1、BEC商务英语（高级）阅读模拟试卷 5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 eight statements with five 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 meaning
2、. Do not choose an answer just because you can see the same words in the text. Look at the sentences below and at the five newspaper items about companies on the opposite page. Which company does each sentence refer to? For each sentence 1 - 8, mark one letter (A, B, C, D or E) on your Answer Sheet.
3、 You will need to use some of these letters more than once. A Habgood Habgood, the pharmaceutical company, saw its share price plummet yesterday, following a cut in its corporate credit rating. Investors were unnerved by the groups shrinking access to capital and its wish to fund ambitious expansion
4、 plans. Although the sector as a whole has been weak for some time, Habgood is looking particularly vulnerable, and may well prove to be a target for takeover from within the industry. Analysts would not be surprised if Jerry Greenway, the companys chief executive, and architect of its strategy of e
5、xpansion, were to step down. B KK Leyton Truck manufacturer KK Leyton has said that its unit sales rose by a modest 1.3 per cent in the last six months, compared with 1.7 per cent in the same period last year. The company blames the economic downturn in its main markets and increasing pressure from
6、larger competitors. However, grounds for guarded optimism came in the form of an announcement that the company is about to roll out a cost-cutting programme which should help to protect its profit margins. Analysts believe this will strengthen KK Leytons position until conditions improve. C Meadowsw
7、eet Discount clothing retailer Meadowsweet, whose 240 stores are mostly in Scotland and northern England, is set to merge with rival Marika Clothing, with slightly fewer stores in the south of England. Making the announcement, Elaine Tungate, Meadowsweets chief executive, said that the two brands wo
8、uld be kept distinct, and each would retain its existing management team for the time being. Marika is targeted at female shoppers aged 25 to 45 while Meadowsweet is aimed at the over-45s, which, according to Ms Tungate, makes it an ideal merger and a natural fit. D Crofts Crofts ambitious plans mas
9、sively to increase the number of its cafes are continuing to raise questions about profitability, and as a result shares are still trading below their level of a year ago. Andrew Hughes, Crofts chairman, anticipates a speedy recovery, because of the companys focus on customer satisfaction. His optim
10、ism is not shared by analysts, though, who point out that the new outlets are simply taking customers from existing cafes, with the result that, contrary to Crofts confident forecast when the plans were initially unveiled, income is static and same-store sales have been falling all year. E Downing E
11、nergy Downing Energy is to spin off its subsidiary Forthland Resources and adopt a new holding company structure. At the same time it will take the name Forthland Energy. Carol Mortimer, Downings CEO, said that splitting the companies will mean each being able to focus on what it does best. Both are
12、 already in discussions with their banks about, extending their credit facilities - essential if they are to survive their present difficulties. The announcement led to a small rally in Downings share price, reversing the steady decline of recent days. 1 This companys strategy has not yet led to the
13、 expected increase in turnover. 2 This company is seeking external funding to meet its present needs, 3 This companys name will continue to be used despite a change in the company structure, 4 The price of shares in this company has begun to rise. 5 This company claims that its sales have been affec
14、ted by external factors. 6 This company is thought likely to lose its independence to a competitor. 7 Analysts disagree with this companys predictions regarding its share price. 8 This company is taking steps to reduce its expenditure. 二、 PART TWO 8 Read this text from an article about job reference
15、s. Choose the best sentence from the opposite page 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. There is an example at the beginning, (0). REFERENCES CANNOT ALWAYS BE TRUSTED BY POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS Dull, but reliable,
16、will make a good parent - so said a head teachers reference which I was once sent for a school-leaver. (0) H Most references are unreliable, although recruiters usually ask for them. Few ask for character references today, as these have proved useless. (9) However, these cannot always be trusted. A
17、few may be biased. (10) This can also occur if there has been friction between boss and subordinate over personal or business matters. On the other hand, there can also be positive bias. An employer who wants to get rid of someone may fail to mention any relevant failings or even give a glowing repo
18、rt to help the individual go quickly. (11) But if they do, the law in Britain says they owe a duty of care to both the employer to whom it is supplied and to the individual to whom it refers. Most written references are unreliable because they are not specific enough. So how do you, and a potential
19、employer, ensure that any reference given on your behalf is genuinely helpful? (12) Employers normally expect two: one, your immediate superior in your current or most recent job; the other, your boss in the post before, so long as it was in the last five years or so. For a senior post, more may be
20、required. For their part, no prospective employer should approach your current employer until you have an offer subject to references and you have given permission. (13) Once you get the offer, and before giving permission to make contact, tell your boss and explain that the prospective employer wil
21、l be asking for a reference. Do this face-to-face and during the meeting describe the job for which you have applied. If you can provide a job description or the relevant job advertisements, even better. (14) Even if your referee does express some doubts about your fitness for the post, dont worry,
22、employers often prefer to back their own judgement. A. It would also be wrong for anyone to contact your penultimate firm before then because word may reach your current employer on the grapevine. B. In fact, employers do not have to give references at all. C. These might include your bosss immediat
23、e senior and someone at the same level as your boss who is familiar with your work. D. Your boss can then match the reference needs to the needs of the job. E. What they seek are references from previous employers. F. Some managers think it an act of disloyalty if an employee applies for a job elsew
24、here and will give poor references or only weak praise. G. Firstly, as an employee, make sure you choose the right referees. H. It amused me at the time, but said more about the referee than the candidate. 三、 PART THREE 14 Read the following extract from an article about a British businessman and th
25、e questions on the opposite page. For each question 15-20, mark one letter (A, B, C or D) on your Answer Sheet for the answer you choose. Gordon Kent is the kind of tough English northerner who runs things his own way. Contrary to what is normal in big corporations today, his company has no remunera
26、tion committee, it is short on part-time directors and it has no qualms about employing family members. Mr Kent is chairman and chief executive of the engineering fum William Kent, which has been a family business since the middle of the last century. Until a week ago none of this would have made th
27、e headlines. But a rival engineering company has changed this with its 58 million hostile takeover bid, putting Kents management style in the spotlight. Kent is a fighter: “All my career, Ive battled. Ive had to battle with customers and suppliers and management.“ This will certainly not be his firs
28、t fight. In 1980, when borrowing money was costing more than 20 per cent, his father was in favour of closing the business. Gordon was not; he forced his father off the board of directors and saved the company. He says, “A difference of views arose. I said the company could either be run by me, or b
29、y him, but I couldnt stay there and implement his policy. There was a board meeting and he was persuaded to withdraw.“ He says his toughest battle was not taking on his father, but forcing his 160-strong workforce to accept automation at the factory in 1982. “I was really in a difficult position the
30、n. The management were against me, the men were against me. The change meant they would have to work a lot harder. I got them all together, and I just said, Weve got to make this work - its all our livelihoods at stake. I was determined to make this business work to save the British steel foundry in
31、dustry.“ He won that battle too. Rationalisations, cost-cutting, and a string of 14 acquisitions followed, and the lossmaking family business became a recognised leader in the steel castings industry. Kent makes running William Kent sound like a military operation, and there is something in his clip
32、ped language which is irresistibly reminiscent of the army. His management style is unashamedly autocratic. “I have a very loyal team, and, yes, they have to work hard but they relish it,“ he says. But unusually for a publicly quoted company, his loyal staff include his wife, Alison, a lawyer who wo
33、rks as a consultant for the company. “Im not frightened of having to justify this,“ he says. The shareholders are getting a good deal out of his wife, he reckons, as the company would probably have to pay double for the same services from any other consultant. Kent robustly defends his own pay and t
34、he generous terms of his contract. He reckons he is worth it. “There is a 5 million key man insurance policy on me, and some of our banking arrangements are dependent on me staying with the company. So the outside world reckons Im fairly important - that isnt just my opinion.“ He describes himself a
35、s being like the captain of a ship, and he has a firm belief in experience rather than management theory. “Youve got to learn your management skills by practical experience; otherwise you confuse delegating with passing the buck and you dont know when people are talking rubbish. I have the strength
36、to fight off this takeover bid. For me its war. I am autocratic, because thats how you win. When you cut out all the emotion, its down to money. William Kent is worth much more than this most inferior rival company has suggested. And I know I will be able to convince the shareholders of this.“ 15 Wh
37、y is Kents company in the news? （ A） He has problems with management. （ B） Another company wants to gain control of it. （ C） He is looking for new advisers to help run it. （ D） There have been complaints about his management style. 16 When the company went through a difficult period in the early 198
38、0s, Kent （ A） considered resigning from the company. （ B） thought the company was going to go bankrupt. （ C） made his father give up his power over the company. （ D） persuaded his father to change his policies, 17 Kent says that he introduced automation at his factory because he （ A） wanted to make
39、the future of the steel industry more secure. （ B） thought that his men were not working hard enough. （ C） needed to cut down on the running costs of the company. （ D） believed it would encourage team spirit in his workforce. 18 How does Kent say he feels about having his wife working for the compan
40、y? （ A） embarrassed that people know about it （ B） certain that she is better than other consultants （ C） afraid that people will misunderstand her role in the company （ D） confident he can defend her contribution to the company 19 With regard to his own position in the company, Kent says （ A） peopl
41、e outside the company think hes overpaid, （ B） if he left, the company would lose some of its bank contracts. （ C） hes the most important member of the company. （ D） the value of his work justifies an increase in his insurance policy. 20 Kent says that his management style is characterised by （ A） b
42、eing able to persuade shareholders to accept his point of view. （ B） showing no sign of emotion when dealing with financial matters. （ C） proving to his rivals that he is a strong leader. （ D） giving orders and expecting others to obey them. 四、 PART FOUR 20 Read the article below about market resear
43、ch. Choose the best word to fill each gap from A, B, C or D on the opposite page. For each question 21-30, mark one letter (A, B, C or D) on your Answer Sheet. Market research Market research has become more and more important in recent years. In some organisations, in fact, managers will not initia
44、te any activity without market research to back. them up. The first thing to be said about market research is that it is not an (21) to management decision-making. No form of market research, no matter how deep, complicated and detailed, can ever be seen as a substitute for creative decision-making
45、by professional managers (22) its very best, all it can do is (23) some doubt and clarify the nature of the problem. It may even be seen as a tool which can improve the (24) of decisions but it is not in itself a decision-making mechanism. Market research, in (25) with a number of other approaches i
46、n marketing, suffers from the frequent complaint that it is not really accurate. Market research results can never be completely accurate because they (26) with a dynamic, ever-changing marketplace. It is vital that this is understood by everyone with an interest in the results. There is, therefore,
47、 an ongoing need for creativity and imagination when (27) market research results and when making any (28) to apply them in the marketplace. Lastly, it should always be remembered that market research is not an end in itself but simply a (29) by which some degree of risk can be removed from marketpl
48、ace activity. If no activity (30) from the research, then the entire exercise has been completely pointless. （ A） option （ B） alternative （ C） end （ D） opening （ A） For （ B） From （ C） At （ D） With （ A） reject （ B） omit （ C） deny （ D） remove （ A） quality （ B） goodness （ C） well-being （ D） virtue （ A）
49、 association （ B） common （ C） addition （ D） connection （ A） work （ B） manage （ C） deal （ D） operate （ A） deciding （ B） thinking （ C） proving （ D） considering （ A） attempt （ B） venture （ C） choice （ D） try （ A） mode （ B） means （ C） way （ D） progress （ A） shows （ B） produces （ C） results （ D） appears 五、 PART FIVE 30 Read the article below about meetings. For each question 31-40 write one word in CAPITAL LETTERS on your Answer Sheet. How to make more of meetings You should know what ends you want to
