VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY – HCMC UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS AND LAW DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES MIDTERM TEST SEMESTER (201_-201_) Duration: 60 minutes I 10 II 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 PRONUNCIATION (10 points) A Which word has a different stress pattern? A assets B merger C product A company B ownership C freelancer A subordinate B executive C innovative A management B efficient C senior A advertisement B environment C entrepreneur B Which underlined part is pronounced differently from the others? A insurance B reputation C refusal A washed B reduced C delivered A waste B brave C challenge A measure B compensation C job-seeker A component B motivate C bonus SIGNATURE Proctor 1: Proctor 2: D routine D insurance D affinity D brilliant D relationship D argument D switched D change D specialize D innovation VOCABULARY (20 points) Choose the option (A, B, C or D) that best completes each sentence Our company’s _ _ means we are less bureaucratic and we have many more middle managers than senior managers A flattened hierarchy B pyramid hierarchy C round hierarchy D medium-sized hierarchy Not many of our employees are members of a _ _ anymore A holding company B subsidiary C family business D trade union Fear of _ is another way to inspire staff A failure B terror C motivation D emotional kick Many managers believe _ cannot be trusted A employers B employees C job seekers D CEO I think we’ll _ a profit this year A take B meet C make D have The _ group makes all our clothes and shoes A attribute B seniority C apparel D founder We’re still profitable but have a hierarchical structure which is a _ in this century A opportunity B weakness C strongpoint D weapon I don’t know where these designers get their _ from! A reputation B inspiration C appraisal D performance If management isn’t careful, staff will go _ strike A by B to C into D on Many companies used to provide workers _ lifelong employment A for B with C by D to III GRAMMAR (20 points) 21 Currently, we _ all our activities into one large company A bring B brings C are bringing 22 If it’s a long day, I _ work until ten the next morning A won’t start B am not starting C don’t start 23 I gave him _ same report that you gave me A a B an C the 24 She works in _ finance A the B no article C a D is bringing D can’t start D no article D an 25 The train for Lyon _ this afternoon A leaves B is going to leave C will leave 26 They _ a new campaign next spring A will launch B launch C are launching 27 I _ you back in five minutes A will call B call C am calling 28 Do you mind _ that question at the end? A to ask B ask C asking 29 We _ their representatives on Thursday of next week A are going to meet B are meeting C meet 30 I _ what’s happened to your order and call you back A am checking B am going to check C will check D is leaving D are going to launch D am going to call D asked D will meet D check IV READING (40 points) Part 1: Choose the best option (A, B, C or D) to complete the following letter (20 points) So-called ‘golden parachute’, i.e large pay-offs even when top executives (31) _, have become a main focus this year in the debate over executive pay The Corporate Library, an organization set up to protect the rights of shareholders in America, believes that the average departing CEO in that country receives a severance (32) _ worth $16.5m In May this year, shareholders at the annual general meeting of GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) protested against the amount promised to its boss, Jean-Pierre Garnier, if he were forced to leave the company prematurely Since one of the more likely reasons for such a departure would be poor (33) _, the $35.7m farewell gift was seen to be excessive Under new rules allowing shareholders to (34) _ each year on British firms’ plans related to executive (35) _ GSK’s owners gave it the thumbs down, which sent a shock through (36) _ Britain Yet it did not actually change Mr Garnier’s package The decision is only advisory Sir Christopher Hogg, the chairman of GSK, points out that the company was already undertaking a review of its (37) _ policy That review is still going on and Sir Christopher says whatever the result, “we will be seeking shareholders’ (38) _ at the AGM in 2004.” He has written to the Association of British Insurers to say that “the board has registered shareholders’ particular sensitivity to payments on termination.” British union leaders want shareholders’ votes on executive pay to be made binding And they want shareholders to register more concern about this (39) _ Despite all the (40) _ made over Mr Garnier, GSK remains the only company in Britain this year whose financial report failed to meet with its shareholders’ approval 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 A lose A account A acting A vote A income A financial A remuneration A admiration A theme A protest B fall B package B operation B choose B turnover B executive B reward B endorsement B factor B quarrel C trip C option C performance C elect C proceeds C corporate C refund C sponsorship C argument C doubt D miss D dividend D behavior D propose D compensation D official D repayment D justification D issue D fuss Part 2: Read the following article and choose the best answer (A, B, C or D) to each question (10 points) TO : FROM : SUBJECT : Amanda Smith Richard Dubois Health Benefits Dear Ms Smith, I have been working at Excentrix, Inc for almost a month now and need to sign up for health benefits I was told that you, as the human resources director at Excentrix, could explain the benefits to me My major concern is coverage for my family Is my entire family eligible for health insurance benefits? My wife and I have three children My wife doesn’t have a job Our two daughters are still in high school and of course don’ yet work Our son has finished school, but he is still living at home with us He has a full-time job that provides him with health insurance, but perhaps I could get better coverage for him through the Excentrix plan My other question concerns my back I have been receiving treatment for a bad back for the past two years This is a chronic condition, and I will continue to need treatment Will it be covered under the Excentrix plan? Thank you for your help Rich Dubois Sales Officer Explanations of Benefits Health Insurance Health insurance is available to all Excentrix, Inc employees and their eligible dependents The term eligible dependent refers to your spouse and each unmarried child who is dependent upon you for support and maintenance, but excusing any such person who is insured as an employee Our health insurance plan covers doctor’s visits, inpatient and outpatient surgery, hospital stays, tests, and prescription medication Basic dental care is also covered We hope to have a vision plan available by the end of next year New employees, please note that treatment for pre-existing conditions is not covered during your first six months on the plan 41 Who is Amanda Smith? A An insurance agent B A medical doctor C An employee of Excentrix, Inc D A hospital administrator 42 How many sons does Richard Dubois have? A None B One C Two D Three 43 Which of Richard’s family members can receive health insurance through another job? A His son B His wife only C His wife and daughters only D His entire family 44 When will Richard’s back treatments be covered by his Excentrix health insurance? A Right away B In one month C After six months D By the end of next year 45 Which of the following is NOT covered by the Excentrix health insurance? A Drugs B Surgery C Dentist’s visits D Eyeglasses Part 3: Read the following article and choose the best answer (A, B, C or D) to each question (10 points) SCHOOL SEEKS TO LEAD THE FIELD IN LEADERSHIP While leadership can be learnt, it cannot be taught It is a skill that, like swimming or flamenco guitar, is developed through personal experience and coaching Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business likes to think of itself as better than the rest Harvard may be richer and Wharton bigger, but nowhere takes management more seriously than Stanford How does this rigorous institution approach “leadership”? It is a field so confused that the experts rarely agree on definitions, let alone what should be studied or how success should be measured or testable theories developed Bob Joss, Stanford business school’s Dean, has been considering this question since taking the top job five years ago Now, nearing the end of his first term in office, he has an answer: Stanford will have a leadership center, dedicated to adding academic backbone to the subject “The challenge for us is to bring to leadership that rigor we have in other areas,” he says, “I can’t predict exactly how it will develop, but our aim has got to be to encourage more scholarship.” Plans are still in the early stages, but the aim is for an interdisciplinary research center modeled on Stanford existing Global management, Entrepreneurship and Social innovation centers In addition to the new center, Stanford MBA students will from this year have the opportunity to take part in workshops designed to improve their leadership skills Eight executive coaches have also hired from the local business community to give one-on-one feedback on Stanford’s students Sixty students are going through the pilot program this year - receiving no academic credits for their trouble With leadership there is a challenge: how to develop leadership skills in each of Stanford’s bright, but not always self-aware MBA students “Self-awareness – knowing who you are and the effect that you have on other people – is a big part of this,” says Prof Charles O’Reilly, who is championing this side of project “You don’t get that by sitting in a classroom.” The pilot workshops now in progress are an attempt to build a leadership development program that is effective and can be fitted round the rest of the two-year MBA program “We are not to be taking 900 students up Everest,” says Prof O’Reilly in a reference to Michael Useem, the Wharton leadership professor with a taste for mountaineering 46 Which statement is NOT TRUE? A Leadership can be taught B Stanford is a more serious institution than other business schools C Bob Joss has been thinking about the idea of a leadership center for some time D The center will bring rigor and seriousness to the subject 47 Which of the following expressions in the article means “experiment or trial”? A academic credit B self-awareness C pilot workshop D feedback 48 If you champion something, you try to _ A ignore it B discourage it C encourage it D resolve it 49 If one activity can be fitted around another, the two things _ A work badly together B work well together C are not related to each other D are contrastive 50 What is the key message of the article? A Stanford business school has always thought that a leadership center would be a good idea B Stanford business school likes to test leadership by taking students mountaineering C Stanford business school is trying to bring more rigor and seriousness to a study of leadership by opening the center D The trial workshops now in progress are an attempt to build a leadership development program V BUSINESS COMMUNICATION (10 points) Choose the most appropriate response to each question/statement 51 Do you mind if I open the window? A It’s really cold outside B No Go ahead C I can’t make up my mind yet D The window was broken in the wind 52 Do you want her to call you back? A Yes, I’ll return her call B She should be back soon C Yes, if it’s convenient for her D No, just cash 53 Would you like to leave a message for Mr Campbell? A Yes, please ask him to call his travel agent B I’m going to leave soon C No, I didn’t like the message D Yes, I’m sure it will be tonight 54 What you think of the new software? A By going over the problem again and again B It certainly seems easy to use C It’s available now D I’ve been thinking about it for an hour 55 Have you had a chance to look around the city yet? A I sure would B I’ve been to that city several times C I can’t find it on the map D I haven’t even been out of my hotel -THIS IS THE END OF THE FINAL TEST