Task 1. Read the text and answer the questions!

 

Host: Good morning. Welcome to the Softcell Incorporated first quarter 2008 quarterly results conference call. At this time, all participants are in listen-only mode, but the floor will be open for your questions following the introductory remarks. I’d now like to turn the conference over to Ms Marie Tascon, Senior Director of Investor Relations. Please go ahead, madam.

Marie Tascon: Good morning. Thanks for joining us. Speaking today is Softcell’s CFO Peter Goody, joined by COO Jim W. Brook for the Q&A session with analysts. Please note that the information you’ll hear during our discussion today may consist of forward-looking statements regarding revenue and margins. Actual results could differ materially from our forecast. To view the supporting slides while listening, log on to softcell.com/investor. With that, I’ll turn the call over to Peter Goody.

Peter Goody: Thank you, Marie. It’s good to be on this call to report our best quarter ever, with the highest revenue and earnings in Softcell’s history. Revenue grew 35% year over year to $9.6 billion, an increase of almost $2.5 billion over the previous December quarter’s record-breaking results. [Fade]

Peter Goody: In closing, we believe these outstanding results reflect the excellence of our innovative products. We are very enthusiastic about our announcements for 2008, including new SoftTalk software and an updated SoftPro.

Marie Tascon: With that, I’d like to open the call to questions. Please limit yourselves to one question only.

 

 

Host: Our first question will come from the line of Jane Bratworth with Morgan Stanley.

Jane Bratworth: On the SoftTalk expectations for 2008, are you guys providing any type of update today?

Jim W. Brook: We remain very sure about hitting the 10 million goal for 2008.

Host: The next question comes from Ahmed Jamal with Merrill Lynch.

Ahmed Jamal – Merrill Lynch: Jim, in terms of the SoftTalk rollout internationally, there’s been a lot of talk about China – anything specific relative to the China market?

Jim W. Brook: We open our first stores in China this year. We’ll also be rolling out additional European countries during 2008.

Host: Next question from Kurt Abramsky with Deutsche Bank.

Kurt Abramsky – Deutsche Bank: Could you give us any, either quantitative or qualitative, commentary on how European SoftTalk uptake is faring versus your US experience?

Jim W. Brook: Kurt, you know, we just launched in France in November and in the UK and Germany a bit earlier so we have very limited experience but we are very happy with all the launches so far.

Host: The next question comes from Jeanne Beauvoir with Credit Suisse.

Jeanne Beauvoir – Credit Suisse: Peter, is it too early to offer a little more colour on the SoftTalk seasonality question? Your guidance obviously implies seasonality for the whole company.

Peter Goody: We’ve not yet been through a March quarter with SoftTalk so we don’t have any history to go by as we do with other products. We can report in April.

 

 

Marie Tascon: Time for just one final question.

Host: And that will come from Tim Lu with Goldman Sachs.

Tim Lu – Goldman Sachs: I’d like to ask you, Peter, about your overall market guidance. It’s good to hear you are not seeing any weakness. I understand your products are unlikely to be in the most economically exposed segment, but is there likely to be some exposure if we see, for example, a recession in Europe as well as the US? In your 10% growth forecast have you assumed some kind of economic weakening within Europe specifically?

Peter Goody: The 10% is based pretty much on a very concrete situation, how we see the trends. It’s something that we feel is quite solid.

Marie Tascon: Thanks very much, Tim, and thanks to everyone. A replay of today’s call will be available as a

webcast on softcell.com/investor and via telephone. The number for the telephone replay is 989-313-2111 and the passcode is 5237883. Replays will be available at 5.00 p.m. Pacific Time today.

Host: Ladies and gentlemen, this concludes today’s presentation. We thank everyone for your participation and have a wonderful day.

 

1. The main purpose of this conference call is:
2. To discuss trends in the market.
3. To inform market analysts about a company.
4. To market a company’s products.

 

2. Complete the sentences with the following words:

• Outlets in Asia
• Seasonal change
• Economic recession
• Product sales
• Margins
• Comparisons of product sales in Europe and the US

 

The topic of question 1 is Product sales

The topic of question 2 is Outlets in Asia

The topic of question 3 is Comparisons of product sales in Europe and the US

The topic of question 4 is Seasonal change

The topic of question 5 is Economic recession

The topic which is not mentioned is Margins

8 points

 

Task 2. Choose the correct answer!

 

1. Conference means exactly the same as convention, colloquia or symposium.
2. True
3. False

 

2. There are several purposes of conferences. The common ones are:
3. academic, business, trade, unconference, financial
4. academic, business, trade
5. academic, business, trade, unconference
6. academic, business, trade, unconference, financial, educational

 

3. Speakers deliver:
4. keynote speech
5. keystone speech
6. key purpose speech
7. key speech

 

4. A symposium is:
5. organized to discuss a particular topic
6. a casual gathering and includes refreshments and entertainment
7. more of a hands-on experience for the participants with demonstrations and activities
8. a get-together of peers to exchange thoughts and opinions on a certain topic

 

5. A seminar is:
6. organized to discuss a particular topic
7. a casual gathering and includes refreshments and entertainment
8. more of a hands-on experience for the participants with demonstrations and activities
9. a get-together of peers to exchange thoughts and opinions on a certain topic

 

6. A workshop is:
7. organized to discuss a particular topic
8. a casual gathering and includes refreshments and entertainment
9. more of a hands-on experience for the participants with demonstrations and activities
10. a get-together of peers to exchange thoughts and opinions on a certain topic

 

7. A round-table conference is:
8. organized to discuss a particular topic
9. a casual gathering and includes refreshments and entertainment
10. more of a hands-on experience for the participants with demonstrations and activities
11. a get-together of peers to exchange thoughts and opinions on a certain topic

 

8. Green meetings are:
9. are events produced with sustainability in mind
10. is a trade show or expo organized for the purpose of exhibiting arts and crafts, industrial products and agricultural products
11. a generic term for any social gathering
12. a formal presentation by one or more experts in which the attendees are encouraged to discuss the ecosystem matters.

 

9. When organizing an event, do not ______ with other events
10. mix
11. compete
12. clash
13. provide

 

• EBITDA is:

1. revenue minus expenses
2. expenses plus revenue
3. expenses minus revenue
4. factors that differentiate a product from its competitors

 

• USPs stands for:

1. factors that differentiate a product from its competitors
2. factors that differentiate a product from the customers
3. factors that influence the SWOT analysis
4. factors that influence the target market

 

• Target market is:

1. the location of a business
2. a specific group of consumers at which a company aims its products and services
3. shops in which the products are offered
4. delivery service

 

• Amenities are:

1. place of residence
2. any place that provides electricity, heating, power
3. any feature that provides comfort, convenience, or pleasure
4. any feature that provides

 

• Paraphrase the following sentence: Where is the flower shop?

1. I wonder where the flower shop is?
2. I wonder where the flower shop are?
3. I wonder where is the flower shop?
4. I wonder where are the flower shop?

 

• Paraphrase the following sentence: Where did Sue park the car?

1. I can’t remember where did Sue parked the car.
2. I can’t remember where Sue parked the car.
3. I can’t remember where Sue did parked the car.
4. I can’t remember where Sue did park the car.

 

15 points

 

Task 3. Change this direct speech into reported speech!

 

1. He works in a bank.

She said he worked in a bank.

 

2. I was waiting for the taxi when he arrived.

He told me he had been waiting for the taxi when he had arrived.

 

3. What are you going to do at the weekend?

She asked me what I was going to do at the weekend.

 

4. How often do you go to meetings?

He asked me how often I went to meetings.

 

5. Have you been to Riga?

She asked me if I had been to Riga.

 

6. Are you working today?

She asked me if I was working today.

7. Will you come later?

He asked me if I would come later.

 

8. Did you do your task?

She asked me if I had done my task.

 

9. Have you studied the report before?

He asked me if I had studied the report before.

 

10. Do you live in London?

She asked me if I lived in London.

 

10 points

  

Task 4. Write the correct ending of each sentence!

 

1. Hannah: «They live in Boston.»

Hannah said (that) they lived in Boston.

 

2. Pablo: «She understands Spanish.»

Pablo remarks (that) she understood Spanish.

 

3. Patricia: «I don’t know what to do.»

Patricia added (that) she didn’t know what to do.

 

4. Kristen: «Ted is rude to Stephanie.»

Kristen thinks (that) Ted is rude to Stephanie.

 

5. Ron and Dina: «We have to go now.»

Ron and Dina tell me (that) they have to go now.

 

5 points

 

 Task 5. Insert the appropriate pronoun!

1. James: «I work in an office.»

James told me (that) he  worked in an office.

 

2. Sebastian and Josh: «We play football.»

Sebastian and Josh told me (that) they  played football.

 

3. Laura: «Can you see me?»

Laura asked me if I  could see her.

 

4. Julian: «I will have to borrow your PC.»

Julian told me (that) she would have to borrow my PC.

 

5. Tanya and Sonya: «Can we use your camera?»

Tanya and Sonya asked me if they could use my camera.

 

5 points

 

43 points