1、BEC商务英语（中级）阅读模拟试卷 29及答案与解析 一、 PART ONE 0 Look at the statements below and the company news reports on the opposite page. Which news report (A, B, C or D) does each statement 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 of the le
2、tters more than once. A. Walger, the bus maker, has entered into a joint venture with IMCO Bus Corporation to participate in coachbuilding operations in Mexico. The two companies have just announced the 70 million acquisition of Mexican Coachworks, the largest bus and coach builder in Mexico, with 2
3、,400 employees and three factories. Walger retains a 60% interest in the coachbuilding venture. Analysts have expressed surprise, given the current exchange rate. B. Jetline Airports has said that it spent 2.1 million on its failed attempt to dispose of its duty-free retail division. The chief execu
4、tive said the companys six-month search for a buyer ran up heavy consultancy expenses which left half-year pre-tax profits at 4.5 million. It also emerged that the Director of Finance received a 500,000 settlement when he left the company. C. GRD, the manufacturing giant, plans to cut 1,500 jobs at
5、its Portland factory over the next five years after union refusal to increase productivity. A company representative said that although they have invested more than 42 million in the new plant and improved technology, the trade unions are still unwilling to increase output. As a result, GRD have bee
6、n forced to downsize the Portland plant. D. Maybrooke, the Scottish department store, reported a fall in trading profits in the first half of the year from 545,000 to 462,000, on sales which were down two per cent. They blame the disappointing first half on the strength of the pound, which hit the c
7、ompanys tourist business, as well as an increase in traffic and parking problems in the city centre, and the growth of out-of-town shopping centres. 1 A strong currency has had a negative effect on the company. 2 The workforce has made it difficult for this company to become more efficient. 3 The us
8、e of specialists led to very high costs. 4 Increased competition has contributed to this companys difficulties. 5 This company has reached an agreement on a new project. 6 Part of this company was up for sale. 7 This company has expanded its manufacturing base. 二、 PART TWO 7 Read the advice below ab
9、out selling a business. Choose the best sentence from the opposite page to fill in each of the gaps. For each gap 8-12, mark one letter (A-G) on your Answer Sheet. Do not use any letter more than once. There is an example at the beginning (0). SELLING A BUSINESS If you plan to sell your business, be
10、 careful. There are an enormous number of traps awaiting the inexperienced seller. Before giving out any information about the business to any potential purchaser, make sure they have signed a confidentiality undertaking - that is, a document promising not to make confidential information public. Yo
11、u do not want a potential buyer using this confidential information either in the course of negotiations or after negotiatiations have broken down. Many confidentiality letters, however, have no legal value, so taking appropriate advice is recommended. You should also consider your strategy for info
12、rming your staff of the proposed sale. Most business owners want to keep the sale secret from their employees until the deal has been completed - or at least until negotiations are fairly advanced. (8) In addition, you will need to produce a considerable amount of information about the business and
13、its running; for this you will require the cooperation of senior management, who will therefore need to be informed of the sale. When corresponding with a potential purchaser mark everything Subject to Contract. Contracts can be made accidentally and you do not want to be committed until a formal co
14、ntract, including all of the relevant terms, has been negotiated and signed. To avoid this, many people negotiate a summary document which briefly sets out the main conditions of the sale. These documents can be useful because potential areas of dispute or disagreement can be seen in advance. (9) Do
15、 remember, however, that a summary rarely deals with all the points for discussion which are going to arise in the course of negotiations. Make sure all your paperwork is in order. (10) It is vital therefore that you ensure all insurance policies, bank statements, finance documents, and employment,
16、supplier and customer contracts are well ordered and up to date. This will save everyone a lot of time. In addition, make sure that all staff have up-to-date contracts of employment. An employer must, by law, issue statements of terms of employment to all employees within two months of their startin
17、g work. (11) Even if you fail to issue them the buyer will still expect you to be able to identify with certainty what the terms and conditions are. The absence of written contracts makes that much more difficult. You may also need the approval of people entirely external to the business for the sal
18、e to take place. (12) Getting such agreement generally takes time, so you will need to move quickly if a buyer wants it done before completing the deal. A. These protect both the employer and the employee, and mean that there is certainty about those terms and conditions. B. This is the extent to wh
19、ich you can profit from the investment you have made in your business. C. A buyer will want to see vast quantities of information and documentation on the business. D. The most frequent example of this is when significant pieces of machinery and equipment are subject to financing arrangements, and t
20、he consent of the financier is necessary. E. They should be short and simple, and full agreement should be negotiated with the buyer as soon as possible. F. This can be difficult, though, and if staff find out about the sale it can unsettle them. G. You do not want a potential buyer using this confi
21、dential information either in the course of negotiations or after negotiations have broken down. 三、 PART THREE 12 Read the article below about how to avoid working long hours and the questions on the opposite page, For each question 13-18, mark one letter (A, B, C or D) on your Answer Sheet, for the
22、 answer you choose. Morning, noon and night The long-hours culture at work Working an eight-hour day is a luxury for most professional people. Nowadays, the only way to guarantee an eight-hour working day is to have the kind of job where you clock on and off. Those professionals who have managed to
23、limit their hours to what was, 20 years ago, the average do not wish to identify themselves. I can quite easily achieve my work within a normal day, but I dont like to draw attention to it, says one sales manager. People looked at me when I left at 5 oclock. Now, I put paperwork in my bag. People as
24、sume Im doing extra hours at home. But more typical is Mark, who works as an account manager. He says, My contract says I work from 9 until 5 with extra hours as necessary. It sounds as if the extra hours are exceptional. In fact, my job would be enough not only for me, but also for someone else par
25、t-time. The idea of an eight-hour day makes me laugh! He says he has thought about going freelance but realises that this doesnt guarantee better working hours. Professor Cary Cooper, occupational psychologist at the University of Manchester, is the author of the annual Quality of Working Life surve
26、y. The most recent survey found that 77% of managers in Britain work more than their contracted hours, and that this is having a damaging effect on their health, relationships and productivity. Professor Cooper is critical of the long-hours culture. He says that while bosses believe long hours lead
27、to greater efficiency, there is no evidence to support this. In fact, the evidence shows that long hours make you iii. There are, he says, steps that can be taken. One is to accept that the in-tray will never be empty. There are always things to do. You just have to make the rule that on certain day
28、s you go home early. Prioritising work and doing essential tasks first helps, he says. He also thinks its time to criticise bad employers and unreasonable terms of employment. By all means, show commitment where necessary but when expectations are too high, people have to begin saying openly that th
29、ey have a life outside of work. Personal development coach Mo Shapiro agrees that communication is important. Staff need to talk to managers about the working practices within a company. Both parties should feel that the expectations are realistic and allow them to have responsibilities and interest
30、s outside work. She recognises, however, that in many organisations the response might well be, If you want more interests outside work, then find another job. She believes that senior staff have a duty to set an example. I recently worked for a firm of solicitors where the partners started at 7.30a
31、m. What kind of message is that to send to the staff? She believes there is no shame in working sensible hours - in fact quite the reverse. Some people might be in at 7.30 but will be doing very little. You can work really hard from 9 to 5 and achieve the same. If you find it difficult to achieve an
32、 eight-hour day, there is, as a last resort, the old trick of leaving your jacket on your chair and your computer switched on, even after you have left the building. 13 What does the writer say in the first paragraph about people who work an eight-hour day? （ A） They are reluctant to admit to this,
33、（ B） They are disliked by their colleagues. （ C） They are limited to certain professions. （ D） They often catch up on work in the evenings. 14 What does Mark say about his work7 （ A） His main concern is job security. （ B） Too much of his time at work is wasted. （ C） The terms of his contract are mis
34、leading. （ D） He objects to being given other peoples work. 15 What does Cary Cooper say about recent trends in the workplace? （ A） He believes that a long working day is counter-productive. （ B） He has doubts about the results of the Quality of Working Life survey. （ C） He says that employers shoul
35、d accept the link between working hours and safety. （ D） He argues that further research is needed into the relationship between work and health. 16 How does Cary Cooper think people should deal with the requirements of the workplace? （ A） Obtain help in negotiating terms of employment. （ B） Let peo
36、ple know when demands are unreasonable. （ C） Delegate the less important work to other staff. （ D） Accept that the modern workplace is a competitive place. 17 What does Mo Shapiro see as a problem for employees today? （ A） They lack the communication skills that modern business requires. （ B） Many e
37、mployers would not regard requests for shorter hours favourably. （ C） Most employers do not want to be responsible for the professional development of staff. （ D） They have difficulties adapting to the rapid changes occurring in working practices. 18 What does Mo Shapiro think about present working
38、hours? （ A） In many companies senior staff need to work a long day. （ B） The best staff are efficient enough to finish their work within eight hours. （ C） There are too many staff deceiving employers about their hours of work. （ D） Top executives should use their influence to change the long-hours c
39、ulture. 四、 PART FOUR 18 Read the text below about the start of a new business. Choose the best word to fill each gap, from A, B, C or D on the opposite page. For each question 19-33, mark one letter (A, B, C or D) on your Answer Sheet. In 1998, 25-year old John Stewart was found redundant. He was le
40、ft with a compensation (19) of 5,000 and a determination to be his own (20) As a supporter of his local football club, he had often helped them by maintaining and repairing their seating. He now (21) to set up his own company and make a (22) out of his hobby. His first (23) was to get 1,000 brochure
41、s printed, (24) the two main services which he could (25) repair and maintenance. He sent these brochures to amateur and professional football clubs, and other similar (26) such as hockey clubs. The week after completing the mailing was the worst of his life. He had no responses at all. Then a lette
42、r arrived from Scotland inviting him to give a (27) for a pre-season check of a football clubs seating. He arrived in Scotland in three hours; by the end of the afternoon he had signed the (28) to do the work. For 500 the club had its seating made good, and on arriving home three days later, John wo
43、rked (29) that he had made a 250 (30) The next four weeks were extremely busy, as club after club (31) John to work for them. He priced each job in the same way as the first, working out all the direct (32) then adding 100%. Money started to flow in and John bought a van and rented a factory unit on
44、 an industrial estate near his house. Then in late August the phones stopped (33) as the pre-season work dried up. John realised that he needed longer-term work and decided to move into the manufacture of seating for new sports stadiums and the replacement market. （ A） salary （ B） wage （ C） payment
45、（ D） amount （ A） boss （ B） worker （ C） businessman （ D） head （ A） accepted （ B） thought （ C） liked （ D） decided （ A） living （ B） practice （ C） labour （ D） task （ A） stage （ B） point （ C） movement （ D） step （ A） declaring （ B） expressing （ C） outlining （ D） designing （ A） do （ B） provide （ C） achieve
46、 （ D） succeed （ A） organisations （ B） situations （ C） activities （ D） sports （ A） bid （ B） tender （ C） valuation （ D） quotation （ A） charge （ B） terms （ C） invoice （ D） contract （ A） out （ B） up （ C） off （ D） over （ A） profit （ B） credit （ C） receipt （ D） reward （ A） agreed （ B） invited （ C） ordered
47、 （ D） offered （ A） figures （ B） bills （ C） costs （ D） prices （ A） sounding （ B） answering （ C） ringing （ D） calling 五、 PART FIVE 33 Read the text below about how consumers decide what to buy. In most of the lines (34-45) there is one extra word. It is either grammatically incorrect or does not fit i
48、n with the meaning of the text. Some lines, however, are correct. If a line is correct, write CORRECT on your Answer Sheet. If there is an extra word in the line, write the extra word in CAPITAL LETTERS on your Answer Sheet. Consumer Behaviour The consumer is the focus of all retail business and it
49、is important to appreciate how Consumers are influenced in their buying decisions. Most of consumers, before making a 34. purchase, gather information and evaluate with the alternatives, but the extent to which 35. they look for information depends on the type of purchase. For example, in the case of 36. routine grocery purchases most consumers respond to automatically. However, for 37. purchases where the risk of making the wrong decision is greater, like buying a new 38. car, so the search for information is mo
