Business Benchmark Pre-intermediate to Intermediate (1st edition)

Business Benchmark Pre-intermediate to Intermediate (1st edition) PDF,MP3 download

Business Benchmark Pre-Intermediate to Intermediate/Preliminary is crafted as an engaging and stimulating Business English course for pre-intermediate to intermediate students (Common European Framework level B1). It is ideal for individuals already working in business as well as pre-service students (those intending to enter the business world).

The course equips learners with essential practical skills in writing, reading, speaking, and listening, tailored for a business environment. It enhances students’ understanding of crucial business vocabulary and grammar through 24 concise units, each designed to be completed within a maximum of three hours of classroom time.

For those seeking a Business English qualification, the course thoroughly prepares students for the Business English Certificate (BEC) Preliminary level or the Business Language Testing Service (BULATS) test, including a complete exam provided by Cambridge ESOL.

What the course contains

The Student’s Book
The Student’s Book includes:

24 topic- or skills-based units that cover a broad range of key topics and skills necessary for modern business professionals. These units are grouped into ‘clusters’ of four, each addressing a major topic area.

Each unit features:

Discussion and role-play activities aimed at developing essential business speaking skills needed for meetings, conferences, and telephoning.
Step-by-step guidance on writing skills to help students craft emails, memos, faxes, letters, and reports.
Numerous authentic business articles from various well-known business publications, alongside examples of letters, reports, and proposals, all intended to strengthen critical business reading skills.
Specially designed listening materials featuring business professionals, aimed at boosting students’ listening proficiency and confidence.
Various vocabulary exercises to ensure students gain a robust business vocabulary applicable to most general business situations.
Grammar workshops and exercises designed to extend and review students’ understanding of English grammar within a business context at this level.

The units are also structured to provide students with the skills and training needed for the BEC Preliminary level or the BULATS test.

An exam skills and practice section that offers detailed advice on the content of the BEC Preliminary exam (BEC Preliminary Edition) or the BULATS test (BULATS Pre-Intermediate to Intermediate Edition), along with information on what each section tests and step-by-step strategies for tackling each question. This section includes exercises to teach exam skills and features a complete authentic BEC Preliminary exam (BEC Preliminary Edition) or the relevant parts of the BULATS test (BULATS Pre-Intermediate to Intermediate Edition) for students at this level, provided by Cambridge ESOL.
Answer keys to all exercises in the book, including sample answers for writing tasks to serve as reference models for students.
Transcripts for all listening materials.

Personal Study Book
The Personal Study Book contains:

24 units corresponding to the 24 units in the Student’s Book. These units include:
- Vocabulary revision and consolidation activities.
- Grammar revision and consolidation exercises.
- Additional reading and writing exercises.
- A word list of core business vocabulary and expressions found in the Student’s Book.

Recorded materials
The recorded materials for the Student’s Book are available on audio CD or cassette.

Teacher’s Resource Book
The Teacher’s Resource Book offers:

Information on how each unit’s activities relate to the BEC exam and the BULATS test.
Notes on each unit in the Student’s Book, with advice on handling activities and suggestions for alternative approaches to certain exercises.
A wealth of additional photocopiable activities, including further reading texts, discussion activities, role-plays, and exam-style exercises, designed to supplement and extend the work done in the Student’s Book units, providing a wider range of activities or a more in-depth exploration of specific business topics. These activities also include extra writing tasks, all presented with a step-by-step approach and sample answers for reference.
Answer keys to all exercises in the photocopiable activities.
Answer keys to all exercises and activities in the Student’s Book, including the Exam skills and Exam practice section.
Complete transcripts of the Student’s Book, with the correct answers to the listening exercises underlined.
Information on the Common European Framework and how this course aligns with it.

BULATS CD-ROM (BULATS Pre-Intermediate to Intermediate Edition)
The BULATS edition of Business Benchmark includes skills advice and exam practice for all parts of the BULATS test relevant to pre-intermediate to intermediate students. A complete BULATS test is provided on CD-ROM for students who wish to familiarize themselves with all parts of the computer-based test.

Business English Certificate (BEC) Preliminary level
BEC Preliminary assesses language ability within a business context at the Council of Europe’s Threshold Level (B1) for general language proficiency.

The Reading component includes seven tasks such as multiple choice, matching, right/wrong/doesn’t say, multiple-choice gap-filling, and form-filling. This component contributes 25% of the total marks.
The Writing component requires candidates to produce an internal communication (about 30-40 words) and a business communication (based on reading input, about 60-80 words). This component also contributes 25% of the total marks.
The Listening component includes four tasks such as multiple choice, gap-filling, and form-filling. Texts used include monologues and dialogues, such as interviews, discussions, telephone conversations, and messages. This component contributes 25% of the total marks.
The Speaking Test is conducted by two external examiners, with candidates tested in pairs or, in cases of an uneven number of candidates, in groups of three. During the test, each candidate responds to questions, gives a ‘mini-presentation’ lasting about one minute, participates in a collaborative task with another candidate, and engages in a discussion with the other candidate and the examiner. The Speaking component contributes 25% of the total marks.

A single, overall grade is awarded, based on the aggregate of marks gained across the four components.

Business Language Testing Service (BULATS) test
BULATS consists of several specially designed tests:

The Computer Test
The Standard Test
The Speaking Test
The Writing Test

Each test can be taken independently or in combination. All tests aim to be relevant to individuals using the language at work, covering topics such as job descriptions, company and product details, travel, management, marketing, customer service, planning, reports, phone messages, business correspondence, and presentations. The tasks in these tests are generally practical, such as taking a phone message, checking a letter, giving a presentation, understanding an article, or writing a report.

All the tests aim to assess candidates across the six levels of the ALTE Framework, meaning the same test is used for all candidates, regardless of level. (Levels 0-5 of the ALTE Framework correspond to the Council of Europe Framework levels A1-C2.) For more information on the Council of Europe Framework, see the Appendix on page 155.

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