English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and Intermediate » Unit 39: Running a company

Word List
  • currently
  • daily
  • deliver
  • demand n
  • employee
  • expand
  • growing
  • headquarters
  • image
  • out of work
  • quality
  • run [manage]
  • set sth up
  • take over sth
  • take sth up
  • variety
Exercises

39.1 ‣ Tick (x) the words which refer to people.

  1. headquarters _____
  2. employee
  3. branches _____
  4. expert _____
  5. bakery _____
  6. accountant _____
  7. quality _____
  8. client _____
  9. contacts _____
  10. variety _____

39.2 ‣ Replace the underlined word(s) with a word or phrase that has a similar meaning.

  1. The food is delivered every day.
  2. There is a real need for food of this quality. _____
  3. Our plan is to open another branch. _____
  4. The company is doing well._____
  5. We have 25 workers. _____
  6. I started the business ten years ago. _____
  7. Their main offices are in Sheffield. _____
  8. He’s hoping for a position in the company._____
  9. The firm is getting bigger._____
  10. The company made a lot of money last year. _____

39.3 ‣ Choose the best word to complete the sentences.

  1. They’re experts _____ farming.
    • in
    • on
  2. When did you _____ tennis?
    • set up
    • take up
  3. Her law firm has many famous _____.
    • clients
    • customers
  4. She’s actually my _____ wife; we got divorced last year.
    • ex-
    • former
  5. When did they _____ the company?
    • set up
    • take up
  6. The shop assistant was serving a _____.
    • client
    • customer
  7. Marcel used to work here, but he’s _____ working abroad.
    • currently
    • actually
  8. Are they planning to _____ the company?
    • take up
    • take over
  9. George Bush is _____ president of America.
    • a former
    • an ex-

39.4 ‣ Rewrite the sentences using the words in capitals. Keep a similar meaning.

  1. He makes different cakes. VARIETY
  2. They were very successful. ACHIEVE
  3. I know a lot of people in banking. CONTACTS
  4. They used to be called BMG. FORMERLY
  5. I’ve always wanted to fly a plane. AMBITION
  6. She has a great knowledge of finance. EXPERT
  7. People noticed the adverts. ATTRACT

39.5 ‣ Complete the text.

Danielle Spinks set up her motorbike courier service (DCS) in 1979. If you wanted to send documents across London, Danielle promised to 1 them in less than one hour. It was only a small 2_____, but DCS 3_____ immediate success, so Danielle set up another 4_____ of the company in Manchester, which was 5_____ by her brother, Darren. The business soon 6_____ rapidly, and it is now Danielle’s 7_____ to have a branch of her courier service in every major city in England.
Answer Key
A ‣ A successful business

This is the story of a company that has achieved a great deal [a lot] in a short period of time.

Language help

If you achieve something, you have been successful in something that needed a lot of work and effort. The noun is achievement, e.g. Writing a book has been my greatest achievement.

DENHAM FARM BAKERY

DENHAM FARM BAKERY1 is a family business, with three different generations (father, son and granddaughter) of the family currently2 working with a team of 90 employees. The company was set up3 in 1991 with the aim4 of producing a variety5 of bread of the highest quality6. The Denham family saw there was a growing demand7 for organic products in the 1990s, and they soon became experts8 in the field of organic bread-making.

The company is run9 from a factory in Ilminster, where the bread is baked daily10 and then delivered11 to shops across the south- west of England. The firm12 has expanded13 a great deal in the last 20 years, but it still remains a family business.

1 place where bread and cakes are made or sold
2 now, at the moment (NOT actually)
3 started (used about a company or organisation)
4 a plan of what you hope to achieve
5 different types
6 how good or bad something is
7 when more people want to buy something
8 people with skill/knowledge in something
9 organised and controlled
10 every day
11 taken (to shops)
12 company or business
13 become bigger

B ‣ A view of a company

MORGAN & STENSON

Morgan & Stenson are a firm of accountants1. They were formerly2 Stenson & Son, but were taken over3 by JS Morgan five years ago. James Morgan took up the position4 of senior partner, and the company changed its name to Morgan & Stenson. The headquarters5 of the firm are in Newcastle, but they have five other branches6 in different parts of the north-east of England.

James Morgan a former owner of a football club, with many contacts7 in the football world, so many of his clients8 are footballers

Last year the company attracted a lot of attention9 when it became the first firm of accountants to advertise on local TV and radio. At the time, James Morgan said it was his ambition10 to change the image11 that people have of accountants.

1 people who control a person or company’s money
2 in the past but not now
3 JS Morgan got control of Stenson & Son
4 started in the job
5 the place where the main office is
6 offices that are part of the company
7 people you know
8 people who pay someone for a service
9 caused people to notice it
10 something someone wants to achieve
11 the way that people think of them

Language help

We usually talk about an ex-wife/boyfriend, etc., but a former president/career/banker, etc.
Shops and organisations have customers; lawyers, accountants, etc. have clients.
We take up a job or activity, but we set up a company.

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