Unit 11 globalization (1)

UNIT 11

GLOBALIZATION


VOCABULAR
Y
EXTENSION

IDIOMS


Exercise 1: Choose the most appropriate word in the box to complete the idioms in the
sentence below.

eye

eye

foot

water

water

fire

ice
end
1. Choose the most appropriate word in the box to complete the idioms:

end…………… when my company sent me to run the
1. I was thrown in at the deep
German office. I was only given two days' notice to prepare.
2. We don't see eye to
………… about relocating our factory. The Finance Director
eye
wants to move production to the Far East, but I want it to remain in Spain.
3. I got into hot
………….. with my boss for wearing casual clothes to the meeting
water
with our Milanese customers.
4. Small talk is one way to break the
ice ………… when meeting someone for the first
time.

foot

5. I really put my …………….. in it when I met our Japanese partner. Because I was
nervous, I said "Who are you?" rather than "How are you?“

fire

6. I get on like a house on …………. with our Polish agent; we like the same thing
and have the same sense of humour.

wate

7. When I visited China for the first time I was like a fish out of ………….. Everything
r
was so different, and I couldn't read any of the signs!

eye

8. My first meeting with our overseas clients was a real ………....-opener. I had not
seen that style of negotiation before.


Exercise 2: Match the idioms in Exercise 1 to the correct meanings a to h
Break the ice
Be like a fish out of water
Put one’s foot in it
Be thrown in at the deep end

Get into hot water
Get on like a house on fire
Not see eye to eye
A real eye-opener

Be thrown in at the deep
end
Get on like a house on fire
Be like a fish out of water
Put one’s foot in it
Not see eye to eye
A real eye-opener
Break the ice
Get into hot water


Exercise 3. There are many idioms from sport used in business,

particularly when talking about competition.
1. a level playing field
2. in the driving seat
3. be neck and neck
4. flog a dead horse

5.
6.
7.
8.

move the goalposts
keep your eye on the ball
ahead of the game
a one horse race

Which of the idioms refer to:
a. A situation of a fair competition
A level playing field
b. Being in front of the competition Ahead of the game

c. Be at the same level as the competitorBe neck and neck
d. Being the only competitor

A one horse race

e. Waste your time on a hopeless situation
f.

Stay focused

Flog a dead horse

Keep your eye on the ball
g. Change the rules
Move the goalposts
h. Being in control

In the driving seat


4: Complete the following with the most suitable idiom from Exercise 3.
1. a level playing field

2. in the driving seat

3. be neck and neck

5. move the goalposts
6. keep your eye on the ball
race
a level playing field

4. flog a dead horse

7. ahead of the game

8. a one horse

1. It’s not …………………………..any more. As a small company, it is difficult for us to

compete with the bid multinationals.
2. They are so far ahead of their competitors in terms of new products that it has

a
one horse
race
become
………………………………….
It will be years before they face any serious
competition.

head
ofleft
theallgame
3.aWe
have
our competitors behind. We spend a lot of money on R&D so we can
stay ……………………………………
moved the goalposts
4. The government have changed all the rules for exporters. They have
………………………………………. so we will have to rethink our international operation.

flogging a dead
5. It's a waste of time continuing with the project.inItthe
will driving
never work.horse
We are
………………………….

seat

are neck and
6. With our market dominance in the US, we are really ………………………………………
neck

7. We have exactly the same market share as our nearest rival. We
…………………………………… in terms of our profits so far this year, too.

keep
ball
8. Weyour
reallyeye
needon
to the
concentrate
on what our competitors are doing. In today's market
you need to ………………………………………….. at all times.