1、BEC商务英语（中级）阅读模拟试卷 11及答案与解析 一、 PART ONE 0 How to approach Reading Test Part One In this part of the Reading Test you match seven statements with four short texts. First read each short text and then read the sentences to see which ones refer to the text. Make sure you read each text for overall meani
2、ng. Do not choose an answer just because you can see the same words in the text. Look at the sentences below and the information about mergers and takeovers involving four companies on the opposite page. Which company (A, B, C or D) does each sentence 1 - 7 refer to? For each sentence 1 - 7, mark on
3、e letter (A, B, C or D) on your Answer Sheet. You will need to use some of the letters more than once. A Tour operator Jarmin Travel is waiting for its chief executive and finance director to make the final decision before making a formal bid for rival HarmonAir. The two companies tried to merge fiv
4、e years ago, when the deal was blocked by the competition authorities. Since then the regulator has eased the criteria by which any merger would be judged. Competition lawyers say a tie-up would almost certainly be allowed this time, and industry analysts believe that both companies are eager for a
5、merger. B Bus operator Barkway has been hit by stiff competition and dwindling profitability. As a result the company has been forced to scrap its plans to expand overseas and instead will concentrate on growing its existing business. The continuing decline in the companys share price has led to spe
6、culation that it may fall prey to one of its rivals. This may well prove wrong), though, as Barkways founder and chief executive, Kerry Matthews, has persuaded the board to do everything in its power to resist a takeover. C Carolyn Swaine, the former chief executive of coffee shop chain Marshmonts,
7、is trying hard to raise capital for a bid for her old company. Swaine left last year after a series of disagreements over Marshmonts future direction, and several top managers are expected to leave if she succeeds in buying the chain. Although Marshmonts is profitable, it is too small to stay indepe
8、ndent for much longer, and even if Swaine takes control, the company will soon have to become part of a larger chain. D Keston, the respected maker of television programmes, has announced that it has agreed an outline deal to merge with Stardust TV. A year ago, with its profits plunging, Keston face
9、d a strong takeover bid by another of its competitors, but fought hard against it, and has since become more profitable. The company is now convinced, however, that its future success lies in being part of a larger organisation. Both Keston and Stardust have a reputation for producing striking telev
10、ision programmes, and a merger is likely to be beneficial, both creatively and financially. 1 This company has changed its attitude towards remaining independent. 2 If this company is taken over, changes are likely to take place in its senior management. 3 This company has renewedits efforts to comb
11、ine with a competitor. 4 This company wishes to remain independent. 5 An attempt to buy this company depends on whether enough money is made available. 6 This companys current lack of success means that a competitor may try to take it over 7 This company cannot survive on its own for much longer 二、
12、PART TWO 7 How to approach Reading Test Part Two In this part of the Reading Test you read a text with gaps in it, and choose the best sentence to fill each gap from a set of seven sentences. First read the text for the overall meaning, then go back and look for the best sentence for each gap. Make
13、sure the sentence fits both the meaning and the grammar of the text around the gap. Read the article on the opposite page about a club for company chairmen and women. Choose the best sentence from below to fill each of the gaps. For each gap 8 - 12, mark one letter (A - G) on your Answer Sheet. Do n
14、ot use any letter more than once. There is an example at the beginning, (0). A forum for chairmen and women to exchange ideas When Cadbury Schweppes was considering selling its food and health products businesses in the mid-1980s, Sir Adrian Cadbury, chairman at the time, called a board meeting and
15、told the directors not to make up their minds, but simply to talk about selling the businesses. (0) At that first meeting, everyone spoke up. Opinion was divided. The second meeting was different. We had a very large degree of agreement, Sir Adrian says. (8) . He had feared that attempting to deal w
16、ith the matter just in one meeting would inhibit open discussion. How to chair a company has been a long-time preoccupation of Sir Adrians. The committee he headed in the early 1990s - set up by the British government to investigate corporate governance - produced the Cadbury report. (9) . This was
17、just one of its many recommendations, which had a major impact on how companies are managed. Being chairman is a difficult job, Sir Adrian says. (10) . For that reason, he has helped set up the Chairmens Forum, a club of like- minded people who get together to exchange ideas and learn how to chair c
18、ompanies. As well as hosting dinners, addressed by major players in the business world, the forum has held seminars to discuss issues such as how to get the best out of the board and how to respond to a crisis. James Watson, head of the forums steering committee, believes the organisation should do
19、more to publicise its existence. One of the reasons is that he wants to attract a more diverse group of chairmen and women as the forum increases its size to the 100 members he regards as optimal. (11) . But all are UK-based and the vast majority are male. The forum wants to attract more women and m
20、ore non-British members to what it believes is the worlds only chairmens club. Most chairmen of the biggest UK companies have stayed away. (12) . Sir Adrian is more charitable: he believes chairmen of large groups do not have time for forum meetings. But he argues that one should not underestimate h
21、ow difficult the job is. Chairing any meeting is a challenge. And as Jane Kelly, the first woman to join the organisation; says, leading is often a solitary task. The higher up you move in any organisation, the lonelier you can be. At each level, the number of people you can talk to is smaller. Henc
22、e the value of a club like the Chairmens Forum. A Currently almost all of them head listed companies - although generally not the biggest - and some come from private companies and the public sector B Among other things, it came down in favour of companies separating the roles of chairman and chief
23、executive. C Many also regard the opportunity to test new thinking as a major benefit. D Some forum members suspect that many of those in powerful positions think they know it all already. E Dividing the decision-making process into parts, each with its own focus, achieved the desired outcome. F The
24、re are no clear guidelines. G His plan. was to hold another one at which the issue would be resolved. 三、 PART THREE 12 How to approach Reading Test Part Three In this part of the Reading Test you read a longer text and answer six questions. First read the questions. Try to get an idea of what the te
25、xt will be about. Then read the text quickly for general understanding. Then read the text and questions more carefully, choosing the best answer to each question. Do not choose an answer just because you can see the same words in the text. Read the article below about communication and the question
26、s on the opposite page. For each question 13 - 18, mark one letter (A, B, C or D) on your Answer Sheet for the answer you choose. How well do you communicate? In todays fast-paced work environment, communication can come low down on your list of priorities. If you cant remember the last time you spo
27、ke to some of your friends, how do you find time to brief thousands of employees on a regular basis? That said, internal communication plays an integral part in any healthy business strategy. If done well it ensures that staff are kept abreast of the visions and values of the company they work for;
28、if done badly it can lead to speculation and rumour. Jenny Davenport, a director of the change management and communications consultancy, People in Business, says ongoing dialogue with staff is a necessity. You must educate employees to understand your business if you want them to perform, she says.
29、 Unless you do, people will not trust you when times are bad. Communication is also about discussion rather than rhetoric. Flat communication devices- email, intranets, employee publications - have a part to play but must be mixed with more interactive methods involving face-to- face contact to enco
30、urage response. Remember that individuals are different and like to receive information in different ways, adds Davenport. As well as written communication via intranets or traditional employee magazines, team managers must talk to staff about how what they de affects the business. Twice a year, ens
31、ure employees come face to face with senior management- a conference is ideal. Khalid Aziz, chairman of communications consultancy The Aziz Corporatior), feels that company-wide conferences are an ideal way to interact with large numbers of staff. It is important to organise and plan correctly, he s
32、ays. Have a clear aim before you start and be careful not to pack too much in - facts that can be communicated via email, for example, are a waste of conference space. Ask for response but dont ask for questions - it always sounds like a threat, he adds. Get people to raise their hands if they agree
33、 with a certain statement about the company and then ask one person to elaborate. The intranet plays a big part in the communications strategy at One 2 One, says Nell Lovell, the companys director of communications. Our intranet touches everybody, he says. We have set up cybercafes for staff who don
34、t have PC access. One 2 Ones intranet carries news and general information and is supported by a monthly magazine mailed to homes, a weekly email update on matters of fact and webchats which staff are invited to join. Getting feedback from employees is the key to hi- fi company Richer Sounds communi
35、cations policy. Like other businesses, we run a suggestions scheme. The difference with ours is the way it works, says John Clayton, training and recruitment director. Our chairman Julian Richer reads every suggestion and we answer them all. Each proposal is rewarded with up to f25 cash - we find th
36、is is more motivational than a big prize to one employee once a year. 13 What point is made in the first paragraph? （ A） Pressures of work have a negative effect on social relationships. （ B） Poor communication can create an atmosphere of doubt. （ C） Keeping records of employees should be a high pri
37、ority. （ D） Communicating effectively can take up a lot of time. 14 According to the second paragraph, staff need to （ A） feel involved in communication processes, （ B） be supplied only with relevant information. （ C） feel that the company understands their needs. （ D） be given feedback on how well
38、they perform. 15 Davenport suggests organising company conferences because （ A） employees will be able to meet each other （ B） the role of team managers will be made clearer （ C） employees will have contact with senior managers. （ D） each staff member will receive the same information. 16 What recom
39、mendation does Khalid Aziz make about holding company conferences? （ A） Encourage questions about different aspects of the company. （ B） Use email to send information related to the conference. （ C） Explain the purpose of the conference at the beginning. （ D） Invite comments on how the company is vi
40、ewed. 17 Nell Lovell says that the intranet at One 2 One （ A） communicates more effectively than the magazine. （ B） is available to all members of staff. （ C） includes previously unobtainable information. （ D） is popular with all members of staff. 18 What does John Clayton say about suggestion schem
41、es? （ A） Suggestions can be about any aspect of a company. （ B） More companies should encourage suggestions from staff. （ C） Small prizes for suggestions can be effective. （ D） Staff should be told about each others suggestions. 四、 PART FOUR 18 Read the article below about public image. Choose the b
42、est word 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. Significane of the Public Image Public image denotes how a company is judged by its customers, suppliers, and stockholders (股东 ), by the f
43、inancial 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 employe
44、es, 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
45、holders, 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) it
46、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 highe
47、r 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 reputa
48、tion 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 programs use
49、d, 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 impossible （ 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） d
