Unit 6 The Business World

1. Unit 6 The Business World Content of the Unit This unit will help learners catch a glimpse of the business world. Starting with the discussion of business activities, it focused on the prospects of various trades. Then, a report is presented to exemplify how to describe sales results. Next, learners are required to familiarize themselves with charts, which are effective means of putting forward statistics in the business world. They should learn how to change verbal information into a chart and visa versa. In the end, this unit will discuss those key factors in the success of a business.

2. Performance Objectives 1. Identify degrees of certainty. 2. Try to memorize the expressions used to describe probability. 3. Learn to talk about prospects. 4. Learn to describe sales results. 5. Learn to make comparisons. 6. Try to transfer information to charts and write about charts. 7. Discuss key factors in the success of a business.

3. Warm Up What is BUSINESS? Definition: Business is an umbrella term which covers a great variety of activities concerning business, production and trade. Note: You’re expected to know the list of business activities on Page 246-247, and you’re also required to pay attention to the verb + object collocation.

4. Related Vocabulary Trade:collection, bill of loading, L/C, issuing bank, advising bank, paying bank,arbitration Check & Bill: endorsement, drawer, bearer, bill of exchange, clearance, dishonored  check Economy:price index, devaluation, boom, inflation, Gross National Product, tertiary  industry

5. Some key words: • umbrella: sth that encompasses or covers many different • elements or groups • invoice: list of goods with price charged • collate: make a careful comparison between ( books, copies ) • to learn the differences between them • Related Vocabulary • Trade: collection, bill of loading, L/C, issuing bank, advising bank, • paying bank,arbitration • Check & Bill: endorsement, drawer, bearer, bill of exchange, • clearance, dishonored  check • Economy: price index, devaluation, boom, inflation, Gross • National Product, tertiary  industry

6. Activity 1 Great Expectation I. By completing Task 1, you can have an idea about which trades will hold good prospects. ( Page 248 ) II. Expressions of describing prospects: * hold / forsee good prospects * face a vast market * profit …show sustained increases * …be highly desired * …bring about a new boom * …enter ranks of the highly-paid * maintain high profits / make significant profits * be in great demand * occupy a good marketplace

7. Language for Specific Functions 1. Expressing certainty  I know the movie will make a hit.  I bet they've got lost.   There can't be any doubt that our foreign trade is increasing.  I'm quite convinced of her experience in it. 2. Expressing uncertainty  I'm not sure about that.  I can't say for certain.   There's some doubt as to the way we handle the problem.  Hard to tell.

8. Activity 2 Company Report • Make an intensive reading of Text 2.1, and complete the following • tasks: • To get some specific information, and it may give you some • idea about the nature of business competition. • Pay attention to the following words: • * slump -- (prices, trade) fall steeply or suddenly. • * considerably – much, quite, a great deal • * strategy – plan, tactic • * negotiate -- to confer with another or others in order to come to • terms or reach an agreement:

9. The expressions of describing sales of a certain merchandise • ( identifying whether they suggest the idea of increase or not ): • Sales have declined considerably, have been picking up again. • Market share has dropped 21% to only 10%, saleshave collapsed despite the huge jump in the microcomputer market there during the past year. • Salesslumped by 50%. • …expect a gradual rise in sales; We haven’t been able topush as much as the company would have liked. • It has not been sold to either leisure or the business market. • They have gone into a slide, dropped by 41% and 53%, showed a slight upturn, crashed again later.

10. If you want to occupy the market, you can follow the flowchart • below: a. research the market b. find the proper marketing strategy c. negotiate a marketing deal d. chase the market

11. e. capture part of the market f. expand the market g. dominate the market

12. What is a pie chart? A circular graph having radii dividing the circle into sectors proportional in angle and area to the relative size of the quantities represented. ( Sometimes we can also call it “circle graph” ). • Try to get information from pie charts • Now can you give the information you’ve got from the • the pie charts on page 260 with the expressions we’ve • learned above? ( Task 6 )

13. Language for Specific Functions • Making comparisons •   Ruby is less valuable than diamond. •   Your suggestion is more acceptable. •  Chicago is superior to Los Angeles economically • His house is twice as large as mine. • The Huanghe River is the second longest river in China. • Not as many girls like maths as boys. • This question is a little more difficult than that one.

14. Activity 3 Ups and Downs In this part, first, you’re required to draw a chart according to the information you’ve got from Text 3.1; then you are also expected to turn a chart into a written passage. • When you read the text, pay attention to the following words: • * pick up (p263) ---improve; recover. • * upturn (p264) ---upward turn; change for the better.

15. When you want to turn a chart into a written passage, you must • be sure that you can do the following things: • * a topic sentence summarizing the general sales in the year • examined to begin with • * a precise description of time for each up or down in sales • * a precise description of ups or downs in sales. Note: You can check them with Text 3.1.

16. Activity 4 The Secret of Success • You can do some listening practice during your study of this part. • Some key words and expressions: • * start up – to build / establish ( a business ) • * incentive -- that which rouses or encourages a person. • * blouse -- woman's or child's loosely fitting shirt that extends to • the waist or slightly below. • * go with – coordinate / a set of clothing designed to match or • complement one other, as in style or color. • * take the plunge – decide to do sth risky which you will not • reverse later.

17. Make a conversation with the business people from the • following three aspects: • 1) the development of the business • 2) the reasons for the success of the business • 3) the future of the business

18. 4. Some tips for people to run a certain business successfully: 1) high quality 2) incentives for staff who work hard 3) close contact between manager and staff 4) low price 5) good service 6) pleasant atmosphere in the shops or offices 7) good training for stuff

19. Free Talk The Most Promising Trade in 2020 Which trade do you suppose holds the best prospect in 2020? Please give further  explanations of your prediction. And you are expected to use the vocabulary and expressions we’ve learned in this unit