Comparing products and prices

I. Write down some words and expressions from the film.

1. To move down-market – to introduce cheaper goods to the market or to begin selling the existing range at a lower price.

2. Substantial – large enough in amount or number to be noticeable or to have an important effect; e.g. The document requires substantial changes.

3. Terrific – very good, especially in a way that makes you feel happy and excited; e.g. We had a terrific time on holiday!

4. To define – to describe something correctly and thoroughly; e.g. First we should define clearly what the clients’ needs are.

5. Costing – the process of calculating the cost of a future business activity, product etc, or the calculation itself; e.g. The costings look terrific, but this analysis lacks some substantial points.

6. To be inclined to do sth – to tend to behave in a particular way, or to feel like doing something; e.g. She is inclined to tell lies.

Translate from Russian into English:

Я склонен принять ваше предложение.

Я не склонен считать эту концепцию правильной.

Я склоняюсь к мысли, что контракт был ошибкой.

У него склонность к переоценке своих возможностей.

7. To bring down smb – to take somebody to some place.

8. Whereas – used to say that although something is true of one thing, it is not true of another; e.g. Why are some cancers cured by chemotherapy alone, whereas others are unaffected by drugs?

9. Pan-European – designed for or referring to all Europe.

10. To target (at/on) – to make something have an effect on a particular limited group or area, to aim efforts etc at some object; e.g. Whereas most supermarkets target at individual territories, our products are pan-European.

Translate from Russian into English:

Товар «челноков» (“shuttle merchants”) нацелен на рынок с низким покупательным потенциалом.

Деятельность нашей фирмы нацелена на азиатский и восточно-европейский рынки.

Мы ориентируемся на все социальные и возрастные группы.

11. Products with a proven track record – products that have proven their perspectivity in terms of the market demand.

12. In private – without other people being present; e.g. I have something to tell you, but I’ll speak to you about it in private.

13. Margin – the difference between what a business pays for something and what they sell it for.

II. Translate the new vocabulary into Russian.

III. Watch the film for the 1^st time.

IV. Give a proper Russian interpretation of the following sentences and phrases from the film. Try and avoid over-literal rendering.

1. The Boss isn’t doing as well as we had hoped. – Дела с Боссом обстоят не так хорошо, как мы надеялись.

2. Dealer Dan came later and cheaper. – Дилер Дэн появился позже и был дешевле.

3. Maybe we should move down-market in a couple of key territories. – Может, нам стоит переориентироваться на более дешевый ассортимент в ряде ключевых регионов.

4. А substantial order – крупный заказ.

5. He wants better terms than I can authorize. – Он просит более выгодные условия, чем я имею право предоставить.

6. He’s ready to negotiate[15]. – Он готов торговаться.

7. It’s a terrific idea! – Замечательная мысль!

8. See for yourself. – Посмотрите сами.

9. It is more up-market than Big Boss. – Он рассчитан на более состоятельных клиентов, чем покупатели Большого Босса.

10. It will still appeal to kids as well as executives and office workers. – Все-таки он понравится как детям, так и руководителям и служащим учреждений.

11. There is no market focus. – Нет конкретного потребителя[16]. (Не определена целевая группа).

12. You like the concept? – Тебе нравится концепция / идея нового товара?

13. It will sell. – Он будет пользоваться спросом / пойдет на рынке.

14. I cannot see where it fits in our product range. – Я не вижу для него места в нашем ассортименте продукции.

15. I’m inclined to agree with Kate. – Я склоняюсь к мнению Кэйт.

16. Can I just check something here? – Можно, я кое-что уточню?

17. Well, maybe Edward has something. – А может быть, Эдвард и прав.

18. Maybe we ought to have a closer look? – Может быть, нам стоит повнимательнее к этому присмотреться?

19. To look around – осмотреться.

20. It’s very good of you to see me. – Спасибо, что согласился со мной встретиться.

21. We always buy in the products with the best sales performance. – Мы всегда закупаем товары с самыми лучшими показателями реализации.

22. Would you like a word in private? – Ты бы хотел (с ним) переговорить без свидетелей?

23. I’m stuck in a meeting here. – Я тут застрял на собрании.

24. He’s stepped away for a few minutes. – Он отошел на минутку.

25. I am happy to go ahead. – Я не против этим заняться.

26. You don’t sound sure. – Ты не очень-то уверенно это говоришь.

27. So Don can’t make it. – Так, значит, Дон не успевает[17].

28. You see this? – Ты считаешь это возможным?

29. This retails in France for 130 FF. – Розничная цена на них во Франции 130 франков.

30. That’s very impressive. – Впечатляет.

31. Right you’ve seen how our operation works. – Ну, вот ты и увидел, как мы работаем.

32. You know what I am after. – Ты знаешь, чего от меня можно ожидать.

V. Watch the film for the 2^nd time.

VI. Answer some questions on the film.

1. What department of a company tends to compare products and prices?

2. What was Ms. McKenna, the Sales manager, concerned about?

3. Did Dealer Dan or Big Boss come later and cheaper?

4. What was the reason for Edward Green’s interrupting Don and Kate?

5. What business was Danny McNeil involved in?

6. Was he a retailer or a wholesaler?

7. Did he want to place a big or small order with Bibury Systems?

8. What exactly did Mr. McNeil want to negotiate?

9. What made Edward feel uncertain that he could manage the matter himself?

10. Was Mr. McNeil really interested in Big Boss, in Edward’s opinion?

11. Why did Derek gather the team of the company executives?

12. Does Kate’s attitude to Derek’s projects sound a bit contradictory to you? Why? Use the expressions “on the one hand” and “on the other hand / but then” to show some inconsistency of her reaction.

13. Did Derek Jones presume his new endeavour will sell well or badly? What had he prepared to justify his certainty?

14. What was the merit of the new product in Derek’s viewpoint, which was a flaw in Kate’s opinion? (It was aimed at both kids and adults so the target group was rather vague.)

15. By the way, what expression did Kate use to define the drawback? (“There is no market focus.”) How else could you convey the same idea to make it clear without a particular context?

16. What story did Kate remind her colleagues of in order to prove her rightness?

17. How did Derek compare both products, Easirite and Big Boss, to advocate the advantages of the latter? (“This is more fun than Easirite.”)

18. How did Don Bradley comment on the costings and moving parts?

19. What subject did Derek compare the new product with to justify a number of moving parts?

20. What was Kate’s objection in which she used the “double comparatives” (the more …, the more …”?

21. Don Bradley summarized the arguments of the parties in dispute. What exactly did he say? Please don’t forget to transform direct speech into reported one while answering[18].

22. Who was Don Bradley inclined to agree with?

23. Did Kate and Don succeed in convincing Derek?

24. Whose side was Edward on in the argument?

25. Can we say that just after Edward’s high appreciation of the idea Don’s attitude to it changed too?

26. What alternative did Mr. McNeil offer to Edward as they waited for Don?

27. What did Edward prefer to do?

28. What did Mr. McNeil consider to be the best way of working? How does the idea of dealing with customers face-to-face sound to you?

29. Why did Mr. McNeil bring his suppliers down to his business premises?

30. What was the success of Mr. McNeil’s company based upon? (a. pan-European products; b. products that are proven to sell well; c. getting discounts; d. working on the basis of big orders against smaller margins.)

31. What did Edward discuss with his chief on the phone?

32. If you were McNeil, would you also be quick-witted enough to leave Edward alone to speak to his boss in private?

33. Was Edward positive he would cope with the negotiation himself?

34. Now look, Edward said, “We are certainly happy to talk about possible discounts.” Which word did he emphasize by the tone of his voice? Why?

35. How did Danny McNeil explain his firm’s capacity to sell some product at the price of 90 FF although the common retail price was 130 FF? (They got quantity discounts for big orders from manufacturers and sold the goods pretty fast operating on small margins.)

36. Where did Edward prefer to have talks?

VII. Have a talk with a colleague or some colleagues of yours. In this talk you compare your products with ones of your competitors, or with some novelty you have just developed. You can either form an original dialogue or just reproduce some fragment of the film. The number of participants is limited with your fantasy only. So are the objects of your analysis: technical characteristics and quality, costs, target groups, suppliers etc. As far as grammar is concerned, mind the use of degrees of comparison of adjectives and adverbs that depends on the number of syllables and some other conditions.