Tài liệu bổ trợ môn Tiếng Anh – Đọc 1: Tủ sách tài liệu tham khảo / Phạm Lê Sùng Chính

HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF BANKING

FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

FOR REFERENCE

READING

PLUS 1

Compiled by Phạm Lê Sùng Chính

8 – 2022

(Internal use)

TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC NGÂN HÀNG THÀNH PHỐ HỒ CHÍ MINH

KHOA NGOẠI NGỮ

TỦ SÁCH TÀI LIỆU THAM KHẢO

TÀI LIỆU BỔ TRỢ

môn

TIẾNG ANH – ĐỌC 1

Biên soạn: Phạm Lê Sùng Chính

8 – 2022

(Tài liệu sử dụng nội bộ)

i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We would like to thank the following for their precious contribution to the body of professional knowledge

and English study, without the citation, quotation, and adaptation of which the workbook cannot have been

compiled: Allison, J., Emmerson, P.; Ashley, A; Becker, B.; Brandenberg, D.; Cambridge Dictionary; CUP;

Cambridge ESOL, CUP & University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations; Collins Online English Dictionary;

Cotton, D., Falvey, D., Kent, S.; Delta Publishing; Express Publishing; Faculty of Foreign Languages BUH;

Fernando, J.; The Free Dictionary by Farlex; Fulmer, C.; The Golden Vineyard Branding Company;

Hcareers; Hearst Newspapers, LLC; HubSpot, Inc.; Investopedia; Jared; Linguaram Language Training for

Business; LiveAgent; Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English Online; Lucid Content Team;

Lucidchart; MacKenzie, I.; Macmillan; Macmillan Dictionary; Mascull, B.; MBA Skool; MBA Skool Team;

McKeever, M.; Merriam-Webster Learner’s Dictionary; Money Fit by DRS Inc.; Morris, D.; Nolo; Oxford

Learner’s Dictionaries; OUP; Pearson Education Limited; Pearson Longman; Pratten, J.; Return Customer

Newsletter, Copyright © 2021 Joe Rawlinson; Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM); Robbins,

S.; Sweeney, S.; Twin, A.; University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations; Walker; Whitby, N.; World of

Dictionary.

iii

ABBREVIATIONS

(adj.) adjective

(adv.) adverb

(exp.) expression

[C] countable noun

CD Cambridge Dictionary

CED Collins Online English Dictionary

cf.

(idm.)

IOD

See

idiom

Investopedia

l. line

LBD Longman Business Dictionary

LDCE Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Dictionary

Online

MD Macmillan Dictionary

MWLD Merriam-Webster Learner’s Dictionary

OLD Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries

p.

para.

page

paragraph

sb. somebody

sth. something

[U] uncountable noun

(vi.) intransitive verb

(vl.) linking verb

(vt.)

WOD

transitive verb

World of Dictionary

v

INTRODUCTION

That Joe McVeigh and Jennifer Bixby’s Q Skills for Success 2 – Reading and

Writing 3rd ed. (Oxford, 2020) was not primarily designed for learners of Business English,

many of whom decide to major in English at the Banking University HCMC, poses a grave

question: how to fill in the gap. The workbook which is composed of various basic

vocabulary and reading exercises with a focus on Business English serves the purpose not

only to consolidate the reading skills tailored in Joe McVeigh and Jennifer Bixby’s course

book but also to facilitate these EFL students’ needs to introduce themselves to the world of

business. Moreover, to express a support to the Banking University HCMC’s objective (to

foster students’ active and positive academic role), the workbook serves to provide the EFL

students an opportunity to improve their reading skills through continual practice and self￾study.

The workbook is divided into 8 modules with respective topics as follows:

1. Business at a Glimpse

2. Communication in Business

3. Careers and Human Resources

4. Customer Support and Customer Service

5. Sales and Marketing

6. Organization and Management

7. Banking and Finance

8. Supply Chain and Logistics.

Each module comprises two sections, namely:

I. Business Terms: This section includes basic exercises to offer students an

opportunity to practise English vocabulary drills and to familiarise

themselves with using English dictionaries and exploiting the advantages of

learners’ dictionaries (e.g. IPA transcription, simple definition/explanation,

illustrative examples, meticulous notes of language usage, etc.).

II. Reading: This section is designed with several exercises (focusing on the

8 topics mentioned above) ranging from simple question types to difficult

ones such as blank-filling reading texts, reading texts with True/False

statements, reading texts with multiple-choice questions, reading texts with

short/full answers, etc. so that ESL students can improve their reading skills

through their incessant practice.

vi

To the Teacher:

The content-based reading workbook is designed to assist students develop the 8

Reading Skills (RS) that the two authors Joe McVeigh and Jennifer Bixby highlighted in Q

Skills for Success 2 – Reading and Writing 3rd ed. (Oxford, 2020), namely as follows:

1. Identifying the main idea of a paragraph (unit 1),

2. Getting meaning from context (unit 2),

3. Identifying supporting details (unit 3),

4. Taking notes (unit 4),

5. Skimming (unit 5),

6. Identifying the author’s purpose (unit 6),

7. Identifying claims and support (unit 7),

8. Synthesizing information (unit 8).

However, the teacher should encourage students to improve and exploit other skills (in

reading comprehension) which are classified in this workbook as:

9. Others.

These reading skills are respectively abbreviated as RS 1-9, and they are listed after the

direction of each reading exercise as a suggestion so that the teacher may offer appropriate

guidance to help their students both directly and indirectly use some or all of them to do the

reading exercise better, faster, more actively, and more comfortably. The teacher should, in

addition, support their students to apply the skills that are not mentioned at the beginning of

each reading exercise.

The teacher may assist their students in using the reading skills (RS) indirectly to do

reading exercises 1, 3, 5 (e.g. capitalization of a word or punctuation may also be a clue to

help the student complete the reading task, an item of new vocabulary annotation is another

hint, etc.). Reading exercise 6 may help students deal directly with the reading skills (RS),

while reading exercises 2, 4 may do both directly and indirectly. However, the advice is

tentative; students’ active creative role in their study should be nurtured.

Each module of the workbook, which covers all the 9 reading skills mentioned above,

may be:

a/ used partly or fully in class as addition to the units in the main course book,

vii

b/ accepted fully as replacement of some parts of a unit or one complete unit of

the course book without failing to foster students’ reading skills – which Joe

McVeigh and Jennifer Bixby highlighted in their book,

c/ assigned to students as homework to develop their self-study,

according to the teacher’s approach and students’ competence. Save all the best for our

students.

To the Student:

The workbook aims to cover several common question types found in standardised

reading tests while it suggests which reading skills (RS) may be applicable in each exercise.

The student is at first advised to do the exercise without any pause until the end of the task.

After that, when faced with a difficult question or with some doubt about the answer, they

should refer to the reading skills (RS) suggested at the beginning of each reading exercise to

help them find out or confirm the answer. These reading skills (RS) can also be reviewed

thoroughly after the exercise has been done as a post-reading activity to help the student

develop the skills and do reading comprehension actively.

The reading passages of the exercises 3-5 tend to be longer and to include more

technical terms, especially the one in reading 6, to familiarize the student themselves with

more challenging reading texts of higher levels. Don’t panic and be demotivated. Overcome

the difficulties and take the opportunity not only to refine your skill of guessing meaning

from its context but also to manage uncertainty, especially in international tests to be faced

with in the future. Where there's a will there's a way.

ix

CONTENTS

Part A: TOPICS 1

Module 1: Business at a Glimpse 3

Module 2: Communication in Business 15

Module 3: Careers and Human Resources 29

Module 4: Customer Support and Customer Service 43

Module 5: Sales and Marketing 57

Module 6: Organization and Management 71

Module 7: Banking and Finance 85

Module 8: Supply Chain and Logistics 99

Part B: SUGGESTED ANSWERS 113

Suggested Answers – Module 1 115

Suggested Answers – Module 2 119

Suggested Answers – Module 3 123

Suggested Answers – Module 4 127

Suggested Answers – Module 5 131

Suggested Answers – Module 6 135

Suggested Answers – Module 7 139

Suggested Answers – Module 8 143

x

NOTES 147

INDEX 161

REFERENCES 167

1

1

PART A:

TOPICS

3

MODULE 1: BUSINESS AT A GLIMPSE

A. BUSINESS TERMS

I. VOCABULARY 1: Match up the following words/expressions with their

definitions/explanations in English.

1. guest /ɡest/ [C] A. a customer or someone who receives

services; a person who receives services, esp.

from a lawyer or other person who gives

advice

2. consumer

/kənˈsjuː.mə

r

/ [C]

[~ of sth.]

B. someone who buys goods or services for

personal use; a person, organization, country,

etc., that uses something, especially fuel,

energy, etc.

3. customer

/ˈkʌs.tə.mə

r

/ [C]

C. a person who is staying in a hotel

4. client /ˈklaɪ.

ənt/

[C]

D. someone who buys something expensive

such as a house; someone whose job is to

decide what will be bought by a company,

especially a store

5. buyer /ˈbaɪ.ə

r

/ [C]

[~ for sth.]

E. a person who buys goods or a service

II. VOCABULARY 2: Choose the best definition/explanation in English that

matches up the word/expression in each of the following sentences.

1. Being an entrepreneur is a way of fulfilling your creative potential.

A. someone who restarts their business or rearranges their business deals in order to

make money, often in a way that involves environmental risks

B. someone who starts a new business or arranges business deals in order to make

money, often in a way that involves financial risks

C. someone who starts a non-profit organization in order to protect the environment,

and encourage the public to save the world

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2. In practice, 70 percent of employers pay their workers less than the legal minimum

wage, according to Mr. Masduki.

A. people or companies that pay people to work for them

B. people or companies that receive pay for their work performed

C. people or companies that provide people with consultancy

3. All our major competitors are also bidding for the contract.

A. companies that sell different goods or services from another company’s

B. companies that sell different goods or services at the same competitive price

C. companies that sell the same goods or services as other companies

4. Their employees worked a ten-hour day.

A. someone who regularly contributes their expertise to an organization

B. someone who regularly pays a person on behalf of an organization

C. someone who is paid regularly to work for a person or an organization

5. The company was set up to buy and sell shares on behalf of investors.

A. people who put money into something in order to make a profit or get an

advantage

B. people who earn money by providing financial expertise to a company or an

organization

C. people who invest their invention into something in order to make a profit or get

an advantage

III. VOCABULARY 3: Complete the word/expression in each of the following

sentences by writing the missing letters.

1. Our department has a st__ __f of seven. [= the people who work for an

organization]

2. The m__n__g__m__nt has agreed to the policy. [= the people who are in charge of

a company or organization]

3. Taylor is now a d__r__ct__r of the company as well as its largest single

shareholder. [= one of the senior managers in charge of a company]

4. Ken Dear, chairman and C __ __ of Chevron, made $ 3,679,454 in 1995. [= the

person with the most authority in a large company]

5. Microsoft is the world’s largest s__p__l__er of PC software. [= a company that

provides a particular type of product]

5

B. READING TEXTS

IV. READING 1: Choose ONE word/expression to fill in each blank of the following

text. (RS: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9)

a

an

and

angry

are

becoming

distribute

everyone

key

like

of

public

the

there

they

to

what

whole

Since (1)_____ Chief Executive of the Star City shopping centre (2)_____ exhibition

halls, Peter Maurice feels he has done (3)_____ lot. Now, though, he wants to change the

(4)_____ feeling of the business. 'Visitors should feel we (5)_____ looking after them,' he

says. 'Very often the (6)_____ go into a shop and find so much (7)_____ that they can't decide

what to buy, so (8)_____ don't buy anything. Keep it simple, that's the (9)_____ to retailing.'

At Star City, staff are encouraged (10)_____ tell managers, including Maurice

himself, what they think (11)_____ them. The things they say about me are (12)_____ I

expect, because I'm fairly self-aware - I know what I'm (13)_____ and that I can make people

a little (14)_____. But I'm very much in favor of change, and (15)_____ knows that a lot

needs to be done.'

V. READING 2: Read the text that follows. Are sentences 1 - 7 ‘Right’ or ‘Wrong’?

If there is not enough information to answer ‘Right’ or ‘Wrong’, choose

‘Doesn’t say’. (RS: 2, 6, 7, 9)

Woolworths graduate training programme

Our graduate recruits are our next generation of business leaders.

When you join us, you’ll enroll on our Woolworths Group Leadership Programme

(WGLP) which will put you on the fast track to a senior management role in one of our

central functions (e.g. buying, finance, supply chain, systems, human resources or marketing).

You'll undertake a comprehensive programme of training in general management

techniques and specialist skills relevant to your functional discipline. With input from leading

business academics at City University, the WGLP will expose you to the latest strategic

business thinking. You’ll also receive support as you pursue professional qualifications in

your field.

6

Your first few months will be spent working alongside a store management team.

You'll learn the essential store management disciplines and gain insight into our customers,

brands and products. After that, you'll join your functional team where you'll take on

meaningful responsibility from the word go.

You'll be mentored by senior managers who have already established themselves in

the business, and you'll be part of a group-wide network of WGLP participants. There will

also be opportunities for you to move between companies as you develop your career.

Vocabulary Notes:

discipline74 /ˈdɪs.ə.plɪn/ [C]: a particular area of study, especially a subject studied at a college or university

(to) establish oneself76: to be in a successful position over a long period of time

(to) mentor75/ˈmen.tɔːr/ (vt.): to help and give advice to a younger or less experienced person, especially in a

job or at school

senior management73[U]: managers at the highest level of a company or organization, considered as a group

Questions:

1. To join the Leadership programme, you need to have a university degree.

A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn’t say

2. Enrolment on the programme guarantees you a job as a senior manager.

A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn’t say

3. Part of the programme is led by university lecturers.

A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn’t say

4. You will get extra money if you study for a professional qualification.

A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn’t say

5. Your first few months is spent studying only.

A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn’t say

6. You will spend much time traveling on business with your advisors as senior managers.

A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn’t say

7. Your advisors are well-known in industry.

A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn’t say

VI. READING 3: Read the following text and choose the best option to fill in each

blank. (RS: 2, 3, 7, 9)

Meet Thomas Kingsley

Thomas Kingsley works for Meridian Financial Products in East London. He works

(1)_____ a sales executive. He (2)_____ with a large number of small and medium-sized

7

businesses in the London area. He (3)_____ them on the best financial products for their

needs.

He is only in his office in the morning when he discusses clients (4)_____ the Sales

Manager. Then he travels around London to see his clients. He informs them (5)_____ new

products on the market. He keeps a (6)_____ of any changes in the clients’ information so

that he can offer advice if necessary. He (7)_____ his paperwork and arranges (8)_____ from

home or from his car between appointments.

If any members would like (9 )_____ advice on insurance or any financial product,

please phone Thomas (10)_____ 0171 236 4925. He will be happy to help you if he can!

1 A as B like C in D at

2 A discusses B provides C deals D runs

3 A advise B advises C advised D advising

4 A with B about C from D and

5 A about B on C to D with

6 A notice B record C reference D informant

7 A does B produces C deals D makes

8 A meets B meet C meetings D met

9 A an B a C some D several

10 A to B on C under D below

VII. READING 4: Read the text below. Choose the best answer to each of the

questions that follow the text. (RS: 2, 3, 5, 7, 9)

Over half of business owners feeling increasingly stressed

More than half the leaders of privately held businesses globally feel their stress levels

have increased over the last year. The research from the Grant Thornton International

Business Report (IBR) 2010 covers the opinions of over 7,400 business owners across 36

economies. Mainland China tops the league for the most stressed leaders, with 76% of

business owners saying their stress levels have increased over the last year.

Other economies that were high in the stress league table were Mexico (74%), Turkey

(72%), Vietnam (72%) and Greece (68%). At the opposite end of the scale, business owners

in Sweden (23%), Denmark (25%), Finland (33%) and Australia (35%) have the lowest stress

levels in the world.