set for sth/a back-up plan

[Saneta]

http://www.english-test.net/toeic/listening/briefing_the_sales_staff_before_a_business_conference.html

1. a back-up plan = a reserve/spare/emergency plan?
2. set for the sales conference = to be ready for the sales conference?
3. the sales conference?
4. why is there no aticle before 'downtown'?:He has an apartment downtown.

thanks

[Beeesneees]

1 and 2 - yes
3. A meeting of a company's sales departments or the sales departments of a group of companies. A sales conference covers the upcoming season's stock, and marketing strategies are discussed.
4. Because 'down' provides direction, so the article is not used. It is not used with 'downtown' or 'uptown'.
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Cheers m' dears!

[Saneta]

A meeting of a company's sales department?

thanks

[Beeesneees]

Not in this case. If there were only one department they wouldn't need a conference.
I am assuming sales departments in different branches of one company.
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Cheers m' dears!

[Saneta]

shouldn't it be:
If there was only one department they wouldn't need a conference.

[Beeesneees]

If there were - conditional.
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[Saneta]

Do you want to say that in the II conditional we everywhere should use 'were' and not 'was' concerning 3rd person: one department?

[Beeesneees]

If I were...
If you were...
If he/she/it were...
If we were...
If they were...

in the conditional form
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