剑桥商务英语中级考试历年真题第四辑阅读精讲

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BEC中级真题解析_第四辑T4P5

BEC中级真题解析_第四辑T4P5
an evolution than a revolution.
《The Myth of the Paperless Office》,无纸化办公室神话。讲的是新技术对现代办公的影
响。
34题,meeting在这里不是特殊指代,只是叙述的一般情况。不需要使用定冠词the。
35题,正确的
The Myth of the Paperless Office
0 The concept of a paperless office grew with the advance of technology. It was
00 widely been claimed that as email became commonplace, people would stop
it多余。
40题,正确的
41题,in most people’s eyes在大多数人的眼里,of多余。
42题,正确的
43题,might have done表示可能已经做了某事,而这里的意思是指电子邮件等可能会
被删除,不用have,去掉。
44题,Paul Blunt, a marketing manager for desktop products, who says there has been
整的句子,成分齐全,transition是主语,has been是谓语,between是多余的。
significant progress。中间的部分是插入成分,不予考虑。完整的是Paul Blunt (who) says there
has been significant progress.主语是人,谓语是says,后面是宾语,成分齐全,who是多余的。

(完整版)剑桥商务英语中级考试历年真题荟萃

(完整版)剑桥商务英语中级考试历年真题荟萃

剑桥商务英语中级考试历年真题荟萃注:这里讲解的题目是人邮版第四辑真题TEST 1 阅读部分的Part one.Questions 1-7Look at the statements below and the article about the development of future business leaders on the opposite page.Which section of the article (A, B, C or D) does each statement (1-7) refer to?For each statement (1-7), mark one letter (A, B, C or D) on your Answer Sheet.You will need to use some of these letters more than once.1 Managers need to take action to convince high-flyers of their value to the firm.2 Organisations need to look beyond the high-flyers they are currently developing.3 There is a concern that firms investing in training for high-flyers may not gain the benefits themselves.4 Managers need expert assistance from within their own firms in developing high-flyers.5 Firms currently identify high-flyers without the support of a guidance strategy.6 Managers are frequently too busy to deal with the development of high-flyers.7 Firms who work hard on their reputation as an employer willinterest high-flyers.The Stars of the FutureA Existing management research does not tell us much about how to find and develop high-flyers, those people who have the potential to reach the top of an organisation. As a result, organisations are left to formulate their own systems. A more effective overall policy for developing future leaders is needed, which is why the London Business School has launched the Tomorrow's Leaders Research Group (TLRG). The group contains representatives from 20 firms, and meets regularly to discuss the leadership development of the organisations' high-flyers.B TLRG recognises just how significant line managers are in the process of leadership development. Unfortunately, with today's flat organisations, where managers have functional as well as managerial responsibilities, people development all too often falls victim to heavy workloads. One manager in the research group was unconvinced by the logic of sending his best people away on development courses, 'only to see them poached by another department or, worse still, another firm'. This fear of losing high-flyers runs deep in the organisations that make up the research group.C TLRG argues that the task of management is not necessarily about employee retention, but about creating 'attraction centres'. 'We must help line managers to realise that if their companies are known as ones that develop their people, they will have a greater appeal to high-flyers,' said one advisor. Furthermore, selecting people for, say, a leadership development programme is a sign of commitment from management to an individual. Loyalty can then be more easily demanded in return.D TLRG has concluded that a company's HR specialists need to take action and engage with line managers individually about their role in the development of high-flyers. Indeed, in order to benefit fully from training high-flyers as the senior managers of the future, firms must actually address the development of all managers who will be supporting the high-flyers. Without this, managers will not be in a position to give appropriate advice. And when eventually the high-flyers do move on, new ones will be needed to replace them. The next challenge will be to find a new generation of high-flyers.首先得搞明白的是这篇文章到底讲的什么。

剑桥商务英语中级考试历年真题荟萃

剑桥商务英语中级考试历年真题荟萃

剑桥商务英语中级考试历年真题荟萃注:这里讲解的题目是人邮版第四辑真题TEST 1 阅读部分的Part one。

Questions 1—7Look at the statements below and the article about the development of future business leaders on the opposite page。

Which section of the article (A, B,C or D) does each statement (1-7)refer to?For each statement (1-7), mark one letter (A, B,C or D) on your Answer Sheet。

You will need to use some of these letters more than once.1 Managers need to take action to convince high—flyers of their value to the firm.2 Organisations need to look beyond the high-flyers they are currently developing。

3 There is a concern that firms investing in training for high-flyers may not gain the benefits themselves.4 Managers need expert assistance from within their own firms in developing high-flyers.5 Firms currently identify high-flyers without the support of a guidance strategy。

商务英语剑桥中级考试历年真题阅读精讲

商务英语剑桥中级考试历年真题阅读精讲

商务英语剑桥中级考试阅读精讲英国剑桥委员会组织的BEC(Business English Certificate)是一门综合性极强的考试,不仅全面考察了考生的英语运用能力,而且也加入了实用性的商务内容,因此这个标准化程度很高的考试,体现了学习语言的真正价值,当然,客观地反映出了考生真实的语言功底,和在工作场合的实际运用能力,因而受到了很多国际性大企业的认可,成为选聘人才的要求之一。

这项考试中的阅读题型的多样性可见一般,尤其是高级阶段,在一小时内需要完成6大题型,信息量之大,考生的答题速度也相应提升不少。

首先在备考时,一定要非常熟悉题型,明确自己要做什么,再加上课堂中老师提供的解题要点和技巧,相信能减轻不少压力。

考前的的集中训练也必不可少,俗话说;熟能生巧,在练习中,考生对题型的解答技巧也会变得驾轻就熟。

通常来说第一大部分和第二部分是两道坎,而其他题型阅读量相对少,建议考生由难到易各个击破,心理上也会承受力强些,毕竟像选词填空(part 4),完形填空(part 5)和改错(part 6),用时最少,但是得分点很多,完成这些,对考生在考场的信心增加不少。

然后再来攻克第一部分和第二部分。

对于第一部分,大家不难发现,8个statements,匹配5段文字,建议同学们从读8个选项入手,每个句子中找1-2个key words,速记一下,但要强调一点,务必动动手把这些词圈一下,或下划线,帮助你focus在这些词上,待会可以节省不少来回寻找的时间。

然后在读5段文字,遇到关键的词句,要慢一些,因为之前速记过的内容,趁热打铁,多少会给你一种似曾相识的语句,那么要留心,做记号1,3,6,以此缩小范围。

Bec的考试更注重的整体理解和inference推断能力,更多的是句子的把握,而不是词汇的简单paraphrase. 故光靠词语的匹配是不容易正确解题的。

此外,第二种题型,占得比分不多,就6个空格,但是是最花时间的。

这考察了考生的上下文的逻辑关系的把握,需要考生能正确辨认指代,连接词,从而顺利完成。

剑桥商务英语中级真题4

剑桥商务英语中级真题4

剑桥商务英语中级真题4RE AD I N GPART O N E●L ook at the statements below and the article about meetings on the opposite page.●Which section (A, B, C or D) does each statement (1-7) refer to?●For each statement (1-7), mark one letter (A, B, C or D) on your Answer Sheet.●You will need to use some of these letters more than once.Business M ee t i n gsA. Many organisations are developing ways of minimising the time workers spend sitting in meetings in order to give them more hours working at their desks. They realise that reducing the number of meetings is problematic, but some are using a device called a Meeting Meter to determine how much money is wasted through the widespread practice of over-populated and time-inefficient meetings. A general meeting in a big company can cost £9000 an hour. Even staff in UK government departments have been told to make less elaborate presentations and to get through them more quickly.B. A solution has often been to take things at breakneck speed or abolish meetings altogether. Olivia Dacourt, CEO of a retail chain, makes a point of not letting anyone sit down in her meetings. 'We cover more material in a 15-minute meeting than you'd see in a two-hour sit-down meeting,' she says. She drills her employees to shout'pass' if they have no comment to make, thereby saving a hastily mumbled agreement with the previous speaker. In this way, her last staff meeting clocked in at six minutes.C. Website designer Barry Hare has gone so far as to charge his clients a meeting 'tax'. If they ask for a meeting, he doubles his design fee of £85 an hour. 'Everyone I talk to hates meetings, but they don't know what to do about them,' he says. 'Well, I've actually done something.' Similarly, at JP Products, managers have instigated a No Meetings Day every Friday. The scheme was devised by in-house industrial psychologist Ada Pearson after hearing employees joke about the need for a 'meeting-free day'.D. But abolishing meetings is not as simple as clearing them from your diary. At JP Products some workers have felt the need to get round the No Meetings Day directive by holding spontaneous 'huddles' and 'nice to knows' to update each other on progress. After her success in reducing the meetings quota, Pearson is under pressure from meeting-weary managers to implement days that are free of emails and telephone calls. But unfortunately she has other priorities-thanks to a lengthy meeting with the chief executive.1. a way of ensuring that meetings are less likely to take placeC2. the common situation of too many people attending meetingsA3. a way of ensuring communication can take place without breaking company rulesD4. a policy discouraging repetition of ideasB5. staff attitudes towards meetings resulting in action to reduce their frequencyC6. a policy of cutting down on the amount of detail given in long speechesA7. people who attend meetings requesting limitations on other forms of communicationDPART T W O●R ead the article below about professional headhunters.●C hoose the best sentence from the opposite page to fill each of the gaps.●For each gap (8-12), mark one letter (A-G) on your Answer Sheet.Professional headhunters are now key players in many kinds of r ec r u itme n t.But how do you gain their attention? Matthew Lynn i n v estig a tes.In the past, companies would use the services of headhunters to recruit principally at boardroom level. But these days, they are also responsible for filling a much wider range of middle management and specialist posts, and consequently, they have huge influence in the commercial world.(0)(G) The first is that economic expansion has, in many countries, left the labour market tight. In a number of industries, and in growth sectors such as technology and media, there is now a severe shortage of skilled and talented people. This has forced companies to go out and look for the staff they need and not wait for them to arrive at the door. The second reason is that companies are now critically dependent on the skills and knowledge of their key people. They are very aware that having the right staff may determine their survival in a competitive marketplace. 1So, how do you make sure you get noticed by the headhunters? In the days when jobs were mainly advertised in newspapers, you could search the appointment pages and apply for anything that interested you. 2 Unless you are in contact with them, it is unlikely you will even be considered for a post.Most headhunters will devote time and energy to tracking down talented people in large organisations. 3 So, while it would be nice to think the headhunters will find you, in fact, you often have to find them. 'Executives must be proactive in the search process by building on current skills, being fully prepared for interviews and by keeping CVs up to date" says Julia Fernandez, manager of PB Executive Search.It is also important that you set time aside to talk to headhunters. At some point, you may be contacted by a headhunter to recommend someone in a related field or provide a reference for someone you have dealt with professionally. If you simply deal with the enquiry as quickly as possible, you may be failing to exploit the potential benefit to yourself. 4 Fernandez advises that, 'All contact with headhunters is potentially useful, and you should have one or two headhunters that you know personally and make a point of keeping in touch with.5 Make sure that the people around you will always be motivated to say something positive about you if approached. Your potential employers are watching you constantly.'A. But it is hard for them to establish contact unless these skilled individuals have been brought to their attention.B. They are consequently a lot more willing to turn to headhunters than in the past.C. Moreover, headhunters are all in the business of having as big a network as possible and working it to their advantage.D. In addition, the fact that headhunters are always looking for talent means that great care needs to be taken with the image you project in the workplace.E. Now, it is only junior or unskilled jobs that are filled this way; most of the best jobs are filled by headhunters.F. Not making the most of such an approach would definitely be a mistake.G. There are two reasons for this growing use of headhunters.1.B2.E3.A4.F5.DPART THREE●R ead the article below about Marc Hooper, CEO of the confectionery group Spartan Ketley, and the questionsMarc Hooper, CEO of Spartan K e t leyMarc Hooper, not long promoted to CEO of confectionery giant Spartan Ketley (SK), is very different from his predecessors. He is a corporate lawyer by training, and his background has clearly shaped his management style. He was taught that no work should go unchecked and that no statement can go out without everything, being fully defined. 'The legal world teaches you to think in a synthetic way, to take contrasting ideas and thread them together to form a strategy.' Hooper, with little marketing experience, was not at the top of market observers' lists for the job. But here he is, just over a year into the role and seemingly on top of things.Educated at Harvard University, Hooper started his career with well-known New York consultants Cox & Leight (C&L), and became a specialist in mergers and acquisitions. 'It was a tremendous training ground and I could have stayed in mergers and acquisitions-I found the work interesting.' But another opportunity presented itself: SK offered him a job as general advisor. Hooper knew SK well because C&L was its main New York consultancy firm and Hooper looked after its account.Hooper liked SK and when they came calling, several factors weighed on his mind. 'I admired SK and thought it would be a great place to work. C&L had told me I was only five years through a ten-year journey to become a partner. Also, for three years in a row my pay at C&.L had stayed the same. Finally, I was working very long hours in a large, impersonal office and it seemed like an intelligent lifestyle decision to take a job with a different company.'Hooper became established at SK, and soon felt ready for a higher position, but was told that no one could get on at SK unless they had been in sales and marketing. 'I had to make a move,' says Hooper. 'I took a risk; I became head of marketing in Europe.' In fact this was a sideways move-not for more money but to add to his knowledge and to further his career. The first challenge was that he found himself in charge of 25 bright young marketing people. 'I had to work hard to keep up,' he admits.Throughout, he has remained focused, his eye always on the main prize. His elevation to CEO, he says, is proof of SK's inclusiveness. 'We are always open to people with fresh ideas. As CEO I support anyone who is willing to take a chance and who wants to stretch themselves. If you are keen to develop and prove you can succeed, this company will provide the challenge you need.' And in line with this philosophy, Hooper is not an autocratic leader: his style is to consult, to seek advice, then to act.SK has grown quickly, mostly by acquisition. Hooper sits at the head of an empire that employs 50,000 people in 130 factories. His chief mission is to reduce waste in the company, to bring down costs, and to produce funds to reinvest-all the time keeping ahead of competitors. 'We must generate growth on a consistent basis. We've also got to generate more cash for investment in marketing.' The latest development, the purchase of a chocolate manufacturer for $42 billion-a deal managed by Hooper-has made it one of the largest confectionery groups in the world.1. The choice of Marc Hooper as Spartan Ketley's CEO was surprising becauseA.he knew more about law than marketing.B.hehad little experience of strategic planning. C.hehad been with the company for a short time.D.he intended to take the company in a different direction.A2. What does Hooper say about his first job?A.He regarded the job as a means to a more interesting career.B.He gained useful skills while he was with the company.C.He found that his education prepared him well for the job.D.He enjoyed working for such a prestigious company.B3. One of the reasons for Hooper leaving Cox and Leight wasA.he had no chance of becoming a partner.B.he was not happy with the working conditions.B4. After some time at Spartan Ketley, Hooper changed departments becauseA.he did not find his current job financially rewarding enough.B.he wanted to have experience of working in Europe.C.it was an opportunity to work with young people.D.it improved his chances of promotion.D5. Hooper says that his policy as CEO is toA.develop a sense of competition within his workforce.B.train people to become proficient in a wide range of skills.C.hire staff who are not afraid to make important decisions.D.encourage employees to be innovative in their approach to work.D6. What does Hooper see as his main future task as CEO of Spartan Ketley?A.to bring greater diversity to the marketing of new productsB.toincrease the size of the company by acquiring a competitor C.tofacilitate investment by improving the company's efficiencyD.to investigate the possibility of diversifying into other manufacturing sectorsCPART F O U R●R ead the article below about a company that sells household products.●C hoose 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.DA C's Margins Hit in Battle of the B r a nd sIn a surprise trading statement, DAC Household Products yesterday gave warning of lower margins and weak profits growth. Shares in the company slumped by 22p to 459p after DAC said that its forecast of double-digit earnings growth in 2009 had been 1 to low single digits. The company 2 that it had failed to spend enough on promoting its own brands and conceded that its market share in India was under assault from 3 discounting by various competitors. Its major rival, KC Products, is offering big price discounts to attract consumers from DAC brands, which have traditionally 4 the household products sector. DAC also predicted a downturn in consumer 5 and strong price competition in Europe, and signalled that it was making 6 for an expensive brands battle.DAC's chairman, David Chan, said that sales volumes had behaved as predicted, but that waves of discounting and store promotions from rivals had adversely 7 price forecasts. As a 8 the company now needed to increase investment in advertising and introduce keener pricing.DAC had until 9 sought to increase revenue growth at the same time as improving profit margins. However, Chan confirmed that margins would be 10 as DAC increased spending on advertising and promotion to 11 those products under attack from competing brands. This commitment means 12 the long-term health of the business ahead of the 13 of short-term financial targets,' he said.Rudy Mitcham, DAC's finance director, said that the company's recent cost-cutting programme would be 14 to help finance the increased spending, although he declined to reveal the 15 amount of money it would invest in additional advertising and promotion.1.A.diminishedD2.A.admittedB.expressedmunicatedD.confidedA3.A.sternB.heavyC.harshD.stiffB4.A.directedernedC.dominatedD.ruledC5.A.assuranceB.confidenceC.beliefD.convictionB6.A.actionsB.measuresC.preparationsD.stepsC7.A.touchedB.affectedC.changedD.impactedB8.C.reactionD.development B9.A.presentlyB.formerlyC.previouslyD.recentlyD10.A.sacrificedB.ruinedC.surrenderedD.destroyedA11.A.maintainB.supportC.holdD.encourage B12.A.fixingB.settingC.puttingD.bringingC13.A.performanceB.achievementpletionD.production B14.A.hurriedB.advancedC.forwardedD.accelerated DA.exactB.correctC.accurateD.definiteAPART F I V E●R ead the text below about a company's approach to social responsibility.●In most of the lines (34-45), there is one extra word. It is either grammatically incorrect or does not fit in 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.●T he exercise begins with two examples (0 and 00).Elco and social r es p o n si b ili t y0 Elco is a leading electrical retailer based in France. The company has been involved in00 issues of social responsibility for many years and has always aimed to achieve as a1 positive social impact while tackling the environmental issues are raised by electrical2 retailing. As a consequence, Elco has been an integrated approach to social and environmental3 issues and is particularly involved it in community schemes and recycling projects. As4 part of this commitment, Elco helps to run like a two-year programme that trains5 people with learning difficulties to make repair domestic electrical appliances. These6 appliances are collected by Elco from customers' homes so when new products are7 delivered. About 10% of them are suitable for repair, leaving the other 90% to be dismantled8 and sold them for appropriate industrial treatment. The repaired appliances are then sold on9 the second-hand market at a low price and with a one-year guarantee. Elco is also10 currently working to reduce in the impact its own transport system has on the11 environment. Drivers attend training sessions, which offered in partnership with car suppliers12 and transport companies, to learn from how to drive in a way that respects the environment.1.ARE2.BEEN3.IT4.LIKE5.MAKE6.SO7.CORRECTTHEM9.CORRECT10.IN11.WHICH12.FROMWR I T I N GPART O N E1. ●T he multinational company you work for is arranging its annual conference for Human Resources managers.●Write an email to the company's Human Resources managers:●i nforming them of the date of the conference●explaining why it is important for them to attend●s aying what they must do if they would like to make a presentation.●Write 40-50 words.Sample ASample B[解析] Sample AScales Mark C o mm e n t a r yContent 5 All content is relevant to the task and the target reader would be fully informed.Communicative Achievement 3Uses email conventions to hold the reader's attention. The register and toneare appropriate for an email (I'd like to inform you...) . The text communicates straightforward ideas to the target reader.Organisation 3 The email is well-organised using a variety of organisational features, e.g. linking words (because) and pronominal referencing (please show it ) .Language 4 Uses a range of vocabulary (take place; recruitment) and both simple and complex grammatical forms (If you prepare...please...) . Errors are minimal (in the type of PP T) .Sample BScales Mark C o mm e n t a r yThe second content element has to be inferred. The third content element is Content 2Communicative Achievement 3unclear and the target reader would be only partially informed (Wish every m a n a ge can make a presentation on time) .Uses email conventions to hold the reader's attention and communicatestraightforward ideas (the annual conference will be held...) .Organisation 3 The text is well-organised and coherent.Uses some everyday business vocabulary (training courses) and some complexLanguage 2 grammatical forms (I would like to inform you that; you must offer) . Errors are noticeable but meaning can still be determined (new staffs; please noted; every manage) .PART T W O1. ●T he international retail company you work for is concerned about the performance of its New York store. Your line manager has asked you to write a proposal making recommendations for the store's future.●L ook at the information below, on which you have already made some handwritten notes.●T hen, using all your handwritten notes, write your p r o p os a l.●Write 120-140 words.The New York store is in a v e ry good locat ion.but if i tsperformanc e doesn't i mprove,we may have to c l ose it.Please make some recomm e ndat ionsaspects of performance:• high cost of running store• unhappy staff-+-------------!...{• fal l ing sales •SampleCProposal: ''New York store"After reviewing the activi ties o f our NY store, some measureB seem to be necessary to im prove the performa nce of th e s tore and keep it open:first of all, we s ho uld cut t he cost of runn in g the s to re by opt i mising thelogis t i cs of the s to r e.Additiona ll y,the store mana ge r shou ld be rep lace d and some team b uildin gactivit i es shou ld be conducted be cau s e t h e staff is very u nh appy with th ep resen t management.in o rder to r ise sal es a gain,we s h ould in vest on the one h a n d i n someadve r t ising and on t he o ther hand i n a new store des i gn.Thi s mig h ta l so imp rove t he p oor sto re image.A ll me asu r es should start a s soon as possible be c ause o th e rw ise we may hav e toclose t h i s very good locat ed store.SampleD[解析] Sample CScales Mark C o mm e n t a r yContent 5 All content is relevant and expanded where appropriate. The target reader would be fully informed.CommunicativeAchievement5 Organisation 5Language 5 Sample D The format, tone and register are all appropriate to the conventions of a proposal (After reviewing; All measures should start) and would have a positive effect on the target reader.The proposal is well-organised and coherent, with effective use of a variety of organisational features, including bullet points and cohesive devices, e.g. linkers (First of all; Additionally; on the one hand.., on the other hand) and referencing (keep it open; This might...).The proposal uses a good range of grammatical structures and vocabulary (optimising the logistics; team building activities should be conducted; othe r w ise we may have to...) . Errors are minimal and do not impede communication (to r ise sales; this very good located sto r e).Scales Mark C o mm e n t a r yContent 4 All the content is relevant and the target reader would be informed but some of the content is not fully expanded e.g. content element 5.Communicative Achievement3 Organisation 3 Language 3 Generally uses the conventions of a proposal effectively to hold the reader's attention, although there are some inconsistencies in register (but it doesn't m a tte r; and that's all) .The proposal is well-organised with a range of linking words (Therefore; Secondly) and use of pronouns to avoid repetition (the New Y o r k store... It has some troubles) .Uses a range of lexis and structures (the biggest issue; we should build a lively atmosphere) . There are a number of errors (has some troubles; of running store; let green plants all around) but these do not impede communication.L I S TE N I N GPART O N E●You will hear three telephone conversations or messages.●Write one or two wo r d s or a number in the numbered spaces on the notes or forms below.●Aft er you have listened once, replay each recording.Conversation O n e●L ook at the note below.●You will hear a man leaving a message about deliveries for one of his company's suppliers.1.WARE(-)HOUSE (GATE)[听力原文]Good morning. This is Gupta Ramesh from Morgan and Turnbull. We've been having a few security problems lately, so we've reviewed our delivery arrangements. First of all, until further notice, drivers should use the warehouse gate instead of the main factory gate. That's the one in Station Road.A second point I want to discuss is-as you have heard-we're issuing IDs to replace the general permits drivers are using at the moment. We're sending couriers with them tomorrow morning. They should be placed on the inside of the windscreen to activate the sensor in the gate. It's very important they don't forget to do it because after this week there'll only be automatic access to the yard-we're putting a stop to manual access. And finally-this is a safety measure to reduce vehicle movement in the yard-in future drivers should proceed to the parking area before checking in at reception. I hope this is all clear. Please call me if you have any problem. Bye.2.(SECURITY) IDS/ID (CARD(S))3.MANUAL4.PARKING AREAConversation T wo●L ook at the form below.●You will hear a woman phoning an architect to discuss a problem with a building project.1.AIR(-)CONDITIONING[听力原文]Man: Hello, Frank Bauer speaking.Woman: Hello this is Antonia Radford from Speedlink. I'm phoning about a problem with our extension project at the factory.Man: Ah. I thought everything was on schedule...Woman: So did I, until today. I called the site foreman because the air conditioning was due to be put in this week, but the subcontractors weren't there. They'd left a message that everything was on hold.Man: What reason did they give?Woman: I thought it'd be a transport delay because the system's coming from the States. Apparently though, there's a hold up at the supplier's end, a quality control issue at the plant, actually.Man: I see.Woman: Now, as you know, the rest of the construction work is more or less finished, but we can't start the assembly line until this system is operational for health and safety reasons. We were due to begin production next week...Man: Right. That's why we drew up a contract that allowed you to claim compensation in these circumstances. Woman: Absolutely. So could you please inform the building company we will be expecting that for each day's further delay.2.(THE) QUALITY (CONTROL)3.ASSEMBLY LINE4.COMPENSATIONConversation T h r ee●L ook at the notes below.●You will hear a woman giving feedback to a colleague on his presentation at a conference.1.CASE STUDY[听力原文]Woman: Hello John, it's Kim. You wanted some advice about your presentation.Man: Please. That's the first time I've given it and I'm repeating it next month.Woman: Well, the introduction was clear and you finished on time without appearing hurried. The case study you analysed seemed a bit long though.Man: You're right. I'll cut it a bit.Woman: Now the slides-you had the right amount. Personally, I'd use a larger font though-it helps in a big hall. But the graphs made your point well.Man: Good. I worked hard at those.Woman: Another tip-you didn't turn your back on the audience-but be careful not to block their view of the screen-it's frustrating if they can't see what the presenter's referring to.Man: I was so nervous.Woman: You didn't sound it. You spoke very clearly. Think about your body language though. You don't want to stand absolutely still, but avoid too much movement if you can.Man: That's really helpful.Woman: You're welcome.2.FONT3.SCREEN4.(BODY) MOVEMENTPART T W OSection O n e●You will hear five short recordings. Five people are explaining why they rejected a candidate for a job.●For each recording, decide why the speaker rejected the candidate.●Write one letter (A-H) next to the number of the recording.●Do not use any letter more than once.●Aft er you have listened once, replay the recording.A. lack of relevant experienceB. poor leadership skillsC. lack of motivationD. lack of long-term commitmentE. too independentF. lack of formal qualificationsG. poor communication skillsH. poor references1.E [听力原文]I thought he was a very interesting candidate with wide experience who would probably work effectively, despite not having been to university. However, this job requires someone who can work closely with colleagues, and I'm not quite sure he'd be the team-player we want. Although, he's got possible leadership qualities, I thinkhe'd be better in a job where he can make his own decisions, and that's not what we want for this position.2.A[听力原文]Well, she showed a lot of enthusiasm and ambition, and I liked the way she presented herself and expressed her ideas. Because she'd be working with young people, her youth would be an advantage. However, that's not enough for this job which needs someone who's already worked in the industry, so the fact that she hasn't goes against her. She'd probably be the ideal candidate in a few years' time once she's got the right track record.3.G[听力原文]She was a difficult person to interview, although once she got going her answers were very interesting. But in this business, we need young people who can express themselves assertively and clearly. It's a pity, because her background is very suitable-especially her ability to work alone and her qualifications. The salary we're offering was also very acceptable to her, but I don't believe she would be very good in face-to-face situations.4.D[听力原文]He's certainly got the determination to succeed. He's definitely very experienced in the field, and the MBA would have been an added bonus. He's very keen to get to the top of his profession, so I don't think he'd be content staying in one job for any length of time, and that could be a problem for us. If he aims to reach the top by the time he's thirty, he'll need experience of several companies.5.C[听力原文]He was a strange candidate. Lots of experience in the industry according to his CV, although he hadn't got a degree, which is surprising considering the positions he's held before. And he's hoping to lead a team, but I don't think he showed enough determination or interest to work without supervision. He said he wants to leave his current job because he's bored there.Section T wo●You will hear another five recordings. Five people are giving their opinion about the annual performance review process in their companies.●For each recording, decide what the speaker thought about the performance review process.●Write one letter (A-H) next to the number of the recording.●Do not use any letter more than once.●Aft er you have listened once, replay the recording.A. It was useful for increasing output.B. It helped me to make a difficult decision.C. I used it to improve my career prospects.D. It increased my confidence.E. It was an opportunity to speak my mind.F. It was effective because it was short.G. I used it to collect valuable data for future use.H. It was a chance to exchange ideas.。

剑桥商务英语中级考试历年真题荟萃

剑桥商务英语中级考试历年真题荟萃

剑桥商务英语中级考试历年真题荟萃注:这里讲解的题目是人邮版第四辑真题TEST 1 阅读部分的Part one.Questions 1—7Look at the statements below and the article about the development of future business leaders on the opposite page。

Which section of the article (A, B, C or D) does each statement (1—7)refer to?For each statement (1-7),mark one letter (A,B,C or D)on your Answer Sheet。

You will need to use some of these letters more than once。

1 Managers need to take action to convince high—flyers of their value to the firm.2 Organisations need to look beyond the high-flyers they are currently developing.3 There is a concern that firms investing in training for high—flyers may not gain the benefits themselves。

4 Managers need expert assistance from within their own firms in developing high—flyers。

5 Firms currently identify high—flyers without the support of a guidance strategy。

“历年BEC中级真题阅读精讲”系列之十八:第四辑T4P3 说顾客的语言

“历年BEC中级真题阅读精讲”系列之十八:第四辑T4P3 说顾客的语言

人邮第四辑真题TEST 4 READING PART 3Speaking Your Customers' LanguageModern international trading practices are highlighting the growing importance of language trainingModern-day business really does transcend national barriers.Thanks to sophisticated IT and communications systems, businesses can now market their products on a truly global scale. The world is indisputably becoming a smaller place, as service and manufacturing companies search the international marketplace for new suppliers and clients. Businesses must, however, be aware that once they expand the area in which they operate, they face increased competition. The standard and quality of their goods become increasingly important in keeping up with competitors. But most of all, it is the service element accompanying the goods which is crucial to a company's success in a particular market. This new philosophy has led to many companies, some of which have even offered products of a lesser quality, gaining success overseas.Although globalisation may, in some senses, have brought national economies closer together, societies around the world still have radically different expectations, processes and standards. These are not a function of economic change, but are more deep-rooted and difficult to alter. They can be a major problem for businesses expanding abroad, with the greatest obstacle of all being the language barrier. If you have to deal with clients, suppliers and distributors in a range of countries, you will not only need the skills to communicate with them, you will also need to reconcile any national biases you have with the diverse ways of doing business that exist around the globe.The value of effective communication is not to be underestimated. New technology such as videoconferencing and email has played a part in making the communication process easier, and it may also be possible that the introduction of language interpretation software will help with some global communications problems. But, of course, it is the human element of the communication process that is so vital in business, especially in negotiations, presentations and team-building. It is essential for managers to meet regularly with staff, customers and partners, so that issues can be discussed, messages communicated and feedback obtained.The value of well-organised language training is immense, and can bring benefits to all levels and departments within a multinational organisation. Unfortunately, however, many organisations have a very narrow view when it comes to training of any kind. Often, an urgent requirement has to be identified before training is authorised. Then, a training company is employed or a programme is developed in-house, the team is trained, and that is seen as the end of the matter. However, the fact remains that training programmes are effective only if they are relevant to a company's broader, long-term needs. They should be regarded as an investment rather than a cost.Changes in expectations and attitudes are certain to continue for companies that trade globally. Although such companies are not yet faced with their international partners and clients demanding that business be conducted in their mother tongue, they realise that overseas competition is increasing fas t. If these companies want to continue to achieve success on the international trading circuit, they must be prepared to adapt to situations and speak the local language. If not, someone else will.13 According to the first paragraph, improved communications have enabled companies toA offer a wider variety of products and services.B expand beyond their domestic markets.C perform better than their international competitors.D open more manufacturing facilities abroad.14 Some companies have succeeded at an international level even though they haveA produced inferior goods.B failed to adapt products for local markets.C ignored the standards set by their competitors.D reduced the standard of the service they offer.15 Approaches to doing business vary between countries because ofA local economic considerations.B the existence of cultural differences.C strong wishes to remain independent.D regulations about business practices.16 The writer thinks that the use of modern technology willA speed up the process of language interpretation.B never replace the need for face-to-face interaction.C help solve the problems involved in maintaining strong teams.D not lead to greater communication between companies and clients.17 A common weakness of training courses is that theyA are developed by the wrong team.B do not give good value for money.C are provided only if there is an immediate need.D do not deal with a company's specific requirements.18 Why should companies do business in the language of the countries they are operating in?A to prevent other companies taking their businessB to help them find new international partnersC to meet clients' current expectationsD to become more aware of their competitors' activities《Speaking Your Customers' Language》,说客户的语言。

【推荐下载】商务英语中级第四辑真题阅读精讲word版本 (6页)

【推荐下载】商务英语中级第四辑真题阅读精讲word版本 (6页)

本文部分内容来自网络整理,本司不为其真实性负责,如有异议或侵权请及时联系,本司将立即删除!== 本文为word格式,下载后可方便编辑和修改! ==商务英语中级第四辑真题阅读精讲Critical PathWhen David Hayden realised his company was heading for trouble,he took drastic measures to get it back on trackDavid Hayden founded his company, Critical Path, an email provider, in 1997 to take advantage of the boom in email traffic. Critical Path became a public company two years later, and Haydentook the opportunity to step down from his executive position inorder to work on personal projects. At the same time, he agreed to stay with the company as Chairman, but the business was put in the hands of new managers by its investors. With sector-leading products and an expanding market, the company seemed to be on the up and up. However, by early 201X, it was in trouble. Shares that had been worth $26 in 1999, when they were first sold, were down to a mere 24 cents.Called in by a panicking board, Hayden found himself back in charge as Executive Chairman, trying desperately to rescue what he could. The 1,100 staff had lost confidence in the company and did not know what was going to happen to them. And, as Hayden discovered, the management team was incompetent. Those guys didn't understand the product or the sector, says Hayden. The heads of department didn't communicate and they didn't lead.' But what was worse, Critical Path had lost the goodwill of its investors.Hayden knew that bringing the figures under control would be a vital step in the company's turnaround. 'You've got to sort out the finances. For me, that meant getting back the goodwill of the investors. That was tough, after what had happened. But although they were angry with the company, they didn't have bad feelings about me.I told them that I knew I could get the company on its feet again.' He was authorised to make whatever changes were required, and hisfirst act was to find people within the company he could trust andput them in charge.The next thing Hayden had to tackle was morale. 'Everyone leftthe office at five on the dot - they couldn't get away quickly enough. To get the buzz back and win the staff over, I had to prove my own commitment and put in the extra hours with them.' In return, it was assumed that nobody would ask for overtime pay until the company was on its feet again. Contrary to normal practice, Hayden was reluctantto lay people off, and apart from not replacing people as theyreached retirement age, he left the workforce largely unchanged, although he did identify key people throughout the company who were given more responsibility.But, as Hayden insists, before a company reaches such a crisis, there are warning signs that any financial director or accountant should take note of. 'A business that has an unrealistic pricingpolicy or has to negotiate extended credit with its suppliers is in trouble,' is his message. 'Or if you often have to apply for your overdraft limit to be raised or have trouble paying tax on time, something needs to be done.'By 201X, the company was healthy again, with reasonably stable finances and a modest but steady share price of $1.60. 'One thingthat helped save us was that our technology worked,' says Hayden.'With 20 million email accounts, we never lost a single major client because the product kept on working.' With ideas for a fresh venture demanding his attention elsewhere, Hayden has moved on. 'It was timeto go,' he says. 'I'm not a turnaround specialist. I prefer start-ups.'13 What event coincided with Critical Path becoming a public company?A Hayden became the Executive Director of Critical Path.B Investors hired a replacement team to run Critical Path.C Critical Path launched a successful new product on the market.D Critical Path was floated on the Stock Exchange at 24 cents per share.14 Which of the following situations did Hayden face at Critical Path in 201X?A The employees were worried about job security.B The investors were calling for changes to the company structure.C The management was misleading the staff about the company's position.D The board of directors did not realise the scale of thecompany's problems.15 One reason Hayden was able to turn Critical Path around wasthatA he managed to find new investors.B the financial situation was not as bad as he had thought.C he had built up a good relationship with the management team.D he was given the support that he needed.16 What was Hayden's policy regarding the staff of Critical Path?A He paid overtime to everybody who worked outside office hours.B He reduced the workforce by operating an early retirement scheme.C He gave key staff the opportunity to help him set goals for the company.D He restored motivation by showing willingness to work alongside staff.17 According to Hayden, what could indicate that a business is in trouble?A problems keeping accounts up to dateB suppliers refusing to offer new credit termsC a frequent need to increase the amount borrowedD difficulties in getting payment from customers on time18 Hayden left Critical Path after he had rescued the company because。

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剑桥商务英语中级考试历年真题阅读精讲(1)注:这里讲解的题目是人邮版第四辑真题TEST 1 阅读部分的Part one.Questions 1-7Look at the statements below and the article about the development of future business leaders on the opposite page.Which section of the article (A, B, C or D) does each statement (1-7) refer to?For each statement (1-7), mark one letter (A, B, C or D) on your Answer Sheet.You will need to use some of these letters more than once.1 Managers need to take action to convince high-flyers of their value to the firm.2 Organisations need to look beyond the high-flyers they are currently developing.3 There is a concern that firms investing in training for high-flyers may not gain the benefits themselves.4 Managers need expert assistance from within their own firms in developing high-flyers.5 Firms currently identify high-flyers without the support of a guidance strategy.6 Managers are frequently too busy to deal with the development of high-flyers.7 Firms who work hard on their reputation as an employer will interest high-flyers.The Stars of the FutureA Existing management research does not tell us much about how to find and develop high-flyers, those people who have the potential to reach the top of an organisation. As a result, organisations are left to formulate their own systems. A more effective overall policy for developing future leaders is needed, which is why the London Business School has launched the Tomorrow's Leaders Research Group (TLRG). The group contains representatives from 20 firms, and meets regularly to discuss the leadership development of the organisations' high-flyers.B TLRG recognises just how significant line managers are in the process of leadership development. Unfortunately, with today's flat organisations, where managers have functional as well as managerial responsibilities, people development all too often falls victim to heavy workloads. One manager in the research group was unconvinced by the logic of sending his best people away on development courses, 'only to see them poached by another department or, worse still, another firm'. This fear of losing high-flyers runs deep in the organisations that make up the research group.C TLRG argues that the task of management is not necessarily about employee retention, but about creating 'attraction centres'. 'We must help line managers to realise that if their companies are known as ones that develop their people, they will have a greater appeal to high-flyers,' said one advisor. Furthermore, selecting people for, say, a leadership development programme is a sign of commitment from management to an individual. Loyalty can then be more easily demanded in return.D TLRG has concluded that a company's HR specialists need to take action and engage with line managers individually about their role in the development of high-flyers. Indeed, in order to benefit fully from training high-flyers as the senior managers of the future, firms must actually address the development of all managers who will be supporting the high-flyers. Without this, managers will not be in a position to give appropriate advice. And when eventually the high-flyers do move on, new ones will be needed to replace them. The next challenge will be to find a new generation of high-flyers.首先得搞明白的是这篇文章到底讲的什么。

不用看具体内容,有两个地方直接告诉了。

一个是题目说明的第一句话,另一个是正文的标题。

从这两个地方就可以看出全文探讨的是公司未来接班人——也就是潜力股——的培养问题。

A段讲了TLRG这个贯穿全文的研究组织诞生的原因:现行的研究满足不了需要,于是大多数公司只能自己探索发掘接班人的模式;(即第五题的答案)B段讲了直属经理(line managers)对于发掘接班人的重要性(真是干什么都要从基层抓起),以及经理们的一些疑虑;C段讲的是接班人问题对公司的重要性,并且应该让院线经理们明白这种重要性;D段是针对前面列出的问题,提出的解决建议,什么专家协助等等。

整篇文章分为四个部分,层层递进,有很强的逻辑性。

拿这样的文章来做阅读材料应该是相对容易把握的。

题目解析:图中蓝色的线为答案潜伏的地方。

7个题干基本是将原文中的句子用另外的词语和句型表述出来,所以题干中的关键词都能在正文里找到与之匹配的,比如第四题题干里的expert对应D段的specialists,第六题的too busy to对应于B段里的heavy workloads,第七题的interest对应于C段的appeal。

第一题说“经理们必须采取措施使潜力股们相信他们对公司的价值”,也就是要让潜力股们对公司忠诚,即C段说的creating “attraction centres”和loyalty。

第二题说“组织必须把目光投向正在培养中的潜力股以外的地方”,即D段最后两句话所说的寻找新一代的潜力股。

第三题和B段的最后一句话完全是一个意思:怕培养潜力股的投入收不回成本。

第四题说开发潜力股,经理们需要在公司内部得到专家支持。

答案是D段的第一句话:公司的人力资源专家需要采取行动。

HR specialists就是expert。

第五题说公司现在没有在指导策略的支持下辨别潜力股。

也就是说公司是依靠自己来发掘人才的。

答案是A段的第一句:现行的研究满足不了需要,所以公司只能形成自己的一套体系。

第六题,经理们太忙了,无暇顾及潜力股的发展。

答案是B段的:Unfortunately, with today's flat organisations, where managers have functional as well as managerial responsibilities, people development all too often falls victim to heavy workloads.。

不幸落在了高工作负荷的人的肩上。

高工作负荷,也就是too busy。

第七题,看重作为雇主名声的公司可以吸引潜力股。

答案是C段的这么一句:if their companies are known as ones that develop their people, they will have a greater appeal to high-flyers。

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