Unit X
SELLING
A. READING
A global retailer
Carrefour is the second largest retail company in the world and was the first to open a
hypermarket in China. It entered the Chinese market in 1995. It now has annual sales in the
country of more than €2 billion and is opening an increasing number of stores to improve its
market share (currently 5%).
Carrefour has attracted customers by adapting to and copying local customs. For
example, Chinese consumers traditionally bought live fish at markets, so Carrefour introduced live
fish at stores near the sea However, in stores hundreds of miles from the sea, live fish would not
be practical. Frozen fish was introduced instead and this boosted sales of fish by 30-40%.
Carrefour has tried to stay ahead of the customer by not introducing products and ideas that
are so new and radical that they don’t sell, but not being too late either. One way Carrefour has
done this is by introducing Chinese consumers to the idea of drinking wine with a meal by selling
a few wines which go well with fish and seafood. It has also expanded its range of services,
introducing loyalty cards as a way to offer discounts, and providing consumer credit. In 2006 it
launched an advertising campaign for online shopping. All of these have helped promote the
Carrefour name, both in China and around the world.
Read the text about Carrefour, the French supermarket group. Are these sentences true or
false?
1. Carrefour is increasingly successful in China.
2. All of the Carrefour stores in China sell the same products.
3. Chinese consumers have always drunk wine with their food.
4. Chinese consumers can buy Carrefour products and pay later.
5. Internet shopping is now possible at Carrefour.
B. VOCABULARY
Exercise 1
Match verbs 1-8 to a-h to make phrases. Then look at the text to check your answers.
1. to improve … a. sales
2. to enter … b. new customers
3. to attract … c. a discount
4. to launch … d. a new market
5. to expand … e. the company’s name
6. to offer … f. an advertising campaign
7. to promote … g. your range of products or services
8. to boost … h. market share
Exercise 2
Choose the correct word (a, b or c) to complete each sentence.
1. A … is another name for a ‘producer’.
a. Supplier b. Distributor c. manufacturer
2. Suppliers of ten sell large quantities of goods to ..., who do not
usually sell directly to customers.
a. Wholesalers b. Retailers c. Manufactures
3. We offer a … to customers who buy in bulk.
a. refund b. discount c. delivery
4. We ask consumers who are not fully satisfied to … goods within
seven days
a. discount b. refund c. return
5. In order to get a full …, customers must send back goods in the
original packaging.
a. discount b. refund c. return
6. Goods will be … within 24 hours of your order.
a. dispatched b. purchased c. exchanged
7. Goods are kept in our … until ready for delivery.
a. stock b. storage c. warehouse
8. Products and services offered at a large discount are generally
a(n) …
a. sale b. bargain c. offer
C. STRUCTURE
GERUNDS and INFINITIVES
Gerunds have the following uses
1. after prepositions
He joined us after working for a competitor.
I’m not interested in buying things on the net.
2. as a noun
Registering as a seller only takes a few minutes.
The policing of the site is done by the users.
3. after certain expressions
There’s no point bidding now. It’s been sold.
Key words
there’s no point, it’s no use, it’s no good, it’s not
worth, have difficulty, be used to, look forward
to, object to
4. after certain verbs
We’ve just finished preparing the new website.
Key words
admit, attempt, avoid, begin, consider, continue,
delay, dislike, enjoy, finish, go, involve, keep,
like, mention, miss, prefer, postpone, practice,
propose, recommend, report, risk, start, stop,
suggest.
Infinitives have the following uses.
1. after adjectives
The website is very easy to use.
It’s important to preserve the community
feeling.
2. showing purpose
Some people quit jobs to become eBay traders.
3. after certain verbs
Many rivals aim to build bigger websites.
Key words
afford, agree, aim, arrange, decide, demand,
expect, fail, hope, intend, manage, need, offer,
plan, prepare, promise, refuse, train, want.
4. after certain verbs + object
We asked him to present the figures next week.
Key words
advise, allow, ask, cause, enable, expect, help,
invite, lead, permit, persuade, remind, teach, tell,
train, trust, urge, use, warn.
Some verbs can be followed by either a gerund or an
infinitive with no difference in meaning.
I prefer buying CDs on the internet.
I prefer to buy CDs on the internet.
Some can be followed by either a gerund or an infinitive
but with a difference in meaning.
We stopped selling the old designs. (what is stopped?)
We stopped to get a coffee. (reason for stopping?)
I remember seeing it in the papers. (refers to past)
Remember to send the report. (refers to future)
Exercise 1
Complete the following sentences using the correct form of verb (gerund or infinitive)
between brackets.
1. I enjoy (be) alone.
2. Why do you dislike (live) here?
3. I don’t like people (shout) at me.
4. Would you prefer (have) dinner now or later?
5. I would like (be) rich.
6. I don’t like (drive)
7. I was very tired. I tried (keep) my eyes open, but I couldn’t.
8. The baby began (cry).
9. He continued (work).
10. It has started (rain).
Exercise 2.
Make sentences with afraid. Read each situation and then use the words in brackets to
write your sentences.
Example:
The streets are unsafe at night.
(I/ afraid/ go out/ alone)
Answer: I am afraid to go out alone.
1. We walked very carefully along the icy path.
(we/ afraid/ fall)
………………………………………………….
2. I don’t usually carry my passport with me.
(I/ afraid/ lose/ it)
…………………………………………………..
3. The sea was very rough.
(we/ afraid/ go/ swimming)
…………………………………………………..
4. I didn’t tell Tom that I thought he had behaved foolishly.
(I/ afraid/ miss/ our train)
……………………………………………………
5. The glasses were very full, so Ann carried them very carefully.
(she/ afraid/ spill/ the drinks)
…………………………………………………….
D. USEFUL LANGUAGE
Mentioning people you know
Harry Kaufman suggested I gave you a call.
I was given your name by Jon Stuart.
Giving advice
I suggest you give her a call.
You could try to track him down through our New York Office.
Asking for help/ contacts
Can I mention your name when I call him?
He mentioned that you might be able to help me.
You haven’t got his phone number by any chance?
Is this a convenient time or shall I call back later?
Referring to a previous meeting
Haven’t we met somewhere before?
We both went to that presentation.
Establishing common interest.
Maybe we could help you out there.
Are you in sales or product development?
E. DIALOGUE
Choose one of the phrases from the boxes to complete these conversation
Conversation 1
if you need any help
that’s very kind of you
would you mind
I won’t be able to
would you like a hand
I’m sorry but
Bill: Hi, Sally. (1) _____ changing the time of today’s meeting? Some time this
afternoon would be better for me.
Sally: (2) _____ I’ve got to finish that report today. Perhaps we could fix something up
for tomorrow?
Bill: (3) _____?
Sally: (4) _____ Bill but I think (5) _____
Bill: O.K. Let’s get together tomorrow.
Conversation 2
I’m afraid you can’t
I’m sorry but
I think I can manage
Yes, please. Thanks a lot
Jim: Dr Henderson, (6) _____ I go home early today?
Dr H: (7) _____. Are you feeling O.K?
Jim: I’m fine but I’ve got a lot of preparation to do for that course I’m on. (8) _____ take
tomorrow morning off as well?
Dr H: No, (9) ____. The sales staff are coming in for briefing.
Jim: Oh, yes. I’d forgotten.
Dr H: What about taking some holiday next week?
Jim: No, thanks. (10) _____ . I’ll need to take some holiday later.
