1、BEC商务英语（中级）阅读模拟试卷 108及答案与解析 一、 PART ONE 0 Look at the statements below and the information about recruitment on the opposite page. Which recruitment (A, B, C or D) does each statement 1-7 refer to? For each statement 1-7, mark one letter (A, B, C or D) on your Answer Sheet. You will need to use some
2、 of these letters more than once. A Business Economist You will have excellent analytical skills and an ability to communicate effectively with non-economists both orally and in writing. You will be expected to use data from a variety of sources for model-building and other forms of economic analysi
3、s. You will also liaise with clients, play an active role in business development, and present the results of your analysis in an incisive and accessible form. B Economic Policy Manager At the very heart of our business, you will need to be a highly confident and credible business shaper in economic
4、s or a related discipline and preferably, have post graduate qualifications in economics, business or finance. You will also ideally have experience of regulatory issues and appreciate bow they fit in with the bigger picture. Thus, you will be a key player in the team, leading our regulatory agenda
5、both internally and externally, preparing government proposals, and using your excellent interpersonal communication and influencing skills to build strong links across our business and with external bodies. C Outstanding Young Economists We are seeking to recruit outstanding young economists to joi
6、n our team at our Dublin office. Candidates should have a brilliant academic record, ideally including a PhD in economics and two or more years post qualification experience. Ideal candidates will probably be in their mid to late twenties and will be focused on applying their exceptional economic sk
7、ills to commercial and policy issues. D Principal Economist Leading the European team from London and reporting to the Chief International Economist, the role focuses on producing top quality macroeconomic commentary & forecasts and country risk analysis. Excellent written and verbal communication s
8、kills are of paramount importance as the role involves liaising both with clients and the media. Experienced in modeling and forecasting, you will have an extensive knowledge of the European economies, with particular reference to structural change and policy. 1 Applicants of less than 30 years old
9、are likely to be successful. 2 People you are communicating with come from fields other than yours. 3 What you must do includes making reviews of general economic activities of the society. 4 You are expected to establish relationship with other organizations. 5 It requires that your reports should
10、be easy for users to understand. 6 It is preferred that you are familiar with economic regulations. 7 One of your jobs is to make a connection with people from the press. 二、 PART TWO 7 Read the article below about the history of IBM. Choose the best sentence from the opposite page to fill each of th
11、e gaps. For each gap 8-12, mark one letter (A-G) on your Answer Sheet. Do not use any letter more than once. IBM was established in the state of New York on June 15, 1911 as the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company. But its origins can be traced back to 1890, when the United States was experiencin
12、g waves of immigration. The U.S. Census Bureau knew its traditional methods of counting would not be adequate for measuring the population, so it sponsored a contest to find a more efficient means of tabulating census data. The winner was Herman Hollerith, whose Punch Card Tabulating Machine used an
13、 electric current to sense holes in punch cards and keep a running total of data. Capitalizing on his success, Hollerith formed the Tabulating Machine Co. in 1896. (8) The combined Computing-Tabulating-Recording Co., or C-T-R, manufactured and sold machinery ranging from commercial scales and indust
14、rial time recorders to meat and cheese slicers and, of course, tabulators and punch cards. Thomas J. Watson joined the company as general manager in 1914, when the diversified businesses of C-T-R proved difficult to manage. Watson boosted company spirit with employee sports teams, family outings and
15、 a company band. He preached a positive outlook, and his favorite slogan was “THANK“. (9) He understood that the success of the client translated into the success of his company, a belief that, years later, manifested itself in the popular saying, “Nobody was ever fired for buying from IBM.“ Within
16、11 months of joining C-T-R, Watson became its president. The company focused on providing large-scale, custom-built tabulating solutions for businesses, leaving the market for small office products to others. During Watsons first four years, revenues doubled to $ 2 million. He also expanded the comp
17、anys operations to Europe, South America, Asia and Australia. (10) During the Great Depression of the 1930s, IBM managed to grow while the rest of the U.S. economy struggled. Watson took care of his employees. (11) While most businesses had shut down, Watson kept his workers busy producing new machi
18、nes even while demand was slack. Thanks to the resulting large inventory of equipment, IBM was ready when the Social Security Act of 1935 brought the company a landmark government contract to maintain employment records for 26 million people. It was called “the biggest accounting operation of all ti
19、me, “ and it went so well that orders from other U.S. government departments quickly followed. IBMs size and success inspired numerous anti-trust actions. A 1952 suit by the Justice Department, settled four years later, forced IBM to sell its tabulating machines-at the time, IBM offered them only th
20、rough leases-in order to establish a competing, used-machine market. Another federal anti-trust suit dragged on for thirteen years until the Justice Department concluded it was “without merit“ and dropped it in 1982. (12) . A IBM was among the first corporations to provide group life insurance, surv
21、ivor benefits and paid vacations. B IBM is the most prominent casualty of the technology spending freeze, but others are suffering as well. C In 1911, Holleriths company was merged with two others, Computing Scale Co., of America and International Time Recording Co D But its origins can be traced ba
22、ck to 1890, when the United States was experiencing waves of immigration. E IBMs competitors filed 20 anti-trusts during the 1970s and none succeeded. F In 1924, to reflect C-T-Rs growing worldwide presence, its name was changed to International Business Machine Corp., or IBM. G Watson also stressed
23、 the importance of the customer, a lasting IBM principle. 三、 PART THREE 13 Read the article below from a leisure industry magazine and the questions. For each question 13-18, mark one letter (A. B, C or D) on your Answer Sheet for the answer you choose. Cruise Ship: Where to Go Passengers on cruise
24、ship holidays, as they are described on TV programs and films, usually appear to be both wealthy and elderly. Such people do not, however, accurately represent the 6.8m passengers who took this kind of holiday last year. Over the last few years the world cruise industry has concentrated on appealing
25、 to younger, less wealthy people, giving them an experience more like a floating disco than the traditional quiet holiday on a luxury ship. Even families with young children are no longer so rare on cruise ships. Partly as a result, the number of passengers taking a cruise has increased by an averag
26、e of 8.5% a year since 1990. Cruise Star is now the worlds largest cruise line. The other two major companies are Intersail and Seaways. Together these three carry nearly half the worlds cruise passengers and make almost all the industrys profits. For the 30 or so smaller firms, life is much tougher
27、. That is because sheer size brings so many benefits to the large firms. They can negotiate bulk discounts on supplies such as food and fuel, and even, if they order enough of them, on ships. A secondary disadvantage for the smaller operators is that they cannot spread overheads such as marketing as
28、 broadly. A significant part of the cost of sending people on a cruise happens before they go on board the ship. The three large companies between them spend more than $100m a year on TV advertising in America. They employ armies of salesmen. Delivering passengers to the ship is part of the package
29、deal and, once again, volume means savings: Cruise Star is the biggest single buyer of airline tickets in America. Cruise Star has ten ships, with four more on order for delivery by 1999. Intersail is building at a similar rate, hoping to expand todays fleet of ten ships to 14 by 1998. Seaways will
30、add three more ships to its present nine. The 30 ships on order throughout the industry will increase cruising capacity by 40% by 1998. Some analysts suspect that even the big companies will find it difficult to fill all those extra cabins. They make a comparison with the overcapacity in the airline
31、 market in the early 1990s, When aircraft ordered at a time of growth arrived during the recession. And they point out that, after steady growth, the American market was flat in 1995, with firms offering discounts up to 30% in order to fill cabins. The big firms reckon that this pessimism is overdon
32、e. This year has started well. But if the industrys outlook ends up being rougher than it hopes, many smaller firms will face a choice: go for specialized business, go out of business, or get taken over by a larger business. Already more than 40 small companies offer an increasing variety of cruises
33、, ranging from archaeological tours of the Black Sea to ecological cruises to the Galapagos Islands. This trend seems set to continue, although in fast-growing Asis, a few mid-sized firms may one day rise to challenge the top three. However, in more established markets, smaller firms are being squee
34、zed out. For instance, Gentle Waves, which has debts of $850m, has already been approached by Cruise Star, who wanted to buy a majority share of the company. The negotiations came to nothing, but analysts think they will revive if Gentle Waves problems go on. 13 The main benefit the large firms have
35、 is that they can _. （ A） run large marketing departments. （ B） sell their tickets more cheaply. （ C） afford better quality advertising. （ D） arrange to pay reduced prices. 14 Cruises are becoming more popular with passengers who _. （ A） want a quiet holiday. （ B） demand a high degree of luxury. （ C
36、） want a family holiday. （ D） can afford to pay top prices, 15 What are small firms doing in order to stay in business? _ （ A） amalgamating with bigger companies. （ B） moving their base to Asia. （ C） offering more specialized types of cruises. （ D） joining together to form new companies, 16 What pro
37、blem do analysts think cruise companies may have? _ （ A） They will be dependent on the airline business. （ B） They will not be able to sell enough tickets. （ C） They will have to face a recession. （ D） They will not be able to offer discounts. 17 Which would be the best title for this text? _ （ A） C
38、ruise Business in Trouble （ B） A Triangle of Cruise Companies （ C） Smaller is Better （ D） Size is Key to Success 18 Cruise Star didnt buy a share in Gentle Waves _ （ A） but they might do so in the future. （ B） because its debts were too big. （ C） but they think they should have done. （ D） because it
39、 was the wrong size. 四、 PART FOUR 18 GOODMAN RING Universal Movers Our ref: UM/2/A 21st August, 2010 Dear Mr. Chamberlin, Re: Business equipment removal Your enquiry letter of August 16th is acknowledged with thanks. I am writing to provide you with the quotation that you requested. In addition (19)
40、 this, I am including further details of our service. The price is based on the items that you mentioned in your letter and will, of course, (20) if you decide to add extra items or (21) some. We will move your equipment when it is most convenient for us so as to keep the cost as low as (22) .We wil
41、l try to combine your move with (23) of other clients who ask us to transport goods at around the same time. I am sure you will (24) that if we were to make a special trip just for your equipment the cost (25) be much higher. This means that (26) you requested a move on 23rd September, this precise
42、date may not be possible. However, we regularly transport goods (27) Singapore and Hong Kong, and we would (28) to be able to move your equipment within two or three days of your requested date. The (29) does not include packing. I understand that you (30) to carry out your own packing since (31) of
43、 your equipment is quite fragile. It is our sincere hope that these initial details meet with your (32) and ask that you do not hesitate to (33) us if you require any further advice. Yours sincerely, Chad Ring Transport Manager （ A） to （ B） with （ C） of （ D） by （ A） rise （ B） increase （ C） vary （ D）
44、 lower （ A） decrease （ B） prevent （ C） omit （ D） reduce （ A） realistic （ B） possible （ C） probable （ D） desired （ A） one （ B） which （ C） that （ D） those （ A） appreciate （ B） satisfy （ C） wish （ D） consider （ A） will （ B） would （ C） might （ D） could （ A） still （ B） even （ C） despite （ D） although （ A
45、） among （ B） beside （ C） between （ D） along （ A） forecast （ B） think （ C） choose （ D） expect （ A） guess （ B） value （ C） estimate （ D） judgment （ A） refer （ B） prefer （ C） infer （ D） transfer （ A） part （ B） section （ C） piece （ D） bit （ A） kindness （ B） approval （ C） permission （ D） allowance （ A） di
46、al （ B） connect （ C） reach （ D） contact 五、 PART FIVE 33 Read the article about choosing an agent. In most of the lines 34 45 there is one extra word. It is either grammatically incorrect or does not fit in with the sense of the text. Some lines, however, are correct. If a line is correct, write CORR
47、ECT on your Answer Sheet. If there is an extra word in the line, write the extra word in CAPITAL LETTERS on your Answer Sheet. Governments Role in Trade The government could either encourage or discourage certain industries, both domestic and foreign. In general, most government actions are to taken
48、 to 34. protect domestic industries and to restrict the activities and of foreign 35. industries in the host country. Government competition participation in 36. business activities varies widely. Many governments profitable own or 37. control key domestic industries such as on energy, communication
49、, and 38. transportation. As a percentage of gross national product, government 39. expenditures in 1989 range from 25% to 60% in most non-socialist countries. 40. A nation with a large government spending population in its gross national 41. product has a strong government role in economic consumer activities. 42. According to the theory of comparative advantage, free trade among all 43. nations increases of the total production and availability of goods in the world 44. market. Free maintain trade and international
