Match these words and phrases from the article (1-10) with their meanings (a-j).

1.	forecasting	a)	cause to dislike
2.	sell-outs	b)	not easy to find or obtain
3.	ration	c)	sourcing from a lot of different suppliers
4.	withhold	d)	predicting future demand
5.	run out (of)	e)	control the supply of something
6.	scarce	f)	when products have sold so well that there are none left
7.	alienate	g)	information given in advance about when something is happening
8.	must-have products	h)	use up all of something
9.	multi-sourcing	i)	products that everybody wants
10.	notice	j)	deliberately keep something back

Find five words from Exercise 1 used for talking about product shortages.

Organise the words from Exercise 1 into three groups: nouns, verbs and adjectives.

4. Which word in Exercise 1 has the same meaning as in short supply?

Complete these sentences using words from Exercise 1 .

1.	By creating the impression that ‘must-have’ products are _____, companies hope to increase interest and push up demand.
2.	When launching new products, there is a suspicion that companies like Apple deliberately _____ or even _____ stock as a way of stimulating demand.
3.	The risk of _____ _____ of stock is that customers will get frustrated and buy a competitor’s product.
4.	Product shortages can quickly result in empty shelves and complete _____-_____.
5.	Because sales were higher than expected, the new LX40 was _____ _____ _____ until production could be increased.

Find words in the article with the same meaning to replace the words in italic in these guidelines.

1.	It’s important that you are able to increase or reduce a production quickly b, so make sure you negotiate flexible contracts.
2.	When choosing suppliers, make sure they are able to increase a deliveries to meet sudden increases b in demand.
3.	Extending a your supply base is also a good idea. It will enable you to increase b production fast c in different locations and use components from different sources.

Think of at least two other.

1.	nouns for expressing the idea of an increase or decrease.
2.	verbs for expressing the idea of increasing or decreasing something.
3.	adverbs for describing the rate or speed of change.

Find adjectives in the article which mean the same as these words.

1.	correct (paragraph B)
2.	difficult (paragraph B)
3.	advanced (paragraph C)
4.	real (paragraph E)
5.	nearer (paragraph G)
6.	expensive (paragraph G)
7.	exact (paragraph I)
8.	shared (paragraph I)
9.	quick to react (paragraph J)
10.	unrestricted (paragraph J)

9. Find another noun in paragraph I which means forecasts.

Complete these sentences using the prepositions in the box.

at

by

from

in

in

of

on

to

to

up

with

1.	Forecasting demand correctly and getting products _____a the right place _____b the right time are challenges all companies face.
2.	Manufacturers need sophisticated forecasting tools to predict unexpected increases _____a demand, especially _____b the period _____ _____c Christmas.
3.	Make sure suppliers have the capacity to handle increased demand as part _____ normal service.
4.	Choose flexible suppliers, for example those who are able to increase deliveries _____a 25 per cent, _____b just a few week’s notice.
5.	Increase your supply base so that you buy components _____ different sources.
6.	Forecasting demand correctly depends _____ having the right forecasting tools.

Reading Comprehension.

Read the article and choose the best option to complete each statement.

1.	Forecasting demand is especially difficult for all products at Christmas / new products that become very popular.
2.	According to the write, shortages of ‘must-have’ products are common at Christmas because manufacturers underestimate demand / deliberately restrict stock to get interest.
3.	The writer doesn’t see / sees product shortages as a serious risk for companies.
4.	The best way for ensuring companies have the right stock levels to meet demand is more accurate forecasting / making their supply chains more flexible.

The article offers four main solutions for dealing with increases in demand. In what order are they mentioned?

a)	Better communication of information between everyone in the supply chain
b)	Supplier contracts with guarantees to increase production at short notice
c)	Increasing the number of suppliers
d)	More accurate forecasting for a better picture of demand for components