商务英语考试BEC高级易错题(2019/9/11) |
第1、2、3、4、5、6题: In the last few years, managers throughout industry have seen more changes than many of them could have expected to see in their entire working lives having to communicate information which often leads to feelings of insecurity has become a key activity. From being regarded as relatively unimportant in many companies , management employee communication has become a central corporate need. Concordia International provides a good example of a company that has adjusted well to the changing needs for communication . since 1995 , Concordia has been turned inside-out and upside-down, to ensure that it is a marketing –led, customer-responsive business, one that looks outwards at customers and competitors, rather than inwards at its own processes and the way things were done in the past. In the last eight years, Concordia has reduced its workforce by more than 80.000 people - or 35% -on a voluntary basis, with further downsizing anticipated. From being an engineering company, Concordia is now remaking itself as a service company. The role of employee communication in such a context is to build people’s self-confidence, to persuade them that, although it is inevitable that the changes will go ahead, they also bring with them new opportunities for employees. However, this is not an easy task. People tend to be skeptical of these claims and to feel that they are losing touch with the company they have worked for over many years. This is understandable, since many of the old certainties are being swept away , including the core activities of the company they work for. Above all , they have had to face up to the fact that they no longer have a job for life. Research indicates that people respond to this predicament in a variety of ways. The bulk of employees fall into two main categories in terms of their response to the new situation: on the one hand there are the “ pragmatists” and on the other “ the highly anxious” the former see their job as a means to an end and have a relatively short-term perspective, with strong loyalty to their local term , rather than the company as a whole . the second category, usually the majority, may respond to threatened changes with a feeling of having been let down, and even feel anger at the company for what they see as changing the terms of their employment. ` The employee communication process needs to be capable of accurately directing its messages at a variety of employee groups and departments within the workforce . this is why middle managers and line managers are so key to communication. They are the people who know about the full rage of concerns among the workforce. The problem in the past was that this crucial area was often the responsibility of a separate, relatively isolated unit. Concordia puts responsibility for communication firmly on line managers. All their research points to the same conclusion: people prefer to get their information face-to-face from their line managers. That is the key relationship and where arguments and hearts and minds –are lost. The general rule in company communication is to tell employees as much as you can as soon as you can. If you can’t provide details, then at least put the news in context and commit yourself to providing greater detail when it becomes available another rule of company communication is that there must be a fit between what the company is telling its employees and what it is telling its shareholders. 15: in the last eight years, Concordia has A made over 80.000 employees reduncdant B completed a period of downsizing C reduced its workforce of 80.000 by 35% D given 35% of departing employees voluntary redundancy 16 from Concordia’s point of view, the role of communication is to A win employee support before going ahead with the changes B change the company’s core activities. C emphasise the positive aspects of the changes D explain the need for the changes 17 what does research show about most employees’ response to change? A they expect it to have a bad effect on the company B they feel completely powerless C they become less loyal D they fell they have been treated unfairly 18 Concordia’s communication process mainly relies on A printed communication B departmental heads C personal communication D a separate, specialized unit 19 According to the writer, what is the guiding ;principle about giving information within an organization? A Never make promises about future developments B Give people an overall view at the earliest possible stage C always include plenty of hard information D Hold back until all the details can be provided 20 which of the following would be the most suitable title for the article? A employee attitudes to company communication B making company communication more effective C Researching company commmucation D Making employees feel less powerless |
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第7、8、9、10、11题: You will need to use some of these letters more than once . 1、Successful leadership involves making sure that employees accept new ideas. 2、A good leader can bring success to a company in difficulties 3、Leaders should be assessed on the basis of their achievements 4、The personalities of good leaders are generally different from those of other managers 5、Patience is a valuable quality in a successful leader A Maurizio Verna Long-term, visionary business leaders must be prepared to invest to get what they want for their company. They know when and how to apply pressure and to take risks, when they need to display a more hands-off approach. I have a pretty clear view of my ideal business leader, and of course that’s where I ‘m trying to head: he or she should start up and grow a cash-rich, multi-interest international organization of tremendous strength and depth. B Sue Tucker The pace of technological change, and the rate at which businesses are changing , requires leaders to have a particular aptitude for technology and an understanding of the internet. A lot of people are aware of the opportunities here ,but awareness alone isn’t enough: in a true leader this needs to be coupled with clever marketing, product design and technological innovation, and keeping abreast of everything going on in the company. In fact the acid test , I think , is being able to use all of these skills to turn around a failing company. C Carol Godfrey Effective leaders stand out from the herd. They’re often idiosyncratic, even eccentric.They have the confidence to be themselves, and not to adopt the language and attributes of the run-of-the-mill professional managers and accountants. What’s crucial is having the charisma or whatever it is that gives their staff confidence in them, so they can keep everyone on board when they want to make innovations. So often these don’t get off the ground because of lack of leadership, because after all, our response to change is significantly affected by how it’s introduced. E Ana Costa Outstanding leaders understand both tactics and strategy, and are prepared to play a very long game to achieve their objectives. They understand that in negotiations they need the “ win-win” concept, because losers risk losing their dignity, which is no good for your long-term business relationship with them. Leaders must stay optimistic, whatever the odds, and keep up morale of their company, even when the going’s tough. It’s important to be very much hands-on, too. A good leader will champion ideas that keep the company in the forefront. |
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第12、13、14、15、16、17题:You can negotiate virtually anything. Projects, resources, expectations and deadlines are all outcomes of negotiation. Some people negotiate deals for a living. Dr Herb Cohen is one of these professional talkers, called in by companies to negotiate on their behalf . He approaches the art of negotiation as a game because, as he is usually negotiating for somebody else, he says this helps him drain the emotional content from his conversation. He is working in a competitive field and needs to avoid being too adversarial. Whether he succeeds or not, it is important to him to make a good impression so that people will recommend him. The starting point for any deal, he believes, is to identify exactly what you want from each other. More often than not, one party will be trying to persuade the other round to their point of view. Negotiation requires two people at the end saying ‘yes”. This can be a problem because one of them usually begins by saying “no”. However, although this can make talks more difficult, this is often just a starting point in the negotiation game. Top management may well reject the idea initially because it is the safer option but they would not be there if they were not interested. It is a misconception that skilled negotiators are smooth operators in smart suits. Dr Cohen says that one of his strategies is to dress down so that the other side can relate to you. Pitch your look to suit your customer. You do not need to make them feel better than you but, For example, dressing in a style that is not overtly expensive or successful will make you more approachable. People will generally feel more comfortable with somebody who appears to be like them rather than superior to them. They may not like you but they will feel they can trust you. Dr Cohen suggests that the best way to sell your proposal is by getting into the world of the other side. Ask questions rather than give answers and take an interest in what the other person is saying, even if you think what they are saying is silly. You do not need to become their best friends but being too clever will alienate them. A lot of deals are made on impressions. Do not rush what you are saying---put a few hesitations in , do not try to blind them with your verbal dexterity. Also, you should repeat back to them what they have said to show you take them seriously. Inevitably some deals will not succeed. Generally the longer the negotiations go on, the better chance they have because people do not want to think their investment and energies have gone to waste. However , joint venture can mean joint risk and sometimes , if this becomes too great , neither party may be prepared to see the deal through . More common is a corporate culture clash between companies, which can put paid to any deal. Even having agreed a deal, things may not be tied up quickly because when the lawyers get involved, everything gets slowed down as they argue about small details. De Cohen thinks that children are the masters of negotiation. Their goals are totally selfish. They understand the decision-making process within families perfectly. If Mum refuses their request , they will troop along to Dad and pressure him. If al else fails, they will try the grandparents, using some emotional blackmail. They can also be very single-minded and have an inexhaustible supply of energy for the cause they are pursuing. So there are lesson to be learned from watching and listening to children. 1. Dr Cohen treats negotiation as a game in order to A put people at ease B remain detached C be competitive D impress rivals 2. Many people say “no” to a suggestion in the beginning to A convince the other party of their point of view B show they are not really interested C indicate they wish to take the easy option D protect their company’s situation 3. Dr Cohen says that when you are trying to negotiate you should A adapt your style to the people you are talking to B make the other side feel superior to you C dress in a way to make you feel comfortable. D try to make the other side like you 4. According to Dr Cohen, understanding the other person will help you to A gain their friendship B speed up the negotiations C plan your next move. D convince them of your point of view 5. Deals sometimes fail because A negotiations have gone on too long B the companies operate in different ways C one party risks more than the other. D the lawyers work too slowly 6. Dr Cohen mentions children’s negotiation techniques to show that you should A be prepared to try every route B try not to make people feel guilty C be careful not to exhaust yourself D control the decision-making process. |
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第18、19、20、21、22题: There have long been markets in tin, cocoa, silver and the like. There used to be security in thinking that somewhere there was a product, something you could touch and see. Now there are new markets in abstractions, trade in ideas and knowledge. Everyone has knowledge but there used to be no way t o trade it ------except through jobs. That simple fact of economic life was the basis for white collar employment for centuries. The whole job culture grew up because there was no alternative way to sell knowledge , other then the worker or manager providing, for a fixed price, his or her knowledge to an employer to own or control. The quantity of knowledge provided has typically been measured in time. But today we stand at the thresh-old of a new era. The information economy has matured and become smarter. According to many business commentators, we are now living in a knowledge economy . There has always been a market for knowledge , of course. The publishing industry is based on it. But today the internet is making the distribution of knowledge ever easier. The days when the publisher decided what got published are over. Anyone with a Pc and a modem can talk to the world. This is reducing the friction in the knowledge economy. Everyone has knowledge of whatever industry she or he is in. say you are a computer dealer, for example. Over the years your have complied a list of the ten best lowest price places to buy wholesale computer equipment. Now you can sell your knowledge to newer, younger computer dealers who have no way to build up this knowledge without losing thousands of pounds finding it out the hard way. Until now, such knowledge remained securely locked in the recipient’s head ,accumulated and then worthlessly withered away. This no longer needs to be the case. Such knowledge can be sold via websites. Knowledge has a distinct advantage in today’s marketplace. It’s a renewable resource. Better yet, its worth actually increases, . “knowledge is the only asset that grows with use. “ observes Scanford University Professor Paul Romer. But what exactly is knowledge and how can it be packaged to trade on an open market” “ knowledge is experiential information, intelligence applied thorough and gained from experience.” Say Josenph Pine and James Gilmore in their book The Experience Economy. The value of knowledge often depends on variables such as time and the credibility of the seller.Certian knowledge may have a very limited shelf life. In sights concerning how to set up an internet business in one country, might be worth a fortune on one day and nothing the next , depending on changes in government policy. Markets in knowledge will be significance for one thing. They represent one of the most original uses of the web technology. In some corner of the globe there is a company wanting to source plastic widgets from Poland, and somewhere else another company that wishes to set up a plastics factory there. It’s simply a case of connecting the two. Indicater.com is a good example of a knowledge trader. It is targeted at food service managers throughout the hospitality industry. “we started with the context rather than extracting money from suppliers. “ explains founder Mike Day. “ we offer food service professionals interactive support to increase sales and profits. People don’t want another one-dimensional site full of advertising that doesn’t help them to do their job more effectively . it has to be customised offering real solutions to real problems. “ the site’s features include access to online training and a tariff tracker to restaurants can check prices throughout the sector. 15. what point is made in the first paragraph? A Interest in commodity markets has decreased. B Overall levels of expertise have improved. C Opportunities to exploit your knowledge were limited in the past D External market forces have meant knowledge is underpriced. 16 what are we told about the current impact of the internet in the second paragraph? A publishers benefit from their exploitation of the internet. B the internet has made it easier to analyse business trends. C It is difficult to calculate the true economic value of the internet. D the internet facilitates the development of the knowledge economy. 17 In the third paragraph, what does the writer say about knowledge? A Acquiring knowledge can be expensive B The most valuable knowledge concerns IT C Trading knowledge raises issues of security. D New businesses find it hard to trade in knowledge. 18. What point is made about knowledge in the fourth paragraph? A It provides specialist information B Its appeal lies in its exclusivity C it can generate new ideas D Its value accumulates. 19 which application of knowledge does the writer regard as particularly useful? A analyzing manufacturing trends B introducing compatible parties C interpreting time constraints D advising on legislation 20 what key feature is provided by Indicater.com? A approaches that reflect the provider’s own experience B access to appropriately trained potential employees. C advice which directly benefits the bottom line D advertising which is carefully targeted |
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第23、24、25、26、27、28题: The quest for international managers is underway in virtually every industrialized economy , the search has been made urgent by the globalization of world markets and the growth in crossborder mergers and acquisitions. (0) Many firms report being so stretched that they simply do not have enough of the high-quality people they require to lead their their global expansion. Other companies are having difficulties releasing experienced people from existing operations in order to lead new international ventures. There are indications that a shorftage of internationally skilled people may be an important constraint on firms’ international ambitions. (9) However, identifying the need for international managers is easier than developing them. So what makes an international manager? Paul Evans, a professor at INSEAD, the European business school, does not believe that any particular nationality produces a more international manager. Neither does he believe that it’s a matter of having the ability to cope with a lifestyle that involves working in Madrid one day, London the next and Berlin the day after. (10) Rather, he believes that the secret of being a good international manger is being comfortable with managing diversity. Ford of Europe, which has encouraged the development of international managers for more than 20 years, says that its managers are globally-minded before they become global operators. (11) a car that you buy in the UK, for example, is going to be the same car that sells in Germany, Finland and Portugal, so the people who are involved in the car’s development have to be aware of the market requirements in all those different countries. Generally, it seems that the only effective way to develop international skills and perspectives is through direct international experience. (12) Such experiences open people’s minds to the fact that things are done differently lese where and encourages them to think in a wilder context.. Formulating effective strategies for developing a company’s management resource is a demanding exercise, with conflicting issues to be solved (13) Another dilemma is whether to use local managers or expatriates. The recruitment and development of effective international managers requires considerable financial resources and can be hard to justify at budget meetings. (14) however , without them, companies will continue to find their expansion plans frustrated by a lack of internationally effective managers. A from the moment they join the company, employees are faced with having to think internationally B This can be through involvement in international task forces or through living and working abroad. C Should , for example, only an elite few receive international experience in preparation for top jobs or should it be offered to a wider group? D these problems mean that developing managers who think and operate globally is absolutely vital for companies operating in foreign markets. E Language training , overseas visits and in-house management courses are all expensive to implement. F Jet-setting between international operations merely creates a business equivalent of the over-packaged tourist G Companies are now emphasizing the human skills involved in managing other people H These trends are pushing companies’ existing management resources to the limit PART THREE |
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