BEC中級(jí)真習(xí)題第三輯閱讀及答案解析版

1、TEST1PART ONEB 1 It would be advisable for Flacks to consult customers before developing a new product. D 2 Producing goods for specialist markets might increase Flacks' profits. C 3 Flacks may need to change the function of one of its facilities. A 4 Flacks should utilise its current expertise

2、to enter a different market. B 5 Flacks may need to consider closing its current production facility. C 6 Flacks should develop the connections it has established with leading retailers. A 7 Expanding the product range would not be a problem for the workforce. Flacks is a UK-based company that produ

3、ces fashion accessories for women. How can it continue to grow its business A Susan Falmer Faced with a shrinking market, cheap imports and competitive pricing, Flacks will have to work hard to increase its margins. They need to move into a more promising market, one where demand is growing and wher

4、e the company can exploit existing skills and contacts. They could think about brand extension - this would not be a giant leap and the sales force would take it in its stride. Also, they wouldn't need to re-equip their factory and could use non-UK sourcing if facilities here are in short supply

5、. B Mesut Guzel They have the fundamentals of a survival strategy in a market where outsourced manufacture and brand differentiation hold the key to success. I think they should initially locate some of their production in another country, where manufacturing quality tends to be better and it is eas

6、ier to meet changing customer demands. But they should also regularly monitor production in Britain and think about outsourcing all this work abroad at some point if they need it done faster. The company should continue to work on innovative products, and thorough market research will help to ensure

7、 any new ideas are well received. C Gary Wilmot In order to beat their rivals in a highly competitive market, Flacks should ensure their products are attractive and build on their relationships with the big stores rather than trying to go it alone and market directly. They should also consider refoc

8、using production by using their UK factory for high-specification products. They could eventually build more production overseas in a cycle of continuous development. D Michal Kaminski The demand for fashion accessories is relatively flat and the company should consider exploiting niche markets to i

9、mprove its margins. But even within these, Flacks must distinguish its goods from those of its rivals in terms of quality, performance and design. Innovative sales, marketing and PR are vital to exploit these niche products. One competitive advantage that Flacks does have is production times. Many r

10、etail chains now have two-tier supply chains and Flacks could focus on top-up orders. They might also investigate other sales channels such as mail order. 這篇文章是關(guān)于一個(gè)女性時(shí)尚飾品公司Flacks的發(fā)展戰(zhàn)略問題，四個(gè)專家給出了自己的建議。這套題目的答案稍微有些隱晦。 第一題，說在開發(fā)新產(chǎn)品前咨詢客戶的意見對(duì)于Flacks來講是很明智的。答案是B段的最后一句：thorough market research will help to en

11、sure any new ideas are well received.徹底的市場調(diào)查能夠確保新的思想很好的被接受。Market research，市場調(diào)查，在很大程度上就是咨詢客戶的意見（consult customers），any new ideas可以對(duì)應(yīng)于developing a new product,能夠well received，那么對(duì)于公司來講當(dāng)然就是advisable了。選B。 第二題，說為專業(yè)市場生產(chǎn)產(chǎn)品可以增加利潤。答案是D段的這么一句：the company should consider exploiting niche markets to improve its

12、 margins這題關(guān)鍵是要理解一個(gè)市場的含義：niche market?？从⒂⒔忉專篴 small area of trade within the economy, often involving specialized products。improve its margins也就是increase profits，選D。 第三題，說Flacks可能需要改變它的一個(gè)設(shè)備的功能。這里答案不是太明顯，是C段的這么一句：They should also consider refocusing production by using their UK factory for high-specif

13、ication products。他們也需要考慮通過利用英國工廠生產(chǎn)高規(guī)格產(chǎn)品來調(diào)整生產(chǎn)焦點(diǎn)。也就是說，英國工廠原來不是生產(chǎn)高規(guī)格產(chǎn)品的，即題目說的改變它的一個(gè)設(shè)備的功能。 第四題，說Flacks可以利用現(xiàn)有的技能來進(jìn)入一個(gè)新的市場。答案是A段的這么一句：They need to move into a more promising market, one where demand is growing and where the company can exploit existing skills and contacts。他們需要進(jìn)入一個(gè)更有發(fā)展前景的市場，一個(gè)需求增長并且公司可以利用現(xiàn)

14、有技能和合同的市場。exploit existing skills也就是utilise its current expertise。 第五題，說Flacks可以考慮關(guān)閉現(xiàn)有的生產(chǎn)設(shè)備。這題也有些隱晦，答案是這么一句：think about outsourcing all this work abroad。關(guān)鍵就在于outsource這個(gè)詞的意思：turn to outside suppliers or manufacturers外購。既然是要考慮outsourceturn to outside manufactures，那么也就是可以考慮關(guān)閉自己的生產(chǎn)設(shè)備了。選B。 第六題，說Flacks應(yīng)該

15、考慮發(fā)展同領(lǐng)先的連鎖商已經(jīng)建立起來的關(guān)系。答案在C段：build on their relationships with the big stores發(fā)展他們同大商店的關(guān)系。 第七題，說擴(kuò)展產(chǎn)品范圍對(duì)勞動(dòng)力來講不是問題。答案在A段：They could think about brand extension - this would not be a giant leap and the sales force would take it in its stride.他們可以考慮品牌擴(kuò)張這不是一個(gè)巨大的跳躍，在銷售力量的步調(diào)范圍之內(nèi)。言下之意，不是問題。選A。PART TWOEvaluatin

16、g the performance of the board Few employees escape the annual or twice-yearly performance review. (0) .G.The answer is not a great number. And the smaller the company, the fewer checks there are on how well the directors are doing. Some of the largest companies formally assess the performance of th

17、eir board, but very few new or growing companies have managed to get round to establishing any such procedure. Many business experts believe, however, that it is important for all companies to review the performance of the board. (8) .Another reason is that the board itself needs information on how

18、well it is doing, just as much as other employees do. For the chief executive, appraisal of some sort is absolutely essential for his or her own sake and for the good of the company. Indeed, many of those who have reached this level remark on how lonely the job of chief executive is and how few oppo

19、rtunities they get to discuss issues relating to it. There is some evidence to show that once smaller companies put a board appraisal process in place, they find this process relatively easy to operate. (9) .Their counterparts in larger organisations, however, are often afraid that appraisals could

20、be a challenge to their status. So, how should companies assess their board (10) .At a very basic level,this could simply mean getting all the directors to write down what they have achieved and how they can improve on it. At the other end of the scale is the full '360-degree' appraisal. Her

21、e, each director is appraised in a systematic manner by a combination of the chairman and fellow directors. In the largest companies there are many methods for assessing the board. A number of such companies have self-assessment schemes. The chairman may meet each board member individually to ask ho

22、w things are going, in a fairly informal way. The whole board might also meet to talk about its progress in open session. (11).These might ask for people's opinions on the board's main tasks or on how well the committees are working. Research indicates there has been some improvement in the

23、way the appraisal of board members is conducted. (12) .The chairman will have been involved directly or indirectly in the appraisal of all members of the board. Whose job is it, then, to appraise the chairman A It is often the case that the directors of such companies are even happy to receive criti

24、cism, as this can prevent them from making basic mistakes. B The rest of the workforce sees it as unfair if the directors are the only members of the company to escape appraisal. C These are encouraging as they put a limit on the power of the chairman to assess fellow directors. D Alternatively, que

25、stionnaires might be distributed to directors, forming the basis for futurediscussion. E One issue remains, however, when all the others have been dealt with. F It is generally agreed that it is the chairman's responsibility to ensure the regular appraisal of each member of the board. G However,

26、 one wonders how many companies have in place a formal appraisal process for their board of directors. Evaluating the performance of the board，評(píng)估董事局的表現(xiàn)。眾所周知一個(gè)公司里面是經(jīng)常對(duì)員工的表現(xiàn)進(jìn)行評(píng)估的，那么誰又來評(píng)估董事局的表現(xiàn)呢？這篇文章講了對(duì)董事局表現(xiàn)進(jìn)行評(píng)估的重要性和一些方法。 第八題，前面說對(duì)董事局的表現(xiàn)進(jìn)行評(píng)估是很重要的?？崭窈竺娴木渥又杏衋nother reason，可見這個(gè)第八空應(yīng)該填入對(duì)董事局表現(xiàn)進(jìn)行評(píng)估原因的句子。B符合這一特

27、點(diǎn)，為什么要進(jìn)行評(píng)估，因?yàn)椤叭绻麤Q策層是公司唯一逃避評(píng)估的成員的話，其他的員工會(huì)視之為不公平?！?第九題，前面說小公司會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)這種評(píng)估過程更容易操作?？崭窈竺嬉粋€(gè)however，說大公司的決策層會(huì)認(rèn)為評(píng)估是對(duì)他們地位的一種挑戰(zhàn)。可見這個(gè)空格應(yīng)該填入表示小公司愿意接受評(píng)估的句子。A符合這一特點(diǎn)：通常這些公司的決策層會(huì)很樂意接受批評(píng)，因?yàn)檫@可以防止他們犯錯(cuò)誤。這里的such companies是個(gè)暗示，可以和前面的smaller companies對(duì)應(yīng)上。 第十題，前面問怎樣對(duì)公司的董事局進(jìn)行評(píng)估。那么很明顯，后面跟的句子應(yīng)該和評(píng)估的方式方法有關(guān)。符合這一標(biāo)準(zhǔn)的只有F：一般認(rèn)為確保對(duì)董事局里每個(gè)成員

28、的定期評(píng)估是主席的責(zé)任。也就是說是依賴于主席進(jìn)行評(píng)估。responsibility是個(gè)關(guān)鍵詞。 第十一題。第五段依然是講評(píng)估的方法，具體的過程。空格的前面說主席可以單獨(dú)會(huì)見董事局的每一個(gè)成員，或者是集體在一起談話?？崭窈竺嬲f這些可以詢問人們關(guān)于董事局主要任務(wù)以及委員會(huì)的工作進(jìn)展情況的意見。ask for peoples opinion是個(gè)關(guān)鍵點(diǎn)，什么可以詢問人們的觀點(diǎn)？調(diào)查。選D，questionnaires是個(gè)關(guān)鍵的暗示：或者，也許可以給經(jīng)理們分發(fā)調(diào)查問卷，形成未來討論的基礎(chǔ)。 第十二題，這一空前面說有調(diào)查顯示對(duì)董事局成員進(jìn)行評(píng)估的方法有所改善?？崭窈竺鎭砹艘粋€(gè)疑問，提出沒有人評(píng)估主席?？梢?/p>

29、第十二題有轉(zhuǎn)折的意思，選E，有關(guān)鍵的連詞however,而且E的one issue remains，正好對(duì)應(yīng)最后一段最后一句話的一個(gè)問題。內(nèi)容上也吻合。 PART threeEvaluating the performance of the board Few employees escape the annual or twice-yearly performance review. (0) .G.The answer is not a great number. And the smaller the company, the fewer checks there are on how w

30、ell the directors are doing. Some of the largest companies formally assess the performance of their board, but very few new or growing companies have managed to get round to establishing any such procedure. Many business experts believe, however, that it is important for all companies to review the

31、performance of the board. (8) .Another reason is that the board itself needs information on how well it is doing, just as much as other employees do. For the chief executive, appraisal of some sort is absolutely essential for his or her own sake and for the good of the company. Indeed, many of those

32、 who have reached this level remark on how lonely the job of chief executive is and how few opportunities they get to discuss issues relating to it. There is some evidence to show that once smaller companies put a board appraisal process in place, they find this process relatively easy to operate. (

33、9) .Their counterparts in larger organisations, however, are often afraid that appraisals could be a challenge to their status. So, how should companies assess their board (10) .At a very basic level,this could simply mean getting all the directors to write down what they have achieved and how they

34、can improve on it. At the other end of the scale is the full '360-degree' appraisal. Here, each director is appraised in a systematic manner by a combination of the chairman and fellow directors. In the largest companies there are many methods for assessing the board. A number of such compan

35、ies have self-assessment schemes. The chairman may meet each board member individually to ask how things are going, in a fairly informal way. The whole board might also meet to talk about its progress in open session. (11).These might ask for people's opinions on the board's main tasks or on

36、 how well the committees are working. Research indicates there has been some improvement in the way the appraisal of board members is conducted. (12) .The chairman will have been involved directly or indirectly in the appraisal of all members of the board. Whose job is it, then, to appraise the chai

37、rman A It is often the case that the directors of such companies are even happy to receive criticism, as this can prevent them from making basic mistakes. B The rest of the workforce sees it as unfair if the directors are the only members of the company to escape appraisal. C These are encouraging a

38、s they put a limit on the power of the chairman to assess fellow directors. D Alternatively, questionnaires might be distributed to directors, forming the basis for future discussion. E One issue remains, however, when all the others have been dealt with. F It is generally agreed that it is the chai

39、rman's responsibility to ensure the regular appraisal of each member of the board. G However, one wonders how many companies have in place a formal appraisal process for their board of directors. Evaluating the performance of the board，評(píng)估董事局的表現(xiàn)。眾所周知一個(gè)公司里面是經(jīng)常對(duì)員工的表現(xiàn)進(jìn)行評(píng)估的，那么誰又來評(píng)估董事局的表現(xiàn)呢？這篇文章講了對(duì)董事局表

40、現(xiàn)進(jìn)行評(píng)估的重要性和一些方法。 第八題，前面說對(duì)董事局的表現(xiàn)進(jìn)行評(píng)估是很重要的?？崭窈竺娴木渥又杏衋nother reason，可見這個(gè)第八空應(yīng)該填入對(duì)董事局表現(xiàn)進(jìn)行評(píng)估原因的句子。B符合這一特點(diǎn)，為什么要進(jìn)行評(píng)估，因?yàn)椤叭绻麤Q策層是公司唯一逃避評(píng)估的成員的話，其他的員工會(huì)視之為不公平?！?第九題，前面說小公司會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)這種評(píng)估過程更容易操作?？崭窈竺嬉粋€(gè)however，說大公司的決策層會(huì)認(rèn)為評(píng)估是對(duì)他們地位的一種挑戰(zhàn)?？梢娺@個(gè)空格應(yīng)該填入表示小公司愿意接受評(píng)估的句子。A符合這一特點(diǎn)：通常這些公司的決策層會(huì)很樂意接受批評(píng)，因?yàn)檫@可以防止他們犯錯(cuò)誤。這里的such companies是個(gè)暗示，可以和

41、前面的smaller companies對(duì)應(yīng)上。 第十題，前面問怎樣對(duì)公司的董事局進(jìn)行評(píng)估。那么很明顯，后面跟的句子應(yīng)該和評(píng)估的方式方法有關(guān)。符合這一標(biāo)準(zhǔn)的只有F：一般認(rèn)為確保對(duì)董事局里每個(gè)成員的定期評(píng)估是主席的責(zé)任。也就是說是依賴于主席進(jìn)行評(píng)估。responsibility是個(gè)關(guān)鍵詞。 第十一題。第五段依然是講評(píng)估的方法，具體的過程?？崭竦那懊嬲f主席可以單獨(dú)會(huì)見董事局的每一個(gè)成員，或者是集體在一起談話?？崭窈竺嬲f這些可以詢問人們關(guān)于董事局主要任務(wù)以及委員會(huì)的工作進(jìn)展情況的意見。ask for peoples opinion是個(gè)關(guān)鍵點(diǎn)，什么可以詢問人們的觀點(diǎn)？調(diào)查。選D，questionnai

42、res是個(gè)關(guān)鍵的暗示：或者，也許可以給經(jīng)理們分發(fā)調(diào)查問卷，形成未來討論的基礎(chǔ)。 第十二題，這一空前面說有調(diào)查顯示對(duì)董事局成員進(jìn)行評(píng)估的方法有所改善。空格后面來了一個(gè)疑問，提出沒有人評(píng)估主席?？梢姷谑}有轉(zhuǎn)折的意思，選E，有關(guān)鍵的連詞however,而且E的one issue remains，正好對(duì)應(yīng)最后一段最后一句話的一個(gè)問題。內(nèi)容上也吻合。Part FourBRITISH COMPANIES CROSS THE ATLANTIC Next month a large group of British business people are going to America on a ven

43、ture which may generate export earnings for their companies' shareholders in years to come. A long list of sponsors will support the initiative, which will involve a 3-million media campaign and a fortnight of events and exhibitions. The ultimate goal is to persuade more Americans that British c

44、ompanies have something to interest them. While there have been plenty of trade initiatives in the past, the difference this time round is that considerable thinking and planning have gone into trying to work out just what it is that Americans look for in British products. Instead of exclusively pro

45、moting the major corporations, this time there is more emphasis on supporting the smaller, more unusual, niche businesses. Fresh in the memories of all those concerned is the knowledge that America has been the end of many a large and apparently successful business. For Carringtons, a retail group m

46、uch respected by European customers and investors, America turned out to be a commercial disaster and the belief that they could even show some of the great American stores a retailing trick or two was hopelessly over-optimistic. Polly Brown, another very British brand that rode high for years on go

47、od profits and huge city confidence, also found that conquering America, in commercial and retailing terms, was not as easy as it had imagined. When it positioned itself in the US as a niche, luxury brand, selling shirts that were priced at $40 in the UK for $125 in the States, the strategy seemed t

48、o work. But once its management decided it should take on the middle market, this success rapidly drained away. It was a disastrous mistake and the high cost of the failed American expansion plans played a large role in its declining fortunes in the mid-nineties. Sarah Scott, managing director of Sm

49、ythson, the upmarket stationer, has had to think long and hard about what it takes to succeed in America and she takes it very seriously indeed. 'Many British firms are quite patronising about the US,' she says. They think that we're so much more sophisticated than the Americans. They ob

50、viously haven't noticed Ralph Lauren, an American who has been much more skilled at tapping into an idealised Englishness than any English company. Also, many companies don't bother to study the market properly and think that because something's successful in the UK, it's bound to be

51、 successful over there. You have to look at what you can bring them that they haven't already got. On the whole, American companies are brilliant at the mass, middle market and people who've tried to take them on at this level have found it very difficult.' This time round it is just pos

52、sible that changing tastes are running in Britain's favour. The enthusiasm for massive, centralised retail chains has decreased. People want things with some sort of individuality; they are fed up with the banal, middle-of-the-road taste that America does so well. They are now looking for the sm

53、all, the precious, the 'real thing', and this is precisely what many of the companies participating in the initiative do best. 13 The main reason that the British business people are going to America is to A encourage American consumers to buy their products. B analyse how American companies

54、 attract media coverage. C look for financial backing from American investors and banks. D investigate how British and American companies could form partnerships. 14 In the writer's opinion, the proposed venture will be different to previous ones because A fewer British business leaders will be

55、making the trip. B less well-known companies will be better represented. C the larger companies have decided they will not be participating. D it involves research into how British companies market themselves. 15 The writer states that Carringtons was wrong to A be cautious about trading in America.

56、 B borrow money from its European investors. C assume it was superior to American rivals. D ignore the advice of its American managers. 16 According to the writer, Polly Brown's mistake occurred when it A continued to trade despite making a loss. B attempted to attract a different type of custom

57、er. C tried to break into too many markets at the same time. D expected American consumers to pay British prices for goods. 17 Sarah Scott states that British companies hoping to succeed in America should A focus on a gap in the market. B be less concerned with their image. C concentrate on selling

58、products in the mid-price range. D carry out research into the pricing policies of American companies. 18 The writer suggests that success in America depends upon A adopting a more American approach to marketing. B persuading the mid-range consumer to pay for quality. C copying the strategies of American companies. D building