University of Economics, HCMC End of Unit Test.M1.

Unit 4
School of Foreign Languages
Division of English for General Purposes
EXAM IN ENGLISH FOR BUSINESS COMMUNICATION (75 minutes)
Read the instruction carefully. RECORD your answers on your answer sheets.
Section 1: Language knowledge (40 marks)
I. Choose the words that best fit the gaps in the following passage.

Recently my accountant gave me one of the most common excuses (1) …………… some work being late: “It
was really complicated (2) …………… took me a great deal of time”. If you think about it, I think you’ll agree
that this is a ridiculous excuse. All it really (3) …………… is to ensure that you’ll continue to be late, as well as
making you feel that you are always being (4) …………… schedule.

(5) …………… project takes a certain (6) …………… of time and the truth is (7) …………… in most cases,
you can estimate the time it will take (8) …………… a task. Of course, there will always be (9) ……………
factors, but in your scheduling you can allow time (10) …………… these unknown elements.
1. A. for B. of C. at D. with
2. A. but B. and C. so D. however
3. A. makes B. does C. costs D. spends
4. A. about B. in C. on D. at
5. A. Each of B. Every C. All D. No
6. A. number B. amount C. lots D. plenty
7. A. while B. and C. that D. since
8. A. complete B. completing C. completed D. to complete
9. A. prediction B. predicted C. unpredictably D. unpredictable
10. A. with B. of C. for D. about

II. Choose the best answer

11. He …………… the company 25 years ago and he stills works for us.
A. join B. joined C. has joined D. had joined
12. I am writing with reference to the order I …………… with you last week.
A. made B. placed C. did D. ran
13. I met an old business colleague while I …………… to New York for a conference.
A. travelled B. was traveling C. travel D. will travel
14. We ………… business with that company a few years ago, but then we stopped dealing with them.
A. made B. placed C. did D. ran
15. We were discussing our expansion plans when the chairman suddenly …………… his resignation.
A. announces B. announced C. was announcing D. had announced
16. When the consultants had finished their study, they …………… a report for the directors.
A. writes B. wrote C. was writing D. will write
17. The stock market can be risky because the prices of shares varies according ………… economic conditions.
A. to B. for C. at D. in
18. I'm all …………… favour of equal pay for equal work.
A. in B. of C. on D. for
19. The product was developed …………… response …………… customer demand.
A. in / on B. for / to C. with / to D. in / to
20. High-tech companies spend an enormous amount of time and money ………… research and development.
A. with B. for C. on D. to

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21. I think our new product should retail …………… $15.99.
A. with B. in C. to D. at
22. We benefited directly …………… the reorganization.
A. from B. by C. with D. for
23. She could be excellent as a European sales rep …………… she speaks French fluently.
A. however B. but C. because D. although
24. We are spending a great deal on phone calls …………… to a postal strike.
A. because B. in spite C. due D. despite
25. We wanted to find a workplace …………… allowed us to work efficiently.
A. which B. that C. Ø D. a & b are correct
26. Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre was an open-air playhouse …………… Shakespeare’s plays were performed.
A. which B. that C. Ø D. where
27. …………… an idea is really good and the product fills a gap in the market, it may win an award for
innovation.
A. Unless B. If C. Therefore D. However
28. I was working late at the office …………… she was out socializing.
A. while B. although C. if D. since
29. We were having a successful negotiation …………… suddenly they made new demands.
A. while B. since C. when D. until
30. The owners were unable to …………… all the demands of the workers.
A. satisfy B. see C. please D. make
31. We use our website to …………… surveys of customer opinion.
A. lead B. conduct C. have D. make
32. What do you do to …………… customer loyalty?
A. attract B. encourage C. make D. do
33. Their competitors failed to see the …………… in the market, so they missed a great opportunity.
A. hole B. range C. sort D. gap
34. A good business idea is one that …………… profits.
A. generates B. does C. holds D. addresses
35. This new drug …………… a breakthrough in the treatment of cancer.
A. met B. filled C. marked D. solved
36. Our food scientists are working on a very interesting …………… project at the moment.
A. developed B. development C. developing D. develops
37. A new and …………… version of our salad cream is coming out next month.
A. improves B. improvement C. improved D. improving
38. I’m not at all …………… with the performance of my new car.
A. satisfaction B. satisfactory C. satisfied D. satisfy
39. We have a …………… card which we distribute free to all our customers.
A. loyalty B. loyal C. loyally D. loyalist
40. You can have free …………… when you purchase goods of more than USD 3,000 in value.
A. shipping B. to ship C. ships D. shipped

Section 2: Language use

I. Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.

Very occasionally, a man has an idea which changes the lives of millions. King Camp Gillette had one in
1895 when he conceived the idea of the safety razor. Before that, men went to the barber’s for a shave or took a
long time using a cut–throat razor. In 1901 Gillette founded his company in Boston and sales grew so fast that in
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1905 he opened his first office in Europe, in London. Gillette was a skillful advertiser and today the company
continues to spend huge sums of money advertising in the press and on TV, or sponsoring major sports events. In
1950 Gillette paid $6,000,000 to sponsor the baseball World Series for six years. Back in 1908 the company
designed its famous diamond-shaped logo. Just a few years later, in 1917, Gillette won one of its largest contracts
ever. It supplied the U.S army with razors during the First World War. In 1930, in order to gain market share, it
merged with a competitor, Gaisman’s Razor Company, and from there went from strength to strength. After the
resignation of King Camp Gillette in 1931, the company continued to diversify and in 1936 it launched brushless
shaving cream, which is still one of Gillette most important products.

Choose the best answer.

1. Gillette merged with its competitor in order to:
A. diversify C. found a new company
B. gain market share D. Launch new products.

2. Gillette established his own company in :

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 A. London B. New York C. Boston D. Paris

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3. Which of the following statement is FALSE?
A. Gillette had the idea for the safety razor in 1895.
B. The Gillette logo was diamond – shaped.
C. The company launched brushless saving cream in 1936.
D. In 1917 the company won a British army contract.

Answer the question.

4. What is one of Gillette most important products?

What does each of the following underlined words/ phrases refer to?
5. “… when he conceived the idea …” (line 2)
6. “…it merged with a competitor …” (line 9)

Which words/ phrases in the passage mean the following?

7. pay some money for an event in order to advertise: …………………
8. decided how something will look by making drawings of it: …………………

Fill in each blank with one suitable word from the passage. Put it in its correct form or tense if necessary.
9. We are planning to ………………. the product on the market in June.
10. We allocated over USD 200,000 for TV ………………. last year.

II. Writing
You are a member of the Student Council of ACU - Australian Catholic University. From the following
notes, write an invitation letter to a guest speaker, Mr. Alan Cane.
+ Event: Annual Day of ACU, June 10, 20XX
+ Talk: 20 minutes; topic: The Top Environmental Initiatives Happening Today
+ ACU: one of the universities very interested in protecting both the university community & the
natural environment; a conference about global environmental issues / year
+ Believing his contribution to environmental awareness is unparalleled  looking forward to hearing
+ Replying by May 20, 20XX
+ Contact details: tel: 555-123-4567, email: [email protected]

Dear Mr. Alan Cane,

On behalf of ………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

ACU is ……………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………… .
We would be very pleased if ……………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………… .
We hope ………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………. .
Sincerely,

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Katherine Hatfield

III. Listening
Part 1: Listen to the question and choose the best response. The recording will be played twice.
1. A B C
2. A B C
3. A B C
4. A B C
5. A B C

Part 2: Listen to the recording and complete the notes. The recording will be played twice.

A surprise at one of the upcoming weekly (6) ……………………… ……………………… : Dr.

Marwella Jones, an expert on office management, will come to:
+ talk about (7) ……………………… ……………………… in managing an office.
+ show a video with highlights of her recent (8) ……………………… ……………………… tour
(interesting but makes the meeting a little longer than usual  plan to be here that morning until
lunchtime).

 This is a very (9) ……………………… ………………………,  put the date on your calendar.
 If there is some (10) ……………………… ……………………… why you can’t attend  notify
ASAP.

The End

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 KEYS - EOU TEST.M1.Unit 4

Section 1
I.

1. A 2. B 3. B 4. C 5. B 6. B 7. C 8. D 9. D 10. C

II.

11. B 12. B 13. B 14. C 15. B 16. B 17. A 18. A 19. D 20. C
21. D 22. A 23. C 24. C 25. D 26. D 27. B 28. A 29. C 30. A
31. B 32. B 33. D 34. A 35. C 36. B 37. C 38. C 39. A 40. A

Section 2
I. Reading
1. B 6. Gaisman’s Razor Company
2. C 7. sponsor
3. D 8. designed
4. It is brushless shaving cream. 9. launch
5. King Camp Gillette 10. advertising

II. Writing: (SUGGESTED ANSWER)

Dear Mr. Alan Cane,

On behalf of the Student Council of ACU (Australian Catholic University), we would like to invite you
to attend our Annual Day on June 10, 20XX, and give a 20-minute talk on The Top Environmental
Initiatives Happening Today.

ACU is one of the universities that are very interested in protecting both the university community and
the natural environment. Every year we hold a conference about global environmental issues.

We would be very pleased if you would present for us on the Annual Day. We believe that your
contribution to environmental awareness is unparalleled, and look forward to hearing you speak on the
subject.

We hope this invitation is of your interest, and we can receive a positive reply from you by May 20,
20XX. If you have any questions, I can be reached at 555-123-4567 or at [email protected].

Yours sincerely,

Katherine Hatfield

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III. Listening

Part 1 Part 2
1. B 6. staff meetings
2. A 7. best practices
3. C 8. international speaking
4. C 9. special opportunity
5. B 10. pressing reason

AUDIO SCRIPT

Part 1
1. When does your flight leave?
4. Isn’t it time for our meeting?
(A) From the airport.
(A) Sometimes I have meat.
(B) At 12:30.
(B) A quarter to three.
(C) From Gate 23.
(C) Yes, but it’s been rescheduled.
2. Have we received that fax yet?
5. Is the boss in a good mood?
(A) I’ve got it right here.
(A) Yes, but he’ll be right back.
(B) In about an hour.
(B) I’ve seen him smiling all morning.
(C) I’ll fax it now.
(C) No, he’s in the cafeteria.
3. Ms. Pak, is it? How do you do?
(A) It’s my mistake.
(B) I’m a lawyer.
(C) How do you do?

Part 2
We’ll have a special surprise at one of our upcoming weekly staff meetings, let me check, yes, it’ll be
during the first meeting next month. Dr. Marwella Jones, a world-renowned expert on office
management, will be visiting with us to talk about best practices in managing an office. She’ll also be
showing a video with highlights of her recent international speaking tour. It should be very interesting,
however, the video showing will make our meeting a little longer than usual, so you should plan to be
here that morning until lunchtime. This is a very special opportunity, so be sure to put the date on your
calendar. If there is some pressing reason why you can’t attend, please let me know as soon as
possible.

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