Universität Hohenheim
Sprachenzentrum
Fachsprachenzertifikat
Wirtschaftsenglisch
April 2010
1) Leseverstehen und Textbearbeitung
a) Leseverstehen: Fachsprachliche Aufgaben
Dauer: 45 Minuten
Matrikelnummer: ___________________
You must answer ALL sections. You MUST write your answers on the
examination paper.
Official use only
Task A
/16
Task B
/15
Task C
/5
Task D
/10
Task E
/6
Task F
/8
Total 1a
/60
Total 1a
/60
Total 1b
/30
Total 2
/45
Task 3
/25
Final grade
/160
MATRIKELNUMMER: _______________________________
1
Universität Hohenheim
Sprachenzentrum
A – Complete the following text using words from the box below
blow-out
conscious
discretionary
pitch
bulk
deals
indication
prerecession
chains
debit
lure
red
(16)
confidence
discounting
margins
tricks
Holiday Shoppers
Holiday shoppers are returning to the stores, but they're armed with the
____________ (1) they learned during the recession.
Extensive _______________(2) appears to be paying off for retailers in the final days
before Christmas as consumers crowd the malls searching for bargains, an optimistic
sign compared with last year at the height of the slump.
But it's a different type of consumer in this crucial season compared to the
_______________(3) shopper of a few years ago.
Now extremely cost-_______________, (4) consumers are using mobile devices to
check prices at competing stores, and looking out for deals that retailers are touting
on Twitter and Facebook.
Policy makers are banking on shoppers to fuel the recovery, given that consumer
spending represents about 70 per cent of economic activity, while export markets
remained tempered.
There are reasons for optimism. Early figures point to the start of a retail recovery this
fall, with sales jumping 0.8 per cent in October from September, representing a
continual increase. For the holiday season, sales are projected to rise between 1 per
cent and 2 per cent, compared with last year's decline of about 1.5 per cent.
This year, however, the business may come with lower profit _______________ (5)
as merchants are forced to drop their prices to _______________ (6) consumers.
Anticipating a tough holiday season, retailers started to _______________ (7) their
holiday promotions earlier than ever in 2009. At the same time, they trimmed their
inventory levels by about 5 to 10 per cent, industry officials said.
After suffering one of their toughest years in decades, retailers are counting on a lift
in the holiday period. Many retailers generate the _______________ (8) of their
annual sales and profit in the last two months of the year. Some even remain in the
_______________ (9) until the holiday season arrives.
Wal-Mart and Sears Inc. are among the big _______________ (10) to launch Boxing
Day sales more than a week before Dec. 26. ―People are comparison shopping and
looking for not just a good deal but the best deal they can get today,‖ said Jim
MATRIKELNUMMER: _______________________________
2
Universität Hohenheim
Sprachenzentrum
Thompson, a senior vice-president at Wal-Mart, North America Corp. ―Our preBoxing Week _______________(11) event is our response to this trend.‖
Retailers are partly responding to consumers having delayed their holiday shopping
later than ever this year, said Vincent Power, a spokesman for Sears. ―Because of
the recession, there are probably more _______________ (12) and lower prices
before Christmas than there were in the past.‖
Still, the October retail sales are encouraging. Sales of clothing and accessories –
_______________ (13) purchases that suffer in a downturn – rose 1.9 per cent.
Shoes and jewellery were among other strong categories.
In another positive sign, spending at retailers over the first two weekends this month
increased about 5 and 6 per cent from a year earlier, according to Moneris Solutions,
which processes credit, _______________ (14) and online payments for merchants.
Department stores were the clear winners in the first weekend, with a 12.8-per-cent
gain, while clothing stores saw a 5.4-per-cent jump in the first weekend and 11.4 per
cent in the second.
―The increase in preholiday spending is a clear _______________ (15) of renewed
consumer _______________,‖ (16) said David Ades, senior vice-president of sales at
Moneris.
Source. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/retailers-making-more-money-less-profit/article1408139/
B – Complete the text with the correct preposition:
(15)
The European Court of Human Rights has received an appeal _______ (1) a Swiss
ban ______ (2) minarets which has provoked international controversy.
The appeal was submitted to the court ______ (3) former spokesman for the Geneva
Mosque Hafid Ouardiri in an effort to overturn the decision made ______ (4) the
Swiss citizens who voted in a referendum _____ (5) imposing a ban on the
construction of minarets in the country.
Ouardiri filed the complaint in Strasbourg, saying the referendum violates the right to
religious freedom and contravenes international laws ______ (6) discrimination.
The Algerian-born Muslim also sent an open letter to the federal cabinet and all the
members of the Council of Europe to inform them of the legal action ______ (7) the
ban, said Pierre de Preux, one of Ouardidi's lawyers.
The Swiss government has also voiced concerns ______ (8) the minaret ban, a
move initially supported by far-right Swiss People's Party — the country's largest
party — and the Federal Democratic Union.
"We will have both the plaintiff Hafid Ouardiri and the defendant, [the Swiss
government], saying the same thing," de Preux told the Reuters news agency. "The
court is still free to decide whatever it wants, but it sure is going to help the request."
MATRIKELNUMMER: _______________________________
3
Universität Hohenheim
Sprachenzentrum
The right-wing Swiss People's Party says the government would be better off backing
its people's voice than adhering to international treaties.
Reactions in Germany
______ (9) neighboring Germany there have been different reactions regarding the
vote.
Wolfgang Bosbach, head of the parliamentary committee ______ (10) interior policy,
said that the vote should be taken seriously.
Bosbach, a member ______ (11) Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrat,
told Hamburger Abendblatt daily earlier this week that the vote reflects a widely held
fear of Islam within German society.
He went on to add that minaret construction ______ (12) Germany has so far been
manageable ______ (13) practical solutions provided by German law.
But Sebastian Edathy from the opposition Social Democrats told Berliner Zeitung that
the Swiss vote was ―very problematic,‖ noting that countries boasting religious
freedom must allow faithful to build their houses ______ (14) worship.
His remarks echo fears expressed by Bern ahead of the vote, when the government
urged the public not to vote "yes" as it would damage the country's image.
The Swiss referendum ______ (15) the minaret ban drew sharp criticism from the
Muslim states, the European countries, the United Nations and the Vatican.
Source: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=113953&sectionid=351020605
C – Use the gerund or infinitive in the following sentences.
(5)
1. Imagine__________ (win) the lottery!
2. Lucy and I stopped __________ (have) lunch on the way back from the meeting.
3 He admitted_________ (make) a mistake on the invoice.
4. The transport company deny_________ (cause) the damage.
5. Would you mind__________(postpone) the meeting till next week?
MATRIKELNUMMER: _______________________________
4
Universität Hohenheim
Sprachenzentrum
D – Expand and define the following acronyms and abbreviations:
(10)
1. GDP
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
2. Ltd
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
3. AOB
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
4. CSR
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
5. P&L Statement
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
E – Differences.
(6)
1. What is the difference between empowerment and delegation?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
2. What is the difference between a hostile takeover and a reverse takeover?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
MATRIKELNUMMER: _______________________________
5
Universität Hohenheim
Sprachenzentrum
3. What is the difference between a merger and acquisition?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
F – Business and trade cycle.
(8)
The economy tends to experience different cyclical trends as shown in the diagram
below. Name each one and explain what happens in each phase.
OUTPUT
4
1
3
2
TIME
1) ______________________________________________________________
E
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
2) ______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
3) ______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
4) ______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
MATRIKELNUMMER: _______________________________
6
Universität Hohenheim
Sprachenzentrum
Fachsprachenzertifikat
Wirtschaftsenglisch
April 2010
1) Leseverstehen und Textbearbeitung
b) Textbearbeitung
Dauer: 45 Minuten
Name ____________________________
Vorname __________________________
Matrikelnummer: ___________________
You must answer ALL sections. You MUST write your answers on the
examination paper.
Official use only
Task A
/16
Task B
/6
Task C
/5
Task D
/3
Total 1b
/30
Official use only
MATRIKELNUMMER: _______________________________
7
Universität Hohenheim
Sprachenzentrum
ASOS.com :The product life cycle and online fashion
ASOS.com, As Seen on Screen, is the UK‘s market leader in online fashion retailing. It offers ownlabel, branded fashion and designer goods. Its headquarters are in Camden Town in North London.
ASOS.com provides high fashion clothing for women, men and children, as well as footwear,
accessories, jewellery and beauty products. It aims these primarily at a target audience of 16-34 year
olds. However, as the company continues to grow and diversify its product ranges and increase
awareness, it appeals to a much wider online fashion market. Over 20% of its current customer
database is aged over 35.
Online shopping provides customers with the convenience of making purchases whenever
and wherever they like. ASOS.com‘s use of technology helps to increase sales by providing
easy navigation around the website and helpful tools like the ‗catwalk‘ option so items can be
seen on moving models. The business also benefits from its visionary approach to traditional
retailing by not having high street stores. This keeps its staffing and property costs down.
ASOS.com uses the product life cycle to ensure its product portfolio continues to meet the needs of
its customers and provide up-to-date fashions in the fast-moving online retail industry.
The product life cycle
The product life cycle shows the stages a product goes through over time in relation to its
sales. The retail market also follows a life cycle. In the UK the total retail market is in a mature state
with growth slowing down. Retailers have to compete hard, shown by declining sales in high street
stores.
In contrast, the online retail industry is a young market still showing huge growth since its
introduction period between 1998 and 2002. Between 2004 and 2007, total retail growth
was just 4.6%, whereas online retail grew by over 130% in the same period. One of the big
changes that occurred was a move by businesses from selling from a catalogue to direct
selling online. In the fashion industry there is a fairly short product life cycle because trends and
tastes change regularly. The product life cycle for an ASOS.com own-brand dress typically follows
the following sequence:
• Introduction – The dress is made available to customers on the website. Fashion leaders
adopt the new item. ASOS.com initially gives a lot of prominence to newly launched
products on its website, for example, by having links directly to these items from the
homepage and weekly newsletters.
• Rapid growth – ASOS.com needs to ensure adequate stocks so as not to disappoint
customers. Once the item moves into the growth stage it tends to promote itself as
customers see the item in newspapers and magazines.
• Maturity – At this stage, ASOS.com will remind people about the product online, through for
example, trend features on the website and in its newsletter. It may order more stock to ensure
supply.
• Saturation – At this point, ASOS.com may decide to reduce the price to clear remaining
stock.
• Decline – people become tired of the item or it is replaced by a new product.
There is a stage to the life cycle before the product is introduced – Development. In this
phase, the ASOS.com buying team choose materials, styles and colors to produce a
dress design. Suppliers then produce and distribute the goods to ASOS.com‘s warehouse in the UK
ready for introduction to the market, which involves considerable costs:
MATRIKELNUMMER: _______________________________
8
Universität Hohenheim
Sprachenzentrum
At the start of the life cycle, costs for a new product will be high whilst revenues are low.
However, during the growth period revenues start to outstrip costs and contribute to the
business’ profitability. The life cycle in fashion can be a matter of days. Limited 100 – a collection
created in collaboration with students at London College of Fashion – sold out in five hours.
The fashion industry is fast-moving and the individual product life cycles may be seasonable.
In addition, the leadtime on the production and buying process means that ASOS.com must plan a
season ahead. Fashion designers launch their new clothes collections in the same way. So, during
winter 2008, ASOS.com would already have chosen and been planning for the promotion of its
summer 2009 collection.
However ASOS.com enjoys an extended product life cycle due to the fact that the business
has a large international market. In the southern hemisphere the seasons are the other way
round to the UK. This, combined with an increasing trend to take winter holidays in sunny
countries, means that summer items, such as swimwear, sell right through the year.
As an online retailer, ASOS.com is not restricted in terms of space. It can offer products at times
when high street retailers have to send certain categories of goods back to the warehouse.
Promotional activity helps a business to provide potential customers with information about its
products with a view to making a sale. ASOS.com is a market-orientated company.
ASOS.com‘s Customer Relationship Management system helps it to understand its
customers and their buying patterns. For example ASOS is able to determine whether or not
customers are still interested in high profit items such as the basic t-shirt or own label dresses. User
information enables ASOS.com to target its promotional activity. ASOS.com gathers information
about its customers and what types of fashion they like from its website registrations. This
information helps ASOS.com decide where and how it will promote its products.
ASOS.com makes it easy for people to buy online as it has a huge range of own-brand,
high street and designer labels on one website with a single basket check-out ordering
service. ASOS.com is continually seeking to outperform its competitors and increase its market
share. It does this by providing customers with choice, value, service and fashion credibility. It also
needs to be aware of how the life cycle of its entire product range can be managed and extended to
maximize revenues.
The Boston Matrix model helps ASOS.com to assess the value of product categories and plan
strategies to manage them.
• Poor performers such as last season‘s items that are now in decline or products that fail to
launch are referred to as Dogs – sales are poor and profits low.
• Question Marks are new items that have been launched and may do well.
• Stars are the items that are growing quickly and could go on to make a lot of money.
• Cash Cows are items which are good earners and have been so for a while.
ASOS.com‘s challenges are to:
• convert the Question Marks and Stars into Cash Cows of the future by increasing or
extending promotion
• manage the Dogs either by removing the item and cutting costs or reducing the price to
sell quickly or re-using the materials in these garments to make new ones.
The profits earned from Cash Cows can be used to develop and promote Stars and
Question Marks.
In a nutshell the fashion business is a dog eat dog environment with a rapidly moving market
and ASOS has been very successful.. ASOS.com demonstrates the growing trend for online
shopping with increasing numbers of visitors and purchases on its website year-on-year.
ASOS.com meets the needs of its target audience by providing an exciting and continually
updated website with regular new fashion items. By understanding its customers‘ needs and the life
cycle of its products, ASOS.com is able to provide a product range and offering which ensures
customers keep returning to the ASOS.com website.
MATRIKELNUMMER: _______________________________
9
Universität Hohenheim
Sprachenzentrum
A. From the text find answers to the following.
(16)
1. What does ASOS stand for and what kind of merchandise do they sell?
(1)
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
2. What costs could be involved in the introduction phase of the product life cycle?
___________________________________________________________________
(2)
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
3. Explain how the product life cycle works.
(4)
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
4. How could ASOS use the product life cycle to its advantage?
___________________________________________________________________
(2)
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
MATRIKELNUMMER: _______________________________
10
Universität Hohenheim
Sprachenzentrum
5. What is the purpose of the Customer Relationship Management for ASOS?
___________________________________________________________________
(1)
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
6. Why might the Boston Matrix provide extra focus for ASOS?
___________________________________________________________________
(2)
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
7. Which two products are classed as cash cows for ASOS?
___________________________________________________________________
(2)
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
8. Are the product life cycle and Boston Matrix similar? If so how?
___________________________________________________________________
(2)
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
B. Explain the following from the text.
(6)
1. Explain what is meant by ―The business also benefits from its visionary approach..‖
(see text)
(2)
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
2. The text says ‗However, during the growth period revenues start to outstrip costs and
contribute to the business‘ profitability‖, what do you understand by this?
(see text).
(2)
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
MATRIKELNUMMER: _______________________________
11
Universität Hohenheim
Sprachenzentrum
3. Explain what is meant by ―In a nutshell the fashion business is a dog eat dog environment
with a rapidly moving market…‖ (see text)
(2)
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
C. Substitute the following words or expressions with a synonym that fits into the context
of the text.
(5)
1. diversify (see text)
______________________________________________________
(1)
2. staffing (see text)
______________________________________________________
(1)
3. prominence (see text)
______________________________________________________
(1)
4. leadtime (see text)
______________________________________________________
(1)
5. launch (see text)
______________________________________________________
(1)
D. Find words or phrases in the text which mean the following.
(3)
1. sufficient for a specific requirement
_________________________________
2. the act of improving by expanding or enlarging or refining
____________________________________________________
3. different designs or variations of the same product platform
______________________________________________________
MATRIKELNUMMER: _______________________________
12
Universität Hohenheim
Sprachenzentrum
Fachsprachenzertifikat
Wirtschaftsenglisch
April 2010
2) Schriftlicher Ausdruck- Aufsatz
Dauer: 90 Minuten
Matrikelnummer: ___________________
Fair trade provides a minimum baseline price for commodities, allowing farmers to hedge
against market volatility. The co-operative system allows small farmers better access to global
markets and encourages democratic representation. Each commodity price also includes a
"social premium" which can be reinvested in social or development projects.
However, some economists argue that Fair trade effectively ensures that people "get charity as
long as they stay producing the crops that have locked them into poverty". Fair trade reduces
the incentive to diversify crop production and encourages the utilization of resources on marginal
land that could be better employed for other produce.
There are many arguments for and against fair trade. Do you think fair trade is a bad deal?
Think about and include the following points when writing your essay:
Free trade vs. Fair trade
Fair trade is the best protection some workers have against exploitation
Fair trade supports child labor
Fair trade is just a trend among rich western consumers
You will be marked on content, structure, style and language.
MATRIKELNUMMER: _______________________________
13
Universität Hohenheim
Sprachenzentrum
Fachsprachenzertifikat
Wirtschaftsenglisch
April 2010
3) Hörverstehen
Dauer: 30 Minuten
Matrikelnummer: ___________________
You must answer ALL sections. You MUST write your answers on the
examination paper.
TOTAL:
/25
MATRIKELNUMMER: _______________________________
14
Universität Hohenheim
Sprachenzentrum
Cox Business Executive Discussion Series; Health Care Reform from a Business
Perspective
Panel discussion with moderator Cathy Lewis, Barbara Wallace, Jon Wheeler, Kieth Newby,
Nancy Davenport-Ennis, James Dudley, John DeGruttola
1) Cathy Lewis introduces the topic and panel, what does she say the panel will tell us? (2)
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
2) How much of the GDP will be spent on national health care this year
(1)
___________________________________________________________________
3) According to Barbara Wallace employers purchase 54% of healthcare
through _________________ in this country. What do employers want to see?
(4)
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
4) Barbara Wallace refers to ―waste and inefficiency in the system‖.
What does she mean by this?
(3)
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
5) According to Jon Wheeler, what is the biggest healthcare issue now?
(1)
___________________________________________________________________
6) Why is Jon Wheeler thinking about asking his associates to contribute to their own
healthcare premiums?
(2)
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
7) Keith Newby is a firm believer that patients have to have a stake in their own
healthcare. Why?
(3)
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
MATRIKELNUMMER: _______________________________
15
Universität Hohenheim
Sprachenzentrum
___________________________________________________________________
8) Nancy Davenport states that we should eliminate__________________________
What does she mean by this?
___________________________________________________________________
(3)
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
9) James Dudley states what EMTELA (Emergency Medical Treatment and
Active Labor Act ) is. Explain what the act enforces.
(3)
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
10) According to John DeGruttola, are insurance companies in favor of reform?
___________________________________________________________________
11) Why does John DeGruttola, say ―We have to be very methodical about how
we do this (reform)‖?
(1)
(1)
___________________________________________________________________
12) What does John De Gruttola mean by ―Bend the curve‖?
(1)
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
TOTAL:
/25
MATRIKELNUMMER: _______________________________
16