A.S. 2012 – 2013
Classe V B
Indicazioni per alunni con insufficienza in inglese scritto e/o orale alla fine del I quadrimestre
Gli alunni con insufficienza allo scritto e/o in orale dovranno ripassare in classe e a casa i seguenti
argomenti di commercio e letteratura.
Commercio
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Unit 5 Theory: financing and payment methods
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Export financing; Factoring; Leasing;
Securing payment
Cheques;
Credit cards;
Bank transfer;
Bill of Exchange
Cash With Order; Cash on Delivery; Open Account;
Documentary Collection;
Letter of Credit.
Slide curate dal docente sugli argomenti;
Letteratura
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Contesto storico, sociale e cultural del periodo romantico: pp. D4, D5, D6, D7, D8, D9, D11
S. T. Coleridge;
J. Keats;
The Gothic Novel and A. Radcliff;
M. Shelley;
Slide curate dal docente sugli argomenti.
Mercoledì 27 febbraio 2013 gli alunni saranno sottoposti a una prova scritta per verificare l’avvenuto
recupero della insufficienza scritta e/o orale.
1
Illegal immigration in Italy:
liability or asset
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Italy’s legal immigrants make up less than five percent of the total population, far fewer than in
many other EU countries, but there is also an undocumented immigrant population that plays an
important role in the informal economy. Public opinion about immigrants continues to be influenced
by common media stereotypes of the mostly Eastern European, South American and African
undocumented refugees and immigrants as contributors to crime, drug trafficking, and commercial
sex work.
From another angle, the Italian private sector is experiencing a need to substitute a workforce
reduced by the rapid ageing and reduction of the native-born population. Italy’s business
community continues to be a powerful voice for increased legal migration, and new legislation
allows employers to hire an undocumented immigrant first and then regularise the worker’s status
by asking for a permit that lets the worker remain in the country legally.
1.
What general distinction is made between two groups of immigrants?
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2.
What is the common perception of immigrants mentioned in the text?
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3.
What is happening to the Italian-born population? What does this mean for the
economy ?
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4.
Italy’s has recently seen the arrival of thousands of “illegal” immigrants from
Tunisia, Libya, Somalia and so on. Some of them come from war zones, others
are simply escaping from misery and hope to find a better future in our
country. This dramatic mass immigration has aroused a lot of controversy
among Italians on whether to grant them asylum or send them back to their
country of origin. Explain your opinion on the matter using between 100 and
150 words.
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2
The future of e-commerce
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Despite pessimistic predictions about the future of e-commerce sales are, in fact, growing rapidly.
In 2003, online sales of books topped 13 percent of all books sold. That is up from 11 percent in
2000. CDs and DVDs will more than double their sales in the next year and that will bring them to
12 percent of the entire market. Already almost 20 percent of computer hardware and software is
sold online. The number of companies that use online selling has increased by 28 percent in the
past two years.
A recent survey of online shoppers showed that 3 out of 4 were happy with their experience. 62
percent said that they would increase their online shopping. several factors have increased online
shoppers’ satisfaction. Many of those interviewed said that they liked the growing choice offered by
Internet shopping as more and more companies go online. Consumer confidence in Internet
security is also improving as credit transaction become more secure.
Now that a growing number of people are shopping online the problem for online stores is how to
retain their customers. Online shoppers expect low prices and if they don’t get them they just move
on to another site. In e-commerce there is very little customer loyalty. Experts say that the answer
to this problem may be in customer service. 'Online shoppers say that a way to win their loyalty is
to improve the level and quality of customer support.' says Arthur Feldstein of E-Biz.com.
'Customers want goods delivered in good condition, on time and free of charge. After-sales care is
another important factor in encouraging repeat visits. It is essential that e-merchants make it easy
for online shoppers to return or exchange goods.'
1.
How much did the percentage of books sold online increase from 2000 to
2003?
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2.
Why, according to the article, has online shoppers’ satisfaction increased?
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3.
How, in Arthur Feldstein’s opinion, can e-merchants improve customers’ loyalty ?
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4.
What are the pros and cons of buying online, in your opinion? (About 100 words)
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3
Read the passage, then answer the following questions.
1.
What has an unknown customer who wants to pay by check asked for in Beaumont, Texas ?
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2. How have Americans reacted to the increasing use of fingerprinting ?
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3. What are the four different reasons why thumbprints are used in America?
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4. What are, in your opinion, the pros and cons of fingerprinting (about 100 words)?
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4
We are all the same, aren’t we?
When companies operate across borders they sometimes meet unexpected cultural barriers.
Japanese car giants, Toyota, were surprised, for example, when their workers in the US refused to
participate in the daily exercise routines. Understanding intercultural differences has become an
important part of global business and today multinational corporation encourage their
representatives to be open-minded, respectful of different cultures and willing to understand.
In most major companies human resources departments organise courses for employees to teach
them basic etiquette before they travel abroad. A businessman travelling to South Africa may wish
to know that, in certain regions, presenting a gift with his left hand may be offensive – a gift should
be presented with the right hand or both hands. A businesswoman travelling to Japan may be told
to wear flat shoes so that she is not embarrassingly taller than her Japanese business colleagues.
A traveller to Saudi Arabia will be advised not to admire any of his host’s possessions too much, as
the Saudi may feel obliged to give it to him as a gift. Body language is also an important part of
intercultural communication: business travellers should know that the 'ok' sign means 'money' in
Japan while the 'thumbs up' sign is offensive in many Arab states.
Common sense and a few basic rules are the best guidelines for the global businessman. First,
don’t assume that people from a different country think the way that you do. Secondly, don’t
automatically think that what you meant is what the other person heard. Always be prepared to rephrase and ask for clarification if you are not sure you have understood what has been said.
Thirdly, try to understand why differences exist and be respectful of them.
1.
How did US Toyota employees surprise the Japanese car giant?
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2.
How do multinational companies prepare their employees to travel abroad?
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3.
Which hand signals may be misinterpreted in Saudi Arabia and Japan, according
to the article?
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4.
What advice would you give to a business person travelling to Italy?
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