1、剑桥商务英语高级-68 及答案解析(总分：100.00，做题时间：90 分钟)一、READING(总题数：0，分数：0.00)二、PART ONE(总题数：1，分数：8.00) ABank of America announced that it was ready to repay the $ 45 billion it received in government bail-out money, which will finance by selling $ 18. 8 billion in securities and tapping $ 26.2 billion of “excess
2、liquidity“. The bank had to demonstrate to the Treasury that it was stable enough to obtain investment through the markets. By exiting the Troubled Asset Relief Programme, BofA will be free of many of the restrictions imposed on it, including on executive pay, which is said to be hampering the bank
3、from appointing a successor to the outgoing chief executive, Kenneth Lewis. BThe Bank of Japan held an emergency meeting following pressure from the government to take steps to counter deflation and the strengthening yen; the currency recently hit a 14-year high against the dollar. The central bank
4、announced a ￥10 trillion ($115 billion) programme of new lending in three-month funds at a rate of 0.1% , which as officials said was similar to the quantitative-easing measures it employed earlier this decade to fight deflation. But the sum fell short of market expectations. CDirectors at the Royal
5、 Bank of Scotland threatened to resign if the British Treasury prevented them from paying 1.5 billion ($ 2.5 billion) in bonuses at its investment-banking unit. Some British bankers have stepped up their criticism of what they say is overbearing government influence in matters of pay and compensatio
6、n. DMervyn King, the governor of the Bank of England, revealed how close Royal Bank of Scotland and HBOS came to collapse in October 2008. After Lehman Brothers declared bankruptcy, both banks had trouble raising funds in the markets and turned to the central bank, which lent them 62 billion ( $103
7、billion) in emergency aid. Mr. King revealed the details of the rescue now because both companies are considered to be stable. In 2007, news that Northern Rock received loans from the state led to a run on the bank. EThe European Central Bank said it would tighten its rating standards for the asset-
8、backed securities that euro-area banks use as collateral when seeking liquidity from the central bank. The move forms part of the ECBs plan gradually to withdraw the emergency measures it introduced during the financial crisis.（分数：8.00）(1).This bank provides circulating funds to other banks of diffe
9、rent countries.（分数：1.00）填空项 1:_(2).This bank faces stress to take measures to drive down the currency.（分数：1.00）填空项 1:_(3).This bank introduced emergency measures to fight against the monetary crisis,（分数：1.00）填空项 1:_(4).This bank plans to raise funds to reimburse the capital injected by the governmen
10、t.（分数：1.00）填空项 1:_(5).The government tried to restrict this banks attempt to award its staff.（分数：1.00）填空项 1:_(6).This bank suffered a run as a result of the exposure of some news.（分数：1.00）填空项 1:_(7).This bank wants to maintain full control of itself.（分数：1.00）填空项 1:_(8).This bank succeeded in bailing
11、 other banks out of their financial crises.（分数：1.00）填空项 1:_三、PART TWO(总题数：1，分数：6.00)The Four-Day Workweek Is Winning FansIn an era when most of us seem to be working more hours than ever (provided were still lucky enough to have jobs), 17, 000 people in Utah have embarked on an unusual experiment. A
12、 year ago, the Beehive State became the first in the U. S. to mandate a four-day workweek for most state employees, closing offices on Fridays in an effort to reduce energy costs. The move is different from a furlough in that salaries were not cut; nor was the total amount of time employees work. (9
13、) But on that fifth (glorious) day, they dont have to commute, and their offices dont need to be heated, cooled or lit.After 12 months, Utahs experiment has been deemed so successful that a new acronym could catch on: TGIT (thank God its Thursday). (10) Altogether, the initiative will cut the states
14、 greenhouse-gas emissions by more than 12, 000 metric tons a year. (11) “Its beneficial for the environment and beneficial for workers,“ says Lori Wadsworth, a professor at Brigham Young University who helped survey state employees. “People loved it.“ Those who didnt tended to have young children an
15、d difficulty finding extended day care.(12) Private industry is interested as wellGeneral Motors has just instituted a workweek of four 10-hour days at several of its plants. “There is a sense that this is ready to take off,“ says R. Michael Fischl, an associate dean at the University of Connecticut
16、s law school, which is organizing a symposium on four-day weeks.The advantages of a so-called 4-10 schedule are clear: less commuting, lower utility bills. (13) By staying open for more hours most days of the week, Utahs government offices have become accessible to people who in the past had to miss
17、 work to get there in time. (14) Plus, fears that working 10-hour days would lead to burnout turned out to be unfoundedWadsworth says workers took fewer sick days and reported exercising more on Fridays. “This can really make a difference for work-life balance,“ says Jeff Herring, Utahs executive di
18、rector for human resources.Of course, in the age of the BlackBerry, fewer days in the office may not make much of a difference in terms of workload. But as energy prices start rising again, it makes sense to be flexible and find savings where we can. AThe disadvantage of 4-10 schedule is clear. BAnd
19、 perhaps not surprisingly, 82 % of state workers say they want to keep the new. CThe state found that its compressed workweek resulted in a 13% reduction in energy use and estimated that employees saved as much as $ 6 million in gasoline costs. DAnd there have been unexpected benefits as well, even
20、for people who arent state employees. EThey pack in 40 hours by starting earlier and staying later four days a week. FManagers from around the world have gotten in touch with Utah officials, and cities and towns including El Paso, Texas, and Melbourne Beach, Fla., are following the states lead. GWit
21、h the new 4-10 policy, lines at the department of motor vehicles actually got shorter. HA year ago, the Beehive State became the first in the U. S. to mandate a four-day workweek for most state employees, closing offices on Fridays in an effort to reduce energy costs.（分数：6.00）填空项 1:_填空项 1:_填空项 1:_填空
22、项 1:_填空项 1:_填空项 1:_四、PART THREE(总题数：1，分数：6.00)SHOPPERS on Black Friday, the traditional start of the holiday shopping season in America, which falls on November 27th this year, are notoriously aggressive. Some even start queuing outside stores before dawn to be the first to lay their hands on heavil
23、y discounted merchandise. Last year berserk bargain-hunters in the suburbs of New York City trampled a WalMart employee to death. Despite the frenzy at many stores, however, the recession appears to have accelerated the pace at which shoppers are abandoning bricks and mortar in favour of online reta
24、ilers- e-tailers, in the jargon. So this year Black Friday (so named because it is supposed to put shops into profit for the year) also marks the start of many conventional retailers attempts to regain the initiative.E-commerce holds particular appeal in straitened times as it enables people to comp
25、are prices across retailers quickly and easily. Buyers can sometimes avoid local sales taxes online, and shipping is often free. No wonder, then, that online shopping continues to grow even as the offline sort shrinks. In 2008 retail sales grew by a feeble 1% in America and are expected to decline b
26、y more than 3% this year, according to the National Retail Federation, a trade body. In contrast, online sales grew by 13% in 2008 to over $141 billion and are predicted to grow by 11% in 2009, according to Forrester, a consultancy.Online-only shopping sites such as Amazon and eBay, two e-commerce g
27、iants, have thrived in the downturn. Amazons sales rose to around $ 5.5 billion in the third quarter of the year. up by almost 30% from a year before. Listings, chiefly from commercial vendors, have surged so rapidly on eBay that its website briefly crashed on November 21st. The range of items avail
28、able online is also growing. Amazon has started selling groceries. Consumer-goods companies such as Procter the currency recently hit a 14-year high against the dollar. The central bank announced a ￥10 trillion ($115 billion) programme of new lending in three-month funds at a rate of 0.1% , which as
29、 officials said was similar to the quantitative-easing measures it employed earlier this decade to fight deflation. But the sum fell short of market expectations. CDirectors at the Royal Bank of Scotland threatened to resign if the British Treasury prevented them from paying 1.5 billion ($ 2.5 billi
30、on) in bonuses at its investment-banking unit. Some British bankers have stepped up their criticism of what they say is overbearing government influence in matters of pay and compensation. DMervyn King, the governor of the Bank of England, revealed how close Royal Bank of Scotland and HBOS came to c
31、ollapse in October 2008. After Lehman Brothers declared bankruptcy, both banks had trouble raising funds in the markets and turned to the central bank, which lent them 62 billion ( $103 billion) in emergency aid. Mr. King revealed the details of the rescue now because both companies are considered t
32、o be stable. In 2007, news that Northern Rock received loans from the state led to a run on the bank. EThe European Central Bank said it would tighten its rating standards for the asset-backed securities that euro-area banks use as collateral when seeking liquidity from the central bank. The move fo
33、rms part of the ECBs plan gradually to withdraw the emergency measures it introduced during the financial crisis.（分数：8.00）(1).This bank provides circulating funds to other banks of different countries.（分数：1.00）填空项 1:_ （正确答案：E）解析：答案精解 与该段内容相匹配的选项句有两个，即第 1 句和第 3 句。第 1 句指出“这家银行为不同国家的银行提供流通资金。”与该段第一句所述内
34、容相符，故此句为正确选项。第 3 句指出“这家银行采取紧急措施对抗金融危机。”即该段最后一句所述内容，所以此句为正确选项。应注意的是，选项中的“monetary crisis”和此段中的“financial crisis”是“金融危机”的两种说法。(2).This bank faces stress to take measures to drive down the currency.（分数：1.00）填空项 1:_ （正确答案：B）解析：答案精解 与该段内容相匹配的选项句只有第 2 句，即：这家银行面临采取措施使其货币贬值的压力。”即该段第一句所述内容，所以此句。(3).This bank
35、 introduced emergency measures to fight against the monetary crisis,（分数：1.00）填空项 1:_ （正确答案：E）解析：答案精解 与该段内容相匹配的选项句有两个，即第 1 句和第 3 句。第 1 句指出“这家银行为不同国家的银行提供流通资金。”与该段第一句所述内容相符，故此句为正确选项。第 3 句指出“这家银行采取紧急措施对抗金融危机。”即该段最后一句所述内容，所以此句为正确选项。应注意的是，选项中的“monetary crisis”和此段中的“financial crisis”是“金融危机”的两种说法。(4).This
36、bank plans to raise funds to reimburse the capital injected by the government.（分数：1.00）填空项 1:_ （正确答案：A）解析：答案精解 与该段内容相匹配的选项句有两个，即第 4 句和第 7 句。第 4 句指出“这家银行计划筹集资金以偿还政府注入的资金。”正是该段第一句所述内容。第 7 句指出“这家银行想要取得对自己的全面控制权。”正是该段最后两句表述内容，因此是正确选项。(5).The government tried to restrict this banks attempt to award its s
37、taff.（分数：1.00）填空项 1:_ （正确答案：C）解析：答案精解 与该段内容相匹配的选项句只有第 5 句，“政府试图限制这家银行奖励其员工。”即该段第一句所述内容，所以此句为正确选项。(6).This bank suffered a run as a result of the exposure of some news.（分数：1.00）填空项 1:_ （正确答案：D）解析：答案精解 与该段内容相匹配的选项句有两个，即第 6 句和第 8 句。第 6 句指出“因为消息的泄露，银行遭到挤汇。”与该段最后一句所述内容相符，故此句为正确选项。第 8 句指出“这家银行成功得帮助另两家银行摆脱
38、了财政危机。”正是该段前三句所表达的内容，因此也是正确选项。(7).This bank wants to maintain full control of itself.（分数：1.00）填空项 1:_ （正确答案：A）解析：答案精解 与该段内容相匹配的选项句有两个，即第 4 句和第 7 句。第 4 句指出“这家银行计划筹集资金以偿还政府注入的资金。”正是该段第一句所述内容。第 7 句指出“这家银行想要取得对自己的全面控制权。”正是该段最后两句表述内容，因此是正确选项。(8).This bank succeeded in bailing other banks out of their fin
39、ancial crises.（分数：1.00）填空项 1:_ （正确答案：D）解析：答案精解 与该段内容相匹配的选项句有两个，即第 6 句和第 8 句。第 6 句指出“因为消息的泄露，银行遭到挤汇。”与该段最后一句所述内容相符，故此句为正确选项。第 8 句指出“这家银行成功得帮助另两家银行摆脱了财政危机。”正是该段前三句所表达的内容，因此也是正确选项。三、PART TWO(总题数：1，分数：6.00)The Four-Day Workweek Is Winning FansIn an era when most of us seem to be working more hours than
40、ever (provided were still lucky enough to have jobs), 17, 000 people in Utah have embarked on an unusual experiment. A year ago, the Beehive State became the first in the U. S. to mandate a four-day workweek for most state employees, closing offices on Fridays in an effort to reduce energy costs. Th
41、e move is different from a furlough in that salaries were not cut; nor was the total amount of time employees work. (9) But on that fifth (glorious) day, they dont have to commute, and their offices dont need to be heated, cooled or lit.After 12 months, Utahs experiment has been deemed so successful
42、 that a new acronym could catch on: TGIT (thank God its Thursday). (10) Altogether, the initiative will cut the states greenhouse-gas emissions by more than 12, 000 metric tons a year. (11) “Its beneficial for the environment and beneficial for workers,“ says Lori Wadsworth, a professor at Brigham Y
43、oung University who helped survey state employees. “People loved it.“ Those who didnt tended to have young children and difficulty finding extended day care.(12) Private industry is interested as wellGeneral Motors has just instituted a workweek of four 10-hour days at several of its plants. “There
44、is a sense that this is ready to take off,“ says R. Michael Fischl, an associate dean at the University of Connecticuts law school, which is organizing a symposium on four-day weeks.The advantages of a so-called 4-10 schedule are clear: less commuting, lower utility bills. (13) By staying open for m
45、ore hours most days of the week, Utahs government offices have become accessible to people who in the past had to miss work to get there in time. (14) Plus, fears that working 10-hour days would lead to burnout turned out to be unfoundedWadsworth says workers took fewer sick days and reported exerci
46、sing more on Fridays. “This can really make a difference for work-life balance,“ says Jeff Herring, Utahs executive director for human resources.Of course, in the age of the BlackBerry, fewer days in the office may not make much of a difference in terms of workload. But as energy prices start rising
47、 again, it makes sense to be flexible and find savings where we can. AThe disadvantage of 4-10 schedule is clear. BAnd perhaps not surprisingly, 82 % of state workers say they want to keep the new. CThe state found that its compressed workweek resulted in a 13% reduction in energy use and estimated
48、that employees saved as much as $ 6 million in gasoline costs. DAnd there have been unexpected benefits as well, even for people who arent state employees. EThey pack in 40 hours by starting earlier and staying later four days a week. FManagers from around the world have gotten in touch with Utah officials, and cities and towns including El Paso, Texas, and Melbourne Beach, Fla., are following the states lead. GWith th
