ALMA: Access to Language Methods for Increasing Migrants' Abilities to Start Their Own Business

alma: Access to Language Methods

ALMA: Access to Language Methods for Increasing Migrants’ Abilities to Start Their Own Business is a European cooperation project aimed at stimulating migrants to begin a new business, to inspire and provide them with practical guidelines in order to start and run a successful company within a new cultural and linguistic context.

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UNIT 2: PUT YOUR IDEA INTO ACTIO
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Read the dialogue

Dialogue

Layla: Nadine, do you want to see the premises I was thinking of renting for the shop? Actually, I've already seen the place, but I need to take some measurements and then I’ll decide, maybe you can help me!

Nadine: Yeah, all right, let's go!

(Shortly after)

Layla: Well, it's here, but the owner hasn't arrived yet. The place isn't very big, but it overlooks the street, and the area is highly frequented. It's the perfect place for an ethnic food store that reflects the traditions and cultures of the families in the area. There are no shops like this nearby, but many immigrant and English families live here.

Nadine: Good! How big is it?

Layla: 30 square meters

Nadine: What about the rent?

Layla: £1,300 per month, but negotiable.

Nadine: Hmm... It's not too much, but it's not cheap either. Have you thought carefully about all the expenses?

Layla: I'm still trying to figure out what they will be: the rent, the furniture, the goods, the paperwork, the accountant, the shop sign. Then I'm also going to do a course to improve my English... ah, here's the owner, good morning!

Owner: Good morning, sorry I'm late, please come in!

Layla: Thank you! So... here I can put the counter, and here the shelves.

Nadine: The ones we saw yesterday online, the beautiful wooden ones?

Layla: Yes, those ones!

Nadine: I'm not sure about the dimensions though...

Layla: Wait, I wrote them down, let's see... Excuse me, what is the width of this wall here?

Owner: From here to here? Let's see, it's 5 meters.

Layla: Hmm, it's good for the shelves. What do you think?

Nadine: The place is very nice, and also quite big. But there's some work to do...

Layla: You're right! I hadn't thought of that!

Nadine: You have to think about whether you can handle the expenses...

Layla: Yes! But I like the premises very much, I can already imagine my shop here! Perhaps we could bring the rent down a bit and take a month to do the work. I will pay a deposit right now. What do you think?

Owner: I can reduce the rent to £1,150 but cannot do anything more than that, I’m afraid.

Layla: This is great! Thank you!

Owner: The place is yours, and good luck with your business! What will the shop be called?

Layla: I'm still thinking, but I have lots of ideas: Taste of cultures, World Mezze or Feast

Owner: They're all beautiful! So good luck again and I'll talk to you later this week about the contract.

Vocabulary

Find the right word that is described in the table below:

highly frequented area
supplier
deposit
accountant
shop sign

 

An amount of money paid by the tenant to the owner when renting premises (residential or commercial) to secure the premises.

 

A specialist who keeps the books for a company (money received, paid, and owed).

 

A person who sells products made by other companies.

 

Plate made of plastic, metal or other materials, placed above the door of a store to indicate its name and attract customers.

 

A place one passes often.

True or False?
Read the below phrases carefully and indicate if they are true or false.

a) Layla wants to show Nadine the premises before she decides.

b) The floor area of the premises is 30 square meters

c) The rental price of the premises is £1,300, negotiable.

d) The premises are furnished with all the shelves that Layla needs for her business.

e) Layla knows the costs of renovating the premises.

f) Layla asks the owner to lower the rental price.

g) Layla's shop is called Tastes of Cultures.

Among the real estate listings you can find below, which one is the one put by the owner of the premises chosen by Layla?

Choose the correct form of the verb to complete the sentences that tell the story of Layla and Nadine's visit to the shop:

When Layla and Nadine ________________ in front of the store, the owner was note there.
Layla ______________ that the area where the shop is located is very suitable for her business.
Layla tries to figure out how much it ______________ to open the business.
The shelf dimensions that Layla ______________ were suitable for the store.
Layla ______________ of renovating the place when her friend reminded her about it.
Layla thinks about what name she should ________________ for her store.