bill/vendor

[Mitra584]

Dear to whom may it concern,
http://www.english-test.net/toeic/listening/how_often_do_we_bill_this_vendor.html
3). How often do we bill this vendor?
Bi-monthly. -- CORRECT
Send an invoice.
On the 15th.Would you please tell me what does 'bill' mean in this sentence? And also does vendor mean seller what kind of seller?
Regards
Mitra584
_________________
Peace&Love

[Torsten]

"Bill" is another word for 'invoice' is a vendor is a company that sells something.

TOEIC listening, photographs: Fast food in South America

[Mitra584]

Dear Torestan,
I cannot get the definition of this sentence. Would you please explain it to me?
Regards
Mitra584
_________________
Peace&Love

[Torsten]

It means 'How often does this vendor pay us?'

TOEIC listening, photographs: Hunting

[Yankee]

Hi Mitra,

The verb 'bill' basically means to 'send a bill (to someone)' or 'send a demand for payment'. In other words, if Company ABC 'bills a vendor', Company ABC sends the vendor a written statement of the amount of money that the vendor owes and must pay to Company ABC.

Now, I can understand very well why you may still be confused since it would seem much more logical for a vendor to send a bill to Company ABC (not the other way around, as it currently is in the test). After all, vendors sell things. Company ABC would refer to another company as a 'vendor' if Company ABC purchases goods or services from the other company. In other words, there is always the sense that a 'vendor' sells. And of course vendors will want to be paid. Thus, without any context that might indicate some sort of special vending or billing arrangement, the test sentence would make much more sense worded this way:

- How often does this vendor bill us?

OR

- How often are we billed by this vendor? (passive form of the sentence above)

In other words, the two sentences above would ask how often this vendor sends us a statement requesting/demanding payment from us.

I doubt my suggestion will result in a change in the test, however. Apparently, I have made far too many suggestions for improvement over the years and some of the powers-that-be seem to prefer not hearing about such things. And, of course, fixing the test sentence in this case would not just be a relatively simple change of some text; the recording would also need to be changed.
:-(
_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln

[Mitra584]

Dear Yankee,
Thank you very much indeed for your rich reply and also for taking your worth time.
With the best regard
Mitra584
P.S: Here some green tea, I hope you love it.


_________________
Peace&Love