1

2

José Fernando

Rangel Morales (Coordinador académico ASAFIT – SENA)

What this magazine will do for you.. You have probably tried to read English magazines before, but have you

ever thought how many of them were designed to help you improve your

Business English vocabulary? The truth is that ordinary magazines are too

difficult for learners of English as a second or foreign language because they

are not written for those people. However, Talking Business is particularly

different because it is designed for Hispanic readers— primarily those in the

fields of business administration, finances and economics.

Talking Business has been designed so that it can be consulted as needed,

rather than intending it to be read from cover to cover. In this order of ideas,

in every issue will be discussed—both in level and depth—a particular busi-

ness English topic. This approach will allow you to develop your English on

an ongoing basis whilst gaining essential skills needed in the market place.

**********************************************************

Lo que esta revista va a hacer por usted…

Usted probablemente ha intentado leer revistas en inglés antes, pero ¿ha pen-

sado alguna vez cuántos de ellas han sido diseñados para ayudarle a mejorar

su vocabulario de Inglés de Negocios? La verdad es que las revistas actuales

son demasiado difíciles para los extranjeros ya que no están escritas para esas

personas. Sin embargo, Talking Business es muy diferente, ya que está dise-

ñada para lectores hispanos –primordialmente para aquellos en los campos de

administración de empresas, finanzas y economía.

Talking Business ha sido diseñada para que pueda ser consultada cuando sea

necesario, en lugar de que se lea de principio a fin como una novela. En este

orden de ideas, en todos los temas serán discutidos, tanto en el nivel y pro-

fundidad, un tema en particular de inglés de negocios. Este enfoque le

permitirá desarrollar su inglés en forma permanente, mientras que va adqui-

riendo habilidades esenciales que se necesitan en el mercado mundial.

TTAALLKKIINNGG BBUUSSIINNEESSSS

Publisher

Centro de Servicios y Gestión

Empresarial - SENA

Project Manager

Nelson Bolivar

Academic Advisor

José Fernando Rangel

Creative Director

Nelson Bolivar

Art production Manager

Catalina López Jaramillo

Graphic design

Virtual Colors

http://www.virtual-colors.com

A SENA PUBLICATION SENA REGIONAL ANTIOQUIA Editorial and Business Offices City: Medellin

Phone: (574) 5760000

Web sites: www.sena.edu.co

www.senavirtual.edu.co

Centro de Servicios y Gestión

Empresarial :

http://centrodeserviciosygestio

nempresarial.blogspot.com/

ASAFIT:

http://asafit.ning.com/

FROM THE EDITORIAL...

jofera@misena.edu.co

3

IF YOU WANT TO LEARN

ENGLISH, YOU´LL NEED

TONS OF PATIENCE AND

DEDICATION

Entrevista con Manuela Barrientos, aprendiz SENA de

Administración Financiera y Monitora del Área de ASAFIT

(Área de servicios administrativos, financieros y de transporte del SENA)

By Nelson Bolívar

Talking Business: what does a financial advisor

can do for companies?

Manuela Barrientos (trainee): Well, the profes-

sional in financial administration from SENA can

help companies to manage risk, save time, and im-

prove their overall investment results. We can provide

guidance and support to help companies stay far away

from bankruptcy and reach their long-term goals, de-

crease their estate tax liability, file their tax returns,

and plan to reduce future tax impact.

Talking Business: What are the qualities of a good

financial advisor?

Manuela Barrientos (trainee): I think a good finan-

cial advisor should have problem solving abilities and

advanced computer skills. Likewise, they should have

numerical ability, and of course, attention to detail.

Talking Business: Please, describe a class you have

taken at SENA and explain why the class was im-

portant to you.

Manuela Barri-

entos (trainee): online English course is a good op-

tion for those who want to practice

Talking Business: What advice can you give to

people hoping to take the SENA´s English course?

SENA´S online English course is a good option for

those who want to practice English; it can help you

reinforce what you already know. However, people

interested in learning English most know that they´ll

need tons of patience and dedication if they want to

succeed.

Talking Business: What would you like to read in

the next Talking issue?

I would like the next magazine to have a management

case study. I mean a section that describes and analy-

ses strategies used to be efficient, sustainable, and

overcome multiple challenges in the marketplace.

manuela.brrtos525@gmail.com

FROM OUR STUDENTS ...

4

LLIIBBRROO RREECCOOMMEENNDDAADDOO

n an international business environment nobody wants to buy something or do business with a person who

writes like a child. In general, it is hard to trust a person with poor writing skills. Grammar for Business

provides clear explanations and authentic practice of the most essential language used in business English.

Designed to help you improve your communication skills in real business situations, it includes a unique focus

on spoken as well as written grammar, and practical tips on areas such as organising presentations, negotiating

and giving your opinion.

Ideal for classroom use and self study.

Source: http://www.cambridge.org

5

TABLE OF CONTENTS

4 LIBRO RECOMENDADO

Harías negocios con alguien que escribe como un

niño? Aprende a evitar los errores de los neófitos.

6 MUSIC

Aprende la letra de una de las canciones más fa-

mosas de Aerosmith (I do not wanna miss a thing).

12 CINEMA

Entra al mundo de la velocidad en Fast five 5 y

comparte con Vin Diesel y Paul Walker una aven-

tura en Rio de Janeiro

16 BUSINESS CULTURE

Aprende técnicas para administrar de manera inte-

ligente el correo electrónico en el mundo de los

negocios.

24 FRASES UTILES PARA E-MAILS EN

LOS NEGOCIOS Cuando la pantalla del P.C está en blanco las ideas

suelen evaporarse de nuestras cabezas. Recurre a

esta lista cuando las dudas te asalten.

27 BUSINESS REPORT

Algunos ya predicen el fin de la ola de ―precios

baratos de china‖.

31 INTERVIEW TIPS

Aprende de los expertos a utilizar diversas herra-

mientas para encontrar trabajo en épocas difíciles.

34 TIME FOR FUN

Diviértete y aprende al mismo

tiempo sobre las profesiones

más conocidas.

TIME FOR GRAMMAR! If you are working in an international business en-

vironment, you need to be able to write English

reasonably well.

Business correspondence with lack of grammar,

poor spelling and bad punctuation grates on man-

agers´ ears and can give them the perception that

you have received poor education or have limited

experience with technology.

6

II DDoonn ´́TT WWaannnnaa MMiissss AA TThhiinngg (NO QUIERO PERDERME DE NADA)

by Aerosmith

I could stay awake just to hear you breathing

Watch you smile while you are sleeping

While you're far away and dreaming

I could spend my life in this sweet surrender

I could stay lost in this moment forever

Every moment spent with you is a moment I treasure

(Chorus)

Don't wanna close my eyes

I don't wanna fall asleep 'cause I'd miss you baby

And I don't wanna miss a thing

'cause even when I dream of you

The sweetest dream would never do

I'd still miss you, baby

And I don't wanna miss a thing

Laying close to you

Feeling your heart beating

And I'm wondering what you're dreaming

Wondering if its me you're seeing

Then I kiss your eyes

And thank god we're together

I just wanna stay with you in this moment forever

Forever and ever

Podría permanecer despierto sólo para escucharte respirar,

Mirarte sonreír mientras duermes

A lo lejos, y soñando.

Podría pasar mi vida en esta dulce rendición,

Podría quedarme perdido en este momento para siempre.

Ya que, cada momento que pasé contigo es un momento que

valoro mucho.

(Coro)

No quiero cerrar los ojos,

No quiero quedarme dormido porque te extrañaría, nena,

Y no quiero perderme de nada.

Porque aún si soñara contigo,

El más dulce de los sueños no alcanzará.

Aún así te extrañaría, nena,

Y no quiero extrañar nada.

Acostado cerca de ti,

Siento latir tu corazón.

Y me pregunto con qué estás soñando,

Me pregunto si será conmigo.

Luego, beso tus ojos

y agradezco a Dios que estemos juntos

Y sólo quiero estar contigo

En este momento para siempre,

Por siempre y para siempre.

7

(Chorus)

I don't wanna close my eyes

I don't wanna fall asleep ´cause I'd miss you baby

And I don't wanna miss a thing

´cause even when I dream of you

The sweetest dream would never do

I'd still miss you, baby

And I don't wanna miss a thing

And I don't wanna miss one smile

I don't wanna miss one kiss

I just wanna be with you

Right here with you

Just like this

And I just wanna hold you close

And feel your heart so close to mine

And just stay here in this moment

For all the rest of time

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Don't wanna close my eyes

Don't wanna fall asleep ´cause I'd miss you, baby

And I don't wanna miss a thing

´cause even when I dream of you

The sweetest dream would never do

I'd still miss you, baby

And I don't wanna miss a thing

I don't wanna close my eyes

I don't wanna fall asleep ´cause I'd miss you baby

And I don't wanna miss a thing

´cause even when I dream of you

The sweetest dream will never do

I'd still miss you, baby

And I don't wanna miss a thing

Don't wanna close my eyes

And I don't wanna fall asleep, yeah

And I don't wanna miss a thing

(Coro)

No quiero cerrar los ojos,

No quiero quedarme dormido porque te extrañaría, nena,

Y no quiero perderme de nada.

Porque aún si soñara contigo,

El más dulce de los sueños no alcanzará.

Aún así te extrañaría, nena,

Y no quiero extrañar nada.

No quiero extrañar ni una sonrisa,

No quiero extrañar ni un beso,

Ya que sólo quiero estar contigo,

Aquí mismo, contigo

Como ahora.

Sólo quiero tenerte cerca

Sentir tu corazón muy cerca del mío,

Y permanecer aquí, en este momento

Por el resto del tiempo.

Sí, sí, eso es lo que quiero

No quiero cerrar los ojos,

No quiero quedarme dormido porque te extrañaría, nena,

Y no quiero perderme de nada.

Porque aún si soñara contigo,

El más dulce de los sueños no bastaría.

Aún así te extrañaría, nena,

Y no quiero extrañar nada.

No quiero cerrar los ojos,

No quiero quedarme dormido porque te extrañaría, nena,

Y no quiero perderme de nada.

Porque aún si soñara contigo,

El más dulce de los sueños no bastaría.

Aún así te extrañaría, nena,

Y no quiero extrañar nada.

No quiero cerrar los ojos,

No quiero quedarme dormido, no

Y no quiero perderme de nada.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xfo52_aerosmith-i-don-t-want-to-miss-a-th_music

8

Imperative and Present Simple

Source: Cambridge University Press

9

9

1 A, B Read this extract from the song ―I Don´t Wanna Miss a Thing‖. Match each number with the rest of

the sentence.

Source: Cambridge University Press

1. I don´t wanna of you

2. I don't wanna your eyes

3. I don't wanna with you in this moment forever

4. When I dream close my eyes

5. I just wanna stay fall asleep

6. I kiss miss a thing

10

I CAN DO IT!

1. Choose a company and write 11 FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) with answers about the company

and the products or services it provides. Use Exercise 3 to help you.

2. Write 5 answering questions about your parents´ job. Use Exercise 4 to help you.

Source: Cambridge University Press

11

12

(RÁPIDO Y FURIOSO 5)

UNIVERSAL PICTURES

VIN DIESEL PAUL WALKER

In Fast Five, former cop Brian O’Conner

(Walker) partners with ex-con Dom Toretto (Diesel) in a very unfamiliar place: the opposite side of the law in

exotic Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in an ultimate high-stakes heist. Their mission? Assemble an elite team of top

operatives made up of their family of friends to orchestrate an insane heist worth $100 million. Dom and Brian

know their only shot of getting out for good means crippling the corrupt businessman (JOAQUIM DE

ALMEIDA) who wants them dead. But he’s not the only one on the unlikely allies’ tails.

Hard-nosed federal agent Luke Hobbs (Johnson) never misses his target. When he is assigned to track down

Dom and Brian, he and his strike team launch an all-out assault to capture them. But as his men tear through

Brazil, Hobbs learns he can’t separate the good guys from the bad. Now, he must rely on his instincts to corner

his prey…before someone else runs them down first.

En rápido y Furioso 5, el ex policía Brian O´Conner (Wal-

ker) se asocia con el ex convicto Dom Toretto (Diesel)

en un lugar totalmente nuevo para ellos: el la-

do opuesto de la ley en el exótico Río de Janeiro, Brasil

, en un último robo de alto riesgo. Su misión? Conformar

un equipo elite de corredores conformado por los amigos

cercanos para orquestar un duro golpe por valor de $ 100

millones de dólares. Dom y Brian saben que su única opor-

tunidad de salir para siempre significa paralizar al empre-

sario corrupto (Joaquim de Almeida), quien los quiero

muertos. Sin embargo, él no es el único detrás de ellos.

El incansable agente federal Luke Hobbs (Johnson) nunca

deja escapar a su objetivo. Cuando se le asigna a localizar

a Dom y Brian, él y su equipo despliegan todo un arsenal

para capturarlos. Pero mientras sus hombres se mueven por

Brasil, Hobbs se da cuenta que no puede distinguir entre

los buenos y los malos. Ahora, él debe confiar en sus ins-

tintos para acorralar a su presa...antes de que alguien los

ejecute en primer lugar.

Source: http://www.fastfivemovie.com/

13

To practice the present tense, reread the Fast Five synopsis. Then, try to repeat each sentence in your

own words.

Using the Present Simple Correctly

Source: Cambridge University Press

14

Put the correct forms of the verbs into the gaps. Use the Simple Present in the statements. Example: She _____ in the lake. (to swim) Answer: I swims in the lake.

1) We our dog. (to call)

2) Emma in the lessons. (to dream)

3) They at birds. (to look)

4) John home from school. (to come)

5) I my friends. (to meet)

6) He

the laptop. (to repair)

7) Walter and Frank hello. (to say)

8) The cat under the tree. (to sit)

9) You water. (to drink)

10) She the lunchbox. (to forget)

Put the correct forms of the verbs into the gaps. Use the Simple Present in the statements. Example: We _____ her name. (to shout) Answer: We shout her name.

1) I a good mark. (to get)

2) Helen an exercise. (to do)

3) They the table. (to lay)

4) Jenny and Louis text messages. (to send)

5) Frank fun. (to have)

6) Diana

their room. (to tidy up)

7) He a new MP3 player. (to buy)

8) The cat out of the house. (to run)

9) You your glasses. (to need)

10) She a snake. (to touch)

15

CARRERAS TECNICAS

Asistente administrativo

Asesoría Comercial y Operaciones de Entidades Bancarias

Riesgo Crediticio y su Administración

Operación de Equipos de Servicio Urbano de Pasajeros

Transporte de mercancías peligrosas

ESPECIALIZACIONES

- Especialización en Asesoría y Consultoría

- Especialización Tecnológica en Gestión de Proyectos

Source: http://asafit.ning.com/

CENTRO DE SERVICIOS Y GESTIÓN EMPRESARIAL CALLE 51 NO. 57-71, EN FRENTE DE LA MINORISTA

TECNOLOGIAS

Gestión Empresarial

Administración Empresarial

Gestión Administrativa

Gestión Bancaria y Entidades Financieras

Gestión del Talento Humano

Propiedad Horizontal

Formulación de Proyectos

Logística y Transporte

Gestión Integral del Riesgo en Seguros

16

Cómo administrar de manera inteligente el correo electrónico en el mundo de los negocios.

By Nelson Bolívar

SENA English Virtual Tutor

nbolivar@sena.edu.co

n the business environment1

the word E-mail/E-mail (Short

for electronic mail) is synony-

mous for one of the fastest and

cheapest way to communicate

with people all over the world2.

Email is especially useful for

everyday correspondence:

- To ask for3 or send informa-

tion to many users

- To set up4 a meeting

- To ask people to do things

- To send longer documents, eg.

PowerPoint slides5, reports, etc.

- To share information with

prospects and customers6.

EEMMAAIILL´́SS PPIITTFFAALLLLSS

Writing for a business audi-

ence is usually quite different

than writing for friends or rela-

tives. According to Claudia

Marcela Porras, Coordinadora

Académica área de Telein-

formática para el Centro de

Servicios y Gestión Empresa-

rial, ―the mean of daily e-mail

messages downloads I deal

with7 is 100‖.

With such an email overload8

plenty of9 email users now tend

to delete a lot of promotional

emails—without opening any

links—or to return them back10

for lack of clarity, bad or poor

punctuation.

To avoid whether your

emails be deleted or second

emails requesting clarification

on the same issue get back,

there are some simple rules that

you can follow:

GLOSSARY:

1 THE BUSINESS

ENVIRONMENT el mundo de los

negocios 2 ALL OVER THE

WORLD de todas partes del mundo

3 TO ASK FOR pedir 4 TO SET

UP organizar 5 POWERPOINT

SLIDES diapositivas en Ms Power-

Point 6 CUSTOMERS clientes 7

TO DEAL WITH ocu-

parse/atender 8 EMAIL

OVERLOAD sobrecarga de emails

9 PLENTY OF la mayoría 10 TO

RETURN BACK regresar

1. Keep your emails short.

Writing tip!

If your e-mails are vague—not

clearly expressed and concise—

they will make a bad impression as

well as create additional work for

your recipients—recoding, prof-

fering, clarifying and so forth.

17

2. Use attachments11

for longer

documents (PowerPoint slides,

reports, invoices).

3. Use short sentences and sim-

ple language.

4. Avoid using abbreviations the

recipient may not know or un-

derstand.

5. Do not write in CAPITAL

letters – it looks like you are

shouting.

6. Always read the e-mail be-

fore you send it (check for

grammar and punctuation er-

rors)

7. Emails to people you do not

know very well (senior people,

prospects or customers) should

be formal

8. Emails to colleges and people

in the same company can be

semiformal not too informal.

QQUUIICCKK TTIIPPSS FFOORR DDEEAALLIINNGG

WWIITTHH EE--MMAAIILLSS

You do not need to be a pro-

fessional writer to write

effective, professional emails

that catch12

your readers' inter-

est and hold their attention until

the very last word13

. However if

you do not pay close attention

to your writing, just one e-mail

will be enough to hurt your

reputation and credibility as

well

Next time you need to deal with

an e-mail, use this checklist to

verify your message:

WWHHEENN RREEAADDIINNGG

1. Skim over

16 the subject lines

trying to look for and respond

only what seems to be urgent,

important and needs immediate

action.

WWHHEENN WWRRIITTIINNGG

1. Start with the most important

information.

2. Put less important informa-

tion in the next paragraphs.

3. Avoid informality since it

does not apply to any business.

4. Rewrite. By rewriting you

will ensure that your e-mails

messages make a positive im-

pression and the recipients get

you the response you want

back.

5. Start a new e-mail instead of

replying to an old one?

Writing tip!

Remember that business people

try to reduce the amount of e-

mails messages they receive. This

means that there is always a risk

of you e-mail being deleted with-

out being read!

Writing tip!

E-mails with lack of14

grammar,

poor spelling and bad punctuation

grate15

on managers´ ears and can

give them the perception that you

have received poor education or

have limited experience with tech-

nology.

GLOSSARY:

11 ATTACHMENTS adjuntos

12 TO CATCH agarrrar

13 THE VERY LAST WORD

la última palabra 14 LACK OF

carente/deficiente 15 TO

GRATE irritar/chillar 16 TO

SKIM OVER leer algo por

encima 17 REWRITE reescribir

18

WWHHEENN RREEPPLLYYIINNGG

1. Avoid replying with simply ―yes‖ or ―no‖.

2. Make One Point per Email

3. Be clear about what information you are referring to from

the original email.

4. Answer the questions that the original email asks.

5. Verify that your e-mail actually went out?

EEMMAAIILL´́SS LLAAYYOOUUTT

When you write a business e-mail, you should follow the standard format. The following email shows where the

different components should appear on your screen.

Writing tip

Use any spell-check software to

proofread before hitting27

the send

button

19

1. Header Information

- From: Name of the person / people sending the email.

- To: Name of the person / people the email is addressed to

- CC (carbon copy): When copies are sent to people other than the named recipient

- BCC (blind carbon copy): When you do not want the named recipient to know that other people have re-

ceived copies.

- Subject: Information about the content of the email

- Attachments: When documents are attached

2. Body of the Message

3. Closing

4. Signature block

1. When you have a very short message to convey, you can use the subject line as direct message. Read

the following subject lines and decide whether they are good or bad examples of putting all the relevant

information into few words.

a) Subject: Remember 07/07 Meeting, 11 am, Plaza Mayor - Medellín

b) Subject: Remember to be on time in Plaza Mayor Medellín

a) Subject: Meeting

b) Subject: Reminder of 10 am Meeting Sched. 07/11 on Balance Sheet.

a) Subject: ***

b) Subject:

a) Subject: Please reply soon

b) Subject: Please reply by 7th march‖.

Answers:

a) good b) bad

a) bad b) good

a) bad b) bad

a) bad b) good

20

2. Are the following email messages examples of poor or good communication?

21

22

23

FRASES ÚTILES PARA E-MAILS EN L S

NEGOCIOS

A veces queremos decir algo pero no encontramos las palabras para expresarlo. La siguiente

lista ofrece prácticos consejos para esas situaciones.

PHRASES FORMAL SEMI-FORMAL

Opening

- Dear Sir / Madam

- Dear Mr / Mrs / Ms / Miss Williams

- Dear Doctor / Major / Professor

Hello! / Hi Helen

Initiating email contact

- Might I take a moment of your

time…

- Please may I introduce myself…

- With reference to our phone conver-

sation this morning,

- As I mentioned on the phone...

- This is Nelson Bolivar from…

- I’m just emailing to ask…

- I’m a friend of Bob’s…

Thanking Thank you for sending...

Thanks for the help.

Thanks! I appreciate your help.

Thanks in advance.

Apologising

We are sorry that the documents are

late. Please accept our apologies.

Sorry the documents are late.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

Thanks for your patience.

Making a request Could you please send me a new price

list?

Can you send me a new price list,

please?

Asking for information

- I would like some information

about...

- I would appreciate your help in this

matter.

- Can I have some information about...

- Could you look into this?‖

- Would you mind checking it out for

me?‖

- Can you get back to me once you’ve

had a chance to investigate?

- I’d love to hear your advice on this

one.

24

PHRASES FORMAL SEMI-FORMAL

Answering someone’s

question(s)

- I trust the above resolves your que-

ries.

- Should you have any further ques-

tions, please do not hesitate to contact

me.

- I hope this information is useful.

- let me know if I can be of any further

help.

- I know that’s a lot to take in, so let

me know if anything I’ve said doesn’t

make sense.

- Hope the above helps, but email

again if you’re still having any diffi-

culties.

Giving information

- Please find attached the information

you required.

- Please find attached the plans and

specifications.

Here´s the information that you

wanted.

When you need a response I await a response at your earliest con-

venience.

- Can you drop me a quick word so I

know you’ve received this?

- Look forward to hearing from you.

Final sentence

- Many thanks again for your time.

- I look forward to hearing from you

soon.

- Thank you for taking time out of

your busy agenda to read my e-mail.

- Hope to hear from you soon.

- Just let me know if you have any

questions.

- Drop me an email, or give me a ring,

if you want any more information.

Closing phrases Yours sincerely / Yours faithfully / Best wishes / regards / warmest re-

gards / sincerely

25

26

Algunos Ya Predicen el Fin de La Ola de “Pre-

cios Baratos de China”.

Jun 9th 2011 | HONG KONG AND TAIPEI | from the print edition of the Economist

―t is the end of cheap goods

1,‖

says Bruce Rockowitz. He is the

chief executive of Li & Fung, a

company that sources more clothes

and common household products2

from Asia than perhaps any other.

In the low-tech areas in which Li

& Fung specialises, the firm han-

dles an estimated 4% of China’s

exports3 to America and a sizeable

chunk of its exports to Europe, too.

It has operations in several East

Asian countries, where it diligently

searches for cheap, reliable suppli-

ers of everything from handbags to

bar stools. So when Mr Rockowitz

says the era of low-cost4 Asian

production is draw-

ing to a close, peo-

ple listen.

For the past 30

years manufactur-

ers5 in southern

China helped to

keep global inflation

in check. But that era

is now over, says Mr Rockowitz.

Chinese wages6 are rising fast.

A wave of new demand, especially

from China itself, is feeding a

surge in commodity7

prices. Manu-

facturers can find some relief by

moving production to new areas,

such as western China, Vietnam,

Bangladesh, Malaysia, India and

Indonesia. But none of these new

places will curb inflation the way

southern China once did, he pre-

dicts.

All rely on the same in-

ingly expensive pool of

commodities. Many have rising

wages or poor logistics8. None

can provide the scale and effi-

ciency that was created when

manufacturers converged on

southern China.

Nothing can replace the

Chinese miracle. ―There is no

next,‖ says Mr Rockowitz. Prices

will now start to rise by 5% or

more each year, with no end in

sight9. And that may be optimistic.

So far this year, Mr Rockowitz

says, Li & Fung’s sourcing

operation has seen price increases

of 15% on average10

. Other

sources of Asian toys, clothes and

basic household products tell

similarly ominous tales.

GLOSSARY: 1 CHEAP GOODS artículos baratos

2 HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS pro-

ductos para el hogar 3 Exports

exportaciones 4 LOW-COST costos

bajos 5 MANUFACTURER fabri-

cante 6 WAGE salario 7 COMMO-

DITY productos básicos 8. LOGIS-

TICS logística 9 END IN SIGHT

sin final a la vista 10 AVERAGE

promedio

Ciudad de Shenzhen

27

Yet manufacturers in some

other fields see things differently.

On May 31st, the day Mr Rocko-

witz spoke in Hong Kong, the

annual Computex fair11

opened an

hour’s flight away in Taipei. Ho-

tels were packed, even at inflated

prices. The world’s hottest tech-

nology companies, such as Apple

and even Taiwan’s HTC, were

absent. But nearly 2,000 vendors

showed up to hawk cheap and in-

novative gizmos.

Mainland Chinese firms arrived

in force12

: more than 500 hired

booths, up from 200 last year.

Many are from the same parts of

China that were once noted for

cheap textiles and toys.

Some of the more striking of-

ferings13

at the fair were ultra-

cheap versions of global hits. A

company named BananaU adver-

tised14

tablet computers with

Google’s Android operating sys-

tem for $100. Another pushed15

Windows-based thin computers

looking much like MacBooks for

under $250. E-Readers were eve-

rywhere and available16

for a song.

Whether these prod-

ucts can be produced or

sold in developed mar-

kets is unclear. The qual-

ity may be ―B‖ for Ba-

nana rather than ―A‖ for

Apple. The intellectual

property17

embedded in

some devices may not,

ahem, have been paid

for. But still, the booths

were packed. Buyers goggled and

haggled over motherboards,

ory chips, solid-state drives,

servers, graphics cards, non-

tangling cables, connectors, moni-

tors and so on.

In 2009 the prices of these

electronic goods18

jumped sud-

denly, as buyers emerged from the

financial crisis and started order-

ing more equipment from

manufacturers which had slashed

capacity. But data collected in

Taiwan suggest that prices are

now falling sharply again (see

chart). If the vendors at Computex

had a common slogan, it would be

―more for less‖.

Among the products that gener-

ated the most heat were those that

saved energy. These included al-

ternating- and direct-current

converters, and sensors that could

moderate the power consumption

of streetlamps, fridges and air con-

ditioners. Such devices were

initially marketed for their ―green

potential‖, but what buyers liked

was their ability to enhance pro-

ductivity.

When labour was cheap, Chi-

nese firms used it inefficiently.

Now they are learning how to get

more from fewer hands. Li & Fung

may be sounding the closing bell

on one era of production, but the

Taipei computer fair suggests that

another is emerging.

GLOSSARY: 11 FAIR feria 12 ARRIVE IN

FORCE llegar con fuerza 13

STRIKING OFFERINGS ofertas

sorprendentes 14 ADVERTISE pub-

licitar/vender 15 PUSH publicitar

/vender 16 AVALIABLE disponible

17 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

propiedad intelectual 18 ELEC-

TRONIC GOODS productos elec-

trónicos 19 ENHANCE impulsar

Source: http://www.economist.com/node/18805862

28

Improving the power of your memory is necessary if you want to learn English fast. In order to do so, practice

re-reading the Business Report Section as many times as you wish. Then, try to repeat each sentence in your

own words.

Imagine associations between the items in the following list. Then, using the Simple Present Tense, begin to

report a story in your own words. Make sure each word is associated coherently with the next.

Manufacturers opportunities

demand provide

wages products

labour quality

cheap capacity

prices productivity

Fill the gap. Chose the correct word from the list to complete each sentence.

inefficiently, goods, labour, products, hawk, developed, textiles, produced, fair

a. cheap _______________ and toys

b. Whether these ____________ can be produced or sold in _______________ markets is unclear.

c. The prices of these electronic ________________ jumped suddenly

d. When ______________ was cheap, Chinese firms used it___________________.

e. These products can be ____________ or sold in developed markets.

f. vendors showed up to _________ cheap and innovative gizmos.

g. this computer ____________ suggests that another is emerging

Answers: a) textiles b) products/ developed c) goods d) labour/ inefficiently e) produced f) hawk g) fair

29

30

JUST

GRADUATED

AND NO

JOB?

Te revelamos los 10 errores más frecuentes de

los recién graduados que se lanzan a buscar

trabajo.

By Charles Purdy,

Although this year's college graduates1 are facing a

tough job market2 (and the smart ones are facing

3 it

now, rather than waiting until after4 graduation), they

have an advantage over5 other job seekers, according

to Andy Chan, vice president of career development at

Wake Forest University: They are among the age

group most likely6 to be hired in coming months.

"Organizations are very interested in hiring7 young

people because they have a lot of energy and are will-

ing to do whatever it takes8 to get the job done," Chan

says.

But no matter9 how well-positioned these young

people are, they -- and all job seekers -- will have a

better chance of success if they avoid these common

job hunting mistakes:

Not Being Proactive Enough. "This isn't the

time to sit back and be casual in your approach," says

Emily Bennington, co-author of Effective Immedi-

ately: How to Fit In, Stand Out, and Move Up at Your

First Real Job. "Create a hit list of five to 10 target

companies, and really utilize your network to

locate an 'in' at each."

GLOSSARY: 1 COLLEGE GRADUATE estudiante

universitario 2 TOUGH JOB MARKET

Mercado laboral dificil 3 FACE enfrentar

4 UNTIL AFTER hasta después de

5 TO HAVE AN ADVANTAGE

OVER tener la ventaja sobre algo

6 MOST LIKELY más propable 7 TO

HIRE contratar 8 TO DO WHATEVER

IT TAKES hacer lo que sea 9 NO

MATTER no importa

31

Relying Solely on the Internet. In a Yahoo!

HotJobs poll, 57 percent of respondents said network-

ing was a factor in landing their current or most recent

job. Brad Karsh, president of JobBound, says, "When

thousands of candidates are applying to the same jobs

online and posting their resume10

to the same job

boards, candidates need to stand out11

by making con-

nections and networking their way into a company.

"Job boards are an important tool, but Karsh says new

grads also need to focus energy on networking.

Not Creating Wide Networks. Career expert

Liz Ryan agrees

that your par-

ents', grandpar-

ents' and

friends' net-

works can help

you in your

postgraduation

job search.

"Don't be shy12

-- reach out to

any long-ago Scoutmaster, choir director, or babysit-

ting or leaf-raking boss," she says. "There's no statute

of limitations on networking13

."

Not Creating Customized Resumes. "Don't

send out any resumes that simply list your courses, the

degree you've earned, and your part-time and summer

jobs," Ryan says. "Use this opportunity to make a

stronger statement14

about what you want to do with

your adult life." And according to Jay Block, author

of 101 Best Ways to Land a Job in Troubled Times,

younger job seekers often haven't thought about what

they have to offer an employer (as opposed to what

they want to get from one). With this mindset15

, they

create resumes that are "boring biographies" instead

of effective marketing tools.

Misusing the Internet. Tory Johnson, CEO of

Women For Hire and author of Fired to Hired, says,

"New grads don't use LinkedIn -- it's not sexy like

Facebook or Twitter -- but it's the best resource for

getting names and building a professional identity.

Don't overlook it16

."

Failing to Follow Up. It's not enough to send

resumes and pray17

the phone rings, Johnson says. She

cautions18

job seekers not to expect their resumes to

be discovered in that big black online hole19

. "Hustle20

to follow up," she says.

GLOSSARY:

10 RESUME hoja de vida 11 TO STAND

OUT destacar 12 TO BE SHY no sentir ver-

güenza 13 NETWORKING hacer contactos

14 STATEMENT declaración 15 MINDSET

mentalidad/creencia 16 TO OVERLOOK

pasar por alto 17 PRAY rezar 18 TO

CAUTION prevenir 19 HOLE hueco 20 TO

HUSTLE moverse

32

Setting Expectations Too High. Johnson says

new graduates too often focus on looking for the per-

fect job20

, instead of a first job. "Especially in this

economy, the first job should be about finding a posi-

tion where you'll learn a great deal21

, you'll be super

busy and you'll be surrounded by lots of people," she

says.

Appearing Unprofessional. Make sure22

you're

ready for employers' scrutiny, says Tim McIntyre, pres-

ident and CEO of The Executive Search Group. That

means you should "sanitize23

your MySpace page --

right now. It will be checked," he says. He notes that

many college students will need to change off-colour

voicemail greetings. Ryan adds, "Don't assume that

Facebook's privacy settings will keep your youthful

antics24

away from curious eyes. Rid25

your profile

page of any photos of the 'three Bs' (beer, bongs and

bikinis)."

Not Taking the Job Interview Seriously.

Even when you're applying for an unpaid internship,

you need to adhere to common standards of profes-

sionalism. McIntyre says those standards include

demonstrating you've researched26

the company and

dressing appropriately. Block adds that new grads are

often unprepared for

tough but common

view questions, such as

"Where do you see

self in three years?" and

"What are your weak-

nesses27

?"

Not Using the College's Career Office. "A

career office can help [students] identify networking

contacts, learn important job search skills, and signifi-

cantly improve their resume and cover letter28

," says

Wake Forest University's Chan. Ryan agrees, but adds

that this is just a first step. The career office's job is to

"to prepare you for your job search, not to conduct it

for you," she says. "Use LinkedIn, reach out29

to eve-

ryone you can and begin researching employers who'd

be likely targets for your job search."

GLOSSARY:

20 PERFECT JOB trabajo perfecto 21 A

GREAT DEAL mucho 22 TO MAKE

SURE asegurarse 23 SANITIZE limpia 24

YOUTHFUL ANTICS payasadas juveniles

25 TO RID eliminar 26 TO RESEARCH

investigar 27 WEAKNESSES debilidades

28 COVER LETTER carta de presentación

29 TO REACH OUT intentar comunicarse

33

1 2

3 4

5 6

7

8 9

10

11

12

13 14 15

16 17 18 19

20

21 22

23

24

25

26

27

Jobs Cross-word:

Across

1. Somebody who

catches fish.

2. Someone who digs

for metal ore in the

ground.

7. A person who paints pictures.

8. A person who makes computer games.

10. A person who helps a doctor.

11. Somebody who fixes teeth.

14. A person who goes to outer space.

16. Somebody who helps sick animals.

20. Someone who

builds houses.

22. Someone who

cooks food.

24. A person who pro-

tects a country.

25. A person who tells

us the news.

26. A person who plays sports.

27. Someone who grows crops.

Down

1. Somebody who puts out fires.

2. Somebody who plays an instrument.

3. Somebody who helps sick people.

4. Somebody who catches criminals.

5. A person who fixes toilets.

6. A person who does research.

9. A person who raises cattle.

12. Someone who cleans buildings.

13. Someone who stars in a movie.

15. A person who drives a truck.

17. Someone who fixes cars.

18. Someone who delivers mail.

19. A person who sings songs.

21. Somebody who flies airplanes.

23. A person who serves food.

34

Answer:

FISHERMANMINER

IU

RSDP

EPSIOO

FLCCCL

IUIARTISTI

PROGRAMMERAOC

AHBNNURSE

NTDENTISTO

CERIJF

HRAASTRONAUTF

ECTNRI

RVETMMSIUC

OEAITCE

CONSTRUCTIONWORKER

HLGRD

PACHEFR

WINARI

ASOLDIERV

IOCREPORTER

ATHLETEIR

EE

RFARMER

35

36

El programa de inglés virtual del SENA es un servicio gratuito prestado por la entidad dirigido a

cualquier colombiano (sin necesidad que sea aprendiz de uno de los programas que ofrece la ins-

titución y sin requisitos académicos) que desee practicar el idioma inglés de forma oral, escrita y

auditiva.

El programa se imparte a través de Internet en la página www.senavirtual.edu.co , y una vez se

diligencia el formato de preinscripción se asigna un tutor que guía el proceso del aprendiz de

manera virtual y sin necesidad que este último tenga que desplazarse dejando la comodidad de su

hogar o sitio de trabajo.

Preinscripción

Si eres aprendiz del Centro de Servicios y Gestión Empresarial de Medellín, te invitamos a con-

tactar a tu líder de grupo para que diligencie tus datos en el formato que nuestro integrador Juan

Esteban Arias ha dispuesto para tal fin. Nuestro integrador se encuentra ubicado en el piso 7 y

las inscripciones están permanentemente abiertas.

37

Medellín Ciudad Clúster realizará rueda de negocios

en Medesalud 2011

Mayor información en http://www.medesalud2011.com/es/index.asp

38