1. Complete the text with the words from the box.

e-mail flight high-street selection card earn airport trip branches discounts sign up tips relax

Do you have a long wait for you’re a) from Heathrow? If so, why not take advantage of some of the great facilities available at the b) ,to help pass the time? There are lots of different things you can do. Heathrow has a large c) of shops including brand-name fashion and beauty stores. These are available both before and after the security check and include d) of Boots, Accessorize and Austin Reed. In fact, Heathrow airport has more e) shops than most high streets! It’s ideal for purchasing those little things you can forget when you organize a holiday or business f) abroad.

BAA, who operate Heathrow airport and several others, offer various reward schemes and g) on items purchased at any of their airports. For example, the BAA Worldcard is a credit h) that helps you save money. For every &1 you spend with this card you i) one BAA Worldpoint . Why not j) for one while you wait for your flight at Heathrow?

While some people like to shop, others prefer to k) and prepare for their journey. Restaurants and coffee shops are a great place to do this, and Heathrow has a Wetherspoon’s pub, a Caffe Nero, and a Burger King for the kids.

Please share your experiences of Heathrow Airport with us. When you get back from your trip or holiday, send us an l) . Tell us about your time at Heathrow and any ideas and m) for other passengers.

2. Sum up the main ideas , add your own air travel experience.

DESCRIBING CURRENT TRENDS

Present Continuous

Rearrange these words to form sentences:

1. Targeting a Europe lot companies are now Eastern of

A …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

2. European some Eastern growing quickly economies are very

Some ……………………………………………………………………………………

3. These companies foreign are in numerous countries investing

Numerous ……………………………………………………………………………..

4. To companies are joint trying ventures many establish

Many ………………………………………………………………………….

5. In some European now currencies rising value Eastern are

Some ………………………………………………………………………………..

6. Under goods companies are these producing licence in countries some

Some ……………………………………………………………………………………………………

7. Is the of goods improving quality domestic

The ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….

8. Improving the other of and services is also quality hotels

The …………………………………………………………………………………

9. Output rising industrial again is

Industrial ………………………………………………………………………..

10. Is unemployment unfortunately the rising also rate

Unfortunately, ……………………………………………………

Exercise 2

Find eight important word partnerships in the above.

Example: share – market share

1. ………. joint ventures

2. ………. goods

3. Economies ………….

4. ………… rate

5. ………. under license

6. ………. in value

7. ………. is improving

8. Industrial …………

Grammar note: We often use the Present Continuous to describe the current situation:

The pound is falling against the dollar.

CHANGE AND DEVELOPMENT

DESCRIBING CHANGES

We often talk about changes using verbs in the present perfect. We add adverbs to describe the degree of the change. Look at these examples.

1. Decide how the things in the box have changed in your country from the past to now. Choose adverbs and time expressions to add more details.

Unemployment Food prices

House prices The crime rate

The average wage The birth rate

Taxes

Petrol prices

The divorce rate

2. Look at the comments below. Which changes in exercise A could the speakers be discussing?

I’s because there’s an election next year.

I think it’s happened because of problems in the economy.

I guess it might be because there aren’t enough homes.

It’s probably a result of having more police on the street.

It has something to do with rising oil prices.

I think it has something to do with the fact that people have to work long hours.

3. Work in pairs. Ask and answer questions about changes in your country using the language in exercises A and B. For example:

A: Why do you think the crime has fallen over the last few years?

B: I’m not sure. I guess it might be because people are richer.

4. Decide whether these sentences represent a rise or a fall, and whether that rise or fall is small or large.

Example: The price of oil shot up recently. (= large rise)

1. Share prices on the London Stock Exchange slipped back a little yesterday.

2. The price of gold has slumped in recent week.

3. Shares soared when news of the takeover bid was made public.

4. There has been a slight increase in sales during the past six month.

5. The share price plunged when the takeover bid was rejected.

6. Commodity prices rallied slightly last week.

7. The pound was slightly stronger yesterday.

COLLOCATIONS - CONSUMER

Exercise 1

All the words in the box form strong collocations with the word “consumer”. Match up the terms in the box with the definitions below.

Consumer behavior consumer boycott

Consumer confidence consumer credit

Consumer durables consumer goods

Consumer market consumer panel

Consumer profile consumer spending

1. A description of the characteristics of the consumers of a particular product, in terms f age, class, income, and so on.

2. A group of shoppers who record their purchases of all or selected products, for use in market research.

3. Goods in that last a long time, such as cars, “white goods” (Fridges, cookers), “brown goods” (televisions, stereos), and so on.

4. Goods in everyday use, such as food, clothing, household goods, and services such as hairdressing, retail banking, and so on.

5. How people in general feel about job security, future economic prospects, and so on.

6. How different people react to marketing stimuli, depending on their psychology, their cultural and social background, and their economic situation.

7. The amount of money being spent on consumer goods and services, which fluctuates with recessions and booms.

8. The amount of money borrowed by people to buy goods and services, depending on confidence and the economic cycle.

9. The individuals and households that buy products for their own personal consumption.

10. When consumers refuse to buy the products of a company they disapprove of for ethical or political reasons.

Exercise 2

Complete the paragraph with collocations from Exercise 1.

A government spokesman yesterday insisted that the latest figures showed that (1) ………. was returning, and (2) ………. was increasing. Several retailers disagreed, and suggested that sales of (3) ……….. had only increased in January because all the major stores had had extended Winter Sales and discounted prices by up to 20%. The High Street banks say that the level of the (4) ……………….

remains low, with many people paying off earlier debts, and afraid to take on new ones.

FOOD FILE. REVISION.

Exercises