BUSINESS DILEMMAS
8.2
79
2
b
Read the texts again. Are these statements true
or false?
Text 1
1
Your manager complained that you (Julia’s friend)
were not paying enough attention to him.
2
Julia said she didn’t want to work because she did
not get a decent bonus.
Text 2
3
The company was acting illegally.
4
The expensive equipment could stop the company
going bankrupt.
Text 3
5
You did not tell your colleagues about the expensive
watch.
6
You were given an expensive watch, an antique
clock and some radios as gifts.
3
What do the following words highlighted in the
text refer to?
1
them
5
he
2
it
6
It
3
It
7
those
4
their
SPEAKING
4
a
Reacting to the topic
In groups, discuss these
questions.
1
What would you do in the situations described in
the texts if you were:
a
Julia’s friend?
b
the environmental manager?
c
the Chief Executive?
2
What punishment, if any, do you think Julia should
receive?
3
Is there a difference between a gift and a bribe?
4
b
Work with a partner. Talk about a time when you
or a person/company that you know had to make a
difficult ethical decision.
GRAMMAR
PAST CONTINUOUS
5
Look at the examples of the past continuous in
italics
in the texts and match them with their uses.
Look at the context in the text to help you.
a
for a longer background action in the past when a
shorter action interrupts it or happens during it
b
for repeated actions in the past that take place over a
period of time
c
to emphasise the duration or continuity of a past action
Ê
Language reference and extra practice pages 140–141
6
Match the beginnings of the sentences with the
endings. Then write out the sentences in full with
the verbs in the correct form (past continuous or
past simple).
1
I (meet) my old boss
2
IBM (offer) me a job
3
The company (have) financial problems
4
I (work) at my computer
5
She (find) the missing file
6
We (talk) about our future strategy in a meeting
a
when the Chief Executive suddenly (announce)
her resignation.
b
when the power cut (happen).
c
while I (travel) to Warsaw for a conference.
d
while I (study) at Harvard.
e
when a fantastic new contract (be) agreed.
f
while she (look for) some other documents.
PRONUNCIATION
7
a
8.5
Weak forms
Listen to the following
sentences. Circle the weak forms (
/wəz/
and
/wə/
)
and underline the strong forms (
/wɒz/
and
/wзː/
) of
was
and
were
.
1
We were having a meeting when the fire alarm went off.
2
When the phone rang, I was talking to a customer.
3
‘Was he working for you then?’ ‘No, he wasn’t.’
4
‘Were they planning to buy another shop?’ ‘Well,
they said they were.’
7
b
Listen again and repeat the sentences.
8
a
Work on your own. Choose one of the events and
make notes to answer the questions below.
•
an accident at home or work
•
a big event in your school’s/company’s recent history
•
an important world or national event
•
a big family event (e.g. the birth of a child)
Where were you when this happened?
Who were you with?
What were you doing?
What did you do next?
8
b
Work in groups and share your stories.
When I first heard about the earthquake, I was having
lunch with a friend.
WRITING
9
Write a short paragraph describing the event you
discussed in Exercise 8.
