Homeworkreview
I. Homework review
l Read this text from a business magazine.
A successful businesswoman
Laura Ashley’s multi-million pound success came about almost by accident when she was a young married woman, pregnant with her first child. She designed some scarves at home because she was bored. 0 H Ashley’s designs now decorate houses all round the world.
H. Those simple home-made items represented the beginning of a business empire which is now well known to millions.
She was born in Wales in 1925 but moved to London in 1949 when she got married, and at first she was content to take on the traditional housewife’s role. “The idea of having four babies, cooking, sewing and looking after the home suited me perfectly.” 9 What began as a hobby quickly became a successful business as she began to receive orders from a number of large London shops. It didn’t stop there: in the 1950s, when most of society was looking forward to the space age, Laura Ashley made a fortune by looking back to past centuries, searching out old designs to decorate a variety of clothes and household furnishings. 10 Soon they were being shipped abroad in large quantities and she began to sell them from her own shop.
C. All that changed when she became interested in printing fabrics.
G. These traditional products created a huge wave of demand from the USA and elsewhere.
In 1961 she moved her business to her native region of Wales, where the operation grew to dominate the town of Carno. 11 A second one was establishing some years later in The Netherlands.
F. When its railway station closed, Ashley converted it into a factory.
Throughout her life and despite the multinational success of her business, Ashley remained a traditional housewife at heart. 12 She saw the workplace as a kind of home, and her employees enjoyed unusually good working conditions; for example, there were no night shifts and the working week ended at midday on Friday. Even as the company grew, employees still had a say in how it was run. As she said, “our success is due to people. It is our employees who come first.” 13 They, of course, have profited from that as have many others with a stake in the company. The business is now large and successful, with a sophisticated management team. To this day, though, the products remain traditional and all the shops are still decorated like 19th century houses.
A. Her company reflected the traditional values she admired.
D.When the company was floated on the stock market, many of them opted to become shareholders.
By 1995, the year she died, the business had grown so much that she had decide to remain involved only in the area of design. 14 She had never set out to become a businesswoman, but last year the company she started as a hobby reported a turnover of ￡332 million, with a pre-tax profit of ￡3.8 million. That’s not bad for a business that started a t a kitchen table!
B. The creative side of things was what she had always enjoyed most.
C G F A D B
VocabularyStudy
II. Vocabulary Study
English vocabulary which originates from French
elite noun [countable]
a group of people who have a lot of power and influence because they have money, knowledge, or special skills
political/social/economic etc elite
the domination of power by a small political elite
a struggle for power within the ruling elite
elite adjective
an elite group contains the best, most skilled or most experienced people or members of a larger group
an elite group of artists elite universities
debut verb
1 [intransitive] to appear in public or become available for the first time
The show will debut next Monday at 8.00pm.
2 [transitive]to introduce a product to the public for the first time
ￚsynonym launch
Ralph Lauren debuted his autumn collection in Paris last week.
resume noun[countable]
résumé
1 a short account of something such as an article or speech which gives the main points but no details
ￚsynonym summarya brief résumé of the day’s events
2 American English a short written account of your education and your previous jobs that you send to an employer when you are looking for a new job
British Equivalent: CV
clientele noun [singular]
all the people who regularly use a shop, restaurant etc
The restaurant attracts a young clientele.
bon voyage interjection
used to wish someone a good journey
café noun [countable]
1 a small restaurant where you can buy drinks and simple meals
2 a public place that is connected to a computer network, where people with similar interests discuss things by sending and receiving messages
an Internet café
Whatarebusinessethics?
III. What are business ethics?
1. Speaking.
ethic noun
1 [countable] a general idea or belief that influences people’s behaviour and attitudes 伦理标准，道德标准(或体系)
The old ethic of hard work has given way to a new ethic of instant gratification. 过去辛勤劳动的道德标准让位给了新的道德体系，即迅速的满足。
2 ethics [plural] moral rules or principles of behaviour for deciding what is right and wrong 道德观，道德准则，(某种职业、群体等的)规矩
a report on the ethics of gene therapy 有关基因治疗道德准则的报告
professional/business/medical ethics (=the moral rules relating to a particular profession) 职业/商业/医疗道德准则
public concern about medical ethics 公众对于医疗道德的担忧
Televised news is based on a code of ethics. 电视播放的新闻是基于一定的道德规范。
work ethic noun [singular] a belief in the moral value and importance of work职业道德
They instilled the work ethic into their children. 他们在孩子们的心中注入了职业道德的理念。
conduct: BEHAVE
conduct yourself: formal to behave in a particular way, especially in a situation where people judge you
He was a player who always conducted himself impeccably(完美无瑕地), both on and off the field.
integrity noun [uncountable]
1 the quality of being honest and strong about what you believe to be right正直，廉正;诚实，诚恳
personal/professional/political etc integrity
a man of great moral integrity
2 formal the state of being united as one complete thing完整，完全
the territorial integrity of the country
2. Reading.
give weight to
weight n. IMPORTANCE
[uncountable] if something has weight, it is important and influences people
She knew that her opinion carried very little weight.
---give/add weight to something 重视
This scandal adds more weight to their arguments.
Philanthropy n. the practice of giving money and help to people who are poor or in trouble 慈善，仁慈，慈善事业，慈善性捐款
whistle-blower noun [countable]
someone who tells people in authority or the public about dishonest or illegal practices at the place where they work (针对工作岗位上的违法或不诚实行为)揭发、检举人
ￚwhistle-blowing noun [uncountable]
3.
(1) F ---It was initially sent to 1,000 CEOs but the sample was then extended to include a further 225 executives in the public sector.
(2) F --- Corporate philanthropy was given the least weight when describing ethical organizations.
(3) T ---38% of organizations protect whistle-blowers.
(4) F --- Security of information was the issue with which respondents were least satisfied.
4. Language.Report layout
Use of bullet points and visuals, not dense text
Formal vocabulary
selected, in terms of, in response to, expressed, further, the following points summarize our key findings, legal compliance, employment practices, corporate philanthropy, participating organizations, ethical or illegal violations, to indicate, level of management attention, of greatest concern, issue, respondents
Ellipsis
…1,000 Canadian companies, which were selected…
In response to an increasing level of interest which was expressed…,
…an increase on the 22% which was reported …,
…to indicate the level of management attention each issue received…,
of these issues, the two issues which were most frequently identified …
Particples
Selected on the basis of size, an increasing level of interest expressed, when executives responding to our survey, written statements, participating organizations, an increase on the 22% reported, the two most frequently identified.
Ethicalissues
IV. Ethical issues
1. F
2. C
3. A
4. H
5. D
6. P
7. I
8. N
9. K
10. M
Speaker one: sexual harassment---the employee resigned
political correctness noun [uncountable]
language, behaviour, and attitudes that are carefully chosen so that they do not offend or insult anyone - used especially when you think someone is too careful in what they say or how they behave 谨言慎行
Political correctness has had an impact on the language people use to describe women. 谨言慎行对于人们在描述妇女时使用的语言产生了影响。
politically correct
compliment noun
1 [countable] a remark that shows you admire someone or something 恭维话，褒奖
Being compared to Abba is a great compliment. 让我与…相比简直是巨大的赞扬。
Rob Andrew had a quiet game, which is meant as a compliment.
All Félix’s guests paid her extravagant compliments. 所有…的客人都对她大加赞赏。
To Joe the greatest compliment was to be considered amusing. 对于… 来说，最大的褒奖就是被人们认为他风趣。
2. compliments
[plural] praise or good wishes 表扬
This soup is delicious; my compliments to the chef.
3. with the compliments of somebody/with our compliments
formal used by a person or company when they send or give something to you 免费赠送地
With the compliments of J. Nocuold & Son.
Please accept these tickets with our compliments.
complimentary adjective
1 given free to people(免费)赠送的
There was a complimentary bottle of champagne in the hotel room. 在饭店房间里有一瓶免费的香槟酒。
I’ve got some complimentary tickets for the theatre tonight. 我得到了今晚剧院的免费票。
2 saying that you admire someone or something 赞扬的，夸奖的
complimentary remarks 奉承话
haul verb [transitive]
to pull something heavy with a continuous steady movement to硬拖，强拉
haul something off/onto/out of etc something
She hauled her backpack onto her back.
the steam locomotive which hauled the train
I hauled the door shut behind me.
outrage verb [transitive usually passive]
to make someone feel very angry and shocked 让人愤怒，震惊
Customers were outraged by the price increases. 顾客对于价格的上涨感到震惊。
Speaker two: racial discrimination ---a manager was dismissed
blow the whistle on somebody informal to tell someone in authority about something wrong that someone is doing 揭发，检举
He blew the whistle on his colleagues. 他揭发他的同事。
be given/get your marching orders British English informal
to be ordered to leave, especially because someone no longer wants you to work for them or no longer wants a relationship with you 炒鱿鱼
prejudice [uncountable and countable]an unreasonable dislike and distrust of people who are different from you in some way, especially because of their race, sex, religion etc - used to show disapproval 偏见
Women still face prejudice in the workplace.
prejudice against
a cultural prejudice against fat people 对于肥胖人事的文化偏见
Asian pupils complained of racial prejudice at the school. 亚洲小学生抱怨在学校期间的种族歧视。
Speaker Three: industrial espionage--- the company produced guidelines
penetration noun
1 [uncountable and countable] when something or someone enters or passes through something, especially when this is difficult 进入
Cover the entire device to prevent water penetration.
penetration of
The attack failed to lead to any deep penetration of enemy territory.
2 [uncountable and countable] the degree to which a product is available or sold in an area渗透(即产品在市场上的销售情况)
penetration of
the rise in import penetration of the domestic market国内市场中进口产品渗透的增长
penetrate verb
▶GO THROUGH◀
[intransitive and transitive] to enter something and pass or spread through it, especially when this is difficult 渗透，进入
Sunlight barely penetrated the dirty windows.
penetrate into
Explorers penetrated deep into unknown regions.
▶BUSINESS◀
[transitive] to start to sell things to an area or country, or to have an influence there 开始在某一地区或国家销售产品，对该地区产生影响
Few U.S. companies have successfully penetrated the Japanese electronics market. 很少有美国公司可以成功地进入日本电子市场。
whizzkid noun British English
whiz kid American English [countable] informal
a young person who is very skilled or successful at something杰出青年，天才儿童，神童
financial whizzkids in the City
Speaker four: corporate gift-giving ---an ethics officer was appointed
freebie noun [countable] informal
something that you are given free, usually by a company 免费物品
on a freebie
The company paid for the minister to fly out to Australia on a freebie.
freebie holiday/hotel/flight etc
A waiter was handing round freebie glasses of wine.
pending formal while waiting for something, or until something happens 有待…
Sales of the drug have been stopped, pending further research. 这款药物的销售被叫停，等待进一步的研究结果。
rep informal
a sales representative 销售代表
someone who speaks officially for a company, organization, or group of people
---synonym representative
You need to speak to the students’ rep.
Safety reps have the right to stop the job when workers are in danger.
Speaker five: environmental protect---a written warning was given.
hefty adjective[usually before noun] 大而壮的
1 big and heavy 高大的，笨重的
a tall, hefty man
hefty camera equipment
2 a hefty amount of something, especially money, is very large 高昂的
a hefty fine 高昂的罚款
1. Language.
Conditional 3
The uses of the conditional which appear in the tapescripts are as follows.
Reporting
l To report a future conditional:
She went straight to the board and warned them that she’d take legal action if nothing was done about it.
Conditional 3
l To refer to the hypothetical consequences of an action which did not take place:
If you’d looked around the workplace, I guess you would have seen the evidence.
Conditional 3 tends to be thought of as:
if + past perfect Would have + past participle
However, it may be more useful for you to think of it as :
if + past perfect simple or continuous any ‘past’ modal + have + past participle
2. Speaking.
One-minute talk: how to encourage ethical behavior from employees
Does the student show a clear understanding of the task?Yes
SHORTIs there an appropriate introduction and conclusion?Partly
Are the student’s ideas well-organised and logically ordered?Yes
TALKIs appropriate signposting and linking language used?Yes
Does the student develop ideas rather than repeat them?Yes
Are the ideas clearly expressed and easy to understand?Yes
Does the student speak in a clear and natural manner?Yes
Is the talk of an appropriate length?Yes
set out phrasal verb
1 to start a journey, especially a long journey 出发
set out for
Kate set out for the house on the other side of the bay.
set out on a journey/drive/voyage etc
The band are setting out on a European tour in March.
2 to start doing something or making plans to do something in order to achieve a particular result 开始做某事，着手制定计划
set out to do something
salesmen who deliberately set out to defraud customers 那些专门要欺诈消费者的销售人员
set out with the idea/purpose/intention etc of doing something
They set out with the aim of becoming the number one team in the league. 他们着手制定目标，要成为联赛中的第一名。
anonymous adj. done, sent, or given by someone who does not want their name to be known匿名的
an anonymous donation of $5,000
anonymous phone call/letter etc (=one that is often unpleasant or contains threats)
breach verb [transitive]
1 to break a law, rule, or agreement 破坏，违反，不履行
ￚ同义词 break
The company accused him of breaching his contract. 这家公司指控他违反了合同的约定。
Traders who breach the rules could face a fine of up to ￡10,000. 违反规定的贸易商们可能要面对高达1万英镑的罚款。
breach noun
1 [uncountable and countable] an action that breaks a law, rule, or agreement 违反，破坏
breach of
This was a clear breach of the 1994 Trade Agreement. 这种做法明显地违反了1994年贸易和约中的有关规定。
They sued the company for breach of contract. 他们起诉该公司违反了合同中的约定。
a breach of professional duty 不履行工作职责
be in breach of something
He was clearly in breach of the law. 很清楚，他违法了。
2 [countable] a serious disagreement between people, groups, or countries 不同意见
breach with
Britain did not want to risk a breach with the US over sanctions. 英国不想就制裁问题与美国持不同意见。
breach between
What had caused the sudden breach between Henry and his son? 是什么让亨利和他的儿子之间突然意见不和?
She wanted to help heal the breach between them. 她想帮助愈合他们之间的不同意见。
in place
a) in the correct position 在正确的位置上
The chairs for the concert were nearly all in place. 音乐会的椅子几乎都摆好了。
The glass was held in place by a few pieces of sellotape. 玻璃杯用几个透明胶带固定在了那个地方。
b) existing and ready to be used 存在，可供使用
Funding arrangements are already in place. 提供资金的安排已经到位。
benchmark its ethical practice against those of industry leaders
benchmark noun [countable]
something that is used as a standard by which other things can be judged or measured 标杆，尺度
benchmark data
The valuation becomes a benchmark against which to judge other prices.
benchmark for
figures that are a useful benchmark for measuring the company’s performance 这些数据对于衡量一个企业业绩表现是非常有用的尺度。
benchmark of
results that are used as a benchmark of success 作为衡量成功与否的结果
benchmark verb [transitive]
to use a company’s good performance as a standard by which to judge the performance of other companies of the same type 与…作衡量
benchmark somebody/something against something
British Steel is benchmarked against the best operations anywhere in the world. 英国的钢铁业可以与世界其它各地最好的企业来对比。
ￚbenchmarking noun [uncountable] 标杆管理
One-minute talk: The importance of ethics in today’s business world
Does the student show a clear understanding of the task?Yes
SHORTIs there an appropriate introduction and concl
sion?No
Are the student’s ideas well-organised and logically ordered?Partly
TALKIs appropriate signposting and linking language used?Partly
Does the student develop ideas rather than repeat them?Yes
Are the ideas clearly expressed and easy to understand?Yes
Does the student speak in a clear and natural manner?Yes
Is the talk of an appropriate length?No
fat cat
informal someone who has too much money, especially someone who is paid too much for their job - used in order to show disapproval 贬义词：薪水过高的人
the fat cats at the top who have recently been given obscene pay increases 最近得到不公正涨薪的公司高层人士
Oralpractice
V. Oral Practice
请根据下面提出的模拟场景与自己的另一学习伙伴讨论3分钟。
Scenario
Your competitor set up a retail outlet adjacent to one of your branches.
Discuss and decide:
l What immediate measures can you take to retain your customers
l How to deal with the long-term competition
思路提示：
Setting up a context
We work for one of the chain stores at the food giant, the McDonald’s. The store is located in the high street of Beijing. Recently, one of KFC restaurants is opening its retail outlet adjacent to us.
Measures of retention
Since both of the two stores offer the same type of product, namely, fast food. We believe the quick fixes are using promotional activities to retain our loyal customers. To be specific, we can send out coupons to offer more concessions or even reduce our costs during a designated period. Besides, updated service can work and can be a magnet for customers.
How to deal with long-term competition
First, our company should inject more capital into food development and make minor adaptations of the tastes.
Second, our retail store should hold training programmes on etiquette on a regular basis.
Businesspassagereading
VI. Business Passage Reading
China firms rush to meet US accounting standards
gGovernance
Enoch Yiu
A US corporate reform law known as Sarbanes-Oxley has become a major compliance issue with mainland companies that are listed or are planning to list in the Unites States.
Accounting firms are benefiting as Chinese companies, including subsidiaries of US listed firms, scramble to comply with the new accounting regulations ahead of the deadline.
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 was created following major US accounting scandals that led to the collapse of Enron and WorldCom.
The Act brings in accounting reforms and requires all US listed companies and their overseas subsidiaries to have proper internal controls in place to prevent corporate frauds and false accounting.
Sarbanes-Oxley compliance has become a major business for Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu’s mainland operations in the coming year, according to its China chief executive Peter Bowie.
Mr Bowie describes the rush to meet Sarbanes-Oxley regulations as the biggest one-off event boosting business for accountants since the Y2K episode.
“As the deadline is looming, we have seen substantial demand from mainland firms and multinational companies on Sarbanes-Oxley compliance,” he said.
The deadline for Sarbanes-Oxley compliance is based on the date of the financial year-end of the company. For most Hong Kong and Chinese companies listed in the US, the deadline for them to comply with the new law will be at their financial year ending on December 31.
“The fundamental requirement of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act is that the companies must have controls in place in the financial process. We are helping them identifying what controls [are needed] in their management and financial process and to ensure the control systems are operating effectively.” Mr Bowie said.
But, he said, like Y2K compliance, the huge demand over Sarbanes-Oxley would last for only a year as it would become a recurring factor in normal annual audits.
Deloitte’s other major business lines in China were initial public offerings, merger and acquisitions and taxation advisory, he said.
The firm two months ago announced that it would spend US$150 million to expand its China business in the next five years
As part of the expansion, the firm opened its 10th office in China, in Suzhou. “Suzhou is a rapidly growing place, it has a big industrial park and more than 3,000 investment projects there,” Mr Bowie said.
To cope with the growing business in the greater China region, Deloitte would hire 1,000 staff next year and increase staff numbers to 6,200 by the end of the year, he said.
The firm has 1,500 staff each in Hong Kong and the mainland and 2,200 in Taiwan, where Deloitte has taken over the collapsed Arthur Anderson’s business.
It also plans to open 10 more offices in the mainland, mainly in the inner or western regions as its operations are well-represented in the coastal area. Deloitte has offices in 10 Chinese cities, including Beijing, Dalian, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Macau, Nanjing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Suzhou and Tianjin.
Vocabulary
scramble verb
▶CLIMB◀
[intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to climb up, down, or over something quickly and with difficulty, especially using your hands to help you
scramble up/down/over etc
They tried to scramble up the cliff.
She scrambled down the tree as quickly as she could.
▶MOVE QUICKLY◀
[ intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to move somewhere in a hurried awkward way
scramble to/out/from etc
Alan scrambled out of the way.
Micky scrambled to his feet (=stood up very quickly and awkwardly) and hurried into the kitchen.
▶DO SOMETHING QUICKLY◀
[transitive] to try to do something difficult very quickly
scramble to do something
They were scrambling to give the impression that the situation was in control.
▶COMPETE◀
[intransitive] to struggle or compete with other people to get or reach something
scramble for
Thousands of people will be scrambling for tickets.
▶MIX ◀
[transitive] to mix words, ideas, sentences etc so that they are not in the right order and do not make sense
In this exercise, the words in each sentence are scrambled.
collapse noun
▶BUSINESS/SYSTEM/IDEA ETC◀
[singular, uncountable] a sudden failure in the way something works, so that it cannot continue
collapse of
the collapse of the Soviet Union
the threat of economic collapse
His business was in danger of collapse.
▶BUILDING/STRUCTURE/FURNITURE ETC◀
[uncountable] when something suddenly falls down
the collapse of an apartment building during the earthquake
▶ILLNESS/INJURY◀
[singular, uncountable] when someone suddenly falls down or becomes unconscious because of an illness or injury
The president said he was fine after his collapse yesterday.
She suffered a collapse under anaesthetic.
▶MONEY/PRICES ETC◀
[singular] a sudden decrease in the value of something
the collapse of the stock market
collapse in
a collapse in the value of pensions
in place
a) in the correct position
The chairs for the concert were nearly all in place.
The glass was held in place by a few pieces of sellotape.
b) existing and ready to be used
Funding arrangements are already in place.
in place of somebody/something
also in somebody’s/something’s place
instead of someone or something else
In place of our advertised programme, we will have live coverage of the special memorial service.
The company flag had been taken down and in its place hung the Union Jack.
If I refused to go, they would send someone else in my place.
take the place of somebody/something
also take somebody’s/something’s place
to exist or be used instead of someone or something else
ￚsynonym replace
Natural methods of pest control are now taking the place of chemicals.
I had to find someone to take Jenny’s place.
in somebody’s place
used to talk about what you would do if you were in someone else’s situation
What would you do in my place?
Try to put yourself in my place and think how you would feel.
fraud noun
1[uncountable and countable] the crime of deceiving people in order to gain something such as money or goods
tax/insurance/credit card etc fraud
He’s been charged with tax fraud.
electoral fraud
She was found guilty of fraud.
2[countable] someone or something that is not what it is claimed to be
I felt like a fraud.
The police exposed the letter as a fraud.
one-off adjective [only before noun] British English
happening or done only once, not as part of a regular series
American Equivalent: one-shot
It’s yours for a one-off payment of only ￡200.
loom [intransitive]
1[always + adverb/preposition] to appear as a large unclear shape, especially in a threatening way
loom up/out/ahead etc
Suddenly a mountain loomed up in front of them.
2 if a problem or difficulty looms, it is likely to happen very soon
An economic crisis is looming on the horizon.
3 loom large
to seem important, worrying, and difficult to avoid
Fear of failure loomed large in his mind.
recur verb[intransitive]
past tense and past participle recurred present participle recurring
1if something, especially something bad or unpleasant, recurs, it happens again
There is a danger that the disease may recur.
Love is a recurring theme in the book.
recurring dream/nightmare
2 technical if a number or numbers after a decimal point recur, they are repeated for ever in the same order .
ReadingTestPart3
VII. Reading Test Part 3
Main Skill Focus: Reading for gist and specific information
Input: Single text (approx. 450-550 words)
Response: 4-option multiple choice
Number of questions: 6
Questions 15-20
l Read the following article about the costs of providing company cars and the questions.
l Each question has four suggested answers or ways of finishing the sentence, A, B, C and D.
l Mark one letter (A, B, C or D) on your Answer Sheet for the answer you choose.
Transport can be a major expense for many companies, especially when cars have to be provided for both managerial and sales staff. As a result, it’s important to keep a close eye on the many costs associated with company cars and how these different costs compare.
The moment a new car is driven away from the showroom, its value will drop by as much as 12 per cent. This is what is known as deprecation and is the largest single cost to the buyer of a new vehicle. Depreciation is highest in the first tow years of a vehicle’s life; at the end of that period a car could be worth just a third of its brand new price. Although the rate of deprecation decreases as time goes by, it remains a major cost factor, as around 85 per cent of company vehicles are bought brand new.
However, it is important to know that some cars depreciate much less than others regardless of price. This is often to do with rarity and prestige value. The more common the car, the more quickly in general it loses value. Imported models, which are restricted in number, can hold their value better than those which are produced domestically and widely available. In the same way, deprecation on a new model of a particular make may be low for the first few years after its launch. This happened when diesel cars were first introduced. They depreciated more slowly when they were rarely seen; now that they are relatively common, this is no longer true.
Another economic factor that transport managers have to consider is fuel costs. Although the general rule is the smaller the car’s engine, the lower its fuel consumption, modern engine designs have reduced this difference substantially. In fact, it is possible to find fairly large vehicles which can match the mini type car for fuel economy. Nevertheless, a sales executive’s company car may cover thirty thousand miles in a year’s work, so even a small saving on every mile will be significant for the firm’s budget. Consequently, companies tend to look fairly closely at the comparative fuel consumption figures of popular cars before making a purchase.
Of course, petrol is not the only cost involved in running a car; there are also things like servicing, repairs and road tax. The last item may not be the biggest, but it is the one that generates the most complaints every time it rises. No government has found it easy to convince drivers that road tax has actually gone up quite slowly and that its level has never reflected the real costs of building and repairing the nation’s road although both assertions are true.
What about reliability? A really reliable car will need fewer repairs (and be available for use) whereas a less reliable one, even if it is cheaper to buy or service, may end up costing more in breakdown and repair charges. The same applies to parts. Parts for European cars tend to be a little cheaper than those for Japanese cars, but because the cars tend not be as dependable, overall costs will still increase and the attraction of cheap parts is significantly reduced.
A final factor to consider is insurance. There is a huge variation in the price of insurance, not just from car to car but from one insurance company to another. Most people realise that the price of the car and the age of the driver will affect the cost of insurance, but few are aware that companies’ quotes can vary by up to 150% on the same car! Making your car harder to steal will reduce your insurance premiums a little, but choosing the right insurer will make a lot more difference. Again, the message to the cost-conscious manager is to choose both car and insurance company very carefully, and shop around first.
15. In its first two years, a new car depreciates
A. by 12 per cent.
B. by one third.
C. by two thirds.
D. by 85 per cent.
16. Some cars depreciate more slowly than others because
A. they have been produced for the home market.
B. they are relatively uncommon.
C. they are very expensive when they are brand new.
D. they have diesel engines.
17. What do managers have to consider regarding fuel consumption?
A. Company cars do a very high mileage.
B. Petrol is the biggest single cost of a company car.
C. Choosing a large car would waste money.
D. Not all modern engines reduce fuel consumption.
18. What is the writer’s opinion of the road tax?
A. Some money raised by it has been wasted.
B. It should be reduced.
C. The government has not tried to justify it.
E. Some criticisms of it are unfair.
19. The article suggests that, compared to Japanese cars, European models
A. are cheaper to buy.
B. have more expensive parts.
C. are more attractive.
D. are less reliable.
20. The cost of insurance depends mostly on
A. the company you choose to insure with.
B. the age of the person driving.
C. the original cost of the car.
D. how easy it is to steal the car.
题目讲评
Transport can be a major expense for many companies, especially when cars have to be provided for both managerial and sales staff. As a result, it’s important to keep a close eye on the many costs associated with company cars and how these different costs compare.
The moment a new car is driven away from the showroom, its value will drop by as much as 12 per cent. This is what is known as deprecation and is the largest single cost to the buyer of a new vehicle. Depreciation is highest in the first two years of a vehicle’s life; at the end of that period a car could be worth just a third of its brand new price. Although the rate of deprecation decreases as time goes by, it remains a major cost factor, as around 85 per cent of company vehicles are bought brand new.
15. In its first two years, a new car depreciates
A. by 12 per cent.
B. by one third.
C. by two thirds.
D. by 85 per cent.
However, it is important to know that some cars depreciate much less than others regardless of price. This is often to do with rarity and prestige value. The more common the car, the more quickly in general it loses value. Imported models, which are restricted in number, can hold their value better than those which are produced domestically and widely available. In the same way, deprecation on a new model of a particular make (牌子)may be low for the first few years after its launch. This happened when diesel cars were first introduced. They depreciated more slowly when they were rarely seen; now that they are relatively common, this is no longer true.
16. Some cars depreciate more slowly than others because
A. they have been produced for the home market.
B. they are relatively uncommon.
C. they are very expensive when they are brand new.
D. they have diesel engines.
Another economic factor that transport managers have to consider is fuel costs. Although the general rule is the smaller the car’s engine, the lower its fuel consumption, modern engine designs have reduced this difference substantially. In fact, it is possible to find fairly large vehicles which can match the mini type car for fuel economy. Nevertheless, a sales executive’s company car may cover thirty thousand miles in a year’s work, so even a small saving on every mile will be significant for the firm’s budget. Consequently, companies tend to look fairly closely at the comparative fuel consumption figures of popular cars before making a purchase.
17. What do managers have to consider regarding fuel consumption?
A. Company cars do a very high mileage.
B. Petrol is the biggest single cost of a company car.
C. Choosing a large car would waste money.
D. Not all modern engines reduce fuel consumption.
Of course, petrol is not the only cost involved in running a car; there are also things like servicing, repairs and road tax. The last item may not be the biggest, but it is the one that generates the most complaints every time it rises. No government has found it easy to convince drivers that road tax has actually gone up quite slowly and that its level has never reflected the real costs of building and repairing the nation’s road although both assertions are true.
18. What is the writer’s opinion of the road tax?
A. Some money raised by it has been wasted.
B. It should be reduced.
C. The government has not tried to justify it.
D. Some criticisms of it are unfair.
What about reliability? A really reliable car will need fewer repairs (and be available for use) whereas a less reliable one, even if it is cheaper to buy or service, may end up costing more in breakdown and repair charges. The same applies to parts. Parts for European cars tend to be a little cheaper than those for Japanese cars, but because the cars tend not be as dependable, overall costs will still increase and the attraction of cheap parts is significantly reduced.
19. The article suggests that, compared to Japanese cars, European models
A. are cheaper to buy.
B. have more expensive parts.
C. are more attractive.
D. are less reliable.
A final factor to consider is insurance. There is a huge variation in the price of insurance, not just from car to car but from one insurance company to another. Most people realise that the price of the car and the age of the driver will affect the cost of insurance, but few are aware that companies’ quotes can vary by up to 150% on the same car! Making your car harder to steal will reduce your insurance premiums a little, but choosing the right insurer will make a lot more difference. Again, the message to the cost-conscious manager is to choose both car and insurance company very carefully, and shop around first.
20. The cost of insurance depends mostly on
A. the company you choose to insure with.
B. the age of the person driving.
C. the original cost of the car.
D. how easy it is to steal the car.
premium noun
1 [countable] the cost of insurance, especially the amount that you pay each year保险费
insurance premiums
2 [countable] an additional amount of money, above a standard rate or amount 附加费用
Consumers are prepared to pay a premium for organically grown vegetables. 消费者已经做好准备为购买有机蔬菜多花钱。
Top quality cigars are being sold at a premium. 高品质雪茄加价出售。
3 be at a premium
if something is at a premium, people need it or want it, but there is little of it available or it is difficult to get数量有限，很难得到
During the Olympic Games, accommodation will be at a premium. 在奥运会期间，很难找到住宿的地方。
space/time is at a premium
Foldaway furniture is the answer where space is at a premium. …家具是为空间狭小的家庭而提供的解决方案。
4 put/place a premium on something
to consider one quality or type of thing as being much more important than others 高度评价，高度重视
Modern economies place a premium on educated workers. 现代经济社会更看重受过良好教育的工人。
premium adjective
1 of very high quality 高品质的
premium ice cream 高品质的冰激凌
the current consumer trend for premium products 当今追求高品质产品的消费趋势
premium quality British potatoes 高质量的英国土豆
2 premium price/rate
premium prices and rates are higher than usual ones 高价的
People are prepared to pay premium prices for quality products. 人们已经作好为优质产品花费更多的准备。
Calls are charged at the premium rate of 60p per minute. 话费的价格很高，每分钟60便士。