(For the idiomatic expressions, we have avoided word-for-word translation in favour of an equivalent expression, further from the original but closer to. By listening carefully and repeatedly, the listener will be able to sharpen his perception of the main differences in the sounds of vowels and consonants.HOW IS THE BOOK PRESENTED? Each of the fortY chapters comprises: a dialogue in French together with its translation in English. The recordings of the dialogues and the comprehension exercises bring out the differences of pronunciation. The business world is becoming a global village, divided only by time zones. We have also taken care, whenever it was possible, to place the dialogues in a European and international context. There are the immediate neighbours (Switzerland and Belgium), Quebec, across the Atlantic, and numerous countries in the Near and Middle East. Its purpose is to demonstrate that the language of business is not a strictly Franco-French area. FRENCH, THE FRENCH-SPEAKING WORLD AND EUROPE The choice of a multinational company, headquartered in a predominantly French-speakiilg country is not gratuitous. remember the translatio.n o.f wo.rds like "balance sheet" o.r "pro.fit and lo.ss acco.unt" when o.ne has grasped their meaning in o.ne's o.wn language.m 3. gain a sufficient degree o.f o.peratio.nal co.mmand required an understanding of business terminology in context. supply the learner with the necessary to.o.ls to. Indeed, we felt that o.ur o.bjective - to. to detract fro.m the o.verall co.mprehensio.n. the uninitiated, even if, at times, we have simplified them to. take the place o.f a management textbo.o.k, we have attempted to. life.A BOOK A BOUT LANGUAGE OR A BOUT BUSINESS?. The chapters which make up this bo.o.k are based o.n perfectly realistic discussio.ns which bring the sto.ry to. respo.nsibilities and which is being widened by the co.nstant develo.pment o.f co.ntinuing educatio.n. illustrate a third path which can lead to. plays an impo.rtant part in the ending to. There is a third character, Geo.rges, a senio.r executive who. achieve an authentic and co.herent presentatio.n o.f the language o.f business. The gradual integratio.n o.f o.ur hero.es, Anne and Frdric, in the corpo.rate wo.rld seemed to. equivalent in the wo.rld, and the university. yo.ung graduates, pro.ducts o.f different educatio.nal systems: a grande cole, which has no. this particular field by fo.llo.wing the career paths o.f two. introduce the vo.cabulary and expressio.ns belo.nging to. make this bo.o.k mo.re attractive, we have cho.sen to. tackle, with co.nfidence, the wo.rld o.f business from a French standpo.iilt. have already learnt the vocabulary and essential mechanisms o.f everyday language and wish to. FOREWORDThis bo.o.k is aimed at all tho.se who.