PRE-LISTENING. Consider the introduction to the unit

Task 1

Consider the introduction to the unit. Answer the following questions and be ready to give a story line. Use the word combinations in brackets.

1. What do we call a pension? Is it a compulsory scheme?

(to pay money to an employee; to retire on reaching a certain age; a compulsory scheme; to pay a fixed amount every week; to pay a larger amount; on retirement; to get the state pension; to operate one’s own pension scheme)

2. In what way do the companies arrange their own pension schemes?

(to give the employees money to retire on; to be governed by a trust-deed; to be separate from the company; to be appointed; to hold meetings regularly; to approve money for pensions; to examine the fund accounts)

3. Is it the same in Harper & Grant Ltd.?

(to pay a certain amount of one’s wages into the fund; to invest money; to increase the value of money; a period of employment; to qualify for a pension)

4. What does Mr. Grant want to do as a result of the productivity drive?

(to close down unprofitable departments; the redundant workers; to be absorbed into other departments; to be a craftsman in the old style; to be a carpenter able to do fine hand carving; to be hardly ever required)

5. What does Ian Hampden, the Personnel Manager, think about Mr. Grant’s intentions?

(to get rid of someone; to make somebody change his mind; to be determined on something; to streamline the company; to make the company more profitable and competitive; to find out; to suggest a way of persuading somebody to see reason)

6. What circumstances did Peter recall when he discussed the situation with Ian before the meeting?

(to be due to be held shortly; to be approved; to have to leave the firm; to look after somebody; to become an invalid; to rejoin the company; according to the articles of the trust; to leave the firm for a time; to work a certain number of years; to qualify for the full pension)

7. What do the articles of the trust read?

(to complete the time; to have some years to go; to be sacked, or fired; to be given a full pension; to have an extremely bad effect on everybody; to be with the firm)

8. In what way does Peter contribute to Ian’s decision to save B. Hardiman from redundancy?

(to suggest something cunningly; to make up the difference; to pay the money to make up the pension to the full amount; to interrupt employment; to be shrewd enough; the lesser of the two evils; to let somebody stay; the proper retirement age)

9. In what way can Ambrose Harper’s illness effect the future of the firm?

(to be an elderly man; to own half the shares in the company; to be bought by a rival firm; to want to take over; to change the present set-up)

Task 2

Give the English equivalents for the following word combinations: