Graph 1
Sm	
.5	
.4 'j	
• ■5 .2	
.1	-
1.0	-
.9	
.«	
.7	
,6	■
• .4	—
,3	
.2	-
.1 0	
Language knowledge
JOANNA BROOK US
'Production flattened out around (he 4S0,0(W mark for four yean and then, more wonyingly, dropped to 460,000 hut year.'
1 You arc going to hear b'ranccsca Rocca, b'inance Director of Marvotto, talking about turnover figures. As you listen, write the information she presents on Graph 1 below. Check your version with the key on page 62.
2 Complete this description with information from Graph 2 below. Check your answers in the key on page 62.
I'd like to draw your attention to some key figures. On this graph, 1 have
-----......-both profitability and turnover. The
—....................--line represents turnover and the c .....____
one represents profits over the last ten years. As you can see, ten years ago our turnover stood at £550,000. Over the next five years it
-.....--.......----steadily. It reached a peak of £750,000 five years ago
and, unfortunately, since then it has ?. _____ . It now stands
back at £550,000.
Let's look at the profit figures for a minute. During the same period,
profits f.      .----There was a slight 5__......________
in 1993, but otherwise we have !l_____......__. ... our profitability
throughout this period.
Graph 2
$,000
. 75<M
500 -
250 -
—I  I ! I I I I I I  I 1-
5 years Now +5 years
(750)
(Sbo)
(550)
Key
Key
—_j-
-10 y^Hfs
— - 1urnov«r
-]-~-1—
-5 years Now
- profit
UNIT 1-IVE
'■ anguage focus Describing trends, charts, and graphs
Types of chart
segments J S0|ij
pic chart
line graph
bars
bar chart
columns
table
c
□
flowchart
organigram
Describing change
Upward movement to increase/rise/go up to grow/expand to rocket/boom
Ow sa les rose las t yea r.
To increase and to expand can also be used transitively: e.g. We increased sales.
We expanded our workforce.
To raise am only be used transitively: e.g. We raised our prices.
► Note
Transitive verbs can be used when we want to express an action which affects an object.
ACTION OBIECT
e.g. Wc raised our prices.
Inlransitivc verbs cannot be used to expressan action, only a result.
R E 5 U LT
e.g. Prices rose.
Downward movement to decrease/fall/drop/
decline/go down to contract to slump/collapse
Profits have fallen recently.
To decteaseand to drop can also be used transitively: e.g. We have decreased our costs. We will drop our prices.
To reduce und to cut can only be used transitively: e.g. We reduced Iiis salary. We had to cut 200jobs.
An end to movement to flatten out/level off
No change
to remain constant/stable to stay the same/at the same level
Sales have flattened out.
Sales have remained constant.
Three other verbs - to maintain, to hold and to keep-arc used transitively:
e.g. We plan to maintain our dividend (at the same level). We need to hold our costs down. We plan to keep our prices low.
Degree of change
dramatically/comiderably/significantly/moderalely/ slightly
Sales have fallen considerably.
Profits rose slightly.
Speed of change
rapidly Aj u ickly/suddcn ly/gradually/stead ily/slo wly
Absenteeism had dropped slowly.
Sales went up rapidly.
VISUAL ATI'S
33