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Uncertainty about Business in the City (London) after Brexit. Business / Law (4 Registered Users)

  • enter negotiations – przystąpić do negocjacji
  • obtain authorization – uzyskać autoryzację/ pozwolenie/ licencję
  • provide services – świadczyć usługi

The British government entered negotiations confident of obtaining authorisation to provide services throughout the EU without the further approval of host-country regulators – for UK banks. But  EU has granted non-member passporting rights only when the country – Norway, for example – belonged to the European Economic Area.

  • set up – założyć
  • venture – przedsięwzięcie/ firma/ spółka

Otherwise, the organization:  US bank can provide it in Europe only by setting up a separately capitalised subsidiary.  A very expensive venture.

  • underestimate – niedoceniać/ overestimate- przeceniać
  • build on foundation – budować na fundamentach
  • with the advent of … – wraz z nadejściem …/ z powstaniem …
  • fibre-optic – światłowodowy
  • transactions flow – transakcje przepływają

To be sure, London’s strengths should not be underestimated. The City acquired its international financial position sometime in the 18th century. Over time, a rich ecosystem of support services – accountants, barristers, consultants, and others – grew up around the banks. Building on this foundation, London became the centre of the Eurodollar market. With the advent of computerised trading, it became home to the matching servers of Thomson Reuters and Electronic Broking Services, and a hub for the fibre-optic cables through which electronic transactions flow.

Link do krótkiego materiału BBC o przyszłości firm w Londynie: TUTAJ

Materiał językowy zainspirowany artykułem: ‘Anxiety running high about London’s future as a financial centre’. Link do pełnego artykułu: TUTAJ

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Is Bigger No Longer Better … ? Changes on the Legal Market. Law/ Technology (4 Registered Users)

  • a quiet shift – przeprowadzane po cichu zmiany/ spokojne przejście na …
  • work in a range of sectors – pracować w wielu branżach
  • expand – rozwijać/ poszerzać
  • in-house legal teams – własne zespoły prawników
  • at the expense of the private sector – kosztem prywatnego sektora

A quiet shift appears to be taking place in the legal sector. Large companies working in a range of sectors seem to be forming – or expanding – in-house legal teams at the expense of the private sector.

“Businesses have chosen to keep costs down by expanding the size of their teams,” explains Stuart Little, partner at private law firm Shoosmiths.

  • identify a second factor in the growth – wskazać/ identyfikować drugą przyczynę wzrostu
  • regulatory landscape – środowisko przepisów
  • whatever the industry – niezależnie od branży
  • valuable – cenny/ ceniony/ ważny

Karen Ngo, director, in-house at Thomson Reuters Legal, identifies a second factor in the growth: “There’s an increasingly complex regulatory landscape, whatever the industry. To have an in-house lawyer is to have a very valuable partner, and it adds real value to the good management of a business.”

  • tangible effect of work – wyczuwalny/ czytelny wynik pracy

For individuals making the switch, there are a number of incentives:

  1. better work-life balance
  2. shorter hours and more holiday
  3. improved salaries, especially for those lower down the chain
  4. the opportunity to see a tangible effect of your work.

“Lawyers want to shape a business. That’s one reason they move in-house rather than advise from afar,” says Ngo. As a result of this upheaval, private firms have to adapt. “The way [firms] give value is changing,” says Ngo. “There’s a whole range of options out there:

  • from specialists to boutique services
  • low-cost centres
  • range of fee arrangements. The old relationships are disappearing, because there’s the ability to pick and choose. It’s a buyer’s market, and that puts pressure on private firms to consider where their value is added and what distinguishes them from the competition.”

WATCH THE VIDEO: Ralph Baxter on Embracing the Change in Legal Service

  • reappraise – ponownie ocenić / ponownie zdefiniować
  • come up with the new approaches – przedstawić nowe propozycje

Shoosmiths’ solution has been to contact its key clients to: reappraise their needs and come up with new approaches to the business model.

Moduł językowy inspirowany artykułem ‘Are We Witnessing the Death of the Legal Firm?’, dostępnym na theguardian.com

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Facial Recognition Legal Challenge. Technology/ Law/Business (4 Registered Users)

For a start WATCH HERE HOW CHINA INTRODUCES FACIAL RECOGNITION SYSTEMS

  • look into … – szczegółowo analizować/ przyjrzeć się/ zająć się
  • pursue thoughtful government regulation – wprowadzić/ opracować przemyślane regulacje/ przepisy
  • given … – biorąc pod uwagę …

Microsoft has called for facial recognition technology to be regulated by government, with laws governing its acceptable uses. Microsoft president Brad Smith called for a congressional “expert commission” to look into regulating the technology in the US:

‘It seems especially important to pursue thoughtful government regulation of facial recognition technology, given its broad societal consequences and potential for abuse’.

Smith gave some specific examples:

  • government tracking everywhere you walked over the past month without your permission or knowledge,
  • a database of everyone who attended a political rally: violation of the guarantee of free speech,
  • the stores of shopping malls using facial recognition to share information with each other about where you browse and what product you buy, without asking you first.

 

  • absolved from …- zwolniony z …/ oczyszczony z …
  • unfairly target – niesprawiedliwie wymierzony/ skierowany przeciwko …

Smith also added that technological companies cannot be absolved from ethical responsibilities for their actions.In May, US civil liberties groups had called on Amazon to stop offering facial recognition services to governments, warning that the software could unfairly target immigrants and people of colour.

  • 0:15′ misuse of data- nieprawidłowe wykorzystanie danych
  • 0:46′ I don’t think the regulations have been that far behind in terms of … – nie sądzę aby regulacje były tak bardzo z tyłu w odniesieniu do …

WATCH HERE THE CNBC REPORT ON THE MICROSOFT PRESIDENT’S CALL

The language module has been based on the content of the article published on Saturday July 14  Microsoft calls for Facial Recognition Technology Rules ‘Given Potential for Abuse’. YOU CAN READ FULL TEXT HERE.

 

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The Magnetism of Tokyo. Business (4 Registered Users)

Beginners:

  • arrange – organizować/ ustalać

The travel office arranges boat trips for the visitors – Biuro podróży organizuje wycieczki łodzią dla turystów.

Intermediate:

  • remind of … – przypominać o …/ przywoływać na myśl …

The architecture of Tokyo reminds visitors of the times bygone – Architektura Tokio przypomina odwiedzającym czasy minione.

Advanced:

  • secluded – odosobniony

There are many beautiful and green places secluded from the hustle and bustle of the city life – Jest wiele pięknych i zielonych miejsc odosobnionych/ odciętych od zgiełku miasta.

Full text:

  • endless – nieskończony
  • remind – przypominać

Tokyo has magnetism, and it feels endless. Tokyo residents remind others there are more Michelin-stars there than in London and Paris. Meals don’t have to be expensive to be good. If you go to one of the sushi bars just before they close, they’ll usually load up the plate, as fishery laws mean there’s a time limit on how long it can be served for.

“Tokyo is a million cities”.

  • catwalk – wybieg (pokazy mody, dla modelek, etc.)
  • shrine- światynia

It seems that way. Harajuku on a Saturday is, essentially, a teenage catwalk with people in the latest fashions all around; but it’s only a 10-minute walk to the Meiji Jingu shrine, where there may be a traditional wedding with a bride in an incredible white kimono.

  • surprising – zaskakujący
  • secluded – odosobniony / seclusion – odosobnienie / samotność
  • solar power – energia słoneczna

Todoroki Ravine park is one of the Tokyo’s most beautiful sights but is easy to miss. It’s a surprisingly  green city full of secrets. The park is actually a green secluded  place. Rainbow bridge is illuminated by solar power and spectacular.

  • overwhelming – przygniatający / dominujący
  • fall over oneself – wyjść z siebie , w pozytywnych kontekstach: aby pomóc, wspierać
  • arrange – organizować

Visitors shouldn’t worry that Tokyo will be overwhelming, or you won’t understand anything if you don’t speak Japanese. Many signs are in English and people will fall over themselves to help you.  The official Go Tokyo website is handy for the essentials and has apps for exploring the city, including a subway journey planer. The website Tokyo Free Guide arranges free walking tours, too.

Watch Here the Beautiful Tokyo City Guide by Lonely Planet

Moduł językowy opracowany na podstawie artykułu: Tokyo is a Million Cities… and it’s full of Secrets’, opublikowanego na theguardian.com

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Air-Taxi Getting Financial Investment in the US. TECHNOLOGY / BUSINESS (4 Registered Users)

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Irregular Verbs: Legal Contexts. LAW (4 Registered Users)

  1. arise-arose-arisen (pojawić się/ powstać) When the new circumstances arose (gdy pojawiły się nowe okoliczności) the examination of the case became even more complicated.
  2. become-became-become (stać się/ zostać) Soon after the graduation he became a young partner at one of the most prestigeous agencies in the city (w jednej z najbardziej renomowanych kancelarii w mieście).
  3. bring-brought-brought (przynieść) The client brought 5 volumes of files (5 tomów akt) to the meeting.
  4. choose-chose-chosen (wybrać) The court verdict proved that the advocate chose the proper line of defense (właściwą linię obrony).
  5. build-built-built (zbudować) The partners gradually built the agency’s reputation over the years of operation on the nationwide market (w skali całego kraju).
  6. come-came-come (przyjść/ przyjechać + konteksty w związkach frazeologicznych) The client came to fortune when his parents passed away (odziedziczył fortunę gdy zmarli jego rodzice).
  7. draw-drew-drawn (wyciągnąć, np. wnioski) The conclusions that the lawers drew after examining the files were not positive to the client.
  8. fight-fought-fought (walczyć) The advocate fought for his client’s right.
  9. forbid-forbade-forbidden (zakazać) It is forbidden to disclose the confidential information (ujawniać poufne informacje).
  10. forsake-forsook-forsaken (porzucić) She forsook the family and was not entitled to any alimonies.
  11. grow-grew-grown (rosnąć + związki frazeologiczne) The case seemed to be boring at first but it slowly grew on the advocate (przekonał/ zainteresował/ “wciągnął” adwokata).
  12. hear-heard-heard (słyszeć, także przesłuchać) The witness was heard by the police just after the accident.
  13. hold-held-held (trzymać + związki frazeologiczne) The captain was held responisble for the sinking of the ship (został uznany winnym zatonięcia statku).
  14. lend-lent-lent (pożyczać komuś (!), borrow- czasownik regularny- od kogoś) The claimant lent the money to his neighbour and never received it back.
  15. ring-rang-rung (dzwonić/ telefonować) The client rang the office but there was nobody to pick up the phone.
  16. speak-spoke-spoken (mówić/ przemawiać) The advocate spoke for one hour during the final stage of the trial.
  17. steal-stole-stolen (kraść) The accountant was found guilty of stealing money from her clients’ banking accounts.
  18. quit-quit-quit (zrezygnować/ porzucić) When the lawyer lost another case the client quit his service.
  19. spread-spread-spread (rozpowszechniać) He was found guilty of spreading the rumor (rozpowszechnianie plotek).
  20. stick-stuck-stuck (także: utknąć) After being declared bankrupt he got stuck in a very difficult financial situation for years.
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Working Flex – New Vocabulary. Business (4 Registered Users)

The Guardian recently featured the text which is a great read on flexibility in business trends. And it also includes  a lot of up-to-date business vocabulary. 

  1. Take a look at the vocabulary and sentences.
  2. Enjoy the text in the link provided underneath.
  • shapeshift – zamienić / zmienić / dokonać przemiany
  • prerequisite – niezbędny / konieczny warunek

The  dramatic reinvention was just the start of what would be years of operating flexibly in response to seemingly constant crises. Agility has long been a business buzzword, but the ability to completely shapeshift in response to global and national events has now become a prerequisite for many small businesses.

  • canvas – tutaj: czasownik uzyskaj pełny obraz / dowiedz się 

Companies keen to roll out flexible working should start with an audit of what people’s working weeks really look like. “A lot of flexible working is given informally, so working out the full picture can take some time. Canvas people for their ideas and opinions – do they feel your flexible working policies work for them?

  • overhaul – gruntownie przejrzeć / zbadać / poddać analizie

She has had to overhaul what she offers, and her pricing structures, to attract people back to her studio.

  • nail down – ostatecznie coś ustalić / raz na zawsze
  • rigid structure –  sztywna / dokładnie określona struktura

Now is not the time to nail down a controlled and rigid structure of work that might not be suited either to the needs of a diverse workforce or to the next wave of change.

  • unsettling turbulence – nie dający spokoju brak stabilizacji/ niepokój

This turbulence has been difficult and unsettling, but it has also given us a once-in-a-generation chance to unpick the tensions we have faced in our relationship to work.

HERE read the whole article: From co-working spaces to hybrid working: where next for business flex?

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Privatisation in Saudi Arabia. BUSINESS IDIOMS (4 Registered Users)

Beginners:

  • trigger – wywołać/ uruchomić

Experts hope that the privatization plans will trigger social changes in the kingdom – Eksperci mają nadzieję, że plany prywatyzacyjne wywołają społeczne zmiany w królestwie.

Intermediate:

  • on the verge of implementation – na progu…/ tuż przed wprowadzeniem

Many ambitious projects are on the verge of implementation in all the country – Wiele ambitnych projektów jest tuż przed wprowadzeniem w życie.

Advanced:

  • pose lucrative investment opportunities – stanowić lukratywną szansę inwestycyjną

The privatization projects in Saudi Arabia pose lucrative investment opportunities according to many experts – Według wielu ekspertów projekty prywatyzacyjne w Arabii Saudyjskiej stanowią lukratywną szansę inwestycyjną.

Full text:

  • on the verge of implementation – na progu …/ tuż przed wprowadzeniem
  • flock in – licznie napływać/ tłoczyć się
  • virtually – tutaj: w istocie / w rzeczywistości / naprawdę
  • sell-off – wyprzedaż
  • trigger- wywołać / spowodować

The huge economic transformation is planned for Saudi Arabia, as the kingdom’s privatization plans are on the verge of implementation. Bankers, corporate lawyers, investors are flocking in   to the country and it’s hardly possible to get the seat in any airplane taking off from London or Paris to get there. Saudi Arabia intends to privatize virtually every sector of the economy, from oil, gas and water through transportation, education down to healthcare. The sell-off  is the foundation of the country’s agenda to be completed by the year 2030. The change has been triggered  by the decreasing oil and other natural resources prices.

  • prevent the budget gap from widening – zapobiec pogłębianiu się dziury budżetowej
  • thrive – rozkwitać / być w rozkwicie
  • knowledge-based sector – sektor gospodarki oparty na wiedzy
  • pose lucrative investment opportunities – stanowić lukratywną szansę inwestycyjną

The agenda assumes that the privatization will reestablish economic stability and prevent the budget gap from widening. According to the prognosis in 2030 the private sector will be thriving and the economy will rely on the knowledge-based sector and modern technologies rather than oil and other natural resources. Contrary to other countries, due to young demographics both healthcare and education pose lucrative investment opportunities. Many say that international investments in all sectors of economy will also revolutionise the country’s culture and religious backgrounds as well as social structure as many investors and employee will come from all over the world.

Watch HERE the film on privatization of Saudi Arabia Airports

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“pledge” w kontekstach. Law / Technology / Medicine (4 All Users)

‘France’s top fashion houses have pledged to stop underage models from featuring in catwalk shows and advertising campaigns’ Cytat jest tytułem artykułu zamieszczonego na the guardian.com 

Największe francuskie domy mody zobowiązały się zaprzestać wystawiania/ zatrudniania niepełnoletnich modelek podczas pokazów mody i realizacji kampanii reklamowych.

pledge to, czasownik: zobowiązać się do/ oświadczyć/ wyrazić gotowość jest powszechnie stosowany do określania ważnych, doniosłych wydarzeń.

Medycyna:

  • The young doctors pledge to provide treatment and assistance to the patients irrespective of their material status and age, race,religion – Młodzi lekarze zobowiązują się zapewnić leczenie i nieść pomoc pacjentom, niezależnie od ich statusu materialnego, wieku, rasy, wyznawanej religii.

Prawo:

  • The prosecutor pledged to run the investigation until the perpetrators of the crime are arrested – Prokurator zobowiązał się do prowadzenia śledzta do chwili zatrzymania sprawców przestępstwa.

Technologia:

  • The research team pledges to complete the work until the end of the year – Zespół badawczy zobowiązuje się do zakończenia prac przed końcem roku.

Fitness:

  • The coach pledged that the client would lose weight if he continued practising hard and regularly – Trener oświadczył, że klient schudnie jeśli będzie kontynuował ciężki, regularny trening.
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In Defense of Venice. Business / Law (4 Registered Users)

Beginners:

  • shallow – płytki

The waters of the Venice lagoon are very shallow – Wody weneckiej laguny są bardzo płytkie.

Intermediate:

  • exert pressure – wywierać nacisk

The environmentalists exerted a lot of pressure on the Venetian local government – Ekolodzy wywierali spory nacisk na samorząd wenecki.

Advanced:

  • voice concern – zgłaszać zastrzeżenia/ obawy/ uwagi

The tourism organizations voiced concerns that the big vessels entering the lagoon obstruct the view – Organizacje turystyczne zgłaszały zastrzeżenia, że wielkie jednostki wpływające do laguny niszczą widoki miasta.

Full text:

  • voice concerns – zgłaszać zastrzeżenia, obawy
  • shallow – płytki (zarówno o akwenie wodnym, jak i np. jakości argumentów)
  • vulnerable to … – delikatny / wrażliwy / podatny na …
  • obstruct – zasłaniać / niszczyć . przeszkadzać ; obstruction (rzeczownik)
  • statement – oświadczenie
  • exert pressure on … – wywierać wpływ na …

Gondolas and water this will no longer have to manouvre among the big cruise ships entering the Grand Canal, the decision has been taken by the Italian governmental committee.  Venetians and environmentalist voiced concerns  both about the damage to the historical sites, the shallow  and ecologically vulnerable lagoon and the obstruction of the view caused by the gigantic vessels. According to the decision the biggest vessels weighing 100 000 tonnes and more will be directed to the less attractive industrial port of Marghera. The mayor of Venice announced the decision in the official statement addressed both to the international community and Unesco which for years tried to exert some pressure . Numerous ports which are equally attractive but less popular are expected to follow. Some, like Giudecca, have already done so.

Watch the Film HERE

 

 

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