Business_Spotlight_-_Nr.2_2020

Business Spotlight 2/2020

Up to 17

Could do better

Try the test again tomorrow.

Have you seen our

Translation section (see

p. 50)? You’ll find examples

of words that are easy

to confuse or difficult to

translate in this regular

section.

40–50

Excellent!

Well done! There’s no

confusing you!

30–39

Well done!

Great job! Try the test again

in a few days’ time to see

if you can get a few extra

points.

18–29

Good

Not bad. However, you do

confuse some common words

and phrases. Write down the

words you confused in your

personal vocabulary list and

learn them.

HOW DID

YOU DO?

Note: So that you can

compare your language

knowledge across different

areas of business English,

all Business Spotlight tests

have a maximum possible

score of 50 points.

34 LANGUAGE TEST

ANSWERS

1. Small differences
   A. discreet = dezent (discrete
   = separat, eigenständig)
   B. personal = persönlich
   (personnel = Personal)
   C. advice = Rat (advise = beraten)
   D. effect = Wirkung
   (affect = Beeinträchtigung)
   E. complement = Ergänzung
   (compliment = Kompliment)
   F. further = weitere(r,s)
   (farther = weiter (entfernt))


2. Is that correct?
   A. incorrect (infamous = berüch-
   tigt; “famous” (berühmt) would
   be correct)
   B. correct (inflammable = brenn-
   bar, leicht entflammbar;
   “flammable” (brennbar, leicht
   entflammbar) would also be
   correct)
   C. incorrect (sensible = sinn-
   voll, vernünftig; “sensitive”
   (empfindlich, leicht reagierend)
   would be correct)
   D. correct (invaluable = wertvoll,
   von unschätzbarem Wert)
   E. incorrect (averse = abgeneigt;
   “adverse” (negativ, uner-
   wünscht) would be correct)
   F. incorrect (interesting = interes-
   sant; “interested” (interessiert)
   would be correct)
   G. incorrect (alternately
   = abwechselnd; “alternatively”
   (alternativ) would be correct)


3. Similiar, but different
   A. ensure = sicherstellen
   B. insured = versichert
   C. assure = zusichern
   D. lend = (ver)leihen
   E. borrow = (sich) (aus)leihen
   F. differ = sich unterscheiden
   G. differentiate = unterscheiden,
   differenzieren
   H. loose = lose, locker (come lose
   = sich lösen, aufgehen)
   I. lost (have lost = verloren haben)
   J. lose = verlieren
   4. False friends
   A. laid-back, relaxed
   (locker = Schließfach; Spind)
   B. brilliant, ingenious
   (genial = freundlich, herzlich)
   C. necessary (affordable
   = erschwinglich)
   D. efficient (rational = logisch)
   E. profitable (rentable = mietbar,
   mietfähig)
   5. Getting stressed!
   A–2 (minute [(mInIt] = Minute;
   minute [maI(nju:t] = winzig)
   B–1 (object [(QbdZekt] = Gegen-
   stand; object [Eb(dZekt]
   = dagegen sein)
   C–2 (record [(rekO:d] = Rekord;
   Aufzeichnung; record [ri(kO:d]
   = notieren; aufnehmen)
   D–2 (invalid [(InvEli:d] = Invalide/
   Invalidin; invalid [In(vÄlId]
   = ungültig)
   E–1 (recall [(ri:kO:l] = Rückruf-
   (aktion); recall [ri(kO:l]
   = zurückrufen; sich erinnern)
   F–2 (produce [(prQdju:s]
   = Erzeugnisse; produce
   [prE(dju:s] = produzieren)
   G–1 (exploits [(eksplOIts] = Aben-
   teuer; exploits [Ik(splOIts]
   = er/sie beutet aus)
   H–2 (re­sign [(ri: saIn] = erneut
   unterzeichnen; resign [ri(zaIn]
   = zurücktreten; kündigen)
   6. Listen for the little words
   A–4; B–6; C–3; D–1; E–2; F–5
   7. Minor mix­ups?
   A. by = bis (spätestens)
   B. already
   C. there
   D. its
   E. for
   F. who’s
   G. then
   H. You’re
   FOR MORE INFORMATION

• Our Skill Up! booklets offer vocabulary from key areas of everyday
  business life. The second bundle is now available (see p. 53).

➻

7. Minor mix­ups? (8 points)

Often, the choice we have to make is decided by

the rules of grammar. Choose the correct options

in the email below.

Dear team

I’m writing to inform you of a very difficult decision

that we will have to make (A) until / by the end of

the month.

As you all (B) already / yet know, (C) there / their

is a major problem with our production process

concerning both (D) its / it’s cost and quality.

Production has been stopped now (E) for / since five

days. At the moment, we are in discussions with the

owners of the factory, but we still cannot agree on

(F) who’s / whose responsible for the problems — or

how to solve them.

If we cannot come to an agreement soon, we may

have to look for a new production site. Clearly, this

would (G) than / then result in a much longer break

in production, something that would put us in a very

difficult financial position indeed.

(H) Yo u ’r e / Your going to hear from me again in the

next few days — hopefully, with more positive news.

Kind regards

John Williams

Head Strategist