1、BEC商务英语（高级）阅读模拟试卷 94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, B. C
2、, D or E)on your Answer Sheet.You will need to use some of these letters more than once.There is an example at the beginning, (0).AAll too often, many firms proceed into an alliance relationship without sufficiently planning and/or negotiating the key parameters of the relationship. Defining the leg
3、al framework of the alliance is only 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, join
4、t venture, equity sharing).BSuccessful 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 c
5、ommunicate the alliances shared 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 ult
6、imately damage the firms long-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.CManagers often herald the consummation of an alliance
7、agreement as the final outcome 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 a
8、ctually take place once alliance 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 d
9、ifferent partners is directly 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.DSmooth implementation to facilitate learning requires all levels of management to work on developing “alliance pr
10、otocols“ that enable careful 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 th
11、ese protocols early on 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
12、from one another in terms of what constitute proprietary vs. non-proprietary technologies or processes. Protocols provide an “invisible fence“ that defines the boundaries between cooperation and competition.EStrategic alliances can help firms transform their core businesses and activities by helping
13、 management secure access 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 the
14、mselves of non-core 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 be
15、tween partners is a 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
16、 good beginning of a 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
17、be planned comprehensively. 二、 PART TWO 8 Read this text taken from an article about Personnel Management.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.There is an example at the beginning, (0). Pers
18、onnel ManagementPersonnel management is regarded as a profession. Many observers believe that the most important and pressing problems of future industrial societies will not be solely concerned with production or technical questions, but will be people-oriented and will involve a knowledge of socia
19、l and behavioral sciences and of the personnel function.(0)_H The role of personnel management has, of course changed over time. Originally it was used by management to obtain and maintain an effective work force only and the emphasis was on production and economic rewards.(9)_. This is now only one
20、 part of the function. Later it was realized that if worker needs could be understood and met, for example, security, achievement, and job satisfaction, then the organization itself could better achieve its maximization of goals such as profits. Recently added to this has been the social(community)r
21、esponsibility of the organization.(10)_Personnel management is about people. The management of people is an integral part of the organization and of the process of management itself.(11)_. Personnel management is not something that is only carried out by the personnel department; it is an organizati
22、on-wide activity. All levels of management are engaged in managing personnel.(12)_. They are involved in working in co-operation with the personnel department and its staff in such areas as recruitment, training, appraisal, counseling safety and health and job-design. Personnel management in its bro
23、adest sense involves all matters in an organization regarding people decisions.(13)_: The first is that of human relations, in which such matters as individual motivation, leadership, and group relationships and behavior are covered. The second is the field of organization theory, which considers jo
24、b design, managerial spans of control, the flow of work through the organization, and so forth. The third consists of the specific kinds of decision areas for which the personnel manager or personnel department is directly responsible for acquisition, development, rewarding, and maintenance of human
25、 resources.The broad definition of personnel management illustrates that the scope of personnel management pervades the organization. Every person in an organization is involved with personnel decision.(14)_. Similarly, non-managerial employees will be exposed to performance appraisals, selection in
26、terviews when hired, and so on. A It is through people that organizations accomplish their goals; thus the management of people is a vital aspect of an organizations functioning.B Later there was a move towards a welfare oriented personnel function such as benefits and health.C This broad view focus
27、es attention on three distinct but interrelated topics.D Thus personnel management may now be involved in certain community activities, in equal opportunity employment in developing policies, for example, in employing racial minorities of physically handicapped people and in seeking to provide and m
28、aintain a climate in which individual and organization goals are achieved.E Line managers of Other departments e.g. marketing and production of various departments of sections in the public service and public agencies e.g. Telecom all have personnel /human resource management duties.F Personnel mana
29、gers didnt see a need to make sure that their employees were comfortable in the work environment and ensure all their needs were being met.G For example, all managers in any organization will need to know how to train their employees, appraise their performance, and so forth.H Personnel management i
30、s now often called human resources management(HRM). 三、 PART THREE 14 Read the following extract from an article about Over-Capacity in the Car Business. For each question 15 20, mark one letter(A, B. C, or D)on your Answer Sheet for the answer you choose. Since the days of Henry Fords dominance of t
31、he car market in the 1920s up to the present day, the car industry has continued to grow. Some companies, such as British Leyland, failed to survive the turbulent business world of the 1970s despite being government-owned. During the 1960s and 1970s, as growth in profit became more difficult to achi
32、eve due to increased competition, mainly from the Japanese, the industry turned to efficient production methods in order to create a competitive advantage. However, once all the major players in the industry had become as efficient as possible, developing a cost advantage was more difficult to achie
33、ve. In addition, car companies from Asia, such as Daewoo, Samsung and Kia, have developed cheaper, more affordable alternatives for the discerning western buyers. Such car companies are part-funded by their respective governments but enjoy considerably lower labor costs. Increasing productive capaci
34、ty has led to car companies aiming to use economies of scale as the main way of reducing cost, although this has unfortunately led to businesses having surplus capacity. This spare capacity occurs when the industry as a whole expands ahead of, or in anticipation of, a growth in customer demand. Such
35、 growth in capacity has meant that supply outstrips demand by some 30% , i.e. , car companies could cut back on their capacity levels by 30%, and still meet all customer demands. The result has been a series of joint agreements and mergers between car companies, with a view to either using capacity,
36、 or losing capacity altogether by selling off parts of a business. The other problem is the high cost of developing new vehicles: the standard response to the high cost is to either rejuvenate or re-launch old vehicles with new technology. But there are enough companies developing new models that an
37、y business, which does not, stands to lose out. The main fear in the car industry is over-capacityexperts predict that by 2001, the industry may produce 23 million cars more than it can sell! In 1998 there was a spate of company mergers e.g. In January 1999, Ford paid 4 billion for Volvos car divisi
38、on(Volvo claimed that it needed economies of scale, allowing it to focus on buses, engines and aerospace and to acquire shares in two major truck-making businesses. Ford intended to distribute Volvos with its own cars and hoped to use Volvos reputation for technological excellence to develop new car
39、s, using common research platforms to save money. Renault, on the other hand, announced a joint agreement with Nissan, the debt-ridden Japanese company, to purchase a 37% stake. For Renault, the problem was not over-capacity, but rather the lack of product range. Renault was 44% owned by the French
40、government, which obviously wanted to protect one of its major companies and wealth creators. However, Renault had concentrated its major marketing effort on domestic demand in Francejas the domestic market fell, profit tumbled. The expiry in 1999 of the “gentlemens agreement“ which limited car sale
41、s from Japan was probably the main reason for teaming up with Nissan. Nissan, however, had borrowed approximately 15 billion in order to expand its productive capacity and had lost money in six of the last seven years. One estimate put 1998s losses at nearly 1 billion. The cost savings for both comp
42、anies are not likely to occur until 2002, resulting mainly from purchasing economies of scale. Renault seems to have got caught between the large manufacturers who achieve economies of scale and the smaller specialist manufacturers. 15 During the 1960s and 1970s, in order to create a competitive adv
43、antage, the car industry turned to （ A） economies of scale. （ B） efficient production methods. （ C） surplus capacity. （ D） joint agreement and mergers. 16 Once all the major companies in the car industry had become as efficient as possible, （ A） they turned to use economies of scales as the main way
44、 of reducing cost. （ B） there came increased productive capacity. （ C） there was no way to reduce cost. （ D） the main fear in the car industry became over-capacity. 17 What was the result of businesses having surplus capacity? （ A） Many companies aimed to developing new vehicles. （ B） Some companies
45、 re-launched old vehicles with new technology. （ C） Some companies lose capacity by selling off parts of a business. （ D） There came a series of joint agreements and mergers between car companies. 18 Why did Volvo sell its car division according to Volvo companys claim? （ A） Because it had not the c
46、ommon research platform to save money. （ B） Because it suffered a lot from surplus capacity. （ C） Because it needed economies of scale. （ D） Because it wanted to use its reputation to develop new vehicles. 19 What was the problem for Renault? （ A） It had the problem of over-capacity. （ B） It had the
47、 problem of the lack of product range. （ C） It was debt-ridden. （ D） As domestic market fell, profit tumbled. 20 What is the main reason for Renaults joint agreement with Nissan? （ A） The expiry of the “gentlemens agreement“. （ B） Because Renault wanted to help Nissan out of the hard situation. （ C）
48、 Because Nissan had very good reputation for technological excellence. （ D） Because Renault was 44% owned by the French government. 四、 PART FOUR 20 Read the article below about negotiations.Choose the correct word or phrase to fill each gap from A, B, C. or D.For each question 21 30, mark one letter
49、(A, B. C, or D)on your Answer Sheet.There is an example at the beginning.(0)_.When you are negotiating with someone, listen for the(0)D that he or she might be sending to you. For example, the word “difficult“ does not (21)_the same as impossible. Imagine you are staying in a hotel, and you want to change your room. The managers answer, “That would be difficult, Sir“, does not mean that he is saying “no“. It just means that he wants to know (22)_you are prepared to offer him in return for the change of room. If yo
