Questions 1-5 refer to the following letters  

12 April 2007

Employment Officer

Porter Investments

67 Waltham Ave, Boston, MA

 

Dear Mr. Wright,

I was extremely interested in your recent advertisement for an Assistant Accountant, which appeared in the March issue of Financial Times. I am confident that my educational background and work experience make me the ideal candidate for this position.

I graduated last year with high honors from Georgetown University, where I double majored in accounting and economics. My thesis, “The Economics of Investing”, received the highest grade in my class. While at University, I was also president of the Finance Club, and the Treasurer of the Student Council. In my junior year, I was responsible for organizing a fundraising event that collected 50 thousand dollars for the new gymnasium on campus.

Last summer, I was accepted for an internship position with Harvey Investments, a famous New York investment firm. During my two months at Harvey Investments, I managed over 20 corporate accounts and was responsible for approximately 1 million dollars in investment.

I have enclosed a detailed resume, along with two letters of recommendation, and my University transcript. I hope you will find my personality and work experience a good match for this position. Please feel free to contact me at 896 326 5478, if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Richard Bolt

 

 *******************

 

12 Frosty Rd

Boston, MA

 

Dear Mr. Bolt

 

I am sorry to inform you that the position you applied for has been filled. I want you to know, however, that I thought your resume and cover letter were extremely interesting. I think you would be excellent addition to our team here at Porter Investments. If you would like to pursue other employment opportunities with our company, please contact Martin Plaster, the Director of Finances. He might be able to tell you about some other positions that will be available in the future. He can be reached at 895 654 2315. Thank you for your interest in our company.

 

Sincerely,

Paul Wright

 

1. What did Richard Bolt achieve while at Georgetown University?

3. What news does Mr. Wright give Richard Bolt?

Questions 6-8 refer to the following information 

At a recent press conference, spokespersons for both Interlink and USnet announced that their long-standing rivalry would come to an end. The two Internet Service Providers (ISP) have made the decision to merge into one company, US Interlink.

Despite the ever-increasing number of households that log onto the Internet from home, both companies posted decreased profit margins during the last fiscal year. Industry analysts attribute the decline to the surprising success of smaller local service providers.

Once the merger is complete, US Interlink alone will provide Internet service to nearly 53% of all American households that currently subscribe to an ISP. The new company will be better able to focus on expanding its market share because completion will only come from smaller and newer firms. In fact, several smaller ISP companies have asked officials to look into anti-trust laws to keep the merger from happening.

 

6. What is being planned for USnet and Interlink?

7. Why is the change being made?

Questions 9-10 refer to the following article.

Stargate Group Enjoying Success

The May edition of Finance Now highlighted the success of Stargate Group. Its newest subsidiary has managed to have a significant increase in the area of financial investments, despite the decline in the stock market for the past three quarters. The subsidiary has also reported a remarkable 10% increase in earnings from the previous year. After other major business publications also made note of Stargate’s success, the company began issuing press releases on Monday. In the article, Stargate gives details about the subsidiary’s brief history, and also outlines its expansion plans, which include establishing an overseas branch within the next two years.

9. What is remarkable about Stargate’s success?