1、BEC商务英语（中级）阅读模拟试卷 1及答案与解析 一、 PART ONE 1 Look at the statements below and the views about improvement processes on the opposite page. Which company (A, B, C or D) does each sentence 1 - 7 refer to? For each sentence 1 - 7, mark one letter (A, B, C or D) on your Answer Sheet. You will need to use some
2、 of the letters more than once. A “Were ahead of our competitors in that every year we invite customers to headquarters to discuss their expectations for the next five years. In addition to customers, the meeting includes approximately 100 employees and suppliers. We parade our five-year plan, inclu
3、ding such things as service, quality and on-time delivery, and involve everyone in a feedback process. The outcome becomes part of our long-range strategic plan, which is communicated to every employee in the organisation - a process we call management by planning.“ B “The approach we find we need t
4、o take to increasing customer satisfaction is systemic. There isnt an easy way to do it. Everything is interconnected and builds. In order to delight customers, you need smooth manufacturing processes, which means you need an accurate warehouse, which in turn relies on a good manufacturing requireme
5、nts system and good suppliers. You cant accomplish one in isolation.“ C “As part of our improvement process, employees participate actively in raising customer satisfaction. They establish the areas in which they will be measured that translate into quality performance: things like, How quickly do y
6、ou respond to a call? or How effective are your dealings with the customer? Feedback is provided regularly to employees. They analyse the data to determine when additional instruction and support are needed, or when processes need to be re-worked or improved, or when our goals need to be changed. Th
7、ey are also encouraged to keep an eye on the competition and how they are doing. These data are used for planning purposes.“ D “Our senior managers are constantly pulling the competitions products apart to see what theyre doing. Theyve also done some benchmarking against our better competitors. Ther
8、e are a few good ones that make us run faster and harder. But, to be honest, in terms of new service initiatives, for example, weve had to look outside our industry to find what could be called best of breed. Weve milked our own industry.“ 1 Staff are invited to set the standards that are used to as
9、sess their productivity 2 Long-term aims are negotiated with people internal and external to the company 3 Staff contribute to the monitoring of competitors progress. 4 Different kinds of company need to be examined for ideas for innovation. 5 Staff decide on their own requirements for training. 6 I
10、mproving one aspect of the business affects other aspects. 7 All staff are informed of the companys future direction. 二、 PART TWO 8 Read the article about interview below. Choose the best sentence to fill in each of the gaps. For each gap 8-12, mark one letter (A-G) on your Answer Sheet. De not use
11、any letter more than once. There is an example at the beginning. Have a Successful Interview The aim of a job interview is to establish whether you are likely to do well in a particular job in a specific organization. This is not only a matter of having the necessary technical knowledge and skills.
12、You must also have the motivation, the ability to adapt to new ways of working and to a new work environment, and the personality to do the job and fit into a new team. The ability to cope with stress and get on with people is essential. These include getting on with people, oral and written communi
13、cation, team working, problem solving and good time management. Most people think that interviewers know what they are looking for and will recognise it when they see it. 【 8】 _ This applies to recruiters as much as anyone else. In fact, a former head of selection at one big firm used to say that “s
14、ome interviewers are so poor that they would do better to rely on chance.“ In companies which recognise this, various methods are used to try to find the right person. 【 9】 _ Research has shown that this approach is more reliable than the ordinary job interview, though not as effective as using pers
15、onality tests or assessment centres. In a structured interview the interviewer groups the qualities listed in the job specification under various headings. There are two well-established structures for this: the National Institute of Industrial Psychologys Seven-Point Plan and the Five-Fold Grading
16、System. Both these systems cover factors such as physical appearance, qualifications, general intelligence, motivation and previous experience. 【 10】 _ However, they should not give equal weight to each one. Some factors are more important in one job than an other. For example, physical appearance a
17、nd manner will be more important in a sales position than in a re searcher who works behind the scenes. It is also a fact that the impact the candidate makes in the first three or four minutes of an interview is of major importance. 【 11】 _ A decision not to hire is often made during those first few
18、 minutes. It is not always possible to tell whether structured interview techniques are being used if interviewers ask questions systematically, using some kind of checklist, and occasionally make a brief note, they probably are. On the other hand, if the interviewer goes through your application fo
19、rm to confirm what you have al ready said, or asks irrelevant questions, or jumps from one topic to another, the interview is unlikely to be structured. Before you attend any interview, look again at the job description and the personal specification. 【 12】 _ If you already have a mental list of the
20、 key points that you need to mention, you are unlikely to waste time giving irrelevant information or to omit important points in your favour. A. Study them closely and assess what your interviewer will be looking for. B. However, people are actually not very good at assessing one another. C. establ
21、ish whether you are likely to do well in a particular job in a specific organization. D. Although a favourable impression may be reversed later in the interview, a negative impression is rarely changed. E. The most common is the structured interview. F. The effectiveness of the interviewer can be im
22、proved by training. G. For each of these areas the interviewers score candidates against how well they fit the job specification. 三、 PART THREE 13 Read the article below about a fast-food chain and the questions on the opposite page. For each question 13- 18, mark one letter (A, B, C or D) on your A
23、nswer Sheet for the answer you choose. Turning around a fast-food chain Sparrow is a well-established fast-food chain, with 200 restaurants run by franchisees, and almost as many company-owned ones. Some years ago, the group to which Sparrow belonged was taken over by another company, which owned a
24、variety of retail businesses. Although demand for a Sparrow franchise showed no sign of declining, overall the chain was in an unhealthy state. Its properties, the majority of them in small towns, needed refurbishment to stand comparison with its competitors. With more and more fast-food concepts re
25、aching the marker, the distinctive Sparrow menu had to struggle for attention. And to make matters worse, its new owners had bought it as one of a number of companies, and had no plans to give it the investment it required. Sparrow stagnated for another two years, until a new chief executive, Carl P
26、earson, decided to build up its market share. He commissioned a survey, which showed that consumers who already used Sparrow restaurants were overwhelmingly positive about the chain, while customers of other fast-food chains, particularly those selling pizzas or hamburgers, were reluctant to be temp
27、ted away from them. Sparrow had to develop a new promotional campaign - one that would enhance-the publics perceptions of the chain and set it apart from its competitors. Pearson faced a battle over the future of the Sparrow brand. The chains owner now favoured taking Sparrows outlets upmarket and r
28、ebranding them as Marcys restaurants, one of its other, better known brands. Pearson resisted, arguing for an advertising campaign designed to convince customers that visits to Sparrow restaurants were fun. Such an attempt to establish a positive relationship between a company and the general public
29、 was unusual for that time. Pearson strongly believed that numbers were the key to success, rather than customers spending power. His arguments won the day. The campaign itself broke some of the fast-food industrys advertising conventions. The television commercials played down traditional product s
30、hots - most of its competitors advertisements had mouth- watering shots of food - and focused instead on entertainment and humour. The usual jingles gave way to spots featuring original songs performed by a variety of stars. Instead of trying to show the superiority of a specific product, the intent
31、ion was to position Sparrow in the hearts of potential customers. Pearson hired two advertising agencies to handle this campaign, and spent a considerable time with them, discussing and developing the brief he had outlined. Once that had been agreed in detail, he left them m get on with their work.
32、Instead of dividing responsibilities, as would normally happen when two agencies collaborate, they decided to develop a team concept, with both having equal opportunities for creative input. Pearson also made other decisions which he believed would contribute to the new Sparrow image. He laid off 40
33、0 employees in the headquarters and company field offices, and reduced the management hierarchy. He insisted on uniformity of standards in all restaurants, and warned franchisees that if they ran untidy, unprofitable restaurants, Sparrow would dose them, or if necessary, buy them. In addition Sparro
34、w offered to lower the rent of any franchisees who achieved a certain increase in their turnover. These efforts paid off, and Sparrow soon became one of the most successful fast-food chains in the regions where it operates. 13 According to the first paragraph, what problem did Sparrow face when it w
35、as taken over? （ A） Its new owners were uninterested in spending money on it. （ B） Its products were too similar to those of its competitors. （ C） It received few applications from potential franchisees. （ D） It had a number of restaurants which were poorly situated. 14 The survey commissioned by Ca
36、rl Pearson showed that （ A） Sparrows existing customers were dissatisfied. （ B） the type of food that Sparrow offered was losing popularity. （ C） people were unwilling to change to Sparrow restaurants. （ D） Sparrows name was not well known to the general public. 15 According to the third paragraph,
37、what was Pearsons plan for Sparrow? （ A） to attract consumers who had more money to spend （ B） to associate it with a certain type of experience （ C） to make it part of another, more famous brand （ D） to make its restaurants more attractive and up-to-date 16 How were Sparrows TV advertisements diffe
38、rent from those of other fast-food businesses? （ A） They used celebrities to present the products. （ B） There was very little use of music. （ C） They compared the company with its competitors. （ D） There were very few product shots. 17 How was the advertising campaign handled? （ A） The agencies work
39、ed together as one unit. （ B） Pearson kept a close eye on the agencies work （ C） The agencies focused on different parts of the campaign. （ D） Pearson wrote a full brief before contacting the agencies. 18 According to the sixth paragraph, Pearson decided to （ A） reduce staffing levels in the restaur
40、ants. （ B） offer financial incentives to new franchisees. （ C） turn all the restaurants into company-owned outlets. （ D） ensure that all the restaurants were of the same quality. 四、 PART FOUR 19 Read the article on the opposite page about an experiment to help managers improve their work life balanc
41、e. Choose the best word to fill each gap from A, B, C or D below. For each question 19 - 33, mark one letter (A, B, C or D) on your Answer Sheet. There is an example at the beginning (0). GETTING THE BALANCE RIGHT Leaving work on time may not sound like much of a (0)_ However, in an experiment by gl
42、ass manufacturers Dartington Crystal, it (19)_ surprisingly difficult. Four managers, who all worked very long hours, took (20)_ in a simple experiment: they agreed to (21)_ to their set hours for a week, with no coming in early, leaving late or taking work home. The aim of the exercise was to (22)_
43、 the balance between the managers work and home lives. It was a way to get everyone thinking about their working hours and how to (23)_ them, Robin Ritchie, the companys managing director, was very aware that his company was (24) _ on the experiment at its busiest time of the year. They were also ju
44、st days away from a big product (25)_ So not surprisingly, perhaps, it soon became clear that it wasnt going to be easy: even on the first day, director of design Simon Moore took home a design problem to (26)_ as he couldnt relax until he had dealt with it. As the week progressed, the four people i
45、nvolved found it hard to (27)_ with the pressure of leaving work undone. They felt they were (28)_ people down, and worried about the effect on the business. (29)_ crises made it more and more difficult to go home on time. Changing working habits wasnt easy. (30)_ they saw the experiment through to
46、the end. There was some (31)_ up to do the following week, but the company did not appear to have suffered. Significantly, too, the experiment made the managers reappraise their (32)_ to staying late and start prioritising tasks. All in all, they felt the experiment was of (33)_ benefit, and that it
47、 helped them to create a better balance in their lives. （ A） displayed （ B） showed （ C） proved （ D） demonstrated （ A） control （ B） part （ C） effect （ D） place （ A） keep （ B） stay （ C） remain （ D） stand （ A） improve （ B） promote （ C） upgrade （ D） reform （ A） diminish （ B） reduce （ C） drop （ D） lessen
48、 （ A） commencing （ B） initiating （ C） originating （ D） embarking （ A） opening （ B） beginning （ C） outset （ D） launch （ A） clear out （ B） work up （ C） sort out （ D） think up （ A） tackle （ B） cope （ C） manage （ D） handle （ A） letting （ B） putting （ C） setting （ D） cutting （ A） Rapid （ B） Hasty （ C） Su
49、dden （ D） Instant （ A） Conversely （ B） In addition （ C） Nevertheless （ D） After all （ A） catching （ B） running （ C） taking （ D） coming （ A） viewpoint （ B） attitude （ C） feeling （ D） opinion （ A） constant （ B） persisting （ C） stable （ D） lasting 五、 PART FIVE 34 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
