UNIVERSITE DU 7 NOVEMBRE A CARTHAGE

Faculté des Sciences Economiques et de Gestion de Nabeul

EXAMEN DE LA SESSION PRINCIPALE

MAI 2007

ANGLAIS DES AFFAIRES (BUSINESS ENGLISH)

Niveau : 3éme année Filière : Marketing

Enseignants : Mr Messaoudi Makram

Durée : 2 heures

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
THE TEST IS OUT OF 120.
ENGLISH DOCUMENTS ARE NOT AUTHORISED.
THE EXAM PAPER CONTAINS 8 PAGES.

1
 Dell tries to crack South America
1-Dell Computers, the Texas-based
computer-maker that was among the
pioneers of online ordering, is preparing to
attack the difficult Latin American market.
2- Soon, Dell will start making computers at
a new factory in the small southern Brazilian
city of Eldorado in its first manufacturing
venture in South America. Within a few
hours’ flying time of Eldorado lie four of the
continent’s main metropolitan regions –
Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paolo and
Santiago –which generate about half the
region’s wealth and where of the computer
using populace is concentrated . Dell hopes
to serve all these markets –including more
distant regions in northern Brazil and the
Andean countries –from Eldorado.
3- According to Dell’s plan, aircraft from
Miami will land at a nearby international
airport carrying computer components that
will be sent straight to Dell’s factory.
Together with parts delivered from
suppliers in Brazil, they will be assembled to
order, packed and delivered to consumers
across the continent.
4- The challenge for Dell is not only to
mount an effective marketing campaign to
educate customers about online ordering, it
must also manage a complex logistics system
and deal with the problem of unreliable road
and air transport networks. And it must
operate in half a dozen Latin countries, with
unpredictable governments and consumers
as well as well-established competitors.
5- Dell could not afford to ignore the South
American market much longer. It currently
exports computers to a few Latin American
countries such as Mexico and Colombia, but
has never sold to markets in Argentina or
Brazil. Latin American consumers last year
2
bought 5 million PCs and demand is growing
at 15 per cent a year. Growth is likely to
remain strong for some time to come: in
Brazil, the region’s largest market, only 3-4
per cent of the population own a PC.
6- Dell is not the first company to view
South America as a single market .for a
decade, Ford and Volkswagen and many and
many other multinational companies have
operated in the region’s main countries as if
they formed one integrated market. That
was a natural reaction to falling import
tariffs and consolidation of the Mercosur
customs union linking Argentina, Brazil,
Paraguay and Uruguay .However ,the
distances, the red tape and animosities
between national governments often make
fulfillment of this strategy difficult.
7- Dell decided to locate in Brazil because
it is the region’s biggest market and because
the government gives computer companies
substantial tax incentives as part of its plan
to develop local high technologies industries
.If Dell meets Brazilian local content
criteria and attains agreed production
volumes, its products are considered to be
100 per cent locally made and automatically
gain duty-free access to Mercosur
countries.
8- However, there is little Dell can do about
the internal transport network in Brazil or
the bureaucracy in neighbouring countries.
Although roads, air transport and delivery
systems are tolerably efficient in south
eastern Brazil and part of Uruguay, Chile
and Argentina, Dell may still find it is
struggling to co-ordinate operations and
sales over a vast region.
 I/READING COMPREHENSION (22 pts)

1- These phrases summarise the main idea of each paragraph .Match each phrase to the
correct paragraph. (8 pts)

Phrases
a) The challenge for Dell.
b) Reason for choosing Brazil.
c) An overview of Dell’s intention.
d) Reason to enter in South American market.
e) How Dell’s plan will work.
f) Other companies’ experiences.
g) Problems Dell may face in Brazil and elsewhere.
h) Advantages of Eldorado’s location.

Paragraphs Phrases
Paragraph 1 .
Paragraph 2 .
Paragraph 3 .
Paragraph 4 .
Paragraph 5 .
Paragraph 6 .
Paragraph 7 .
Paragraph 8 .

2- Complete the following table with reference to the text. (4 pts)

Statements true false Justifications

1- Delivery systems in Brazil are better √

than in other parts of South America.
2- Dell has plants in South America. √

3- Taking South America as a single market √

is a challenge for Dell .
4- Other companies were already operating √
in South America when Dell entered the market.

3
 3-Complete the sequence of steps in the planned assembly and delivery of Dell. (paragraph 3)
(4 pts)

1-components arrive by plane from Miami 2-

3-

4-

5-

4-Which of the following ‘challenges’ facing Dell are mentioned in the article?
Underline the 3 correct ones. (3 pts)

a) unreliable transport networks e) large distances

b) poor productivity f) high import tariffs
c) political instability g) terrorism
d) high inflation h) well-established competitors

5-Say what the underlined words in the text mean; tick the correct alternative (3 pts)

a- pioneers (paragraph 1) means a- competitors

b- invertors
c- the first to do something

b- venture (paragraph 2) means a- computer-producing company

b- business activity with some element of risk
c- safe adventure

c- duty free (paragraph 7) means a-heavy charges

b-without charges
c-charge discount

-4-
 II/LANGUAGE (81 pts)

1- Put the bracketed words in the correct form (7 pts)

Business etiquettes in Britain

Most (foreign) --------------------- who visit Britain are surprised to find that its inhabitants are
(much) ------------------- formal than they had imagined. It is (increase) ----------------------- common
to use first names in most situations even without any personal introduction. Handshaking is
(appropriate) ------------------except for the first meetings, or when people see each other again after
a long absence. Also surprising is the British attitude towards (punctual) --------------------. Business
meetings frequently start ten minutes late and, on (society) -------------------- occasions it is impolite
to arrive on time. If you receive a dinner (invite) -----------------, you should arrive ten to twenty
minutes after the stated time.

2- Fill in the blanks with words from the box (7 pts)

competitive –market share- head office- subsidiary- profit- share price- cash flow

I am pleased to say that the company has continued its excellent performance. We are changing,
growing and doing well at a difficult time for the industry turnover was €57.2m, an increase of 15%
on last year, and ------------------rose by 5% to €6.4m. We are a highly----------------- business. We
have increased our -------------------to 20%. Consequently our------------------ has risen and is now at
an all time high of €9.6. Increased production and strong demand have had a positive effect on our--
-------------, so we are able to finance a number of new projects. We have successfully moved to our
new-------------------in central London. We are planning to start full production at the recently
opened------------------- in October.

3-Circle the right option in each sentence. (5 pts)

*(Unless /if / when) their prices are competitive, they will disappear from the market.
*(Despite /In spite /Although) of the bad weather, they could attend the trade fair.
*(Would you mind/Do you mind if/Would you like) postponing the meeting?
*If I were you, I (’d/will/had) negotiate the contract more thoroughly.
*The international market situation must (be/to be/being) taken into account.

4- Put the bracketed words in the appropriate form (5 pts)

5- Put the bracketed verbs in the right tense (5 pts)

Nokia’s history dates back to 1865 when a Finnish mining engineer, Fredrik Idelstam, (establish)
---------------------- a wood-pulp mill in Southern Finland and (start) ----------------- manufacturing
paper. Since those early days the company (evolve) -------------------- first into a conglomerate.
More recently, in the 1990s, Nokia (develop) --------------------into a dynamic telecommunications
company. From the very beginning, Nokia (face) ------------------ competition from international
competitors in the international telecommunications markets.

-5-
6- Say what these abbreviations stand for. (7 pts)

a- ICT =
b- AGM =
c- FMCGs =
d- ASAP =
e- BOGOF =
f- FYI =
g- VAT =

7- Write the following numbers in full letters. (9 pts)

10:15 am
Time ( British English)

00216 20 527 661 a telephone number

(US English)

⅝ a fraction

39,000,000,000,000
A large number

a-
15:00 flight

b-
€ 45.50 price
The floor is 4m×4m a dimension

My teacher is between 25 and 29 An approximate age

8- Fill in the blanks with the appropriate prepositions (you may use one preposition more than
once). (7 pts)

at- for - for- in- of

Hi, I’m Ray and I work ----------a big technological enterprise. I’m head-----------product
development ------- Lighting Technologies. Lighting makes semiconductors, the components at the
heart--------every computer. I’m --------- charge---------research and development at our research
center outside Boston. I love technology, using scientific knowledge --------practical purposes. The
technology of semiconductors is fascinating.

-6-
9- Match these terms with their definitions. Mark your answers in C. (8 pts)

A (terms) B (definitions) C(answers)

a-selling widely in a market for a low profit per item. 1+……
1- USP b- a company that specializes in doing business via the 2+………
2- impulse buying internet. 3+…………
3- telesales staff c-personnel who sell by telephone. 4+………
4- Perimeter advertising d-all the people involved in selling a company’s goods or 5+………
5- sales force service. 6+…….
6- subject e-advertising around the playing area at sports grounds. 7+………
7- penetration strategy f-the person who is asked questions or is studied in 8+……..
8- Dot.com market research.
g-a spontaneous decision to buy something.
h-a set of characteristics that make a product different
from its competitors.

10- Match an expression from A with one from B. Mark your answers in C. (7 pts)

A B C

1- hole a- priced 1+…….

2- premium- b- identity 2+…….
3- off- c- leader 3+……..
4- down d- peak 4+…….
5- banner e- market 5+…….
6- brand f- towing 6+…….
7- loss g- punch 7+…….

11-Use the appropriate phonetic transcription for each underlined sound. (12.5 pts)
E.g.: marketing mix /i/

Cash / / Commercial / / Hard sell / / Mailshot / / toys / /

Bartering / / Appeal / / Local / / Strength / / Income / /
Although / / Sample / / Journey / / Advertising / / Purchase / /
Campaign / / Yellow / / Wear / / Pioneer / / Search / /

12-Transcribe the following sentence. (6.5 pts)

When you pay by credit card you must sign the payment slip immediately.

/…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….………/

-7-
III/WRITING (17 pts)

You organized a conference at The Plaza Hotel and Conference Center. Write an email to the
manager, Melissa Wang, containing these points:
- Thank Ms. Wang for making the conference a success
- The staff: good+ helpful smiling………..
- All equipments in the conference: worked+ latest technology
- Comment on the quality of food in the restaurant and the speed of the services
- Thank Ms. Wang again
- End suitably

Date:
From:
To:
Re:

----------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------

-8-