Answer key
Unit 1 Corporate Culture Progress Test Key
Part 1 Reading
Task 1
15 points
B profitability
D employees
B harder
C staff
D workload
B with
C unit
D for
B objectives
B structure
A guidelines
B director
D enforce
C balance
B run
Task 2
10 points
1 took
2 was checking
3 found
4 had put
5 was doing
6 had done
7 threatened
8 was using
9 (was) sending
10 lost
Part 2 Writing
Task 1
Maximum 5 points
See Guide to using the tests on how to mark.
The Business Intermediate Tests / Answer key 1
Task 2
5 points
Suggested answers below. Accept grammatically correct and suitably diplomatic
alternatives.
1 Wouldn’t it be better to wear smarter clothes to work?
2 Why don’t you try asking John for help?
3 It’s a good idea to learn to delegate.
4 You could perhaps try to do it this way instead.
5 Wouldn’t you agree that it’s not a very good idea?
Part 3 Listening
Task 1
½ point per correct answer – total 5 points
1 Alex
2 Jason
3 Alex
4 Jason
5 Alex
6 Jason
7 Alex
8 Alex
9 Jason
10 Jason
Task 2
5 points
1 before we go on
2 It’s about
3 It’s not about
4 You help them
5 I’m going to pass out
Part 4 Speaking
Maximum 5 points
See Guide to using the tests on how to mark.
Total for test – 50 points
The Business Intermediate Tests / Answer key 2
Unit 2 Customer Support Progress Test Key
Part 1 Reading
Task 1
6 points
G This is causing them to rethink plans to move services offshore.
E In other cases callers have been tricked into revealing their PIN numbers to the
operators, which provides access to their accounts.
D Security consultants had been warning of such risks for years.
F This risk to the company brand is a big factor in some companies not offshoring their
call centres.
A ‘It had a huge impact on the community,’ said the Mayor of Witheringham. ‘We were
doing well, but overnight it was all gone.’
B More and more people are not waiting when they are put on hold.
C The staff have to be cheerful and understanding as many calls are recorded, and if they
answer back they can be fired.
Task 2
7 points
1 process
2 supervisor
3 technician
4 symptoms
5 refund
6 service
7 looking
Part 2 Writing
Task 1
Maximum 5 points
See Guide to using the tests on how to mark.
Task 2
5 points
1 How can I help you?
2 Can you switch it on?
3 What is your name?
4 Can you give me the serial/reference number?
5 Can I call you back?
The Business Intermediate Tests / Answer key 3
Part 3 Listening
Task 1
Maximum 16 points
Four points for each correct answer. Award 1–3 points for partially correct answers.
Mark as recording scripts 1.11–1.20.
Task 2
6 points
1 Two bathroom breaks per day
2 like having your own personal space
3 What’s the problem with job satisfaction?
4 they would like to send out instructions by email
5 it’s not much fun answering questions
6 get it straight from the horse’s mouth
Part 4 Speaking
Maximum 5 points
See Guide to using the tests on how to mark.
Total for test – 50 points
The Business Intermediate Tests / Answer key 4
Unit 3 Products and Packaging Progress Test Key
Part 1 Reading
Task 1
7 points
1 C
2 A
3 D
4 B
5 A
6 C
7 D
Task 2
18 points
1 a / the
2 the
3 the
4 a
5 No article
6 No article
7 the
8 the
9 the
10 the / no article
11 The
12 the
13 A
14 the
15 an
16 the
17 a
18 a
Part 2 Writing
Task 1
Maximum 5 points
See Guide to using the tests on how to mark.
The Business Intermediate Tests / Answer key 5
Task 2
5 points
1 This is the new product which was launched last week.
2 This is a low selling product which has to be relaunched. / which we have to relaunch.
3 Bill Gates, who is the chairman of Microsoft corporation, is the world’s richest man.
4 Apple is an American computer company whose products are beautiful.
5 Google, which is based in America, is a very successful company. / Google is a very
successful company which is based in America.
Part 3 Listening
Task 1
5 points
1 hundreds
2 75%
3 Nine times out of ten
4 three seconds
5 millions of dollars
Task 2
5 points
1 Recommending
2 Comparing
3 Explaining
4 Reassuring
5 Reassuring
Part 4 Speaking
Maximum 5 points
See Guide to using the tests on how to mark.
Total for test – 50 points
The Business Intermediate Tests / Answer key 6
Unit 4 Careers Progress Test Key
Part 1 Reading
Task 1
6 points
1 D it is expensive and time-consuming to interview more than six.
2 D a chairperson and two others on the panel.
3 B the longest and most important part of the whole interview.
4 B control the structure of the interview and connect the phases.
5 D to help them decide if they are a good match for the job.
6 C Interviews are too important to get wrong.
Task 2
20 points
1 travels
2 is
3 needs
4 dominates
5 is
6 sold
7 was
8 was
9 happened
10 went
11 were
12 believed
13 had
14 was
15 has given
16 is writing
17 has written
18 has had
19 has been
20 is
Part 2 Writing
Task 1
Maximum 5 points
See Guide to using the tests on how to mark.
The Business Intermediate Tests / Answer key 7
Task 2
Maximum 5 points
One point per correct sentence.
Part 3 Listening
Task 1
Maximum 4 points
Give a mark out of two for the amount of detail noted about each metaphor.
0 = no detail; 1= some detail; 2 = all detail.
Possible answers:
Tree metaphor:
‘put down roots’ = establish yourself and consider the company your home for many
years to come
‘stay put’ = stay within the company and develop your career
Surfer metaphor:
‘always moving’ = moving from job to job, moving up the career ladder with different
companies
‘you can expect to fall’ = you may gamble to leave one company and go to another, but it
doesn’t turn out to your advantage; it’s possible that due to your lack of commitment to
one company, companies won’t owe you loyalty either, and you may lose out because of
this, or lose your job
‘you have to get back up to catch that next wave’ = you have to have the resilience and
resources to deal with failure and to continue looking for better opportunities
Task 2
5 points
1 high-flier
2 work
3 job
4 team-player
5 talented / ambitious
Part 4 Speaking
Maximum 5 points
See Guide to using the tests on how to mark.
Total for test – 50 points
The Business Intermediate Tests / Answer key 8
Review Test 1 Units 1–4 Key
Part 1 Reading
Text 1
7 points
1 D
2 C
3 A
4 A
5 C
6 B
7 A
Text 2
5 points
8 D
9 C
10 E
11 B
12 A
Text 3
5 points
13 A
14 A
15 D
16 C
17 D
Text 4
15 points
18 B relaunched
19 A sales
20 D differentiate
21 C packaging
22 A competitive
23 B communicate
24 D eye-catching
25 C attention
26 B attractive
27 D effective
The Business Intermediate Tests / Answer key 9
28 A specifications
29 C groups
30 B market
31 A distinctive
32 B production
Text 5
18 points
33 IN
34 CORRECT
35 SOON
36 IMPORTANT
37 CORRECT
38 OFTEN
39 THE
40 A
41 REAL
42 CORRECT
43 GOOD
44 OUT
45 THE
46 MADE
47 CORRECT
48 CORRECT
49 HIGH
50 OWN
Total for Part 1 Reading – 50 points
Part 2 Writing
Task 1 and 2 marked as Unit Progress Tests, but are worth ten points each (multiply the
impression mark out of five by two): total 20 points.
Task 1
10 points
Task 2
10 points
See Guide to using the tests on how to mark.
Total for Part 2 Writing – 20 points
The Business Intermediate Tests / Answer key 10
Part 3 Listening
Task 1
5 points
1 But everybody was very relaxed and very friendly
2 So, I thought, great, I can really do a good job here and, you know, make a really
good impression
3 like I said, I wanted to impress the company, and I’ve never been afraid of hard
work.
4 And it turned out that it wasn’t the done thing
5 they all thought I was just some lazy student skiving off work!
Task 2
5 points
2 Yes, you do.
4 Yes, you can.
6 Yes, it does.
8 Yes, there is.
10 Yes, it has.
Task 3
5 points
Caller 1
0 True
1 False
Caller 2
2 True
3 False
Caller 3
4 False
5 True
Task 4
5 points
1 Independence and security
2 Financial gain; lifestyle; power and influence
Total for Part 3 Listening – 20 points
The Business Intermediate Tests / Answer key 11
Part 4 Speaking
Tasks 1 and 2 are marked in the same way as in the Unit Progress Tests and are worth
five points each – total of ten points.
Task 1
5 points
Task 2
5 points
See Guide to using the tests on how to mark.
Total for Part 4 Speaking – 10 points
Total for test – 100 points
The Business Intermediate Tests / Answer key 12
Unit 5 Making Deals Progress Test Key
Part 1 Reading
Task 1
15 points
1 C
2 B
3 D
4 B
5 A
6 B
7 A
8 D
9 D
10 C
11 C
12 B
13 A
14 D
15 A
Task 2
5 points
1 link
2 browses
3 prices
4 selects
5 check-out
Part 2 Writing
Task 1
Maximum 5 points
See Guide to using the tests on how to mark.
Task 2
5 points
1 I suggested ordering 1,000 pieces initially / that he order/ordered 1,000 pieces
initially.
2 If I don’t get a big pay rise, I’ll leave.
3 Providing you work hard, I don’t care what you wear.
The Business Intermediate Tests / Answer key 13
4 I suggest (that) you don’t do that.
5 As long as the money was good, I might consider it.
Part 3 Listening
Task 1
10 points
1 grow their businesses
2 window-shopping
3 challenges
4 traffic
5 costing
6 increase sales
7 virtual host
8 screen
9 sales rep
10 with customers
Task 2
5 points
1 He is getting more and more enquiries from outside Denmark and wants to be able to
reach customer worldwide. / He wants to compete in a global market.
2 He doesn’t have the skills, the staff or the money.
3 Immediate delivery.
4 ‘Insignificant’.
5 We’re in business.
Part 4 Speaking
Maximum 5 points
See Guide to using the tests on how to mark.
Total for test – 50 points
The Business Intermediate Tests / Answer key 14
Unit 6 Company and Community Progress Test Key
Part 1 Reading
Task 1
6 points
1 E It is about more than just providing employment for your workers.
2 D There are many benefits.
3 F It means recognizing the merit of individual members of staff and being fully
transparent with regulatory agencies, customers and the public if something goes
wrong.
4 B It may be a case of releasing a manager to lend their expertise to a worthy project
or developing, funding and supporting a larger scale project.
5 C Rather than the corporation being responsible, it is everyone inside and outside the
company who should contribute what they can to social improvements.
6 A It seems unlikely that this will move to being completely based on the Web.
Task 2
10 points
1 was offered
2 are
3 operate
4 was opened / opened
5 was really
6 was asked
7 have been given / was given
8 have
9 am
10 working
Part 2 Writing
Task 1
Maximum 5 points
See Guide to using the tests on how to mark.
Task 2
6 points
1 Three thousand five hundred are going to be made redundant by ICBM
2 I was asked some delicate questions about the company finances by the committee.
3 The company was floated on the stock market yesterday to great success.
4 The CEO said that (last year / the previous year) they had given a dividend to our
The Business Intermediate Tests / Answer key 15
shareholders of 25p per share (last year / the previous year).
5 The spokesperson said that as soon as they had noticed the problem they had taken
action.
6 According to the Stock Market, there has been a lot of investment in high technology
companies recently.
Part 3 Listening
Task 1
8 points
1 bottom-line
2 shareholder
3 goals
4 make
5 employees
6 shareholder
7 motivated
8 presumption
Task 2
10 points – 1 point for each expression heard
1 Yes.
2 No.
3 No.
4 Yes.
5 Yes.
6 Yes.
7 Yes.
8 Yes.
9 Yes.
10 Yes.
11 Yes.
12 Yes.
Part 4 Speaking
Maximum 5 points
See Guide to using the tests on how to mark.
Total for test – 50 points
The Business Intermediate Tests / Answer key 16
Unit 7 Mergers and acquisitions Progress Test Key
Part 1 Reading
Task 1
8 points
1 C
2 C
3 B
4 D
5 A
6 A
7 D
8 B
Task 2
15 points
Possible alternatives in brackets, but best answer(s) given first.
1 have asked (asked)
2 am
3 are going to merge (are merging)
4 had
5 agreed
6 won’t be / aren’t going to be
7 will employ / will be employing / are going to be employing / are going to employ
8 won’t tell / ’m not going to tell
9 is going to be / will be (is)
10 are merging (are going to merge)
11 are going to be launching / will be launching / are launching (will launch / are going
to launch)
12 expect / are expecting
13 will rise
14 is/are launching (is/are going to launch)
15 ’ll see
Part 2 Writing
Task 1
Maximum 5 points
See Guide to using the tests on how to mark.
The Business Intermediate Tests / Answer key 17
Task 2
7 points
1 Last year our stock market valuation almost doubled.
2 GBH Chemicals has gone to the wall.
3 Due to the restructuring, the company is in a much better situation.
4 The/Our costs / Costs will increase / go up / rise slightly.
5 As a consequence of the lower cost from our suppliers, we are making higher profits.
6 We have broken even for the first time.
7 We hope to be in / get into the black in the next quarter.
Part 3 Listening
Task 1
5 points
1 T
2 T
3 F
4 T
5 T
Task 2
5 points
1 go out of business
2 ruthlessly cutting jobs
3 no other alternative
4 the example of
5 increase our operating expenses
Part 4 Speaking
Maximum 5 points
See Guide to using the tests on how to mark.
Total for test – 50 points
The Business Intermediate Tests / Answer key 18
Unit 8 International trade Progress Test Key
Part 1 Reading
Task 1
5 points
1 D
2 C
3 E
4 B
5 A
Task 2
15 points
1 to
2 for
3 to
4 to
5 with
6 on
7 with
8 to
9 about
10 in
11 to
12 after
13 In
14 for
15 to
Part 2 Writing
Task 1
Maximum 5 points
See Guide to using the tests on how to mark.
Task 2
5 points
1 You need (to take out) insurance / an insurance policy when you are exporting goods.
2 We/I can assure you we won’t be late in making any more payments.
3 We look forward to receiving your payment soon.
4 We'll have to send a final demand for payment.
The Business Intermediate Tests / Answer key 19
5 They might not have enough cash flow to pay this month. / There cash flow might not
be sufficient for them to pay this month. / They might be having cash flow problems
this month (and can’t pay).
Part 3 Listening
Task 1
5 points
Jenny will collect the tickets before six and return them to the office before 6.30. (1)
Jenny says Paul has plenty of time because check-in is not until 21.15 and the finance
committee meeting finishes about half seven. He (2) won’t be able to see his kids as
they’ll be in bed by quarter to eight. He’ll go home and collect his suitcase and then go
to the airport. (3) Paul checks Jenny has the files for the New York meetings and (4)
Jenny says that as he has a meeting now, he’ll have to read them on the plane. He has six
meetings in New York before Friday and then he has a day to look around New York. (5)
Paul says he will prepare for the Merosom meeting instead of looking around New
York as he’ll be jet-lagged on Sunday when he returns.
Task 2
10 points
1 I think a small flat in the town centre should give a good return.
2 I didn't mean what I said.
3 Well, it could have worse.
4 She already speaks seven different languages, and she’s picking up Chinese really
fast.
5 But we’ve always done most of our turnover with them.
6 We’ll have to adapt the product to their norms.
7 For a small percentage of the value of the goods, we will guarantee to pay you if the
customer defaults.
8 Our stock price has almost doubled.
9 Usually they’re in touch at least once a week.
10 I can’t get into the database!
Part 4 Speaking
Maximum 5 points
See Guide to using the tests on how to mark.
Total for test – 50 points
The Business Intermediate Tests / Answer key 20
Review Test 1 Units 5–8 Key
Part 1 Reading
Text 1
8 points
1 B
2 C
3 D
4 B
5 A
6 D
7 A
8 D
Text 2
5 points
9 D
10 A
11 E
12 B
13 C
Text 3
6 points
14 C
15 C
16 D
17 C
18 B
19 D
Text 4
15 points
20 D
21 B
22 C
23 D
24 A
25 C
26 D
27 A
The Business Intermediate Tests / Answer key 21
28 B
29 C
30 A
31 D
32 D
33 C
34 A
Text 5
16 points
35 FROM
36 THE
37 IT
38 OWN
39 THERE
40 UNLESS
41 CORRECT
42 CORRECT
43 AVAILABLE
44 THERE
45 IF
46 EVEN
47 SALES
48 CORRECT
49 ABOUT
50 REALLY
Total for Part 1 Reading – 50 points
Part 2 Writing
Task 1 and 2 marked as Unit Progress Tests, but are worth ten points each (multiply the
impression mark out of five by two): total 20 points.
Task 1
10 points
Task 2
10 points
See Guide to using the tests on how to mark.
Total for Part 2 Writing – 20 points
The Business Intermediate Tests / Answer key 22
Part 3 Listening
Task 1
½ point per correct answer – total 5 points
1 Yes.
2 Yes.
3 Yes.
4 Yes.
5 No.
6 Yes.
7 Yes.
8 No.
9 Yes.
10 No..
Task 2
5 points
1 Mr Bullard explained that new technologies had revolutionized the industry and that
with the new automated machinery there was no need for so many operators.
2 Ms Belabed reminded Mr Bullard that it was a disaster for the families and asked
what he was going to do to help them.
3 Mr Bullard explained that they were setting up an outplacement service and said that
he was sure most would find work quickly / soon.
4 Ms Belabed said that some would not find work and that they did not have a lot of
savings and she asked if they were being offered any financial help.
5 Mr Bullard assured Ms Belabed that everyone had received a redundancy package,
and advice and interest free loans were available.
Task 3
½ point per correct answer – total 5 points
1 Yes.
2 Yes.
3 Yes.
4 What’s more …
5 Yes.
6 Yes.
7 This brings me to …
8 Yes.
9 Yes.
10 Yes.
The Business Intermediate Tests / Answer key 23
Task 4
½ point per correct answer – total 5 points
1 4
2 5
3 4
4 3
5 1
6 2/5
7 5/2 (depending on answer to (6) above)
8 3
9 2
10 1
Part 4 Speaking
Tasks 1 and 2 are marked in the same way as in the Unit Progress Tests and are worth
five points each – total of ten points.
Task 1
5 points
Task 2
5 points
See Guide to using the tests on how to mark.
Total for Part 4 Speaking – 10 points
Total for test – 100 points
The Business Intermediate Tests / Answer key 24
