这里小编给大家分享一些剑桥商务英语BEC的中级阅读全真试题,本文共8篇,方便大家学习。本文原稿由网友“讨厌某猪”提供。
篇1:剑桥商务英语BEC中级阅读全真试题
剑桥商务英语BEC中级阅读全真试题
READING
QUESTIONS 1-45
PART ONE
Questions 1-7
Look at the sentences below and the job advertisements on the opposite page.
Which job does each sentence 1-7 refer to?
For each sentence, mark one letter (A, B, C or D) on your Answer Sheet.
You will need to use some of these letters more than once.
1 You will be responsible for the operation of a computer system.
2 You must be able to forecast what people will want to wear.
3 You will be able to work with people from many different countries and backgrounds.
4 You will have a qualification which covers two subject areas.
5 It is necessary to have worked in this sector before.
6 You will need to keep in contact with the headquarters of the organization.
7 The advertisement emphasises the need to have a suitable approach to important people.
A
BUSINESS MANAGER
You will be responsible for our global business within specific countries and will have a good understanding of international distribution, possibly based on previous experience, plus the ability to work in markets that are highly varied in their culture. You will be fluent in a second language, be willing to travel extensively, and preferably have a degree.
B
DEPARTMENT STORE BUYER
Based at our head office in London, you will selec
篇2:剑桥商务英语BEC的中级阅读全真试题
PART TWO
Questions 8-12
Read the extract below from an article about the coffee industry.
Choose the best sentence from the list on the opposite page to fill each of the gaps.
For each gap8-12, markoneletter (A-I)on your Answer Sheet.
Do not use any letter more than once.
Coffee is worth approximately $50-60bn per annum in terms of world sales. It is a truly international commodity, and today more than 50 countries in the world grow coffee beans. (example) ______I_____. ICO organization helps coffee producers and promotes coffee conumption worldwide.
ICO estimates that world production next year will reach 97.5 million bags.11.3 million bags higher than the current year. (8) ____________. As the largest producing country, Brazil is particularly important in the coffee world. In 1994 Brazil was responsible for 25% of world production, Colombia was next with 13.4%, Indonesia had 7.5%, Mexico 4.7%, Guatemala 3.8% and Ethiopia and Vietnam were equal with 3.4%.
Coffee is a tough crop, and can be grown in areas where it is difficult or impossible to grow other crops. (9) However, disease is always problem for coffee production, as we can see in some parts of South America at the moment.ICO is active in educating farmers about avoiding disease and dealing with problems when they occur.
The distribution chain varies from country to country, explains Pablo Dubois. In most countries the smaller farmers sell their crop to a local trader, who then sells it on to exporters. There are, however, other distribution systems. (10) ____________. Some countries, like Vietnam, have special government marketing organizations for coffee.
Coffee prices often vary greatly from one year to the next. In , for example, there was a large rise in the world price, which was immediately felt by the consumer. Rising prices always result in a drop in sales, which will have a bad effect on those developing countries, which are highly dependent on foreign exchange from coffee exports. (11)____________.
In the opinion of Pablo Dubois, the biggest problem for his organisation is to create greater consumer awareness of the different varieties of coffee and different ways of preparing it. (12)____________. ICO is therefore concentrating its promotional activities on Russia and China. It is also encouraging environmentally friendly coffee production, and last year’s seminar on coffee and the environment created a lot of interest.
The future looks bright for the coffee industry. It is estimated that consumption over the next few years will continue to rise steadily. New markets like Eastern Europe and China are expected to develop fast.
A. As a result, the membership now represents 94% of all exporters and 60% of all importers.
B. In some of these countries, this can amount to as much as 50% of all export earning.
C. In North America, most consumers already have above average knowledge of the range available.
D. For example, frost and wind are particularly damaging to coffee crops.
E. Larger coffee growers, for example, frequently export directly.
F. The main reason for this is higher Brazilian output as production recovers from weather damage to crops.
G. It is cultivated in mountain regions which can only be reached by animal transport, and in other difficult areas where modern agricultural equipment cannot be used.
H. This is because there is a demand for coffee in Germany, and it is also sold in the UK and in the US.
I.e Organisation (ICO), based in London.
1.BEC中级阅读难词汇总
2.BEC剑桥商务英语练习
3.BEC商务英语中级阅读技巧
4.BEC商务英语中级阅读的材料
5.剑桥商务英语(BEC)考试费用
6.BEC商务英语中级阅读模拟题(含答案)
7.20剑桥商务英语证书考试(BEC)时间表
8.20剑桥商务英语BEC考试时间(笔考+机考)
9.年BEC中级考试模拟冲刺试题
10.2014年商务英语BEC初级阅读模拟试题
篇3:剑桥商务英语BEC中级精选阅读材料
1.商务英语中级考试阅读材料:喝酸奶有益于牙齿健康
Eating yogurt and other foods laden with lactic acid may keep your gums from receding and teeth from falling out, Japanese researchers report.
Dr. Yoshihiro Shimazaki and colleagues found that consuming yogurt and lactic acid drinks was significantly associated with better periodontal health.
“But, milk and cheese were not,” Shimazaki said.
Periodontal disease is a chronic bacterial condition associated with receding gums and tooth loss. Outside of regular brushing and flossing, effective measures to allay this disease are limited, Shimazaki, of Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Japan, and colleagues note in the Journal of Periodontology.
Previous research identified a lower occurrence of periodontal disease among people who eat high amounts of dairy products, but did not identify which dairy products were most beneficial, the researchers report.
Shimazaki’s team assessed the severity of periodontal disease in 942 men and women, aged 40 to 79 years, and their intake of milk, cheese, and lactic acid foods.
They found that people with generalized (more advanced) periodontal disease had a lower intake of lactic acid foods than people with localized (less advanced) periodontal disease.
Compared with individuals reporting no lactic acid food intake, those eating 55 grams or more of yogurt (half an 6-ounce carton) or lactic acid drinks a day had significantly fewer markers of severe periodontal disease. The investigators made allowances for factors such as age, gender, smoking, alcohol intake, frequency of tooth brushing, blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
日本研究人员日前称,吃酸奶等富含乳酸的食物能防止牙龈萎缩和牙齿脱落。
喜田岛崎博士及其同事发现,喝酸奶及其它乳酸饮料能显著改善牙周健康。
岛崎博士说:“但牛奶和乳酪没有这种功效。”
牙周病是一种慢性细菌感染性疾病,会引起牙床萎缩和牙齿脱落。日本福冈九州岛大学的岛崎教授及其同事在《牙周病学》期刊中提到,除了勤刷牙和用牙线清洁牙齿外,能够有效缓解这一疾病的方法比较有限。
研究人员在报告中称,此前的研究发现,食用大量乳制品的人患牙周病的几率较低,但未发现哪种乳制品的作用突出。
岛崎教授领导的研究小组对942名年龄在40岁至79岁之间的男性和女性进行了调查,主要对他们所患牙周炎的严重程度以及摄入的牛奶、乳酪和乳酸类食品量进行了评估。
他们发现,弥漫性重度牙周炎患者所摄入的乳酸类食品量比局限性轻度牙周炎患者少。
与自称从不吃乳酸类食品的人相比,每天摄入酸奶或其它乳酸饮品55克或更多的人有严重牙周病症状的明显较少。研究人员还考虑到了年龄、性别、吸烟、饮酒、刷牙频率、血糖及胆固醇水平等各项因素。
Vocabulary:
be laden with:富含……
fall out: 脱落
intake:摄入量
make allowances for:考虑到……
2.商务英语中级考试阅读材料:投行今年亚太佣金收入
对于投资银行业而言,是它们亚洲业务利润为丰厚的一年,但今年却开局不利。
Investment banks have suffered a poor start to the year in Asia after their most profitable year in the region in .
因敢于在市场动荡情况下上市的公司数量减少,投行的股票资本市场收入大幅下降。
Revenues from equity capital markets have fallen sharply as fewer companies have braved turbulent market conditions to go public.
数据提供商汤姆森金融(Thomson Financial)的数据显示,今年截至上周五,在不包括日本在内的亚洲地区,瑞银(UBS)、瑞士信贷(Credit Suisse)、摩根士丹利(Morgan Stanley)和高盛(Goldman Sachs)的佣金收入分别下降了44.1%至70.9%。
UBS, Credit Suisse, Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs saw fees fall between 44.1 per cent and 70.9 per cent in Asia excluding Japan this year up until last Friday, according to Thomson Financial, the data provider.
由于许多公司推迟或取消了首次公开发行(IPO)计划,宁愿等待更好的上市时机,投行今年在亚洲面临的市况非常艰难。作为亚洲地区股市表现的衡量指标,摩根士丹利资本国际不包括日本的亚太指数(MSCI Asia Pacific ex-Japan index)今年已下跌约18%。
The region has been a tough market for banks after a large number of companies postponed or cancelled initial public offerings, preferring to wait for better opportunities to sell shares. The MSCI Asia excluding Japan index, a barometer of the region’s stock markets, has fallen about 18 per cent this year.
来自股票和债券资本市场的佣金收入分别下降了15.9%和52.3%。但收购活动仍在继续,亚洲并购交易佣金收入为此增长了3.6%,达到13.8亿美元。
Fees earned from equity and debt capital markets fell 15.9 per cent and 52.3 per cent respectively. But continued takeover activity saw fees from Asian mergers and acquisitions increase 3.6 per cent to $1.38bn.
在亚洲佣金总收入排行榜上,包括中国铁建(China Railway Construction Corp) 54.4亿美元IPO在内的几笔大交易,推动中国中信证券(Citic Securities)的排名从去年的第13位上升至第三位。
China’s Citic Securities rose to third in the league table of overall fee revenues in the region, up from number 13 in 2007, thanks to several large deals including the $5.44bn IPO by China Railway Construction Corp.
瑞银在排行榜上名列榜首,尽管该行今年以来的收入下降了53.3%,从去年的1.71亿美元降至8000万美元。这家瑞士银行近80%的收入来自并购交易佣金。排名第二和第三的分别是花旗集团(Citigroup)和中信证券。名列前五的还有美林(Merrill Lynch)和JP摩根(JPMorgan)。
UBS topped the league table in spite of a 53.3 per cent plunge in revenues from $171m last year to $80m so far this year. The Swiss bank, which derived nearly 80 per cent of fees from M&A, is followed by Citigroup and Citic. Merrill Lynch and JPMorgan took the other top five places.
中信证券收入飙升425.1%,至5590万美元。在中国铁建本月在香港和上海的IPO中,中信证券都是保荐人。
Citic, which sponsored both the Hong Kong and Shanghai portions of CRCC’s IPO this month, saw revenues surge 425.1 per cent to $55.9m.
行业咨询公司奥纬咨询(Oliver Wyman)的另一份报告显示,作为中国的券商之一,中信证券取得成功的背景是:本地公司继续主导着亚洲的承销市场,特别是首次公开发行市场。
The success of Citic, one of China’s largest brokerages, comes as local firms continue to dominate the underwriting market in Asia, especially in primary offerings, according to a separate report by Oliver Wyman, an industry consultant.
除了香港和新加坡(国际投行在此仍然控制着市场),其他国家的多数交易往往都由本地券商安排。奥纬咨询称,中国的三大承销商分别是中信证券、中金公司(CICC)和国泰君安(Guotai Junan)。台湾5家的承销商都是本地公司。
Apart from Hong Kong and Singapore, where international investment banks still control the market, local brokerages tend to arrange most deals in other countries. China’s top three underwriters are Citic, CICC and Guotai Junan, said Oliver Wyman. All of the five largest players in Taiwan are local firms.
在汤姆森金融排行榜的前十名中,高盛的佣金收入降幅,达到70.9%,从9730万美元降至2830万美元。投行业务佣金总收入较上年同期下降5.4%,从22.2亿美元降至21亿美元。
3.商务英语中级考试阅读材料:快乐可以遗传
You can’t buy happiness but it looks like you can at least inherit it, British and Australian researchers said.
A study of nearly 1000 pairs of identical and non-identical twins found genes control half the personality traits that make people happy while factors such as relationships, health and careers are responsible for the rest of our well-being.
“We found that around half the differences in happiness were genetic,” said Tim Bates, a researcher at the University of Edinburgh who led the study. “It is really quite surprising.”
The researchers asked the volunteers – ranging in age from 25 to 75 – a series of questions about their personality, how much they worried and how satisfied they were with their lives.
Because identical twins share the same genes and fraternal twins do not, the researchers could identify common genes that result in certain personality traits and predispose people to happiness.
People who are sociable, active, stable, hardworking and conscientious tend to be happier, the researchers reported in the journal Psychological Science.
“What this study showed was that the identical twins in a family were very similar in personality and in well-being, and by contrast, the fraternal twins were only around half as similar,” Bates said. “That strongly implicates genes.”
The findings are an important piece of the puzzle for researchers trying to better understand depression and what makes different people happy or unhappy, Bates said.
People with positive inherited personality traits may, in effect, also have a reserve of happiness to draw on in stressful times, he said.
“An important implication is that personality traits of being outgoing, calm and reliable provide a resource, we called it ’affective reserve,’ that drives future happiness” Bates said.
快乐买不到,但英国和澳大利亚的研究人员称,快乐至少可以遗传得到。
一项对近千对同卵及异卵双胞胎开展的研究发现,在快乐的性格特征中,有一半是由基因控制的,而另一部分则受到人际关系、健康、职业等因素的影响。
研究负责人、爱丁堡大学的蒂姆?贝茨说:“我们发现,研究对象在快乐方面的差异约有一半受到遗传基因的影响。这个结果实在令人惊讶。”
研究人员向年龄在25岁至75岁之间的志愿者提出了一系列问题,问题涉及他们的性格特点、焦虑程度以及对目前生活的满意度。
由于同卵双生的双胞胎基因完全相同,而异卵双胞胎不完全相同,所以研究人员可以分辨出决定某些性格特征及使人容易快乐的共同基因。
研究报告在《心理科学》期刊上发表。研究人员指出,善于交际、活泼、踏实、勤奋、有责任心的人更加快乐。
贝茨说:“该研究表明,同卵双胞胎的性格特征和快乐程度十分相似,然而,异卵双胞胎仅有约50%的相似度。这充分说明了基因的作用。”
贝茨说,研究人员一直在努力寻找有关“人为什么会郁闷”的更为合理的解释及影响不同的人快乐与否的因素,这一发现无疑为这一难题提供了一个重要解释。
他说,具有积极遗传性格特征的人实际上同时拥有一种“快乐储备”,供他们在郁闷的时候“支取”。
贝茨说:“这说明了很重要的一点,外向、冷静和可靠的性格特点能形成一种“情感储备”,为将来的快乐提供保障。”
4.商务英语中级考试阅读材料:中国航空货运业
中国制造业的显著增长,促使航空货运公司争相发展其在华业务。然而,这可能成为一个业务规模扩张过大、速度过快的案例。
China’s spectacular manufacturing growth has left air freight carriers scrambling to develop their activities in the country. But it could be a case of too much, too soon.
两年前,从南京或上海空运货物至欧洲,每公斤运费高达4美元;如今的价格约为2.50美元。南京禄口机场副总经理徐勇表示:“在此项业务上仍有钱赚的航空公司非常少见。”
Two years ago, flying goods from Nanjing or Shanghai to Europe cost up to $4 a kilogramme; today it the price is about $2.50. “Very few carriers are still making money here,’’ says Xu Yong, vice-president of Nanjing airport.
由于机队扩张速度继续超出需求,航空公司正加剧中国一些机场的拥堵问题。徐勇警告称:“我们现在的飞机数量实在是太多了。”
As fleet expansion continues to outpace demand, carriers are adding to congestion problems at some Chinese airports. “We have just far too many planes now”Mr Xu warns.
荷兰航空公司Martinair副总裁弗兰克?德容(Frank de Jong)表示,中国空运货物出口量正以每年约10%的速度增长,而飞机货物运力的增幅约为25%。
Frank de Jong, vice-president at Martinair, the Dutch carrier, says the volume of Chinese exports by air is growing by about 10 per cent a year but aircraft cargo capacity is rising by about 25 per cent.
在亚洲,约半数货物在运输时都是放在定期客运航班的腹舱内。例如,在客运航空公司中,大韩航空(Korean Airlines)拥有全球规模的货运业务,其28%的收入来自航空货运业务。
In Asia, about half of cargo transported is carried in the belly of regular passenger flights. Korean Airlines, for example, has the world’s largest cargo business among passenger airlines, with 28 per cent of its revenue coming from air freight.
在美国,大部分航空货运业务由以UPS和联邦快递(FedEx)为首的专业货运公司负责。中国政府近已进一步放宽了对上述两家公司的准入限制。
In the US, the bulk of air cargo is handled by the specialist freight industry, led by UPS and FedEx. The Chinese government has recently granted greater access to the two companies.
瑞士信贷(Credit Suisse)分析师彼得?希尔顿(Peter Hilton)表示:“美国公司可以向中国体系内注入更多运力,并承接向来由亚洲航空公司包揽的货运业务。”
Peter Hilton, analyst at Credit Suisse, says: “The Americans are being allowed to inject more capacity into the Chinese system and moving goods that would have traditionally gone to Asian carriers.”
中国政府已加大其发展国内航空货运业的努力,鼓励国内航空公司与经验更为丰富的西方货运公司合作。而就在不久前,中国政府的重点还几乎全放在航空客运业的改革和扩张方面。
Beijing has stepped up its efforts to develop a domestic air freight industry, encouraging its airlines to team up with more experienced Western cargo operators. Until recently, the Chinese government had instead focused almost exclusively on overhauling and expanding the passenger airline industry.
一位香港银行家表示:“从政治角度来看,运送旅客比运输货物更能建立声望,但政府已意识到,货运对出口驱动型的制造业领域至关重要。”
A Hong Kong banker says: “Politically, there’s a lot more prestige in helping move people rather than goods, but the government has woken up to how crucial freight is for an export-led manufacturing sector.”
篇4:剑桥商务英语BEC中级作文全真试题
剑桥商务英语BEC中级作文全真试题
WRITING
QUESTIONS 46 and 47 PART ONE
Question 46
You are the training manager of a company which has won a large export order. You have been asked to organize foreign language training for some of your staff.
Write a memo of 40-50 words to staff:
explaining why the courses are necessary
saying which members of staff should attend
announcing when the courses will start
Write on your Answer Sheet.
RART TWO
Question 47
Your company exports to a number of countries around the world. The company is looking for new agents for international freight.
Read the two advertisements below, on which you have made some notes.
本新闻共2页,当前在第1页 1 2
篇5:BEC剑桥商务英语中级阅读理解精选练习题
Read the article below about stress management, and answer questions 13-20 on the opposite page.。
A Lesson In Stress Management
Demands placed on us at work can often lead to considerable worry and discomfort. There are, however, ways of protecting ourselves from the stress we face at work. We interviewed Jane Collard, a consultant in stress management.
1. In Jane Collard’s opinion, stress is becoming an increasingly common feature of the workplace. Stress is a highly individual reaction, which varies considerably from person to person, and it is difficult for some employees to avoid it. Indeed, stress is regarded by many as part of the organizational culture of our institutions: it comes with the job. Recent figures indicate that time taken off work because of stress has increased by 500 per cent since the 1950s. Undoubtedly, changes in working conditions have led to greater pressure at work at all levels. With reductions in staffing, workloads for individual employees have increased. In addition, many employees are left worrying about the security of their jobs.
2. On the stress management courses that she runs, Jane Collard tries to make the trainees realise that stress in itself is not harmful. Everyone needs a certain level of stress to enable them to feel motivated and to perform effectively. A complete absence of stress can be as damaging as overstress, since it can make people lose interest in their work, and even lead to depression. The difficulties occur when the amount of stress rises above a level which is healthy for a particular individual. If this happens, the effects are very obvious and the trainees are taught to recognize the signs. Stress may be expressed physically, for example through headaches and tiredness, or through emotional problems such as depression. A person suffering from stress may also start to behave differently, and can be difficult to deal with.
3. While it may not always be possible to prevent stress, there are a number of ways in which it can be controlled. The first thing that the trainees learn is how to manage their time effectively. This involves, first of all, setting realistic goals for both the short and long term. Once this framework has been established, tasks are then prioritised on a daily basis. The trainees are also reminded that when they are under pressure the less important items should be left, and they should never hesitate to delegate. Everyone is encouraged to look at ways of reducing ’wasted time ’, for example by grouping similar tasks together or dealing with items immedkiately.
4. Jane feels that one of the most useful features of the course is that it enables trainees to deal with those demands or deadlines that they regard as unreasonable. They are encouraged to avoid being defensive, but at the same time they are advised not to be afraid of saying ’no’. They are asked to give reasons only if necessary. The training helps them to foresee difficult situations or unwanted demands, and they learn how to prepare themselves mentally. Everyone is encouraged not to get stuck in negative thought patterns, where stress can feed a circular sense of helplessness. One solution they discuss is to think of a more encouraging alternative for each negative message. They learn, for example, to remind themselves that nothing terrible happens when a demand is refused or a deadline missed. Life goes on.
Questions 13-16
For questions 13-16, choose the best title for each numbered paragraph from the list below.
For each numbered paragraph 1-4, mark one letter (A-G) on your Answer Sheet. Do not use any letter more than once.
13 Paragraph 1 ______ 14 Paragraph 2 ______
15 Paragraph 3 ______ 16 Paragraph 4 ______
A Higher stress levels among top managers
B Coping with stress through a positive attitude
C Time lost at work through sickness
D Causes of increased stress in the work environment
E Explanations for missed deadlines
F stress reduction through better organisation
G Typical problems associated with stress
Questions 17-20
? Using the information in the text, complete each sentence 17-20 with a phrase A-G from the list below.
? For each question 17-20, mark one letter (A-G) on your Answer Sheet.
? Do not use any letter more than once.
17 Most people agree that the recent increase in stress is due to changes in ____________.
18 The trainees are taught that the right level of stress at work is important for good. 19 Trainees learn that one way of limiting stress is by deciding upon.
20 One of the most important parts of the course is learning how to react to___
A levels of performance
B shorter deadlines
C employment practices
D higher levels of sickness
E unfair demands
F successful management structure
G practical
参考答案:13.D 14.G 15.F 16.B 17.C 18.A 19.G 20.E
篇6:BEC剑桥商务英语中级阅读理解精选练习题
Modern-day business really does transcend national barriers. Thanks to sophisticated IT and communications systems, businesses can now market their products on a truly global scale. The world is indisputably becoming a smaller place, as service and manufacturing companies search the international marketplace for new suppliers and clients. Businesses must, however, be aware that once they expand the area in which they operate, they face increased competition. The standard and quality of their goods become increasingly important in keeping up with competitors. But most of all, it is the service element accompanying the goods which is crucial to a company’s success in a particular market. This new philosophy has led to many companies, some of which have even offered products of a lesser quality, gaining success overseas.
Although globalisation may, in some senses, have brought national economies closer together, societies around the world still have radically different expectations, processes and standards. These are not a function of economic change, but are more deep-rooted and difficult to alter. They can be a major problem for businesses expanding abroad, with the greatest obstacle of all being the language barrier. If you have to deal with clients, suppliers and distributors in a range of countries, you will not only need the skills to communicate with them, you will also need to reconcile any national biases you have with the diverse ways of doing business that exist around the globe.
The value of effective communication is not to be underestimated. New technology such as videoconferencing and email has played a part in making the communication process easier, and it may also be possible that the introduction of language interpretation software will help with some global communications problems. But, of course, it is the human element of the communication process that is so vital in business, especially in negotiations, presentations and team-building. It is essential for managers to meet regularly with staff, customers and partners, so that issues can be discussed, messages communicated and feedback obtained.
The value of well-organised language training is immense, and can bring benefits to all levels and departments within a multinational organisation. Unfortunately, however, many organisations have a very narrow view when it comes to training of any kind. Often, an urgent requirement has to be identified before training is authorised. Then, a training company is employed or a programme is developed in-house, the team is trained, and that is seen as the end of the matter. However, the fact remains that training programmes are effective only if they are relevant to a company’s broader, long-term needs. They should be regarded as an investment rather than a cost.
Changes in expectations and attitudes are certain to continue for companies that trade globally. Although such companies are not yet faced with their international partners and clients demanding that business be conducted in their mother tongue, they realise that overseas competition is increasing fast. If these companies want to continue to achieve success on the international trading circuit, they must be prepared to adapt to situations and speak the local language. If not, someone else will.
13 According to the first paragraph, improved communications have enabled companies to
A offer a wider variety of products and services.
B expand beyond their domestic markets.
C perform better than their international competitors.
D open more manufacturing facilities abroad.
14 Some companies have succeeded at an international level even though they have
A produced inferior goods.
B failed to adapt products for local markets.
C ignored the standards set by their competitors.
D reduced the standard of the service they offer.
15 Approaches to doing business vary between countries because of
A local economic considerations.
B the existence of cultural differences.
C strong wishes to remain independent.
D regulations about business practices.
16 The writer thinks that the use of modern technology will
A speed up the process of language interpretation.
B never replace the need for face-to-face interaction.
C help solve the problems involved in maintaining strong teams.
D not lead to greater communication between companies and clients.
17 A common weakness of training courses is that they
A are developed by the wrong team.
B do not give good value for money.
C are provided only if there is an immediate need.
D do not deal with a company’s specific requirements.
18 Why should companies do business in the language of the countries they are operating in?
A to prevent other companies taking their business
B to help them find new international partners
C to meet clients’ current expectations
D to become more aware of their competitors’ activities
《Speaking Your Customers’ Language》,说客户的语言。这篇文章强调了开发海外市场时说当地语言的重要性,层次清楚,答案也很明确。
13题,问根据段,改善的沟通能力可以使公司怎么样。答案是段的第二句话:Thanks to sophisticated IT and communications systems, businesses can now market their products on a truly global scale.感谢精密的IT和沟通系统,企业现在可以在一个真正的全球规模上开发它们的产品的市场。Globe是个关键的暗示,可以联想到海外市场。13题的B选项符合这个意思:在国内市场以外的地方扩张。A和C都没有提到,D不对,只说了可以在海外扩张,没有提到开更多的生产设备。
14题,说一些公司可以在国际水平上成功,即便是它们怎么样了。答案在段的后几句:This new philosophy has led to many companies, some of which have even offered products of a lesser quality, gaining success overseas.这种新的哲学导致很多公司获得了海外的成功,它们当中的一些甚至提供了一些较差质量的产品。这里新的哲学是指前面提到的在特定市场上服务伴随产品才是至关重要的。答案A跟这一句的信息相吻合:成产次品。这里的inferior goods也就是原文的products of a lesser quality。
15题,问在不同国家做生意的方法不同的原因是什么。答案是第二段开头一段话:Although globalisation may, in some senses, have brought national economies closer together, societies around the world still have radically different expectations, processes and standards.世界各地有着极端不同的期望、过程和标准。后面又提到了一句“You will also need to reconcile any national biases you have with the diverse ways of doing business that exist around the globe.” 你需要用不同的做生意的方式来与民族偏见和解。这一段整体讲的就是要克服沟通上的障碍,理解了内容不难作答,选B,原因是文化差异的存在。
16题,问作者认为现代技术的使用会怎么样。这题可能会选A,事实上这一题需要理解第三段的意思,答案不是某句话能简单概括的。前面介绍说新技术,比如视频会议和电子邮件,会使沟通过程更简单。并且语言翻译软件(language interpretation software)会帮助解决一些国际沟通问题。后面一个BUT,才真正揭示了答案,说在沟通过程中人的作用是至关重要的。“It is essential for managers to meet regularly with staff, customers and partners”,经理们定期会见员工、客户和合作伙伴是很有必要的,从这一句可以看出作者的真正态度,是B选项所说的“现代技术永远也无法替代面对面互动的需要”。不选A,是因为BUT后面才算是作者的根本观点,而且A的speed up并不能算是很准确。
17题,问培训课程的一个常见弱点是什么。答案在第四段:Often, an urgent requirement has to be identified before training is authorised.确认有迫切的需要时培训才会被批准。从这一段后面的文字可以看出,作者认为很多公司的培训有些急功近利,可培训只有在和公司的长远需要相关时才是有效的。所以选C,作者认为缺点是只有马上需要时才会提供培训。这里的immediate need也就是前面说的urgent requirement。
18题,问为什么公司需要用他们工作所在国家的语言来做生意。答案在后一段,也很明显。demanding that business be conducted in their mother tongue, they realise that overseas competition is increasing fast.。客户要求他们使用母语,这些公司也意识到海外竞争逐渐激烈。还有后一句:If not, someone else will.如果他们不说当地的语言,其他人会说的。意思就是如果你不使用当地的语言做生意,其他人会取而代之的。A选项完全符合这个意思:防止其他公司占领了他们的业务。
篇7:剑桥商务英语(BEC)中级阅读教材讲义
剑桥商务英语(BEC)中级阅读讲义
Dear MR Ballard
You asked for a brief report concerning the recent events at the Southford Plant.
We have consulted the files and spoken to relevant members of the higher management and thus are able to provide an explanation for the breakdown reported in the press on 17 May of this year.
____1____ The handling equipment used to deliver the components to the assembly line has been known to be in need of an overhaul for the past six months. The plant has been working to full capacity to finish the American orders according to schedule.
As you know, we had commissioned a study by Industrial Research Consultants. ____2____ In it they warned that there was not enough space available to store sufficient components ____3____
We had decided to install fully automated robot system. However, at the same time it was clear to our production director that given the present maintenance staff, we would not have sufficient staff available if big problems were to arise____4____But we were still only working a two-shift system so the machines were not getting the necessary cover.
We all agree that the breakdown was extremely unfortunate and yet we must admit that, under the circumstance, it was not entirely unexpected.
We now believe that we have managed to sort out the major problems which we had been having with the conveyor equipment ____5____ Added to this is the fact that personnel department has been successful in recruiting some highly qualified maintenance staff who makes us confident that a repetition of the 16 May now seems entirely unlikely.
A. They also recommended expanding the present two-shift system to a three-shift one.
B. And also when the new robots are installed in September, we feel certain that such problems will become a thing of the past.
C. Unfortunately, as you know, there has been a major problem with recognizing the maintenance schedule.
D. The wide range oof machine we operate is not fully supervised at all times.
E. The cause of the breakdown was very simple.
F. They submitted their report on April 5.
G. There have been a number of delays and breakdowns in production recently which have been reported in the press.
H. The firm has been advertising for maintenance engineers for some weeks.
I. All the facilities in the plant will be coordinated to enable the workers to step up production of the new range of machines.
答案:1. E;2. F;3. A;4. H;5.B
BEC中级阅读材料:中国理财产品
中国银行业监管机构昨日表示,随着各银行扩大产品种类,最后一个季度中国个人理财产品销售额大幅飙升。
Sales of individual wealth management products in China shot up in the last quarter of as banks expanded their product offerings, the banking regulator said yesterday.
截至9月底,60家银行业金融机构推出了个人理财服务,如共同基金、保险产品和离岸投资产品。
By the end of September there were 60 banking institutions in China offering individual wealth management services such as mutual funds, insurance products and offshore investments.
20前三个季度,各银行此类产品销售总额为6000亿元人民币(合820亿美元)。
Together China’s banks sold Rmb600bn ($82bn) worth of such products in the first three quarters of 2007.
但中国银监会(CBRC)表示,预计2007年全年销售总量将达1万亿元人民币,原因是有更多的理财产品面世,同时客户将资金从生息的定期存款中转出。
But the China Banking Regulatory Commission (CBRC) said it expected that figure had jumped to Rmb1,000bn by the end of the year as more products became available and customers shifted money out of interest-bearing time deposits.
2007年11月份,中国通货膨胀率创下6.9%的高点,而一年期存款利率仅为4.14%,中国投资者面临着实际利率为负的局面,他们一直在寻求银行存款的替代品。
With inflation hitting an 11-year high of 6.9 per cent in November and the one-year deposit rate at only 4.14 per cent, Chinese investors are faced with negative real interest rates and have been looking for alternatives to bank deposits.
中国国内银行传统上依赖存贷款利差,目前政府正鼓励它们进行多样化调整。中国存贷款利率由央行制定,以确保国有银行能够盈利。
The government is actively encouraging Chinese banks to diversify from their traditional reliance on the spread between deposit and loan interest rates, which are set by the central bank to ensure profitability at the state-owned lenders.
去年6月份,银监会为大中型国有银行制定了目标,力争在未来5年至,中间收入在总收入中所占比重从目前的17 %左右升至40%-50%。
In June last year the CBRC set a target for large and medium-sized state-owned banks to increase their fee-based income from about 17 per cent of their total now to 40-50 per cent within the next five to 10 years.
多数全球规模最大的银行都在中国设立了业务,而去年,包括渣打银行(Standard Chartered)、瑞银(UBS)和汇丰(HSBC)在内的许多银行,已开始为拥有100万美元以上的客户提供私人银行服务。
Most of the world’s largest banks have set up operations in China and many, including Standard Chartered, UBS and HSBC, began offering private banking services available to clients with $1m or more to invest, last year.
德意志银行(Deutsche Bank)昨日宣布,已在北京注册理财业务,从而可以提供包括人民币存款和贷款在内的更多服务。
Deutsche Bank yesterday announced it had incorporated locally in Beijing, allowing it to offer more services, including renminbi deposit and lending services.
中国银监会昨日警告称,伴随着理财服务的增长,瞄准无知个人的欺诈案件数量也有所上升,此类案件的社会影响恶劣。
The CBRC warned yesterday that the growth in wealth management services had been accompanied。
BEC中级阅读材料:喝酸奶有益于牙齿健康
Eating yogurt and other foods laden with lactic acid may keep your gums from receding and teeth from falling out, Japanese researchers report.
Dr. Yoshihiro Shimazaki and colleagues found that consuming yogurt and lactic acid drinks was significantly associated with better periodontal health.
“But, milk and cheese were not,” Shimazaki said.
Periodontal disease is a chronic bacterial condition associated with receding gums and tooth loss. Outside of regular brushing and flossing, effective measures to allay this disease are limited, Shimazaki, of Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Japan, and colleagues note in the Journal of Periodontology.
Previous research identified a lower occurrence of periodontal disease among people who eat high amounts of dairy products, but did not identify which dairy products were most beneficial, the researchers report.
Shimazaki’s team assessed the severity of periodontal disease in 942 men and women, aged 40 to 79 years, and their intake of milk, cheese, and lactic acid foods.
They found that people with generalized (more advanced) periodontal disease had a lower intake of lactic acid foods than people with localized (less advanced) periodontal disease.
Compared with individuals reporting no lactic acid food intake, those eating 55 grams or more of yogurt (half an 6-ounce carton) or lactic acid drinks a day had significantly fewer markers of severe periodontal disease. The investigators made allowances for factors such as age, gender, smoking, alcohol intake, frequency of tooth brushing, blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
日本研咳嗽比涨俺疲运崮痰雀缓樗岬氖澄锬芊乐寡丽肝鹾脱莱萃崖洹
喜田岛崎博士及其同事发现,喝酸奶及其它乳酸饮料能显著改善牙周健康。
岛崎博士说:“但牛奶和乳酪没有这种功效。”
牙周病是一种慢性细菌感染性疾病,会引起牙床萎缩和牙齿脱落。日本福冈九州岛大学的岛崎教授及其同事在《牙周病学》期刊中提到,除了勤刷牙和用牙线清洁牙齿外,能够有效缓解这一疾病的方法比较有限。
研究人员在报告中称,此前的研究发现,食用大量乳制品的人患牙周病的几率较低,但未发现哪种乳制品的作用最突出。
岛崎教授领导的研究小组对942名年龄在40岁至79岁之间的男性和女性进行了调查,主要对他们所患牙周炎的严重程度以及摄入的牛奶、乳酪和乳酸类食品量进行了评估。
他们发现,弥漫性重度牙周炎患者所摄入的乳酸类食品量比局限性轻度牙周炎患者少。
与自称从不吃乳酸类食品的人相比,每天摄入酸奶或其它乳酸饮品55克或更多的人有严重牙周病症状的明显较少。研究人员还考虑到了年龄、性别、吸烟、饮酒、刷牙频率、血糖及胆固醇水平等各项因素。
Vocabulary:
be laden with:富含……
fall out: 脱落
intake:摄入量
make allowances for:考虑到……
BEC中级阅读材料:中国航空货运业
中国制造业的显著增长,促使航空货运公司争相发展其在华业务。然而,这可能成为一个业务规模扩张过大、速度过快的案例。
China’s spectacular manufacturing growth has left air freight carriers scrambling to develop their activities in the country. But it could be a case of too much, too soon.
两年前,从南京或上海空运货物至欧洲,每公斤运费高达4美元;如今的价格约为2.50美元。南京禄口机场副总经理徐勇表示:“在此项业务上仍有钱赚的航空公司非常少见。”
Two years ago, flying goods from Nanjing or Shanghai to Europe cost up to $4 a kilogramme; today it the price is about $2.50. “Very few carriers are still making money here,’’ says Xu Yong, vice-president of Nanjing airport.
由于机队扩张速度继续超出需求,航空公司正加剧中国一些机场的拥堵问题。徐勇警告称:“我们现在的飞机数量实在是太多了。”
As fleet expansion continues to outpace demand, carriers are adding to congestion problems at some Chinese airports. “We have just far too many planes now”Mr Xu warns.
荷兰航空公司Martinair副总裁弗兰克?德容(Frank de Jong)表示,中国空运货物出口量正以每年约10%的速度增长,而飞机货物运力的增幅约为25%。
Frank de Jong, vice-president at Martinair, the Dutch carrier, says the volume of Chinese exports by air is growing by about 10 per cent a year but aircraft cargo capacity is rising by about 25 per cent.
在亚洲,约半数货物在运输时都是放在定期客运航班的腹舱内。例如,在客运航空公司中,大韩航空(Korean Airlines)拥有全球规模最大的货运业务,其28%的收入来自航空货运业务。
In Asia, about half of cargo transported is carried in the belly of regular passenger flights. Korean Airlines, for example, has the world’s largest cargo business among passenger airlines, with 28 per cent of its revenue coming from air freight.
在美国,大部分航空货运业务由以UPS和联邦快递(FedEx)为首的专业货运公司负责。中国政府最近已进一步放宽了对上述两家公司的准入限制。
In the US, the bulk of air cargo is handled by the specialist freight industry, led by UPS and FedEx. The Chinese government has recently granted greater access to the two companies.
瑞士信贷(Credit Suisse)分析师彼得?希尔顿(Peter Hilton)表示:“美国公司可以向中国体系内注入更多运力,并承接向来由亚洲航空公司包揽的货运业务。”
Peter Hilton, analyst at Credit Suisse, says: “The Americans are being allowed to inject more capacity into the Chinese system and moving goods that would have traditionally gone to Asian carriers.”
中国政府已加大其发展国内航空货运业的努力,鼓励国内航空公司与经验更为丰富的西方货运公司合作。而就在不久前,中国政府的重点还几乎全放在航空客运业的改革和扩张方面。
Beijing has stepped up its efforts to develop a domestic air freight industry, encouraging its airlines to team up with more experienced Western cargo operators. Until recently, the Chinese government had instead focused almost exclusively on overhauling and expanding the passenger airline industry.
一位香港银行家表示:“从政治角度来看,运送旅客比运输货物更能建立声望,但政府已意识到,货运对出口驱动型的制造业领域至关重要。”
A Hong Kong banker says: “Politically, there’s a lot more prestige in helping move people rather than goods, but the government has woken up to how crucial freight is for an export-led manufacturing sector.”
剑桥商务英语(BEC)中级阅读教材讲义
篇8:BEC剑桥商务英语中级阅读理解练习题
2020年BEC剑桥商务英语中级阅读理解练习题
When David Hayden realised his company was heading for trouble, he took drastic measures to get it back on track
David Hayden founded his company, Critical Path, an email provider, in 1997 to take advantage of the boom in email traffic. Critical Path became a public company two years later, and Hayden took the opportunity to step down from his executive position in order to work on personal projects. At the same time, he agreed to stay with the company as Chairman, but the business was put in the hands of new managers by its investors. With sector-leading products and an expanding market, the company seemed to be on the up and up. However, by early 2001, it was in trouble. Shares that had been worth $26 in 1999, when they were first sold, were down to a mere 24 cents.
Called in by a panicking board, Hayden found himself back in charge as Executive Chairman, trying desperately to rescue what he could. The 1,100 staff had lost confidence in the company and did not know what was going to happen to them. And, as Hayden discovered, the management team was incompetent. Those guys didn't understand the product or the sector,' says Hayden. The heads of department didn't communicate and they didn't lead.' But what was worse, Critical Path had lost the goodwill of its investors.
Hayden knew that bringing the figures under control would be a vital step in the company's turnaround. 'You've got to sort out the finances. For me, that meant getting back the goodwill of the investors. That was tough, after what had happened. But although they were angry with the company, they didn't have bad feelings about me. I told them that I knew I could get the company on its feet again.' He was authorised to make whatever changes were required, and his first act was to find people within the company he could trust and put them in charge.
The next thing Hayden had to tackle was morale. 'Everyone left the office at five on the dot - they couldn't get away quickly enough. To get the buzz back and win the staff over, I had to prove my own commitment and put in the extra hours with them.' In return, it was assumed that nobody would ask for overtime pay until the company was on its feet again. Contrary to normal practice, Hayden was reluctant to lay people off, and apart from not replacing people as they reached retirement age, he left the workforce largely unchanged, although he did identify key people throughout the company who were given more responsibility.
But, as Hayden insists, before a company reaches such a crisis, there are warning signs that any financial director or accountant should take note of. 'A business that has an unrealistic pricing policy or has to negotiate extended credit with its suppliers is in trouble,' is his message. 'Or if you often have to apply for your overdraft limit to be raised or have trouble paying tax on time, something needs to be done.'
By 2003, the company was healthy again, with reasonably stable finances and a modest but steady share price of $1.60. 'One thing that helped save us was that our technology worked,' says Hayden. 'With 20 million email accounts, we never lost a single major client because the product kept on working.' With ideas for a fresh venture demanding his attention elsewhere, Hayden has moved on. 'It was time to go,' he says. 'I'm not a turnaround specialist. I prefer start-ups.'
13 What event coincided with Critical Path becoming a public company?
A Hayden became the Executive Director of Critical Path.
B Investors hired a replacement team to run Critical Path.
C Critical Path launched a successful new product on the market.
D Critical Path was floated on the Stock Exchange at 24 cents per share.
14 Which of the following situations did Hayden face at Critical Path in 2001?
A The employees were worried about job security.
B The investors were calling for changes to the company structure.
C The management was misleading the staff about the company's position.
D The board of directors did not realise the scale of the company's problems.
15 One reason Hayden was able to turn Critical Path around was that
A he managed to find new investors.
B the financial situation was not as bad as he had thought.
C he had built up a good relationship with the management team.
D he was given the support that he needed.
16 What was Hayden's policy regarding the staff of Critical Path?
A He paid overtime to everybody who worked outside office hours.
B He reduced the workforce by operating an early retirement scheme.
C He gave key staff the opportunity to help him set goals for the company.
D He restored motivation by showing willingness to work alongside staff.
17 According to Hayden, what could indicate that a business is in trouble?
A problems keeping accounts up to date
B suppliers refusing to offer new credit terms
C a frequent need to increase the amount borrowed
D difficulties in getting payment from customers on time
18 Hayden left Critical Path after he had rescued the company because
A he wanted to develop the technology for a new internet service.
B he wanted to concentrate on founding a new enterprise.
C he had been offered a job with a major internet company.
D he decided to go into partnership with a major client.
答案解析:
这篇文章名为《Critical Path》,字面上理解是关键路径,但在此文中是指一个公司的名字。整篇文章都是围绕这个公司遭遇的困境,以及这个公司的执行主席是如何力挽狂澜、扭转乾坤的。BEC考试阅读文章的一大特点是逻辑性强,层次分明,读完不会有找不着北的感觉。
13题,题目问当Critical Path成为上市公司时还发生了什么事。
A不对,原文说的很明白:Hayden took the opportunity to step down from his executive position。抓住机会从总裁的位置上退下来。
B项正确。原文说the business was put in the hands of new managers by its investors。业务被投资者交给了新的经理。和B选项的“投资者雇佣了一个替代团队来运营Critical Path”说的是一个意思。
C不对,原文说的是sector-leading products,行业领先的产品,的确是C选项所说的successful,但是new不对。
D不对,首先时间上不吻合,不是Critical Path成为上市公司时的事,其次这一句的描述也不对,只是说股价跌倒了24美分,不是float。
Public company:a company whose shares can be bought and sold on the stock market, etc.上市公司。
14题,题目问在2001年的Critical Path,这个Hayden面临着什么样的情况。答案在第二段找。
A段说员工们担心工作保障。原文中说“The 1,100 staff had lost confidence in the company and did not know what was going to happen to them”,1100号员工对公司失去了信心,不知道将会发生什么。和A的意思吻合。
B、C、D在原文中都没有提到。
这个题目关键是能理解job security的意思,它是商务英语里地道常见的用法(同样的还有employment security):
job security:a situation where a job is likely to last for a long time and you will keep the job if you do what you are expected to
eg: Consumers have cut back on their spending because of worries about job security.
常见搭配(完形填空可能会遇到)
a high/low level of job security to have/improve/increase/provide job security
15题,题目问Hayden能够扭转局面的一个原因。答案在第三段找,并不很直接,需要一点概括。这一段先说了下公司的一些难处,比如投资人很生气,后果很严重。所幸的是投资人对Hayden并不反感:He was authorised to make whatever changes were required,他被授权进行一切需要的改变,也就是D选项所说的得到了需要的支持。
A不对,不需要找新的投资者,原文说的是“getting back the goodwill of the investors”,挽回投资人的好感。
B不对,财政状况的确很坏。
C在原文没有提到。原文的最后一句说在公司寻找可以信赖的人并让他们负责,不是说和管理层建立好关系。
16题,问针对Critical Path的员工采取的政策是什么。答案是第四段的第一句话:The next thing Hayden had to tackle was morale。需要解决的是士气问题。也就是D段所说的restored motivation。这一段是讲Hayden如何与员工站在一起。
A不对,原文说的很清楚:it was assumed that nobody would ask for overtime pay until the company was on its feet again。任何人不得索取加班补偿。
B不对,原文是apart from not replacing people as they reached retirement age。
C也不对,原文是who were given more responsibility,被赋予了更多的责任,不是“help him set goals”。17题,题目问什么可以表明一个公司陷入了困境。答案是第五段的这么一句:A business that has an unrealistic pricing policy or has to negotiate extended credit with its suppliers is in trouble。有一个不现实的定价政策或者需要和供货商谈判提高贷款。
Credit是很眼熟的单词,用法很多,让人晕头转向。这里的意思是:
money that financial institutions lend to businesses, governments and people
eg:It is unlikely that the bank will extend additional credit to the firm.
18题,题目问扮演了救世主角色之后的Hayden为什么选择离开。
答案是最后一段:“With ideas for a fresh venture demanding his attention elsewhere”和“I'm not a turnaround specialist. I prefer start-ups.”需要一个崭新的需要他的注意力的企业。也就是B选项所说的想要一个新的企业。
- BEC商务英语初级写作2023-11-02
- 关于的BEC商务英语中级考试听力得分小技巧方法2024-06-24
- 商务英语经验BEC V 得A经验2022-12-11
- BEC商务英语阅读应试技巧2023-12-21
- BEC商务英语高级考前练习2022-12-11
- 商务英语(BEC)考试的温馨提示2025-04-09
- BEC中级备考心得攻略2025-06-20
- BEC商务英语高频词汇辅导M-Z2023-05-07
- 新东方BEC商务英语初级口语词汇2023-08-11
- BEC高级阅读全真试题2023-08-05