METU/SFL Fall 2023

DBE
LHO9
PRE-INTERMEDIATE GROUP
(Student’s Copy)
TASK I.
In this section, you will listen to an economy segment on a news channel. As you listen, mark the choice that
best completes each statement. Now, you have 30 seconds to look at the statements.

1. According to Roxanne Scott, ____.

a) foreign businessmen encourage their staff to have frequent meetings
b) most of the employees expect a lot from their employers
c) businessmen do not care about the problems their employees face

2. Roxanne Scott states that _____.

a) Japanese businessmen do not care about how their employees live
b) marketing research brings companies immediate profit
c) satisfied employees make profitable companies

TASK II.
In this section, you will listen to a dialogue. As you listen, mark the choice that best answers each question or
completes each statement. Now, you have 40 seconds to look at the questions.

1. Which of the following is FALSE about the shop owner?

a) His coffee shop went out of business.
b) He is facing economic difficulties.
c) He has met Mr. Fitz before.

2. Mr. Fitz started doing business during _____________.

a) World War I
b) the 1920s
c) the 1930s

3. The first profit Mr. Fitz made was ______________.

a) 1 cent
b) 10 cents
c) 11 cents

4. Mr. Fitz became a millionaire by _____________.

a) selling apples at a more expensive price
b) polishing and cleaning apples
c) inheriting some money

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TASK III.
In this section, you will listen to a tour guide on the history of the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Company. As you listen,
mark the choice that best answers each question or completes each statement. Before you listen to the talk, you
will have 45 seconds to have a look at the questions.

1. Which of the following is FALSE about the Rolls-Royce Company?

a) It was founded by a car dealer and an engineer.
b) Its first car was presented at the Paris Motor Show.
c) Its Silver Ghost model was an eight-cylinder car.

2. Why did the company have financial problems in the 1960s?

a) Its cars were too expensive for people to buy.
b) It stopped producing aircraft engines.
c) There were delays in the manufacture of plane engines.

3. Rolls-Royce started to recover from its financial difficulties when ________________.

a) it lowered the prices of certain models of cars
b) it introduced the Bentley Continental R model
c) BMW signed an agreement with it to produce cars

TASK IV.
In this section, you will hear a radio interview with Mark Zuckerberg. As you listen, mark the choice that best
answers each question or completes each statement. Before you listen to the interview, you will have 50
seconds to have a look at the questions.

1. Which of the following is FALSE about Mark’s early life?

a) He liked playing computer games.
b) He started using computers while studying at middle school.
c) His father taught him the basics of programming.

2. The Facemash program _________________.

a) was closed because it crashed Harvard’s network
b) was for the use of students in Harvard’s dormitories only
c) was created for educational purposes

3. What is TRUE about Mark Zuckerberg?

a) He fought with his closest friends because of Facebook.
b) He and his friends started Facebook as a term project.
c) He left Harvard to work more on Facebook.

4. Mark’s students _________________.

a) consist of entrepreneurs
b) learn about how to build a new business
c) meet him twice a month

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TASK V.
In this section, you will hear a dialogue. As you listen, mark the choice that best answers each question. Before you
listen to the dialogue, you will have 60 seconds to have a look at the questions.
1. Who are the speakers?
a) Mr. Murphy’s employees
b) Mr. Murphy’s managers
c) Mr. Murphy’s suppliers

2. Which of the following is FALSE about Mr. Murphy?

a) He took a vacation in the Dominican Republic.
b) He signed a contract after he went on a vacation.
c) He signed a contract with new suppliers.

3. What did Mr. Murphy order his assistant to do before he left?

a) To respond to his urgent mails
b) To remind his staff of their tasks every five minutes
c) To call a courier for his mails

4. What is FALSE about the new supplier?

a) They sent a letter to Mr. Murphy.
b) They own a hotel.
c) They had complaints about their products.

5. What is TRUE about the new supplier’s product?

a) It is cheaper than the former supplier’s.
b) It is better than the former supplier’s.
c) It will be sold to a rich market.

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TASK VI.
In this section, you will listen to a lecture on the types of company cultures. As you listen, complete the
table below. Write no more than TWO words for each answer. Now you have 60 seconds to look at the
table.

Business Cultures

Power culture
Characteristics of organization · small
 central power source
 few rules and procedures
 communication by (1) ______________________
Advantage: · can act quickly
Disadvantage: · might not act (2) ____________________

Suitable employee: · not afraid of (3) ____________________

· doesn’t need job security
(4) culture
Characteristics of organization: · large companies with many (5) ___________________

 specialized departments
 rules and procedures
e.g.: job (6) _______________________ and rules for discipline

Advantages: ·economies of scale

·successful when (7) ____________________ ability is important
Disadvantages: ·slow to see when (8) ___________________ is needed
·slow to react
Suitable employee: · values security
· doesn’t want (9) _______________________

Task culture
Characteristics of organization: · project-oriented

 in (10) _____________________ market or making product with short life

 a lot of delegation
Advantage: · (11) ___________________

Disadvantage: · no economies of scale or special expertise

Suitable employee: · likes to work in (12) ______________________

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TASK VII.
In this section, you will listen to a talk by Bill Gross about “The Main Factors Why Startups Succeed.” You
will hear the talk only ONCE. Listen carefully, and take notes on the following points as you listen:
 the definition of a startup
 three factors that help startups succeed and their examples
Later, you will be given 8 minutes to answer some questions using your notes.

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Fill in the blanks using your notes.

 A startup is ________________________________________________________.

The top three factors that affect the success of a startup

1. ______________________ 2. The team 3. ______________________

 Simple but a) _______________  Standing up after a difficulty  This factor accounts for a)
with team members _______________ of the
Example: b) _______________ difference between
website Example: a) _______________ success and failure.
application
 Users can share personal Example: b) _______________
content without the control of  Two of the cities that the website
b) _______________ or application is used are b)
broadcasters, such as c) _______________ and c)  People can rent out their c)
_______________. _______________. _______________ or d)
_______________ to
 The application offers a/an strangers.

d) _______________ service.
 The website became very
successful because it
 Taxi drivers objected to the
was launched during e)
application. They claimed
_______________ when
that they would
people needed money.

e) _______________ their
jobs.  The website is now worth
f) $_______________.

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TASK VIII. LISTENING AND NOTE-TAKING
In this section, you will listen to a lecture about taking a gap year. You will hear the lecture only ONCE.
Listen carefully, and take notes on the following points as you listen:
 what a gap year is
 what students can do during the gap year, and
 the advantages and disadvantages of taking a gap year.

Later, you will be given eight minutes to answer some questions using your notes.

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Answer the Following Questions Using Your Notes

1. What does taking a gap year mean?

It means ______________________________________________________________________.

2. What TWO things can young people do in their gap year?

a) ___________________________________________________________________________.

b) ___________________________________________________________________________.

3. According to the speaker, what are TWO benefits of taking a gap year for students?

a) ___________________________________________________________________________.

b) ___________________________________________________________________________.

4. What are TWO disadvantages of taking a gap year for students?

a) ___________________________________________________________________________.
b) ___________________________________________________________________________ .