Exercise One

Part One

Questions 1-12

You will hear a speaker addressing a group of business people at the beginning of a training course. He is telling them about the timetable for the first day.

As you listen, for questions 1-12, complete the notes, using up to 3 words or a number.

You will hear the recording twice.

General:

The morning session begins at ________________1_____________________________.

The course is called ______________2________________.

The day’s work:

The main task for the day is to ______________3______________.

Two things to take into account are your product’s ____________4__________ and your _________5______.

Don’t spend time thinking about the __________________6____________________.

The most important thing today is to use your ________________7________________________.

Each group should produce a _______________8_______________.

Before meeting together again, each group should choose a ____________9_______________.

Evening options:

The subject of this evening’s talk is the _______________10_______________________.

An __________11___________ will take place in the Davidson Room.

If you want meet an advertising editor, go to _____________12___________________.

Part Two

Questions 13-22

You will hear extracts from five different people all work in the offices of a large company talking about letters they have just received.

For each extract there are tow tasks. For task one, choose what was in the letter received from list A-H. . For task two choose the response the speaker intends to make from the list I-P.

You will hear the recording twice.

Task One – What the Letter Contains

For questions 13-17, match the extracts with the descriptions of what was in the letter, listed A-H.

For each extract, choose what was in the letter received from list A-H.

Write one letter A-H next to the number of the extract.

13. ___                        A an enquiry about future plans

14. ___                        B a complaint about a product

15. ___                        C agreement with a recent decision

16. ___                        D a request for an appointment

17. ___                        E an order for a new product

F thanks for assistance

G an invitation to attend a presentation

H an apology for delay

Task Two – Response

For question 18-22, match the extracts with the responses, listed I-P.

For each extract, choose the response the speaker intends to make.

Write one letter I-P next to the number of the extract.

18. ___                        I waiting before taking any action

19. ___                        I writing to apologize

20. ___                        K passing it on to another department

21. ___                        L arranging a meeting

22. ___                        M asking for further details

N writing to express thanks

O writing to complain

P phoning to discuss a problem

Part Three

Questions 23 - 30

You will hear a radio interview with Martha Flowers, the Managing Director of the MAX  chain of sandwich bars.

Choose the correct phrase to complete each sentence or answer the question.

23    Martha started her business because

        A     someone asked her to.

        B     she saw a good opportunity.

        C     she had a lot of experience in fast food.

24    Martha says the first three years of the business were

        A     not very successful.

        B     surprisingly good.

        C     very interesting.

25    How does MAX try to follow the example of fast food chains

        A     by working faster

        B     by using cheap products

        C     by working efficiently

26    What does Martha say about office diaries?

        A     She thinks that, unfortunately, they are necessary.

        B     She never uses one at all.

        C     Her secretary keeps one for her.

27    What does Martha say about her employees?

        A     They must listen more carefully to what customers say.

        B     She finds what they can tell her very useful.

        C     It is difficult to recruit enough good quality staff.

28    According to Martha, what is the most important factor in MAX’s success?

         A     The same customers keep buying their products.

         B     They only sell the best quality products.

         C     They have high profit margin.

29    Martha's advice to anyone who is starting a new business is to

        A     look for an area with few competitors.

        B     keep yourself well informed about competitors.

        C     try to offer lower prices than your competitors.

30    What surprises Martha about other companies?

        A     They don’t monitor their competitors' activities.

        B     They are unaware of their own weaknesses.

        C     They don’t act on the information they have.