Facoltà di Economia
CdL Economia e gestione dei servizi turistici
Lingua Inglese
Activities
Olga Denti
a.a. 2008/2009
Activities
English words connected with .......
Companies’ activities
Business
Firm
Concern Enterprise
Industry
Areas
Sectors
Goods
To Manufacture Manufacturing Manufacturer
To provide Provider
To sell Sale
Seller
Retailers
Wholesaler
Supplier
Media
Multinationals
Primary
Secondary
Tertiary

Primary
Business activity describing extractive areas
such as agriculture, mining, fishing, etc. –
resources provided by nature

Secondary
Business activity including manufacturing and
construction industries (those to make, build
or assemble products)

Tertiary
Activity including businesses that provide
services (e.g. banking, public transport,
consultancy, web design)
Playing the game
Companies have many different activities and
work in different ways. Some companies
manufacture or produce goods, others
provide services; retailers sell goods to the
general public. Companies employ people to
work for them in many kinds of jobs. Each
person has responsibility for a specific area of
work and a role within the team or group that
they work with.
Services
Direct services – offered directly to the
general public
 Commercial services – dealing with
other businesses
 Both

activity n [C] something that you do, or something that a company does: [attività]
The company has different activities, for example making computer games and
videos. Collocations work activities, business activities
diversify v [I] increase the range of goods or services a company produces:
[diversificare] Our company is diversifying into cosmetics - diversification n [C,
U] [diversificazione]
employment n [U] work that you do to earn money: [impiego] After leaving
university, I'm going to look for employment. - employ v [T] [impiegare] to pay
someone to work for you: The company employs 2,000 people worldwide. employer n [datore di lavoro]
[C] a person or company that employs others - employee n [C] [dipendente]
someone who works for another person or company
goods n [plural] things that a company produces for sale or for use: [merci]
Supermarkets buy goods and sell them to their customers.
industry 1 n [U] the production of goods or services to sell: [industria] Industry
has become more competitive. 2 [C] a particular type of industry or service:
[settore] The car industry is producing too many cars. - industrial adj
[industriale]
manufacture v [T] produce large quantities of goods for sale using machinery:
[produrre] Nike manufactures sports shoes. - manufacturer n [C] [produttore]
responsibility n [U] something that you are in charge of in a particular job:
[responsabilità] The manager has responsibility for her department. - be
responsible for something [essere responsabile di qualcosa] I'm responsible for
telephone sales.
retailer n [C] a business that sells goods to the general public and not to shops:
[dettagliante] Dixons is a retailer of electronic goods.
sector n [C] all the organisations or companies in a particular area of industry:
[settore] The number of jobs in the service sector is increasing.
service n [C] usually plural] a business that sells help, advice, consultancy, etc.,
not manufacturing: [servizio] A lot of companies offer financial services now.
team n [C] a group of people who work together to do a particular job: [squadra,
team] We have an excellent sales team.
Companies






Sony – develops and manufactures electronic
goods
Citibank – offers banking services
Nike – designs and manufactures clothes
AOL – provides internet services
Wal-Mart – sells food and drink
Toyota – designs and manufactures cars
Activities
(Reading Comprehension) p.9
Move over game boys
General:
- What is this article about?
- What are Frognation’s activities?
- What are Lynn’s tasks?


PARA I-II: The verb: finite and non-finite verbs (e.g.,
creates, make, to work)

PARA II: What is the meaning of the sentence “Lynn
runs the UK office of Frognation?”
Activities
(Reading Comprehension) p.9
Move over game boys

PARA III: What is a possible synonym for
“producers”? And an antonym of “sell”?

PARA IV: What do we mean by “cultural
understanding”?

PARA VI: What is “most” from the grammatical point
of view?

PARA III-IV: uncountable nouns
Unit Test 1
Answer all thirty questions. There is one mark per question.
LANGUAGE
1 Write the verbs in brackets in the present simple or the present
continuous.
1 He ___________ (work) for a software company in New York.
2 I normally ____________ (get up) at five every morning.
3 Joel _____________ (work) at home this week.
4 Our accountant _____________ (check) the invoice right now.
5 Now, things ____________ (begin) to change in the company.
6 Currently, our customers ____________ (demand) more and more
from us.
7 We frequently _____________ (travel) to Asia on business.
8 My typical working day ____________ (end) at six o’clock.
9 They ____________ (learn) English at the moment.
10 After work, we usually ____________ (have) a drink together.
VOCABULARY
2 Complete the sentences with these words.
operates / sells / provides / develops / designs / manufactures
11 Our retailer ___________ the products.
12 Frognation creates, develops and ___________ video games.
13 Citibank ___________ banking services.
14 It _____________ the products in the factory.
15 He designs and _____________ software with a team at Microsoft.
16 General Electric _______________ in more than 100 countries
worldwide.
3 Write the last three letters in each word.
17 This is my part_____ We started the company together.
18 Can you call the software develo_______? There’s another problem
with this new software.
19 He has a meeting with the sales representat______ from our supplier.
20 Picasso is my favourite art_____.
21 I’m a project mana_____ for a mobile phone company.
22 The foun_____ of this company wants to sell it.
23 I love music and would love to be a famous music______.
24 She’s the company law_____. She checks all the contracts.
25 The head engin_____ is on the phone from the site.
CAREER SKILLS
4 Underline the correct word in brackets.
26 I work (to / as) a designer.
27 My main role is (to / for) sell our services.
28 What kind of company do you work (as / for)?
29 I’m responsible (for / as) managing projects.
30 What do you do (in / as) your job?
Unit Test 1 Answer Key
Language
1 works / 2 get up / 3 is working / 4 is checking / 5 are beginning /
6 are demanding / 7 travel / 8 ends / 9 are learning / 10 have
Vocabulary
11 sells / 12 designs / 13 provides / 14 manufactures / 15 develops
/ 16 operates
17 ner / 18 per / 19 ive / 20 ist / 21 ger / 22 der / 23 ian / 24 yer
/ 25 eer
Career skills
26 as / 27 to / 28 for / 29 for / 30 in
Phonetics of Activities
[æk'tɪvətɪ]
[fɜrm /fɜːm]
['sektə(r)]
[kən'sɜːn]
['ɪndəstrɪ]
[mænə'fæktʃer /'mænjʊ'fæktʃe]
['eərɪə]
[prə'vaɪdə(r)]
[sel] ['rɪːteɪl]
['bɪznɪs]
[sə'plaɪ]
['mʌltɪ'næʃnəl]
['həʊlseɪlə(r)]
['tɜrʃɪerɪ /'tɜːʃərɪ]
[dɪ'zaɪn]
[dɪ'veləp]
[wɜrk /wɜːk]
[lɪːd]
['entəpraɪz]
['kʌmpənɪ]