Business English – Units 1-5 (University of Economics – Danang)

77 question-and-answer flashcards covering key vocabulary, phrases and concepts from Units 1 to 5, including business environment, marketing, meetings, negotiations, finance, presentations and business correspondence.

What does the interest rate represent in business?

The cost of borrowing money.

Which economic indicator shows the price at which one currency can buy another?

The exchange rate.

What is GDP an abbreviation for?

Gross Domestic Product – the total value of goods and services produced in a country.

Which term describes money invested from overseas?

Foreign investment.

What is a balance of trade?

The difference in value between a country’s imports and exports.

How would you greet a visitor you have only emailed before?

“It’s great to finally meet you in person after all our phone calls and emails.”

Which English phrase can you use to offer help with luggage?

“Can I help you with your backpack/luggage?”

Give a polite apology for keeping someone waiting.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

Name one adjective used to describe very hot weather in Unit 1.

Roasting.

What are the four Ps of the marketing mix?

Product, Price, Place, Promotion.

Define brand loyalty.

The tendency to always buy a particular brand.

What is brand stretching?

Using an existing brand name on another type of product.

Which term means the introduction of a product to the market?

Product launch.

What is a niche market?

A small, specialized but profitable segment of a market.

Explain line-stretching in product strategy.

Lengthening a product line by moving up-market or down-market with higher or lower quality items.

What is a focus group in market research?

A group of consumers encouraged to discuss their feelings about products while being observed.

Which survey involves checking the labels of used packaging in homes?

Dustbin survey.

What does AOB stand for in meetings?

Any Other Business – often the last item on the agenda.

Give one phrase a chairperson uses to change the subject.

“Let’s move on now to …”

Provide a participant phrase for disagreeing politely.

“I’m afraid I don’t agree.”

What is a penalty clause?

A contract term that imposes a fine for non-performance.

Define concession in negotiations.

Something given up by one side to reach agreement.

What style of negotiation tries to achieve win-win outcomes?

Co-operative negotiation.

Which adjective describes a negotiation approach that is hostile and one-off?

Competitive (win-lose).

In probing, how might you ask about quantities?

“What sort of quantities are you looking for?”

Create a conditional proposal sentence beginning with ‘Provided that’.

“Provided that you supply documentation in Portuguese, we could consider sending personnel for training.”

Give a phrase used when summarizing agreed points in a negotiation.

“Let me just run over the main points.”

What is a dividend?

A part of company profits paid to shareholders.

Define a bull market.

A period when share prices trend upward.

What is bankruptcy?

The state of being unable to pay debts.

Which financial statement shows a company’s assets, liabilities and equity at a point in time?

The balance sheet.

Explain gross margin (profit margin).

The difference between selling price and production cost of a product.

What is retained profit?

After-tax profit kept in the business instead of being distributed.

Name one common visual aid referenced for showing company structure.

An organizational chart.

Give a welcoming phrase for opening a presentation.

“First of all, let me thank you all for being here today.”

State one phrase to invite questions at the end of a presentation.

“Now I’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have.”

What does ‘Dear Sir/Madam’ indicate in a business letter?

The writer does not know the recipient’s name.

Which phrase sets a delivery deadline in an order letter?

“Please note that delivery is required by … without fail.”

Give a polite phrase to request information in a letter.

“I would appreciate if you could …”

What type of email asks for product details, prices and terms?

An enquiry letter.

What is the usual opening sentence for replying to an enquiry?

“Thank you for your letter of … in which you enquired about …”

When refusing a requested discount, give one polite reason.

“Manufacturing costs and freight charges have risen considerably in recent months.”

Which conditional linker can replace ‘if’ in proposals?

‘Provided that’, ‘As long as’, ‘Supposing that’, etc.

Translate ‘exchange rate’ into Vietnamese as used in Unit 1.

Tỷ giá hối đoái.

What phrase signals digression during a meeting?

“Sorry, I don't quite understand. Is your point that … ?”

Define ‘inquisitive’ from Unit 3 vocabulary.

Tending to ask questions; eager to know more.

What is a counter-proposal?

An offer made in response to another offer during negotiation.

Explain ‘unscrupulous’ in negotiation context.

Not honest or fair; willing to act illegally.

Which English phrase keeps a social conversation going?

“That must have been very exciting.”

How do you ask about someone’s journey politely?

“How was your flight?”

Give a phrase to talk about good weather with a visitor.

“I’m glad the weather is nice for your visit here.”

Name two typical small-talk topics suggested in Unit 1.

Holidays, family (also restaurant, sport, cultural differences, etc.).

What does ‘product endorsement’ mean?

Using a well-known person to advertise a product.

Define ‘brand awareness’.

How familiar people are with a brand.

What is a product range?

The set of products made by a company.

Describe a blind test in marketing.

Volunteers test products without knowing the brand identities.

Give a meeting phrase for asking a participant’s view.

“Participant A, what do you think?”

What is a trade-off?

Exchanging one thing for another; giving up something to gain something else.

Which financial term refers to money earned before tax is paid?

Pre-tax profits.

What document details a company’s revenues and expenses over a period?

Profit and Loss Account (Income Statement).

Translate ‘lợi nhuận biên’ into English.

Gross margin or profit margin.

What is the English for ‘trả góp’?

Hire purchase.

Define ‘price pressure’.

Decreasing or freezing prices to gain advantage over competitors.

What is outsourcing?

Contracting external firms to perform tasks normally done in-house.

Which letter type formally accepts a supplier’s terms and places a purchase?

An order letter.

Give the English phrase meaning ‘thỏa hiệp’.

Compromise.

How do you say ‘người tiêu dùng trung thành với nhiều thương hiệu’ in English?

Brand-switcher.

What phrase signals you are changing topics in a presentation?

“Then I will move on to …”

Provide a phrase to reassure audience on note-taking during a talk.

“Don’t worry about taking notes; I’ll hand out copies of the slides.”

Which market research method interviews people passing by?

Street survey or street interview.

Define ‘scenario’ as used in negotiations.

A description of a possible future event.

What does ‘labor force’ refer to?

People who are working.

Which conditional phrase can introduce a counter-offer: ‘if’, ‘on condition that’, or both?

Both – e.g., “On condition that you deliver by May, we will…”

Explain ‘credit facilities’.

The possibility of paying over an extended period; easy payment terms.

What is the Vietnamese meaning of ‘reputation’?

Danh tiếng.

Give one closing salutation for a formal letter when name is unknown.

Yours faithfully.

What meeting document is distributed afterwards summarizing decisions?

Minutes.

How can a participant interrupt politely?

“Can I say something?”

Which chart is best to show company market share?

A pie chart.

Define ‘assets’.

A company’s possessions that can be used to pay debts.

What phrase can ask about acceptable prices in negotiation?

“What price do you have in mind?”

Translate ‘định lượng’ research into English.

Quantitative research.

What does R&D stand for in finance vocabulary?

Research and Development.