Read the text and discuss it with your partners.

Fabtek

Fabtek is a small company based in Hamburg, Germany. It has produced a new type of fabric called Protean, which can be used for a wide variety of products. Protean has many advantages.

· It is light, strong and long-lasting.

· It can be made very thick or so thin that it becomes translucent.

· It can be made in any colour.

· It is flexible and soft to the touch.

· The fabric is made from fibres similar to nylon and polyester. These are coated with metals so that the fabric can conduct electricity.

Fabtek believes that Protean has great sales potential. At present, it is trying to expand sales by licensing other manufacturers to produce interesting new products with Protean.

Fabtek already has a licensing agreement with one firm, which has produced some award-winning products using Protean. Here are three.

1. ‘Dazzle’ – A range of shoes for young women

Selling points:

· Light and comfortable – adapt to the shape of a person’s foot

· Their colour can be changed at any time

· Shiny, smart and very durable

· Ideal for dancing

2. Protean steering wheel

Selling points:

· Better grip for drivers

· Safer than all other steering wheels

· Very pleasant to the touch

· Low production costs

3. Protean watch straps

Selling points:

· Waterproof and easy to clean

· Anyone can wear them – non-allergic

· More beautiful than other straps

· Light up in the dark

Recently, Fabtek contacted Gadget Plc, a company with over 2,000 products and a worldwide network of sales offices. Gadget has designed and developed many best-selling electronic, household and automobile products. Fabtek has asked Gadget to come up with new ideas for using Protean. Here is an extract from a letter which Fabtek’s Chief Executive sent to Gadget’s Development Manager.

“We are looking for partners to manufacture products using Protean. We want to work with firms that are creative and which can design exciting, innovative products.

We invite you to sent us three concepts for new products in the following forms:

1. A description of the product

2. Its selling points

3. Ways in which the products is really new

4. Its target consumers and main buyers

5. Price which will attract the most buyers

6. places where you can sell it

7. An advertising and promotion plan”

Speak about Protean advantages.

Name the products made of Protean.

Why did Fabtek contact Gadget Plc?

You are a member of Gadget’s Products development Department. Propose some innovative products which use Protean. Outline the product’s key features.

5. Work in small groups. Have a talk about the company you work in, what area of business it stands for, with the help of the plan of your company and explain advantages and disadvantages you can see in working for such a company. The following phrases can help you:

The company is based in …

The head office is in …

Our office is located in …

My company specializes in …

Our main products are …

We produce …

6. Write about your company everything you know. And then tell your business partner about the place of your work. Use the following sentences:

Its name is …

It specializes in …

It is located in …

Its customers are …

It employs …

Its annual turnover is …

 

UNIT II

Getting a Job

Read the new words and memorize them.

Advertisement объявление, реклама

Activity деятельность

To apply обращаться, подавать заявление

Applicant кандидат (на должность), претендент

To the aware of осознавать

To arrange договариваться о чём-либо

Background биографические или анкетные данные

To be familiar with

Candidate кандидат, президент

Calm спокойный

Confident уверенный

To cope (with) справиться (с чем-либо), преодолеть

Demand требование, спрос

Experience опыт

Fluent беглый, свободно говорящий

Interview собеседование

Level уровень

Long-term долгосрочный, длительный

Opportunity возможность, перспектива

Promotion продвижение по службе

Quality качество

Reliable надёжный

Representative представитель

Responsibility ответственность

Salary жалование, оклад

Skill мастерство, умение

Self-confident самоуверенный

Sociable общительный

Temporary временный

Team команда

Vacancy вакансия