Unit 9

Entertaining
Starting Point

1. Corporate entertainment is only about making

money. Do you agree?

2. What sort of entertainment do companies offer?

Imagine you must entertain a group of foreign

businesspeople. Which of these activities would you
choose? What would you add?

- Historic site(s) - an opera/a concert

- Motor racing - tennis
- A bar/ a nightclub - wine tasting
- A game of golf - a restaurant
- The theatre - horse racing
- A football match - an art gallery

Which adjectives in the box form a partnership with

words below 1 – 6

- Convenient - cozy - efficient

- Exciting - local/regional - reasonable

1. Atmosphere 4. Prices
2. Food 5. Service
3. Location 6. Entertainment

A. Reading

Corporate Entertaining

Read the text and find seven examples of corporate

events.
 Why is it impossible to get tickets for most
major sorts and cultural events? Because so many of
the tickets are bought by firms to entertain their
clients and other VIPs. It is called corporate
entertainment, but why do companies do it?
Corporate entertainment is a marketing tool.
Companies use it to improve relationships with their
customers, suppliers, or staff. ‘I work for a law firm’,
says Virginia Allen. “Every year, I invite my best
clients to a concert sponsored by the firm. I hope to
reinforce their positive feeling toward us.’ So, the
main purpose of corporate entertainment is to make
customers feel good. Invite them to a special event
and you will ensure their loyalty for the coming year.
The venue for corporate events varies from
country to country. In the USA guests might play
golf with a professional player. In France they could
go on a wine-tasting cruise. In Japan they might
watch some sumo wrestling. Other events depend on
the budget of the host company, but possibilities
include parachute jumping, paintballing, or a night at
the opera. The list is endless.

Task 1: Work with partner and answer the questions

 1. Which event is it often difficult to get tickets for?
Why
2. Why do companies spend money on Corporate
Entertaining?
3. What should a host company consider first when
it plans an event?

B. Vocabulary

Exercise 1:
Complete the table with words in bold from the text

Information Details
……………………… -HSBC Bank
……………………… -Leading VIPs from banking
……………………… world
……………………… -To reinforce relationship with
……………………… clients
-Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Club
………………………
-Wimbledon Men’s single Final
-£90,000

Exercise 2:
Match verbs 1 – 6 to nouns a – f

1. Hold a. clients
2. Reinforce b. an invitation
3. Arrange c. a venue
4. Entertain d. a relationship
5. Book e. a trip
6. Accept f. an event

Which phrase in exercise 2 has similar meaning to

a. Make a connection stronger?

b. Say yes to a request?
 c. Look after guests?
d. Organize a journey to a place and back?
e. Find a place?
f. Organize something special for your clients?

Exercise 3:
Complete the sentences with a suitable form of
the verb from the list.

Accept arrange book

Entertain hold reinforce

1. My company…..holds….a corporate event every

June
2. We invited our VIP clients to a luxury spa
to……….our relationship
3. The host company……….a trip to the Taj Mahal.
4. Our bank always………..its clients at Roland
Garros.
5. The venue we………last year was too small.
6. I couldn't……….the invitation because the
dinner was the same day as my daughter's
graduation.

Task 2:
Work in a small group. You work for a corporate
entertainment company. Plan a corporate event for your
company using the ideas below.
- Budget - guests - time
- Venue - activities - accommodation
- Transport - entertainment
- Food and drink
C. Structure

Adjective and Adverbs

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An adjective is a word or set of words that modifies (i.e.,

describes) a noun or pronoun. Adjectives may come before
the word they modify.

Examples:
That is a cute puppy.
She likes a high school senior.

Adjectives may also follow the word they modify:

Examples:
That puppy looks cute.
The technology is state-of-the-art.

An adverb is a word or set of words that modifies verbs,

adjectives, or other adverbs. Adverbs answer how, when,
where, why, or to what extent—how often or how much (e.g.,
daily, completely).

Examples:
He speaks slowly (tells how)
He speaks very slowly (the adverb very tells how slowly)
She arrived today (tells when)
She will arrive in an hour (this adverb phrase tells when)
Let's go outside (tells where)
We looked in the basement (this adverb phrase tells where)
Bernie left to avoid trouble (this adverb phrase tells why)
Jorge works out strenuously (tells to what extent)
Jorge works out whenever possible (this adverb phrase tells
to what extent)

Exercise 1:
Fill the blanks with the correct form of the word in
brackets.
1. The hurricane caused terrible……………in the area.
(DESTROY)
2. You have to ………..all the new books that arrive in the
school. (CLASS)
3. I'm sorry, I think I'll be ……………to attend the meeting.
(ABLE)
4. She goes jogging every morning; she's really keen on
physical …….(FIT)
5………………, nobody was killed in the accident.
(FORTUNE)
6. He's quite nice, but when he's angry he becomes
very……….. (FRIEND)
7. The Equator is an ……………..line drawn round the
Earth. (IMAGINE)
8. I really like her. She's got a very lively…………..
(PERSON)
9. Tell me the………………., I won't get angry. (TRUE)
10. She likes her students to be………and call her Miss
Jones. (RESPECT)
11. You must take a………as soon as possible. (DECIDE)
12. "……………….. killed the cat." (CURIOUS)
13. I decline all ………………..(RESPONSIBLE)
14. This design shows great ………………..(ORIGINAL)
[Link]'re making the problem……………..hard for you.
(NECESSARY)
Exercise 2:
Fill the blanks with the correct form of the word in
brackets.
1. He drives so……that I'm sure he'll have an accident.
(CARE)
2. I'm sorry to…………but I think you're wrong. (AGREE)
3. If you want to get the job you'll have to send the……form
soon. (APPLY)
4. My……………is to leave the group as soon as possible.
(INTEND)
5. He's a very…………child. He's full of energy. (LIVE)
6. Our…………are elaborated only with the best ingredients.
(PRODUCE)
7. He answered the questions…………… (MECHANIC)
8. I hadn't………they were brother and sister until I saw
them together. (REAL)
9. I've no…………to students using a dictionary in class.
(OBJECT)
10. Few people believe ……………when they make
promises. (POLITICAL)
11. Stephen Hawkins is one of the best…………….in the
world. (SCIENCE)
12. I'm really…………with computers. I always do
something wrong. (HOPE)
13. I'm trying to be……….but he isn't making things easy
for us. (REASON)
14. You always have to fasten your…………….belt when
you travel by plane. (SAFE)
15. I'm afraid the rate of ………………has increased in the
last two months. (EMPLOY)
D. Language Function

Invitation and Offers

Key Expressions:

Inviting
Would you like to….?
How about coming to the….with us?

Offering
Would you like….?
Would you like me to…?
Shall I…?

Accepting
Yes, please. That’s very kind of you
Yes, please. That would be nice.
Yes. I’d love to

Declining
Thanks for the invitation, but…
No, thanks. I’d rather (do)….
I am really sorry, but I am meeting
A client then.
I am afraid I can’t make it

Exercises 1:

Put these words in the right order to make complete

sentences

1. very / you / kind / That's / of

2. to / you / lunch / like / Would / join / for / us
3. up / I / station / pick / the / Shall / you from
4. but / get / I'd / some / Thanks / rather / sleep
 5. you / book / like / table / me / Would / to / a
6. water / you / of / Would / a / like / glass
7. the / hungry / for / I'm / invitation / Thanks /
but / not
E. Dialogue

Exercise 1:
Complete the conversation

1. A: _________ _________ __________ some water?

B: Yes, please, t hat would be nice.

2. A: Would you like to join us for a drink?

B: ______ _______ ________ invitation, but I have to
call my boss.

3. A: Would you like me to find out what’s on the theatre?

B: Yes, Please. That’s ______ _____ ______ you.

4. A: Would you _____ ______ ______ fax you the

agenda?
B: Yes, please. That’s very kind of you.

5. A: Shall I call you a taxi?

B: No, ______ _____ ______ walk.

6. A: Would you like to see the new sport facilities?

B: Yes, please. That ______ _____ ___

Sources:
Bus Result Pre-Int
Market Leader Pre-Int 3rd edition
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