6c Teacher's notes & answer key - Straightforward

6c Teacher’s notes &answer keyStraightforwardBusinessBusiness mistakes6cThis lesson covers the same grammar (should have) andvocabulary area as Straightforward Upper IntermediateSecond edition Student’s Book Lesson 6C (Politicallyincorrect), pages 60–61.Speaking & vocabulary:embarrassment11 squirmed2 acutely3 blush4 bright5 humiliating6 ashamedReadingThe king of bling – background informationGerald Ratner (born 1949) is a British businessman whowas famous for his chain of High Street jewellery storesthat were popular and successful in Britain in the 1980s.The chain nearly collapsed 1991 / 1992, following Ratner’sspeech at the Institute of Directors, but survived with achange of name. More information about Ratner can befound at his website.1Background informationThe business executives in the list below all becamefamous for having made mistakes. You and yourstudents will know of others closer to home.• Clive SinclairClive Sinclair was highly successful in the UK inthe 1980s, selling computers and other electronicequipment. He then invested large amounts in anearly electric car, but this turned out to be a marketfailure.• John DeLoreanJohn DeLorean was an executive with General Motorswho set up his own company producing luxury carsin the 1970s. It went bankrupt after twelve months.• Ken LayKen Lay was CEO of Enron, one of the biggest UScorporations in the 1990s. Enron went bust after aseries of fraud and accounting scandals. Lay wasfound guilty of ten charges of fraud, but he diedbefore being sentenced.• Nick LeesonNick Leeson was a trader at Barings Bank. Hisunauthorized bets led to the bank’s collapse in 1995.Leeson went to prison for four years but became asuccessful business speaker after his release.• Yasuo HamanakaYasuo Hamanaka was a trader at SumitomoCorporation. His failed attempt, in 1996, to cornerthe world market in copper led to losses of almost 2billion dollars. Hamanaka spent 7 years in prison.3

StraightforwardBusinessBusiness mistakes6c231 C 2 A 3 F 4 E 5 B 6 D1 assets2 prestigious3 crap*4 plummeted5 tumbled6 rollercoasterLanguage notePlease be aware that the word ‘crap’ can be offensive insome contexts – see notes below.* crapNOUN IMPOLITE/kræp/Grammar: should haveSee page 87 of Straightforward Upper Intermediate Secondedition Teacher’s Book for language notes.12 He should have told the truth about hisqualifications on his job application.3 He should have come back on time after his lunchbreaks.4 He should have done the jobs that he was told to do.5 He shouldn’t / should not have used the phone forpersonal calls.6 He shouldn’t / should not have been late and takentoo many days off sick.7 He shouldn’t / should not have been slow,inaccurate and spent most of his time chatting.[UNCOUNTABLE] nonsenseShe was talking crap, as usual.[UNCOUNTABLE] something that is of bad qualityI’m tired of eating the crap they serve in the canteen.They’re showing a load of crap on TV this Christmas.[UNCOUNTABLE] things that are useless, not wanted, ornot importantYou wouldn’t believe the amount of crap he’s got in hisroom.[UNCOUNTABLE] solid waste that has left your bodyAcknowledgements: written by Philip Kerr. Designed by eMC Design Ltd.Photos by: Bananastock, Photodisc.This page has been downloaded from www.macmillanenglish.com/Straightforward.It is photocopiable, but all copies must be complete pages. Straightforward Upper intemediateSecond edition © Macmillan Publishers Limited 2012. These materials may contain linksfor third-party websites. We have no control over, and are not responsible for, thecontents of such third-party websites. Please use care when accessing them. 4