Reading exercise for Economic student | Exercises English Literature

Reading

bank

Unit 6

Before you read, check that you know the meaning of the words in bold.

Choose the correct definition, a or b, for each word. Use a dictionary if

necessary.

1The investigators fOund that financial corruption had taken place Over a

lOng periOd Of time.

adishOnest Or illegal behaviOur

a series Of seriOus mistakes

2The president was invOlved in a majOr financial

scandal. a an event that shOcks peOple

because it is illegal

b an idea that leads a cOmpany tO success

The emplOyee was prosecuted fOr pOsting private data Online.

asuspected Of a crime

charged with a crime

4The parents were sO desperate fOr the students tO pass the test that

bribery was nOt uncOmmOn.

buying illegal material frOm the internet

billegally Offering mOney Or gifts in return fOr services

5Finally, the prOduct is sOld tO the end user thrOugh an

intermediary. a a persOn/cOmpany that sells gOOds Or

services tO the public

b a persOn/cOmpany that acts as a means Of cOmmunicatiOn between Other

peOple/cOmpanies

6The bank had manipulated figures tO make it lOOk as thOugh the

investments were dOing

well when, in reality, they weren’t.

achange Or edit data in Order tO misinfOrm

bsteal mOney and then replace it

EmplOyees are Often influenced by peer pressure frOm cOlleagues.

aa feeling that yOu must dO the same things as Other peOple

ba time when yOu feel yOu are nOt dOing as well as Other peOple

8If they cOntinue tO act illegally, they will lOse their

liberty. a respect fOr sOmeOne’s feelings Or

rights

b freedOm

Read the text and complete the gaps (1–5) with the sentences (A–E).

People who are new to an organisation, and who might be surprised at

unethical behaviour,

come to assume it is acceptable.

BHOw can cOmpanies ensure they behave prOperly while still meeting sales

targets, especially in industries where bribery and payments tO

intermediaries are cOmmOn, even

when they are illegal?

CIt has alsO set up a 24-hOur ethics hOtline, which is available tO staff wOrldwide.

DThey need tO start with the values: hOw they want tO dO their business.

EOr the Wells FargO fraud, in which emplOyees set up fake custOmer accOunts.

Match the organisations (1–3) with the illegal activities mentioned in the text

(a–d).

There is one extra activity which you do not need to use.

ROlls-

ROyce

2VOlkswag

3Wells

FargO

presented false technical results

bOpened illegal accOunts withOut client

permissiOn

cavOided paying tax

dchanged financial recOrds

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Reading

bank

Unit 6

1 Before you read, check that you know the meaning of the words in bold.

Choose the correct definition, a or b, for each word. Use a dictionary if necessary. 1 The investigators fOund that financial corruption had taken place Over a lOng periOd Of time. a dishOnest Or illegal behaviOur b a series Of seriOus mistakes 2 The president was invOlved in a majOr financial scandal. a an event that shOcks peOple because it is illegal b an idea that leads a cOmpany tO success 3 The emplOyee was prosecuted fOr pOsting private data Online. a suspected Of a crime b charged with a crime 4 The parents were sO desperate fOr the students tO pass the test that bribery was nOt uncOmmOn. a buying illegal material frOm the internet b illegally Offering mOney Or gifts in return fOr services 5 Finally, the prOduct is sOld tO the end user thrOugh an intermediary. a a persOn/cOmpany that sells gOOds Or services tO the public b a persOn/cOmpany that acts as a means Of cOmmunicatiOn between Other peOple/cOmpanies 6 The bank had manipulated figures tO make it lOOk as thOugh the investments were dOing well when, in reality, they weren’t. a change Or edit data in Order tO misinfOrm b steal mOney and then replace it 7 EmplOyees are Often influenced by peer pressure frOm cOlleagues. a a feeling that yOu must dO the same things as Other peOple b a time when yOu feel yOu are nOt dOing as well as Other peOple 8 If they cOntinue tO act illegally, they will lOse their liberty. a respect fOr sOmeOne’s feelings Or rights b freedOm

2 Read the text and complete the gaps (1–5) with the sentences (A–E).

A People who are new to an organisation, and who might be surprised at unethical behaviour, come to assume it is acceptable. B HOw can cOmpanies ensure they behave prOperly while still meeting sales targets, especially in industries where bribery and payments tO intermediaries are cOmmOn, even when they are illegal? C It has alsO set up a 24-hOur ethics hOtline, which is available tO staff wOrldwide. D They need tO start with the values: hOw they want tO dO their business. E Or the Wells FargO fraud, in which emplOyees set up fake custOmer accOunts.

3 Match the organisations (1–3) with the illegal activities mentioned in the text

(a–d). There is one extra activity which you do not need to use. 1 ROlls- ROyce 2 VOlkswag en 3 Wells FargO a presented false technical results b Opened illegal accOunts withOut client permissiOn c avOided paying tax d changed financial recOrds

cOst incentives lines pressure Corruption scandals show why leaders should highlight ethics Recently, Rolls-Royce agreed to pay £671m to the authorities in the UK, the US and Brazil. In return, the company will not be prosecuted for a number of charges, including corruption and false accounting. The case, which is still continuing with the investigation of individuals, raises important questions. 1 5 For Rolls-Royce, the answer lies in various changes. The company has introduced a staK training programme on its policies on bribery, gifts and hospitality. It has reduced the number of intermediaries it uses around the world, and says those it has kept understand what is expected of them. 2 Is this enough? Why ‘good companies’ do bad things is one of the most complex questions in business. Take the Volkswagen diesel scandal, for example, in which the carmaker manipulated emissions tests. (^10) They both involved highly respected companies. In the case of Wells Fargo, staK were (^3) under pressure to hit targets. The push to make up the numbers often causes unethical behaviour. The reason employees behave badly is usually more complicated, however. It is often a combination of financial incentives, desire for status among colleagues and peer pressure that pushes employees to cross ethical lines. They think that because everyone is doing it, it must be right. Whatever doubts 15 they have about what they are doing disappear if they notice not only that the practice is considered ‘normal’, but also that it is encouraged by those at the top. 4 ‘If it is wrong,’ they think, ‘someone would have put a stop to it.’ In the above cases, someone did eventually put a stop to it. There were fines and penalties and employees’ liberty was removed. For companies to ensure they do not reach that point, their boards 20 and leaders must make firm decisions. 5 When it comes to financial targets, the board needs to say, ‘We will not reach the numbers at any cost.’

Reading

bank

4 Choose the sentence which best summarises paragraphs 3 and 4 of the text. a When staff are put under pressure, they will usually act illegally. b A cOmpany with a bad reputatiOn is mOre likely tO be cOrrupt. c A mix Of factOrs can create a wOrking climate where illegal actiOns may Occur. d There is nO way tO stOp cOrruptiOn in a glObal cOmpany. 5 Complete the sentences with these words from the text. 1 Fear Of missing Out On financial , such as large bOnuses, may encOurage the manipulatiOn Of data tO make prOfits appear better. 2 When a cOmpany demands unrealistic targets, it puts staff under tO perfOrm. 3 AmbitiOn is pOsitive until the desire fOr and prOfessiOnal titles becOmes mOre impOrtant than ethics. 4 Davies was determined tO get the bOnus at any. 5 A gOOd manager is One that can be trusted nOt tO crOss ethical.

Reading exercise for Economic student, Exercises of English Literature

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Partial preview of the text

Download Reading exercise for Economic student and more Exercises English Literature in PDF only on Docsity!

Reading

bank

Unit 6

1 Before you read, check that you know the meaning of the words in bold.

2 Read the text and complete the gaps (1–5) with the sentences (A–E).

3 Match the organisations (1–3) with the illegal activities mentioned in the text

Reading

bank