Listening

I. Explain the meaning of the following words:

privatisation, contract, portfolio, viable/afloat, speculate.

II. Listen to the recording about "Grown agents" company and agree/disagree with the following:

1. The Grown Agents' main function used to be trade with Britain's colonies.

2. The Grown Agents is a public corporation.

3. The Grown Agents used to manage the Brunei investment portfolio.

4. The Grown Agents earns about £4 million pa.

5. The government took over the Grown Agents in 1975.

6. The Grown Agents moved into investment management when they lost trade.

7. The Grown Agents supplies foreign governments with British goods which worth about £150 million.

8. Foreign governments like to deal with a private company and not a stateowned corporation.

9. Mr. Peter Graham has drawn up plans for reorganizing the Grown Agents.

10. Mr. Graham is selling the Grown Agents' London headquarters to bring their capital debt down to 10 million.

11. The Grown Agents will be completely privatised in 1986.

Speaking

Look at the charts and analyse them: