1、BEC商务英语（中级）阅读模拟试卷 105及答案与解析 一、 PART ONE 0 Marketing Principle A Brilliant marketers try to keep open and flexible, yet there is one unchanging maxim which they share: customers buy products to acquire benefits. Those few words hold the secret of many an innovative organisations success. It is a prin
2、ciple which can be applied to almost any product/market decision. The principle itself is almost deceptively simple, which is why some marketers pass it by. The successful marketing organisation will pay more than lip service to its meaning, because it represents the most basic yet most important pr
3、inciple of marketing. B Customers do not buy a product for the product itself. Customers buy clean floors, not floor polish. They buy security, not insurance policies, high performance engines (or status), not Ferraris; better lubrication, not industrial cutting oil. An innovative tool manufacturer
4、realised, through the course of its relationship with its customers, that a major problem on the production floor was the time lost in changing abrasive discs. With this in mind, the manufacturer has in the past few months been exerting himself to get the problem solved with the help of a group of t
5、echnicians. C The company invested a lot of time and money in seeking a solution, and invented a highly specialised system of binding grit to disc. The result was a new disc which had a longer life and could be removed and replaced faster than the old type. This gave the organisations customers the
6、benefit of more efficient production time and better value for money. The benefit in the example served a dual purpose: it gave the customer the advantage of time-saving and cost-effectiveness, and at the same time solved a traditional problem of changing discs. The problem in this case was a custom
7、er need which had to be satisfied. D The concept of customer benefits shows the importance of an organisation being orientated towards the customer, or market, rather than the product, An organisation, for example, manufacturing adding machines in a marketing environment which is moving towards calc
8、ulators will soon find itself and its product obsolete. It must consider what the benefits of its product are in this case computing sums accurately and quickly and make sure that it is providing that benefit better than any other organisation. If a more cost-effective method of computing comes alon
9、g, the customer will naturally be attracted to that product which incorporates those developments and can therefore provide increased benefits. 1 The principle benefits not only customers but also manufacturers. 2 The customers of the tool manufacturer were found working with discs in low efficiency
10、. 3 If the principle is established in practice, it will enhance the performance of the marketing organisation. 4 The marketing principle indicates that manufacturers should treat their customers as their first concern. 5 The tool manufacturer was innovative in the production of discs. 6 Changing di
11、scs was no longer time-consuming work which caused a big problem in customers work. 7 Not all marketers pay attention to the marketing principle. 二、 PART TWO 7 Read the article about corporation merger. Choose the best sentence to fill each of the blanks. For each blank 8 12 mark one letter (A G) on
12、 your Answer Sheet. Do not use any letter more than once. There is an example at the beginning Corporation Merger The most common kind of consolidation today is the merger. A merger occurs F With the deregulation of natural gas, the nations 20 interstate pipeline companies became fearful of cutthroa
13、t competition. Some felt that they could increase their efficiency and improve their market flexibility by merging. In 1985 Internorth of Omaha paid$ 2. 3 billion for Houston Natural Gas Corporation, (8) The system connected markets from coast to coast and raised sales to $ 10 billion. On occasion,
14、mergers have occurred between smaller companies in an industry dominated by a few giant firms. These smaller companies claim that(9) They maintain that such action increases competition instead of reducing it. The Antitrust Division of the Justice Department has not always agreed with them. Four maj
15、or waves of mergers have taken place in this country. The first started in 1887, just prior to the passage of the Sherman Antitrust Act, and ended in 1904. It involved such giants as United States Steel and Standard Oil trying to create monopolies in their industries. From the end of World War I unt
16、il the 1930s, large firms swallowed smaller firms to create oligopolies. The monopoly has no chance and the oligopoly little chance of succeeding today under present antitrust policy. The third major merger movement began in the 1960s, reached a peak in 1969, (10) Many of the acquisitions involved g
17、iant firms in one industry buying up large companies in totally unrelated industries. Such mergers are called conglomerate mergers. A classic example is Mobil Oil Corporations purchase of the huge retail chain Montgomery Ward & Company. Mergers in the last ten years were in the thousands. More impor
18、tant is the value of the transactions, which has risen sharply. The number of mergers and acquisitions apply(11) The petroleum industry had mergers and acquisitions valued at closed to$ 80 billion between 1981 and 1984. Other industries(12)were banking and finance, insurance, mining and mineral, and
19、 processed foods. A thereby gaining control of the worlds longest pipeline B and then gradually declined C experiencing large takeovers D resulting in combinations of small firms E only to those valued at $ 100 million or more F when two or more companies get together to form one company G they need
20、 to merge to become more efficient and effective 三、 PART THREE 12 Read the article below about marketing management. For questions 18 20, mark one letter (A, B, C, D) on your answer sheat for the ansuer you choose. Marketing Management Playboys principal distritution channel until 1979 was a network
21、 of approximately 450 nonproprietary retail outlets throughout the United States, many of which also sold other brands of mens premium shoes. Play boys shoes were sold wholesale to retailers at approximately 50 percent of the suggested retail price. Price increases usually were announced in February
22、 or August. The company did not offer its retail accounts quantity discounts. Because producing high-quality mens dress shoes demanded highly skilled labor and specialized facilities, Playboys entire product life had been manufactured at the companys facility in Lynn, Massachusetts, through our most
23、 of the companys history. As consumer preferences changed and fashion became more important in mens shoes during the 1970s, Playboy began contracting with outside manufacturers to produce casual shoes that matched Playboys quality and feature specifications yet could extend the brands franchise to a
24、 younger age group. Playboys executives labeled these styles “outside“ shoes, while those manufactured at the Lynn plant were called “inside“ shoes, in 1985, the average prices the retailer paid Playboy for pair of inside shoes was $52 and, for a pair of outside shoes, $34. Variable manufacturing co
25、sts per pair of inside shoes were $40. The average cost of a pair of outside shoes to Playboy was $28. Playboy sold approximately 160 inside shoe styles and 56 styles made by outside mahufacturers, Since there were 80 sizes to each style, Playboy total SKUs numbered around 17,280, and it carried an
26、inventory in stock of over 64,000 pairs, Both internal and external production schedules for each style were set in advance, based on sales projections. Playboy rarely did “makeup“ (styles not included in its regular product line, manufactured to the specification of a retailer) for a particular ret
27、ail account. Each of Playboys 16 salespeople was assigned a geographic territory and was responsible for retailer sales and service with the area. Salespeople also were expected to perform “previews“ at the beginning of fail and spring seasons as a method of increasing both consumer and trade sales,
28、 Previews consisted of a sales presentation at retail store, where the Playboy salesperson would display and explain the companys entire line to store customers. During the preview, the customer was offered a price promotion of $10 off any pair of Playboy shoes. The retailer was responsible for abso
29、rbing the cost of the promotion, while the cost of advertising placed to stimulate retail traffic during the preview was shared between Playboy and the retailer. The Playboy sales person would spend time with the retailers salespeople and customers describing the quality and comfort of Playboy shoes
30、. Company management believed that consumers were likely to “trade up“ to a higher-priced brand if they understood the features and benefits of premium shoes. The managers believed that retail sales people often missed sales opportunities by assuming that casually dressed customers would not buy exp
31、ensive high-quality shoes, and one of Playboys goals was to have retail salespeople try a pair of Playboy shoes on every customer. For some Playboy retail accounts, close to 30 percent of annual sales were made during the fall and spring previews. Playboy management tracked the sales of every shoe s
32、tyle. If sales of a particular style slowed, management might elect to replace only the middle sizes, ensuring that Playboy would end up with the most popular sizes of a style before the style was terminated or “closed out“. Established retail accounts had the option of purchasing close-outs at a 30
33、 percent discount from the regular wholesale price. A list of close-outs was sent to retail accounts twice each year. Retailers would often try to sell these styles at full retail price to increase their unit margins, then mark them down, as necessary. Close-outs accounted for unit sales of 5,500 to
34、 6,500 pairs of Playboy shoes per year 13 Playboys internal SKUs numbered _. （ A） 128,000 （ B） 4,480 （ C） 17,280 （ D） 68,000 14 the duty of the 16 salespeople sent by Playboy was to be _. （ A） retailer sales and service with the area （ B） retailer sales and service with the area and performing “prev
35、iew“ （ C） displaying and explaining the companys entire line to store customers （ D） absorbing the cost of the promotion 15 Which of the flolwing is NOT true? （ A） customers paid a higher price for a pair of shoes during the “preview“. （ B） The cost of advertising to excite retail trade during the “
36、preview“ wass paid for by both Playboy and the retailet. （ C） Consumers would possibly buy premium shoes if they know their features and benefits. （ D） The fall and spring previews benefit some Playboy retail accounts a lot. 16 Retailers sold the close-outs _. （ A） at a lower price than usual （ B） t
37、o poor consumers at full retail price （ C） at full retail price and never lower it （ D） at full retail price and then at a lower price when necessary 17 Before 1979 _. （ A） the 450 retail stores where Playboy shoes were sold were privately owned （ B） some of the 450 retail stores sold Playboy shoes
38、only （ C） the wholesale price of Playboy shoes was much higher than their retail price （ D） retailers would get discounts if they bought the shoes substantially 18 Why did Myrrayhill wanted to assure consumers of the quality of the shoes? （ A） Because Playboy wanted to assure consumers of the qualit
39、y of the shoes. （ B） Because producing high-quality shoes needed high skills. （ C） Because consumer preferences had changed and fashion became more important. （ D） because Playboy wanted to sell the shoes at a lower price. 四、 PART FOUR 19 Read the article below about public image. Choose the best wo
40、rd to fill each gap, from A, B, C or D. For each question 19 33, mark one letter (A, B, C or D) on your Answer Sheet. There is an example at the beginning. Significance of the Public Image Public image denotes how a company is judged by its customers, suppliers, and stockholders (股东 ), by the financ
41、ial community, by the communities in which it operates, and by the federal and local governments Public image is controllable (19)_ just as the product, price, place, and promotional efforts are. A firms public image (20)_ a vital role in the attractiveness of the firm and its products to employees,
42、 customers, (21)_ to such outsiders as stockholders, suppliers, creditors (债权人 ), government officials, as well as diverse special groups. With some things it is (22)_ to satisfy all the diverse publics: for example, a new highly automated (自动化的 ) plant may meet the approval of creditors and stock h
43、olders, but (23)_ will undoubtedly find resistance from employees who see (24)_ threatened. On the other hand, high quality products and service standards should bring almost complete approval, (25)_ low quality products and false claims would be widely looked down upon. A firms public image, (26)_
44、it is good, should be treasured and protected. It is a valuable asset that usually is built up over a long and satisfying relationship of a firm with its publics. If a firm has (27)_ a quality image, this is not easily countered or imitated by competitors. (28)_ an image may enable a firm to charge
45、higher prices, to woo the best distributors and dealers, to attract the best employees, to expect (29)_ favourable creditor relationships and lowest borrowing costs. It should also allow the firms stock to command a higher price-earning ratio than (30)_ firms in the same industry without such a good
46、 reputation and public image. (31)_ of factors affect the public image of a corporation. (32)_ include physical facilities, contacts of outsiders with company employees, product quality and dependability (可靠性 ), prices (33)_ competitors, customer service, the kind of advertising and the media and pr
47、ograms used, and the use of public relations and publicity. （ A） at considerable extent （ B） to considerable extent （ C） to considerate extent （ D） at considerate extent （ A） establishes （ B） plays （ C） makes （ D） obtains （ A） but （ B） however （ C） and （ D） as （ A） possible （ B） easy （ C） not imposs
48、ible （ D） impossible （ A） they （ B） some （ C） it （ D） we （ A） plant （ B） jobs （ C） machines （ D） themselves （ A） while （ B） when （ C） as （ D） and （ A） although （ B） if （ C） even if （ D） however （ A） been （ B） developed （ C） found （ D） learned （ A） With （ B） Such （ C） Like （ D） / （ A） a more （ B） mor
49、e （ C） most （ D） the most （ A） the other （ B） other （ C） others （ D） another （ A） A great deal （ B） Many （ C） A number （ D） An amount （ A） They （ B） It （ C） Some （ D） Most （ A） related to （ B） connected with （ C） relative to （ D） related with 五、 PART FIVE 33 Read the text below about supermarket checkouts. In most of the lines 41 52 there s one extra word. It is either grammatically incorrect or does not fit in with the meaning of the tex
