Biz-E-Training

Essential Business English – Lesson 4 Self-study

This is the self-study guide for this lesson.

Click (laptop) or tap (mobile) to open each section.

Use this link - Online exercises - to do the following Career Express (B2) 2nd Edition online activities:

 
  • Unit 3: Vocabulary (1 - 4)
  • Unit 3: Grammar (1 - 4)
  • Unit 3: Work skills: Video conferencing (1 - 3)

    • To continue your acquisition of new business and general vocabulary, do the following:

     
    1. Make a list of new vocabulary from Unit 3. Use the word list at the back of your coursebook Career Express (B2) 2nd Edition (page 134).
    1. Use your preferred method for learning the new vocabulary (e.g. the Quizlet app, a vocabulary notebook or cards).
    1. Use this page to review and practise some key vocabulary: Vocabulary review.
    1. Use this activity to practise Saying numbers.

    Use your coursebook - Career Express (B2) 2nd Edition - to do the following:

     
    1. Go to page 23, Section 4: Technology and the world economy.
    1. Do listening activity C.
    1. Use the Answer key on page 126 to check your answers.
    1. Look at activity D and make a note of your opinions for the next lesson.

    Use your coursebook - Career Express (B2) 2nd Edition - to do the following:

     
    1. Go to page 25, Section 7: How it works: Virtual teams.
    1. Do the reading activity B.
    1. Use the Answer key below to check.

    Exercise B

    Working in a virtual teamManaging a virtual team
    benefits
    • it provides greater flexibility because you can work from home or combine time in the office with home-office work
    • it may reduce the amount of time you have to spend away from home on business trips, which tends to be particularly relevant for employees with young families
    • it’s easy to accommodate employees’ different schedules
    • you can schedule meetings on short notice
    • you can reduce travel expenses and unproductive travel time
    • you can create diverse teams because you can bring together a wider range of people with different skill sets
    challenges
    • you may feel isolated
    • technology can’t guarantee that employees will work productively together online – managers have to make an effort to bring their teams together
    • if it’s an international team, you need to be sensitive to language differences, business protocols and differing time zones
    • when managing a team that serves a multi-country client or one in which many of the team members speak English as a second language, it’s important to determine that everyone understands what has been said

    This icon indicates that an activity is preparation for the next lesson.

    Previous self-study

    Lesson 1
    Lesson 2
    Lesson 3