1、BEC商务英语（中级）阅读模拟试卷 32及答案与解析 一、 PART ONE 0 Look at the statements below and the information about business schools on the opposite page. Which school (A, B, C and D) does each statement 1-7 refer to? For each sentence 1-7, mark one letter (A, B, C, or D) on your Answer Sheet. You will need to use some
2、 of the letters more than once. A LDA School of Management LDA has the advantage of being within a few hours drive of the hi-tech industries of Silicon Valley, which enables senior personnel from hi-tech companies to teach there. The school has prospered in recent years and offers its students excel
3、lent facilities. It attracts students from all over the world and has a fairly large intake of 30,000 students a year. B Dalchester School of Business Under the leadership of Jon Richards, Dalchester has long been one of the worlds top business schools. It is notably strong on its tailor-made execut
4、ive programmes, which are written to meet each companys particular requirements. The Sinclair Centre, with new lecture rooms and a computer centre, has just been added to the school. C Radbridge School of Management The reputation of the long-established RSM has been strengthened in recent years. Th
5、is is mainly due to the appointment of Director Kim Taylor, who, with his programme of modernisation, has led the school into the age of Information Technology. Its network of former students remains second to none, with many having top positions in the world of finance and industry. D IBA Managemen
6、t School This Swiss-based school has built its reputation on the quality and extent of its links with manufacturing and financial institutions. Its lecturers, who have been recruited from many different countries, are extremely well thought of in the business world. Student numbers average 25,000 a
7、year. Many select the school because its links with industry are thought to help with employment prospects. 1 It can offer courses that are designed for the needs of specific companies. 2 It has been brought up to date by its new management. 3 Many students choose it because its contacts with indust
8、ry may help them get work. 4 It is in a good location for attracting suitable staff, 5 Many of its students have gained influential positions in the business world. 6 Its premises have recently been expanded. 7 It has highly respected international staff. 二、 PART TWO 7 Read the article below about e
9、valuating the work of company directors. Choose 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. Do not use any letter more than once. There is an example at the beginning, (0). EVALUATING THE PERFORMANCE OF THE BOARD
10、 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 their board, but very few new o
11、r 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 beard itself needs information on how well it is doing, Just as much
12、 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 opportunities they get to discuss
13、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 be a challenge to their status.
14、 So, how should companies assess their beard? (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. Here, each director is appraised in a syst
15、ematic manner by a combination of the chairman and fellow directors. In the largest companies there are many methods for assessing the beard. A number of such companies have self-assessment schemes. The chairman may meet each board member individually to ask how things are going, in a fairly informa
16、l way. The whole board might also meet to talk about its progress in open session. (11) These might ask for peoples opinions on the boards main tasks or on how well the committees are working. Research indicates there has been some improvement in the way the appraisal of board members is conducted.
17、(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 criticism, as this can prevent them from making basic
18、 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, questionnaires might be distributed to directors
19、, 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 chairmans responsibility to ensure the regular appraisal of each member of the board. G. However, one wonders how many companies have in place
20、a formal appraisal process for their board of directors. 三、 PART THREE 12 Read the article below about problems in the IT industry, and the questions on the opposite page. For each question (13-18), mark one letter (A, B, C or D) on your Answer Sheet. Problems in the IT industry In the information t
21、echnology industry, it is widely acknowledged that how well IT departments of the future can fulfil their business goals will depend not on the regular updating of technology, which is essential for them to do, but on how well they can hold on to the people skilled at manipulating the newest technol
22、ogy. This is becoming more difficult. Best estimates of the current shortfall In IT staff in the UK are between 30,000 and 50,000, and growing. And there is no end to the problem in sight. A severe industry-wide lack of investment in training means the long-term skills base is both ageing and shrink
23、ing. Employers are chasing experienced staff in ever-decreasing circles, and, according to a recent government report, 250,000 new IT jobs will be created over the next decade. Most employers are confining themselves to dealing with the immediate problems. There is little evidence, for example, that
24、 they are stepping up their intake of raw recruits for in* house training, or retraining existing staff from other functions. This is the course of action recommended by the Computer Software Services Association, but research shows its members are adopting the short-term measure of bringing in more
25、 and more consultants on a contract basis. However, this approach is becoming less and less acceptable as the general shortage of skills, coupled with high demand, sends contractor rates soaring. An experienced contract programmer, for example, can now earn at least double the current permanent sala
26、ry. With IT professionals increasingly attracted to the financial rewards and flexibility of consultancy work, average staff turnover rates are estimated to be around 15%. While many companies in the financial services sector are managing to contain their losses by offering skilled IT stall golden h
27、andcuffs - deferred loyalty bonuses that tie them in until a certain date - other organisations, like local governments, are unable to match the competitive salaries and perks on offer in the private sector and contractor market, and are suffering turnover rates of up to 60% a year. But while loyalt
28、y bonuses have grabbed the headlines, there are other means of holding on to staff. Some companies are doing additional IT pay reviews in the year and paying market premiums. But such measures can create serious employee relations problems among those excluded, both within and outside IT departments
29、. Many Industry experts advise employers to link bonuses to performance wherever possible. However, employers are realising that bonuses will only succeed if they are accompanied by other incentives such as attractive career prospects, training, and challenging work that meets the individuals long-t
30、erm ambitions. This means managers need to allocate assignments more strategically and think about advancing their staff as well as their business. Some employers advocate giving key employees projects that would normally be handled by people with slightly more experience or capability. For many emp
31、loyers, however, the urgency of the problem demands a more immediate solution, such as recruiting skilled workers from overseas. But even this is not easy, with strict quotas on the number of work permits issued. In addition, opposition to the recruitment of IT people from other countries is growing
32、, as many professionals believe it will lead to even less investment in training and thus a long-term weakening of the UK skills base. 13 According to the first paragraph, the success of IT departments will depend on （ A） their success at retaining their skilled staff. （ B） the extent to which they
33、invest in new technology. （ C） their attempts to recruit staff with the necessary skills. （ D） the ability of employees to keep up with the latest developments. 14 A problem referred to in the second paragraph is that （ A） the government needs to create thousands of new IT posts. （ B） the pool of sk
34、illed IT people will get even smaller in the future. （ C） company budgets for IT training have been decreasing steadily. （ D） older IT professionals have not had adequate training. 15 What possible solution to the long-term problems in the IT industry is referred to in the third paragraph? （ A） ensu
35、re that permanent staff earn the same as contract staff （ B） expand company training programmes for new and old employees （ C） conduct more research into the reasons for staff leaving （ D） offer top rates to attract the best specialist consultants 16 In some businesses in the financial services sect
36、or, the IT staffing problem has led to （ A） cash promises for skilled staff after a specified period of time. （ B） more employees seeking alternative employment in the public sector. （ C） the loss of customers to rival organisations. （ D） more flexible conditions of work for their staff. 17 Employer
37、s accept that IT professionals are more likely to stay in their present post if they （ A） are set more realistic performance targets. （ B） have a good working relationship with staff in other departments. （ C） are provided with good opportunities for professional development. （ D） receive a remunera
38、tion package at top market rates. 18 According to the final paragraph, the UK skills base will be weakened by （ A） changes to managers strategic thinking. （ B） insufficient responsibility being given to IT staff, （ C） the employment of IT staff with too little experience. （ D） the hiring of IT perso
39、nnel from abroad. 四、 PART FOUR 18 Read the article below about training. Choose 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. Who Benefits Most from Company Training? According to recent research
40、, the better educated and the higher up the socio-economic scale you are, the more likely you are to be offered workplace training. And, incidentally, the more likely you are to then turn (19) the offer, pleading family and personal commitments or (20) of work. Less qualified staff, on the other han
41、d, are offered fewer training opportunities, but are more eager to (21) them up. In fact, people with few or no educational qualifications are three times more likely to accept training when it is offered. In the majority of companies, more (22) are allocated to management training than to other are
42、as. Employers (23) their better qualified staff as more important to the business, so they pay them accordingly and invest more in them in (24) of training. This is (25) by the fact that organisations are dependent on properly (26) managers making the right decisions. But this (27) may mean that com
43、panies are (28) other parts of the workforce down. The researchers found a growing demand for training among the lower-skilled. Unfortunately this demand is not being (29) by employers, even though there are strong indications that companies would benefit from doing so. They also discovered that, de
44、spite the substantial (30) between the training provided for managers and that offered to other staff, there was still widespread endorsement of training. For the purposes of the research, training was defined as any (31) of planned instruction or tuition provided by an employer with the aim of help
45、ing employees do their work better. It therefore included a wide variety of approaches. On-the-job and classroom training (32) to be used equally by employers. But learning on the job, which involved observing a certain procedure and then practising it, was easily the most popular method for all cat
46、egories of employee. While many felt that learning from colleagues was best, very few (33) the internet as an effective way to train. （ A） back （ B） over （ C） down （ D） off （ A） force （ B） pressure （ C） strain （ D） load （ A） pick （ B） keep （ C） take （ D） put （ A） means （ B） reserves （ C） finances （
47、D） resources （ A） imagine （ B） regard （ C） suppose （ D） know （ A） requirements （ B） specifications （ C） states （ D） terms （ A） allowed （ B） approved （ C） justified （ D） accepted （ A） understanding （ B） intelligent （ C） informed （ D） knowledgeable （ A） stress （ B） emphasis （ C） weight （ D） strength （
48、 A） letting （ B） cutting （ C） breaking （ D） setting （ A） reached （ B） achieved （ C） gained （ D） met （ A） space （ B） gap （ C） hole （ D） room （ A） frame （ B） structure （ C） form （ D） order （ A） showed （ B） appeared （ C） demonstrated （ D） presented （ A） rated （ B） thought （ C） marked （ D） believed 五、 P
49、ART FIVE 33 Read the text below about expenses claims. 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 LEI-IERS on your Answer Sheet. Dealing with Expenses Most companies use forms or spreadsheets to process travel and entertainment expenses claims. As a result, it c
