UNIT REVIEW 9: PLANNING

PART 1: VOCABULARY

Choose the best word (A,B,C or D) to complete the following sentences.

1. Vietnam is an attractive market in Asia, so there is..............for this product.

A. risk B. danger C. disadvantage D. potential

2. Our team managed to meet the deadlines and .............. within the budget of the project.

A. draw B. prepare C. miss D. keep

3. We had to ...................... our plan to visit the outlet because of the problems at the
headquarters.
A. keep B. change C. stick D. meet

4. The best business plans are simple and ................ enough to adapt to economic changes.

A. complex B. fixed C. lengthy D. flexible

5. Thousands of business plans have failed because business owners can’t ..............the future.
A. estimate B. predict C. collect D. consider

6. After the meeting, we will ........................ a formal report which will explain how to
implement this plan.

A. meet B. read C. forecast D. write

7. A business................. is a strategy for running a business and avoiding problems.

A. plan B. objective C. budget D. area

8. Employees are happy with the present system of ............: low basic salary and high
commission.
A. trade B. profit C. payment D. money

9. We’d like to know information about ............ in the fee for big groups of 10 or more.

A. discount B. increase C. growth D. rise

10. Price alone is not a reliable factor of the product ..................

A. requirement B. quantity C. quality D. level

11. There is a/an............................ in demand for their products, so the sales go up.

A. reduce B. decline C. increase D. fall

12. Studies show that if a working environment is pleasant, employees’ ................ will increase.

A. capability B. productivity C. possibility D. reliability

13. In 1996, the government .............. special policies allowing foreign investors to hire land at
low rates.
A. launched B. introduced C. issued D. all of the answers

14. Employees think the company’s main goal is to..................profit.

A. maximize B. minimize C. enlarge D. decrease

15. People don’t want to tell about their personal..................They don’t talk about how much
they earn a month.

A. profit B. benefit C. income D. reward

PART 2: GRAMMAR

Choose the best word (A,B,C or D) to complete the following sentences.

1. I hope .............. the report myself and send it before the deadline.

A. to finish B. finish C. finishing D. finished

2. We will promote the product if the Director decide ..........advertising budget.

A. increase B. increases C. increasing D. to increase

3. The manager is going ..........an assistant for the office.

A. recruit B. to recruit C. to typing D. typed

4. As soon as I have any news from him, I will let you ......... .

A. To know B. knowing C. know D. knew

5. Try to keep...............whenever Russian negotiators are angry.

A. calmly B. calm C. more calmly D. calmer

6. Don’t get angry too quickly if you want to succeed ........ a negotiation.

A. on B. at C. for D. in

7. Many people think that ...........lists of things to do is a waste of time.

A. making B. to make C. made D. make

8. You will receive your salary ............ the beginning of the following month.

A. for B. at C. on D. in
9. What are you planning ..............on the vacation?

[Link] do [Link] C. doing [Link]

10. We cannot accept any application forms sent ............ the closing date.

A. before B. by C. when D. after

11. As soon as you get the contract from Jack, please........... it to me.

A. sending B. to send C. sent D. send

please vinvinf

12. I don’t recommend ............. business with that company because they’re unreliable.

A. to do B. doing C. done D. do

13. I can’t promise ............ my report by Sunday but I will try my best.

A. finish B. finished C. to finish D. finishing

14. We had a lot of ........... for the last month. However, it is going better now.

A. difficultly B. difficulty C. difficult D. difficulties

15. In case you have any problems ............ the new printer, please contact us.

A. with B. for C. in D. on

PART 3: READING COMPREHENSION

Read the following passage and answer the questions.

Planning efficient business trips By Rhymer Rigby With business travellers expected to do more
work in less time, how do you ensure that you use the time you have in the best way? Although
it is fashionable at the moment to take public transport to the airport and to fly economy, it
might not be the best solution. "It might be better to be driven to the airport if it means you can
use the time to make calls," says Clare Evan, a time management coach. "It's the same with
business class. If you're a is senior manager and it means you can be productive, it's potentially
cheaper. Calculate what your time is worth." It is better to get to the airport an hour early and
spend the time working. Ms Evan says: "Make sure you always have some work with you. With
laptops and smart phones, a decent lounge isn't that different to your office." Ensure that you
are organised at the other end and don't take any more than carry-on luggage if you can help it.
Sites such as Dopplr and Triplt can help you organise your travel online and alert you to delays.
"Arrange meetings with jet lag in mind, "says Ms Evan. "If you're on a long-haul flight from
London to Los Angeles, then mornings are going to be better for you." Spend the "lower quality"
time on administrative tasks such as e-mail. Unless the flight is very short, you do need to spend
some time resting. "If you're away for four days, you may be better off spending the flight
relaxing rather than working."

1. Why might it be better to be driven to the airport instead of taking public transport?

A. It's cheaper.

B. It allows for making phone calls.

C. It's more environmentally friendly.

D. It's much faster.

2. What is Clare Evan’s opinion about flying business class for senior managers?

A. It's always more expensive.

B. It can be more productive.

C. It's never worth the cost.

D. It's inconvenient for working.

3. What does the article advise travelers to utilize their time before a flight?

A. Relaxing and taking a break.

B. Organizing meetings.

C. Working on tasks.

D. Socializing with colleagues.

4. What should travelers ensure about their luggage?

A. They should take only carry-on luggage.

B. They should carry as much luggage as possible.

C. They should check in their luggage.

D. They should buy new luggage.

5. Which websites are mentioned for organizing travel online?

A. Google Maps and Yelp.

B. Facebook and Instagram.

 C. Dopplr and Triplt.

D. Airbnb and [Link].

6. According to Ms Evan, how should travelers arrange meetings?

A. Without considering jet lag.

B. With jet lag in mind.

C. At any time convenient for the client.

D. Only in the evenings.

7. What is the suggestion for a long-haul flight?

A. Spend it relaxing rather than working.

B. Work continuously without breaks.

C. Sleep for the entire duration.

D. Spend it sightseeing.

8. How should travelers spend the "lower quality" time during the flight?

A. Resting and sleeping.

B. Catching up on work tasks.

C. Socializing with other passengers.

D. Reading magazines.

9. What should travelers do if they are away for four days?

A. Spend time sleeping

B. Spend the filght relaxing

C. Try to work

D. Have a plan

10. What is the best title of the article?

A. Tips for efficient business travel.

B. The benefits of leisure travel.

C. How to save money on flights.

 D. The importance of luxury in travel.

PART 4: LISTENING

Task 1: Listen and decide if these statements are true (T), false (F) or not given (NG)

Track 9.1

1. Many business plans fail.T

2. Entrepreneurs can forecast the future.F

3. It's not necessarily bad if a business plan fails. T

4. If a business idea doesn't work the first time, it should always be dropped. F

5. The entrepreneur's successful business was completely unrelated to a previous version.F

6. The business was based in Amsterdam. NG

7. When he was working on the first version, the entrepreneur saw the mistakes that
would cause it to fail.T

8. Failure can sometimes lead to success.T

9. The entrepreneur is planning another new [Link]

10. The entrepreneur should plan a clear business strategy. NG

Task 2: Listen and choose the correct answers.

Track 9.2

1. What determines how far ahead businesses should plan?

A. The size of the business.

B. The industry standards.

C. The government regulations.

D. The availability of resources.

2. Why does the speaker believe a three-year plan might not work for some businesses?

A. Because it's a standard practice.

B. Because business environments can change quickly.

C. Because it's easy to project revenues.

D. Because it aligns with short-term goals.

3. What kind of plan does the speaker prefer?

A. A three- year plan

B. A three- month plan

C. A one- year plan

D. A six- month plan

4. Why is a shorter plan preferable?

A. It allows better revenue projections.

B. It feels more manageable and reduces guesswork.

C. It aligns with industry standards for new businesses.

D. It ensures long-term stability.

5. What is business planning described as?

A. Business forecasting.

B. Business modeling.

C. Business guessing.

D. Business strategizing.

Track 9.3

6. What is the speaker discussing?

A. The best marketing strategies

B. The best business plans

C. The best financial investments

D. The best office locations

7. What makes the best business plans?

A. Complexity and rigidity

B. Simplicity and flexibility

C. Detailed forecasting and projections

D. Limited scope and adaptability

8. Why does the speaker advise against overly fixed plans?

A. Because they are easier to manage

B. Because they can't adapt to changes

C. Because they are more cost-effective

D. Because they are popular among investors

9. What is the consequence of any plan that is too fixed ?

A. It becomes unwieldy

B. It becomes more manageable

C. It becomes adaptable to changes

D. It becomes obsolete quickly

10. What changes should the best business plans accommodate?

A. Changes in the weather

B. Changes in technology and market conditions

C. Changes in company holidays

D. Changes in employee uniforms

PART 5: WRITING

Task 1: Complete the following sentences with the best linker: For instance, In addition, or That
is why

 1. There are different ways you could improve your perfẻomance For instance you could
try to visit five customers a day instead of three.

 2. In addition

 3. That is why

 4. In addition

 5. That is why

 6. For instance
2. I have informed everyone peréonall In addition., they have all read my report.

3. I have not met my sales targets…That is why..I am worried I will not get a bonus.

4. I want you to meet the deadlines we agreed on…………, I expect you to hand in your report by
Thursday.

5. Prices in the city centre have gone up…….we should look for new office space in the suburbs.

6. Montenegro is attracting more foreign investors…….., a number of French and British

companies have recently invested huge sums in the tourism industry there.

Task 2: Writing a reply email of inquiries

You’re the Director of Medi-Care. You’ve received the e-mail from the Personnel Director of
HUBT asking about the health check-up package. Write a reply e-mail, (50 words at least) in
which you let them know:

 cost of health checkup: $85 per person;

 discount for 500 people: 5%;

 earliest time you can arrange: end of next month;

 report of the checkup results: be sent 2 days afterward.

PART 6: SPEAKING

Talk about your plans for next year.

 What plans you have for the next year;

 Why you want to do them;

 How you have prepared for the plans;

 What challenges you face to complete them;

 And predict if you will complete the plans well and why (not).

ANSWER KEYS

PART 1: VOCABUALRY

1. D 4. D 7. A 10. C 13. D

2. D 5. B 8. C 11. C 14. A

3. B 6. D 9. A 12. 15. C
 B

PART 2: GRAMMAR

1. A 4. C 7. A 10. D 13. C

2. D 5. B 8. B 11. D 14. D

3. B 6. 9. A 12. B 15. A
D

PART 3: READING

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

PART 4: LISTENING

Task 1: Track 9.1

1. T 2. F 3. T 4. F 5. F 6. NG 7. F 8. T 9. NG 10. NG

Tapescript

I: Can you think of a business plan that failed?

IS: Yes. I think there are thousands of business plans that have failed, because you're not always
going to get it right. Entrepreneurs and business owners cannot predict the future, and I don't
think that's a bad thing that the business plans fail. I think it's important that we as
entrepreneurs learn lessons, and if something's not right, we can adapt it.

So I think, um, failure is not a bad thing. I mean, I can think of a business, an entrepreneur I met
recently, who had set up a very successful international web-based business, where
entrepreneurs and start-ups can create business cards very cost-effectively. Now, when he was
planning that business, he planned a previous version of it, and the previous version failed. And
it was his lessons that he learned in that failure that led him to create Version 2, if you like,
which has been enormously successful. And I said to him, 'Well, could you ever have anticipated
or planned for what is the success now?' And he said, 'Well, no, because I was focused very
much on something else. I learned my lessons. It didn't work. And now we've created
something else.' So great! He is a success because he failed, you know, that's … and that's fine.

Task 2:

Track 9.2: 1. A 2. B 3. B 4. B 5. C

Tapescript

I: How far ahead should businesses plan?

IS: I think that depends on the size of the business. If you're a business that has a commitment
from a client for three years, you have a three- year contract, it makes sense to have a three-
year plan, because you can project forward those revenues, you know that relationship will be
in place, and you can make some assumptions about what you need to do as a business in order
to deliver the requirements of that contract. But I think for a lot of other businesses, three years
is a long time. For a lot of smaller businesses, new businesses entering the market, um,
especially in technology for instance, when who knows what trends are going to come into play
next month - new software, new platforms - you really can't have a three-year plan. For me
personally, I like the idea of a three-month plan, because it feels very manageable. I'm not
guessing. And I think that is the problem with business planning; it can sometimes be “business
guessing”.

Track 9.3: 6. B. 7. B 8.B 9.A 10. B

Tapescript

I: What are the best business plans you know?

IS: I think the best business plans are ones that are simple and flexible enough to take into
account changing markets and changing situations. Any plan that is too fixed or too set in stone
becomes very unwieldy, because it can't accommodate economic changes, market changes,
technology changes.

PART 5: WRITING

1. For instance

2. In addition

3. That is why

4. In addition

5. That is why

6. For instance