新东方bec中级口语讲义

BEC口语讲义

Part 1 Interview:

Sample Scenarios

Interlocuter: Good morning. My name is X, and this is my colleague, Y. And your names are A and B?

A: Yeah.

B: Yeah.

I: Thank you. Now, first of all, we‘d like to know something about each of you. Ms A, can you tell me a bit about yourself.

A.My pleasure. As you know, my name is A. I‘m from Jiangsu Province. I‘m now

studying in OO University. And I‘m majoring in international trade there.

I: Thank you. Ms A. Now Ms B, can you tell me something about your ambitions?

B: Yes, I am now a student with OO University majoring in business administration.

I hope I can get my MBA and join a world famous multinational company. And after I have had enough experience, I am going to start a company of my own.

I: Thank you, Ms B. And Ms A, could you tell me about your ambitions?

A: A big question for me indeed. I‘ve never thought about it, but I bet I‘ll work towards a CEO of a big multinational corporation. That‘s my goal in life. And that‘s why I am spending so much time on English, business English in particular..

I: Mr. A, you say you‘re spending a lot of time on business English. Do you think business English is difficult to learn?

A: Not exactly, though it may be difficult at the initial stage. The thing is that you need to have some business knowledge before you start to learn business English.

I: How about you, Ms B? Is it difficult for you?

B: Not really. You know, I like English very much, and my major is business administration. So I have always found business English very interesting.

* * * *

I: Good morning, my name is X, and this is my colleague, Y. And your names are A and B?

A: Yeah.

B: Yes.

I: Thank you. Now, first of all, we‘d like to know something about each of you. Miss A, can you tell me something about your work?

A: My pleasure. I‘m working with APC Inc., which is a US-based company. I have worked there for three years on the international marketing side. I must say that it is a very interesting job. I love my job.

I: Thank you, Miss A. Now Miss B, can you tell me about your activities outside college?

B: Well, I do a lot of interesting things in my spare time. I often go shopping on weekends，something most of the young ladies like me do that in their spare time. And I have worked part time for several big companies. I think, by doing that, I can have some hands-on experience in business. That‘s very important for my future career.

I: Thank you, Miss B. And you Miss A, can you tell me about your hometown?

A: Hmm…well, my hometown is Nantong. It lies at the mouth of Yangtze River, the longest in China. It has a population of 5 million. There‘s quite some places of historical interests there. And the economy there is growing fast in my hometown. The friendly environment has attracted a lot of investment from overseas.

I: Miss B, you said you‘d worked for several companies on a part time basis. Is there any other reason for you to work there apart from obtaining some work experience? B: Yeah. Obviously I can make some extra money from that. You know, my mother is now retrenched. It‘s really not easy for my parents to support me. And I don‘t want to be too heavy a burden for them.

I: How about you, Miss A? Are you a part time by any chance?

A: Oh, yes. But I don‘t work for companies. I teach several private students. I think teaching is a very interesting job, especially when I see my students are making progress. And just as Miss B said, money is an important consideration for me. So I teach for entertainment as well as for cash.

Other possible questions:

Life:What‘s your name? Where are you from? Do you think the place you are living in is an ideal place for living? Where do you like to live, in the city or in the countryside? Do you live near here? How did you come here?

Work: Where do you work? What kind of work do you like? Who do you work for? What do you like best about your work? What do you think of your present job? What do you think of working at home? Do you like your boss? What kind of boss do you like best?

Study: Where do you study? What kind of subjects do you like best? Do you like your school? How do you like exams at school?

Hobbies: What do you often go shopping for? Do you like sports? What kind of sports do you like best? Do you think football is more popular in China than before? What are you hobbies? What kind of extracurricular activities do you like best? Why are you interested in golf?

* * * *

Part 2 Mini-presentation: (1 min preparation, 1 min talk)

The structure of a good mini-presentation:

I.Introduction: one or two sentences. No need to be very long.

There are two ways of starting the question in BEC III ―how to…‘ and ?the importance of…‘，and BEC II questions always start with ?what is important when doing something‘

So, for ?how to…‘, you can always start with ?Well, when it comes to xxing…, quite a number of things can be done.‘or ?Well, as is known to all, it is very important to…The question is of course – how?‘

For ? the importance of…‘, you can start with ?Well, in my view, you should not underestimate the importance of …‘ or ?Well, as is known to all, it is very important to…The question is of course –why?‘

For BEC II, you can start with ?Well, when it comes to xxing…, several vital factors must be taken into account. ? or ?Well, as we all know, many factors must be considered when…, the questions is of course – which ones?‘

Basically, ?how to…‘ asks about methods, ?the importance of…‘ asks about benefits, and ‘what is important when…‘ asks about factors to consider.

II. Main body: 1st point + development sentences

2nd point + development sentences

(3rd , 4th points + development sentences) ……

During the preparation, you should think of at least two points, in the form of key words or key phrases. Then you make a sentence using the each key word or phrase.

There are four common ways to construct a development sentence：

1.Explanation of the point : In this way, To put it another way, In other words, That is to

say, …so to speak, …let‘s say

2.Stating Reasons : As a result, As a consequence, Consequently, Therefore, Due to, Thanks to,

On account of

3.Giving Examples: Say, For instance, For example, As a good example, By way of example

4.Negative hypothesis : If…not

Beginning: First of all, To begin with, For one thing, At the first stage, Initially, The company will begin by…

Transition: And, And of course, Then, Besides, On the other hand, But more than that, Not only that, Apart from that, And an other thing, On top of that, What‘s more, Beyond those, But most importantly, But above all, Last but not least, Once…, Having (done)…

III. Recapitulation or Conclusion: one or two sentences.

All in all, In short, In a word, In brief, To summarise, To sum up, To recap, In conclusion, On the whole, Altogether, In a nutshell, To cut a long story short

You can use the pattern ?While there are also other considerations in… I believe the factors mentioned above are the most significant ones. ?for ?how to…‘ and ?what is important…‘ questions. For ?the importance of…‘, you can use ?While there are also other arguments why… I believe the

reasons mentioned above are the most significant ones. ?

* * * *

Sample Mini-presentations:

A. III-1. Career Development: how to fill a key vacancy

When it comes to filling a key vacancy, a company will usually follow the same standard procedure. (开题)

It will begin by producing an accurate job description of what it would like the successful candidate to do. （要点1，关键词job description）From this, it can then produce a profile of this ideal candidate, which is a list of skills, experience, attributes and so on. （发展1，解释）

Having produced this profile, the company must then decide on the best recruitment method to capture a candidate with this profile. （要点2，关键词recruitment method）This might be an internal advertisement or an external advertisement in a newspaper, on the Internet say, even an agency or perhaps a headhunter. （发展2，例子）

Having decided on the best recruitment method, the advertisements are then placed or the headhunter contacted and a list of candidates will be then drawn up to be put through t he company‘s recruitment processes. （要点3，关键词recruitment processes）This might be interviews, psychometric tests or even hand-writing analysis. （发展3，例子）This will then produce the ideal candidate for the company.

The company will then have to negotiate terms with this candidate （要点4，关键词negotiate terms）and, hopefully, this will result in terms which are both affordable for the company and attractive enough to get the candidate they want. （发展4，解释）

Even though different companies vary somewhat in their efforts to fill open posts, the steps mentioned above are very much the norm rather than the exception in any industry. （结论）

B. III-11. Recruitment: the importance of having a good CV

Well, in my opinion, you should never underestimate the importance of having a good CV. (开题)

To begin with, in the majority of cases, your CV is the employer‘s first impression of you. （要点1，关键词first impression）Your first chance to impress your potential employer, let‘s say. （发展1，解释）As you should remember to your advantage, yo u‘ve got only 30 seconds to leave a positive impression on someone, whether he is a customer or a potential employer. （发展1，解释）

But more than that, your CV also showcases your essential skills in order to compete in today‘s job market. （要点2，关键词skills）In other words, it provides an illustration of your skills to organize, summarize, prioritize and present information effectively, say, as well as your linguistic and communicative abilities. （发展2，解释）

But above all, a CV, by its very nature, also indicates how your qualification and experience match your employer‘s requirements. （要点3，关键词qualification and experience）In this way, your prospective boss will be able to reach a sound decision on your suitability for the position. （发展3，解释）

Even though employers these days use a variety of selection techniques, such as analyzing your handwriting or psychometric tests, a good CV is still the single most important part of any application. （结论）

C. II-13. What is important when choosing a new supplier? Prices and discounts, Reputation

Well, when it comes to choosing a new supplier, several vital factors must be taken into account.

To begin with, I think we must consider the price of goods first. We can compare the prices offered by different suppliers and choose the one which is more reasonable. Because only if we get the supply at lower price can we make profits. Of course, it would be even better if the supplier can offer discounts to regular clients.

Another point we should also consider is the location of the su pplier. We‘d better choose one who is not too far away from us. If the supplier is too far away, that will most likely increase the cost of transportation.

Besides, it‘s also very important to consider whether the supplier is reliable. We would never choo se those who always deliver their goods late or those who can‘t ensure the quality of goods. Because late delivery may bring heavy loss to us, and quality is the lifeline of any business. Otherwise we may lose our own clients. So in this aspect, we must not make any concessions, and lower prices cannot be a valid mitigating factor.

While there are also other considerations in choosing a supplier, such as reputation, means of payment, after-sales service, I believe the factors mentioned above are the most indispensable ones.

D. II-36. What is important when choosing business premises to rent? Location, Length of contract

Well, as we all know, many factors must be considered when choosing business premises to rent, the questions is of course – which ones?

From my point of view, we should first take the location into consideration. Some companies choose to locate in office blocks downtown; some would like to be near the largest concentrations of their target customers. It depends largely upon the type of the company in question. Companies that provide services must be located within easy access. So they usually choose those places where there is convenient transportation.

Another important facet to consider is the size of the premises. Nowadays, more and more large companies prefer an open, spacious working floor which allows colleagues to communicate and interact freely. Of course, a small company would not rent the whole floor. That will be a waste of space and an unnecessary cost burden.

Last but not least, the length of contract should not be neglected. A fixed-term contract is

legally binding and can only serve to make your situation worse in times of recession. Whenever possible, flexible contract arrangement should be preferred.

While there are also other considerations in choosing business premises, such as rent and facilities, I believe the factors mentioned above are the most indispensable ones.

E. III-7. Career Development: The importance of acquiring a range of skills throughout your career

Well, as is known to all, it is very important for a person to acquire a range of skills in the course of his career. The question is of course – why?

When he has a range of skills, first of all, he is obviously more competitive than those who don‘t and therefore has better chances of surviving a downturn. To put it another way, companies are likely to retain highly skilled staff members even when mass layoff is inevitable.

And that‘s not the only benefit. A person with a range of skills is more likely t o work his way to the top of the corporate ladder. In most companies, whether or not you have the appropriate skills is a relevant criterion for promotion.

On the other hand, it will also be easier for a skilled employee to find a job outside his own company if he is not satisfied with his present job. In this way, acquiring a variety of skills in one‘s career offers more professional mobility.

So, when all the benefits are taken into account, no wonder acquisition of skills is taken so seriously nowadays.

F. III-8. Career Planning: how to assess the career opportunities provided by different types of companies

Well, when it comes to assessing different career opportunities, several vital factors must be taken into account.

First of all, the type of company should be taken into consideration. Different types of firms have their own benefits and challenges. In a multinational company., say, you can learn international business management and culture, and as an icing on the cake, you may have more opportunities to travel abroad. However, English is the working language in multinationals. You have to be very good at English to work there. So state-owned companies may better suit some people.

Salary should be another important consideration. As everyone knows, multinational companies usually offer higher salaries. But if you have just graduated from college, you shouldn‘t be too concerned about that. As a new hand, it‘s more important to gain more experience through working rather than earn quick money.

After salary, we should not ignore other financial rewards in the form of fringe benefits. Some companies offer housing allowance, car allowance, children‘s education allowance in addition to salaries. Still others provide staff with free health club and cafeteria. And high tech firms often supplement salaries with stock options.

Although there are also other considerations in assessing different career

opportunities, such as training, location, and good colleagues, I believe the factors mentioned above are the most indispensable ones.

G. III-31. Human Resources: how to select the right staff for promotion

Well, as is known to all, it is very important to select the right staff for promotion. The question is of course – how?

For one thing, qualification definitely counts a great deal. A good qualification, especially an advanced degree, normally indicates high aptitude and a wide range of knowledge and skills. Even though we often hear clichés like ?But degrees don‘t mean everything‘, in the real world, qualification actually means a lot.

That said, there ARE certain skills and knowledge, or what we call flair, that come only from long-time hands-on experience. So it is only natural that the next thing to consider should be experience. Only by accumulating enough experience can an employee be totally at ease with his duties. Besides, experience can also tell us about his performance, track record, and leadership potential.

Well, last but not least, personality should also be a factor in any staffing decision. Different positions require different personal qualities. The highest virtues for an engineer engaged in R & D, for instance, would be meticulousness and creativity. Yet for a sales manager, being energetic and outgoing is much more important because sales managers have to leave a good first impression upon their clients. But for any position, hard-working people are always welcome.

So to recap, qualification, experience and personality are the three promotion criteria that we all need to keep in mind.

H. III-62. Product Promotion: how to promote an imported brand

With so many people these days making a conscious decision to buy domestic products, the pressure on those companies wishing to promote imported brands is greater than ever before.

Initially, a company needs to show how their product is superior to the local equivalents. Maybe it‘s better quality; maybe it‘s more stylish; maybe it‘s better image. Anyway, a company needs to show customers the benefits of being more adventurous in their buying decisions, in order to encourage them to move away from the home brands they currently use.

Well, beyond that, if you market a product as something exotic or unusual, say, you‘re bound to attract new clients. As you may also have expe rienced, most people have a strong craving for things novel and unfamiliar. Of course, when the sense of curiosity wears off, such a strategy will usually fall short of expectations.

Last but not least, cultural stereotypes are also a powerful selling tool. A cosmetics range associated with French chic, for example, is sure to attract customers. And if people are looking to buy a reliable car, there‘s no better label than ?made in

Germany‘. These national associations can also be exploited at the point o f sale. Playing French music in supermarkets, for example, is proven to improve the sales of French wine.

All in all, if you want to successfully promote an imported brand, you need to give your customers a good reason to try something a little bit more exciting than their own home brands.

I. III-70. Advertising: the importance of stereotypes in advertising

Well, I‘m very much convinced that you should never underestimate the importance of stereotypes in advertising.

First of all, a stereotype is something enduring and easily identifiable to a whole national group. When an Asian audience see Eiffel Tower in an ad, they instantly conjure up the romantic image of Paris at night. And with that in mind, any product associated with French chic, say, cosmetics, perfume, and fashion, will become an easy sell. As another example, the German Audi designers in white lab coats are obviously obsessed with perfection. And so we can guarantee that any product we buy from them is going to be designed to perfection the moment we see this ad.

What‘s more, stereotypes can make us feel good about our own value systems or customs. An ad targeted at a British audience might pit a refined Londoner against a brash New Yorker and that‘ll give the impression that the product we‘r e selling is obviously full of taste and discretion. And in this way, stereotypes reinforce the positive qualities in the minds of the viewers.

And lastly, stereotypes make good comedy because everybody wants to laugh at other countries and people who are different. A fictitious aboriginal tribe once served as the backdrop for a celebrated cell phone ad. The contrast between the modern and the primitive kept the audience in stitches. And of course, if they‘ve had a laugh, they‘re more likely to remember the advert.

So to sum up, stereotypes are useful to advertisers because they‘re basically a shorthand. You‘ve got thirty seconds to get your main selling point across. And with a stereotype you can do that in two.

J. III-84. Marketing: the importance of packaging products appropriately In recent years, numerous factors have made packaging an important marketing tool.

Increased competition and clutter on retail store shelves means that packages now must perform many sales tasks -- from attracting attention, to describing the product, to making the sale. Among these, the first one is undoubtedly the most crucial function. Companies are realizing the power of good packaging to create instant consumer recognition of the company or brand. Nowadays, in an average supermarket, which stocks 15,000 to 17,000 items, the typical shopper passes by some 300 items per minute, and 53 percent of all purchases are made on impulse. In this highly competitive environment, the package may be the seller‘s last chance to influence buyers. It becomes a ―five-second commercial‖. The renowned Campbell Soup Company, say, estimates that the average shopper sees its familiar red and white can 76 times a year, creating the equivalent of

$26 million worth of advertising. However, everyone‘s favorite success story on packaging involves the ubiquitous red Coke can. Marketers everywhere have emulated but rarely equaled the marketing power of its simple design. More recently, the picture of a smiling Tiger Woods, the golf guru, appears on the boxes of a certain brand of cereals, apparently to convey an image of fitness, energy, and vitality. The effort has not been wasted – its sales tripled in one year.

In brief, while good packaging can serve many practical purposes, it is with its utility in effective product promotion that marketers are primarily concerned.

K. III-87. Customer Relations: how to maintain customer interest in a company’s products Well, as is known to all, it is very important for a company to maintain customer interest in their products. The question is of course – how?

I think there are several ways to do that. For one thing, we should always make sure that we provide our customers with quality goods and quality after-sales service, as these two aspects are indisputably the lifeline of any business. Continuous new product development and innovation in service are also necessary in reinforcing and expanding customer base.

Apart from that, enough emphasis should be laid on the feedback from our customers. If necessary, prompt action should be taken to take care of their needs and demands.

Finally, if possible we should provide some incentives to repeat customers. For example, we can grant a certain rebate to them if their purchases reach a certain amount. And offering coupons and free delivery to customers are also effective and feasible methods.

All in all, we should try our utmost to keep our customers satisfied and fulfill their expectations. Only by doing so can we maintain clients‘ interest in our products.

L. III-113. Production Development: the importance of R & D to a company To illustrate the importance of research and development to some firms, the level of annual investment in research and development by the top ten listed corporations in the States can serve as a telling indicator: each of these firms typically spends more than $1 billion on research and development per year. The question is, why?

First of all, firms invest funds in research and development primarily in order to design new products. F or instance, Procter and Gamble‘s R & D resulted in its two-in-one shampoo and conditioner technology. This new technology has been used in its famous Pantene, Head & Shoulders products, which now enjoy a significant market share in various countries.

On the other hand, companies also use R & D to improve the products they already produce. Again, Procter and Gamble has improved the technology of Tide detergent more than seventy times. And not surprisingly, Tide is now the leading detergent in North America.

What‘s more, R & D can allow one firm a huge competitive advantage and therefore improve revenue streams dramatically. For example, Pfizer, one of the pharmaceutical titans, has successfully obtained patents for such best selling drugs as Benadryl, Listerine and Viagra. In other words, Pfizer now has the monopoly in these lucrative drugs. This ?license to print money‘ comes directly from Pfizer‘s R & D activities.

In short, firms that spend money on R & D have found to their delight that the benefits almost always exceed the expenses.

M. III-130. Health and Safety: the importance of a safe working environment for maintaining staff morale

Firms that create a safe working environment not only prevent injuries but improve the morale of their employees as well. I feel strongly that this is something indispensable for any company.

First of all, a safe working environment offers peace of mind to staff members and therefore can significantly motivate staff to enhance a firm‘s productivity. As a result, m any leading firms, such as Intel and GE, now identify workplace safety as one of their main goals. Not surprisingly, these are some of the best performing firms anywhere in the world.

What‘s more, a safe environment can reduce the occurrence of workplace a ccidents, which are usually a source of staff dissatisfaction and low trust in the management. Taking safety measures can enhance staff loyalty and, in turn, moral. For instance, Levi Strauss and Co. imposes safety guidelines not only in its US facilities but also in Asian factories where some of its clothes are made. Starbucks, meanwhile, has developed a code of conduct in an attempt to improve the quality of life in coffee-producing countries, in an effort to buck against sweatshop-like working conditions. These two companies have been rated highly by their employees.

In short, if you want to boost morale among your staff, or to put it in plain words, if you want to see enthusiasm, confidence, or loyalty in your workforce, then safety should have your prior attention.

N. III-137. International Business: the importance of a global presence for a company With more mergers and acquisitions than ever before, I think it‘s becoming quite clear that a company in the future will need to have a global presence in order to compete in tomorrow‘s market place. This presence can give a company many competitive advantages.

To begin with, say, it can give access to local market knowledge, which can help avoid some very, very expensive mistakes on account of cultural conflicts. The Matsushita Firm of Japan learned this at a price, when they, without knowing the negative connotations of the word in the US, first launched their products under the brand name of ―National‘. Only when they switched to ?Panasonic‘ did the fla t sale become brisk.

On top of that, a global presence can spread the risk of doing business. As the saying goes: Don‘t put all your eggs in one basket. If a company sells to more than one market, it can survive a downturn in any one of those markets, tha t‘s something for sure.

And if a company becomes truly global, the size of the company means it can realize economies of scale, say, in advertising or distribution or shipping. It can also move its production from country to country and take advantage of the best conditions at any given time.

So I think, all in all, when these things are taken into consideration, it‘s quite clear that any company not looking to establish a global presence in the future may not have a future at all.

O. III-138. Business Ethics: how to encourage ethical behaviour from employees Figures show that more and more companies are now reporting their ethical performance and it‘s clear, I think, that companies now have to address the issue of ensuring ethical behaviour amongst their staff. The question is of course – how?

To begin with, awareness is key. And in order to promote awareness for ethics, the company needs to put ethics high on the training and staff development agenda. The HR department, say, can sponsor some workshops or seminars on business ethics, or even invite some external experts for this purpose.

Once these procedures are in place, the company then needs to spell out an official code of ethical practice and ensure that all employees have access to it and can understand it easily. The company then needs to implement an effective and anonymous system of reporting any breaches of this code. Some companies even benchmark their ethical practices against those of industry leaders and see how they‘re doing.

I suppose it‘s also vital that companies ensure that their senior managers set a good example, ?walk and talk‘ so to speak. If they don‘t behave ethically why should staff?

All in all, whatever measures a company adopts, it needs to make staff understand why ethics is important not just to the company but also to themselves as well.

* * * *

BEC II Part 2 questions:

Career 职业题

1.What is important when looking for a new job? Location, Salary, Good colleagues

See C, F

--Last but not least, good colleagues are not a minor consideration either. As we all know,

good colleagues provide a supportive work environment, and therefore can also foster teamwork and cooperation in your job. On the other hand, not so helpful colleagues will cause frustration and reduce productivity.

2.What is important when preparing for a job interview? Studying the job

advertisement, Finding out about the company

--To begin with, studying the job ad is a crucial first step. Only by doing so can you fully understand the employer‘s re quirements on qualification, experience, skills and so on. In this way, you wouldn‘t be wasting your time applying for the wrong position.

--Another important thing to do is to find out about the company. This may be done in many ways. For example, there are often articles about larger companies in newspapers and international business magazines. Visiting the firm‘s website is also a neat idea. Many firms even provide their annual reports for free download on their homepages. Of course, if possible, the best way is simply to ask someone, say a friend or a colleague, who knows about the firm well.

3.What is important when being interviewed for a job? Information about the

company, Personal appearance

See II-2.

--Another important aspect to consider would be your personal appearance. In the majority of cases, your appearance is the employer‘s first impression of you. Your first chance to impress your potential employer, let‘s say. As you should remember to your advantage, you‘ve got only 30 seconds to leave a positive impression on someone, whether he is a customer or a potential employer.

4.What is important when starting a new job? Knowledge of company procedures,

Help from company staff

--To begin with, knowledge of company procedures would be useful. Most firms have their own specific sets of procedures that you, as a new staff member, should observe. For instance, many enterprises do now allow the use of company email and internet service for personal purposes. Other companies ban smoking on their premises. Still others require certain staff to wear company uniforms.

---Last but not least, help from veteran staff is not a minor consideration either.

As we all know, colleagues‘ assistance provide a supportive work environment, and therefore can also foster teamwork and cooperation in your job. On the other hand, not so helpful colleagues will cause frustration and reduce productivity.

5.What is important when considering a career change? Further study or training,

Opportunities for future promotion

--For one thing, whether further study or training is provided is a crucial first consideration.

When an employee receives further training, he is obviously more competitive than those who don‘t and therefore has better chances of surviving a downturn. To put it another way, companies are likely to retain highly trained staff members even when mass layoff is

-- Last but not least, opportunities for future promotion is no small factor either. A firm with plenty of promotion opportunities allows staff members to work his way to the top of the corporate ladder. That will give employees not only enough room for personal growth, but also better financial rewards. As a result, employees in such companies are more likely to achieve a better level of job satisfaction.

6.What is important when aiming for promotion? Quality of performance, Company

loyalty

--To begin with, the quality of your performance is normally the most significant factor in promotion. Here, what I mean by performance includes, but is not limited to, your track record, your productivity, your efficiency, your integrity and your leadership skills. Therefore, you should try your best to acquire extra skills and qualifications, as well as doing a good job.

--On the other hand, you must also show loyalty and commitment to your company.

If your firm feels that you do not intend to stay on, there is little likelihood for you to be promoted. So, don‘t ?shop around‘ for the best job possible. Instead, you should plan to stick with a company until you have proven yourself.

Staffing 选人题

7.What is important when selecting staff for promotion? Attitude to work, Current

performance

See II-6.

8.What is important when selecting applicants for a job? Work experience, Personal

qualities

See G.

9.What is important when selecting staff for marketing trips abroad? Position in the

company, Previous experience of other countries

--Well, initially, position in the company might be an important factor to consider.

In stead of entry-level staff, senior staff should be sent, in order to handle certain situations too complicated for rookies. Also, a high position means higher authority and larger decision-making power in important matters.

--What‘s more, previous experience in the foreign country is also a pl us.

Everyone country has its unique language and culture. Local market knowledge can help avoid some very, very expensive mistakes on account of cultural conflicts.

The Matsushita Firm of Japan learned this at a price, when they, without knowing the negative connotations of the word in the US, first launched their products under the brand name of ―National‘. Only when they switched to ?Panasonic‘ did the flat sale become brisk.

10.What is important when choosing people to work in teams? Variety of experience,

personal qualities

11.What is important when choosing a new sales agent? Experience of agent, Number

of contacts

See G.

--Last but not least, the number of an agent‘s contacts is no small consideration either. Networking has now become an important aspect in the modern business world. The more people you know, the easier it will be for you to market products, to expand your customer base, and to close deals.

12.What is important when selecting a business partner? Personality, Capital

See G.

--Another important factor to consider is the amount of capital of your business partner possesses. A higher level of capital not only provides a better safety net, but also offers more opportunities for business expansion and growth.

13.What is important when choosing a new supplier? Prices and discounts, Reputation

See C.

--Besides, reputation can also be a vital consideration. We would never choose those who have shady reputation. Because that may bring heavy loss to us, and reputation is the lifeline of any business. Otherwise we may lose our own clients. So in this aspect, we must not make any concessions, and lower prices cannot be a valid mitigating factor.

Training 培训题

14.What is important when choosing a business language course? Cost, Size of course,

qualification

--To begin with, like in many other things in the business world, cost is the primary consideration. It is often said that you always pay for what you get, but you don‘t always get what you pay for. While excessive costs can be a big minus, extremely low prices may not necessarily be a good thing either. We really have to decide what our budget is and then look at the price-quality ratio.

--Well, the size of the course is another thing we should take into account.

Normally the smaller a course is, the more hands-on opportunities you will get.

This is especially important in a business course because there are certain skills and knowledge, or what we call flair, that come only from hands-on experience.

See G.

15.What is important when choosing a management training course to attend?

Program contents, Length of course

--Well, one of the first things to consider is the contents of the training program.

Only by understanding the objective, focus and target audience of the program can we be sure that the program is the right one for us. Otherwise, we will just be wasting our time and efforts.

--Apart from that, the length of the course should not be neglected either. The

longer a course is, the more knowledge and skills you can learn from it. But you should also consider the impact a long training course has on your working and family life. The golden mean will be to strike a balance between the two.

16.What is important when planning health and safety training? Selecting topics,

Selecting staff to attend

-- Well, one of the first things to consider is to select topics for the training. Only by choosing the appropriate topics can we be sure that the program is the right one for the staff. Otherwise, we will just be wasting our time and efforts.

--Health and safety is something that should concern many different departments in

a firm. As a result, we should involve not only people directly related to

manufacturing, say, Production and Quality Control, but also Marketing, After Sales Service, and R & D in order to enhance awareness throughout the company. HR人事题

17.What is important when dealing with a heavy workload? Time management,

Sharing tasks

--Well, the first thing to consider is time management. When a heavy workload is at hand, we should always start early, in order to meet deadlines. Also we can resort to technology, such as software, to speed up the processing of certain routine tasks. And we must not neglect the ordering of priorities in that time should be planned according to the importance of the tasks we need to deal with. But most importantly of all, we should allocate blocks of time to specified tasks, so as to have a definite idea of when we should complete a certain task.

--On the other hand, sharing tasks with a colleague is also worth mentioning.

Sometimes stress at work does get out of control. In such cases, we should seek help from other colleagues so as to finish our work in time. And whenever necessary, we can also reciprocate the favor.

18.What is important when introducing a reward system for staff? Purpose of the

reward system, Types of reward offered

--At the first stage, the purpose of the reward system should be determined. Is it to show appreciation for staff‘s contribution to the firm? Or is it an effort to enhance staff productivity and performance? Or is it a way to reinforce loyalty and commitment to the company? Whatever the aim, it must be clarified before introducing the reward system.

-- After purpose, we should not ignore the types of reward offered. Some companies offer cash prizes and salary increases in addition to the usual promotions. Still others provide staff with free holidays or useful training programs. And more sophisticated firms often supplement these with some form of non-material rec ognition, say, an ?Employee of the Month‘, or ?Employee of the Year‘ award certificate.

19.What is important when aiming to reduce staff turnover? Financial incentives,

Career structure

--To begin with, we should not underestimate the importance of financial incentives. Not just salary. We should not ignore other financial rewards in the form of fringe benefits. Some companies offer housing allowance, car allowance, children‘s education allowance in addition to salaries. Still others provide staff with free health club and cafeteria. And high tech firms often supplement salaries with stock options.

-- Last but not least, career structure is no small factor either. A firm with a flexible career structure allows staff members to work his way to the top of the corporate ladder. That will give employees not only enough room for personal growth, but also better financial rewards. As a result, employees in such companies are more likely to achieve a better level of job satisfaction.

20.What is important when motivating staff? Financial benefits, Career development

opportunities

See II-19.

Sales & Marketing 营销题

21.What is important when developing new products? Market research, Costs

involved, Pricing

--One of the most important things to consider is market research. Market research can help determine your target market, or the target group for your products. This refers to the age group, education group, and income group likely to purchase your products. And through market research, you can also find out about their habits and attitudes, say, what TV programs and newspapers are their favorite.

For instance, if you are marketing a product for the teenagers, you‘d achieve good results if you have your commercial inserted into sitcoms such as ?Friends‘ popular among this group. Just those gorgeous teen idols are convincing enough.

--On top of that, Costs involved are not to be neglected, either. Here, costs involve not only direct cost, such as production costs, but also indirect ones, such as R & D costs required to develop the new products from scratch, as well as marketing and advertising costs in order to promote the new product to potential customers.

--Last but not least, well, pricing is another key factor that must be taken into account. In addition to the costs mentioned above, manufacturers must decide on an appropriate profit margin as a return on their investment. But it is also important to consider the competitors‘ prices and the local average spending level or the purchasing power of your target group. If your pricing is too out of touch with reality, your new products are unlikely to survive the keen competition.

22.What is important when aiming to reach new markets? Market research,

Advertising

See 21.

--But more than that, advertising is also an important factor to consider.

Advertising can take many forms. We can choose traditional media such as TV, radio, newspapers or periodicals. Even among these, those with a large circulation or wide coverage are the most desirable. To achieve a stronger visual impact, we can even use some usual methods, say, flying an advertising balloon above the city.

Sometimes, we need to sponsor local celebrities, such as athletes, movie stars, or media personalities, in order to achieve immediate and durable publicity.

23.What is important when marketing a new product? Holding a presentation,

Distributing questionnaire

--First of all, what you can do is to hold a presentation. This is useful for the launching of your new product, because it will give much useful information in an objective manner. The shortcoming of this method is that a presentation will normally only attract people in your industry, and it will be hard to reach wider circles of potential customers.

--The next thing to do is to distribute questionnaires. Questionnaires can help determine your target market, or the target group for your products. This refers to the age group, education group, and income group likely to purchase your products.

And through questionnaires, you can also find out about their habits and attitudes, say, what TV programs and newspapers are their favorite.

24.What is important when selling a new product? Price, Quality, Advertising

See II-21, 22.

-- Besides, it‘s also very important to emphasize the quality. No matter how exciti ng our advertisement is, quality is still the lifeline of any business. Otherwise we can only expect to lose our clients in the long run. So in this aspect, we must not make any concessions, and lower prices cannot be a valid mitigating factor, either.

25.What is important when retailing the product? Relationship between retailers and

consumers, The quality of the products

See II-24.

--First of all, we should pay close attention to relationship between retailers and consumers. A retailer‘s demand comes from t wo groups: new customers and repeat customers. Beyond designing strategies to attract new customers and create transactions with them, companies should retain current customers and build lasting customer relationships. In my opinion, the key to customer retention is superior customer value and satisfaction.

26.What is important when setting prices for new products? Production costs, Competitor‘s prices

See II-21.

27.What is important when advertising a new product? Target markets, Choice of

media

See II-21, 22.

28.What is important when planning an advertising campaign? Market research,

Selecting appropriate media

See II-21, 22.

29.What is important when deciding on packaging for products? Image, Production

Process

See J.

30.What is important when exporting goods or services for the first time? Professional

advice, Personal contacts

--To staff off, seeking professional advice may be an important first step.

Undoubtedly, there are many business and legal regulations related to export. But as a novice in this area, it is impossible to fully understand all the details involved.

Professional advice then becomes an indispensable way to avoid expensive mistakes.

--Last but not least, the number of personal contacts is no small consideration either. Networking has now become an important aspect in the modern business world. The more people you know, the easier it will be for you to market products, to expand your customer base, and to close deals. The same can be said when export business is concerned.

Customer Service客服题

31.What is important when monitoring the quality of service provided? Feedback

from customers, Checking sales figures

--To begin with, feedback from customers cannot be overlooked. There are several ways to obtain customer feedback. For instance, we can distribute questionnaires to customers and then collect them. Some companies even put a customer response card in the product package. Setting up a helpline service or customer email service is also an fast and effective means of keeping in touch with customers.

--Another vital thing to do is to check sales figures. Sales figures are normally strongly correlated to the quality of service provided. In today‘s competitive business environment, a firm with poor service standards will suffer the drain of repeat customers almost immediately, and perhaps permanently. Therefore, any sign of declining sales figures should serve as a warning signal to people in charge of customer service.

32.What is important when aiming to improve customer service? Staff training,

Customer satisfaction surveys

-- Another vital thing to do is to train staff who deal with customers. In today‘s competitive business environment, a firm with poor service standards will suffer

the drain of repeat customers almost immediately, and perhaps permanently. Staff training should thus stress appropriate appearance, basic courtesy, good manners, as well as patience and a positive attitude.

-- Having done staff training, customer satisfaction survey cannot be overlooked, either. There are several ways to do this. For instance, we can distribute questionnaires to customers and then collect them. Some companies even put a customer response card in the product package. Setting up a helpline service or customer email service is also an fast and effective means of keeping in touch with customers.

33.What is important when dealing with complaints from clients? Offering an apology,

Suggesting a solution to the problem

--Well, the first and most important step to take will be an apology. Whatever the cause of the complaint, the firm must first show the customer its sincerity in resolving the issue. An unapologetic attitude on the firm‘s part would only reinforce the negative view the customer already holds.

--Suggesting a solution to the problem, on the other hand, is also necessary.

Sometimes, the problem can be fixed by taking some minor steps. On other occasions, some forms of financial compensation, say, a coupon or voucher, is warranted if the customer has sustained a heavy loss. In any case, a follow-up investigation is should be conducted to identify the true causes of the complaint and preventive measures be taken to prevent its reoccurrence.

Planning 规划题

34.What is important when choosing new office equipment? Prices and discounts,

Brand names

--To begin with, like in many other things in the business world, price is the primary consideration. It is often said that you always pay for what you get, but yo u don‘t always get what you pay for. While excessive costs can be a big minus, extremely low prices may not necessarily be a good thing either. We really have to decide what our budget is and then look at the price-quality ratio.

--Another important factor to take into consideration is the brand name. Without doubt, brand name products are far more expensive than generic ones. But usually, brand name products carry an assurance of quality and better after sales service pledges. Also prestige plays an important role in the choice. In any case, it is better to strike a balance between reputation and utility.

35.What is important when founding a new branch? Location, Size

See D.

36.What is important when choosing business premises to rent? Location, Length of

contract

See D.

37.What is important when choosing a company site? Location, Price

See D, II-34.

38.What is important when relocating a business? Local workforce available, Location

of site

See D.

--On top of that, local workforce available is no minor factor either when relocating a business. If an area has an abundant supply of highly skilled professionals in your industry, you are more likely to recruit the best candidate for any job. That will help reduce business costs and enhance productivity.

39.What is important when planning the layout of a new store? Attractiveness,

Security of goods

--For one thing, attractiveness is probably the single most important factor in store layout. In today‘s competitive business environment, any store owner must try his or her best to make the store appealing, stylish, and cozy in order to attract customers into the store. Only then is there a possibility of creating transactions with the customers.

--That said, security of goods should also become a consideration. Certain store layouts allow customers close access to goods. That‘s reasonable because customers would buy the goods only if they have seen them clearly. Yet for precious or fragile goods, such as jewelry or porcelain, there should always be some forms of protection, say an alarm, to prevent theft or damage. Communication & Socializing 交流社交题

40.What is important when deciding whether to attend a conference? Venue, Speakers

--To begin with, venue is an important consideration. Some conferences have good topics, but unfortunately are held overseas. This means significant cost and time commitment on the part of the participants. Also it is a question of opportunity cost. Sending staff to a faraway conference may mean the loss of product work time in the firm.

--Besides, we should also take into account who the speaks are at the conference.

If the speakers are renowned scholars or executives of the leading firms in your industry, it is almost always worth your time and money to attend the conference.

On the other hand, if the quality of the speakers is less than satisfactory, you should think twice before you decide to attend.

41.What is important when exhibiting at a trade fair? Quality of display, Staff selected

--For one thing, the quality of your display is probably the single most important factor at a trade fair. In today‘s competitive business environment, any fair participant must try his or her best to make the stall appealing, stylish, and cozy in order to attract potential customers. Only then is there a possibility of creating transactions with the customers.