BEC高级精讲班第18讲讲义
考试注意事项及口语考试总结
学习重点
1. Homework review
2. Key points at exam rooms
3. Oral test
4. Business passage reading
5. Homework
I. Homework review
Homework 1
Report on making more use of technology in HR Department
Introduction
This report sets out to give some recommendations on making more use of technology in HR Department.
Strengths and Weaknesses
The current use of technology in HR Department is not very satisfactory. Each member of staff in HR Department has their computers to facilitate their work, but they never made full use of them. A computer is nothing but a document processor for most of our staff. They only type documents, copy and print them through computers. Some advanced users surf the net to gather information. Besides, our computers are out of date. They are slow when working on complex tasks. That will slow down our work speed.
Suggestions
1. Our old computers should be replaced by up-date ones.
2. Some latest software should be brought in to replace manual work, such as assessing system. All we need to do is putting numbers in, then computers will tell who did the best job and who deserves most money.
3. It is strongly recommended that we should give trainings to employees on how to applying the technology.
Benefits
It may cost us money to update our computers in the short-term.n But it is worth changing with forthcoming enhanced efficiency.
The softwaren can at least double work efficiency. Our staff will be excited and enthusiastic too.
John Smith
HR Manager
Homework 2
Proposal on Technological Improvements
Introduction
This report aims to assess the current situation of technology being used in the Customer Service Department and recommend some ways of improvements on technology.
Outline
We now use the filing system which can make the files of customers into order, the automatic sound telephone system and the fax.
Improvements
First, we need a new system called “Automatic Reply System”. It can reply all customers’ basic questions automatically by sending e-mails, and it also helps our employees to pay attention to the most general questions. Second, we need to install visual telephones, which are already used by many other companies.
Benefits
The advantages of “Automatic Reply System” are many. It can save time and personal resources. Many customer questions are the same or identical. We could avoid repeating contents and wasting manpower.
The visual telephones can help our staff and customers to see facial expressions, which can make our communications more effective. It also helps us to judge the customers’ personal information and give more human-oriented service.
Conclusion
It is easy to see the importance to take some technological improvements in our department. New technology has already been used by other companies.
Recommendations
We strongly recommend that we should use these new technologies and ensure that they can have positive effects in our work.
Kitty
Customer Service Department
II. Key points at exam rooms
        考试注意事项
第一步：步入考场
BEC Higher考试在周六的上午九点开始，考生在8：40分进入考场。
由于每个考点都会有很多考生来参加考试，所以你会和别的同学分配到不同的教室里进行考试。那么你凭什么进入这间教室而不是那间教室呢?你会发现你的准考证上已经为你编写了考号，比如CN /′′1 56。在斜杠前面的字母CN是中国的代码，数字表示的是你所报考的考点号是多少;而后面的56就是你的考号了。到了考试当天，你可以按照考场的分布图找到56号应该在哪间教室。要想进入考场还必须凭自己的准考证和能证明自己身份的身份证(或护照等)才能入场。
在找到考试房间后，你还必须要非常冷静的找到自己的座位号才能入座，因为在这种考试中实行的是实名制，即每张答题卡上都印有考生的姓名。如果你坐在了50号的位子上，那么你就会为考号是50的同学回答试卷，而最后到头来你的试卷要么没人答，要么就是一位水平不可预知的同学为你答卷，后果可想而知。
当你确认你所在的地方就是你的考号应该在的地方，那么这时你要将自己随身携带的文具以及准考证和身份证放在桌面上，而要将与考试无关的书本放在考场的前面，并将自己的手机或呼机关掉。
现在你就可以安心准备领取试卷了。
第二步：填写答题卡
每个考场都会有两名中国考官监考。在8：45分左右，考官会宣读考场纪律及注意事项。
到了8：50分左右，考官会发放试卷及答题卡。
首先发到大家手上的是一张上写着BEC Higher Reading Answer Sheet的答题卡，这张是阅读部分的答题卡，共6个部分，正反两面;
当大家拿到这张答题卡的时候，你们首先应该先看答题卡的表头部分，在Candidate Name(考生姓名)的后面会有一个全部大写字母拼写出来的名字，比如有一个考生的姓名是曹益硕，那么在他的答题卡上就会有一个以这样形式出现的名字，即CAO YISHUO。到时候，你的名字也会出现在答题卡上，你的考号也会出现在旁边的方格里，比如0001，即1号考生。
现在，你需要做的工作就是确认这张印着名字的答题卡是不是你的。只要你坐的地方正确，发给你的答题卡就应该是你的，不会有什么问题。如果你要确认的话，你应该查看的信息有：你的姓名是否拼写正确，你的考号是否写对。
(1) 如果姓名的拼写及考号均正确，请在Candidate’s Signature(考生签
名)后面的虚线上签名。
(2) 如果姓名拼写有误，或是准考证上的身份证号有误，都可以举手向
监考老师示意。监考老师会在考试后将你正确的信息做记录，登在剑桥的勘误表上，。等你再拿到成绩的时候，这些相关信息就是正确的了。所以你不用为这一点而感到担心。
那么这里大家还有三点需要注意
(一) 在签名确认时，你必须拿铅笔来确认签字，这在答题卡上也能看到：Use a PENCIL (B or HB)。
(二) 在考号的下面还有方格，有很多同学在各种不同的考试中都会遇到这样的方格，所以就习惯性的将它们涂黑。这里要提醒大家注意：在BEC Higher的考试中你是不需要将它们涂黑的。你只要看看考号是不是你的就可以了。
(三) 在签名确认时，有许多同学会模仿上面的样子都大写自己的名字，这样不叫签名。正确签名的方法是将姓的第一个字母大写，将名的第一个字母大写就可以了。例如：CAO YISHUO(三个字)的签名应该是Cao Yishuo。如果是CAO YI(两个字)的答题卡进行确认时，应该签成是Cao Yi。道理是一样的。
第三步：领取试卷并填写相关内容
在大家将自己的答题卡进行确认签名后，这时监考老师会发放阅读试卷。
在这份试卷的上方都会有这样的信息：
Centre NumberCandidate Number
Candidate Name ___________________ 这时监考老师还会要求你将你的姓名再一次填写在这份试卷上，用的方法还是签名的方式，即姓的首字母和名的首字母大写，而其他字母不用大写。
这之后是一个方框，第一个内容是填写中心考号。到考试当天老师会在黑板上书写出你所报考的考点号，在我们给出的例子中，这个考点的号码是CN196，这时你就将CN196写在这第一个方格里。第二个方格中需要的信息是考生考号。比如你的考号是56号的话，那么你应该写成是0056。请参看下面的样子：我叫曹益硕，我的考号是135号，我报考的考点是CN196。
Ce
tre NumberCandidate Number
Candidate Name: Cao Yishuo
CN196
0135
这时离9：00开始考试的时间差不多了，大家要记住第一项考试阅读部分的考试时间为60分钟，你要严格按照考试时间要求，否则有些题目可能会做不完。而且你一定要注意要将所有的答案都填写在答题卡上。因为所有答案都以在答题卡上的为准，如果有的答案还没有来得及填写上，即使你已经在试卷上写上了答案，那也无济于事。
第四步：考试中
在离考试结束还有十分钟的时候，考官会提醒你还有十分钟就要结束。There is ten minutes left.
在离考试结束还有五分钟的时候，考官会再一次提醒你还有五分钟考试就会结束。There is five minutes left.
第五步：考试结束，收试卷
在60分钟考试结束后，老师会要求大家停笔。这时老师会逐个收走你的试卷和答题卡。这部分考试结束，请大家在原位上不动，继续等待写作考试的开始。
写作考试
写作考试是在BEC改革之后变化比较大的一个部分。首先，考试中给你下发的试卷和答题卡合二为一。你只要在试卷封面将名字和考号填好就可以。其次，试卷部分要用签字笔或钢笔在规定位置完成。这与其他两个部分的考试用铅笔完成有着很大的不同。
在老师发出指令宣布写作考试开始后，大家要记住写作部分的考试时间为70分钟，你要严格按照考试时间要求，否则文章可能会写不完。
同样，在离考试结束还有十分钟的时候，考官会提醒你还有十分钟就要结束。There are ten minutes left.
在离考试结束还有五分钟的时候，考官会再一次提醒你还有五分钟考试就会结束。There are five minutes left.
在70分钟考试结束后，老师会要求大家停笔。这时老师会逐个收走你的试卷和答题卡。这部分考试结束，请大家在原位上不动，继续等待听力考试的开始。
听力考试
听力考试重复着上面的几个步骤。老师会首先下发听力答题卡，即BEC Higher Listening Answer Sheet，这张听力部分的答题卡也是正反两面。那么这时你首先需要在虚线上经确认后拿铅笔签上自己的名字。
然后，老师会下发听力试卷，你要在试卷上填写你的姓名，中心考点号和你自己的考号。
这里特别要引起大家注意的是，听力考试额外会给你十分钟的时间填写答题卡，所以这时你可以将答题卡放在一边，而将所有的注意力都放在试卷上。等待录音机里磁带开始放音。
等磁带内容播放结束后，你可以将试卷上的答案填写在答题卡上。
额外的十分钟时间一到，老师会让大家将手中的笔放下。待监考老师收完所有的答题卡和试卷后，BEC Higher的笔试考试就全部结束了。
口语考试
考试时间
口语考试是在周六的下午或周日举行。准考证上应该已经非常明确的写出来了，所以你在领取准考证时就应该知道了。
答题卡的填涂 BEC Higher的答题卡中除了有中国学生常见的将方框涂黑的答题方法外，还有另外一类很特殊的答法，所以这里要进行特殊的相关培训。
在阅读考试的第五和六部分中答案不再是写ABCD的选择题了，而是要求大家写单词。在听力考试的第一部分的考题中也不是写ABC的选择题，而是书写数字或单词的题目。下面我们进行讲解。
假设阅读第五部分的答案如下：
31. BE
32. THAN
33. OF
那么，如何将这些答案放在答题卡上呢?剑桥大学设计的答题卡是这样的：
III. Oral Exam Summary
一、 口语考试之前
1. 考试时间
口语考试是在周六的下午或周日举行。准考证上应该已经非常明确的写出来了，所以你在领取准考证时就应该知道了。
2. 考试形式
考试采用的是两个学生与两位中国考官的形式。
3. 考试签到
在考生进入考场之前，你应该凭身份证到候考室领取自己的口语考试评分卡(BEC Higher Speaking Mark Sheet)，上面应该有你的姓名和考号。通常每个考点都会有几组考官同时进行口试，所以你这时会被候考室的老师指定到某一房间准备考试，同时老师还会为你找到一位考试时的搭档。这时你拿着评分卡到指定教室候考就可以了。
二、 步入考场
你何时可以走进口试考场是由考场中的老师示意进行的。当上一对考生走出房间后，你还不能进入考场。只有当口试考官示意你们进入后你们方可进入。
走进考场后，你会发现有一位老师坐地得离你们比较近，而还有一位老师会坐得比较远。坐在前面的老师负责操作整个考试的进行;而坐在较远处的老师则一言不发，静静地听你们的表现。
当你和同伴进入考场后，你会发现有两把椅子，你可以任意挑选一个位置坐下。从剑桥大学的口语题目设计上看对于谁先来回答问题做得非常公平，因为A、B两位考生被第一次提问的机会是均等的。
由于是两个人同时参加考试，所以大家不要对提给对方的问题掉以轻心，因为在题目设计上有很多题目都是用What about you? 或What do you think?这样的方式问出来的。
当你们落座后，考官首先会向大家问好，Good morning / afternoon，并会将自己的名字以及坐在后面听的那位考官的名字告诉给你们。然后老师会向你们索要评分卡，考官会说Could you give me your mark sheets? 这时大家应该将棕色的评分卡递给考官。
三、 考试评分
操作考试的老师为两个学生分别打出两个总体印象分(Global Mark)。
坐在后面的老师为你们的语言从四个方面打分：Grammar and Vocabulary(语法和词汇)， Discourse Management(语言控制)， Pronunciation(发音)，和 Interactive Communication(相互交流能力)。这以上共有五项内容，每一项内容打分从0分打到5分，其中还有半分。
由此大家可以发现在打分过程中，老师是不会在考生之间进行对比打分的;也不会因为你在某一道题目上的发挥而影响你最终的分数，而是通过你整个阶段的语言表现从四个方面进行评估。
所以这里要求大家不要因为某一个问题没有回答上来而感到灰心丧气，继续沉着作答，顺利完成考试。
如果考试时你有的题目没有听懂，这时一定要让考官给你再重复一遍，你可以说Can you repeat it please? 或 Could you say that again?
如果你有说得不对的地方，这时你是可以进行更正的，剑桥大学还是很看重语言修复能力的。但是如果你总是在修改就必然会影响你的连贯表达，所以做适当的修复，而一定要注意语言的流利度。
四、 口语考试的流程及应试指导
口语考试开始后共进行三个部分的考察。第一部分：考官与两位考生对于日常生活及商务话题进行交流。(3分钟)第二部分：由两位学生分别做长度为一分钟的讲话，话题会在考试中给出。(6分钟)第三部分：两名学生之间进行交流，后再由考官与两名考生进行交流。(7分钟)
第一部分：
在第一部分中可能会被问及的问题及答案指导：
1. Good morning/afternoon/evening. My name is ……..and this is my colleague …. And your names are…..? Where are you from? 这里你要说出自己的全名和你的籍贯，而不是你的学校或城区名。
Sample Answer: My name is Xin Ying. I’m from Beijing (Shanghai/ Shandong / Guangzhou.)
Type 1 prompts 1. Can you tell us something about your work or studies, and:
What you find most interesting about theml
About yourl future career plans
Why you decided to learn Englishl
About your ideall kind of employer
Why you chose your particular careerl
About yourl workplace
(The examiner will choose one prompt from the list to ask one candidate and choose another one from the same list for another candidate.)
Sample Answers:
Career ambitions/plans
I have been a teacher for almost a decade and meanwhile have accumulated a lot of experience in teaching English. Therefore, my career ambition is to set up a small school of my own and practice what I preach. I understand the risk ahead of me in today’s hyper-competitive education market. But I still intend to take the risk because there are a multitude of English learners in China who cannot be guaranteed adequate teaching from disqualified teachers of English.
My ideal kind of employer
To date, I haven’t believed that I have met an ideal kind of employer. But I expect such person can come up soon. The employer should, in the first place, take on responsibility and be accountable when things go wrong. Also, the employer should be able to communicate effectively with his/her subordinates, either by regular dialogue or by formal appraisals. Most importantly, the employer should walk the talk, doing everything he/she preaches. An ideal kind of employer may not exist but may be the dream many employers pursue to become. There is a long long way away from the target for most employers. Interestingly, I would like to become one of them one day.
2. Then, the examiner will give another turn to ask one different question to each of you. But the question will throw first to a different one.
Type 2 prompts
Could you tell me
Which foreign languagesu you think will be most important in the future?
What improvements you thinku technology is bringing to the working lives of people in (name of the country)?
What influence you think international business is having on worku practices in China?
Which professions you think are most useful nowadaysu for life in China?
What you think have been the most significant changesu recently in work practices in China?
How important you think English willu be in the future for business in China?
Sample Answer to Question 5
In the future, Chinese people are more likely to enjoy flexible working hours instead of working a routine nine to five. This means management will probably realize staff diversity and individuality. Second, advanced technology can make it possible to work from home. A further change is that more companies would outsource part of their business to focus manpower and resources on what they do best.
Additional exercisesuCould you tell me:
What influencel do you think the media has nowadays on business life in China?
Whether youl think people in China leave school and college sufficiently prepared for working life?
Which kinds of professions you think are becoming less importantl nowadays in China?
What influence you think globalisation is having onl business life in China?
Which kinds of jobs you think will be the best paidl in the future in China?
What effect you think international communicationl is having on business life in China?
What’s the influence of onlinel shopping to Chinese customers?
What do you think is the brand effect inl China’s market?
What do you think are the most important qualificationsl when working in China?
What is the influence of advertisements for Chinesel consumers’ preference?
What’s your view on Chinese branches of foreignl companies?
第二部分：
在第二部分，两个考生将要分开执行性质上相同但内容不同的任务。在第一部分结束， 第二部分即将开始的时候考官会说:
Thank you. Now in this part of the test, I’m going to give each of you a choice of three different topics.
I’d like you to select one of your topics and talk about it for about ONE minute. You have around one minute to prepare this. You are allowed to make notes, if you want to.
这段话的意思是每个考生都会拿到一张有三个讨论话题的纸。你要从这三个话题中进行选择，选择其中之一谈论一分钟。在这之前两个学生都有一分钟的时间准备。同时在桌子上每人的面前还会有一张纸和一只笔，供你做一些笔记。你肯定不能在一分钟之内写很多的东西，所以你写的内容只是提示性的短语而已。接下来，考官会说：
All right? Here are your topics. You can make notes on the spare paper while you are preparing to talk. Please don’t write anything on your topic card.
考生A的卡片示例
A: Time Management: the importance of punctuality in all aspects of work.
B: Recruitment: how to ensure that job advertisements attract appropriate applicants
C: Customer Relations: how to set up an effective customer services system
考生B的卡片示例：
A: Advertising: how to advertise a new product effectively.
B: Staff Management: the importance of assessing staff performance effectively
C: Product Development: how to decide when is the right time to withdraw a product from the market.
假设你是B考生，这时在一分钟的时间里你首先要抉择这三个话题你觉得哪个更好说一些。第一个话题是关于广告的，即如何能成功的为一个产品做广告;第二个话题是关于员工管理的，即有效评估员工表现的重要性;第三个话题是关于产品发展的，即如何确定合适时机将产品从市场上撤回。我的感觉是第二个和第三个与我所了解的领域相距甚远，更深一些，所以我选择第一个，即Advertising。
在决定好准备哪个话题之后，你就要想如何能展开好这个话题。能在一分钟之内有话可说。
当一分钟准备时间到了之后，考官会让B考生先开始，并会问到All right. Now, B, would you begin by telling us which topic you’ve chosen, please? 当你回答说是the first topic后，考官便会说: When you’ve finished talking, A will ask you a question about your talk. A, you are allowed to take notes while B is talking. B, would you like to begin? 这就是要求B考生在陈述自己的观点时A考生还需要仔细倾听，并在一分钟后向B提出一个问题来。Sample Answer to Topic A
As a long-established company, the pubic has a clear brand awareness of the company. Therefore, I think, firstly, we should define the target customers. Then, we need to find out a proper advertising channel. By this, I mean different media have different effects on audience and different media have different focus. For instance, TV commercials can combine the vivid pictures with interesting promoting sentences. So the channel of advertising should be taken into consideration. Next we should consider the frequency of advertising. Do we need a quick response from the pubic or a long one? If we advertise the product once a day, the effect must be different from advertising once a week. If we advertise it for a fortnight, the effect must be different from advertising for one month. So that’s what I believe is important in advertising a product effectively.
当B考生谈完自己的看法后，A考生可能正在冥思苦想自己的答案，而这时考官会针对刚才B的话题，问A：Thank you. A, is there anything you’d like to ask B? 比如A考生可以问：If the new product is a high technology product like a computer, what do you think is the most effective channel to advertise it? 这时B考生必须回答但是答案可以非常简洁：I think for such a product, I would advertise in a trade journal to attract specialists in the field.
下面考官会把任务留给A考生，重复上面的操作。Thank you, B. Now, A, it’s your turn. When you’ve finished talking, ……A 做答之后，B考生会被问A一个问题，A只要简略做答就可以了。
下面的卡片供大家在课后进行口语练习。
Task card 1
1. Time Management: the importance of planning work time effectively
2. Project Development: how to ensure inter-departmental co-operation on new projects
3. Purchasing: how to evaluate and select new products
Task card 3
1. Personnel Management: the importance to a company of having well motivated staff
2. Strategic Planning: how to decide whether to purchase or rent company premises
3. Sales: how to ensure that price levels for new products are set appropriately
Task card 4
1. Communication Skills: the importance of foreign language training for selected employees
2. Advertising: how to select a suitable agency to handle a company’s advertising
3. Finance: how to decide whether to float a company on the stock market
Task card 5
1. Marketing: the importance to a company of offering its products on the worldwide web
2. Staff Training: how to evaluate the effectiveness of company training programmes
3. Company Growth: how to decide when it is the right time for a business to expand
Task card 6
1. Public Relations: the importance to a company of sponsoring well-known personalities from the arts and popular culture
2. Recruitment: how to ensure that the best candidate for a post is selected
3. Information Management: how to analyze and make effective use of information
Task card 7
1. Sales: the importance of brand image in ensuring that products or services sell well
2. Technology: the importance to a company of keeping up-to-date with internet developments
3. Quality Control: how to ensure that a company consistently maintain quality control standards.
Task card 8
1. Product Promotion: how to make effective use of the media when promoting a new product or service
2. Product Management: the importance of teamwork for the effective management of projects
3. Health and Safety: how to develop a responsible attitude among staff to the health and safety requirements of a company
Task card 9
1. Technology: the importance of computer skills for the workplace of the future
2. Communications: how to ensure that e-mail is used appropriately by staff for internal and external communication
3. Staff Development: how to administer a staff budget effectively
Task card 10
1. Market Research: the importance of finding out about customers’ habits and attitudes
2. Financial Management: how to identify ways of reducing costs in a company
3. Communication: how to achieve an effective working relationship between different departments within a company
Task card 11
1. Communication Skills: the importance of understanding cultural differences when working in an international environment
2. Personnel Management: the importance of providing employees with clear job descriptions
3. Company Growth: how to ensure that company growth proceeds at the optimum rate
Task card 12
1. Time Management: how to manage a heavy workload effectively
2. Health and Safety: the importance to a company of having a Health and Safety policy
3. Human Resources: how to ensure that staff at all levels receive appropriate feedback on individual performance
第三部分：共7分钟，两个阶段
这一部分分为两个阶段，两个学生首先要进行3分钟的交流。考官会这样操作考试：
Now, this part of the test is a discussion activity.
You have about 30 seconds to read this task carefully, and then about 3 minutes to discuss and decide about it together. You’re expected to give reasons for your decisions and opinions. You don’t need to write anything. Is that clear?
Employee of the Year Award
Your company has decided to introduce an Employee of the Year award. You have been given the task of organising this scheme.
Discuss, and decide together:
l What criteria should be used to select the winner
l Which people inside and outside the company should be asked to help choose the winner
l What kinds of rewards would be most suitable for the winner.
这时老师递给两位考生一张纸上面会有文字性的提示，放在桌子的中间，让两位考生能同时看到，方便后面的讨论。
之后老师说：
Are you ready to begin? I’ll just listen ant then ask you to stop after about 3 minutes. Please speak so that we can hear you.
在这部分的交流中你要注意一定要给对方机会。不要自己忘乎所以的高谈阔论，而对方连一句嘴都插不进来。你在非常善谈的情况下，一定要给对方留有机会。比如你可以说What do you think? // Do you think day trip or extra day’s holiday is a good way to reward the employee of the year?当对方说出自己的想法后，你还可以说I think so. // I agree with you.// Your idea sounds practical.
同时，如果你的同伴在表达上不够理想时，如果你能伸出“援助之手”的话，考官在评定你交流能力时就会给你很高的评价。
最后你还一定要记住要与对方就上述各点达成一个共识。Can we say that giving company shares is the most rewarding way for the best employee because it can really make every member of staff become the real owner of the company, thus stimulating their initiative and originality. Do you think so? B: Yes, I totally agree with you. It is the most rewarding way for the employee.
这部分考试的后半部分是就刚才探讨的话题进行更深入的讨论，以期使考生的语言能力发挥到极限，从而给考生以一个客观正确的评估。以上面这道题为例，它的附加问题可能会是这样的：
* Are awards an effective way of motivating staff? (why? /Why not?)
* Are there any disadvantages in having awards of this type? (Why)
* What other ways are there of maintaining motivation among employees?
* How important is it for staff to work as members of a team? (Why?)
* What effect is the increase in part-time and freelance work likely to have on employer-employee relationships in a company? (Why?)
这部分的问题是从具体到抽象进行排列的。因为时间比较紧张，所以老师在提问时会选择其中的一个或两个。老师选择提问的对象往往是那些在上面讨论部分不积极的学生。所以你如果想争取主动，你就应该在上一个轮次的讨论中多说几句。
下面的例子供大家在课后做口语训练，最好能为自己找一个搭档进行模拟考试的练习。
例二：
Mobile phones
The company you work for has decided to give mobile phones to its employees. You have been asked to help create a policy regarding mobile phone use.
what rules there should be regarding the use of company mobilel phones
whether all staff should be given mobile phonesl
Do you think a mobile phone helps people to work morel efficiently?
Do you think people should have their mobile phones switchedl off during meetings?
Do you think bosses should call their employeesl outside office hours to discuss work?
Do you think the use of mobile phonesl in businesses will increase in the future?
What problems could companiesl have when they give their employees mobile phones or laptop computers?
Howl do you think business communications will change in the future?
例三：
Inspection visit
Next month a group from Head Office will inspect the supermarket branch where you work. You have been asked by your manager to help with preparations for the inspection visit.
Whatl information you need from Head Office before the visit
What the advantagesl and disadvantages are of telling staff about the visit
Why do you think large companies inspect theirl branches?
What do you think company managers should look at when inspectingl one of their branches?
What do you think are the disadvantages of companyl inspections?
In what other ways could companies ensure the same level ofl service across all their branches?
How do you think companies encouragel higher standards in their branches?
What do you think companies should dol for staff who do their jobs well?
例四:
Changing the image of a product
The food and drinks company you work for is considering changing the image of one of its fruit juices.
You have been asked for your suggestion on changing the images.
What type of customer the new image should appeal tol
Whatl types of advertising would be most effective
Do you think it’s a good to change the name of al product?
What problems might there be when a product’s image isl changed?
Do you think all products can benefit from a change to theirl image?
What other things about a product do you think companies couldl change if they wanted to relaunch it?
Are products the only things thatl companies need to change in order to stay in the business?
Why do you thinkl demand for a product might fall?
最后考试结束时，老师会说Thank you. That’s the end of the speaking test.这时你就可以离开考场了。你可以向老师说完Thank you.后走出考场。
IV. Business passage reading.
Passage from India
Phenomenal growth is also taking place in outsourcing in China although the focus is on IT and Asian languages rather than call centers and English. Joining the World Trade Organization, in April 2002, and the subsequent influx of multinationals to do business provided the spur.
A Gartner researchers in Hong Kong, Dion Wiggins, said the mainland’s advantage over India was that its companies had more knowledge of Asian character sets, most importantly Chinese and Japanese.
“This is whether the Chinese companies come in,” he said. “They’re localizing or rewriting applications to support the needs of multinationals coming into the Chinese market.”
Outsourcing was not just the domain of the English-speaking world, Mr Wiggins said. China’s eastern port city of Dalian had taken advantage of local linguistics skills and become a hub for Japanese call centres. Over the past few years Japanese companies like Hitachi and NEC had signed deals for software development with the mainland worth more than US$75 million.
He said China was attracting more research and development work, and the software industry was also rapidly expanding. Companies such as Bamboo Networks, with its headquarters in Hong Kong, now had up to 400 developers working on the mainland.
“China is definitely starting to promote its software skills, but also innovation, which is a change in culture and mindset”, Mr Wiggins said. “In the past, as a product of thinks like the cultural revolution, Chinese weren’t encouraged to innovate. The culture is definitely in reserves now.”
Analysts’ forecasts put China’s software output at equal to India’s in three years. But there is no suggestion as yet that it will usurp India’s capacity for outsourcing any time soon.
There is little doubt, though, that East Asia is increasingly a focus for companies with an eye on bigger profits. Whether Vietnam and other nations with outsourcing ambitions can join China and the Philippines will depend on whether they can meet the shifting demands of multinational firms.
Whatever their success, the trend will continuewith rising fortunes for the developing world and growing concern in developed countries as jobs opportunities dry up.
influx noun [countable]
the arrival of large numbers of people or large amounts of money, goods etc, especially suddenly 大量涌入
influx of
a sudden influx of cash
massive/great/huge etc influx
a large influx of tourists in the summer
hub noun [countable] 1 the central and most important part of an area, system, activity etc, which all the other parts are connected to 中心
ￚsynonym centre
hub of
Birmingham is at the hub of Britain’s motorway network.
the commercial hub of the region
usurp verb [transitive]
formal to take someone else’s power, position, job etc when you do not have the right to篡夺
There were a couple of attempts to usurp the young king.
ￚusurpation noun [uncountable]
V. Homework
PART ONE
Questions 1-8
Look at thel statements below and at the five advertisements for postgraduate business courses held at five different institutions on the opposite page.
1.You can spend part of this course at a different educational institution if you want to.
2.Work experience in the world of business is offered as part of this course.
3. Other institutions use a method that this one invented.
4. This institution has won a prize for its achievements.
5. At this institution, you can do a short course first to prepare you for the postgraduate business course held there.
6. Representatives of this institution will be publicising the courses offered.
7. You might be able to get some financial help towards the cost of this course.
8. On this course, you learn how to get the best results from the people who work for you.
A
UNIVERSITY OF PORTCHESTER-MASTERS IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Why choose Portchester Last year we received the prestigious King’s Award for Excellence in Business. We have a tradition of academic excellence, with 30 years of MBA experience within a 70-year-old business school and a 200-year-old university. We offer a two-semester MBA programme with the emphasis on economic analysis and rigorous thinking. Each year, 110 students from all over the world are carefully selected to do the course. We also offer a 6-week pre-MBA programme for students without previous in-depth business experience.
B
THE EXTON BUSINESS SCHOOL MASTER IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
The Exton Business School MBA, taught by experts in the field, enjoys international recognition. This programme attracts high flyers from 55 countries, who contribute to the culture of excellence. This is the MBA which gets results, and it will be your passport to success in the global business community. The programme lasts 21 months, starting each October. We will shortly be giving a series of presentations on our programmes in different cities around the world. For further details on these, please contact Janet Fairclough on the number below.
C
University of Newhaven-MBA
Let the University of Newhaven prepare you to meet the challenges of the global marketplace. In 23 months you will gain a Master of Business Administration degree and a Certificate in International Business. This MBA gives students the opportunity to spend 6 weeks on a placement with an international company, as well as on-going language training in the major world languages. The University of Newhaven offers a limited number of scholarships to home and international students. We also offer an Advanced Management Programme for senior executives who want to strengthen their ability to meet the challenger of intensified global competition and improve their organization’s results.
D The Connaught Institute Advanced Industrial Marketing strategy
Keep up to date with the latest concepts in business-to business marketing with our Advanced Industrial Marketing Strategy, and gain the skills you need to outperform the competition. We are the acknowledged leaders in the field of Industrial Marketing Strategy. The acclaimed approach developed by our MBA department includes the leading edge ECONOMIX technique adopted by top business schools around the world. At the Connaught Institute you will discover the value and application of the concepts that underpin successful marketing strategies. The programme will also identify the dynamics of customer-supplier relationships, how to structure profitable alliances, and how to motivate staff.
E
CATISFIELD SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT-MASTER OF SCIENCE IN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
This is an invitation to join one of Europe’s leading business schools in an MSc programme for people who wish to pursue a career in international management. This intensive, challenging, two-year programme will provide you with a thorough grounding in the central theories and research traditions of international business, with the emphasis on international marketing. This mind-stretching experience prepares students for the challenges they will face in the world of business today. Other specifications available include marketing, strategy, and financial economics. Exchange programmes with other prestigious universities in the field are also offered.
PART TWO
Questions 9-14
Read this text taken from al business magazine.
Choose the best sentence from the opposite page to filll each of the gaps.
For each gap 9-14, mark one letter (A-H) on your Answerl Sheet.
Do not use any letter more than once.l
There is an example atl the beginning.(0).
Plan your business
If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Whether it’s to back up an application for a loan, or to work out where you will be going over the next few years, businesses should have business plans. (0)… H… It’s true there are no guaranteed ways to predict a business’s chances of failure or success, but there are some useful indicators. These are : the people who will run the business, the marketplace it will operate in, the practicality of the basic idea, and the management of money. (9)… Such factors should also be checked after creating the plan, as a way of testing its validity.
It’s a good idea to go through this process whenever you are planning something new. You may well have had your business up and running for some time. (10)…. In particular, you should scan the environment where you operate or intend to operate, considering the political , economic, technical and social situation. Having done this, there are several points to decide. You need to be precise about the range of products or services you intend to sell. It’s also important to be clear about where you will position yourself in the market, in terms of price, quality and volume. Another point to establish is who your customers will be. (11)…..
Having looked at the general picture, and then your potential business, it’s time to look at yourself. Consider what skills you are going to need in order to make your business work. (12)….. This may be particularly true in the case of financial strategy, and you will probably need some input from your accountant. Together you can draw up a cash flow forecast. (13)….
You now have all the basic ingredients you need to put together your business plan. It’s important to remember that the plan is meant to be a way of mapping the scene so that you can make better decisions about your business, not a completely rigid set of instructions that you have to follow to the letter. Don’t expect your plan to be perfect first time. (14)….. In fact, you can be sure that almost as soon as you have finished it, something will change, such as the price of fuel. However, having a plan will enable you to decide how to respond to such changes.
Example: A You should make it monthly for the first year and quarterly afterwards.
B If you haven’t got them yourself, you need to involve people who have.
C As preparation for your plan, all these points have to be carefully considered.
D After all, it can only reflect the information you have available now and you can update it later.
E Your success will therefore depend on the speed of the operation.
F However, you should always plan as though it is a new business you are about to start.
G When you’ve decided that, work out how you will let them know that you exist as a business.
H They enable business people to have some control over their future.
PART THREE
Questions 15-20
Read the following extractl from an article about professional service firms and the questions on the opposite page.
According to management expert Tom David, a professional service firm- a company of consultants, lawyers or auditors, for example-is the best model for tomorrow’s organization in any industry. He says that these firms are typically informal and flexible in their structure, and good at teamwork and knowledge-sharing. In contrast, the world’s big old corporations can easily be portrayed as crawling along behind.
The reality is perhaps more subtle. The rapid growth which professional service firms (PSFs) are experiencing is causing them management problems which the typical big corporations addressed long ago. They are turning themselves into conglomerates, trying to coordinate themselves globally rather than by country, as corporations like Unilever have done for years. The more sophisticated big corporations today are moving towards the partnership model, with flexible structures which actively involve employees. But the bigger PSFs are moving the other way. They are becoming the clumsy giants of the future.
However, there are positive aspects of PSFs-leadership, for example. The secret of good leadership is to guide and steer people without actually managing them. This means being very clear about the firm’s objectives. If these are clear, then leaders can be flexible, encouraging employees to come up with their own solutions to problems. The leader’s job is to watch carefully and adjust people back towards the objectives. Because of this approach, in many PSFs, nobody is expected to spend more than half their time on management in the conventional sense.
Teams are essential in PSFs and are central to the training process. A huge amount of the training employees receive is in the discussion and debate with those who have been down that road before. When young people join the firm, they join teams. This works when there are enough senior people with enough time to devote to them.
At the same time, it is vital that people do not identify with the team too closely. The leadership skill is in ensuring you don’t create firms within firms. So you move people from group to group and you organize around clients. As well as focusing on the clients’ needs, it’s also important to keep the firm’s needs in mind. It’s relatively easy to narrow your focus to those clients that concern you, and leave worrying about your people as a whole to someone else. But the one thing which absolutely motivates junior people to stay is that senior people demonstrate they care about needs within the firm.
There is one more area in which PSFs claim a clear lead over other big companies: knowledge management. There are two main technology-based ways in which they transfer their knowledge from those who have it to those who need it. First, the creation of e-mail networks. Second, the logging of data onto central computer systems. Are they effective? Jane Griffith, head of Northern Consulting, gives an example: ‘Suppose I have a client in the ice-cream business and I need to find out about the industry. I don’t want to have to read all 5,000 electronic entries on ice-ream; what I do want is to use the system to find out one e-mail address of somebody who knows about the ice-cream business and then contact them to ask them about the ice-cream business. It’s that kind of cooperation that builds success’.
15. In the first paragraph, Tom David praises professional service firms because they
A have specialist knowledge.
B are not organized in a rigid way.
C influence big corporations
D do not rely on teamwork.
16. The writer says that professional service firms are responding to growth by
A trying to be more sophisticated.
B going into industrial activity.
C organizing themselves internationally.
D focusing on their employees.
17. The writer says that good leadership is important because
A it can change people’s ideas.
B many employees avoid responsibility
C people need strong management.
D it makes everyone work towards the same goal.
18. What is said about teams in the fourth paragraph?
A They save time for the company.
B They can be changed frequently.
C They combine experience with discussion.
D They suit the way young people work.
19. According to the writer, what is the disadvantage of having teams?
A It can lead to high staff turnover.
B It may result in customers’ needs being neglected.
C They seldom generate new business
D They may operate separately from the rest of the company.
20. What are we told is the best way to transfer knowledge?
A using computers to make personal contacts.
B going to meetings with experts in the field
C studying comprehensive databases
D contacting senior managers of large companies
PART FOUR Questions 21-30
Read the article below aboutl data presentation.
Choose the best word to fill each gap from A, B, C or Dl on the opposite page.
For each question 21-30, mark one letter (A, B, C orl D) on your Answer Sheet.
There is an example at the beginning .l (0).
Clear presentation of data
The preparation and presentation of data is a common part of business life. In (0)… A… of preparation for meetings, it is essential to remember that it should be presented in a user-friendly way. That means it must be in a form to which members of the meeting can easily (21)….. . “Never under-estimate intelligence, but never over-estimate knowledge” is a good expression to remember in this context. Most people can understand the most complex information. (22)…. it is presented in a form they find accessible. Thus, all data should avoid jargon and use(23)…. Language. Written text should be presented in a way that will (24) …. to the average reader. It should be prepared carefully, (25) …. use of headlines, illustrations and photographs. Remember that the human eye sees a page as a picture. If the aim of a document is to be understood, it must be designed in a way that (26) …. The reader comprehends it. This may seem an obvious point but many business people do constantly (27) ….it . Public companies are required by law to produce an annual report on their financial and other activities. These tend to be expensive, professionally-presented documents. However, research (28)…. that only about 5% shareholders actually read and understand the content. The problem is that such accounts are often so complex that only the authors are (29)…of followi
g them. It’s essential to remember that the point of any document is that it is fully accessible to be (30)…reader.
21. A associate B relate C join D unite
22. A according B providing C depending D seeing
23. A ordinary B usual C typical D frequent
24. A appeal B interest C engage D attract
25. A doing B putting C taking D making
26. A convinces B confirms C ensures D allows
27. A make over B overlook C put over D oversee
28. A points B tells C indicate D informs
29. A able B possible C skilful D capable
30. A target B aim C goal D ambition
PART FIVE
Questions 31-40
l , Read the article below about communication in the workplace.
l For each question 31-40, write one word in CAPITAL LETTERS on your Answer Sheet.
l There is an example at the beginning. (0).
A two-way dialogueTrue communication is essentially a two-way dialogue involving comprehension of each side’s viewpoint, concerns and priorities(0)… the other. Comprehension is essential before communication exists and this can only (31)… achieved by an exchange of information. This requires a dynamic process. Being an active rather (32)… a passive process, communication requires both dedication to a long-term process and an understanding (33)… the other side’s viewpoint. Indeed, it requires an appreciation that until (34)… side really understands what the other means, messages can be confused and misunderstood. Thus, to be a great communicator, one must (35)… only listen to what is being said, but also notice what is or is not being said. This takes time and practice. “The reason”, goes the old saying, “that we have one mouth and two ears, (36)… so that we can listen twice as much as we talk.” Sadly, the opposite tends more often to be the case. Furthermore, the passive state of hearing is all too often mistaken (37)… active listening. The manager (38) … claims proudly to talk to his or her employees regularly may be more admired than one who does not, but this is not communication. True communication will only occur when (39)… is consensus about the subject matter. In order to create true communication, both sides must be prepared (40)… listen-actively and continually.
PART SIX
Questions 41-52
Read the text below about supermarket checkouts.
In most of the lines 41-52 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 the line, write the extra word in CAPITAL LETTER on your Answer Sheet.