新编剑桥商务英语（中级）Module_12

新编剑桥商务英语（中级）Module_12

Module 12

wordlist

case litigation court prosecute defense rights judge sue

lawyer trademark

expressions

Can you explain what you mean?

Could you...repeat that? / say that again?

Do you mind if I answer that at the end?

I can't really comment on...

I'd like to come back to that point later on if that's OK.

I just need to check with someone first.

I'm afraid I'm unable to answer it at the moment...

Let me get back to you on that.

Sorry, I didn't...hear you. / catch that.

Sorry, I didn't understand the question.

Sorry I don't follow you...

Thank you for asking that.

That's a good question.

Module 12.1 Business Law

A color problem

Listening

1) This first short discussion task leads into the topic of how

trademarks can be too similar and cause legal proceedings

between companies operating in the same area of business.

Discuss the problem as a class.

Answer

In this case both phone operators are using logos which use

the same color. One operator could argue that customers will therefore confuse the brand and that their competitor is making

use of their brand image.

Extension

12.1 Before students do exercise 2, you could play the

listening and students can compare their ideas in exercise 1 to

those described in the interview. Find out which of the answers

they gave are mentioned in the recording. This acts as a useful

listening for general information before the next exercise.

2) 12.1 Students need to read the journalist's notes before

they listen to the news programme and write in the missing

words. Answers

1 TV commercials

2 T-shirts

3 orange

4 petrol company

5 green

6 shape

7 business 8 colors

12.1 Listening script

P=Presenter R=Rene

P Business news now, and the telecoms firm Galacall has

announced it may be taking legal proceedings against the

newcomer and potential rival in the telecoms market, Frontline.

Frontline recently ran a series of TV commercials in which all its

sales staff wore distinctive purple T-shirts. Galacall, whose

trademark brand name appears in a similar shade of purple,

hasn't said it will sue Frontline yet but is considering its position.

Well, on the line to discuss this story is lawyer and legal expert in

trademark law, Rene Mackersmann for the London-based firm

Parkers and Mackersmann. R Good morning.

P So Rene, I was wondering how serious Galacall is about all

this? Surely they only have a case against a company which

infringes the trademark by using a similar name, don't they?

R Well, no. In fact there are a number of examples where

companies or brands have tried to prevent others from using

what they consider as trademark colors. Take the case of the

mobile phone company Orange trying to stop easyMobile using

the color orange. The easyGroup company had used orange on

all its previous ventures, but when it launched a rival mobile

phone brand, the operator Orange said easyMobile was breaking

the law by using its color in the same marketplace. Then there

was the oil company BP, whose logo is green and yellow. They

took out litigation against an Irish petrol company who tried to

paint its petrol stations green.

P So do you think you can use the same color as long as your

product is different?

R Absolutely. For example, the food manufacturer Heinz uses

turquoise on its cans but it couldn't stop someone from using the

same color on, say, bicycles.

P Can you tell me if there's anything else you can buy the

rights on?

R Oh sure. Trademarks mean firms have rights over anything

like color or shape.

P Shape as well?

R Absolutely. Take Toblerone. They have the rights on

triangular boxes for their chocolate.

P So back to Galacall and Frontline. I'd like to know what you

think the outcome will be if it ever gets to court. Who'll win?

R Well, I'm not the judge, but if the prosecution can prove the color will confuse customers and damage Galacall's business

then they might just win it.

P Rene Mackersmann of Parkers and Mackersmann, thank

you very much.

R You're welcome.

Legal terms

vocabulary

3) Students match the words to the definitions. They can

refer to the notes and listening script as well as using a dictionary.

Answers

1 I

2 A

3 F

4 G

5 B

6 E

7 H

8 J

9 C

Colorful cases

Reading

4) Two of the three articles provides students with more

background on two of the cases mentioned in the listening. The

other article is about quite a famous issue linked with the search

engine, Google.

Students match the statements to the case. When checking

answers. ask students to refer to the part of the text which gives

the answer.

Answers

1 C (the "premises" refers to the petrol station)