1、BEC商务英语（高级）阅读模拟试卷 1及答案与解析 一、 PART ONE 0 Look at the statements below and at the five extracts from an article about the relationship between strategic alliances and organizational learning. Which article (A, B, C, D or E) does each statement 1 8 refer to? For each statement 1 8, mark one letter (A,
2、B, C, D or E) on your Answer Sheet. You will need to use some of these letters more than once. A All too often, many firms proceed into an alliance relationship without sufficiently planning and/or negotiating the key parameters of the relationship. Defining the legal framework of the alliance is on
3、ly the beginning of the kind of comprehensive planning that is needed to ensure a workable relationship. Successful alliance planning goes beyond the partners initial agreement on the choice of alliance vehicle (e. g. cross-licensing, technology development pact, joint venture, equity sharing). B Su
4、ccessful alliance planning not only includes the usual details of plant location, cost sharing, market share gains and other economic criteria, but also the approaches that facilitate creating new knowledge and other technological synergies. Senior management needs to communicate the alliances share
5、d goals with all key middle managers and technical staff to discuss ways to develop a win-win relationship. Senior management also needs to convey the message that close cooperation could unintentionally expose and leak the firms core competencies in ways that could ultimately damage the firms long-
6、term competitiveness. These same managers and technical staff need to know at the planning stage which technologies, competencies or proprietary processes should be protected from excessive demands from the partner. C Managers often herald the consummation of an alliance agreement as the final outco
7、me of intensive negotiations between the partners. For many types of strategic alliances (e. g. technology development pacts, joint ventures, consortia), however, the legal negotiations represent only the beginning of a long series of ongoing, continuous negotiations that actually take place once al
8、liance operations commence. The finer details of the alliances framework entail continuous negotiations with the partner. Even after both parties agree to the broad (and immediate) goals and objectives of the relationship, smooth accommodation of managers and practices from different partners is dir
9、ectly related to how well managers can negotiate the uncertainties and the complexities of day-to-day activities that cannot be pre-specified in a legal document. D Smooth implementation to facilitate learning requires all levels of management to work on developing “alliance protocols“ that enable c
10、areful knowledge creation and sharing among the partners. In their simplest form, alliance protocols represent the communication channels by which the alliances managers and technical staffs share technologies, skills and managerial acumen. Jointly developing and agreeing to these protocols early on
11、 is important to maintaining a balanced relationship, whereby neither partner feels that their contributions or opportunities to learn from the other are neglected or undervalued. Protocols are instrumental in setting up the mental “parameters“ that limit what partners can ask from one another in te
12、rms of what constitute proprietary vs. non-proprietary technologies or processes. Protocols provide an “invisible fence“ that defines the boundaries between cooperation and competition. E Strategic alliances can help firms transform their core businesses and activities by helping management secure a
13、ccess to new technologies, insights and skills that other firms may possess. Alliances enable firms to jointly develop new products and processes, the costs of which are often beyond the financial and human resources of any firm. Strategic alliances can also help firms divest themselves of non-core
14、business units or activities that are costly to retain. In non-core businesses, alliances can help reduce the cost of industry exit and corporate restructuring. 1 Senior management needs to pay much attention to its words and actions in communication. 2 Negotiation of alliance between partners is a
15、long and complex process. 3 Many firms stop at the first stage of successful alliance planning. 4 The extent to which an activity or business is considered core or non-core will play a significant role in how senior management will seek to use alliances in fostering learning. 5 A good beginning of a
16、 negotiation doesnt mean a good ending. 6 Strategic alliance may bring negative effects to firms if not properly managed. 7 Learning from allied firms is limited to some extent in order to maintain a balanced relationship. 8 All key parameters of an alliance relationship have to be planned comprehen
17、sively. 二、 PART TWO 8 Read this text taken from an article about the difference between internalization and globalization. Choose the best sentence to fill each of the gaps. For each gap 9 14, mark one letter (A H) on your Answer Sheet. Do not use any letter more than once. Internalization and Globa
18、lization One of the most important considerations in the implementation of strategy is the extent to which the organizations activities are spread across geographical regions. H Merchants traveled the known world to sell products manufactured in their home country and to return with products from ot
19、her countries. Initially, international business simply took the form of exporting and importing. (9) . Globalization, on the other hand, is more than simply internationalization. (10) . In order for a business to become global in its operations, we would usually expect a number of important charact
20、eristics to be in place. First, global organizations take advantage of the increasing trend towards a convergence of customer needs and wants across international borders. Second, global organizations compete in industries that are globalized. (11) Third, global organizations can and do locate their
21、 value-adding activities in those places in the world where the greatest competitive advantages can be made. (12) (13) . The mentality of home base, foreign interests that has been so prevalent among traditional multinational companies is eroded in the culture of global businesses. (14) . The develo
22、pment of an organizations global strategy, therefore, will be concerned with global competences, global marketing and global configuration and coordination of its value-adding activities. A This might mean, for example, shifting production to a low-cost region or moving design to a country with skil
23、led labor in the key skill cultural differences. B In some sectors, successful competition necessitates a presence in almost every part of the world in order to effectively compete in its global market. C Finally, global organizations are able to integrate and coordinate their international activiti
24、es between countries. D Finally, global organizations can cooperate with each other very well and can exchange their information in time. E They have learned to effectively manage and control the various parts of the business cross national borders and despite local area. F A large multinational com
25、pany is not necessarily a global business. G The term international describes any business that carries out some of its activities across national boundaries. H Some businesses are entirely domestically based, others operate in many countries and yet others in almost all the regions of the world. 三、
26、 PART THREE 14 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 text will be about. Then read the text for general understanding. Then read the text and questions more ca
27、refully, 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 on the opposite page about interim managers who work for companies on short assignments and the questions below. For each question 15 - 20, mark one lette
28、r (A, B, C or D) on your Answer Sheet for the answer you choose. John Tiernan has spent five years trouble-shooting as an interim manager, hired on short-term assignments by a variety of companies to sort out their problems. He has no desire to return to the certainties of a permanent position, beca
29、use now, whichever company he is working for, he is perpetually involved in a meaningful task thats critical to the business at that time. Though he admits that sorting out the aftermath of other peoples misjudgments can be frustrating. At first he found the gaps between jobs traumatic, but now he h
30、as got used to them, so when a job ends he simply books a holiday. Mr Tiernan is part of a relatively small pool of managers used by agency BIE. Whereas most suppliers of interim managers have large databases, which they tap into in order to match a managers qualifications and experience with a clie
31、nt companys requirements, BIE tries to develop a good understanding of its managers personalities and of hew they are likely to fit into a company through interviews and from feedback on their previous assignments. He is very happy with the way the agency treats him, though he admits that he has no
32、idea how this compares with other agencies. One advantage he finds of being one of a small number of managers is that they can get to know each other well, through the agencys social and professional development activities. Interim jobs are frequently highly pressured and can be uncomfortable. John
33、Tiernan was recently brought in to improve customer service at a division of Jarvis Porter Group, a printing and packaging company. Initial resistance from staff fairly soon melted away, but then Mr Tiernan realised that the divisions trading position was unsustainable, and it soon became clear that
34、 what was needed was a shutdown, not a rescue. Mr Tiernan managed the closure, in which about 250 jobs were lost. The secret is always to keep channels of communication open. Making oneself known to the whole range of employees is useful, although it may net be enough to prove ones value to the comp
35、any. Keeping the companys Chief Executive informed is essential for the interim managers actions to be understood and accepted. Agencies, too, often like to keep track of what their managers are doing for their clients, though few have gone as far as W&S. This Dutch agency arranges .for its interims
36、 to be assisted by expert shadow managers back at base, who act as a sounding board for their ideas and actions. Client companies hire interim managers to deal with temporary situations, such as mergers or delays in filling senior posts. Although interim managers dont come cheap, inaction may be eve
37、n more costly, and if the company has established a good relationship with an agency, it can trust in the latters ability to supply someone suitable. The interim manager arrives without corporate baggage or vested interests, which may be an advantage in the effect they have on staff, but the potenti
38、al downside, which deters some companies from using them, is a fear that having only a short-term commitment to the company, they might net have its long-term interests at heart. Interim management providers defence is that the success of the system is precisely due to the reputation of managers suc
39、h as Mr Tiernan. But there are fears that the growing demand for interim managers is encouraging too many new agencies to be set up, and the absence of uniform practices is endangering quality and leading to an overall fall in standards. Whatever happens, though, it looks as though interim managers
40、are here to stay. 15 What does John Tiernan like about interim management? （ A） the opportunities to have extended holidays （ B） the chance to learn from other peoples mistakes （ C） the contact with a number of different companies （ D） the knowledge that the work he is doing is important 16 Concerni
41、ng the way that he gets jobs, John Tiernan believes that （ A） he would benefit from being on a computer database. （ B） the agency knows him well through personal contact. （ C） he would benefit from meeting more interim managers. （ D） the agency treats him better than other agencies would. 17 What di
42、d John Tiernan find about his assignment with Jarvis Porter Group? （ A） The task proved different from what he had been asked to do. （ B） The customer service staff did not co-operate with him. （ C） He thought it unnecessary to close the division down. （ D） Customer service was worse than he had exp
43、ected. 18 According to the writer, which type of communication is uncommon for interim managers? （ A） maintaining close contact with the companys Chief Executive （ B） getting to know people at all levels in the company （ C） receiving feedback from somebody outside the company （ D） sending regular re
44、ports to the agency about the work being done 19 What reason is given for some companies resistance to using interim managers? （ A） Interim managers may not be concerned about the companys future. （ B） It is difficult to justify the cost of an interim manager （ C） The company has to rely on the agen
45、cys choice of interim manager: （ D） Interim managers can lower the morale of staff. 20 What point is made about interim management in the last paragraph? （ A） There are too few agencies to meet the demand. （ B） There is inconsistency in what agencies deliver （ C） Too few companies are aware of the b
46、enefits. （ D） There are too few good interim managers. 四、 PART FOUR 20 How to approach Reading Test Part Four This part of the Reading Test tests your vocabulary. Read the whole text quickly to find out what it is about. As you read, try to predict the words that might fill the gaps. Look at the fou
47、r possible answers for each gap and cross out any obviously incorrect words, Then read both before and after each gap to decide which word should go in it. The word needs to fit both the meaning and the grammar After completing all the gaps, read the whole text again to check your answers, Read the
48、text on the opposite page about decision-making. Choose the best word from below to fill each gap. For each question 21-30, mark one letter (A,B,C or D)on your Answer sheet. Decisions, decisions . Poor decisions are commonplace. In fact, they are often institutionalised In the workplace, poor decisi
49、ons (21) good ones in many situations. While management consultants (22) companies on many aspects of running a business, basic decision-making is often (23) out of the equation. Professor Larry Phillips, who teaches at the London School of Economics, says: Because we make decisions all the time, it is (24) that we know how to do it. It is a skill which is supposed to come (25) but many of us would fare better with coaching. Psychologist Rob Yeung of consultancy Kiddy & Partners says millions of pounds are lost in bu
