POST-LISTENING

Consider the following points. Share your ideas with a partner or a small group. Be prepared to explain your answers to the class.

a. What is the usual term of payment for creditors in Harper and Grant Ltd.?

b. Can the payment be deferred?

c. How often does the firm send out the accounts?

d. Are there any ways to collect bad debts?

e. Why to bring in a third party, or to use legal pressure is a sure way to lose a customer?

f. In what way will the salary scheme be changed for sales reps.?

g. In what way was the bad debt of Bush & Green chased up?

2. Give a brief outline of the situation as if you were

a. William Buckhurst;

b. Christopher Thorn;

c. Mr. Shuttleworth;

d. Representative of Bush & Green.

3. Act out the dialogues between

a. Christopher Thorn and William Buckhhurst about the necessity of chasing up the outstanding debts;

b. W. Buckhurst and Mr. Shuttleworth about the new salary scheme;

c. Hector Grant and William Buckhurst about debtors and the activities of sales representatives.

Listen to the tape and practise the pronunciation of the following words and word combinations, quote the sentences in which they are used in the unit. Consult a dictionary and translate them into Russian.

to be hi-jacked

to insure oneself against loss or damage to one’s property

insurance broker

a syndicate of underwriters

to arrange a blanket insurance

a comprehensive policy

to make a statement at the end of an accounting period

to pay the premium as a percentage of the total value of all goods handled

to employ a firm of adjusters

to assess or value the loss or damage

the full insured value of the goods or property

to take into account the depreciated value

to be a write-off

Act of God = insurance on a contingency basis

the injured party

to take out a policy

to put in a claim

to meet the claim

to be tipped off

to be covered by a blanket insurance policy

to salvage the lot

to be liable

to violate the regulations

Notes:

PRE-LISTENING

Task I

Consider the introduction to the unit. Answer the following questions and be ready to give a story line. Use the word combinations in brackets.

1. How can a firm insure itself against loss or damage to its property?

(to take out an insurance policy; to insure the goods or property against something; to arrange insurance with a syndicate of underwriters; tocover everything; a comprehensive policy; blanket insurance)

2. What is the mechanism of insuring the goods?

(to make a statement at the end of an accounting period; to do something once a month or once a quarter; the total value of all goods handled; to pay the premium; to pay something as a percentage of the total value of goods)

3. What is mentioned about Harper & Grant’s insurers?

(a syndicate of Lloyds underwriters; to be a huge insurance organisation; insurers; to work independently; to be grouped in syndicates)

4. What are adjusters? In what way does their work differ from that of underwriters?

(to employ a firm of adjusters; to assess or value the loss or damage; the full insured value of the goods or property; to take into account; the depreciated value)

5. Is the hi-jacked load of Harper & Grant Ltd. covered by any insurance policy?

(to be a write-off; to be a total wreck; to be impossible to repair; to concern somebody; to hire vehicles; to replace the load; to be wanted urgently)

6. Is it possible to insure the goods or property against anything that could happen?

(to be an all-risks policy; to insure the goods or property against almost anything that could happen; to put in some exceptions; outbreak of war; Act of God; to be considered a normal risk)

7. What are the steps of taking out an insurance policy?

(to take place; the injured party; to put in a claim to the insurance company; to agree to pay; to meet the claim; to take out a policy; to put in a claim; to agree to meet the claim)

Task 2

Give the English equivalents for the following word combinations: