TALKING BUSINESS
-
Upload
nelson-david-bolivar-ardila -
Category
Documents
-
view
226 -
download
0
description
Transcript of TALKING BUSINESS
1
2
José Fernando
Rangel Morales (Coordinador académico ASAFIT – SENA)
What this magazine will do for you.. You have probably tried to read English magazines before, but have you
ever thought how many of them were designed to help you improve your
Business English vocabulary? The truth is that ordinary magazines are too
difficult for learners of English as a second or foreign language because they
are not written for those people. However, Talking Business is particularly
different because it is designed for Hispanic readers— primarily those in the
fields of business administration, finances and economics.
Talking Business has been designed so that it can be consulted as needed,
rather than intending it to be read from cover to cover. In this order of ideas,
in every issue will be discussed—both in level and depth—a particular busi-
ness English topic. This approach will allow you to develop your English on
an ongoing basis whilst gaining essential skills needed in the market place.
**********************************************************
Lo que esta revista va a hacer por usted…
Usted probablemente ha intentado leer revistas en inglés antes, pero ¿ha pen-
sado alguna vez cuántos de ellas han sido diseñados para ayudarle a mejorar
su vocabulario de Inglés de Negocios? La verdad es que las revistas actuales
son demasiado difíciles para los extranjeros ya que no están escritas para esas
personas. Sin embargo, Talking Business es muy diferente, ya que está dise-
ñada para lectores hispanos –primordialmente para aquellos en los campos de
administración de empresas, finanzas y economía.
Talking Business ha sido diseñada para que pueda ser consultada cuando sea
necesario, en lugar de que se lea de principio a fin como una novela. En este
orden de ideas, en todos los temas serán discutidos, tanto en el nivel y pro-
fundidad, un tema en particular de inglés de negocios. Este enfoque le
permitirá desarrollar su inglés en forma permanente, mientras que va adqui-
riendo habilidades esenciales que se necesitan en el mercado mundial.
TTAALLKKIINNGG BBUUSSIINNEESSSS
Publisher
Centro de Servicios y Gestión
Empresarial - SENA
Project Manager
Nelson Bolivar
Academic Advisor
José Fernando Rangel
Creative Director
Nelson Bolivar
Art production Manager
Catalina López Jaramillo
Graphic design
Virtual Colors
http://www.virtual-colors.com
A SENA PUBLICATION SENA REGIONAL ANTIOQUIA Editorial and Business Offices City: Medellin
Phone: (574) 5760000
Web sites: www.sena.edu.co
www.senavirtual.edu.co
Centro de Servicios y Gestión
Empresarial :
http://centrodeserviciosygestio
nempresarial.blogspot.com/
ASAFIT:
http://asafit.ning.com/
FROM THE EDITORIAL...
3
IF YOU WANT TO LEARN
ENGLISH, YOU´LL NEED
TONS OF PATIENCE AND
DEDICATION
Entrevista con Manuela Barrientos, aprendiz SENA de
Administración Financiera y Monitora del Área de ASAFIT
(Área de servicios administrativos, financieros y de transporte del SENA)
By Nelson Bolívar
Talking Business: what does a financial advisor
can do for companies?
Manuela Barrientos (trainee): Well, the profes-
sional in financial administration from SENA can
help companies to manage risk, save time, and im-
prove their overall investment results. We can provide
guidance and support to help companies stay far away
from bankruptcy and reach their long-term goals, de-
crease their estate tax liability, file their tax returns,
and plan to reduce future tax impact.
Talking Business: What are the qualities of a good
financial advisor?
Manuela Barrientos (trainee): I think a good finan-
cial advisor should have problem solving abilities and
advanced computer skills. Likewise, they should have
numerical ability, and of course, attention to detail.
Talking Business: Please, describe a class you have
taken at SENA and explain why the class was im-
portant to you.
Manuela Barri-
entos (trainee): online English course is a good op-
tion for those who want to practice
Talking Business: What advice can you give to
people hoping to take the SENA´s English course?
SENA´S online English course is a good option for
those who want to practice English; it can help you
reinforce what you already know. However, people
interested in learning English most know that they´ll
need tons of patience and dedication if they want to
succeed.
Talking Business: What would you like to read in
the next Talking issue?
I would like the next magazine to have a management
case study. I mean a section that describes and analy-
ses strategies used to be efficient, sustainable, and
overcome multiple challenges in the marketplace.
FROM OUR STUDENTS ...
4
LLIIBBRROO RREECCOOMMEENNDDAADDOO
n an international business environment nobody wants to buy something or do business with a person who
writes like a child. In general, it is hard to trust a person with poor writing skills. Grammar for Business
provides clear explanations and authentic practice of the most essential language used in business English.
Designed to help you improve your communication skills in real business situations, it includes a unique focus
on spoken as well as written grammar, and practical tips on areas such as organising presentations, negotiating
and giving your opinion.
Ideal for classroom use and self study.
Source: http://www.cambridge.org
5
TABLE OF CONTENTS
4 LIBRO RECOMENDADO
Harías negocios con alguien que escribe como un
niño? Aprende a evitar los errores de los neófitos.
6 MUSIC
Aprende la letra de una de las canciones más fa-
mosas de Aerosmith (I do not wanna miss a thing).
12 CINEMA
Entra al mundo de la velocidad en Fast five 5 y
comparte con Vin Diesel y Paul Walker una aven-
tura en Rio de Janeiro
16 BUSINESS CULTURE
Aprende técnicas para administrar de manera inte-
ligente el correo electrónico en el mundo de los
negocios.
24 FRASES UTILES PARA E-MAILS EN
LOS NEGOCIOS Cuando la pantalla del P.C está en blanco las ideas
suelen evaporarse de nuestras cabezas. Recurre a
esta lista cuando las dudas te asalten.
27 BUSINESS REPORT
Algunos ya predicen el fin de la ola de ―precios
baratos de china‖.
31 INTERVIEW TIPS
Aprende de los expertos a utilizar diversas herra-
mientas para encontrar trabajo en épocas difíciles.
34 TIME FOR FUN
Diviértete y aprende al mismo
tiempo sobre las profesiones
más conocidas.
TIME FOR GRAMMAR! If you are working in an international business en-
vironment, you need to be able to write English
reasonably well.
Business correspondence with lack of grammar,
poor spelling and bad punctuation grates on man-
agers´ ears and can give them the perception that
you have received poor education or have limited
experience with technology.
6
II DDoonn ´́TT WWaannnnaa MMiissss AA TThhiinngg (NO QUIERO PERDERME DE NADA)
by Aerosmith
I could stay awake just to hear you breathing
Watch you smile while you are sleeping
While you're far away and dreaming
I could spend my life in this sweet surrender
I could stay lost in this moment forever
Every moment spent with you is a moment I treasure
(Chorus)
Don't wanna close my eyes
I don't wanna fall asleep 'cause I'd miss you baby
And I don't wanna miss a thing
'cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream would never do
I'd still miss you, baby
And I don't wanna miss a thing
Laying close to you
Feeling your heart beating
And I'm wondering what you're dreaming
Wondering if its me you're seeing
Then I kiss your eyes
And thank god we're together
I just wanna stay with you in this moment forever
Forever and ever
Podría permanecer despierto sólo para escucharte respirar,
Mirarte sonreír mientras duermes
A lo lejos, y soñando.
Podría pasar mi vida en esta dulce rendición,
Podría quedarme perdido en este momento para siempre.
Ya que, cada momento que pasé contigo es un momento que
valoro mucho.
(Coro)
No quiero cerrar los ojos,
No quiero quedarme dormido porque te extrañaría, nena,
Y no quiero perderme de nada.
Porque aún si soñara contigo,
El más dulce de los sueños no alcanzará.
Aún así te extrañaría, nena,
Y no quiero extrañar nada.
Acostado cerca de ti,
Siento latir tu corazón.
Y me pregunto con qué estás soñando,
Me pregunto si será conmigo.
Luego, beso tus ojos
y agradezco a Dios que estemos juntos
Y sólo quiero estar contigo
En este momento para siempre,
Por siempre y para siempre.
7
(Chorus)
I don't wanna close my eyes
I don't wanna fall asleep ´cause I'd miss you baby
And I don't wanna miss a thing
´cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream would never do
I'd still miss you, baby
And I don't wanna miss a thing
And I don't wanna miss one smile
I don't wanna miss one kiss
I just wanna be with you
Right here with you
Just like this
And I just wanna hold you close
And feel your heart so close to mine
And just stay here in this moment
For all the rest of time
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Don't wanna close my eyes
Don't wanna fall asleep ´cause I'd miss you, baby
And I don't wanna miss a thing
´cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream would never do
I'd still miss you, baby
And I don't wanna miss a thing
I don't wanna close my eyes
I don't wanna fall asleep ´cause I'd miss you baby
And I don't wanna miss a thing
´cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream will never do
I'd still miss you, baby
And I don't wanna miss a thing
Don't wanna close my eyes
And I don't wanna fall asleep, yeah
And I don't wanna miss a thing
(Coro)
No quiero cerrar los ojos,
No quiero quedarme dormido porque te extrañaría, nena,
Y no quiero perderme de nada.
Porque aún si soñara contigo,
El más dulce de los sueños no alcanzará.
Aún así te extrañaría, nena,
Y no quiero extrañar nada.
No quiero extrañar ni una sonrisa,
No quiero extrañar ni un beso,
Ya que sólo quiero estar contigo,
Aquí mismo, contigo
Como ahora.
Sólo quiero tenerte cerca
Sentir tu corazón muy cerca del mío,
Y permanecer aquí, en este momento
Por el resto del tiempo.
Sí, sí, eso es lo que quiero
No quiero cerrar los ojos,
No quiero quedarme dormido porque te extrañaría, nena,
Y no quiero perderme de nada.
Porque aún si soñara contigo,
El más dulce de los sueños no bastaría.
Aún así te extrañaría, nena,
Y no quiero extrañar nada.
No quiero cerrar los ojos,
No quiero quedarme dormido porque te extrañaría, nena,
Y no quiero perderme de nada.
Porque aún si soñara contigo,
El más dulce de los sueños no bastaría.
Aún así te extrañaría, nena,
Y no quiero extrañar nada.
No quiero cerrar los ojos,
No quiero quedarme dormido, no
Y no quiero perderme de nada.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xfo52_aerosmith-i-don-t-want-to-miss-a-th_music
8
Imperative and Present Simple
Source: Cambridge University Press
9
9
1 A, B Read this extract from the song ―I Don´t Wanna Miss a Thing‖. Match each number with the rest of
the sentence.
Source: Cambridge University Press
1. I don´t wanna of you
2. I don't wanna your eyes
3. I don't wanna with you in this moment forever
4. When I dream close my eyes
5. I just wanna stay fall asleep
6. I kiss miss a thing
10
I CAN DO IT!
1. Choose a company and write 11 FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) with answers about the company
and the products or services it provides. Use Exercise 3 to help you.
2. Write 5 answering questions about your parents´ job. Use Exercise 4 to help you.
Source: Cambridge University Press
11
12
(RÁPIDO Y FURIOSO 5)
UNIVERSAL PICTURES
VIN DIESEL PAUL WALKER
In Fast Five, former cop Brian O’Conner
(Walker) partners with ex-con Dom Toretto (Diesel) in a very unfamiliar place: the opposite side of the law in
exotic Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in an ultimate high-stakes heist. Their mission? Assemble an elite team of top
operatives made up of their family of friends to orchestrate an insane heist worth $100 million. Dom and Brian
know their only shot of getting out for good means crippling the corrupt businessman (JOAQUIM DE
ALMEIDA) who wants them dead. But he’s not the only one on the unlikely allies’ tails.
Hard-nosed federal agent Luke Hobbs (Johnson) never misses his target. When he is assigned to track down
Dom and Brian, he and his strike team launch an all-out assault to capture them. But as his men tear through
Brazil, Hobbs learns he can’t separate the good guys from the bad. Now, he must rely on his instincts to corner
his prey…before someone else runs them down first.
En rápido y Furioso 5, el ex policía Brian O´Conner (Wal-
ker) se asocia con el ex convicto Dom Toretto (Diesel)
en un lugar totalmente nuevo para ellos: el la-
do opuesto de la ley en el exótico Río de Janeiro, Brasil
, en un último robo de alto riesgo. Su misión? Conformar
un equipo elite de corredores conformado por los amigos
cercanos para orquestar un duro golpe por valor de $ 100
millones de dólares. Dom y Brian saben que su única opor-
tunidad de salir para siempre significa paralizar al empre-
sario corrupto (Joaquim de Almeida), quien los quiero
muertos. Sin embargo, él no es el único detrás de ellos.
El incansable agente federal Luke Hobbs (Johnson) nunca
deja escapar a su objetivo. Cuando se le asigna a localizar
a Dom y Brian, él y su equipo despliegan todo un arsenal
para capturarlos. Pero mientras sus hombres se mueven por
Brasil, Hobbs se da cuenta que no puede distinguir entre
los buenos y los malos. Ahora, él debe confiar en sus ins-
tintos para acorralar a su presa...antes de que alguien los
ejecute en primer lugar.
Source: http://www.fastfivemovie.com/
13
To practice the present tense, reread the Fast Five synopsis. Then, try to repeat each sentence in your
own words.
Using the Present Simple Correctly
Source: Cambridge University Press
14
Put the correct forms of the verbs into the gaps. Use the Simple Present in the statements. Example: She _____ in the lake. (to swim) Answer: I swims in the lake.
1) We our dog. (to call)
2) Emma in the lessons. (to dream)
3) They at birds. (to look)
4) John home from school. (to come)
5) I my friends. (to meet)
6) He
the laptop. (to repair)
7) Walter and Frank hello. (to say)
8) The cat under the tree. (to sit)
9) You water. (to drink)
10) She the lunchbox. (to forget)
Put the correct forms of the verbs into the gaps. Use the Simple Present in the statements. Example: We _____ her name. (to shout) Answer: We shout her name.
1) I a good mark. (to get)
2) Helen an exercise. (to do)
3) They the table. (to lay)
4) Jenny and Louis text messages. (to send)
5) Frank fun. (to have)
6) Diana
their room. (to tidy up)
7) He a new MP3 player. (to buy)
8) The cat out of the house. (to run)
9) You your glasses. (to need)
10) She a snake. (to touch)
15
CARRERAS TECNICAS
Asistente administrativo
Asesoría Comercial y Operaciones de Entidades Bancarias
Riesgo Crediticio y su Administración
Operación de Equipos de Servicio Urbano de Pasajeros
Transporte de mercancías peligrosas
ESPECIALIZACIONES
- Especialización en Asesoría y Consultoría
- Especialización Tecnológica en Gestión de Proyectos
Source: http://asafit.ning.com/
CENTRO DE SERVICIOS Y GESTIÓN EMPRESARIAL CALLE 51 NO. 57-71, EN FRENTE DE LA MINORISTA
TECNOLOGIAS
Gestión Empresarial
Administración Empresarial
Gestión Administrativa
Gestión Bancaria y Entidades Financieras
Gestión del Talento Humano
Propiedad Horizontal
Formulación de Proyectos
Logística y Transporte
Gestión Integral del Riesgo en Seguros
16
Cómo administrar de manera inteligente el correo electrónico en el mundo de los negocios.
By Nelson Bolívar
SENA English Virtual Tutor
n the business environment1
the word E-mail/E-mail (Short
for electronic mail) is synony-
mous for one of the fastest and
cheapest way to communicate
with people all over the world2.
Email is especially useful for
everyday correspondence:
- To ask for3 or send informa-
tion to many users
- To set up4 a meeting
- To ask people to do things
- To send longer documents, eg.
PowerPoint slides5, reports, etc.
- To share information with
prospects and customers6.
EEMMAAIILL´́SS PPIITTFFAALLLLSS
Writing for a business audi-
ence is usually quite different
than writing for friends or rela-
tives. According to Claudia
Marcela Porras, Coordinadora
Académica área de Telein-
formática para el Centro de
Servicios y Gestión Empresa-
rial, ―the mean of daily e-mail
messages downloads I deal
with7 is 100‖.
With such an email overload8
plenty of9 email users now tend
to delete a lot of promotional
emails—without opening any
links—or to return them back10
for lack of clarity, bad or poor
punctuation.
To avoid whether your
emails be deleted or second
emails requesting clarification
on the same issue get back,
there are some simple rules that
you can follow:
GLOSSARY:
1 THE BUSINESS
ENVIRONMENT el mundo de los
negocios 2 ALL OVER THE
WORLD de todas partes del mundo
3 TO ASK FOR pedir 4 TO SET
UP organizar 5 POWERPOINT
SLIDES diapositivas en Ms Power-
Point 6 CUSTOMERS clientes 7
TO DEAL WITH ocu-
parse/atender 8 EMAIL
OVERLOAD sobrecarga de emails
9 PLENTY OF la mayoría 10 TO
RETURN BACK regresar
1. Keep your emails short.
Writing tip!
If your e-mails are vague—not
clearly expressed and concise—
they will make a bad impression as
well as create additional work for
your recipients—recoding, prof-
fering, clarifying and so forth.
17
2. Use attachments11
for longer
documents (PowerPoint slides,
reports, invoices).
3. Use short sentences and sim-
ple language.
4. Avoid using abbreviations the
recipient may not know or un-
derstand.
5. Do not write in CAPITAL
letters – it looks like you are
shouting.
6. Always read the e-mail be-
fore you send it (check for
grammar and punctuation er-
rors)
7. Emails to people you do not
know very well (senior people,
prospects or customers) should
be formal
8. Emails to colleges and people
in the same company can be
semiformal not too informal.
QQUUIICCKK TTIIPPSS FFOORR DDEEAALLIINNGG
WWIITTHH EE--MMAAIILLSS
You do not need to be a pro-
fessional writer to write
effective, professional emails
that catch12
your readers' inter-
est and hold their attention until
the very last word13
. However if
you do not pay close attention
to your writing, just one e-mail
will be enough to hurt your
reputation and credibility as
well
Next time you need to deal with
an e-mail, use this checklist to
verify your message:
WWHHEENN RREEAADDIINNGG
1. Skim over
16 the subject lines
trying to look for and respond
only what seems to be urgent,
important and needs immediate
action.
WWHHEENN WWRRIITTIINNGG
1. Start with the most important
information.
2. Put less important informa-
tion in the next paragraphs.
3. Avoid informality since it
does not apply to any business.
4. Rewrite. By rewriting you
will ensure that your e-mails
messages make a positive im-
pression and the recipients get
you the response you want
back.
5. Start a new e-mail instead of
replying to an old one?
Writing tip!
Remember that business people
try to reduce the amount of e-
mails messages they receive. This
means that there is always a risk
of you e-mail being deleted with-
out being read!
Writing tip!
E-mails with lack of14
grammar,
poor spelling and bad punctuation
grate15
on managers´ ears and can
give them the perception that you
have received poor education or
have limited experience with tech-
nology.
GLOSSARY:
11 ATTACHMENTS adjuntos
12 TO CATCH agarrrar
13 THE VERY LAST WORD
la última palabra 14 LACK OF
carente/deficiente 15 TO
GRATE irritar/chillar 16 TO
SKIM OVER leer algo por
encima 17 REWRITE reescribir
18
WWHHEENN RREEPPLLYYIINNGG
1. Avoid replying with simply ―yes‖ or ―no‖.
2. Make One Point per Email
3. Be clear about what information you are referring to from
the original email.
4. Answer the questions that the original email asks.
5. Verify that your e-mail actually went out?
EEMMAAIILL´́SS LLAAYYOOUUTT
When you write a business e-mail, you should follow the standard format. The following email shows where the
different components should appear on your screen.
Writing tip
Use any spell-check software to
proofread before hitting27
the send
button
19
1. Header Information
- From: Name of the person / people sending the email.
- To: Name of the person / people the email is addressed to
- CC (carbon copy): When copies are sent to people other than the named recipient
- BCC (blind carbon copy): When you do not want the named recipient to know that other people have re-
ceived copies.
- Subject: Information about the content of the email
- Attachments: When documents are attached
2. Body of the Message
3. Closing
4. Signature block
1. When you have a very short message to convey, you can use the subject line as direct message. Read
the following subject lines and decide whether they are good or bad examples of putting all the relevant
information into few words.
a) Subject: Remember 07/07 Meeting, 11 am, Plaza Mayor - Medellín
b) Subject: Remember to be on time in Plaza Mayor Medellín
a) Subject: Meeting
b) Subject: Reminder of 10 am Meeting Sched. 07/11 on Balance Sheet.
a) Subject: ***
b) Subject:
a) Subject: Please reply soon
b) Subject: Please reply by 7th march‖.
Answers:
a) good b) bad
a) bad b) good
a) bad b) bad
a) bad b) good
20
2. Are the following email messages examples of poor or good communication?
21
22
23
FRASES ÚTILES PARA E-MAILS EN L S
NEGOCIOS
A veces queremos decir algo pero no encontramos las palabras para expresarlo. La siguiente
lista ofrece prácticos consejos para esas situaciones.
PHRASES FORMAL SEMI-FORMAL
Opening
- Dear Sir / Madam
- Dear Mr / Mrs / Ms / Miss Williams
- Dear Doctor / Major / Professor
Hello! / Hi Helen
Initiating email contact
- Might I take a moment of your
time…
- Please may I introduce myself…
- With reference to our phone conver-
sation this morning,
- As I mentioned on the phone...
- This is Nelson Bolivar from…
- I’m just emailing to ask…
- I’m a friend of Bob’s…
Thanking Thank you for sending...
Thanks for the help.
Thanks! I appreciate your help.
Thanks in advance.
Apologising
We are sorry that the documents are
late. Please accept our apologies.
Sorry the documents are late.
Sorry for the inconvenience.
Thanks for your patience.
Making a request Could you please send me a new price
list?
Can you send me a new price list,
please?
Asking for information
- I would like some information
about...
- I would appreciate your help in this
matter.
- Can I have some information about...
- Could you look into this?‖
- Would you mind checking it out for
me?‖
- Can you get back to me once you’ve
had a chance to investigate?
- I’d love to hear your advice on this
one.
24
PHRASES FORMAL SEMI-FORMAL
Answering someone’s
question(s)
- I trust the above resolves your que-
ries.
- Should you have any further ques-
tions, please do not hesitate to contact
me.
- I hope this information is useful.
- let me know if I can be of any further
help.
- I know that’s a lot to take in, so let
me know if anything I’ve said doesn’t
make sense.
- Hope the above helps, but email
again if you’re still having any diffi-
culties.
Giving information
- Please find attached the information
you required.
- Please find attached the plans and
specifications.
Here´s the information that you
wanted.
When you need a response I await a response at your earliest con-
venience.
- Can you drop me a quick word so I
know you’ve received this?
- Look forward to hearing from you.
Final sentence
- Many thanks again for your time.
- I look forward to hearing from you
soon.
- Thank you for taking time out of
your busy agenda to read my e-mail.
- Hope to hear from you soon.
- Just let me know if you have any
questions.
- Drop me an email, or give me a ring,
if you want any more information.
Closing phrases Yours sincerely / Yours faithfully / Best wishes / regards / warmest re-
gards / sincerely
25
26
Algunos Ya Predicen el Fin de La Ola de “Pre-
cios Baratos de China”.
Jun 9th 2011 | HONG KONG AND TAIPEI | from the print edition of the Economist
―t is the end of cheap goods
1,‖
says Bruce Rockowitz. He is the
chief executive of Li & Fung, a
company that sources more clothes
and common household products2
from Asia than perhaps any other.
In the low-tech areas in which Li
& Fung specialises, the firm han-
dles an estimated 4% of China’s
exports3 to America and a sizeable
chunk of its exports to Europe, too.
It has operations in several East
Asian countries, where it diligently
searches for cheap, reliable suppli-
ers of everything from handbags to
bar stools. So when Mr Rockowitz
says the era of low-cost4 Asian
production is draw-
ing to a close, peo-
ple listen.
For the past 30
years manufactur-
ers5 in southern
China helped to
keep global inflation
in check. But that era
is now over, says Mr Rockowitz.
Chinese wages6 are rising fast.
A wave of new demand, especially
from China itself, is feeding a
surge in commodity7
prices. Manu-
facturers can find some relief by
moving production to new areas,
such as western China, Vietnam,
Bangladesh, Malaysia, India and
Indonesia. But none of these new
places will curb inflation the way
southern China once did, he pre-
dicts.
All rely on the same in-
ingly expensive pool of
commodities. Many have rising
wages or poor logistics8. None
can provide the scale and effi-
ciency that was created when
manufacturers converged on
southern China.
Nothing can replace the
Chinese miracle. ―There is no
next,‖ says Mr Rockowitz. Prices
will now start to rise by 5% or
more each year, with no end in
sight9. And that may be optimistic.
So far this year, Mr Rockowitz
says, Li & Fung’s sourcing
operation has seen price increases
of 15% on average10
. Other
sources of Asian toys, clothes and
basic household products tell
similarly ominous tales.
GLOSSARY: 1 CHEAP GOODS artículos baratos
2 HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS pro-
ductos para el hogar 3 Exports
exportaciones 4 LOW-COST costos
bajos 5 MANUFACTURER fabri-
cante 6 WAGE salario 7 COMMO-
DITY productos básicos 8. LOGIS-
TICS logística 9 END IN SIGHT
sin final a la vista 10 AVERAGE
promedio
Ciudad de Shenzhen
27
Yet manufacturers in some
other fields see things differently.
On May 31st, the day Mr Rocko-
witz spoke in Hong Kong, the
annual Computex fair11
opened an
hour’s flight away in Taipei. Ho-
tels were packed, even at inflated
prices. The world’s hottest tech-
nology companies, such as Apple
and even Taiwan’s HTC, were
absent. But nearly 2,000 vendors
showed up to hawk cheap and in-
novative gizmos.
Mainland Chinese firms arrived
in force12
: more than 500 hired
booths, up from 200 last year.
Many are from the same parts of
China that were once noted for
cheap textiles and toys.
Some of the more striking of-
ferings13
at the fair were ultra-
cheap versions of global hits. A
company named BananaU adver-
tised14
tablet computers with
Google’s Android operating sys-
tem for $100. Another pushed15
Windows-based thin computers
looking much like MacBooks for
under $250. E-Readers were eve-
rywhere and available16
for a song.
Whether these prod-
ucts can be produced or
sold in developed mar-
kets is unclear. The qual-
ity may be ―B‖ for Ba-
nana rather than ―A‖ for
Apple. The intellectual
property17
embedded in
some devices may not,
ahem, have been paid
for. But still, the booths
were packed. Buyers goggled and
haggled over motherboards,
ory chips, solid-state drives,
servers, graphics cards, non-
tangling cables, connectors, moni-
tors and so on.
In 2009 the prices of these
electronic goods18
jumped sud-
denly, as buyers emerged from the
financial crisis and started order-
ing more equipment from
manufacturers which had slashed
capacity. But data collected in
Taiwan suggest that prices are
now falling sharply again (see
chart). If the vendors at Computex
had a common slogan, it would be
―more for less‖.
Among the products that gener-
ated the most heat were those that
saved energy. These included al-
ternating- and direct-current
converters, and sensors that could
moderate the power consumption
of streetlamps, fridges and air con-
ditioners. Such devices were
initially marketed for their ―green
potential‖, but what buyers liked
was their ability to enhance pro-
ductivity.
When labour was cheap, Chi-
nese firms used it inefficiently.
Now they are learning how to get
more from fewer hands. Li & Fung
may be sounding the closing bell
on one era of production, but the
Taipei computer fair suggests that
another is emerging.
GLOSSARY: 11 FAIR feria 12 ARRIVE IN
FORCE llegar con fuerza 13
STRIKING OFFERINGS ofertas
sorprendentes 14 ADVERTISE pub-
licitar/vender 15 PUSH publicitar
/vender 16 AVALIABLE disponible
17 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
propiedad intelectual 18 ELEC-
TRONIC GOODS productos elec-
trónicos 19 ENHANCE impulsar
Source: http://www.economist.com/node/18805862
28
Improving the power of your memory is necessary if you want to learn English fast. In order to do so, practice
re-reading the Business Report Section as many times as you wish. Then, try to repeat each sentence in your
own words.
Imagine associations between the items in the following list. Then, using the Simple Present Tense, begin to
report a story in your own words. Make sure each word is associated coherently with the next.
Manufacturers opportunities
demand provide
wages products
labour quality
cheap capacity
prices productivity
Fill the gap. Chose the correct word from the list to complete each sentence.
inefficiently, goods, labour, products, hawk, developed, textiles, produced, fair
a. cheap _______________ and toys
b. Whether these ____________ can be produced or sold in _______________ markets is unclear.
c. The prices of these electronic ________________ jumped suddenly
d. When ______________ was cheap, Chinese firms used it___________________.
e. These products can be ____________ or sold in developed markets.
f. vendors showed up to _________ cheap and innovative gizmos.
g. this computer ____________ suggests that another is emerging
Answers: a) textiles b) products/ developed c) goods d) labour/ inefficiently e) produced f) hawk g) fair
29
30
JUST
GRADUATED
AND NO
JOB?
Te revelamos los 10 errores más frecuentes de
los recién graduados que se lanzan a buscar
trabajo.
By Charles Purdy,
Although this year's college graduates1 are facing a
tough job market2 (and the smart ones are facing
3 it
now, rather than waiting until after4 graduation), they
have an advantage over5 other job seekers, according
to Andy Chan, vice president of career development at
Wake Forest University: They are among the age
group most likely6 to be hired in coming months.
"Organizations are very interested in hiring7 young
people because they have a lot of energy and are will-
ing to do whatever it takes8 to get the job done," Chan
says.
But no matter9 how well-positioned these young
people are, they -- and all job seekers -- will have a
better chance of success if they avoid these common
job hunting mistakes:
Not Being Proactive Enough. "This isn't the
time to sit back and be casual in your approach," says
Emily Bennington, co-author of Effective Immedi-
ately: How to Fit In, Stand Out, and Move Up at Your
First Real Job. "Create a hit list of five to 10 target
companies, and really utilize your network to
locate an 'in' at each."
GLOSSARY: 1 COLLEGE GRADUATE estudiante
universitario 2 TOUGH JOB MARKET
Mercado laboral dificil 3 FACE enfrentar
4 UNTIL AFTER hasta después de
5 TO HAVE AN ADVANTAGE
OVER tener la ventaja sobre algo
6 MOST LIKELY más propable 7 TO
HIRE contratar 8 TO DO WHATEVER
IT TAKES hacer lo que sea 9 NO
MATTER no importa
31
Relying Solely on the Internet. In a Yahoo!
HotJobs poll, 57 percent of respondents said network-
ing was a factor in landing their current or most recent
job. Brad Karsh, president of JobBound, says, "When
thousands of candidates are applying to the same jobs
online and posting their resume10
to the same job
boards, candidates need to stand out11
by making con-
nections and networking their way into a company.
"Job boards are an important tool, but Karsh says new
grads also need to focus energy on networking.
Not Creating Wide Networks. Career expert
Liz Ryan agrees
that your par-
ents', grandpar-
ents' and
friends' net-
works can help
you in your
postgraduation
job search.
"Don't be shy12
-- reach out to
any long-ago Scoutmaster, choir director, or babysit-
ting or leaf-raking boss," she says. "There's no statute
of limitations on networking13
."
Not Creating Customized Resumes. "Don't
send out any resumes that simply list your courses, the
degree you've earned, and your part-time and summer
jobs," Ryan says. "Use this opportunity to make a
stronger statement14
about what you want to do with
your adult life." And according to Jay Block, author
of 101 Best Ways to Land a Job in Troubled Times,
younger job seekers often haven't thought about what
they have to offer an employer (as opposed to what
they want to get from one). With this mindset15
, they
create resumes that are "boring biographies" instead
of effective marketing tools.
Misusing the Internet. Tory Johnson, CEO of
Women For Hire and author of Fired to Hired, says,
"New grads don't use LinkedIn -- it's not sexy like
Facebook or Twitter -- but it's the best resource for
getting names and building a professional identity.
Don't overlook it16
."
Failing to Follow Up. It's not enough to send
resumes and pray17
the phone rings, Johnson says. She
cautions18
job seekers not to expect their resumes to
be discovered in that big black online hole19
. "Hustle20
to follow up," she says.
GLOSSARY:
10 RESUME hoja de vida 11 TO STAND
OUT destacar 12 TO BE SHY no sentir ver-
güenza 13 NETWORKING hacer contactos
14 STATEMENT declaración 15 MINDSET
mentalidad/creencia 16 TO OVERLOOK
pasar por alto 17 PRAY rezar 18 TO
CAUTION prevenir 19 HOLE hueco 20 TO
HUSTLE moverse
32
Setting Expectations Too High. Johnson says
new graduates too often focus on looking for the per-
fect job20
, instead of a first job. "Especially in this
economy, the first job should be about finding a posi-
tion where you'll learn a great deal21
, you'll be super
busy and you'll be surrounded by lots of people," she
says.
Appearing Unprofessional. Make sure22
you're
ready for employers' scrutiny, says Tim McIntyre, pres-
ident and CEO of The Executive Search Group. That
means you should "sanitize23
your MySpace page --
right now. It will be checked," he says. He notes that
many college students will need to change off-colour
voicemail greetings. Ryan adds, "Don't assume that
Facebook's privacy settings will keep your youthful
antics24
away from curious eyes. Rid25
your profile
page of any photos of the 'three Bs' (beer, bongs and
bikinis)."
Not Taking the Job Interview Seriously.
Even when you're applying for an unpaid internship,
you need to adhere to common standards of profes-
sionalism. McIntyre says those standards include
demonstrating you've researched26
the company and
dressing appropriately. Block adds that new grads are
often unprepared for
tough but common
view questions, such as
"Where do you see
self in three years?" and
"What are your weak-
nesses27
?"
Not Using the College's Career Office. "A
career office can help [students] identify networking
contacts, learn important job search skills, and signifi-
cantly improve their resume and cover letter28
," says
Wake Forest University's Chan. Ryan agrees, but adds
that this is just a first step. The career office's job is to
"to prepare you for your job search, not to conduct it
for you," she says. "Use LinkedIn, reach out29
to eve-
ryone you can and begin researching employers who'd
be likely targets for your job search."
GLOSSARY:
20 PERFECT JOB trabajo perfecto 21 A
GREAT DEAL mucho 22 TO MAKE
SURE asegurarse 23 SANITIZE limpia 24
YOUTHFUL ANTICS payasadas juveniles
25 TO RID eliminar 26 TO RESEARCH
investigar 27 WEAKNESSES debilidades
28 COVER LETTER carta de presentación
29 TO REACH OUT intentar comunicarse
33
1 2
3 4
5 6
7
8 9
10
11
12
13 14 15
16 17 18 19
20
21 22
23
24
25
26
27
Jobs Cross-word:
Across
1. Somebody who
catches fish.
2. Someone who digs
for metal ore in the
ground.
7. A person who paints pictures.
8. A person who makes computer games.
10. A person who helps a doctor.
11. Somebody who fixes teeth.
14. A person who goes to outer space.
16. Somebody who helps sick animals.
20. Someone who
builds houses.
22. Someone who
cooks food.
24. A person who pro-
tects a country.
25. A person who tells
us the news.
26. A person who plays sports.
27. Someone who grows crops.
Down
1. Somebody who puts out fires.
2. Somebody who plays an instrument.
3. Somebody who helps sick people.
4. Somebody who catches criminals.
5. A person who fixes toilets.
6. A person who does research.
9. A person who raises cattle.
12. Someone who cleans buildings.
13. Someone who stars in a movie.
15. A person who drives a truck.
17. Someone who fixes cars.
18. Someone who delivers mail.
19. A person who sings songs.
21. Somebody who flies airplanes.
23. A person who serves food.
34
Answer:
FISHERMANMINER
IU
RSDP
EPSIOO
FLCCCL
IUIARTISTI
PROGRAMMERAOC
AHBNNURSE
NTDENTISTO
CERIJF
HRAASTRONAUTF
ECTNRI
RVETMMSIUC
OEAITCE
CONSTRUCTIONWORKER
HLGRD
PACHEFR
WINARI
ASOLDIERV
IOCREPORTER
ATHLETEIR
EE
RFARMER
35
36
El programa de inglés virtual del SENA es un servicio gratuito prestado por la entidad dirigido a
cualquier colombiano (sin necesidad que sea aprendiz de uno de los programas que ofrece la ins-
titución y sin requisitos académicos) que desee practicar el idioma inglés de forma oral, escrita y
auditiva.
El programa se imparte a través de Internet en la página www.senavirtual.edu.co , y una vez se
diligencia el formato de preinscripción se asigna un tutor que guía el proceso del aprendiz de
manera virtual y sin necesidad que este último tenga que desplazarse dejando la comodidad de su
hogar o sitio de trabajo.
Preinscripción
Si eres aprendiz del Centro de Servicios y Gestión Empresarial de Medellín, te invitamos a con-
tactar a tu líder de grupo para que diligencie tus datos en el formato que nuestro integrador Juan
Esteban Arias ha dispuesto para tal fin. Nuestro integrador se encuentra ubicado en el piso 7 y
las inscripciones están permanentemente abiertas.
37
Medellín Ciudad Clúster realizará rueda de negocios
en Medesalud 2011
Mayor información en http://www.medesalud2011.com/es/index.asp
38