English Mid-term Test C1 2015

COMPANY
STUDENT:
Listening (

DATE:

/ 21)

1 - Robert Nielsen has ordered some display stands for his company. There is a problem
with the order, and he telephones the customer services department at Blaize Displays.
Listen to the conversation, complete the order confirmation form and answer questions
510 below.
Blaize Displays
89 Kingsmead
Bramley
BL4 6OP
Sales phone: 0870 8211
Fax: 0100 6544
Customer name: Atkins Ltd
Customer number: _______________1
Invoice address:
Atkins Ltd
454 Regent St
________________4
NP42 2XX
FAO Robert Nielsen
Order number:
Order date:

Delivery address:
Same as invoice address

________________2

________________3

Items: Display stand

Product code: B640

Quantity:
________________5
Unit price:
239.00
Cost: 717.00
VAT
125.48
Delivery charge
30.00
Total 872.48

What is wrong with the display stands that Robert has received?

Elaine promises delivery by what time?

When does Robert need delivery?

Why cant Elaine arrange earlier delivery?

10

When were the faulty display stands delivered?

2 Now read through questions 1114. Listen to the conversation again and choose the
best answer, a, b or c.
11

Robert argues that

a the supplier is responsible and should act to correct the error.
b this is the second time he has had to complain.
c Atkins is a long-standing customer and should receive better treatment.

12

Elaines argument is
a the order was supplied as specified.
b Robert should have informed her of the problem sooner.
c the transport agent is at fault.

13

Robert asks for

a the order to be cancelled.
b his money back.
c delivery by courier.

14

Elaine
a agrees to comply with Roberts request.
b promises to do what she can.
c regrets that she cant help.

LANGUAGE
A - In the text below, there is one mistake on each line. Identify the word that is wrong
and write the correct word on the line. (
/ 20)
A week ago Refco is one of the worlds biggest finance companies, _______________ 1
with a market value of $3.6bn following its high successful flotation in August.
_______________ 2 Now the company has collapsed and trading in its shares have been
suspended. _______________ 3 Initially, internal investigators have been unable to find
anything fundamentally _______________ 4 wrong. But on Monday the company found
out that a $430m debt was owing by_______________ 5 the chief executive. On the same
day, he paid it forward, with interest. _______________ 6 the problem was that the
statement the company put out explaining what has _______________ 7 happened left
many unanswered questions. Refco is completely dependent of the _______________ 8
confidence of its customers. If they fear of the security of their assets they will
_______________ 9 attempt to withdrawing them, which is exactly what happened this
week. _______________ 10
B Choose the best answer to complete each gap in the text. (

/ 10)

Saying no to invitations can be very difficult. A standard answer to Can you come to
lunch? is: Thank you but Im a bit busy at present. But what would you say if the next
question _______________ 1: When will you be free? _______________ 2 you tell a lie or be
honest?

If you _______________ 3 want lunch with someone it may be because they are boring, or
not important enough, or because you would prefer to have a sandwich at your desk. It
is easier and less rude to tell a lie.
I would not advise anyone to say no to their boss. A manager I know asked his
secretary if she would mind typing a letter for him. Id rather not, if you _______________
4 mind, she replied. A month later, she was selected for redundancy in a company
reorganisation. If she _______________ 5 Yes, of course she might still be working there.
1

a) was

b) is

a) would

b) will

a) did not

a) would

b) wont

a) said

b) had said c) would have said

Reading (

c) would be
c) wont
b) do not c) would not
c) dont

/ 10)

In the article about bootstrapping, there are five sentences missing (15). Choose the
best sentence from AG below to fill each of the numbered gaps.
If you have a business idea, you need funding to get off the ground. Traditional
methods of raising capital have been through banks, venture capitalists (VCs), business
angels and the like.
(1) ________ . This is possibly because of their specific investment criteria, and the costs
incurred of negotiating and monitoring. So an alternative left to you is bootstrapping.
This is essentially the term given to mean the financing of a small firm without raising
equity from traditional sources or borrowing money from the bank. It relies on the
generation of capital from internal sources such as personal savings, credit cards,
second mortgages, etc.
While bootstrapping is by nature fraught with risks from which other forms of finance
and support might cushion you, it is seen by some as a purer form of business,
especially on a small scale. (2) __________ . It demands direct contact with customers
and suppliers, which creates an urgency to initiate and be successful first time in all
forms of business contact. This creates a strong sense of customer focus, which helps
build essential customer loyalty from day one. If you have money loaned to you and
sitting in the bank, the temptation is there to spend it before anything has been done
to make more. This burning or wasting of capital is not possible in the bootstrapping
world, as the money is not there to waste!
(3) ________ . If there is not a huge amount of money lying around, there is no
temptation to take huge and possibly fatal financial risks, the kinds of risks which
can literally destroy venture funded companies. Well-organized bootstrappers also put
themselves at less risk, as they can start with whatever funds they feel comfortable
investing to get the business started, then fund the growth of their business with their
own initial revenue.
Perhaps more exciting is that without external funding, and therefore external control,
bootstrappers have more freedom and flexibility. If you have to refer constantly to a
third party for permission to act, this can handicap you in terms of being able to
respond effectively and efficiently to unanticipated situations or changing market
conditions. Many opportunities could be lost. (4) __________ .

Finally, and perhaps most convincingly, bootstrappers own what they create. If a
number of investors have put money into a company, they will, quite rightly, demand
their share of the profits. Because of the pressures of generating the Return on
Investment for the venture capitalists, you have to generate a much bigger profit to get
the same benefit yourself. (5) __________ . What greater incentive do you need than that
to have a go at bootstrapping yourself?
A This ability to adapt rapidly in a changing market has a huge positive influence on
both short and long-term survival.
B This is not to say that there are no other sources of internal funding available.
C With no external support to rely on, the focus of energy is on brainpower,
determination and skills in creating a business that will succeed.
D It is therefore possible to have a successful business with little personal return, as it
is all eaten up by the external funders.
E But some figures from the US suggest that less than 1% of start ups are successful in
attracting money from VCs.
F It means that before approaching a potential investor, you must have an extremely
detailed business plan.
G Not having large sums of money may make some people feel vulnerable, but it can
actually have the opposite effect.

Writing (

/ 19)

Option 1 - Write an email based on the following brief. Write about 100150
words.
You are Robert Nielsen (see the Listening part of this test). The special delivery you
requested to complete the order for the display stands did not arrive until the next day,
and by then it was too late for you to set up the displays for your customers visit. Write
a formal email of complaint to Blaize Displays.
Explain briefly why you are dissatisfied with the service.
Set out the details of what happened.
Describe the consequences: you lost the opportunity to impress important
customers, which could affect your business with them.
Point out that the supplier failed to check the first delivery and to correct the error.
Say that you have now decided to cancel the purchase. Ask the supplier to collect
the stands at their expense and to refund your payment.

Option 2 - Write an email based on the following brief. Write about 100150
words.

Your company has been using a consultant to help maintain and improve its IT services.
He has proved to be unsatisfactory and your boss has decided to employ a permanent
staff member instead.
Write an email to the consultant:

explaining why he is being replaced

assuring him that payment will be forthcoming
asking to be kept up to date on any technical issues outstanding