best-selling (adj) \best"selIN\ GameBoy is the worlds best-selling video game system.
breakthrough (adj) \"breIkTru\ Pokemon was a breakthrough game concept for GameBoy.
browser (n) \"braUz\ A browser is a computer program that allows you to search for information on the
Internet.
celebrate (v) \sel"breIt\ In 1995 the company celebrated the sale of the one billionth game pack.
complaint (n) \km"pleInt\ The customer service department deals with client complaints.
deal with a complaint
concept (n) \"knsept\ Pokemon was an entirely new concept in video games.
connect (v) \k"nekt\ Kleinrock connected the first two computers in 1969.
corporate headquarters (n) \kOprt In 1970 Nintendo decided to enlarge its corporate headquarters.
hed"kwOtz\
course (n) \kOs\ We encourage staff to go on courses in order to develop their skills.
go on a course
crash (v) \krS\ Its important to save your work in case the computer crashes.
deal (n) \dil\ Weve just negotiated an important deal with a Japanese firm.
negotiate a deal
deal with (phr v) \"dil wID\ Customer Services deal with client complaints.
deal with a
problem/complaint
develop (v) \dI"velp\ The original video game system was developed in 1975.
discussion group (n) \dI"skSn grup\ Internet discussion groups exist for users to exchange their views on various
subjects.
enlarge (v) \In"lAdZ\ When we increased production we had to enlarge our existing warehouses.
(opposite = scale down)
expand (v) \Ik"spnd\ The franchise was so successful, we decided to expand it.
franchise (n) \"frntSaIz\ The franchise allowed Nintendo to use the Pokemon characters.
hand-held (adj) \"hndheld\ GameBoy is a hand-held portable game system you can use anywhere.
hardware (n) \"hAdwe\ The company manufactures both hardware and software for the game systems.
interchangeable (adj) \Int"tSeIndZbl\ One of the great advantages of GameBoy is the interchangeable game packs.
the Internet (n) \Di "Intnet\ The first message was sent on the Internet in 1969.
Internet browser (n) \Intnet "braUz\ Internet browsers allow you to search for information.
interview (n) \"Intvju\ When was the last time you had a job interview?
have an interview
launch (n) \lOntS\ The US launch of Game Cube smashed previous sales records.
link (v) \lINk\ In January ARPANET linked computers in four different American universities.
market (n) \"mAkIt\ GameBoy Advanced hit the market in 2001 with record sales.
hit the market
market (v) \"mAkIt\ We market all our own hardware and software.
microprocessor (n) \maIkrU"prUses\ The microprocessor was first used in a video game system in 1976.
negotiate (v) \nI"gUSIeIt\ We want to recruit someone with the necessary skills for negotiating difficult
negotiate a deal deals.
network (n) \"netwk\ The World Wide Web is a network connecting millions of computers throughout
the world.
pack (n) \pk\ The sale of the one billionth game pack was celebrated in 1995.
portable (adj) \"pOtbl\ Its a portable game system you can play anywhere.
reconstruct (v) \rikn"strkt\ The old site had to be reconstructed for development.
release (v) \rI"lis\ The new version of the system will be released next month.
release a product/system
sale (n) \seIl\ The company celebrated the sale of the billionth game pack.
the sale of
sales record (n) \"seIlz rekOd\ The launch of Game Cube smashed all previous sales records.
smash (v) \smS\ Game Cube smashed all previous US sales records.
smash a record
software (n) \"sftwe\ The programs and games used on computers and game systems are called
software.
system (n) \"sIstm\ GameBoy is the worlds most popular video game system.
user (n) \"juz\ Computer users from all over the world have joined USENET newsgroups.
video game (n) \"vIdIUgeIm\ The company manufactures the worlds most popular video game systems.
video game system
worldwide (adj) \wld"waId\ Theyre the worldwide leader in the manufacture of computer operating systems.
worldwide
corporation/leader
book (v) \bUk\ We book most of our flight tickets on the Internet.
business \"bIzns\ Many bosses said they would not do business with companies whose
do business with correspondence had mistakes in it.
certificate (n) \s"tIfIkt\ Could you fax me a copy of the certificate for customs?
communicate (v) \k"mjunIkeIt\ A lot of people see e-mail as an informal way of communicating.
confidential (adj) \knfI"denSl\ E-mail isnt as confidential a method of communicating as many people think.
convenient (adj) \kn"vinInt\ Internal mail is a convenient way of sending things to people who work in the
(opposite = inconvenient) same organisation as you.
correspondence (n) \kri"spndns\ Grammar and spelling mistakes in business correspondence can lose your firm
business correspondence valuable business.
customs (n) \"kstmz\ Customs require a copy of the certificate before the goods can be sent.
delivery (n) \dI"lIvrI\ Theres been a mistake in the delivery date we need the order to arrive
delivery date (n) by June 22nd.
details (n pl) \"diteIlz\ Ill send you details of the order by e-mail.
take down (the) details \teIk daUn D Just a minute, Ill get a pen and take down the details.
"diteIlz\
down (adj, adv) \daUn\ We cant send any e-mails this morning the intranets down.
e-mail (n) \"imeIl\ Do you agree that e-mail is an informal way of communicating?
e-mail system \"imeIl sIstm\ Our e-mail system isnt working. Ill fax the details to you instead.
look at your e-mail \lUk t jO "imeIl\ Ive been so busy I havent had time to look at my e-mail.
error (n) \"er\ Errors in business correspondence can make your firm look unprofessional.
fax (v) \fks\ Some people prefer to fax documents that need a signature.
figures (n pl) \"fIgz\ If you dont understand the figures, I can explain them to you.
flight (n) \flaIt\ The flight from Heathrow Airport was delayed by three hours.
go through (phr v) \gU "Tru\ Could you go through the report and correct any errors?
handwriting (n) \"hndraItIN\ Shed made several corrections to the document but I couldnt read her
handwriting.
image (n) \ImIdZ\ Mistakes in business letters are bad for a companys image.
ink cartridge (n) \"INk kAtrIdZ\ If the printer doesnt seem to be working, try changing the ink cartridge.
internal mail (n) \Intnl "meIl\ People use internal mail to send things from one part of a company or
organisation to another.
intranet (n) \"Intrnet\ An intranet is a computer network connecting people who work for the same
organisation.
IT (information technology) (n) \aI"ti\ \InfmeISn Our e-mail systems not working wed better call the IT technician.
tek"nldZI\
IT technician/support
look up (phr v) \lUk "p\ Whats SAGs telephone number? Ill look it up for you.
overcharge (v) \Uv"tSAdZ\ Surprisingly, many bosses thought spelling and grammar mistakes were worse than
(opposite = undercharge) overcharging.
print out (phr v) \prInt "aUt\ Could you print out three copies of the proposal, please?
production department (n) \pr"dkSn Ill speak to the production department and see if they can meet the delivery date.
dIpAtmnt\
proposal (n) \pr"pUzl\ Hes presenting the new proposal to the Board of Directors tomorrow.
take down (phr v) \teIk "daUn\ Ill take down the details of your order and ask John to contact you.
afford (v) \"fOd\ Independent operators cant afford to employ as many staff as the big hotel
chains.
air conditioning (n) \"e kndISnIN\ You should call room service and ask them to fix the air conditioning.
brand name (n) \"brnd neIm\ US clients are more used to brand name hotels such as Holiday Inn.
check in (phr v) \tSek "In\ After wed checked in at reception we were offered refreshments by the hotels
(opposite = check out) staff.
client (n) \"klaInt\ Some hotel chains have databases for recording client preferences.
client preference (n)
dry-clean (v) \draI"klin\ The hotel can arrange for you to have suits, ties, skirts etc, dry-cleaned.
early morning call (n) \lI mOnIN "kOl\ Call Room Service to arrange an early morning call.
economical (adj) \ik"nmIkl; The Chevrolet Corvette is more economical in its petrol consumption.
(opposite = uneconomical) ek"nmIkl\
exercise facilities (n pl) \"ekssaIz fsIltIz\ Most multinational hotel chains provide exercise facilities such as a swimming pool
and a gym.
fitness rooms (n pl) \"fItns rumz\ Fitness rooms are rooms equipped with facilities for doing exercise.
globalise (v) \"glUblaIz\ The hotel industry is becoming more and more globalised.
high-speed (adj) \"haIspid\ Many of our business customers want a room with high-speed Internet
connections.
hotel chain (n) \hU"tel tSeIn\ Hotel chains are more common in the US than in Europe.
Internet (n) \"Intnet\ International business travellers expect to have a room with equipment for
Internet connection (n) Internet connections.
jetlag (n) \"dZetlg\ Flying from one time zone to another often results in jetlag.
location (n) \lU"keISn\ Our hotel is in a convenient location ten minutes from the city centre.
a convenient location
long-haul flight (n) \lNhOl "flaIt\ Businessmen getting off long-haul flights often suffer from jetlag.
multinational (adj) \mltI"nSnl\ Multinational hotel chains are more common in the US than in Europe.
option (n) \"pSn\ We looked at several options for the site of the new hotel.
powerful (adj) \"paUfl\ The Maserati is more powerful than the Chevrolet Corvette.
prosper (v) \"prsp\ The agricultural industry prospers because of the good climate.
reservation (n) \rez"veISn\ Good afternoon. I have a reservation in the name of Wallace.
revenue (n) \"revnju\ Between a third and half of hotels revenue comes from food and drink.
room service (n) \"rum svIs\ Please call room service if you have any problems or requests.
surroundings (n pl) \s"raUndINz\ The hotel is located in beautiful surroundings overlooking the bay.
time zone (n) \"taIm zUn\ Britain and the United States are in different time zones.
widescreen television (n) \waIdskrin "telIvIZn\ More and more people now are buying widescreen televisions.
basis \"beIsIs\ Shes been working on a temporary basis for a firm of solicitors.
on a temporary
/permanent basis
do (v) \du\ Where did you do your Masters? At Harvard Business School.
do an exam/a
qualification
success (n) \sk"ses\ They worked hard to make a success of the business.
make a success of
(v) verb (phr v) phrasal verb (conj) conjunction (Am E) American English
(adj) adjective (n pl) plural noun sb somebody (Br E) British English
(n) noun (adv) adverb sth something
/I/ big fish /bIg fIS/ /A:/ calm start /kA:m stA:t/
/i:/ green beans /gri:n bi:nz/ / / hot spot /ht spt/
/U/ should look /SUd lUk/ /I/ ear /I(r)/
/u:/ blue moon /blu: mu:n/ /eI/ face /feIs/
/e/ ten eggs /ten egz/ /U/ pure /pjU(r)/
// about mother /baUt mD(r)/ /OI/ boy /bOI(r)/
/:/ learn words /l:n w:dz/ /U/ nose /nUz/
/O:/ short talk /SO:t tO:k/ /e/ hair /he(r)/
// fat cat /ft kt/ /aI/ eye /aI/
// must come /mst km/ /aU/ mouth /maU/
CONSONANTS
/p/ pen /pen/ /s/ snake /sneIk/
/b/ bad /bd/ /z/ noise /nOIz/
/t/ tea /ti:/ /S/ shop /Sp/
/d/ dog /dg/ /Z/ measure /meZ(r)/
/tS/ church /tS:tS/ /m/ make /meIk/
/dZ/ jazz /dZz/ /n/ nine /naIn/
/k/ cost /kst/ /N/ sing /sIN/
/g/ girl /g:l/ /h/ house /haUs/
/f/ far / fa:(r)/ /l/ leg /leg/
/v/ voice /vOIs/ /r/ red /red/
// thin /In/ /w/ wet /wet/
/D/ then /Den/ /j/ yes /jes/
accelerate (v) \k"selreIt\ Has big business accelerated the advance of the English language?
advertising (n) \"dvtaIziN\ English words and phrases are widely used in advertising.
asset (n) \"set\ Employees who speak English are an asset to their company.
be an asset to
attitude (n) \"tItjud\ How would you describe your own attitude to learning English?
sbs attitude to sb/sth
big business \bIg "bIzns\ A knowledge of English is essential for people working in big business.
business community (n) \"bIzns kmjuntI\ The French Ministry of Finance surprised the international business community by
banning words like Internet and e-mail.
business people (n pl) \"bIzns pipl\ Some business people dont speak any English.
lose business \luz "bIzns\ If you dont speak English you risk losing business.
colleague (n) \"klig\ All our Dutch colleagues speak fluent English.
communication (n) \kmjunI"keISn\ English has become the language of global communication.
global communication \"krItIsaIz\
criticise (v) \"krItIsaIz\ The French President was criticised for not defending the French language.
criticise sb for sthg
effort (n) \"eft\ Learning English is a real effort for people from non-European countries.
fashionable (adj) \"fSnbl\ English words and phrases are very fashionable in countries like Germany and the
Netherlands.
for better or worse \f bet O "ws\ For better or worse, English is the language of international communication.
foreign language (n) \frIn "lNgwIdZ\ Some people learn foreign languages more quickly than others.
improve (v) \Im"pruv\ Spending three months in Britain helped me improve my English.
investment (n) \In"vestmnt\ Having English lessons is a good investment for my future career.
meeting (n) \"mitIN\ I want to learn English so that I can take part in business meetings.
take part in a meeting
mistake \mI"steIk\ Everyone makes mistakes when they start learning a language.
make mistakes
necessity (n) \n"sestI\ Learning English is a necessity for a lot of business people.
opportunity (n) \p"tjuntI\ I took the opportunity of going to the USA to improve my English.
take the opportunity
of doing sth
overstate (v) \Uv"steIt\ Does the article English Inc. overstate the importance of learning English?
(opposite = understate)
presentation (n) \prezn"teISn\ Shes feeling nervous she has to make a presentation this afternoon.
make a presentation
product description (n) \"prdkt dIskrIpSn\ Most product descriptions are written in English.
start-up company (n) \"stAtp kmpnI\ The President was criticised for referring to start-up companies as
les start-upistes.
survey (n) \"sveI\ In a recent survey, 69% of Europeans said they thought everyone should speak
English.
technology (n) \tek"nldZI\ Modern technology has made English even more popular.
access (n) \"kses\ All our conference rooms have laptops with Internet access.
Internet access
business (n)
business card (n) \"bIzns kad\ Ill give you my business card so that you can contact me.
line of business \laIn v "bIzns\ What line of business are you in? Im in engineering.
car-rental service (n) \karentl "svIs\ Take advantage of the hotels car-rental service to explore the surrounding area.
catch up on (phr v) \ktS "p n\ Conferences are a good way of catching up on all the latest gossip.
checkout (n) \"tSekaUt\ The hotel has an express checkout enabling customers to leave at short notice.
express checkout (n)
conference (n) \"knfrns\ This year the firms annual conference will take place in Cancun.
conference facilities (n pl) \"knfrns fsIltIz\ The hotel has full conference facilities on the 27th floor.
conference organiser (n) \"knfrns OgnaIz\ Conference organisers work hard to ensure that our corporate clients have all the
facilities they need.
connection (n) \k"nekSn\ Dubai Airport has flight connections to all the major cities in the world.
flight connection (n)
convention centre (n) \kn"vensn sent\ Disneyland Pariss convention centre has 95 meeting rooms and 3,000 square
metres of exhibition space.
customer relations (n pl) \kstm rI"leISnz\ Good customer relations are vital to success in business.
demotion (n) \dI"mUSn\ Carla had a row with her boss and ended up getting a demotion.
(opposite = promotion)
executive burnout (n) \IgzekjUtIv "bnaUt\ Executive burnout is a condition caused by stress and long working hours.
exhibition (n) \eksI"bISn\ The hotel at Disneyland, Paris is ideal for corporate clients requiring large amounts
exhibition space (n) of exhibition space.
expenses (n pl) \Ik"spensz\ All meals and drinks at the conference are on expenses.
on expenses
fix (up) (v) \fIks p\ Lets fix (up) a time to chat about these ideas over a drink.
human resources (n) \hjumn rI"zOsz\ Pietro Bianco works in human resources and is responsible for training and
recruitment.
in charge \In "tSadZ\ Janes job is very important shes in charge of sales in Europe.
be in charge of
interviewing skills (n pl) \"IntvjuIN skIlz\ Pietro works in human resources and will be giving a talk on interviewing skills.
keep (sthg) going \kip "gUIN\ Its important to be able to keep the conversation going when socialising with
keep the conversation people for the first time.
going
merger (n) \"mdZ\ Mergers can be difficult and often involve job losses.
mingle (v) \"mINgl\ When you mingle at a social event, you meet and talk to a lot of people for the
first time.
negotiating skills (n pl) \nI"gUSIeItIN skIlz\ Negotiating skills and the ability to communicate well are vital in making new
business deals.
recruiting (n) \rI"krutIN\ Human resources is the division within a company responsible for the recruiting of
the recruiting of new staff.
responsible \rI"spnsbl\ Hes head of human resources and is responsible for training and recruitment.
be responsible for
room service (n) \"rum svIs\ All rooms in the hotel have 24-hour room service.
session (n) \"seSn\ Shes our human resources manager and will be doing a session on interviewing
do a session on sth skills.
stress management (n) \"stres mnIdZmnt\ Courses on stress management can help employees cope with the demands of
working long hours.
team-building (n) \"timbIldIN\ Team-building activities help people to know and understand each other better.
team-building activities
videoconferencing (n) \vIdIU"knfrnsIN\ The problem with videoconferencing is that you dont get to meet people face to
face.
accounts department (n) \"kaUnts dIpAtmnt\ Id like to speak to someone in the accounts department about an invoice I
received.
business (n)
business class \"bIzns klAs\ Whenever we travel abroad on business we always fly business class.
business trip \"bIzns trIp\ Tim is European Sales Director and often away on business trips.
make a call (to) \"meIk kOl tu\ Would you excuse me for five minutes? I need to make a call to head office.
return a call \"retn kOl\ Ill ask Mrs Wright to return your call when she gets back to the office.
take a call \"teIk kOl\ Have you ever pretended you were out of the office to avoid taking a call?
call back (phr v) \kOl "bk\ Please call me back as soon as possible.
consignment (n) \kn"saInmnt\ A consignment of goods has just arrived from Venezuela.
a consignment of
contract (n) \"kntrkt\ Good news! Weve just won a big contract in Malaysia.
deadline (n) \"dedlaIn\ The deadline for Phase One is in two weeks time so were all working hard to
finish it.
despatch (v) \dI"sptS\ The stock control manager told me the goods were despatched a week ago.
estimate (n) \"estImt\ The estimate for transportation costs is approximately $30,000.
face to face \feIs t "feIs\ Its often easier talking to people face to face rather than on the phone.
feasibility study (n) \fiz"bIltI stdI\ The feasibility study showed that the site wasnt really suitable for development.
figures (n pl) \"fIgz\ Hello. This is Cheryl in accounts. Just to say that Ive corrected those figures you
faxed to me.
get back to sb \get "bk t\ Ill get back to you with the necessary information as soon as possible.
handout (n) \"hndaUt\ Giving your audience too many handouts can distract them from what youre
saying.
head (n)
head of (marketing \"hed v\ Jonathan Powell has just been promoted to head of marketing.
/sales etc)
head office (n) \hed "fIs\ Head office is in Beijing but the bank has branches throughout South East Asia.
invoice (n) \"InvOIs\ Id like to speak to someone in accounts about an unpaid invoice.
lose track of \luz "trk v\ Have you ever lost track of the conversation when speaking to someone on the
(opposite = keep track of) phone?
order (n) \"Od\ Theyve just placed an order for new machinery worth over 350,000.
place an order
packing department (n) \"pkIN dIpAtmnt\ The packing department is the place where goods are packed before being
despatched.
presentation (n) \prezn"teISn\ Giving a presentation to 500 people requires a lot of planning.
give a presentation
processing plant (n) \"prUsesIN plAnt\ The processing plant is where we prepare our meat prior to despatch.
put off (phr v) \pUt "f\ I kept putting off phoning the client because my English wasnt very good.
put through (phr v) \pUt "Tru\ Id like to speak to someone in accounts. Thank you, Mr Berenger. Putting you
through now.
qualification (n) \kwlIfI"keISn\ Which do you think is most important experience or qualifications?
quality control (n) \"kwlti kntrUl\ High standards of quality control are extremely important in the food industry.
reminder (n) \rI"maInd\ Hello, Mr Carter, this is just a quick reminder to give me a call about the contract
we discussed two weeks ago.
requirement (n) \rI"kwaImnt\ Its important in business to have as much information about your clients
requirements as possible.
stock control (n) \"stk kntrUl\ Someone in stock control will be able to tell you whether or not the goods have
been despatched.
tone (n) \tUn\ Sorry I cant take your call right now; please leave a message after the tone.
after the tone
visual (n) \"vIZUl\ Visuals will help to make your presentation more attractive and easier to
understand.
voicemail message (n) \"vOIsmeIl mesIdZ\ Voicemail messages should be as clear and as brief as possible.
advertising slogan (n) \"dvtaIzIN slUgn\ An advertising slogan is a short phrase used for advertising something, for
example Budweiser: the King of Beers.
bestselling (adj) \"bestselIN\ American Budweiser is the worlds bestselling brand of beer.
brand (n) \brnd\ Clever advertising has helped make Budweiser the worlds most successful brand of
brand of beer.
brief (v) \brif\ The meeting is scheduled for next Wednesday but Janet White will brief you
before then.
briefing (n) \"brifIN\ All members of the project team are expected to attend the briefing.
business procedures (n pl) \"bIzns prsidZz\ Business procedures in Japan are different from those in Europe.
competitor (n) \km"petIt\ Budweiser sells twice as much beer as its nearest competitor, Heineken.
corporate (adj)
corporate finance \kOprt "faInns\ Daniel Cash has a very responsible job hes Vice President for corporate finance.
corporate loan (n) \kOprt "lUn\ As head of the corporate loan department, Sharon reports directly to Daniel Cash.
go over (phr v) \gU "Uv\ I didnt understand that. Could you go over it again, please?
manufacturer (n) \mnjU"fktSr\ Microsoft is the worlds leading computer hardware manufacturer.
market (v) \"mAkIt\ Czech Budweiser markets its products in over 40 countries.
mergers and acquisitions (n) \mdZz n Mergers and acquisitions specialists give advice to companies during takeover bids.
kwI"zISnz\
negotiations (n pl) \nIgUSI"eISnz\ Wed like you to lead the negotiations with Sapporo Bank, Matt.
lead (the) negotiations
output (n) \"aUtpUt\ Budweisers output is 50% greater than that of its nearest competitor, Heineken.
resources (n pl) \rI"zOsz\ Czech Budweiser has far fewer resources than American Budweiser but still
markets its product in more than 40 countries.
run through (phr v) \rn "Tru\ I dont follow. Could you run through that again?
sales (n pl) \seIlz\ We are pleased to report that sales are up by 4% on the same period last year.
sales figures \"seIlz fIgz\ The company needs a dramatic increase in sales figures if it is to survive.
schedule (v) \"Sedjul\ The meeting with Sapporo Bank is scheduled to take place in two weeks time.
slow down (phr v) \slU "daUn\ Youre speaking too quickly. People will understand more easily if you slow down.
(opposite = speed up)
take part (in) \teIk "pAt In\ I dont always find it easy to understand people when I take part in meetings in
English.
takeover (n) \"teIkUv\ More than 100 people lost their jobs as a result of the takeover.
takeover bid \"teIkUv bId\ Matt was asked to lead the negotiations during the takeover bid.
track record (n) \trk "rekOd\ The firm has an excellent track record for making products that are both reliable
and economical.
turnover (n) \"tnUv\ Which of the following has the highest global turnover: the electric light or the
personal computer?
access (n) \"kses\ All firms have access to the same technology so theyre competing with each other
have access to on how fast they can develop and manufacture products.
according to \"kOdIN tu\ According to a recent survey, US executives work 25% harder now than they did in
the 1970s.
branding (n) \"brndIN\ Branding is very important in business people pay a lot of money to have the
right name on their new DVD or Walkman.
business (n) \"bIzns\ If customers dont like our products, theyll take their business elsewhere.
take your business
somewhere else
/elsewhere
catch up (with) (phr v) \ktS "p wID\ It would be nice to have an extra hour in the day to catch up with all the jobs Ive
been too busy to do.
component (n) \km"pUnnt\ The price of computer components is coming down at the rate of 1% a week.
customer loyalty (n) \kstm "lOIltI\ Dont rely on customer loyalty if people dont like your latest products, theyll
buy from your competitors.
delegate (v) \"delgeIt\ The ability to delegate tasks to other people is essential in good time
management.
diary (n) \"daIrI\ Its a good idea to keep a diary of how long each task takes.
keep a diary
differentiate (v) \dIf"renSIeIt\ In business, its important to try to differentiate your product from the
competition.
extra (n) \"ekstr\ One thing you can beat your competitors on is little extras such as electric mirrors.
innovate (v) \"InveIt\ Being successful in the electronics business depends on how fast you can innovate.
interruption (n) \Int"rpSn\ The survey revealed that the average manager had only nine 30-minute periods
without interruption per month.
inventory (n) \"InvntrI\ Inventory means the goods or products a company has for sale in its stores or
warehouses.
lead time (n) \"lid taIm\ Product lead time is the amount of time between thinking up a new product and
starting to sell it.
major player (n) \meIdZ "pleI\ Sony is a very successful company a major player in the electronics business.
pile up (phr v) \paIl "p\ Things change so fast in the computer industry that its disastrous for companies to
have product piling up in their warehouses.
plan (v) \pln\ Its vital to plan ahead in order to manage your time successfully.
plan ahead
pressured (adj) \"preSd\ Planning ahead and delegating can help to make you feel less pressured at work.
feel pressured
(opposite = relaxed)
record (n) \"rekOd\ If you keep a record of how long each task takes, it will help you manage your
keep a record of sth time more successfully.
research-led (adj) \rI"stSled; If an industry is research-led, it depends on the quality of the ideas its researchers
"ristSled\ come up with.
researcher (n) \rI"stS; "ristS\ Our researchers are constantly working to think up new ideas for products.
schedule (n) \"Sedjul\ Its important to take breaks even if you have a very busy schedule.
screen (v) \skrin\ Screen phone calls so that you dont waste time speaking to people about things
that are unimportant.
strategy (n) \"strtdZI\ What strategies do you use for managing your time?
switch off (phr v) \swItS "f\ Listening to music helps me to switch off at the end of a busy working day.
time management (n) \"taIm mnIdZmnt\ Time management is the ability to use your time effectively in order to do the
things you need to.
unwind (v) \n"waInd\ Many people find that having a hot bath helps them unwind at the end of the
day.
work out (phr v) \wk "aUt\ After a stressful day, I like to go to the gym and work out for an hour.
workaholic (n) \wk"hlIk\ Bill Gates confesses to being a workaholic who works 14 hours a day.
alarm call (n) \"lAm kOl\ If youre worried about not waking up on time, phone reception and book an
alarm call.
arrivals (n) \"raIvlz\ A man was standing in the arrivals area holding up a large piece of card with my
(opposite = departures) name written on it.
boarding (n) \"bOdIN\ Flight BA761 to Buenos Aires is now ready for boarding.
boarding card (n) \"bOdIN kAd\ Would all passengers have their passports and boarding cards ready for
inspection?
business (n)
business travel \"bIzns trvl\ What do you dislike most about business travel?
boom industry (n) \"bum IndstrI\ Advertising, accountancy and management consultancy are all boom industries.
cab (n) (AmE) \kb\ Liberty Street is quite a few blocks from here. Can I call you a cab?
(BrE = taxi)
cabin crew (n) \"kbIn kru\ All the flight attendants who look after passengers during a flight are called the
cabin crew.
cart (n) (AmE) \kAt\ Excuse me, is there a cart I could use for my baggage?
(BrE = trolley)
cashpoint (n) \"kSpOInt\ Could you lend me some money until I can find a cashpoint?
check-in (n) \"tSekIn\ Passengers are requested to arrive at check-in at least an hour before their flight
departs.
customs (n) \"kstmz\ I was stopped in customs and had my bags searched.
day return (n) \deI rI"tn\ Id like a day return to the City, please.
delay (n) \dI"leI\ The traffic was terrible and there were long delays getting into the city.
departure lounge (n) \dI"pAtS laUndZ\ Several flights were delayed and the departure lounge was crowded.
departures (n) \dI"pAtSz\ Our flight was cancelled and we had to wait over eight hours in departures!
(opposite = arrivals)
divert (v) \daI"vt\ This is your captain speaking. Due to bad weather over Zurich, weve been
diverted to Geneva.
economy class (n) \I"knmI "klAs\ We wanted to fly KLM but there were only economy class seats left.
freeway (n) (AmE) \"friweI\ An eight-lane freeway runs around the city of Los Angeles.
freshen up (phr v) \freSn "p\ After a long exhausting flight, it was nice to get to the hotel and freshen up.
hand luggage (n) \"hnd lgIdZ\ Passengers are allowed a maximum of six kilos of hand luggage.
in-flight phone (n) \InflaIt "fUn\ The use of mobile phones on aircraft is prohibited and in-flight phones are only
available in business class.
long-haul flight (n) \"lNhOl flaIt\ A long-haul flight is one that covers a long distance.
relocate (to) (v) \rilU"keIt\ If you had to relocate to Britain or the United States, which would you choose?
schedule (n) \"Sedjul\ The flight has been delayed by one hour; we will keep you informed of any
further changes to our schedule.
terminal (n) \"tmInl\ All flights for Europe leave from Terminal 2.
turbulence (n) \"tbjUlns\ There was a lot of turbulence during the flight due to strong winds.
answerphone (n) \"AnsfUn\ If Im busy, I sometimes switch on the answerphone instead of answering the
phone.
block (v) \blk\ By blocking incoming phone calls for just one hour a week, productivity rose by
23%.
break up (phr v) \breIk "p\ He was calling from a mobile but I couldnt hear him very well because the signal
was breaking up.
communication breakdown (n) \kmjunI"keISn There was a total communication breakdown she didnt speak English and I
breIkdaUn\ cant speak French!
contact number (n) \"kntkt nmb\ Can you give me a contact number?
Yes, Im staying at the Mirador. Its 548 8950.
get on to sb (phr v) \get "n tu\ Ill ask my secretary to get on to our suppliers and find out whats happened to
our order.
incoming call (n) \InkmIN "kOl\ By blocking all incoming calls, the company found that productivity rose by 23%.
misunderstanding (n) \mIsnd"stndIN\ There was a misunderstanding: we arrived for the meeting on Wednesday
morning, but the receptionist told us it was scheduled for Thursday afternoon.
on hold \n "hUld\ Ill just put you on hold while I see if I can find Mr Evans.
put sb on hold
phone (n)
get sb off the phone \get f D "fUn\ I thought shed never stop talking. It took me 20 minutes to get her off the
phone!
pick up the phone \pIk p D "fUn\ How long does it take you on average to pick up the phone when it rings?
mobile (phone)/cellphone \mUbaIlfUn If you give me 10 minutes, Ill see if I can reach Karl on his cellphone.
\"selfUn\
productivity (n) \"prdk"tIvtI\ Productivity is the rate at which goods are produced.
quote (n) \kwUt\ Joaqun, its Geoff White. Im just calling with a quote for those machines you
were interested in buying.
set up (phr v) \set "p\ My boss has asked me to set up a meeting with all the heads of department.
set up a meeting
/an appointment
sort out (phr v) \sOt "aUt\ Could you make the necessary arrangements?
Yes, Ill sort something out.
underestimate (v) \ndr"estImeIt\ Research shows that managers underestimate the amount of time they spend on
(opposite = overestimate) the phone by 50%.
unplug (v) \n"plg\ Sometimes when Im having a crisis at work I unplug the phone!
a (complete) waste of time \ kmplit weIst Research showed that 21% of phone calls were a complete waste of time.
v "taIm\
agreement (n) \"grimnt\ If we cant reach agreement I suggest we break off here.
reach agreement
(opposite = disagreement)
at stake \at steIk\ The choice of a new actor as James Bond is a huge decision with so much money
at stake.
brand (n) \brnd\ Brand awareness is very important people will pay a lot to have the right
brand awareness name on the products they buy.
break off (phr v) \breIk "f\ Its been a long meeting; I think its time to break off.
(opposite = carry on;
continue)
collaborate (with)(v) \k"lbreIt\ In response to falling sales, Swiss watchmaking companies decided to collaborate
with the Japanese.
come back to (phr v) \km "bk tu\ Could we come back to this point later?
commercial success (n) \kmSl sk"ses\ The James Bond films have been a huge commercial success, with a turnover of
more than $6 billion.
conglomerate (n) \kn"glmrt\ Hariezon made a bad decision when he sold his land to a South African mining
conglomerate.
data analysis (n) \deIt "nlsIs\ Market researchers can use data analysis to find out if a product is likely to be
successful.
deadline (n) \"dedlaIn\ Ive got to finish the report by this evening the deadlines tomorrow.
decision-making \dI"sIZnmeIkIN\ Having a clear idea of what you hope to achieve is the first stage in the decision-
decision-making process making process.
earnings (n pl) \"nINz\ The combined earnings of the James Bond movies are over $6 billion.
combined earnings
expand (v) \Ik"spnd\ In 1991 Dell computers decided to expand by selling through high street stores.
feedback (n) \"fidbk\ Client feedback on our new range has been very positive so far.
get down to business \get daUn t "bIzns\ Lets get down to business is a useful way of opening a meeting.
go ahead (with) (phr v) \gv "hed wID\ Eventually we reached agreement and decided to go ahead with the project.
high street store (n) \haI strit "stO\ Dell stopped selling through high street stores and returned to selling PCs direct
to consumers.
implement (v) \"ImplIment\ Once youve made up your mind, you shouldnt hesitate too long before
implement a decision implementing your decision.
key (adj) \ki\ In your opinion, what has been the key factor in the companys success?
key factor
license (v) \"laIsns\ Apple refused to license its products to other manufacturers and so lost out to
license products Microsoft.
logistic (adj) \l"dZIstIk\ The decision to relocate to the UK makes good logistic sense 70% of our market
is in that country.
market (n)
market research (n) \mAkIt "ristS\ Detailed market research is one option but it takes time and money.
market share (n) \mAkIt "Se\ The company has had a worrying time recently, with market share falling from
30% to just 9%.
merchandising (n) \"mtSndaIsIN\ The films enjoy 30% profit margins, not including merchandising.
monitor (v) \"mnIt\ Stress management consultants were asked to monitor the effects of long working
monitor the effects of hours on employees.
move on (phr v) \muv "n\ Lets move on is a useful expression when you want to change the subject being
discussed.
objective (n) \b"dZektIv\ In any decision-making process, its vital to define your objectives clearly.
option (n) \"pSn\ Its important to consider all the options before making your decision.
consider the options
outsell (v) \aUt"sel\ Barbie continues to outsell the competition in the toy industry.
outsell the competition
ownership (n) \"UnSIp\ If Shuster and Siegel had retained ownership of the rights to Superman, they
retain ownership of would have made a fortune.
profit (n)
profit margin (n) \"prfIt mAdZIn\ The James Bond films make 30% profit margins.
profit share (n) \"prfIt Se\ Offering employees profit share is one way of encouraging them to stay on.
relocation (n) \rilU"keISn\ Relocation to the UK seems a sensible decision, given that 70% of our market is
there.
rights (n pl) \raIts\ Candlers best business decision was buying the rights to Coca-Cola; his worst was
buy/sell the rights selling the rights for just $1!
(to sth)
royalties (n pl) \"rOIltIz\ When Sam Phillips sold the contract with Presley he lost the royalties to over a
billion record sales.
supply (n) \s"plaI\ Hariezons mining land went on to produce a million kilos of gold a year 70% of
the gold supply to the Western world.
trial basis (n) \"traIl beIsIs\ The decision was made to offer the service on a trial basis for six months.
on a trial basis
assets (n pl) \"sets\ A companys assets are all the things it owns that make money.
boss (n) \bs\ Working for a small company, you have more autonomy its like being your own
be your own boss boss.
business
go out of business \gU aUt v "bIzns\ Roughly half of new companies go out of business in the first two years.
career structure (n) \k"rI strktS\ I prefer working for a large company because theres more of a career structure
and therefore more opportunity for promotion.
corporate dinosaur (n) \kOprt "daInsO\ A "corporate dinosaur" is a derogatory term, meaning a large old-fashioned
company.
cross-border trade (n) \krsbOd "treId\ Do you agree that national frontiers will become less important as cross-border
trade increases?
digital age (n) \"dIdZItl eIdZ\ Once the digital age arrived, many people thought that small entrepreneurial
companies would kill off the corporate dinosaurs
dotcom (n) \dt"km\ Dotcoms are companies that trade using the Internet.
e-commerce (n) \i"kms\ E-commerce enables specialist companies employing only 20 or 30 people to sell
their products all over the world.
fringe benefit (n) \"frIndZ benIfIt\ People working for large companies get fringe benefits like pensions and health
insurance.
get big \get "bIg\ Do you agree that companies have to get big in order to survive?
globalisation (n) \glUblAI"zeISn\ Most people agree that globalisation is the direct result of companies getting
bigger and bigger.
hi-tech (adj) \haI"tek\ Hi-tech companies use the most modern or advanced technology available.
(opposite = low-tech)
job satisfaction (n) \"dZb stIs"fkSn\ I think theres more variety, more job satisfaction working for a small enterprise.
marketing strategy (n) \"mAkItIN strtdZI\ An aggressive marketing strategy is needed to go from innovation to mass
production quickly and efficiently.
mass production (n) \"ms pr"dkSn\ The process of producing large quantities of the same product is called mass
production.
conduct (v) \kn"dkt\ I was invited to conduct the final stages of the meeting in the sauna!
conduct a meeting
/the negotiations
culturally (adv) \"kltSrlI\ Its important to be culturally aware when doing business with people from other
culturally aware countries.
demonstration (n) \demn"streISn\ The British salesman told a lot of jokes while giving a demonstration of the new
give a demonstration (of) product.
join in (phr v) \dZOIn "In\ Although I didnt know anyone at the barbecue, I decided I ought to try and join
in the fun.
late (adj) \leIt\ Sorry, Ill have to go, Im already running half an hour late.
be running late
make your excuses \meIk jO Ik"skjusz\ She didnt have time to stop and chat so she made her excuses and left.
slip away (phr v) \"slIp "weI\ He finds it difficult to talk to people hes never met before so decided to slip away
quietly.
small talk (n) \"smOl "tOk\ The book When Cultures Collide discusses the role of small talk in international
business.
stick with (phr v) \"stIk wID\ In general, its a good idea to mingle with people from the opposing team rather
than just sticking with your own people.
attachment (n) \"ttSmnt\ Sending an e-mail attachment is the same as enclosing something with a letter.
e-mail attachment
cheers (interjection) \tSIz\ Cheers is a common way of ending an e-mail and means the same as "best
wishes".
downside (n) \"daUnsaId\ The downside to e-mail is that you cant stop people sending you endless
(opposite = upside) messages.
the downside to
e-mail (n) \imeIl\ How many e-mails do you send and receive each day?
inbox (n) \Inbks\ I try to check my inbox for new e-mail messages at least twice a day.
(opposite = outbox)
instantaneous (adj) \Instn"teInIs\ The main advantage of e-mail is that its instantaneous the message arrives
almost immediately at its destination.
key in (phr v) \ki "In\ All you do to send an e-mail is key in your message and click send.
scroll down (phr v) \skrUl "daUn\ If you put your signature at the end of an e-mail, it saves people scrolling down to
see if theres more text.
spell check (n) \"spel tSek\ You cant always trust spell check; it cant tell the difference between words such
as there and their.
subject line (n) \"sbdZekt laIn\ If you want people to read your e-mails, remember to key in an interesting subject
line.
background (n) \"bkgraUnd\ Id like to start off by giving you the background to the problem.
give sb the background
to sth
body language (n) \"bdI lNgwIdZ\ Expressive use of body language helps to make your presentation more
interesting.
bottom out (phr v) \btm "aUt\ In Graph b the figures fluctuate for the first three months before falling sharply to
bottom out at 10,000 trades a day.
contrasting (adj) \kn"trAstIN\ Emphasise what youre saying by using pairs of contrasting points such as: A bank
designed to fit round you, which doesnt expect you to fit round it.
eye contact (n) \"aI kntkt\ Try to make regular eye contact with the audience during your presentation.
fluctuate (v) \"flktSueIt\ In graphs b and c we see that the figure fluctuates over the first three months.
go back (phr v) \gU "bk\ Id like to go back for a minute to what I was saying previously.
hit (n) \hIt\ When the company first went online they got 250,000 hits per day; three months
later they were getting just 60,000.
invite (v) \In"vaIt\ Its a good idea to invite questions from your audience at the end of your talk.
invite questions
level off (phr v) \levl "f\ We see the figures levelling off at the point marked g on the graph.
look (n) \lUk\ Just have a quick look at this graph showing how sales have fallen over the past
have a look six months.
miss (v) \mIs\ Repetition where necessary will ensure that the audience doesnt miss the main
miss the point points.
move on (to) (phr v) \muv "n tu\ Dont talk about the same thing for too long. Try to judge when the times right to
move on to the next point.
over to you \Uv t "ju\ Ive asked Gary Cale, our new head of e-business, to bring us up to date. Over to
you, Gary.
peak (v) \pik\ The point marked d on the graph shows where the sales figures peaked.
point out (phr v) \"pOInt "aUt\ Id like to point out one or two interesting things on the diagram.
start off (phr v) \stAt "f\ Try to start off in a way that will get your audiences attention.
sum up (phr v) \sm "p\ Before closing your presentation, try to sum up what you have said in a logical
way.
visual (n) \"vIZUl\ A creative use of visuals will help to make your presentation more interesting and
attractive.
visual aid \vIZUl "eId\ Visual aids can make your presentation easier to understand.
website (n) \"websaIt\ To succeed in any area of e-business you need a first-class website.
well-structured (adj) \wel"strktSd\ Try to make your talk as logical and well-structured as possible.
artificial intelligence (n) \AtIfISl In"telIdZns\ Artificial intelligence is the use of computer technology to make computers and
other machines "think" and do things.
electronic organiser (n) \IlektrnIk An electronic organiser is a gadget used for storing and organising information
"OgnaIz\ such as addresses and appointments.
gadget (n) \"gdZIt\ Sales of electronic gadgets such as mobile phones, laptops and camcorders have
increased dramatically.
leading (adj) \"lidIN\ These computers are capable of voice recognition and have been developed by
leading scientist some of the worlds leading scientists.
/researcher
microchip (n) \"maIkrUtSIp\ A microchip contains all the electronic connections needed to make a computer
work.
microchip technology (n) \"maIkrUtSIp Microchip technology is now used widely in cars, video and stereo equipment etc.
tek"nldZi\
preview (v) \"privju\ The great advantage of digital cameras is that you can preview what you print.
superior to \su"pIrI tu\ The electronic singing birthday card you can buy now is technically superior to all
(opposite = inferior to) the computers on Earth in 1950 put together.
technology (n) \tek"nldZi\ Peoples lives now are far more dominated by technology than they were even 10
years ago.
the age of technology \Di "eIdZ v We live in the age of technology more people own and use computers and
tek"nldZi\ electronic equipment than ever before.
technophile (n) A technophile is someone who loves computers and other gadgets.
(opposite = technophobe) \"teknUfaIl\
technophobe (n) \"teknUfUb\ A technophobe dislikes or does not trust gadgets such as computers and mobile
(opposite = technophile) phones.
action plan (n) \"kSn pln\ I left the meeting feeling confused, not really knowing what the action plan was.
agenda (n) \"dZend\ We have a lot to discuss in todays meeting and we need to stick to a fixed
fixed agenda agenda.
allocate (v) \"lkeIt\ Sixty minutes have been allocated to the meeting so we need to be well prepared.
allocate time/resources
to sth
assertive (adj) \"stIv\ Sometimes you have to be assertive in meetings in order make your point.
be assertive
back sth up (phr v) \bk "p\ Your presentation will be more convincing if you have facts and figures to back up
what you say.
boardroom (n) \"bOdrum\ All directors meetings take place in the boardroom on the top floor.
business (n)
talk business \tOk "bIzns\ After 20 minutes talking about football and the weather we finally started talking
business.
come in (phr v) \km "In\ Can I just come in here? Id like to make a point about marketing strategy.
concession (n) \kn"seSn\ Both sides often have to make concessions in order to reach an agreement.
make concessions
conflict (n) \"knflIkt\ Dont interrupt too much it just creates conflict.
(opposite = agreement)
cut in (phr v) \kt "In\ People kept cutting in during the presentation to ask questions.
delegation (n) \del"geISn\ Delegation of tasks to other team members is an important part of the managers
role.
discussion (n) \dI"skSn\ It can be difficult to concentrate when several subjects are under discussion at
be under discussion once.
finish (v) \"fInIS\ Please! Let me finish before you all start interrupting!
let sb finish
follow-up (n) \"flUp\ I always end up phoning people after our meetings to find out what we actually
agreed the follow-up is never clear.
get going \get "gUIN\ There were one or two technical problems and it was half an hour before the
speaker finally got going.
get a word in \"get "wd In\ Its always the same people who dominate our meetings nobody else can get a
word in!
go through (phr v) \gU "Tru\ Everyone was relieved when, after 18 months of negotiations, the deal finally
went through.
haggling session (n) \"hglIN seSn\ We couldnt agree on a price at first but after a lively haggling session we finally
agreed terms.
hang on (phr v) \hN "n\ Just hang on a second and let me explain.
hear sb out (phr v) \hI "aUt\ Stop interrupting and hear me out, will you!
issue (n) \"ISu\ A meeting can provide a safe environment in which to discuss important issues.
discuss issues
meeting (n) \"mitIN\ Holding meetings without chairs is a good way of speeding things up!
hold a meeting
objection (n) \b"dZekSn\ The presentation didnt go very well, with people raising objections to nearly all
raise an objection our proposals.
/objections (to sth)
overrun (v) \Uv"rn\ Its a bad idea to let meetings overrun people lose concentration when they go
on too long
point of view \pOInt v "vju\ A meeting is an ideal opportunity for colleagues to exchange points of view.
exchange points of view
push around (phr v) \pUS "raUnd\ Be more assertive. Dont let people push you around.
schedule (v) \"Sedjul\ Next weeks meeting has been scheduled for 9 am on Friday.
schedule a meeting
for 3 pm/next Tuesday etc
score points \skO "pOInts\ In our meetings, facts dont seem to matter; its all about scoring points over your
colleagues.
set up (phr v) \set "p\ Make sure any equipment you need for the presentation is set up well before it
starts.
sidetrack (v) \"saIdtrk\ Try to stick to the point and not get sidetracked all the time.
get sidetracked
stick to (phr v) \"stIk tu\ Weve only got an hour to discuss these issues its important that we stick to the
stick to the point agenda.
/agenda etc
terms (n pl) \tmz\ After a lively haggling session we finally managed to negotiate terms.
negotiate terms
underway (adj) \nd"weI\ When the meeting finally got underway, the speaker faced constant interruptions
get/be underway from the audience.
venue (n) \"venju\ Most offices are unsuitable for long meetings its important to choose the right
venue.
win over (phr v) \wIn "Uv\ "How did your presentation go?"
"It went well, I think I won the audience over."
work out (phr v) \wk "aUt\ Lets not worry too much about the details. Im sure we can work something out.
action \"kSn\ We have had constant problems with the equipment you sold us and I am afraid I
immediate action must now insist on immediate action.
circulate (v) \"skjUleIt\ I used to circulate memos to other people in the department; now I just e-mail
circulate sth to sb them.
contract (n)
draft a contract \"drAft kntrkt\ Working in the legal department means I spend a lot of time drafting contracts.
draw up a contract \"drO p kntrkt\ Some of our contracts are very complicated and take a long time to draw up.
enclose (v) \In"klUz\ I enclose a copy of our latest catalogue and current price list.
expenses (n pl) \Ik"spensz\ I have to keep a record of all expenses so I always ask for receipts.
fill in (phr v) \"fIl In\ I hate filling in forms theres never enough space to write the answers!
fill in a form
/questionnaire
Further to \"fD tu\ Further to our meeting I am writing to confirm the decisions made.
Further to our telephone
conversation/our
meeting
hot-desking (n) \ht"deskIN\ "Hot-desking" is a method of working in which people do not have their own
desk but use any desk that is available.
incoming mail (n) \InkmIN "meIl\ All incoming mail is copied by means of an electronic scanner.
(opposite = outgoing
mail)
journal (n) \dZnl\ Trade journals are essential reading if you want to keep up with whats going on
trade journal in the industry.
keep up (with) (phr v) \kip "p wID\ I try to read as many trade journals as possible in order to keep up with whats
(opposite = lose track of) going on.
look forward to (phr v) \lUk "fOwd tu\ I look forward to hearing from you soon.
paperwork (n) \"peIpwk\ Managers spend up to a third of their time in the office doing routine paperwork.
routine paperwork
put together (phr v) \pUt t"geD\ After doing the initial market research we then try to put together a
put together a report questionnaire.
/questionnaire
reference (n) \"refrns\ With reference to your fax of June 3rd, I would like to confirm that the meeting
with reference to will take place on Friday June 26th.
refund (n)
full refund \fUl rifnd\ Due to the persistent problems we have had, I am writing to ask for a full refund
of the purchase price.
offer a refund \f rifnd\ They sent a letter of apology offering a 20% refund or a free upgrade.
regard (n) \rI"gAd\ I am writing with regard to our recent meeting in Frankfurt.
with regard to
sort through (phr v) \sOt "Tru\ How long does it take you to sort through your mail?
workstation (n) \"wksteISn\ Rows of people sat at their workstations answering phones or typing on their
sit at a workstation keyboards
aspect (n) \"spekt\ I think there are three main aspects to the problem.
an aspect to sth
assign (v) \"saIn\ Assign different tasks to different members of the team.
assign sth to sb
bankrupt (adj) \"bNkrpt\ What would you do if your sole supplier was about to go bankrupt?
go bankrupt
break down (into) (phr v) \breIk "daUn Intu\ Its a good idea to break the problem down into parts.
brainstorm (v) \"breInstOm\ Staff were invited to brainstorm ideas during a team meeting.
brainstorm ideas
/suggestions
buy out (phr v) \baI "aUt\ If we bought the company out wed also be taking on all their debts.
cashflow (n) \"kSflU\ Offering products on a sale or return basis can create cashflow problems.
cashflow problems
competitive (adj) \km"pettIv\ Anyone who passes on information about the company to competitors is
competitive advantage destroying our competitive advantage.
discount (n) \"dIskAUnt\ The problem with selling old stock off at a discount is that you risk making huge
at a discount losses.
keep down (phr v) \kip "daUn\ Harley-Davidson found that it was unable to keep costs down without affecting
keep costs/prices down quality.
labour (n) \"leIb\ Labour costs are far higher in Europe than in South-East Asia.
labour costs
operational (adj) \p"reISnl\ How long do you think it would take to get an in-house production facility
operational?
outsource (v) \"aUtsOs\ If the unions had accepted a lower pay offer, we wouldnt be outsourcing
outsource sth to sth/sb production to Asia.
point-of-sale (n, adj) \pOInt v "seIl\ Point-of-sale promotions are offered at the place where customers physically buy a
point-of-sale promotion (n) product such as supermarket checkouts.
problem (n)
problem reversal (n) \prblm rI"vsl\ Problem reversal simply means looking at a problem in a different way.
problem-solving meeting \"prblmslvIN Problem-solving meetings should start with clear objectives and end with clear
mitIN\ actions.
product (n) \"prdkt\ If your product development cycle is short you can end up with old stock piling up
product development (n) in warehouses.
production (n) \pr"dkSn\ It would take us about six months to get our own production plant up and
production facility/plant (n) running.
quality assurance (n) \"kwltI SUrns\ You cant just ignore the technical side of production you need to improve your
quality assurance techniques.
rescue plan (n) \"reskju pln\ The company was in serious trouble and Richard Teerlink had to come up with a
rescue plan fast.
retail outlet (n) \"riteIl aUtlet\ If retail outlets wont stock our product, why dont we sell it direct online?
reverse (v) \rI"vs\ We need a successful marketing campaign in order to reverse the decline in sales.
reverse the decline in sth
sale or return \seIl O rI"tn\ "Why not offer the product on a sale or return basis?"
a sale or return basis "If we do that, it will create cashflow problems."
consumer (n) \kn"sjum\ Do you think that the global companies are responsible for reducing consumer
consumer choice choice?
freely (adv) \"frilI\ Nowadays, capital, goods and labour move freely across borders.
global (adj)
global village (n) \glUbl "vIlIdZ\ Do you agree that the concept of the "global village" is a product of the media?
globalisation (n) \glUblaI"zeISn\ Globalisation means selling products and services to a world market.
globalise (v) \"glUblaIz\ As business and the media globalise, we all start eating the same food, wearing
the same clothes etc.
globally (adv) \"glUblI\ MTV, the popular satellite music channel, is received in 400 million homes globally.
growth area (n) \"grUT erI\ Globalisation has resulted in new growth areas in Asia such as Laos and Thailand.
industrialised (adj) \In"dstrIlaIzd\ Even in industrialised countries, there is a big difference between the rich and the
industrialised country poor.
market (n)
market economy (n) \mkIt I"knmI\ Private businesses are an important part of any countrys market economy.
market reform (n) \mAkIt rI"fOm\ The decision to speed up market reforms has had a big impact in South-East Asia.
open up (phr v) \Upn "p\ Do you agree that globalisation has the effect of opening up markets and cultures
(opposite = close down) to everyone?
business
business lunch (n) \"bIzns lntS\ Do you ever invite clients on business lunches?
main dish (n) \meIn "dIS\ "What are you having as your main dish?"
"Ill have roast chicken."
speciality (n) \speSI"ltI\ I tried the local speciality octopus served in its own ink.
local speciality (n)
work through (phr v) \wk "Tru\ Do you mind if we work through lunch and eat later?
breakdown (n) \"breIkdaUn\ We need a detailed breakdown of costs for the whole project.
a detailed breakdown of
business (n)
business correspondence (n) \"bIzns Traditionally, business correspondence has always been very formal.
krIspndns\
business letter (n) \"bIzns let\ If Im e-mailing someone I dont know, my e-mail looks pretty much like a standard
business letter.
communication (n) \kmjunI"keISn\ E-mail is a more spontaneous medium of communication than the traditional
medium of communication business letter.
electronic organiser (n) \IlektrnIk The unified messaging service allows me to pick up all my messages through my
"OgnaIz\ electronic organiser.
inbox (n) \"Inbks\ The unified messaging service directs all my e-mails, voice messages and faxes into
a central inbox.
itemise (v) \"aItmaIz\ All costs are fully itemised on the bill.
fully itemised
laptop (n) \"lptp\ I prepared the report on the laptop during the flight.
management consultancy (n) \mnIdZmnt They work for a top management consultancy in London and have lots of famous
kn"sltnsI\ clients.
messaging \"mesIdZIN\ For $25 per month, you can subscribe to a messaging service that sends all your
messaging service messages to a central in-box.
negotiate (v) \nI"gUSIeIt\ Estimates would give us more room to negotiate on fees.
negotiate on price
/costs/fees
point (n) \pOInt\ The thing I like about e-mails is that theyre not too formal and you can get
get straight to the point straight to the point.
proposal (n) \pr"pUzl\ Two of our top consultants are putting together a proposal for a major new client.
put together a proposal
response time (n) \rI"spns taIm\ The response time to many of my e-mails is today, not tomorrow or next week.
schedule (n) \"Sedjul\ Jonathan is under a lot of pressure from head office to get the proposal in on
on schedule schedule.
server (n) \"sv\ Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. The servers been down again.
think through (phr v) \TINk "Tru\ Some e-mails are really badly written you can tell that people are thinking
through what they want to say as they write.
transmit (v) \trnz"mIt\ E-mails and other forms of digitally transmitted data will soon become more
digitally transmitted data common than phone calls.
voice (n)
voice mail (n) \"vOIs meIl\ In some ways, e-mail is similar to voice mail youre talking through a computer
keyboard instead of a phone.
voice message (n) \"vOIs "mesIdZ\ The unified messaging service directs all my e-mails, voice messages and faxes into
a central inbox.
bargain (n) \"bAgn\ Dont be tempted to enter the bargaining phase too soon.
bargaining phase (n)
bluechip company (n) \"blutSIp kmpnI\ Famous football clubs such as Manchester United and Real Madrid make profits
many bluechip companies would envy.
concession (n) \kn"seSn\ Dont make any concessions without asking for something in return.
make concessions
corporate image (n) \kOprt "ImIdZ\ Manchester United is a multinational corporation with a very strong corporate
image.
counter-proposal (n) \"kaUntprpUzl\ During the bargaining phase you can make your counter-proposals.
make a counter-proposal
fall-back position (n) \"fOlbk p"zISn\ You need to know what your fall-back position is if you dont reach an agreement.
market value (n) \"mAkIt vlju\ The club has a market value of over 110 million.
merchandising outlet (n) \"mtSndaIsIN aUtlet\ Manchester United merchandising outlets exist in places as far away as Hong Kong
and Sydney.
money-making industry (n) \"mnImeIkIn IndstrI\ Football today is a huge money-making industry.
negotiate (v)
negotiate terms \nI"gUSIeIt tmz\ The job of a players agent is to negotiate terms with clubs who want to buy that
player.
negotiating table (n) \nI"gUSIeItIN teIbl\ Its a good idea to decide in advance at what point you will walk away from the
negotiating table.
negotiation tactics (n pl) \nI"gUSIeISn tktIkz\ Dozens of books have been written on negotiation tactics.
win-win negotiation \"wIn-wIn Win-win negotiation means that both sides get something out of the negotiation
nIgUSIeISn\ process.
negotiator (n) \nI"gUSIeIt\ An experienced negotiator spends time getting to know the people he or she is
dealing with.
offer (n) \"f\ A common tactic in negotiations is to try and shock your opponent with your
opening offer (n) opening offer.
position (n)
opening position (n) \"UpnIN p"zISn\ Your opening position is your initial offer or price or whatever.
target position (n) \"tAget p"zISn\ Your target position is what youre realistically aiming for.
walk-away position (n) \"wOk weI p"zISn\ Your walk-away position is the point at which you walk away from the
negotiating table.
sponsorship deal (n) \"spnsSIp dil\ Top football clubs can earn a lot of money through sponsorship deals.
stock market (n) \"stk mAkIt\ Manchester United had a successful stock market flotation in 1991.
stock market flotation
(v) verb (phr v) phrasal verb (conj) conjunction (Am E) American English
(adj) adjective (n pl) plural noun sb somebody (Br E) British English
(n) noun (adv) adverb sth something
in company
/I/ big fish /bIg fIS/ /A/ calm start /kA:m stA:t/
/i/ green beans /gri:n bi:nz/ / / hot spot /ht spt/
/U/ should look /SUd lUk/ /I/ ear /I(r)/
/u/ blue moon /blu: mu:n/ /eI/ face /feIs/
/e/ ten eggs /ten egz/ /U/ pure /pjU(r)/
// about mother /baUt mD(r)/ /OI/ boy /bOI(r)/
// learn words /l:n w:dz/ /U/ nose /nUz/
/O/ short talk /SO:t tO:k/ /e/ hair /he(r)/
// fat cat /ft kt/ /aI/ eye /aI/
// must come /mst km/ /aU/ mouth /maU/
CONSONANTS
/p/ pen /pen/ /s/ snake /sneIk/
/b/ bad /bd/ /z/ noise /nOIz/
/t/ tea /ti:/ /S/ shop /Sp/
/d/ dog /dg/ /Z/ measure /meZ(r)/
/tS/ church /tS:tS/ /m/ make /meIk/
/dZ/ jazz /dZz/ /n/ nine /naIn/
/k/ cost /kst/ /N/ sing /sIN/
/g/ girl /g:l/ /h/ house /haUs/
/f/ far / fa:(r)/ /l/ leg /leg/
/v/ voice /vOIs/ /r/ red /red/
// thin /In/ /w/ wet /wet/
/D/ then /Den/ /j/ yes /jes/
blow your chances (of) \blU j "tSAnsz After the deal had fallen through, he knew hed blown his chances of a salary
v\ increase.
bonus (n) \"bUns\ His salary was 50,000 a year but his bonuses were triple that.
come to nothing \km t "nTIN\ After months of discussions the proposed merger finally came to nothing.
heavy debts (n pl) \hevI "dets\ Many students leave university with heavy debts.
mounting debts (n pl) \maUntIN "dets\ Leeson carefully hid his mounting debts in an account called Error Losses 88888.
outstanding debts (n pl) \aUtstndIN "dets\ All outstanding debts should be paid off immediately.
environmentally friendly \InvaIrmentlI Do you think investment in environmentally friendly, less exploitative products
(adj) "frendlI\ makes the world a better place?
ethical investment (n) \eTIkl In"vestmnt\ Ethical investment is investment in products that are environmentally friendly and
non-exploitative.
exploitative (adj) \Ik"splOIttIv\ Exploitative businesses are those which make money by selling products such as
(opposite = cigarettes, alcohol and arms.
non-exploitative)
fall through (phr v) \fOl "Tru\ The deal fell through after the government rejected the companys bid.
(opposite = go through)
get on (phr v) \get "n\ How important is it to you to get on in your career?
go through (phr v) \gU "Tru\ Negotiations seemed to be successful so were all hoping the deal will go through.
(opposite = fall through)
sound investment (n) \saUnd In"vestmnt\ The increasing value of property makes it a sound investment.
investor (n) \In"vest\ Over the last few years many investors have lost a fortune on the stock exchange.
make your mark (in) \meIk j "mAk In\ Microsoft have certainly made their mark in the computer software industry.
pay off (phr v) \peI "f\ Many green investments have paid off very well in the last ten years, often
outperforming less ethically sound stocks.
pull sth off (phr v) \pUl smTIN "f\ We nearly managed to get the contract but just failed to pull it off.
recession (n) \rI"seSn\ Sales of alcohol and cigarettes always increase in times of recession.
revenues (n pl) \"revnjuz\ A lot of the companies that people invest in derive a significant portion of their
revenues from products considered socially irresponsible.
savings (n pl) \"seIvINz\ My advice would be to invest your savings in property rather than in the stock
exchange.
soundness (n) \"saUndns\
(opposite = instability)
financial soundness \fnnSl Consider carefully the financial soundness of companies you are thinking of
"saUndns\ investing in.
the stock exchange (n) \D "stk IkstSeIndZ\ Many investors have lost a fortune on the stock exchange in recent years.
draw (sbs) attention (to) \drO smbdIz Id particularly like to draw your attention to the chart on the screen.
"tenSn tu\
attention span (n) \"tenSn spn\ The attention span of the average audience member is 12.5 seconds.
audience recall (n) \OdIns "rikOl\ Using visuals in your talk will improve audience recall by 400%.
business audience (n) \"bIzns OdIns\ Cambridge Associates is a training company that helps people give presentations
to business audiences.
background (n) \"bkgraUnd\
give sb some of the \gIv smbdI sm Id just like to give you some of the background to what Im about to say.
background (to) v D "bkgraUnd
tu\
body language (n) \"bdI lNgwIdZ\ Your talk was excellent and your body language projected strength and
confidence.
bullet-pointed (adj) \"bUltpOIntd\ Bullet-pointed lists can help you make your point effectively but using too many of
them is boring.
deadline (n) \"dedlaIn\
miss a deadline \mIs "dedlaIn\ Miss this deadline and youll lose the biggest client this companys ever had.
delivery (n) \dI"lIvrI\ Your delivery, or the way you speak, is as important as the words themselves.
flipchart (n) \"flIptSAt\ A flipchart consists of large sheets of paper, attached at the top, that you write
things on when talking to a group of people.
fluent (adj) \"flunt\ A fluent and confident speaker can easily command the attention of an audience.
(opposite = hesitant)
handout (n) \"hndaUt\ A good piece of advice is not to give your audience any handouts until youve
finished speaking.
hesitant (adj) \"heztnt\ Hesitant speakers fail to interest or convince their audience.
(opposite = fluent)
(be) neck and neck \bI nek n "nek\ Nixon and Kennedy were neck and neck in the polls, with 47% of the vote each.
overhead (n) \"Uvhed\ An overhead is a picture or a piece of writing that you show to people using an
overhead projector.
personnel (n) \ps"nel\
sales personnel (n) \"seIlz psnel\ Do you think sales personnel earn higher commission if theyre good-looking?
PowerPoint (n) \"paUpOInt\ PowerPoint is a piece of software enabling you to create your own visuals for
meetings and presentations.
presence (n) \"prezns\
natural presence (n) \ntSrl "prezns\ Your appearance, body language and the way you speak are all part of your
natural presence.
presentation (n) \prezn"teISn\
attend a presentation \tend Tinas boss attended her presentation in order to give her feedback on her
prezn"teISn\ performance.
give/make a presentation \gIv\meIk Were giving a presentation to a big Taiwanese client and its important that it
prezn"teISn\ goes well.
process (v) \"prUses\ The human brain processes images 400,000 times faster than text.
pull ahead (phr v) \pUl "hed\ In the all-important opinion polls, Kennedy pulled ahead.
(opposite = fall back)
slide (n) \slaId\ A slide is a small piece of film in a frame that you shine light through to show the
image on a screen.
speaker (n) \"spik\ Good speakers need to have self-belief, that is to say confidence and assurance.
underline (v) \nd"laIn\ A word can be emphasized and a thought underlined by silence.
verbal (adj) \"vbl\ How much of the impression that speakers make on their audience is verbal, as
opposed to visual?
verbal skills (n pl) \"vbl skIlz\ Nixons verbal skills were superior to Kennedys but he lacked visual appeal.
visuals (n pl) \"vIZUlz\ Visuals, such as videos, overheads and PowerPoint, help to command the attention
of your audience.
vocal (adj) \"vUkl\ 38% of the total impression speakers make on an audience is vocal (how they
sound).
voice (n) \vOIs\
high-pitched/low voice \haIpItSt\lU "vOIs\ Research has shown that people prefer low voices to high-pitched ones.
caller (n) \"kOl\ The article on p. 26 is about dealing with unwanted callers on the phone.
check with (phr v) \"tSek wID\ Is there any chance of sending anyone else out here?Ill check with Liz and see if
she can spare Kim for a few days.
disgrace (n) \dIs"greIs\
be an utter disgrace \bi n t dIs"greIs\ You havent even sent an email explaining why the orders taking so long to arrive.
Its an utter disgrace.
foul up (phr v) \faUl "p\
foul things up \faUl TINz "p\ If you carry on fouling things up, your job could be in danger.
get down to business \get daUn t Lets stop wasting time and get down to business.
"bIzns\
get hold of \get "hUld v\ Can you get hold of the organisers and tell them well set the stand up tomorrow
at 7am?
get in touch \get In "ttS\ Mobile phones make it possible to get in touch whenever you want, wherever you
want.
get on (phr v) \get "n\ Ill let you get on is a polite way of telling someone you want to end a phone
conversation.
get on to (phr v) \get "n tu\ It might help to have a Polish interpreter. OK, Ill get on to that right away.
get round to (phr v) \get "raUnd tu\ Ive been too busy to get round to typing up the report.
get to the point \get t D "pOint\ Some people can take a long time to get to the point when theyre chatting on
the phone.
get together (phr v) \get t"geD\ Its been great talking to you. We must get together soon.
hand over (phr v) \hnd "Uv\ If we dont receive the delivery within 48 hours, Ill be handing the matter over to
our legal department.
happen (v) \"hpn\
happen to have/know etc \hpn t "hv\"nU\ Do you happen to have a phone number for the promotions people?
just this minute \dZnst DIs "mInt\ Ill have to go. Someones just this minute stepped into the office.
look into sth (phr v) \lUk "Int smTIN\ Did you order a reprint of the Polish brochures? Ill look into it the minute I get
off the phone.
make yourself clear \meIk jself "klI\ I shall be contacting our legal department unless I hear from you within 48 hours. I
hope Ive made myself clear.
point (n) \pOInt\
Is there any point (in) ? \Iz De enI "pOInt\ Is there any point in sending the Russian brochures?
probationary period (n) \pr"beISnrI "pIrId\ A probationary period is the initial period that someone spends doing a job that
shows whether they are suitable for the post.
progress (n) \"prUgres\
make progress (on) \meIk "prUgres n\ Are you making any progress on the Samsung report or not?
promotional product (n) \prmUSnl A promotional product is one that advertises a company or organization and often
"prdkt\ has a logo or the name of the company printed on it.
strategy (n) \"strtdZI\ Which strategy do you normally use for ending a phone conversation when youre
busy?
termination (n) \tm"neISn\ Phone call termination can be difficult, especially with hardened chatterers!
item on the agenda \aItm n DI Its time we moved on to the next item on the agenda.
"dZend\
set an agenda \set n "dZend\ Once youve set an agenda for your meeting, try to stick to it.
stick to an agenda \stIk tu n "dZend\ Meetings within our department tend to stick strictly to the agenda and are highly
focused.
business (n) \"bIzns\
business plan (n) \"bIzns pln\ Timeofyourlife.com is based on an interesting business plan ordinary people
buying a kind of timeshare in luxury goods.
business school (n) \"bIzns skul\ Jeff is in charge of in-company training at a prestigious business school in the
United States.
capitalist (adj) \"kptlIst\
capitalist values (n pl) \kptlIst "vljuz\ People in business are highly geared towards capitalist values but they need to
understand that there are other ways of seeing the world.
chairperson (n) \"tSepsn\ Discuss the following topic: Does a meeting need a chairperson?
check up on (phr v) \tSek "p n\ Theres a rumour that the company is planning to check up on employees using PC
monitoring software and CCTV.
come back to (phr v) \km "bk tu\ Well come back to this point later if weve got time.
communication breakdown (n) \kmjunI"keISn Misunderstandings or communication breakdowns are especially common
breIkdaUn\ between people from different cultures.
computer surveillance (n) \kmpjut Computer surveillance could help to identify employees who access games and
s"veIlns\ websites during company time.
conference room (n) \"knfrns rum\ The meeting will take place in Conference Room 7 on the top floor.
cutting-edge (adj) \ktIN"edZ\ Cutting-edge technology or procedures are the most modern and advanced
(opposite = old-fashioned) available.
deliberate (over) (v) \dI"lIbreIt Uv\ If you deliberate over something, you think very carefully about it before making
a decision.
device (n) \dI"vaIs\
hand-held device \hndheld dI"vaIs\ John Clarkson and his colleagues plan to develop a hand-held device that will
produce results on DNA samples within minutes.
diplomacy (n) \dI"plUmsI\ Diplomacy involves listening to what other people are saying whether you agree
with them or not.
dominate (v) \"dmIneIt\
dominate a discussion \dmIneIt A good chairperson should not allow the same people to dominate the discussion
dI"skSn\ all the time.
electronic tagging device (n) \IlektrnIk "tgIN Some people are worried that electronic tagging devices or even implants could
dIvaIs\ be used to monitor employee activity.
fill sb in (on) (phr v) \fIl smbdI "In Luis is going to start by filling us in on some of the background.
n\
focus on (phr v) \"fUks n\ Its important for us all to focus on the key issues.
prioritise follow-up tasks \praIrtaIz We need to prioritise the follow-up tasks carefully.
flUp "tAsks\
genetic (adj)
genetic profile (n) \dZnetIk "prUfaIl\ Genetic profiles could be used to screen potential employees for health problems,
but are they ethical?
genetic screening (n) \dZnetIk "skrinIN\ Are you for or against the idea of genetic screening for prospective employees?
genetic test/testing (n) \dZnetIk A technology is being developed that will allow employers to carry out genetic
"test\"testIN\ tests on job candidates.
get started \get "statd\ OK, lets get started, shall we?
go with (phr v) \"gU wID\ I liked your suggestion best, Jenny I think Im going to go with it.
(opposite = reject)
group-think (n) \"grupTINk\ Group-think is a term which describes the need for a group of people to agree at
all costs.
implant (n) \"ImplAnt\ Electronic tagging devices or even implants could be used to monitor employee
activity.
in-company training (n) \InkmpnI "treInIN\ Shes in charge of in-company training at one of the UKs leading business schools.
incorporate (v) \In"kOpreIt\ Try to incorporate other peoples ideas into your own thinking.
(opposite = exclude)
leading authority (n) \lidIN O"TrtI\ Michael Begeman is a leading authority on one of the worlds most universal
rituals the meeting.
management (n) \"mnIdZmnt\
management skill (n) \"mnIdZmnt skIl\ Executives go to business school in order to improve their management skills.
lead a meeting \lid "mitIN\ The person who leads a meeting is called a chairperson.
mobile meeting (n) \mUbaIl "mitIN\ Mobile meetings can be held anywhere in the elevator or even in a local caf!
non-stop meeting (n) \nnstp "mitIN\ A non-stop meeting is one in which people spend their whole day working
around an enormous central table.
recreational meeting (n) \rekrIeISnl "mitIN\ A recreational meeting is one in which staff can meet in a park area in the
middle of the building.
virtual meeting (n) \vtSUl "mitIN\ In a virtual meeting people sit at work stations and communicate with each other
using the latest software.
miniaturise (v) \"mIntSraIz\ Clarkson and his colleagues plan to miniaturise a device that will produce DNA
results within 30 minutes.
monitor (v) \"mnt\ Businesses have a lot of good reasons for monitoring workers, including
preventing workplace crime and protecting company secrets.
overrun (n) \"Uvrn\ Id like to speed things up bit in our meetings so that we can avoid overruns.
pager (n) \"peIdZ\ A pager is a small portable piece of equipment that makes a noise when someone
is trying to contact you.
point of view (n) \pOInt v "vju\ It might be useful at this stage to summarise the points of view weve heard so far.
point-scoring (n) \"pOIntskOrIN\ Point-scoring is the process of attempting to gain an advantage over your
colleagues.
preparation (n) \prep"reISn\
inadequate preparation \Indkwt Inadequate preparation for a meeting can result in a lot of wasted time.
prep"reISn\
recruiter (n) \rI"krut\ Recruiters could be faced with difficult decisions in the event of poor DNA results.
run sb through sth (phr v) \rn smbdI "Tru\ Im not sure Ive understood. Run me through that again.
seating arrangements (n pl) \"sitIN Seating arrangements have a powerful influence on what happens during
reIndZmnts\ meetings.
security equipment (n) \sIkjUrtI A meeting was held to discuss the introduction of surveillance and electronic
I"kwIpmnt\ security equipment to check up on employees.
teamwork (n) \"timwk\ Teamwork involves working with a group of people to achieve something.
time wasting (n) \"taIm weIstIN\ Sending private e-mails and accessing websites are two of the biggest causes of
time wasting in the UK.
track (v) \trk\
track e-mails/ \trk "imeIlz\"fUn Employers can track everything from deleted e-mails to the exact computer keys a
phone calls etc kOlz\ worker strikes.
troublemaker (n) \"trblmeIk\ Troublemakers, in other words people who persistently cause problems in
meetings, should be disciplined.
turn down (phr v) \tn "daUn\ How would you feel if you were turned down for a job because you failed a DNA
(opposite = accept) test?
accounting system (n) \"kaUntIN sIstm\ Enrons accounting system had always been complex and obscure but no one
suspected the company of dishonest practices.
creative accounting (n) \krieItIv "kaUntIN\ Creative accounting is another way of saying that a firm has been cooking the
books.
boom (n) \bum\
(opposite = slump,
collapse)
Internet/property/ \Intnet\prptI\OIl The Internet boom didnt last and on April 14th 2001 more than one trillion
oil boom (n) "bum\ dollars in market capitalisation was lost.
cash flow situation (n) \"kS flU Creative accounting transformed the companys cash flow situation from a
sItSueISn\ $154 million outflow to a $3 billion inflow.
company report (n) \kmpnI rI"pOt\ The latest company report shows a 16% increase in profits over the last
12 months.
cook the books \kUk D "bUks\ Stock market investors were unaware that the company had been cooking the
books, inventing partner companies that did not exist to hide huge debts.
corporation (n) \kOp"reISn\ Before its collapse Enron was the USAs seventh-largest corporation.
end-of-year accounts (n pl) \endvjI "kaUnts\ End-of-year accounts show an unexpected drop in profits.
free market economics (n pl) \fri mAkt Do you agree that free market economics bring prosperity to developing
ek"nmIks\ countries?
market research (n) \mAkt "ristS\ Market research is a useful way of finding out more about client preferences but
its not always 100% reliable.
net (adj) \net\
(opposite = gross)
net income/profit etc \net "INkm\"prfIt\ In 2000 Enron reported a net income of $979 million.
opinion poll (n) \"pInIn pUl\ According to the latest opinion polls, the government is more popular than ever
before.
panic selling (n) \pnIk "selIN\ One trillion dollars of market capitalisation was lost in six and a half hours of
panic selling.
partner company (n) \"pAtn kmpnI\ Accountants at Enron invented partner companies that did not exist in order to
hide huge debts.
press release (n) \"pres rIlis\
put out a press release \pUt aUt pres People working in public relations often put out press releases that are little more
rI"lis\ than sales promotion.
public relations (n) \pblIk rI"leISnz\ People in public relations have a vested interest in promoting the company or
organization they work for.
scandal (n) \"skndl\
financial scandal (n) \fnnSl "skndl\ The company was damaged by a financial scandal in 2001.
speculator (n) \"spekjleIt\ Speculators loved Enron, especially when its share price reached a phenomenal $90.
spin doctor (n) \"spIn dkt\ A spin doctor gives journalists information that makes people or organizations
seem as good as possible.
staggering (adj) \"stgrIN\
a staggering 1 million/ \ stgrIN wn Arthur Andersen, the accounting consultancy employed by Enron, was fined a
$3 billion etc mIljn "paUndz\Tri staggering $500 million.
bIljn "dlz\
tax savings (n pl) \"tks seIvINz\ By using creative accounting Enron managed to make $2 billion in tax savings.
up-to-date (adj) \pt"deIt\ Nowadays the Internet allows us easy access to the most up-to-date information.
venture (n) \"ventS\ In addition to traditional businesses, Enron was also involved in several obscure
e-commerce ventures.
wipe out (phr v) \waIp "aUt\ Company profits have been wiped out by the recent slump in the economy.
authorisation (n) \OTraI"zeISn\ Were hoping that the Board of Directors will give us the authorisation we need to
move on to the next stage.
bestselling (adj) \best"selIN\
bestselling product/service \bestselIN We really do believe that the Micro-GYM could be a bestselling product.
"prdkt\"svs\
break down (phr v) \breIk "daUn\ Im always worried that the equipment will break down when Im giving a
presentation.
breakdown (n) \"breikdaUn\
breakdown of \breIkdaUn v A complete breakdown of costs is included in the report.
costs/figures etc "ksts\"fIgz\
line of business (n) \laIn v "bIzns\ Is it important in your line of business to be able to present your ideas
professionally?
cater for (phr v) \"keIt fO\
cater for a demand/need \keIt fO Its important that the product you suggest meets a need that is not catered for at
dI"mAnd\"nid\ present.
collaborate (v) \k"lbreIt\ The two firms have collaborated to produce an exciting new range of sportswear.
come across (phr v) \km "krs\ The way in which you come across as a person is almost more important than the
content of your presentation.
come up with (phr v) \km "p wID\ Try to come up with an innovative idea for a product or service.
complement (v) \"kmplment\ The new product or service should complement the products or services currently
on offer.
corporate vision (n) \kOprt "vIZn\
share corporate vision \Se kOprt "vIZn\ We think youre going to be as excited about this product as we are is a way of
sharing corporate vision with your audience.
cost (v) \kst\
be fully costed \bI fUlI "kstd\ The Micro-GYM has been fully costed a breakdown is included in the report.
dry up (phr v) \draI "p\ Im always frightened I wont know what to say next and that I might dry up
completely.
expectation (n) \ekspek"teISn\
build up expectations \bIld p Building up an audiences expectations of a product is the best way of keeping
ekspek"teISnz\ their interest.
global economy (n) \glUbl I"knmI\ Do you think national stereotypes still hold true in an increasingly global
economy?
go for (phr v) \"gU fO\ American audiences tend to go for jokes and clever remarks.
go funny \gU "fnI\ My microphone went funny and I sounded like Darth Vadar out of Star Wars!
go quiet \gU "kwaIt\ I hate that moment just before you start speaking when the audience goes quiet.
go wrong \gU "rN\ The technology went wrong and ruined the whole presentation.
hands-on (adj) \"hndzn\ Intrapreneurs are hands-on managers who make things happen.
highlight (v) \"haIlaIt\ Our findings are highlighted in the chart below.
itemise (v) \"aItmaIz\ Costs of manufacturing, packaging and advertising are all itemised.
major player (n) \meIdZ "pleI\ Microsoft is a major player in the computer software industry.
marketing opportunity (n) \"mAktIN ptjuntI\ 122 million overweight people in the USA is a disgraceful statistic but it represents
a wonderful marketing opportunity for us!
presentation (n) \prezn"teISn\
presentation style (n) \prezn"teISn staIl\ Different countries are characterised by their different presentation styles.
project budget (n) \"prdZekt bdZt\ 40% of our project budget went into constructing the prototype.
prototype (n) \"prUttaIp\ A prototype is a model of something, made before it is produced in large
quantities.
provider (n) \pr"vaId\
a leading provider of \ lidIN pr"vaId v\ As one of the worlds leading providers of fitness training equipment, we pride
ourselves on quality and reliability.
quote (v) \kwUt\
quote figures/statistics \kwUt You need to quote some statistics to make your presentation interesting but dont
"fIgz\st"tIstIks\ overdo it.
selling point (n) \"selIN pOInt\ During the development phase of a product its important to think about its main
selling points.
switch off (phr v) \swItS "f\ Your audience may switch off altogether if you dont make them laugh within the
first five minutes.
techno (adj) \"teknU\ Be too techno and your audience may think youre showing off.
break the ice \breIk DI "aIs\ Cracking jokes is one way of breaking the ice when you meet new people.
conduct business \kndkt "bIzns\ Most executives seem as comfortable conducting business on the golf course as in
the office.
come through (to) (phr v) \km "Tru t\ Come through to my office, please.
job market (n) \"dZb mAkt\ In a competitive job market its essential to make a good first impression.
look sb in the eye \lUk smbdI In Di When you meet people for the first time, you should look them in the eye and say
"aI\ hello.
mingle (v) \"mINgl\ Mingling is a word meaning talking to and socialising with people.
talk shop \tOk "Sp\ Talking shop with colleagues means talking about work and not relaxing and
talking about other things.
back up (phr v) \bk "p\ Always remember to back your work up at the end of the day.
boycott (n) \"bOIkt\ The firm was worried that rumours of contamination could lead to a widespread
consumer boycott.
compensatory damages (n pl) \kmpenseItrI McDonalds was ordered to pay the woman $200,000 in compensatory damages.
"dmIdZz\
cool-headed (adj) \kul"hedd\ Rafferty, the new CEO of the company, has a reputation as a cool-headed decision
maker.
course of action (n) \kOs v "kSn\ Id like your input before committing us to a definite course of action.
crisis management (n) \kraIsIs "mnIdZmnt\ Crisis management consultants help companies to deal with difficult situations.
financial/image etc crisis (n) \fnnSl\ImIdZ Buyers cancelled their orders after reading the report for Mercedes this was a
"kraIsIs\ financial as well as an image crisis.
decision maker (n) \dI"sIZn meIk\ Are you a cool-headed decision maker or do you panic when youre under
pressure?
delegate (v) \"delgeIt\
delegate tasks/jobs/ \delgeIt Its important to learn to delegate tasks when youre a manager.
duties etc "tAsks\"dZbz\"djutIz\
downsize (n) \"daUnsaIz\ Theres a rumour that the company is going to be downsized and people are
worried about the threat of redundancy.
environmental disaster (n) \InvAIrmentl The oil spillage from a tanker off the coast of Spain was an environmental disaster
dI"zAst\ of major proportions.
industrial dispute (n) \IndstrIl "dIspjut\ An industrial dispute between senior management and union leaders is
threatening to disrupt production.
input (n) \"InpUt\ Id appreciate the input of all team members before coming to any decision.
insider trading (n) \InsaId "treIdIN\ One of the most famous cases of insider trading was that of Nick Leeson, which
caused the collapse of Barings Bank.
launch (n) \lOntS\ Disaster struck just before the December launch of the new A class model.
lawsuit (n) \"lOsut\ The company was faced with an expensive lawsuit when customer Stella Liebeck
decided to sue for damages.
liable (adj) \"laIbl\ At the trial the jury found McDonalds liable and ordered them to pay over
$2.7 million in damages.
market (n) \"mAkt\ The markets directly involved in the crisis were France, Belgium, Luxembourg and
the Netherlands.
monopolies commission (n) \m"nplIz The monopolies commission is an organisation aimed at preventing companies
kmISn\ having total control of a market.
out-of-court settlement (n) \aUtvkOt Both parties in the McDonalds dispute eventually made an out-of-court settlement
"setlmnt\ for an undisclosed sum.
overlook (v) \Uv"lUk\ Can we really afford to overlook the fact that well be putting the local factory
workers out of a job?
product recall (n) \"prdkt rikOl\ I think we should authorise a total product recall while we conduct further tests.
production plant (n) \pr"dkSn plAnt\ We need to think carefully before closing down our biggest production plant.
punitive damages (n pl) \pjuntIv McDonalds had to pay $2.7 million in punitive damages because of their
"dmIdZz\ unacceptably dismissive attitude.
put our/their/your heads \pUt aU\De\jO Lets put our heads together and see what ideas we can come up with.
together "hedz tgeD\
rush into sth (phr v) \rS "Int smTIN\ We mustnt rush into anything this issue requires long and careful consideration.
safeguard (v) \"seIfgAd\ Our first priority is to safeguard the well-being of our personnel.
strike (n) \straIk\ The union might consider taking industrial action. A strike? Its a possibility.
sue (v) \su\ When McDonalds refused to pay the womans medical bills, she went to an
attorney and sued the company.
time is short \taIm Iz "SOt\ Time is short the deadline for completion of the project is in just three weeks.
an undisclosed sum (n) \n ndIsklUzd The parties eventually made an out-of-court settlement for an undisclosed sum.
"sm\
adbuster (n) \"dbst\ Adbusters are people who try to stop big companies advertising their products.
advertising budget (n) \"dvtaIzIN bdZt\ Multinationals such as Nike and Vodaphone spend a fortune on advertising their
advertising budgets are huge.
anti-corporate activism (n) \ntIkOprt Anti-corporate activism refers to the attempts made to reduce the power and
"ktIvIzm\ influence of large corporations.
anti-corporation movement \ntIkOpreISn Kleins book, No Logo, represents the voice of the anti-corporation movement.
"muvmnt\
billboard (n) (especially AmE) \"bIlbOd\ Billboards advertising products made by multinationals can be seen in most major
(BrE = hoarding) cities.
brand awareness (n) \brnd "wens\ There seem to be no limits to what the worlds biggest companies will do to raise
brand awareness.
brand loyalty (n) \brnd "lOIltI\ Brand loyalty is a marketing term describing the tendency that customers have to
stick to the names they trust.
well-known/major brand \welnUn\meIdZ How many well-known brands are you wearing or carrying right now?
"brnd\
celebrity endorsement (adj) \slebrtI Celebrity endorsement, e.g. Britney Spears advertising Pepsi or Michael Jordan
In"dOsmnt\ advertising Nike, is a well-known form of advertising.
consumption (n) \kn"smpSn\ Consumption in the USA is roughly 30 times greater than in India.
cool hunter (n) \"kul hnt\ Cool hunters report back to big companies on the latest trends among young
people.
corporate sponsorship (n) \kOprt Seeing the Vodaphone brand name on the side of Michael Schumachers Ferrari is
"spnsSIp\ an example of corporate sponsorship.
direct mail (n) (= junk mail) \daIrekt "meIl\ Most people throw direct mail or junk mail straight in the garbage.
downmarket (adj) \daUn"mAkt\ Products that are downmarket are cheap or of low quality.
(opposite = upmarket)
endorse (v) \In"dOs\ Michael Jordan was paid more for endorsing the trainers than the entire
30,000-strong workforce was for making them!
expose (v) \"ekspUz\
be exposed to \bi ekspUz tu\ The average American is exposed to 274 advertisements a day!
free-trade zone (n) \fritreId "zUn\ A lot of the products we buy are produced under terrible conditions in free-trade
zones in poorer countries.
global integration (n) \glUbl Do you agree that poor countries are victims of global integration?
(= globalisation) Int"greISn\
globalisation (n) \glUblaI"zeISn\ In her book No Logo Klein claims that globalisation has hit poor countries badly.
job security (n) \"dZb sIkjUrtI\ Theres no job security its no work, no pay when orders dont come in.
junk mail (n) (= direct mail) \"dZNk meIl\ Theres been a marked increase in the amount of junk mail coming through our
doors in recent years.
logo (n) \"lUgU\ Logos or company symbols have almost become an international language.
market segmentation (n) \mAkt Market segmentation is the process of dividing up the market into sectors.
segmn"teISn\
This file has been downloaded from www.businessenglishonline.net 2
It is photocopiable, but all copies must be complete pages.
Macmillan Publishers Limited 2004.
in company Upper intermediate
Unit 11
headword pronunciation translation/notes example sentence
target market (n) \"tAgIt mAkt\ Its essential to define your target market when youre marketing a product.
upmarket (adj) \"pmAkt\ Products that are upmarket are expensive or of good quality.
(opposite = downmarket)
multinational (n) \mltI"nSnl\ Multinationals such as Nike, Microsoft and Starbucks try to be the chief
communicators of all that is good in our culture.
overbranded (adj) \Uv"brndd\ Klein has become a campaigner against a world that she sees as being
overbranded.
overcapacity (n) \Uvk"pstI\ Overcapacity in which you produce more of something than you can sell is the
norm in most businesses.
overtime (n) \"UvtaIm\ In many of the factories used by the multinationals there is forced overtime but no
job security.
PDA (n) \pidi"eI\ A PDA is a small palmtop computer used for storing names and addresses and for
(= personal digital writing reports.
assistant)
price sensitivity (n) \"praIs senstIvtI\ Price sensitivity is an expression describing the tendency of some customers to
buy the cheapest products available.
product (n) \"prdkt\
product development (n) \"prdkt A company such as Disney must spend billions on product development annually.
dIvelpmnt\
product launch (n) \"prdkt lOntS\ The number of grocery product launches increased from 2,700 in 1981 to 20,000 in
1996.
product placement (n) \"prdkt Product placement is the use of a companys product in a film or TV show as a way
pleIsmnt\ of advertising it.
product positioning (n) \"prdkt pzISnIN\ The process of deciding whether your product is up- or downmarket is called
product positioning.
promotion (n) \pr"mUSn\
promotion of \pr"mUSn v\ Our advertising budget dictates how much we can spend on promotion of our
products.
spam (n) \spm\ Spam is a term describing unwanted email that is sent to large numbers of
people using the Internet.
strategic alliance (n) \strtidZIk "laIns\ A strategic alliance is formed when two or more rival companies work together in
order to achieve something.
target (v) \"tAgt\ Video games companies tend to target young males with their action-packed
titles.
workforce (n) \"wkfOs\ Many of the multinationals exploit their workforces, denying them job security
but forcing them to do overtime when necessary.
chief executive (n) \tSif Ig"zekjtIv\ According to Owens, someone who sends messages with lots of spelling and
grammar mistakes probably has the makings of a chief executive!
computer (n) \km"pjut\
computer hardware (n) \km"pjut Computer hardware is equipment such as the monitor, mouse and keyboard that
hAdwe\ you need to run computer programmes.
computer industry (n) \km"pjut IndstrI\ One big company in the computer industry is considering banning e-mails in the
afternoon in order to save time.
computer rage (n) \km"pjut reIdZ\ A survey by MORI revealed that 75% of computer users suffer from computer
rage and actually damage their hardware.
copy sb in (on) (phr v) \kpI smbdI "In The person to contact is called Margrethe Rasmussen and remember to copy me in
n\ on any correspondence.
cost (n)
cost breakdown (n) \"kst breIkdaUn\ I require a complete cost breakdown for the project as quickly as possible.
costing (n) \"kstIN\ Please give me an estimate of the costing for the project.
fall (by) (v) \"fOl baI\ Cerner stock fell by 28% after emails which the CEO had sent to his staff found
(opposite = increase (by)) their way onto the Yahoo! website!
fire off (phr v) \faI "f\ Firing off an e-mail means writing it and sending it as quickly as possible.
forward (v) \"fOwd\ Using office e-mail to forward jokes to colleagues is a bad idea!
get back to sb (phr v) \get "bk t Id be grateful if you could have a quick look at the report and get back to me
smbdI\ about it.
get on to sb (phr v) \get "n t smbdI\ I must get on to our suppliers about the delay with the order.
high-status (adj) \haI"steIts\ High-status people within a company tend to send messages that are shorter and
more direct.
keep sb in the loop \kip smbdI In D Keep me in the loop on any important developments.
"lup\
middle management (n) \mIdl "mnIdZmnt\ Long, overcomplicated e-mail messages tend to characterise those who will go no
further than middle management.
neutral (adj) \"njutrl\ Generally speaking, a friendly but neutral style works best when youre emailing.
packaging design (n) \pkIdZIn dI"zaIn\ Our people in marketing werent too happy with the packaging design.
product demo (n) \"prdkt demU\ The audience was really impressed with the product demo.
(= product
demonstration)
sound sb out (on) (phr v) \saUnd smbdI When you have a spare moment, Id like to sound you out on this new packaging
"aUt n\ idea.
stress factor (n) \"stres fkt\ The survey showed that computers are among the top ten stress factors at work,
with 75% of employees shouting and swearing at their machines.
take sth off sbs hands \teIk smTIn f Ive too much to do at the moment Id be grateful if you could take the
smbdIz "hndz\ arrangements for the Milan meeting off my hands.
take on (phr v) \teIk "n\ Shes totally stressed out at work and feels she cant take on any more.
trash (n) \trS\ Out of 753 e-mails only ten were really useful the rest could all have been sent
straight to the trash!
unread (adj) \n"red\ Several of the people we interviewed admitted sending many of their e-mails to
the trash unread.
update (v) \p"deIt\
update sb on sth Can you update me on where you are with the Rome Expo arrangements.
business presentation (n) \"bIzns Its vital to start off any business presentation on the right note.
preznteISn\
cash flow (n) \"kS flU\ Cash flow is the rate at which a business gets money and then pays it out again.
charisma (n) \k"rIzm\ The magic ingredient that many great presenters have is charisma.
economic development (n) \eknmIk The programme of careful economic development has ensured that Bhutan has
dI"velpmnt\ kept a balance between the needs of progress and those of conservation.
foreign investment (n) \frn In"vestmnt\ Many of the current improvements in Bhutan are the result of foreign investment.
get across (phr v) \get "krs\ One of the questions you should ask yourself before giving a presentation is:
Whats the central message that Im trying to get across?
impact (n) \"Impkt\
make an impact on \meIk n "Impkt Making an impact on your audience right at the beginning of a presentation is
n\ vitally important.
infrastructure (n) \"InfrstrktS\ The Progress Party wish to make improvements to the infrastructure of Bhutan
and to speed up communications.
key point (n) \ki "pOInt\ One of the seven rules of rhetoric is to group key points in threes.
outperform (v) \aUtp"fOm\ Not one single company has ever outperformed us in this market.
rhetorical question (n) \rItrIkl A rhetorical question is one that you ask without expecting or wanting an answer.
"kwestSn\
air traffic control (n) \e trfIk kn"trUl\ I looked out of the window and saw a fighter plane flying alongside us
apparently air traffic control had lost radio contact with our plane.
apology (n) \"pldZI\
make an apology \meIk n "pldZI\ One way of starting a conversation with a stranger is to make an apology for
example, about your childrens behaviour.
and the strange thing was \nd D streIndZ There was a loud noise from outside the plane, and the strange thing was that
TIN ws\ the cabin crew just seemed to be ignoring it.
around the time of \raUnd D taIm v\ I was flying from Malaga to Stansted in the UK this was around the time of the
attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001.
assistance (n) \"sIstns\
offer assistance \f "sIstns\ Offering assistance, for example by saying Let me help you with that is another
way of starting conversation.
business traveller (n) \"bIzns trvl\ Macon Learys advice to business travellers is to travel light.
to cut a long story short \t kt lN stOrI Anyway, to cut a long story short, the captain of the plane managed to keep
"SOt\ everybody calm and we were able to continue our journey.
incidentally (adv) \Ins"dentlI\ Incidentally, did I tell you I wont be in the office on Monday afternoon?
industrial tribunal (n) \IndstrIl He won back his job after an industrial tribunal ruled that he had been unfairly
traI"bjunl\ dismissed.
To change the subject \t tSeIndZ D To change the subject, have you heard whos just been appointed CEO?
"sbdZekt\
Talking of \"tOkIN v ...\ Talking of holidays, one of the nicest places Ive ever visited is Bali.
To top it all \t tp It "Ol ...\ To top it all, I ended up sitting next to a guy with a snake in a basket!
travel light \trvl "laIt\ Travelling light means travelling without much luggage.
unfairly dismissed (adj) \nfelI dIs"mIst\ The industrial tribunal ruled that she had been unfairly dismissed.
a stream of acquisitions \ strim v A stream of acquisitions permitted Amazon to expand into areas such as CDs and
kwI"zISnz\ clothing.
catchphrase (n) \"ktSfreIz\ One of the ways to become a guru is to come up with a catchphrase or catchword
such as synergy or glocalisation.
co-opetition (n) \kUp"tISn\ Co-opetition is a catchword meaning to co-operate with the competition.
conventional wisdom (n) \knvenSnl Semler has chosen to ignore conventional wisdom in allowing his workers to
"wIzdm\ choose and evaluate their bosses.
cut-throat (adj) \"ktTrUt\ Nokia has overtaken both Ericsson and Motorola in the notoriously cut-throat
mobile phone market.
direct-sale (adj) \drekt"seIl\ The Dell Corporation is a direct-sale computer business that bypasses the
middleman, i.e. the retail stores.
diversify (v) \daI"vsfaI\
diversify into \daI"vsfaI Intu\ Bezos, the founder of Amazon, has not been afraid to diversify into new
businesses.
downsizing (n) \"daUnsaIzIN\ Downsizing basically means cutting costs by making people redundant.
(opposite = expansion)
emotional intelligence (n) \ImUSnl Someone with emotional intelligence knows how to deal with people.
In"teldZns\
empowerment (n) \Im"paUmnt\ Empowerment has become a popular catchword meaning giving people control
over what they do.
focused (adj) \"fUkst\
tightly focused \taItlI "fUkst\ Nokia sold off its non-core operations in order to become more tightly focused.
glass ceiling (n) \glAs "silIN\ The glass ceiling certainly exists where I work theres hardly a woman who gets
promoted beyond unit manager.
glocalisation (n) \glUklaI"zeISn\ Glocalisation describes a business strategy in which you keep your business small
and local but aim at the whole world as your market.
innovate (v) \"InveIt\ In the mobile phone business its a case of innovate or die.
JIT (= Just-in-Time) \dZeIaI"ti\ JIT means manufacturing things just in time to meet customer demand.
logistics (n pl) \l"dZIstIks\ The logistics of a situation are the practical arrangements that are necessary in
order to organize or achieve something.
market (n)
market leader (n) \mAkt "lid\ Bransons company, Virgin, has earned a reputation for stealing business off
complacent market leaders.
marketspace (n) \"mAktspeIs\ If you create your own marketspace, you break free of your competitors altogether.
middleman (n) \"mIdlmn\ Retail stores act as the middlemen who sell the product.
overtake (v) \Uv"teIk\ Under the guiding hand of Jorma Ollila, Nokia has overtaken rivals Motorola and
Ericsson to become the No.1 mobile phone company.
portfolio career (n) \pOtfUlIU k"rI\ What is this so-called portfolio career? Its the idea that you have to keep
changing direction in your career every seven years.
publicity (n) \pb"lIstI\
generate publicity \dZenreIt One of Bransons greatest skills is the ability to generate publicity for his company.
pb"lIstI\
re-engineering (n) \riendZ"nIrIN\ Re-engineering was the big thing in the 90s all about improving efficiency and
performance by sacking half your staff!
self-publicist (n) \self"pblsIst\ A skilled self-publicist, there is nothing Branson wouldnt do to promote the Virgin
brand.
sell off (phr v) \sel "f\ Nokia decided to sell off its non-core operations and to focus exclusively on mobile
phones.
synergy (n) \"sIndZI\ Synergy is based on the principle that we are all more effective as individuals if we
work as a team.
TQM (= Total Quality \tikju"em\ TQM involves monitoring production, inventory, logistics etc and making sure that
Management) (n) they are accurate.
advertising technique \"dvtaIzIN teknik\ The use of celebrities to endorse products is a powerful advertising technique.
authorise (v) \"OTraIz\ A total shutdown of the Hamburg plant has been authorised.
back up (phr v) \bk "p\ If we close the plant down, well have container lorries backed up from Hamburg
to Lbeck!
blue-chip client (n) \blutSIp "klaInt\ Geoconference has an impressive list of blue-chip clients, including IBM and Merrill
Lynch.
bottleneck (n) \"btlnek\
production bottleneck (n) \pr"dkSn btlnek\ If you authorise a plant shutdown, well have a terrible production bottleneck.
exceed a budget \Iksid "bdZt\ Im worried about the costs were running up on the ternelle account I think
were in danger of exceeding our budget.
run over budget \rn Uv "bdZt\ With post-production costs, we could run 500,000700,000 over budget on this one.
oversee (v) \Uv"si\ Max Schiller is told to oversee and ensure completion of the repairs within three
days.
publicity (n) \pb"lIstI\
adverse publicity (n) \dvs pb"lIstI\ A total plant shutdown could generate a great deal of adverse publicity.
reserve stocks (n pl) \rIzv "stks\ We have insufficient reserve stocks to fully meet current orders.
safety hazard (n) \"seIftI hzd\ We have to shut the plant down at the moment its a safety hazard.
shutdown (n) \"StdaUn\ The shutdown of the Hamburg plant has now been officially confirmed.
teleconferencing (n) \telI"knfrnsIN\ Teleconferencing allows people in different places to communicate using an
electronic communications system, usually television.
video (n)
video phone (n) \"vIdIU fUn\ The advantage of videoconferencing is that you can hold meetings with people in
other places using a video phone.
videoconferencing (n) \"vIdIU"knfrnsIN\ Although there are many advantages to videoconferencing, it will never eliminate
the need for a face-to-face meeting.
emotional blackmail (n) \ImUSnl Emotional blackmail involves trying to make other people feel guilty in order to
"blkmeIl\ get what you want.
essentials (n pl) \I"senSlz\ Essentials are the things that it is very important for you to obtain during
negotiations.
gross revenues (n pl) \grUs "revnjuz\ The Stones have generated more than $1.5 billion in gross revenues since 1989.
head-on conflict (n) \hedn "knflIkt\ If neither person is prepared to compromise then the discussions may turn into a
head-on conflict.
high-pressure tactics (n pl) \haIpreS "tktIks\ Using high-pressure tactics involves using every strategy you can in order to get
what you want.
ideals (n pl) \aI"dIlz\ Ideals are the things you will fight to get but not if it costs you the deal.
income stream (n) \"In km strim\ Music rights, not concerts, provide the steadiest income stream.
long-term relationship (n) \lNtm rI"leISnSIp\ Its not worth sacrificing a long-term relationship for the sake of winning a deal.
negotiating objective (n) \nIgUSIeItIN Your negotiating objectives are the things you want to achieve during
b"dZektIv\ negotiations.
negotiator (n) \nI"gUSIeIt\ Experienced negotiators have a range of high-pressure tactics that they use to get
what they want.
one-off deal (n) \wnf "dil\ The tactics that you use for negotiating a one-off deal are very different from
those you use when theres a long-term relationship involved.
out-earn (v) \aUt"n\ The dead Elvis Presley started out-earning the live Elvis Presley in 1988!
pay off (phr v) \peI "f\ Mariah Carey was paid off to the tune of 19.5 million when Virgin Records
decided they didnt want to record her at all!
pressurise (v) \"preSraIz\ Which of the high-pressure tactics listed do you most often use to pressurise your
opponents?
royalties (n pl) \"rOIltIz\ Each time the Stones get airplay they collect 50% of the royalties.
set sth to one side \set smTIN t Lets set the price issue to one side for a moment, shall we? Tell me a bit more
wn "saId\ about the product.
single-issue negotiation (n) \sINglISu The problem with all single-issue negotiations is that there is very little room for
nI"gUSIeISn\ manoeuvre for either party.
small print (n) \smOl "prInt\ The small print of a contract consists of the details printed in small letters that
often limit your rights.
throw sth in (phr v) \TrU smTIN "In\ We could offer you a 6% discount, free delivery and we could throw in free parts
and service as well.
topic (n) \"tpIk\ A single-issue negotiation is one where only one topic is being discussed.
tradeables (n pl) \"treIdblz\ Tradeables are the things that you take if you can get them but that are not
particularly important to you.
win (v)
win at all costs \win t Ol "ksts\ Becoming hostile because you want to win at all costs is often a big mistake.
win-win situation (n) \wIn"wIn By generating options you create a win-win situation where you both feel youve
sItSueISn\ gained something.
be a long way off \bi lN weI f\ In my view, the era of robots who are mentally and physically superior to humans
is still a long way off.
be bound to \bI "baUnd tu\ Bowman thinks that western companies are bound to employ an increasing
number of workers in the developing world.
brink (n) \brINk\
be on the brink of \bi n D "brINk v I believe we are on the brink of creating lifelike machines.
doing sth duIN\
designer baby (n) \dIzaIn "beIbI\ Designer babies have been the subject of much debate in recent times.
economic progress (n) \eknmIk Most of todays businesses grew up in a period of population explosion and rapid
"prUgres\ economic progress.
face a bleak future \feIs blik "fjutS\ Parts of Europe and the US could be facing a bleak future unless they find a way
of solving the population problem.
the foreseeable future \D fOsibl I dont see Dewdneys prediction of a different human species becoming a reality
"fjutS\ in the foreseeable future.
futurist (n) \"fjutrIst\ Futurists are people who make predictions about what life will be like in the
future.
genetically enhanced (adj) \dZnetIklI The world may end up being divided into people who can afford to be genetically
In"hAnst\ enhanced and those who cant, leading to a new class of beings.
global economy (n) \glUbl I"knmI\ As the global economy becomes more integrated and interdependent so the
number of workers in developing countries will grow.
high (adj) \haI\
high-end (adj) \"haIend\ Electronic immigrants may soon end up being employed in high-end technical
fields such as engineering or IT.
high-tech, high-touch (n) \haItek haI"ttS\ The high-tech, high-touch approach involves giving the latest technology a
personal touch.
horizon (n) \h"raIzn\
be on the horizon \bi n D Political change and economic change seems to be on the horizon in many
h"raIzn\ countries.
lie in store \laI In "stO\ Its impossible to predict with 100% accuracy what lies in store for businesses in
the future.
lifelike (adj) \"laIflaIk\ Ironically as humans are playing with their DNA structure and becoming more
artificial, machines are becoming more lifelike.
marketing potential (n) \"mAktIN ptenSl\ Which of the technologies listed do you think has the most marketing potential?
multitasking (n) \mltI"tAskIN\ Cochrane predicts that we will fit much more into the lives weve got by
multitasking (=doing more than one thing at the same time) at work.
networked (adj) \"netwkt\ In Bowmans opinion, in the networked world of the future where you live will
have little effect on where you work.
on stream (adv) \n "strim\
come on stream \km n "strim\ While some of the technologies mentioned will never be implemented, others will
gradually come on stream and improve our lives.
population (n) \ppj"leISn\
population decline (n) \ppjleISn Gary Wright thinks that immigration will offset population decline to a certain
dI"klaIn\ extent in many Western countries.
population explosion (n) \ppjleISn Many of todays businesses grew up in a period of population explosion.
Ik"splUZn\
smart machine (n) \smAt m"Sin\ Smart machines use computer technology to make them more effective.
be targeted to \bI "tAgtd tu\ Hopefully technological advances will mean that products and services can be
better targeted to the needs of the customer.
technological shift (n) \teknldZIkl "SIft\ Angell argues that every major technological shift creates winners and losers.
reject technology \rIdZekt tek"nldZI\ Just as we embrace some forms of technology, we reject technology that makes us
feel less alive, less human.
technophobe (n) \"teknfUb\ A technophobe is someone who does not like or trust new forms of technology.
(opposite = technophile)
virtual reality (n) \vtSUl ri"ltI\ Virtual reality is the images and sounds generated by computers in order to
simulate reality.
way (n) \weI\
be a long way off \bi a lN weI f\ In my view, the era of robots who are mentally and physically superior to humans
is still a long way off.
be based in \bI "beIst In\ The company has relocated and is now based in Rotterdam.
business or pleasure? \bIzns O "pleZ\ Toms been invited to a private viewing at the Guggenheim. Is that for business
or pleasure?
do business \du "bIzns\ Would you do business with a member of your own family?
Hows business? \haUz "bIzns\ Hows business? I hear things are improving. Not really, economic recovery is still
a long way off.
CEO (n) (AmE) \sii"U\ Pieter Groenveld is the CEO of our biggest Dutch client.
(BrE = managing director)
constraint (n) \kn"streInt\ An evening at a corporate event contrasts with the pressures and constraints of
the office environment.
contract (n) \"kntrkt\
negotiate a (3 million/ \nIgUSIeIt ... Were currently negotiating an $80 million contract with Chinese government
$900,000) contract "kntrkt\ officials.
corporate hospitality/ \kOprt hsp"tltI\ Corporate hospitality has become a boom industry in the past few years.
entertainment (n) ent"teInmnt\
4-/5-course dinner/lunch (n) \fO\faIv kOs A 5-course dinner, plus a private box at the match, costs 900 per person.
"dIn\"lntS\
delegation (n) \del"geISn\ A delegation of 12 Chinese government officials were invited for a day out at the
Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships.
division (n) \dI"vIZn\
engineering/ \endZnIrIN\ My names James McRae and I work for BP in their engineering division.
pharmaceutical division etc fAmsjutIkl
dI"vIZn\
hospitality tent (n) \hsp"tltI tent\ Food, drink and entertainment will be on offer at the firms hospitality tent.
look strong/good/bad etc \lUk strN\gUd\bd\ The Nikkeis looking strong at the moment, which is good news for Japanese
companies.
merger (n) \"mdZ\
be involved in a merger \bi Invlvd In I believe your companys about to be involved in a merger.
"mdZ\
office party (n) \fIs "pAtI\ When was the last time you attended an office party?
per person/per party \p "psn\p "pAtI\ London Eye, tour of Tate Modern, dinner: 1,600 per party of 20.
pressures (n pl) \"preSz\ Staff need to escape from time to time from the pressures and constraints of the
office.
project (n) \"prdZekt\
complete a project \kmplit "prdZekt\ Weve just completed a successful two-year project with a Finnish engineering
company.
reception (n) \rI"sepSn\
champagne reception (n) \SmpeIn rI"sepSn\ Enjoy a champagne reception with first-class service at the Paris Ritz.
sales rep (n) \"seIlz rep\ Each year we invite our top 50 sales reps and their partners to the British Grand
Prix at Silverstone.
service (n) \"svs\
first-class service \fst klAs "svs\ Book your corporate event with us and we guarantee the ideal setting and
first-class service.
setting (n) \"setIN\
ideal setting \"aIdIl "setIN\ The Royal Yacht Britannia provides the ideal setting for a unique and
unforgettable evening.
star (adj) \stA\
star employee/team \stA Im"plOIi\"tim Reward your star team members with an evening of corporate entertainment.
member etc memb\
stock market (n) \"stk mAkt\ I see the stock markets are improving now is probably a good time to invest.
VIP box (n) \viaIpi "bks\ VIP boxes are available from 800 per person.
advertising campaign (n) \"dvtaIzIN The new advertising campaign is reported to have cost over 3 million.
kmpeIn\
all-time low (n) \Ol taIm "lU\ Our share price has fallen to an all-time low of just 85 cents.
assembly plant (n) \"semblI plAnt\ We may have to consider outsourcing production. Hold on, you mean our
assembly plant may be closed down?
backing (n) \"bkIN\
(opposite = opposition)
the full backing of \D fUl "bkIN v\ The proposed change got the full backing of everybody present.
balance sheet (n) \"blns Sit\ A balance sheet is a written statement showing the value of a company at a
particular time.
ballpark figure (v) (AmE) \"bOlpAk fIg\ A ballpark figure is a rough estimate of how much something is worth or how
much it will cost.
break even \breIk "ivn\ We cant afford to introduce price cuts were barely breaking even on some of
our product lines.
capital (n) \"kptl\
capital investment/ \kptl Your suggestion is out of the question we cant afford that kind of capital
outlay (n) In"vestmnt\"aUtleI\ outlay.
centralise (v) \"sentrlaIz\ By centralising distribution we could avoid the problems weve been having with
(opposite = decentralise) overseas distributors.
channels of communication \tSnlz v Do you think working in an open-plan office improves channels of communication
(n pl) kmjunI"keISn\ between people?
chief (n) \tSif\ Former ITT chief, Harold Geneen, was a remorselessly driven workaholic.
close down (phr v) \klUz "daUn\ Many firms couldnt keep up with their competitors in South East Asia and were
(opposite = open up) forced to close down.
consolidate (v) \kn"sldeIt\ Now is not the time to expand, but to consolidate.
cost cutting (n) \"kst ktIN\ Cost cutting often involves job losses so that a firms wage bill is reduced.
customer relations (n pl) \kstm rI"leISnz\ Good customer relations are vital to the growth of any business.
distribution channel (n) \dIstr"bjuSn tSnl\ Distribution channels are the different ways in which goods and materials are
distributed.
distributor (n) \dI"strIbjt\
overseas distributor (n) \Uvsiz dI"strIbjt\ Centralising distribution would be one way of solving the problems weve been
having with overseas distributors.
drastic action (n) \drstIk "kSn\ The situation calls for drastic action. Its time for a major restructuring.
executive (n) \Ig"zekjtIv\ The average executive spends half of his or her life in meetings.
figures (n pl) \"fIgz\ Executives of ITT had four-day meetings in Brussels poring over figures.
finalise (v) \"faInlaIz\ We wont be able to finalise anything today. You mean well have to hold
another meeting?
hostile takeover (n) \hstaIl "teIkUv\ The company was acquired recently by a former competitor in a hostile takeover.
interdepartmental meeting (n) \IntdipAtmentl An interdepartmental meeting is attended by people from the different
"mitIN\ departments within a company.
IT support (n) \aI"ti spOt\ Good IT support is vital to the efficiency of businesses nowadays.
job-share scheme (n) \"dZbSe skim\ A job-share scheme is one in which two people share the work of a single job and
work reduced hours.
last-in-first-out (LIFO) (n) \lAstInfst"aUt\ A last-in-first-out procedure is one in which people who have started working for
a firm most recently are the first to lose their jobs.
layout (n) \"leIaUt\ Feng-shui experts made recommendations for changes to the office layout.
run at a loss \rn t "ls\ We may end up running at a loss if we cut prices now.
market trend (n) \mAkt "trend\ Market trends show the type of products that are popular at a particular time.
market-driven (adj) \"mAktdrIvn\ Market-driven organisations are controlled by what and how much people want
to buy.
opposition (n) \p"zISn\
(opposite = backing)
meet with opposition \mit wID p"zISn\ Some of the proposed changes met with a certain amount of opposition.
overstaffed (adj) \Uv"stAft\ The board feels that the company is overstaffed and has announced job losses.
(opposite = understaffed)
phase out (phr v) \feIz "aUt\ Were barely breaking even on some of our product lines. Surely youre not
(opposite = bring in, saying its time to phase them out?
introduce)
pick up (phr v) \pIk "p\ Unless things pick up next quarter we may have to rethink our pricing strategy.
(opposite = drop off,
fall off)
positive discrimination (n) \pztIv A policy of positive discrimination would lead to more women being appointed to
dIskrIm"neISn\ management positions.
price setting (n) \"praIs setIN\ There was a lot of disagreement in the meeting about price setting.
pricing strategy (n) \"praIsIn strtdZI\ We shall have to rethink our pricing strategy if our European sales figures dont
improve.
product (n) \"prdkt\
product development (n) \"prdkt Were losing our technological lead and need to invest more money in product
dIvelpmnt\ development.
product line (n) \"prdkt laIn\ If profit margins are falling it may be time to phase out some product lines.
profit margin (n) \"prfIt mAdZn\ Profit margins increased by 7% last quarter.
pull out (of) (phr v) \pUl "aUt v\ The firm is pulling out of the personal computer business.
quality control (n) \kwltI kn"trUl\ Quality control involves testing goods in a factory to make sure that they are good
enough to sell.
quarter (n) \"kwOt\ The European sales figures for last quarter are extremely disappointing.
recruitment process (n) \rI"krutmnt Theres often a lot of disagreement in meetings about recruitment processes.
prUses\
restructuring (n) \ri"strktSrIN\ The situation calls for drastic action its time for a major restructuring.
sales projection (n) \"seIlz prdZekSn\ Sales projections forecast a considerable increase in sales in Eastern Europe.
shake-up (n) \"SeIkp\ During the recent shake-up several members of the Board of Directors resigned.
share (n)
share price (n) \"se praIs\ Our share price has fallen to an all-time low of 85 cents.
shareholder (n) \"SehUld\ Shareholders were delighted when ITTs sales increased from $745 million to
nearly $28 billion.
staff appraisal (n) \stAf "preIzl\ Staff appraisals take place annually between employees and their line manager.
streamlining (n) \"strimlaInIN\ The company is overstaffed I think some streamlining is necessary.
(opposite = expansion)
supply chain (n) \s"plaI tSeIn\ Our supply chains have been disrupted by the recent rail strike.
team spirit (n) \tim "spIrt\ A good team spirit is vital for both efficiency and productivity.