Listening comprehension 14 October 2025
Here is the listening comprehension in case you don't want to follow along on the slides.
Exercise 2.
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When it was started or founded and who its founder was
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Who runs the company: who its chief executive is
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What products it makes or what services it provides
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Its sale figures
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How many people work for it: how many employees it has
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Where its headquarters are: where it is based
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Where its factories or plants are located (if it’s a manufacturing company)
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How many branches or retail outlets (shops) it has (if it’s a retail organization)
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Whether it sells business-to-business, or whether it’s retail organization selling to consumers
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Whether it uses a franchising system, where retail outlets are managed by individual owners called franchises who have a share in the profits made by their franchise
You are going to hear short extracts about four companies, mentioning some of the points from above. Write the numbers of points mentioned next to the extract letter. The first one as been done for me.
A __3,4,6 __ B _________ C _________ D _________
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Exercise 3.
Smart Kitchens is a company that has just won the Australian Business of the Year Award. Jane Smart, founder and Chief Executive, talks about the company in a business program on the radio. Listen to the recording once, and pick the points below that are mentioned in the audio.
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When it was started or founded and who its founder was
-
Who runs the company: who its chief executive is
-
What products it makes or what services it provides
-
Its sale figures
-
How many people work for it: how many employees it has
-
Where its headquarters are: where it is based
-
Where its factories or plants are located (if it’s a manufacturing company)
-
How many branches or retail outlets (shops) it has (if it’s a retail organization)
-
Whether it sells business-to-business, or whether it’s retail organization selling to consumers
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Whether it uses a franchising system, where retail outlets are managed by individual owners called franchises who have a share in the profits made by their franchise
_____________________________________________________________________________
Exercise 4.
Multiple choice. Same audio as exercise 3.
1)Jane Smart started the company in _____.
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1973
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1975
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1979
2)She started the company in _____.
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Sydney
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Melbourne
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Perth
3)Getting finance to start the company was _____.
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Easy
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Difficult
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impossible
4)Her colleague Rebecca and Jim ____.
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Are still with the company
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Have left the company
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Have started another company
5)Smart Kitchens and its franchisees now have ____.
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7 showrooms and 300 employees
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20 showrooms and 500 employees
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30 showrooms and 600 employees
6) About how much of the company’s business is with people who have just moved?
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25%
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50%
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57%
7) In the early 1990s, Smart Kitchen has to ___
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Employ more staff
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Keep the same number of staff
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Get rid of staff
8)How many of its branches does Smart Kitchens own and run directly?
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5
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7
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10
9)What is the most important way in which the company can helps its franchises?
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Supplying materials
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Its computer system
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Advice on employing and training employees
10)In talking about how to succeed in setting up a business, what subjects does Jane Smart not talk about?
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Market research
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Employing the right people
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Having a good relationship with a bank
_____________________________________________________________________________
Exercise 5.
True or False?
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Rebecca deals mainly with new franchises
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Jim is an engineer by training.
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Sandra deals mainly with the showrooms that Smart Kitchens manage directly.
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Don works on designing kitchens.
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Anna has a lot of contact with franchisees.
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Douglas has been with the company a long time.