（十） Company Performance
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Teaching Objectives (教学目标):
After completing this lesson, students should be able to:
--understand and use basic vocabulary to describe company results and graphs;
--identify the speed and degree of changes in business graphs;
--effectively use communication skills to:
Ÿ describe company performance;
Ÿ describe graphs and trends. |
I. Discussion (课堂讨论): Graphs and charts are often used to describe company performance. Basically, there are four kinds: line graphs, pie charts, bar charts and area charts. Can you match the names to the following charts? (pictures omitted)
a. bar chart b. line graph c. pie chart d. area chart
II. Sum-up (总结描述变化和趋势的词语):
Words for Describing Changes and Trends
Verbs and nouns for describing changes and trends
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Upward movement |
Downward movement |
|
Verb |
Noun |
Verb |
Noun |
|
increase |
increase |
decrease |
decrease |
|
rise |
rise |
fall |
fall |
|
go up |
|
go down |
|
|
climb |
climb |
drop |
drop |
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advance |
advance |
retreat |
retreat |
|
gain ground |
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lose ground |
|
|
grow |
growth |
decline |
decline |
|
pick up |
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reduce |
reduction |
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improve |
improvement |
slip back |
|
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recover |
recovery |
bottom out |
|
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hike |
hike |
slide |
slide |
Adjectives and adverbs to indicate the degree or speed of change
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Speed of change |
Degree of change |
|
Adjective |
Adverb |
Type of change |
Adjective |
Adverb |
Type of change |
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rapid |
rapidly |
fast |
noticeable |
noticeably |
big |
|
fast |
fast |
considerable |
considerably |
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sharp |
sharply |
dramatic |
dramatically |
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sudden |
suddenly |
significant |
significantly |
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steep |
steeply |
slight |
slightly |
small |
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steady |
steadily |
regular |
small |
a little |
|
gradual |
gradually |
moderate |
moderately |
III. Listening practice: Listen and Imitate. (录音呈现和模仿操练)
Task 1:
Read the following headlines. Then listen to the statements that paraphrase these headlines and match the headlines a to e with the statements 1 to 5. (answers and scripts omitted)
Task 2:
1. An automobile Sales Manager is describing the sales performance of the Jeep V6. Which graph is the manager referring to? Listen and decide which is the correct one by circling choice a, b, c or d. (graphs omitted)
Key: b
2. Fill in the blanks with words from the box. Then listen again and check your answers.
Words and expressions:
remain; dramatically; steadily; peak; rise
Sentence patterns:
1) Sales remained flat through 2000.
2) But in 2001, sales went up steadily.
3) So in 2002, sales of the Jeep V6 rose dramatically.
4) At the end of 2002, sales reached a peak.
5) The next year, gas prices were up and sales were down.
6) In 2003, our figures dropped by 1,700 units.
IV. Follow-up Practice. (后续练习)
1. You will hear a Production Manager talking about company inventory. Complete the labels on the pie chart. (answers and scripts omitted)
2. Listen to an extract from the statement made by the Chairman of the China Southern Airlines Company Limited. Fill in the blanks with what you hear.
Chairman’s Statement
Dear Shareholders:
In 2004, the demand in the PRC civil aviation market continued the growth trend from the second half of 2003. As a result, the Group recorded a year-on-year growth of more than 37% in total operating revenue, marking a breakthrough in the Group’s history. However, due to the persistent high price of aviation fuel and more relatively major overhauls of aircraft, which increased maintenance costs, the Group still recorded a net loss of RMB 48 million for 2004.
V. Play the video and make the role play. (视听呈现和角色扮演)
Video 1:
●New words and expressions: market share; train; significant; customer service; domestic; passenger; route; cargo; etc.
●Pre-viewing: Read the following chart to have a rough idea of the video.
●Viewing:
1. Watch the video. Try to match the items in Column A with the descriptions in Column B. The first one has been done for you as an example.
Column A Column B
1) market share a. dropped by 50%
2) new routes b. is growing fast
3) customer complaints c. increased significantly
4) passengers number d. opened
5) cargo service e. developed
6) training program f. continues to rise
Keys: 1) c 2) d 3) a 4) f 5) b 6) e
2. Watch the video again. Focus your attention on the second half of the presentation and fill in the blanks with the numbers and percentages that you hear. (answers and scripts omitted)
●Post-viewing: Work in small groups. Now you are reporters from the local media. Each of you is to give a one-minute oral report on Mr. Suzuki’s presentation. Note that the report should cover only the most important information.
Video 2:
●New words and expressions: graph; export market; turnover; domestic market; amount to; output; etc.
●Pre-viewing: Read the following chart to have a rough idea of the video.
●Viewing:
1. Watch the video. Tick the items that Allen Zhou has mentioned in the interview.
a. Domestic sales
Ö b. Annual turnover
Ö c. Profit
Öd. Domestic market share
e. American market share
Ö f. Leading export markets
Ög. Total output
h. Share price
2. Watch the video again. Match the 4 charts with the corresponding titles in the box. (charts and answers omitted)
●Post-viewing: Work in pairs. Here are 2 graphs. Graph 1 shows a company’s sales over a 12-month period whereas Graph 2 is incomplete. Describe Graph you’re your partner so that he/she can complete Graph 2 according to the information you supply. Then change your roles and repeat the exercise. (graphs omitted)
V. Assignment
Follow-up practice: Choose similar graphs to do the same practice as indicated above. (Only a few numbers are given, therefore, to help your partner complete the graph, you need to use expressions that describe trends and changes.)
