剑桥商务英语中级真题2-4辑听力文本
BEC中级真题(第二辑)答案和听力原文
BEC中级真题（第二辑）答案及听力原文Test 1ReadingPart 11 C2 A3 B4 D5 A 7 CPart 28 D 9 C 10 E 11B 12 FPart 313 D 14 A 15 C 16 BPart 419B 20 A 21 D 22 A 23 C 24 C 25 D 26 A 27 B 28 C29 D 30 B 31 C 32 B 33 BPart534 ITSELF 35 IN 36 CORRECT 38 SEEN 39 FROM40 CORRECT 41 THOSE 42 FOR 43 WITH 44 THAT45 CORRECTWritingPart 1To: P. JonesFrom: Luisa GambonDate: 21 November 2002Subject: LatenessMr Jones,I have noticed that you often arrive late for work, especially on Monday mornings. As your colleagues are starting to complain about that, you understand that unless this habit changes, I will take disciplinary action against you. Come and see me tomorrow at 9 a.m. in my office. Thank youPart 2Report on customer complaintsINTRODUCTIONThis report has the purpose of presenting the reasons for customer complaints in 2002.FIELDINGSThe customer complaints received in 2002 were 300 in January. Then they increased to 540 in February because of the computer system's breakdown.In March they fell to 230 because an improved order system was introduced.The reasons for complaints from January to March were analysed:firstly the companv received complaints for incorrect orders delivered. These errors were fewer in March.secondly the time taken to deliver is too high. but the company has planned to recruit new agents.Finally customers complain for the poor product quality. In order to solve this problem more quality controls are making.CONCLUSIONSAt the moment all customers aren't satisfied but many measures have been taken to improve their satisfaction.Band 4There is a satisfactory range of structures, with some errors, but these do not impede understanding. The content points are adequately covered, and the register is appropriate. The information is generally well organised, using headings and other discourse markers.ListeningPart 11. JAYE2. CUSTOMER SERVICES3. OFFICE ASSISTANT4.5. EUROPE HOLIDAYS6. BUSINESS CARDS7. MARKETING EXECUTIVES8 (THE) (COMPANY) EOGO9 INFORMATION PACK10. PARK HOTEL11. FRONT GATE12. NEW DESIGNSPart 213 E 14 B 15 G 16 F 17 A 18 C 19 G 20 H21 E 22. BPart323 B 24 B 25 C 26 A 27 C28 B 29 A 30 CTapescriptListening Test 1This is the Business English Certificate Vantage 2, Listening Test 1.Part One. Questions 1 to 12.You will hear three telephone conversations or tnessages.Write one or two u'ords or a number in the numbered spaces on the notes or forms below.After you have listened once, replay each recording.Conversation One.Questions 1 to 4.Look at the form below.You will hear a man asking a colleague for information about a former employee.You have 15 second's to read through the form.[pause]Now listen, and fill in the spaces.Woman: Personnel . . .Man: Hello, it's Tim here, from Finance.Woman: Hi, Tim.Man: I've had a letter from the tax office about a student who worked here last summer – I wonder if you could look him up in your records. Woman: Sure, what's the nameMan: The surname's Jaye. First name Stephen.Woman: How does he spell his surnameMan: J-A-Y-E. Got thatWoman: Oh yes, here we are . . . lives at a hundred and eighty-three School Road,Barnfield . . .Man: Yes, that's the one.Woman: And you say he was working in FinanceMan: Uhm, Customer Services, actually.Woman: Aah - they had lots of students working for them last summer.Man: Well, the tax people want to know his exact job title - I'm not sure why. Woman: Mm, let me see . . . He was an office assistant.Man: Right, got that. They also want to know about his monthly earnings. Woman: Let's have a look . . . five hundred and thirty-eight pounds seventy a month . . . Oh, sorry, he was a scale one, so that's four hundred and fifty-seven pounds sixty. Anything elseMan: That's fine, thanks. I'll send them the information today . . . [pause]Now listen to the recording again.[pause]Conversation Two.Questions 5 to 8.Look at the note below.You will hear a man describing a problem with an order.You have 15 seconds to read through the note.[pause]Now listen, and fill in the spaces.Woman: Hello, Blackwell Printers. Julie Davidson speaking. How may I help you Man: Hello. This is Mark Jones from Europe Holidays. I was hoping to speak to Steven Kirby about the stationery you're printing for us.Woman: I'm afraid Steven's away until Friday.Man: Oh - you see I'm not very happy with the business cards and I wanted to see if I could make a couple of changes to the paper too.Woman: Would you like me to pass on a messageMan: Yes, please. The thing is, I've just received your proofs - the cards themselves are fine, but you seem to have misunderstood the quantities. I'm sure I asked for five hundred for each of the marketing executives and seven hundred and fifty for me but you've put everyone down for seven hundred and fifty. Woman: Right, I've made a note of that. Is there anything elseMan: Yes, well this is my mistake really. Could you ask Steven to move the company logo further to the left It's too close to the address at the moment. I think that's all for now. Thanks.[pause]Now listen to the recording again.[pause]Conversation Three. Questions 9 -12Look at the notes below.You will hear a woman making the arrangements for a delegation who are going to visit her company.You have 15 seconds to read through the notes.[pause]Now listen, and fill in the spaces.Woman: GeoffMan: YesWoman: I just want to finalise the preparations for the delegation next week. Man: Certainly. It's Thursday, isn't itWoman: Yes. Now, can you make sure that each of them gets a name badge and an information pack. The badges are done, but you'll need to prepare the packs with all the relevant information.Man: Ok, that shouldn't take too long. What about cateringWoman: Coffee's organised for eleven and three, but lunch - it's at one - we need to reserve it for twelve people . . . The office restaurant is closed next week . . .can you ring the Park Hotel The Grand Hotel was a bit disappointing last time. Man: I'll get onto that.Woman: Now, they'll be coming straight from the station, and their taxi will bring them to the front gate, so make sure you're there to greet them. That'll be about ten.Man: Ten. And then . . .Woman: Into Reception, I think. Make sure the new designs are on display, I want them to see those first.Man: OK.Woman: Let me know when it's all finalised. Bye.[pause]Now listen to the recording again.[pause]That is the end of Part One. You now have 20 seconds to check your answers. [pause]Part Two. Questions 13 to 22.Section One. Questions 13 to 17.You will hear five short recordings[pause]Now listen to the recording again.[pause]That is the end of Part One. You now seconds to check your answers.[pause]Part Two. Questions 13 to 22. Section One.Questions 13 to 17.You will hear five short recordings.For each recording, decide which type of document the speaker is talking about.Write one letter (A-H) next to the number of the recording.Do not use any letter more than once.After you have listened once, replay the recordings.You have 15 seconds to read the list A-H.[pause]Now listen, and decide which type of document each speaker is talking about. [pause] ThirteenWoman: Well no wonder the bank's returned it unpaid. Look, the figures don't match the amount in words. I expect someone was filling it in in too much of a hurry. Let's see, we'd better issue another one straight away to pay Mrs Burton, because it'll be another three weeks if we wait for the next cycle of payments. Her expenses on that sales trip were pretty high, and it wouldn't be fair to keep her waiting much longer.[pause] fourteenMan: Some of the suppliers are already asking about the increases. I'll check, but I seem to remember from last week's meeting that in the end we agreed on three per cent. So what I'll do is go down each column and calculate the new amounts, and then it can be printed in time to be inserted into the new brochures. Can you check the figures for me, though, before it goes to the printers [pause] fifteenWoman: We've just received the paperwork from you about cleaning our premises, and I have to say that it doesn't reflect what we agreed in our conversation last week. For one thing, it says that we have to supply our security code, and for another it specifies monthly payment in advance, and I told you both of those were out of the question. I'm afraid I really can't sign this. Could you send me a revised one[pause] SixteenMan: Of course, this only gives a very general picture. But as you can see, cash is a particularly healthy area. That's even when we take into account regular outgoings on loans and leasing equipment, which are included in the final totals. And even more significantly, unpaid orders are actually excluded from the final calculation. These represent a sum of approximately thirty thousand pounds. With that in mind, we can say that the company's overall position is still strong. [pause] SeventeenWoman: I've just asked the Arden Conference Centre about availability for our next training seminar, and they said they still haven't been paid for the one before last, which should have been dealt with six months ago. I've had to ask them to send a duplicate! We really must be careful. Arden give us very favourable prices,but we haven't got a contract with them - Can you deal with it straight away so we stay in their good books[pause].Vow listen to the recordings again.[pause]Section Two. Questions 18 to 22.You will hear another five recordings.For each recording, decide what the speaker's purpose is.Write one letter (A-H) next to the number of the recording.Do not use any letter more than once.After you have listened once, replay the recordings.You have 15 seconds to read the list A-H.[pause]Now listen, and decide what each speaker's purpose is.[pause] EighteenMan: Hello. This is Guy Cooper from Centron Electronics here. I believe you rang for some advice about your alarm system, which isn't functioning properly. The message I got said you weren't sure if you needed someone to come and sort it out, or if we could advise you over the phone. Well perhaps you'd like to get back to me as soon as it's convenient and tell me exactly what the problem is, and I'll see what I can do.[pause] NineteenWoman: Well, as you say, Redlon has been supplying us for years but, quite honestly, two-thirds of the complaints we receive about our products are actually due to faults in components we've had from Redlon. So I talked to the Production Manager and he agreed that I should look at some alternatives.Future World's range is fine for us, and one of their customers who I spoke to recommended them highly, so that's why we've changed to using them. [pause] TwentyWoman: The competition's getting tougher, and you know we're facing serious problems.We need to see more benefit from the undeniably hard work we're putting in, and this means saying no to jobs which aren't profitable. It would be much more beneficial to put all our efforts into winning higher-margin contracts. So the way I feel you can help most is by identifying the types of contacts which will bring in the income we need in order to ensure our future.[pause] Twenty-oneMan: John Woods here, phoning about the project we discussed earlier. Could you give me a ring so that we can talk about it a bit more I've done a few calculations and I'm beginning to wonder whether it's really a practical proposition. 1 still think the project's got potential, but there are significant additional costs which we hadn't taken into account. So could you get back to me as soon as you can, please[pause] Twenty-twoWoman: Hello, Sally here, from Pagwell Paints, returning your call. I'm very sorry you aren't happy with the latest consignment you've had from us. It's rather strange, because following your complaint about the last delivery,we did in fact take action to change the specifications in the way you suggested. So it isn't quite fair to say that we ignored your advice. I know it's important to achieve the consistency that you require, but perhaps your recommendation wasn't exactly what's needed.[pause]Now listen to the recordings again.[pause]This is the end of Part Two.[pause]Part Three. Questions 23 to 30.You will hear the chairman of a business institute making a speech about new business awards that his institute has sponsored.For each question 23-30. mark one letter (A, B or C) for the correct answer. After you have listened once, replay the recording.You have 45 seconds to read through the questions.[pause]Now listen, and mark A, 6 or C.[pause]Man: Who are the managers of the best innovation developments in British industry That was the question which the first Business Today Innovation Awards set out to answer.This project is all about rewarding good practice and performance. So, rather than simply recognising excellence in the design of specific products, or analysing their financial impact on profits, the awards set out to take an objective look at exactly how companies manage the development process itself.Over three hundred and fifty organisations entered the competition and were initially reduced to about forty. Then, after further careful checking, a short list of just fourteen of them was arrived at. These finalists, all manufacturers, were then visited by the competition judges, a panel of four chief executives from leading companies. The panel toured the finalists' facilities, received presentations on the companies and their projects, and interviewed the key development team members. The products varied enormously in their scale, function and degree of technology - from bread for a supermarket chain to a printer inside an automatic cash dispenserInitially the organisers were concerned that this range could create difficulties in the assessment process. But this fear proved baseless, as most elements in the innovation process are shared by all manufacturers.Interestingly, the finalists broke down into two distinct and equal groups: large firms with one thousand employees or more and small firms with two hundred and fifty employees or fewer. With both groups the judges decided to concentrate on two of the clearest indicators of a successful innovation process, which are: how well the new product is combined with the company's existing business, and secondly, how-well the innovation methods are recorded and understood. Small firms naturally tend todo well in the first category since they have fewer layers of management and thus much shorter communication lines. But they seem to put less emphasis on creating formal development methods which would be repeatable in future innovations. Large firms, on the other hand, have difficulty integrating the new development within their existing business for reasons of scale. But they tend to succeed in achieving well-documented and repeatable development methods. This is because larger companies, with their clear emphasis on training, fixed management structure and administrative systems, require more formal, daily record-keeping from their staff.So what were the key questions the judges had in mind when assessing the finalists One of the most important areas concerned how thoroughly a company checks what is happening in other fields in order to incorporate new ideas into the development process. Many of the finalists impressed in the area. Xatura, for example, had demonstrated genuine energy in searching for new ways of producing their range of specialitv breads. They had looked at styles of home cooking in different countries, as well as the possibility of exploiting new production technologies in order to achieve equally good results but on a high-volume production line.What then occupied much of the judges' thoughts was the quality of the links which the development team established with senior management, suppliers, the market and manufacturing. The best examples of the first category were found in small firms, where the individual entrepreneur at the top was clearly driving the innovation forwardLinks with suppliers were also seen as an important factor, but not all supplier experiences were positive. Occasionally serious problems had to be solved where suppliers were working hard to meet specifications, but the companies that the suppliers were using to adapt their machinery were not so efficient. This, led to disappointing faults or fluctuations in quality.But in conclusion the awards demonstrate that innovation isn't just for high-tech internet companies. You can also be successful in mature markets with determination and skill.[pause]Now listen to the recording again.[pause]That is the end of Part Three. You now have ten minutes to transfer your answers to your Answer Sheet.Note: Teacher, stop the recording here and time ten minutes. Remind students when there is one minute remaining.[pause]That is the end of the test.Test 2ReadingPart 1I. B 2 C 3 A 4 D 5 D 6 B 7 CPart 28 C 9 B 10 E 11 A 12 DPart 313 D 14 C 15 A 16 A 17 CPart 420 D 21 A 22 C 23 A 24 C 25 B 26 A27 A 28 D 29 C 30 A 31 C 32 D 33 BPart 534 THAT 35 CORRECT 36 ONLY 37 SO 38 CORRECT 39 THE 40 HOW 41 CORRECT 42 OUT 43 CORRECT 44 WILL 45 BETest 2 WritingPart 1To: All StaffFrom: Managing DirectorDate: 7 DecemberSubject: Staff rewardI would like to thank you for the contribution in increasing the company's profit. The profit increased due to very hard work and long working hours. Each of the staff will receive an envelope with a reward on Tuesday. The reward is a trip to Hawaii, and I hope that this will be the perfect reward. Enjoy!Thank youPart 2Introduction.The purpose of this report is to assess and recomend a taxi firm that will become our regular transporter. We will need them especially during next year trade fair and conferences. There are two firms to assess.Findings:As regards to Telecars we have a good references on them. It is very experienced traditional firm and is also very reliable. They provide 24-hours service that is useful during night meetings and negotiations. StreetlightCabs is brand new company and there are no references on them. But they provide long distance routes which we usevery often and they are also cheaper. On the other hand they don't have web page and so internet booking isn't available.Conclusion:I recommend to choose Telecars because of their reliability, long tradition and well trained staff.ListeningPart 11TAKING MINUTES213(TH) OCTOBER3CERTIFICATE4CUSTOMER SERVICE5WORLDNET/WORLD NET6OUTSIDE LINES7TRANSFER CALLS8(THE) EQUIPMENT9.TRADE FAIR10AFTER LUNCH11REVISED BUDGETS12HEAD OFFICEPart 213 H 14 E 15 F 16 A 17 D 18 G19 E 20 C 21 B 22 HPart323 C 24 A 25 A 26 C 27 A 28 C 29 B 30 BTapescriptListening Test 2This is the Business English Certificate Vantage 2, Listening Test 2.Part One. Questions 1 to 12.You will hear three telephone conversations or messages.Write one or two words or a number in the numbered spaces on the notes or forms below.After you have listened once, replay each recording.Conversation One. Questions 1 to 4.Look at the form below.You will hear a woman calling about training courses.You have 15 seconds to read through the form. [pause]Now listen, and fill in the spaces.Man: Good morning, Oakleaf Business Training. How can I help youWoman: Hello, my name's Enid Stevens, of Appleyard Smith. I've booked two one-day courses, but now I need to change one of them.Man: Let me get your details up on the screen. Right, you've booked Report Writingnext month . . .Woman: Yes, that one's OK. It's Taking Minutes that I can't manage, on the eighth of July. Do you know when it's running againMan: Let me see. Not until the eighteenth of September, I'm afraid.Woman: That sounds fine. Oh, I think I'll be abroad then.Man: Then there's the first and the thirteenth of October.Woman: I'd like the later date, please.Man: Fine, I'll change your booking.Woman: Another thing; it says in your brochure, everyone attending a course getsa certificate, but I haven't received one from a course I took last January. Man: I'm sorry about that. Which course was itWoman: Something to do with dealing with the public . . .Man: That must have been Customer Service.Woman: Sounds familiar.Man: OK, I'll put it in the post today.Woman: Thank you very much. Goodbye.Man: Goodbye.[pause]Now listen to the recording again.[pause]Conversation Two. Questions 5 to 8.Look at the note below.You will hear a woman ringing about problems with a new telephone system.You have 15 seconds to read through the note.[pause]Now listen, and fill in the spaces.Man: Hello, Swinburn Telecoms.Woman: I'd like to speak to Tony Wilson, please.Man: I'm afraid Tony isn't available. Can I take a messageWoman: Yes please. I'm Sheila Dallas, from Worldnet.Man: Right.Woman: I'm ringing about the telephone system your firm installed here yesterday.We're not happy with it.Man: Oh dear. What seems to be the problemWoman: First of all, your engineer said that with the number of extensions we've got, six outside lines would be enough, but we asked for eight, and anyway you've charged us for the larger system.Man: Right, we'll look into that.Woman: Then, whenever we try to transfer calls from one extension to another we lose them. We're following the instructions, but it just doesn't work.Man: I see.Woman: And finally, could you ask Tony to check the invoice, please He promised usa discount on installation, which is shown, and one on the equipment, but thatisn't there.Man: Right. I'm sorry about all that. I'll get Tony to contact you as soon as he's free.Woman: Thank you. Goodbye. Man: Goodbye.[pause]Now listen to the recording again.[pause]Conversation Three. Questions 9 to 12.Look at the note below.You will hear a woman calling about the arrangements for a meeting.You have 15 seconds to read through the note.[pause]Now listen, and fill in the spaces.Man: Good morning. Marketing Department. Peter Menzies speaking.Woman: Hello. Could I speak to John Fitzgerald, pleaseMan: I'm afraid he's not in the office at the moment.Woman: Well, this is Elizabeth Parnell calling. I wanted to talk to John about the meeting next week. You see, I only get back on Tuesday night from a trade fair in the States.Man: So, would you like me to give him a messageWoman: Yes, could you ask him if we can postpone Wednesday's meeting Till after lunch.That would be easier. It was originally going to be at ten .Man: OK. I'll ask him to change it. I'll get back to you with a time.Woman: Thanks. And could you also ask him to add another item for discussion at the meeting I thought we were going to talk about the revised budgets - but I can't see this on the agenda.Man: OK. I'd better ask him to call you . . .Woman: Yes, please. I'm at Head Office at the moment. Can he phone me here today - I won't be back at my own desk until tomorrow afternoon.Man: Right, I'll give him the message.Woman: Thanks.Man: Bye.Woman: Goodbye.[pause]Now listen to the recording again.[pause]That is the end of Part One. You now have 20 seconds to check your answers. [pause]Part Two. Questions 13 to 22.Section One. Questions 13 to 17.You will hear five short recordings. Five people are talking about different business books they have read.for each recording, decide which book the speaker is talking about.Write one letter (A-Hi next to the number of the recording.Do not use any letter more than once.After you have listened once, replay the recordings.You have 15 seconds to read the list A-H.[pause]Note listen, and decide winch book each speaker is talking about.[pause] ThirteenWoman: Yes, it was interesting . . . some of it was rather obvious, of course, like dressing smartly, making sure you arrive on time, that sort of thing . . . but there was also quite a lot I'd never really considered . . . like ways to interpret what the advertisement is really asking for, reading between the lines . . . and a section which lists some of the harder questions they tend to ask you, with effective answers you can give[pause] FourteenMan: Invaluable, I'd say . . . certainly helps prevent you making some of the more embarrassing mistakes. It gives you a kind of timescale to follow through. For example, they stress that you need to get publicity up and running a good six months before you want to stage the event. And get your main speakers booked earlier than that. They say you must make sure you've got a good assistant to support you, check the details.[pause] FifteenWoman: Actually, although it was a bit long, it was definitely useful. The trouble often is, when the management take on new staff, they don't necessarily really know what skills or qualities are needed. I want someone who's more than justa secretary typing out letters every day . . . I'm looking for a right hand,someone to do everything . . . and this book spells out what that means . . .it's helped me to draw up a job description.[pause] SixteenMan: Well, I wish I'd read it years ago! That would have saved me from some of my worst inefficiencies. I'd recommend it to anyone. It shows you how to producea perfect schedule for getting through your workload . . . Once you've gotyourself organised, made lists of tasks and priorities, you can make best use of each and every day . . . otherwise you're just constantly confusing your PA with endless requests, all terribly urgent . . .[pause] SeventeenWoman: Certainly, a lot of the book was very specialised . . . but it did give me an idea of how7 the agencies do the job. Of course, they're the people with the creative ideas, the expertise, so I'm happy to trust the image development work to them . . . but I read the book so I could talk to them on equal terms about what we're trying to do, and how it fits in with our overall business strategy.[pause]Now listen to the recordings again.[pause]Section Two. Questions 18 to 22.You will hear another five recordings, five people are talking about why they decided to use a particular company to supply their officeequipment.for each recording, decide what reason each person gives.Write one letter (A-H) next to the number of the recording.Do not use any letter more than once.After you have listened once, replay the recordings.You have 15 seconds to read the list A-H.[pause].Vow listen, arid decide what reason each person gives.[pause] EighteenMan: We were having problems with the company we normally use so we looked at a number of other companies and decided to give this one a try. They're just new in the business and we were impressed as they promised they would deliver the goods we wanted within two days and they did. We had to pay more than we would have liked but the results were worth it. Since then, I've told a lot of other people about them.[pause] NineteenWoman: Apparently they're an established company in Scotland with an excellent reputation, but I didn't know that at the time. I found them through the internet.I was just browsing through the list of suppliers one day and I noticed their name. I looked them up and found that they had this fantastic discount available that particular month. We ordered various things and the quality was so good we've continued using them.[pause] TwentyMan: We like to try out different suppliers to make sure we're always getting the best deal. This particular company was running a big publicity campaign. I'd seen the ads on TV and they really put me off. I just couldn't see theappeal. But then someone I met at a training day told me we should use them.His company had used their service for years with no complaints so we followed his advice.[pause] Twenty-oneWoman: We'd looked round the market to find the cheapest deal possible but to be honest there wasn't much to choose, in terms of cost, between any of the local suppliers. However, we had a visit from a sales representative from one company and we asked him to make up some complimentary printed letterheads for us. They were exactly what we wanted so that was the deciding factor. I think that personal touch gives a company far better results than advertising ever can. [pause] Twenty-twoMan: Obviously there are many different factors to consider when you choose a new supplier. We always used a local company because they were relatively near and we could even pick things up ourselves if necessary. But unfortunately they just became too expensive. Now that express delivery services are widely available, distance is no longer a consideration and we've been able to choose someone who can give us the best package for the lowest cost.[pause]Now listen to the recordings again.[pause]That is the end of Part Two.[pause]Part Three. Questions 23 to 30.。
BEC 中级真题Test 2(附答案和文本)--BEC中级真题第四辑
BEC 中级真题第四辑Test 2READING 1 Hour PART ONE Questions 1-7 · Look at the statements below and the advice to businesses on the opposite page about using other companies to run their IT services. · Which section of the article (A, B, C or D) does each statement (1-7) refer to? · For each statement (1-7), 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 the need to teach skills to employees working on the outsourced process 2 remembering the initial reason for setting up the outsourced project 3 the need to d raw up agreements that set out how integration is to be achieved 4 addressing the issue of staff who work on the outsourced process being at a distant site 5 the importance of making someone responsible for the integration process 6 staff on the outsourced project familiarizing themselves with various details of the business 7problems be eng associated with an alternative to outsourcing When a business decides to outsource its IT services, it needs to consider The question of integration ．Four experts give their views ．CDPARTTWOQuestions 8-12·Read the article below about the changing role of human resources departments●Choose the best sentence from the opposite page to fill each of the ga ps ．●For each gap (8-12)，mark one letter(A —G) on your Answer Sheet ．●Do not use any letter more than once ．●There is an example at the beginning (O)．The best person for the jobEmployees can make a business succeed or fail, so the people who choose themhave a vital role to playEmployees are a company’s new ideas ．its public face and its main asset ．Hiring the right people is therefore a significant factor in a company’s success ．(0)_____G___If the human resources department makes mistakes with hiring, keeping and dismissing staff, a business can disappear overnight. Many companies now realize that recruiting the best recruiters is the key to success ． Sarah Choi, Head of HR at Enco plc, believes that thinking commercially is a key quality in HR ．‘Every de cision an HR manager makes needs to be relevant to advancing the business(8)……… That’s no longer the case ．HR managers have to think more strategically these days ．They continually need to think about the impact of their decisions on the bottom line ．(9)．．．．．．．．．．．．For example ．A chief executive will expect the HR department to advise on everything from the headcount to whether to proceed with an acquisition ．’Why do people go into HR in the first place? Choi has a ready answer ．‘I think most people in the pr ofession are attracted by a long‘term goal ． (10)…………Nothing happens in the company which isn’t affected by or doesn’t’t impact on its employees ．so the HR department is a crucial part of any business ．’Not all operational managers agree ．An informal survey of attitudes to HR departments that was carried out last year by a leading business 10urnal received comments such as ‘What do they actually contribute?’(1I) ………… As Choi points out ．salaries have never been higher and in addition ．HR managers often receive substantial annual bonuses ．Despite the financial rewards ，HR managers often feel undervalued ，and this is a major reason for many leaving their jobs ．(12) …………However, a lack of training and development is a more significant factor. “These days, good prof essional development opportunities are considered an essential part of an attractive package ．’Choi explains ．Kim Noon ，J GTech 0ne way to avoid the difficulties of integration is to create a joint —venture company with the outsourcer, Thus ，a company can swap its assets for a share of the profits ．Yet joint ventures bring potential troubles ，and companies should be careful not to lose sight of the original rationale for outsourcing ：to gain cost efficiencies and quality of service in an area that for some reason could not be carried out entirely in —house ．The complexities and costs of a joint —venture initiative should not be underestimated ．A But rising levels of remuneration demonstrate that the profession's growing importance iswidely recognized．B Al one time，a professional qualification was required in order to progress to the top of HR．C Other departments and senior executives used to see HR managers as having a purelyadministrative role．D Since it's one of the few 8teas where you Can see the whole operation，it can lead to aninfluential role on the board．E Being seen as someone who just ticks off other people's leave and sick days does not help build a sense of loyalty．F They therefore need to be competent in many aspects of a company’s operations．G On the other hand，recruiting the wrong staff can lead to disaster.PARTTHREEQuestions 13—18●Read the article below about a technology company and the questions on theopposite page．●For each question(13—18)，mark 6he．1etter{A，B，C or D) on your Answer Sheet.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 realize the scale of the company's problems.15 One reason Hayden was able to turn Critical Path around was thatA 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 dateB suppliers refusing to offer new credit termsC a frequent need to increase the amount borrowedD difficulties in getting payment from customers on time18 Hayden left Critical Path after he had rescued the company becauseA 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.Part FOURQuestions 19—33●Read the news item below about a company that runs health and fitness clubs．●Choose the best word to fill each gap from A，B，C or D on the opposite page．●For each que stion (19--33)，mark one letter(A，B，C or D)on your Answer Sheet．●There is an example at the beginning (O)．19 A Stating B Reporting C Remarking D Informing20 A taken B felt C experienced D caught21 A released B issued C opened D revealed22 A stays B remains C maintains D keeps23 A track B direction C way D line24 A falling B breaking C cutting D slowing25A bringing B putting C getting D mounting26A shown B resulted C proved D demonstrated27A installed B formed C established D confirmed28A rates B standards C proportions D volumes29A witness B sign C display D evidence30A purely B merely C simply D barely31A trade B office C commerce D business33A trial B venture C proposal D speculationPART FIVEQuestions 34-45●Read the article below about a manufacturing company called Lebrun●In most of the lines (34-45)，there is one extra word．1t either is grammatically incorrector does not fit in with the meaning of the text．Some lines，however, are correct．●”a line is correct，write CORRECT on your Answer Sheet．●If there is an extra word in the line，write the extra word in CAPITAL LETTERS on yourAnswer Sheet.·The exercise begins with two examples(0 and OO)．0 After 98 years of trading，the steel manufacturer Lebrun knows from experiences how00 difficult fluctuations in the economic cycle can be for suppliers such as themselves．34 Since many of the nation’s largest production companies which ere its customers，35 Lebrun is adversely affected by any change for the worse in the economy．Yet Lebrun36 has managed to keep on sales steady (in the region of approximately$2.5 billion)37 and has recorded only one annual loss during the difficulties of the past five38 years，but despite the effects of the ongoing industrial slowdown．James Griffith，39 president of Lebrun，now has the task of turning up survival into growth，and40 his strategy is already becoming clear to those industry observers. In February of41 this yea‘the company acquired Bronson plc，additionally a one—time competitor．42 This merger will greatly expand the size of both Lebrun’s labor force，and43 Griffith estimates it will boost its revenue by nearly 50％．While too increasing44 the number of plants and R&D centers in much a similar way Griffith is45 optimistic that while the steel industry is about to pull out of recession，andhe wants Lebrun to be ready for this．WRITING 45 minutesPARTONE●The software company you work for has decided to introduce identity cards for certain staffin your department．●Wr ite an email to all staff in your department：·saying which staff will need identity cards·explaining why the identity cards are needed·informing staff how to get a card．●Write 40-50 words．To All staffCcSubject Identity cardsPARTTWO●The number of staff leaving Parkside，one of your company’s retail stores，is highcompared to another of its stores．You r line manager has asked you to write areport about the situation．●Look at the information below,9n which you have already made somehandwritten notes．●Then，using all your handwritten notes●Write 120-140 words．LISTENING 40 minutes (including 10 minutes' transfer time)PART ONEQuestions 1-12· You will hear three telephone conversations or messages.· Write one or two words or a number in the numbered spaces on the notes or forms below. · After you have listened once, replay each recording.Conversation One (Questions 1-4)·Look at the note below．·You will hear a man clarifying some information about a balance sheet Conversation Two (Questions 5-8)●Look at the notes below．●You will hear a man leaving a voicemail message about a negotiating problem Conversation Three (Questions 9-12)●Look at the notes below．●You will hear a woman telephoning a colleague about a new project.E-commerce website projectTeam: We need to recruit an (9)…………………………to solve programming problems.Report:needed by end of week. Should include:●Some indication of (10) ………………………of project.●Details of (11) ……………………that will be needed.●Clear statement of the (12) ……………………of project.PART TWO Questions 13—17●You will hear five short recordings．●For each recording, decide which aspect of conducting interviews each speaker considersparticularly important．●Write One lette r(A-H)next to the number of the recording．●Do not use any letter more than once．●After you have listened once, replay the recordings ．Section Two (Questions 18-22)●You will hear another five recordings．Five speakers are talking about problemswith a project．●For each recording，decide what the problem was．●Write one letter(A—H) next to the number of the recording．●Do not use any letter more than once．●After you have listened once，replay the recordings．PART THREEQuestions 23—30●You will hear a radio reporter talking about difficulties faced by the new Chief Executive ofHealthway plc, a chain of health and beauty stores.●For each question (23—30)，mark one letter (A, B or C) for the correct answer．●After you have li stened once，replay the recordings．23 The Chief Executive is in a difficult position because Healthway plc isA becoming less popular with the general public.B failing to attract new shareholders.C suffering from a history of static sales.24 What form of competition is a threat to Healthway plc?A the growth of internet shoppingB supermarkets undercutting its pricesC other health and beauty chains opening stores25 How does Healthway plc differ from Robert Henlow's previous employer?A Most senior staff have been promoted internally.B Senior staff are generally appointed from outside.C It has a high turnover of senior staff.26 The reporter's criticism of Charles Hamilton's financial strategy is that thecompanyA under-invested in its systems.B failed to grow through takeovers.\ C paid too little attention to its share price.27 With regard to the beauty treatment centers, Charles Hamilton is criticized forA closing a chain which had the potential for making a profit.B over-investing in the centers at the expense of the core activity.C starting a new concept that was unlikely to succeed.28 What mistake did Charles Hamilton make with regard to staff?A failing to ensure that the need for reorganization was understoodB concentrating redundancies in the wrong parts of the companyC getting rid of too many people with essential skills29 What does the consultants" report recommend?A reducing the total number of storesB increasing the average size of the storesC leaving staff numbers unchanged30 Why is Robert Henlow's new position a personal challenge for him?A He has never worked in a company with such serious problems.B It is his first appointment as Chief Executive of a large company.C He is unfamiliar with the sector in which Healthway operates.SPEAKING 14 minutesSAMPLE SPEAKING TASKSPART ONEIn this part, the interlocutor asks questions to each of the candidates in turn.You have to give information about yourself and express personal opinions.PART TWOIn this part of the test, you are asked to give a short talk on a business topic. You have to choose one of the topics from the three below and then talk for about one minute. You have one minute toIn this part of the test ，you are given a discussion topic ．You have 30 seconds tolook at the task prompt ，an example of which is below, and then about three minutes to discuss the topic with yourpartner．After that，the examiner will ask you more questions related to the topic．For two candidatesFor three candidatesFollow-on questionsTest 2 答案及文本ReadingPart 11 B2 D3 A4 C5 B6 C7 DPart 28 C 9 F 10 D 11A 12EPart 313 B 14 A 15 D16 D 1 7 C 18 BPart 419 B 20 C 21 D 22 B 23 A24 D 25 A 26 C 27 C 28 A29 D 30 C 31 B 32 D 33 BPart 534 WHICH 35 CORRECT 36 ON 37 CORRECT 38 BUT 39 UP 40 THOSE41 ADDITl0NALITY 42 BOTH 43 TOO 44 MCUH 4S WHILEWritingPart 1Sample ABand 3All content points have been addressed and the organization and register of the email are 0n the whole satisfactory．The range of vocabulary and grammar is adequate，and although there are a number of errors，these are minor and do not prevent the message being clearly conveyed．All points are addressed，and the register and format are on the whole appropriate．The range and accuracy of language are generally good，and the reader would be clearly and fully informed．Part 2Sample CFor number of Parkside staff leaving stores problem，I made a report as follows：At first，look at draw, from this one you can see，Year 2007．Highgate lost 4 person．Parkside lost 5．Until 2008．Highgate's rate is reduced，but Parkside's rate is grew SO high more staff leaving will make the store pay more time & money employ another one instead of this one．This is waste to the manual resource &money．Through communicate with the Parkside staff, I know there are three point very important．Firstly, training wanted．The staff want to more training to improve themselves’level．everyday their make the same job，long and long，their will hate this{ob．I think the company need to provide this benefit to the staff．Secondly, More paid holiday．I think this is the first，but the staff is not pay attention it，SO that is not possible．Thirdly．Bonus Scheme．if the company can pay more money employ the new staff why cannot pay more salary to the current staff? So l suggest the company provide the double—salary as the bonus pay for the current staff end of the years.That’s a11．Sincerely,Lucy．Band 2The report is considerably longer than the recommended word length and does not cover all the content points．Although the report is adequately paragraphed，cohesion is weak．The register and format of the report are not always appropriate；errors are numerous and impede clear communication of the message．Sample DReport on staff turnoverIntroductionThis report aims to explain the high staff turnover 2008 in Parkside and to propose measures to improve staff loyalty．FindingsThe figures dearly show that the high number of staff leaving the stores is a problem that only affects the Parkside store in 2008．While staff turnover in the Highgate store remained on a low level the number of staff leaving Parkside shoot up from 5 to 20．This unfortunately has a bad impact customer service．Research amongst staff revealed their requirements. Firstly staff requires more training what would also benefit the company as the service is likely to improve．Another good idea is the introduction of a bonus scheme for valued staff that would improve staff loyalty．Unlike the mentioned proposals the request for a longer annual lave could not be met．RecommendationsIt is recommended to offer both the requested training opportunities and a bonus scheme for valued staff．Band 5A1J content points are clearly covered，and the report is well organized with good cohesion．Both the register and format are consistently appropriate．Generally, the language used is accurate，and a good range of structures and vocabulary is demonstrated．ListeningPart 11(THE) LAST QUARTER 2 (THE) LONG (-) TERM3 CURRENT4 LOSSES5 SECOND STAGE6 (A) PENALTY (CLAUSE)7 UNSKILLED 8 (ANOTHER)／(A)／(THE)CONTRACT9(SOFTWARE) ENGINEER 10(THE) TIMING11(THE) HARDWARE 12 OBJECTIVES(S)Part 213-17 C B F H D18-22 F D G H CPart 323 C 24 B 25 A 26 A 27 C 28 A 29 B 30 BTypescriptThis is the Business English Certificate Vantage 4，Listening Test 2．Part One．Questions1 to 12．You will hear three telephone conversations or messages.Write one or two words or a number in the numbered spaces on the notes or forms below．After you have listened once，replay each recording．【pause】Conversation One．Questions I to 4．Look at the note below．You will bear a man clarifying some information about a balance sheet．You have5 seconds to read through the note．【pause】Now listen，and till in the spaces．【pause】Man：Hi，Tom here．Could I speak with Bill?Woman：Sorry, he’s out．Can I take a message?Man：Thanks．It’s about some queries Bill had about the balance she et I prepared．Woman: Which balance sheet exactly? The one for the last financial year?Man：Actually, it was the one for the last quarter．Woman: OK．got that．Man：There were several things Bill wanted to check．Firstly, he asked about the liabilities figures．He thought the figures in column A might be for current liabilities, but in factthose figures indicate the long—term ones．Woman：OK．I’ve got that．What next?Man：The assets figures．He wondered exactly what they cover. Actually, I've put the current assets there, but I’ve still got to work out the fixed assets and the intangible assets before I include them．Woman：Thanks．Anything else?Man: 0ne last thing．Also about assets．Bill wasn’t sure what the figures in brockets in section four refer to. He thought they might represent average figures for the last two years or something like that．In fact，they show losses over that period．Woman：Thanks．I’11 pass all that on.【pause】Now listen to the recording again，【pause】Conversion Two．Questions 5 to 8Look at the notes bellow．You will hear a man leaving a voicemail message about a negotiating problem．You have 15 seconds to read through the notes.【pause】Now 1isten．and 6tfIn the spaces．【pause】Hi，George．This is Kristoff calling from Australia．It's about the contract negotiation for constructing the factory in Melbourne．Our client doesn’t want to agree the date for the completion of the second stage，even though it was accepted when we put in our tender．We specified that we couldn’t complete in less than s ix months．NOW they’re saying they want it brought forward a month．This is a problem，because they want to put in a penalty clause which states that for every week we are late．we have to pay three percent of the total Costs I can’t agree to this at a11．We’re already using our best technical employees．And the only way we can complete in five months is if we use more unskilled staff tight from the beginning，which will mead a substantial investment which we hadn’t budgeted for．There's 9he incentive，however：instead of the usual bonus，we’Il be awarded the contract for thief next project if We call meet their new deadline．【pause】Now listen to the recording again．【pause】Conversation Three．Questions 9 to 12．Look at the notes below．You will bear a woman telephoning a colleague about a new project. You have l5 seconds to read through the notes．【pause】Now listen，and fill in the spaces．【pause】Man：Hello．Joe Fischer speaking．Woman：Joe．it's William here．Can I have a word with you about the e-commerce website? Man：0f course．How did the interview go?Woman：Well．We recruited an excellent business analyst this morning—he’ll join the team in a week or so．There's still a gap for a software engineer, though and we’ll have to fill that as soon as possible．Man：I’ll ask aro und and sec if anyone is able to transfer from other projects．Woman：Thanks．Also，do you think you could produce a report for senior management by the end of the week? They’d like an idea of the timing of the project．Man：No problem．What else should I include?Woman：Let us know exactly what hardware you’ll need，The budget already allows for that．Man：0K—anything else?Woman：Yes—when you describe the project, would you make sure you spell out the objectives in clear and straightforward language? Certain members of the Board have their doubts that it will bring about the results we promised．Man：0K．【pause】Now listen to the recording again．【pause】That is the end of Part one．You now have 20 seconds to check your answers.【pause】Part Two．Questions 23 to 22．Section One．Questions 1 3to 1 7．You will hear five short recordings．For each recording, decide which aspect of conducting interviews each speaker considers particularly important．Write one letter (A-H) next to thenumber of the recording．Do not use any letter more than once．After you have listened once，replay the recordings.【pause】Now listen，and decide which aspect each speaker considers important．【pause】ThirteenWe all forget how hard interviews can be．Applicants walk into a strange room and face what can be a long line of unknown people who fire a 1ot of tricky questions at them．It’s not surprising that their minds go a complete blank．If you’re the interviewer and you make an effort to put the interviewees at their ease，then they’re more likely to express their opinions coherently and give you a chance to assess them properly．【pause】FourteenInterviews are often too theoretical．You get the applicant’s views on，for example，the principles of marketing and then throw in some tough questions to see if they’re up to speed on the latest developments．But introducing a hands-on activity can be more telling，because then you can assess how they approach everyday activities．I know some people argue that at senior level it’s a waste of time and you should be checking how they deal with clients and colleagues，but I’m not convinced．【pause】FifteenYou have perhaps thirty minutes to assess an applicant l think considerable work needs to be done beforehand with the CVs—checking if they have appropriate qualifications and SO On．What you can’t get from the application，though—except from references．and I don’t find those very reliable—is an idea of how people act in the workplace．To focus on that，by asking questions which should reveal how they’d react in different c ircumstances and with a variety of colleagues．【pause】SixteenInterviewing isn’t something I’m good at．I’m afraid．1 don’t trust my own judgment for such important decisions．That’s why I usually have about five other people with me，not necessarily from the particular department，though．I realize this prevents me from making the interview seem like an informal chat．but I’m not sure of the overall benefit of that—perhaps it provides an insight into how the applicant thinks and behaves outside work, but that’s not crucial．【pause】SeventeenOne's trying to assess so many different aspects of potential employees．Time's limited，and you can get bogged down in asking challenging questions relevant to particular duties in the job description．It's easy to forget to allow time for applicants to find out things that are relevant to them，It’s sometimes seen just as a courtesy or a way of making them feel comfortable，but it can give you real insight into how they think and react to the post．【pause】Now listen to the recordings again．【pause】Section Two．Questions18t0 22．You will hear another live recordings．Five speakers are talking about problems with a project．For each recording, decide what the problem was．Write one letter A-H next to the number of each recording．Do not use any letter more than once．After you have listened once，replay the recordings．You havel5 seconds to read the list A-H．【pause】Now listen, and decide what each problem was．【pause】EighteenWell，we’d put together what we thought was an excellent team for the project—that is，until we hit technical problems and realized that we needed staff with a wider range of specialized technical experience than the people we’d recruited．So we had to advertise again to replace some key members of the team；we were lucky that we just about managed to cover the extra COSTS within the budget．0nr customers were very satisfied with the outcome.【pause】NineteenAlthough we had minor problems with suppliers from the start，these were easily overcome．Initially, I thought we’d underestimated the cost of the project，as it was so tight most of the time，but we managed to avoid an overspend．It was a very stressful time．However, it was the breakdowns which really upset the staff, and I wouldn’t have blamed them if they’d walkedout on strike the fifth time it happened in a week.【pause】TwentyGenerally speaking，we have an excellent project—management team，trained to deal with any unexpected problems—you know, like when the money runs out or the client wants something different from the original agreement．Unfortunately, we hadn’t anticipated the component manufacturer going out of business．The Purchasing Manager was furious，because there were SO few companies who produced exactly what we wanted．However, finally we found a replacement that enabled us to keep within the limits of our budget．【pause】Twenty-oneWe’ve done several projects in this country and the best thing about working here is that suppliers are very helpful．If you are unhappy with anything，they immediately try and sort it out．If, for example，a digger broke down，they’d replace it within hours and at no extra cost．Another thing is there is no shortage of suitably qualified workers，but we had an expensive delay on our last project，because we’d miscalculated the size of the workforce we needed．【pause】Twenty—twoWe spent so much time making sure that our employees would be comfortable working in such difficult conditions．We warned them about what to expect，as well as checking that they had the right qualifications and experience．We thought we’d anticipated every possible problem．This time，we were proved wrong when the supplier sent us different trucks from the ones ordered．Though they coped well with the extreme conditions，they were too small for our needs．【pause】Now listen to the recordings again．【pause】This is the end of Part Two．【pause】Part Three．Questions 23-30You will hear a radio reporter talking about difficulties faced by the new Chief Executive of Healthway plc, a chain of health and beauty stores．For each question 23 to 30，mark one letter A, B or C next to the correct answer．After you have listened once, replay the recording．You have 45 seconds to read through the questions【pause】Now listen，and mark A，B or C．【pause】Man：Next week，Healthway pie，the health and beauty chain，gets a new Chief Executive．Here's our reporter, Lynne Trencher, to tell us why many people regard the】ob as one of the most difficult in retailing．Hello，Lynne．Woman：Hello．No，it isn’t an enviable position，Robert Henlow, Healthway's Flew CEO，is taking control of a company which may have been a well—loved and trusted retail brand for many years，but its core business is mature，and successive managements simply haven’t come up with a winning formula to deliver dynamic sales growth．And the shareholders see Henlow as Heakhway's last chance．Man：The company faces stiff competition，doesn’t it?Woman：That’s right．In fact，most town—centre health and beauty chains are feeling the pinch，with few planning to expand．Unlike food，it's a high，margin business，which gives supermarkets，particularly those on out—of-town sites，scope to sell similar products for considerably less．Even the development of online shopping hasn’t yet outweighed the convenience of out—of-town sites．Man：Robert Henlow is coming from a company with a very different sort of culture from Healthway, isn’t he?Woman-Yes，he is moving from a firm that’s very open，with plenty of staff coming from other companies，or indeed industries．Healthway, on the other hand，has a culture where people join the group and either leave quickly or not until they retire．It’s famous for breeding its own managers，and outsiders have traditionally not been welcomed．Man：Healthway's financial strategy has been criticized in recent years，I believe．Woman：Under the last Chief Executive；Charles Hamilton．Heathway concentrated on the bottom line，with the aim of supporting the share price．Even the one acquisition that the company made had that same goal．Rut this strategy had its downside：very few improvements were made within the business，so heir IT, for instance, is now several years out of date．Man：Wasn’t it Charles Hamilton who started Healthway's beauty treatment centers?。
【BEC中级真题听力】第四辑Test2
【BEC中级真题听力】第四辑Test2【BEC中级真题听力】第四辑Test 2 - Part 1 Conversation 1 Hints:TomBillcolumn Along-term01:14 处的语气词Ah不用写英式拼写对话人之间以换行区分Hi, Tom here. Could I speak with Bill? Sorry, he's out. Can I take a message? Thanks. It's about some queries Bill had about the balance sheet I prepared. Which balance sheet exactly? The one for the last financial year? Actually, it was the one for the last quarter. OK, got that. There were several things Bill wanted to check. Firstly, he asked about the liabilities figures. He thought the figures in column A might be for current liabilities, but in fact those figures indicate the long-term ones. OK, I've got that. What next? The assets figures. He wondered exactly what they cover.1/ 8Actually, I've put the current assets there, but I've still got to workout the fixed assets and the intangible assets before I include them. Thanks. Anything else? One last thing. Also about assets. Bill wasn't sure what the figures in brackets in section four refer to. He thought they might represent average figures for the last two years or something like that. In fact, they show losses over tha【BEC中级真题听力】第四辑Test 2 - Part 1 Conversation 2 Hints:GeorgeKristoffMelbournehowever; instead英式拼写Hi, George. This is Kristoff calling from Australia. It's about the contract negotiation for constructing the factory in Melbourne. Our client doesn't want to agree the date for the completion of the second stage, even though it was accepted when we put in our tender. We specified that we couldn't complete in less than six months. Now they're saying they want itbrought forward a month. This is a problem, because they want2/ 8to put in a penalty clause which states that for every week we are late, we have to pay three per cent of the total cost. I can't agree to this at all. We're already using our best technical employees, and the only way we can complete in five months is if we use more unskilled staff right from the beginning, which'll mean a substantial investment which we hadn't budgeted for. There's one incentive, however; instead of the usual bonus, we'll be awarded the contract for their next project if we can meet their new deadline.t period. Thanks. I'll pass all that on.【BEC中级真题听力】第四辑Test 2 - Part 1 Conversation 3 Hints:Joe FischerWilmae-commercemorning - he’llOK - anythingYes - when英式拼写对话人之间以换行区分Hello. Joe Fischer speaking. Joe, it's Wilma here. Can I have3/ 8a word with you about the e-commerce website? Of course. How did the interviews go? Well, we recruited an excellent business analyst this morning - he'll join the team in a week or so. There's still a gap for a software engineer, though, and we'll have to fill that as soon as possible. I'll ask around and see if anyone is able to transfer from other projects. Thanks. Also, do you think you could produce a report for senior management by the end of the week? They'd like an idea of the timing of the project. No problem. What else should I include? Let us know exactly what hardware you'll need. The budget already allows for that. OK - anything else? Yes - when you describe the project, would you make sure you spell out the objectives in clear, straightforward language? Certain members of the Board have their doubts that it will bring about the results we promised. OK.【BEC中级真题听力】第四辑Test 2 - Part 3Hints:Healthway plc,Chief Executive, Lynne Trencher,Robert Henlow,well-loved4/ 8town-centrehigh-marginout-of-townChief Executive, Charles Hamilton,downside: veryITover-optimisticdid: heHm.large-store英式拼写对话人之间以换行区分Next week, Healthway plc, the health and beauty chain, gets a new Chief Executive. Here's our reporter, Lynne Trencher, to tell us why many people regard the job as one of the most difficult in retailing. Hello, Lynne. Hello. No, it isn't an enviable position. Robert Henlow, Healthway's new CEO, is taking control of a company which may have been a well-loved and trusted retail brand for many years, but its core business is mature, and successive managements simply haven't come up with a winningformula to deliver dynamic sales growth. And the shareholders5/ 8see Henlow as Healthway's last chance. The company faces stiffcompetition, doesn't it? That's right. In fact, most town-centre health and beauty chains are feeling the pinch, with few planning to expand. Unlike food, it's a high-margin business, which gives supermarkets, particularly those on out-of-town sites, scope to sell similar products for considerably less. Even the development of online shopping hasn't yet outweighed the convenience of out-of-town sites. Robert Henlow is coming from a company with a very different sort of culture from Healthway, isn't he? Yes, he's moving from a firm that's very open, with plenty of staff coming in from other companies, or indeed industries. Healthway, on the other hand, has a culture where people join the group and either leave quickly, or not until they retire. It's famous for breeding its own managers, and outsiders have traditionally not been welcomed. Healthway's financial strategy has been criticised in recent years, I believe. Under the last Chief Executive, Charles Hamilton, Healthway concentrated on the bottom line, with the aim of supporting the share price. Even the one acquisition that the company made had that same goal. But this strategy had its downside: very few improvements were made within the business,so their IT, for instance, is now several years out of date. Wasn't it6/ 8Charles Hamilton who started Healthway's beauty treatmentcentres? Yes, almost his first major action as Chief Executive was to set up a separate chain of stores that, in addition to selling health and beauty products, provided massage and other treatments. This ran alongside the existing stores. But even at the outset, few investors were taken in by his over-optimistic forecasts, and the doubters were proved right. Just before he left the company, he closed the centres and admitted his mistake. Hamilton also made drastic staffing changes, didn't he? He certainly did: he slimmed down the head office, he undertook a complete overhaul of the top management team and tidied up the company's international operations. Of course, there was a danger that in changes on that scale, mistakes would be made and the company would lose individuals, or even whole departments, that it needed. He managed to avoid that, but he was quite unable to communicate the reasons behind the changes, so he created an enormous amount of ill will. Hm. Has Robert Henlow announced any plans yet? When he starts work next Monday, he'll find a report from consultants, advising the disposal of several underperforming stores that are too small everto do well. However, they do think the current total should be7/ 8maintained, which would be achieved by ploughing money into more profitable large-store formats. Even though this means adding to the payroll, the consultants say the increased profitability will make it worthwhile. So, all in all, it's quite a challenge for Robert Henlow. It certainly is, not least because he's never run a quoted company of this size before, and he's one of the youngest chief executives of a business like this. He's taking a huge step from his previous position, though at least the health and beauty sector isn't entirely new to him. He's not going to find it at all easy to tackle all Healthway's problems. Lynne, thank you.8/ 8。
剑桥商务英语(BEC)中级第二、三、四辑口语真题范例
剑桥商务英语(BEC)中级第二、三、四辑口语真题范例第二辑Test 1Topic A: WHAT IS IMPORTANT WHEN ……?Entertaining clients●Types of activities●Cost[思路点拨]【词汇＆短语】促销赠品 Complimentary presents 迎宾室Hospitality room 招待费 Entertainment allowance 定制Customize针对个人Personalize 有目的的Purposeful商业目的 Business objectives 客户需求Customer demand 包间Compartment 舒适的 Cozy【句型点击】●间歇、停顿How shall I put it? 怎么说呢？Well, what I trying to say is…….. 我想说的是……..I’d like to begin by……●个人想法In my opinion, I’d say that…..The point is that…….Well, we should….【参考范例】Entertaining clients is not an easy job and should be handling appropriately and enjoyably. It contains more than just a wonderful meal, a sightseeing tour or a shopping trip. Good hospitality events can impress clients in a unique manner in and outside of the office.When entertaining clients, we should decide the types of activities according to their interest and favorites. Moreover, these activities should help us achieve our business objectives, for example, we can 主题 陈述要点原因/结果 Entertainingclients 已给补充要Types of activities 活动类型Cost 花费BusinessClients’ Background CustomizedClients’Personalizedhave an intimate discussion about business with our clients during a meal in a cozy compartment where both where both sides tend to be more relaxed. In addition, we have to mix business with pleasure effectively so our clients won’t feel that we are too purposeful.Cost is anther important factor when designing activities for clients. Higher expenses don’t necessarily to greater satisfaction, and in some cases, the clients will be overwhelmed with our kindness. Therefore, when entertaining clients, sincerity appears to be more important, upon which a long and a steady business relationship is based.Topic B: WHAT IS IMPORTANT WHEN ……?Choosing retail premises to rent●Location●Length of contract【词汇&短语】房东landlord 利润空间profit margin租户tenant 房屋结构building structure可持续发展sustainable development 合同到期exploration of contract繁荣boom prosperity 续签合同renew the contract租金rent 押金deposit【句型点击】●观点阐述Well, it seems to me that…….That’s true, but on the other hand…..●追加观点That’s just what/all I was thinking…..Well, the point I’m trying to make it that……Another thing I want to mention is……【参考范例】When aiming to choose retail premises, you should always put the location on the top of your list. An ideal retail premises should be situated in the downtown district or a big residential area where the sources of the customers is guaranteed, in China, A lot of businessman believe in Fengshui and they think a good location is vital to the success of business.Besides, the length of contract is also an important factor in choosing retail premises because the retailer need time to develop market and customers. A steady and uninterrupted business environment is most desired, and a long-term contract will ensure the retailer’s sustainable development.What’s more, rent and means of payment should never be overlooked, retailers in general have a big cash flow, therefore, a reasonable rent and flexible means of payment are good for their capital turnover. A cooperative landlord is preferred and necessary for a win-win situation.Topic C: WHAT IS IMPORTANT WHEN ……?Deciding on packaging for products●Image●Production process【词汇&短语】包装材料wrapper，packaging material 不可再生资源non-renewableresources 包装设计package design 有利环境的environmental-friendly顾客的青睐customer favor 肤浅的，表明的superficial【句型点击】●自然过渡How shall I put it? 怎么说呢？Actually…..That’s just how I see it …..●个人观点Personally, I think…..Frankly, I think….【参考范例】Packing of products concerns the fate of products because it arouses people’s desire for purchase. When deciding on packaging for products, we should take several things into consideration.First of all, the image catches the eye of potential customers, people are sometimes skin deep when surrounded by a variety of products, their decisions are simply based upon the packaging, therefore a thoughtful design in color, shape and packaging materials is crucial in winning customer’s favor.On the other hand, the cost of packaging should be carefully dealt with because it is contained in the prices of the products. Increased price will make the products less competitive in a buyer’s market. After all, in comparison with packaging, people are more sensitive to price.Last but not least, our resources are limited and some are even non-renewable. Once the products are opened up, the wrapper are useless, so it is expected that designers can develop further uses of packaging materials or at least make them environmental-friendly.Test 2Topic A: WHAT IS IMPORTANT WHEN ……?Selecting staff for promotion●Attitude to work●Current performance【词汇&短语】空缺职位vacancy 人事部personnel行政管理部administration 公关public relations总部head office 工资wages and salaries管理技能managerial skill 职业前景career prospect人力资源部human resources 团队协作teamwork【句型点击】●常用开始语Thank you for your questionThe answer is…Let me start with….In my viewIt is very likely that….●表达观点常用句What I am thinking is….Let me make my point very clear.It is crystal clear that…..There is no doubt that…..I am into the first opinion..【句型点击】When selecting staff for promotion, several factors should be taken into consideration, to begin with, the attitude to the work is one of the most fundamental elements. I believe attitude is everything. It is not uncommon to find workers who have great talents but are reluctant to make full contribution in their position, the point is, you have to love what you are doing and you have to try your utmost and reserve no effort to do it.Secondly, current performance is also very important, because it is obvious that attitude and effort have to be measured in a certain way so that you can know everyone’s capability.Thirdly, you can’t ignore career potential and adaptability, almost in every company, we can find employees who are excellent individuals but fail to cooperate in a team, these elements are all very essential in one’scareer. Admittedly, it is not very likely to find all of them in one person, and then you have to consider about the specific position and grant priority to one of them.Topic B: WHAT IS IMPORTANT WHEN ……?Considering a career change●Further study or training●Opportunities for future promotion【词汇&短语】实际工资real wages 合并merger最终目标ultimate goal 个人收入personal income坏的影响adverse effect 工资价格螺旋上升wage-price spiral 精明的讨价还价交易horse-trading 无形资产intangible assets资格qualification 投资回报return on investment【句型点击】●更倾向于某一个选项I would take …….. as my priority 我会把……..作为我的首选项。
BEC中级真题(第二辑)答案和听力原文
BEC中级真题（第二辑）答案及听力原文Test 1ReadingPart 11 C2 A3 B4 D5 A 6.B 7 CPart 28 D 9 C 10 E 11B 12 FPart 313 D 14 A 15 C 16 B 17.B 18.CPart 419B 20 A 21 D 22 A 23 C 24 C 25 D 26 A 27 B 28 C29 D 30 B 31 C 32 B 33 BPart534 ITSELF 35 IN 36 CORRECT 37.WHILE 38 SEEN 39 FROM40 CORRECT 41 THOSE 42 FOR 43 WITH 44 THAT45 CORRECTWritingPart 1To: P. JonesFrom: Luisa GambonDate: 21 November 2002Subject: LatenessMr Jones,I have noticed that you often arrive late for work, especially on Monday mornings. As your colleagues are starting to complain about that, you understand that unless this habit changes, I will take disciplinary action against you. Come and see me tomorrow at 9 a.m. in my office. Thank youPart 2Report on customer complaintsINTRODUCTIONThis report has the purpose of presenting the reasons for customer complaints in 2002.FIELDINGSThe customer complaints received in 2002 were 300 in January. Then they increased to 540 in February because of the computer system's breakdown.In March they fell to 230 because an improved order system was introduced.The reasons for complaints from January to March were analysed:●firstly the companv received complaints for incorrect orders delivered. Theseerrors were fewer in March.●secondly the time taken to deliver is too high. but the company has planned torecruit new agents.●Finally customers complain for the poor product quality. In order to solve thisproblem more quality controls are making.CONCLUSIONSAt the moment all customers aren't satisfied but many measures have been taken to improve their satisfaction.ListeningPart 11. JAYE2. CUSTOMER SERVICES3. OFFICE ASSISTANT4. 457.605. EUROPE HOLIDAYS6. BUSINESS CARDS7. MARKETING EXECUTIVES8 (THE) (COMPANY) EOGO9 INFORMATION PACK10. PARK HOTEL11. FRONT GATE12. NEW DESIGNSPart 213 E 14 B 15 G 16 F 17 A 18 C 19 G 20 H21 E 22. BPart323 B 24 B 25 C 26 A 27 C28 B 29 A 30 CTapescriptListening Test 1This is the Business English Certificate Vantage 2, Listening Test 1.Part One. Questions 1 to 12.You will hear three telephone conversations or tnessages.Write one or two u'ords or a number in the numbered spaces on the notes or forms below.After you have listened once, replay each recording.Conversation One.Questions 1 to 4.Look at the form below.You will hear a man asking a colleague for information about a former employee.You have 15 second's to read through the form.[pause]Now listen, and fill in the spaces.Woman: Personnel . . .Man: Hello, it's Tim here, from Finance.Woman: Hi, Tim.Man: I've had a letter from the tax office about a student who worked here last summer – I wonder if you could look him up in your records. Woman: Sure, what's the name?Man: The surname's Jaye. First name Stephen.Woman: How does he spell his surname?Man: J-A-Y-E. Got that?Woman: Oh yes, here we are . . . lives at a hundred and eighty-three School Road,Barnfield . . .Man: Yes, that's the one.Woman: And you say he was working in Finance?Man: Uhm, Customer Services, actually.Woman: Aah - they had lots of students working for them last summer.Man: Well, the tax people want to know his exact job title - I'm not sure why. Woman: Mm, let me see . . . He was an office assistant.Man: Right, got that. They also want to know about his monthly earnings. Woman: Let's have a look . . . five hundred and thirty-eight pounds seventy a month . . . Oh, sorry, he was a scale one, so that's four hundred and fifty-seven pounds sixty. Anything else?Man: That's fine, thanks. I'll send them the information today . . . [pause]Now listen to the recording again.[pause]Conversation Two.Questions 5 to 8.Look at the note below.You will hear a man describing a problem with an order.You have 15 seconds to read through the note.[pause]Now listen, and fill in the spaces.Woman: Hello, Blackwell Printers. Julie Davidson speaking. How may I help you? Man: Hello. This is Mark Jones from Europe Holidays. I was hoping to speak to Steven Kirby about the stationery you're printing for us.Woman: I'm afraid Steven's away until Friday.Man: Oh - you see I'm not very happy with the business cards and I wanted to see if I could make a couple of changes to the paper too.Woman: Would you like me to pass on a message?Man: Yes, please. The thing is, I've just received your proofs - the cards themselves are fine, but you seem to have misunderstood the quantities. I'm sure I asked for five hundred for each of the marketing executives and seven hundred and fifty for me but you've put everyone down for seven hundred and fifty. Woman: Right, I've made a note of that. Is there anything else?Man: Yes, well this is my mistake really. Could you ask Steven to move the company logo further to the left? It's too close to the address at the moment. I think that's all for now. Thanks.[pause]Now listen to the recording again.[pause]Conversation Three. Questions 9 -12Look at the notes below.You will hear a woman making the arrangements for a delegation who are going to visit her company.You have 15 seconds to read through the notes.[pause]Now listen, and fill in the spaces.Woman: Geoff?Man: Yes?Woman: I just want to finalise the preparations for the delegation next week. Man: Certainly. It's Thursday, isn't it?Woman: Yes. Now, can you make sure that each of them gets a name badge and an information pack. The badges are done, but you'll need to prepare the packs with all the relevant information.Man: Ok, that shouldn't take too long. What about catering?Woman: Coffee's organised for eleven and three, but lunch - it's at one - we need to reserve it for twelve people . . . The office restaurant is closed next week . . .can you ring the Park Hotel? The Grand Hotel was a bit disappointing last time. Man: I'll get onto that.Woman: Now, they'll be coming straight from the station, and their taxi will bring them to the front gate, so make sure you're there to greet them. That'll be about ten.Man: Ten. And then . . .Woman: Into Reception, I think. Make sure the new designs are on display, I want them to see those first.Man: OK.Woman: Let me know when it's all finalised. Bye.[pause]Now listen to the recording again.[pause]That is the end of Part One. You now have 20 seconds to check your answers. [pause]Part Two. Questions 13 to 22.Section One. Questions 13 to 17.You will hear five short recordings[pause]Now listen to the recording again.[pause]That is the end of Part One. You now seconds to check your answers.[pause]Part Two. Questions 13 to 22. Section One.Questions 13 to 17.You will hear five short recordings.For each recording, decide which type of document the speaker is talking about.Write one letter (A-H) next to the number of the recording.Do not use any letter more than once.After you have listened once, replay the recordings.You have 15 seconds to read the list A-H.[pause]Now listen, and decide which type of document each speaker is talking about. [pause] ThirteenWoman: Well no wonder the bank's returned it unpaid. Look, the figures don't match the amount in words. I expect someone was filling it in in too much of a hurry. Let's see, we'd better issue another one straight away to pay Mrs Burton, because it'll be another three weeks if we wait for the next cycle of payments. Her expenses on that sales trip were pretty high, and it wouldn't be fair to keep her waiting much longer.[pause] fourteenMan: Some of the suppliers are already asking about the increases. I'll check, but I seem to remember from last week's meeting that in the end we agreed on three per cent. So what I'll do is go down each column and calculate the new amounts, and then it can be printed in time to be inserted into the new brochures. Can you check the figures for me, though, before it goes to the printers? [pause] fifteenWoman: We've just received the paperwork from you about cleaning our premises, and I have to say that it doesn't reflect what we agreed in our conversation last week. For one thing, it says that we have to supply our security code, and for another it specifies monthly payment in advance, and I told you both of those were out of the question. I'm afraid I really can't sign this. Could you send me a revised one?[pause] SixteenMan: Of course, this only gives a very general picture. But as you can see, cash is a particularly healthy area. That's even when we take into account regular outgoings on loans and leasing equipment, which are included in the final totals. And even more significantly, unpaid orders are actually excluded from the final calculation. These represent a sum of approximately thirty thousand pounds. With that in mind, we can say that the company's overall position is still strong. [pause] SeventeenWoman: I've just asked the Arden Conference Centre about availability for our next training seminar, and they said they still haven't been paid for the one before last, which should have been dealt with six months ago. I've had to ask them to send a duplicate! We really must be careful. Arden give us very favourable prices,but we haven't got a contract with them - Can you deal with it straight away so we stay in their good books?[pause].Vow listen to the recordings again.[pause]Section Two. Questions 18 to 22.You will hear another five recordings.For each recording, decide what the speaker's purpose is.Write one letter (A-H) next to the number of the recording.Do not use any letter more than once.After you have listened once, replay the recordings.You have 15 seconds to read the list A-H.[pause]Now listen, and decide what each speaker's purpose is.[pause] EighteenMan: Hello. This is Guy Cooper from Centron Electronics here. I believe you rang for some advice about your alarm system, which isn't functioning properly. The message I got said you weren't sure if you needed someone to come and sort it out, or if we could advise you over the phone. Well perhaps you'd like to get back to me as soon as it's convenient and tell me exactly what the problem is, and I'll see what I can do.[pause] NineteenWoman: Well, as you say, Redlon has been supplying us for years but, quite honestly, two-thirds of the complaints we receive about our products are actually due to faults in components we've had from Redlon. So I talked to the Production Manager and he agreed that I should look at some alternatives.Future World's range is fine for us, and one of their customers who I spoke to recommended them highly, so that's why we've changed to using them. [pause] TwentyWoman: The competition's getting tougher, and you know we're facing serious problems.We need to see more benefit from the undeniably hard work we're putting in, and this means saying no to jobs which aren't profitable. It would be much more beneficial to put all our efforts into winning higher-margin contracts. So the way I feel you can help most is by identifying the types of contacts which will bring in the income we need in order to ensure our future.[pause] Twenty-oneMan: John Woods here, phoning about the project we discussed earlier. Could you give me a ring so that we can talk about it a bit more? I've done a few calculations and I'm beginning to wonder whether it's really a practical proposition. 1 still think the project's got potential, but there are significant additional costs which we hadn't taken into account. So could you get back to me as soon as you can, please?[pause] Twenty-twoWoman: Hello, Sally here, from Pagwell Paints, returning your call. I'm very sorry you aren't happy with the latest consignment you've had from us. It's rather strange, because following your complaint about the last delivery,we did in fact take action to change the specifications in the way you suggested. So it isn't quite fair to say that we ignored your advice. I know it's important to achieve the consistency that you require, but perhaps your recommendation wasn't exactly what's needed.[pause]Now listen to the recordings again.[pause]This is the end of Part Two.[pause]Part Three. Questions 23 to 30.You will hear the chairman of a business institute making a speech about new business awards that his institute has sponsored.For each question 23-30. mark one letter (A, B or C) for the correct answer. After you have listened once, replay the recording.You have 45 seconds to read through the questions.[pause]Now listen, and mark A, 6 or C.[pause]Man: Who are the managers of the best innovation developments in British industry? That was the question which the first Business Today Innovation Awards set out to answer.This project is all about rewarding good practice and performance. So, rather than simply recognising excellence in the design of specific products, or analysing their financial impact on profits, the awards set out to take an objective look at exactly how companies manage the development process itself.Over three hundred and fifty organisations entered the competition and were initially reduced to about forty. Then, after further careful checking, a short list of just fourteen of them was arrived at. These finalists, all manufacturers, were then visited by the competition judges, a panel of four chief executives from leading companies. The panel toured the finalists' facilities, received presentations on the companies and their projects, and interviewed the key development team members. The products varied enormously in their scale, function and degree of technology - from bread for a supermarket chain to a printer inside an automatic cash dispenserInitially the organisers were concerned that this range could create difficulties in the assessment process. But this fear proved baseless, as most elements in the innovation process are shared by all manufacturers.Interestingly, the finalists broke down into two distinct and equal groups: large firms with one thousand employees or more and small firms with two hundred and fifty employees or fewer. With both groups the judges decided to concentrate on two of the clearest indicators of a successful innovation process, which are: how well the new product is combined with the company's existing business, and secondly, how-well the innovation methods are recorded and understood. Small firms naturally tend todo well in the first category since they have fewer layers of management and thus much shorter communication lines. But they seem to put less emphasis on creating formal development methods which would be repeatable in future innovations. Large firms, on the other hand, have difficulty integrating the new development within their existing business for reasons of scale. But they tend to succeed in achieving well-documented and repeatable development methods. This is because larger companies, with their clear emphasis on training, fixed management structure and administrative systems, require more formal, daily record-keeping from their staff.So what were the key questions the judges had in mind when assessing the finalists? One of the most important areas concerned how thoroughly a company checks what is happening in other fields in order to incorporate new ideas into the development process. Many of the finalists impressed in the area. Xatura, for example, had demonstrated genuine energy in searching for new ways of producing their range of specialitv breads. They had looked at styles of home cooking in different countries, as well as the possibility of exploiting new production technologies in order to achieve equally good results but on a high-volume production line.What then occupied much of the judges' thoughts was the quality of the links which the development team established with senior management, suppliers, the market and manufacturing. The best examples of the first category were found in small firms, where the individual entrepreneur at the top was clearly driving the innovation forwardLinks with suppliers were also seen as an important factor, but not all supplier experiences were positive. Occasionally serious problems had to be solved where suppliers were working hard to meet specifications, but the companies that the suppliers were using to adapt their machinery were not so efficient. This, led to disappointing faults or fluctuations in quality.But in conclusion the awards demonstrate that innovation isn't just for high-tech internet companies. You can also be successful in mature markets with determination and skill.[pause]Now listen to the recording again.[pause]That is the end of Part Three. You now have ten minutes to transfer your answers to your Answer Sheet.Note: Teacher, stop the recording here and time ten minutes. Remind students when there is one minute remaining.[pause]That is the end of the test.Test 2ReadingPart 1I. B 2 C 3 A 4 D 5 D 6 B 7 CPart 28 C 9 B 10 E 11 A 12 DPart 313 D 14 C 15 A 16 A 17 C 18.BPart 419.D 20 D 21 A 22 C 23 A 24 C 25 B 26 A27 A 28 D 29 C 30 A 31 C 32 D 33 BPart 534 THAT 35 CORRECT 36 ONLY 37 SO 38 CORRECT 39 THE 40 HOW 41 CORRECT 42 OUT 43 CORRECT 44 WILL 45 BETest 2 WritingPart 1To: All StaffFrom: Managing DirectorDate: 7 DecemberSubject: Staff rewardI would like to thank you for the contribution in increasing the company's profit. The profit increased due to very hard work and long working hours. Each of the staff will receive an envelope with a reward on Tuesday. The reward is a trip to Hawaii, and I hope that this will be the perfect reward. Enjoy!Thank youPart 2Introduction.The purpose of this report is to assess and recomend a taxi firm that will become our regular transporter. We will need them especially during next year trade fair and conferences. There are two firms to assess.Findings:As regards to Telecars we have a good references on them. It is very experienced traditional firm and is also very reliable. They provide 24-hours service that is useful during night meetings and negotiations. StreetlightCabs is brand new company and there are no references on them. But they provide long distance routes which we usevery often and they are also cheaper. On the other hand they don't have web page and so internet booking isn't available.Conclusion:I recommend to choose Telecars because of their reliability, long tradition and well trained staff.ListeningPart 11TAKING MINUTES213(TH) OCTOBER3CERTIFICATE4CUSTOMER SERVICE5WORLDNET/WORLD NET6OUTSIDE LINES7TRANSFER CALLS8(THE) EQUIPMENT9.TRADE FAIR10AFTER LUNCH11REVISED BUDGETS12HEAD OFFICEPart 213 H 14 E 15 F 16 A 17 D 18 G19 E 20 C 21 B 22 HPart323 C 24 A 25 A 26 C 27 A 28 C 29 B 30 BTapescriptListening Test 2This is the Business English Certificate Vantage 2, Listening Test 2.Part One. Questions 1 to 12.You will hear three telephone conversations or messages.Write one or two words or a number in the numbered spaces on the notes or forms below.After you have listened once, replay each recording.Conversation One. Questions 1 to 4.Look at the form below.You will hear a woman calling about training courses.You have 15 seconds to read through the form. [pause]Now listen, and fill in the spaces.Man: Good morning, Oakleaf Business Training. How can I help you?Woman: Hello, my name's Enid Stevens, of Appleyard Smith. I've booked two one-day courses, but now I need to change one of them.Man: Let me get your details up on the screen. Right, you've booked Report Writingnext month . . .Woman: Yes, that one's OK. It's Taking Minutes that I can't manage, on the eighth of July. Do you know when it's running again?Man: Let me see. Not until the eighteenth of September, I'm afraid.Woman: That sounds fine. Oh, I think I'll be abroad then.Man: Then there's the first and the thirteenth of October.Woman: I'd like the later date, please.Man: Fine, I'll change your booking.Woman: Another thing; it says in your brochure, everyone attending a course getsa certificate, but I haven't received one from a course I took last January. Man: I'm sorry about that. Which course was it?Woman: Something to do with dealing with the public . . . ?Man: That must have been Customer Service.Woman: Sounds familiar.Man: OK, I'll put it in the post today.Woman: Thank you very much. Goodbye.Man: Goodbye.[pause]Now listen to the recording again.[pause]Conversation Two. Questions 5 to 8.Look at the note below.You will hear a woman ringing about problems with a new telephone system.You have 15 seconds to read through the note.[pause]Now listen, and fill in the spaces.Man: Hello, Swinburn Telecoms.Woman: I'd like to speak to Tony Wilson, please.Man: I'm afraid Tony isn't available. Can I take a message?Woman: Yes please. I'm Sheila Dallas, from Worldnet.Man: Right.Woman: I'm ringing about the telephone system your firm installed here yesterday.We're not happy with it.Man: Oh dear. What seems to be the problem?Woman: First of all, your engineer said that with the number of extensions we've got, six outside lines would be enough, but we asked for eight, and anyway you've charged us for the larger system.Man: Right, we'll look into that.Woman: Then, whenever we try to transfer calls from one extension to another we lose them. We're following the instructions, but it just doesn't work.Man: I see.Woman: And finally, could you ask Tony to check the invoice, please? He promised us a discount on installation, which is shown, and one on the equipment, but that isn't there.Man: Right. I'm sorry about all that. I'll get Tony to contact you as soon as he's free.Woman: Thank you. Goodbye. Man: Goodbye.[pause]Now listen to the recording again.[pause]Conversation Three. Questions 9 to 12.Look at the note below.You will hear a woman calling about the arrangements for a meeting.You have 15 seconds to read through the note.[pause]Now listen, and fill in the spaces.Man: Good morning. Marketing Department. Peter Menzies speaking.Woman: Hello. Could I speak to John Fitzgerald, please?Man: I'm afraid he's not in the office at the moment.Woman: Well, this is Elizabeth Parnell calling. I wanted to talk to John about the meeting next week. You see, I only get back on Tuesday night from a trade fair in the States.Man: So, would you like me to give him a message?Woman: Yes, could you ask him if we can postpone Wednesday's meeting? Till after lunch. That would be easier. It was originally going to be at ten a.m. Man: OK. I'll ask him to change it. I'll get back to you with a time.Woman: Thanks. And could you also ask him to add another item for discussion at the meeting? I thought we were going to talk about the revised budgets - but I can't see this on the agenda.Man: OK. I'd better ask him to call you . . .Woman: Yes, please. I'm at Head Office at the moment. Can he phone me here today - I won't be back at my own desk until tomorrow afternoon.Man: Right, I'll give him the message.Woman: Thanks.Man: Bye.Woman: Goodbye.[pause]Now listen to the recording again.[pause]That is the end of Part One. You now have 20 seconds to check your answers. [pause]Part Two. Questions 13 to 22.Section One. Questions 13 to 17.You will hear five short recordings. Five people are talking about different business books they have read.for each recording, decide which book the speaker is talking about.Write one letter (A-Hi next to the number of the recording.Do not use any letter more than once.After you have listened once, replay the recordings.You have 15 seconds to read the list A-H.[pause]Note listen, and decide winch book each speaker is talking about.[pause] ThirteenWoman: Yes, it was interesting . . . some of it was rather obvious, of course, like dressing smartly, making sure you arrive on time, that sort of thing . . . but there was also quite a lot I'd never really considered . . . like ways to interpret what the advertisement is really asking for, reading between the lines . . . and a section which lists some of the harder questions they tend to ask you, with effective answers you can give[pause] FourteenMan: Invaluable, I'd say . . . certainly helps prevent you making some of the more embarrassing mistakes. It gives you a kind of timescale to follow through. For example, they stress that you need to get publicity up and running a good six months before you want to stage the event. And get your main speakers booked earlier than that. They say you must make sure you've got a good assistant to support you, check the details.[pause] FifteenWoman: Actually, although it was a bit long, it was definitely useful. The trouble often is, when the management take on new staff, they don't necessarily really know what skills or qualities are needed. I want someone who's more than justa secretary typing out letters every day . . . I'm looking for a right hand,someone to do everything . . . and this book spells out what that means . . .it's helped me to draw up a job description.[pause] SixteenMan: Well, I wish I'd read it years ago! That would have saved me from some of my worst inefficiencies. I'd recommend it to anyone. It shows you how to producea perfect schedule for getting through your workload . . . Once you've gotyourself organised, made lists of tasks and priorities, you can make best use of each and every day . . . otherwise you're just constantly confusing your PA with endless requests, all terribly urgent . . .[pause] SeventeenWoman: Certainly, a lot of the book was very specialised . . . but it did give me an idea of how7 the agencies do the job. Of course, they're the people with the creative ideas, the expertise, so I'm happy to trust the image development work to them . . . but I read the book so I could talk to them on equal terms about what we're trying to do, and how it fits in with our overall business strategy.[pause]Now listen to the recordings again.[pause]Section Two. Questions 18 to 22.You will hear another five recordings, five people are talking about why they decided to use a particular company to supply their officeequipment.for each recording, decide what reason each person gives.Write one letter (A-H) next to the number of the recording.Do not use any letter more than once.After you have listened once, replay the recordings.You have 15 seconds to read the list A-H.[pause].Vow listen, arid decide what reason each person gives.[pause] EighteenMan: We were having problems with the company we normally use so we looked at a number of other companies and decided to give this one a try. They're just new in the business and we were impressed as they promised they would deliver the goods we wanted within two days and they did. We had to pay more than we would have liked but the results were worth it. Since then, I've told a lot of other people about them.[pause] NineteenWoman: Apparently they're an established company in Scotland with an excellent reputation, but I didn't know that at the time. I found them through the internet.I was just browsing through the list of suppliers one day and I noticed their name. I looked them up and found that they had this fantastic discount available that particular month. We ordered various things and the quality was so good we've continued using them.[pause] TwentyMan: We like to try out different suppliers to make sure we're always getting the best deal. This particular company was running a big publicity campaign. I'd seen the ads on TV and they really put me off. I just couldn't see theappeal. But then someone I met at a training day told me we should use them.His company had used their service for years with no complaints so we followed his advice.[pause] Twenty-oneWoman: We'd looked round the market to find the cheapest deal possible but to be honest there wasn't much to choose, in terms of cost, between any of the local suppliers. However, we had a visit from a sales representative from one company and we asked him to make up some complimentary printed letterheads for us. They were exactly what we wanted so that was the deciding factor. I think that personal touch gives a company far better results than advertising ever can. [pause] Twenty-twoMan: Obviously there are many different factors to consider when you choose a new supplier. We always used a local company because they were relatively near and we could even pick things up ourselves if necessary. But unfortunately they just became too expensive. Now that express delivery services are widely available, distance is no longer a consideration and we've been able to choose someone who can give us the best package for the lowest cost.[pause]Now listen to the recordings again.[pause]That is the end of Part Two.[pause]Part Three. Questions 23 to 30.。
中级 新编剑桥商务英语听力部分(完整资料).doc
此文档下载后即可编辑LISTENING SCRIPTSModule 11.1 Working from home (page 8)I=Interviewer M=MichelaI OK,Michela.You work from home now.Can you tell me about a typical day?M Sure, I always get up around seven and the first thing I do is get the kids ready for school.I take them at eight thirty and thin I always start work at nine.I Do you ever have a day where you decide to have the morning off and start work later?M No,you can’t do that.It’s important with home-working to have a timetable and stick to it.If you end up watching TV or doing the cleaning then it isn’t for you.So I have lunch at twelve and finish work at two thirty to get the children.I Was that why you gave up your office job?M Yes,I wanted to spend more time with the children.It gives me more flexibility.Sometimes I need to work in the evening but usually it isn’t a problem.I So how long have you been doing this kind of work?M For about five years.I’ve been with the same company since I left school but with the Internet and technology it’s easy now to be at home.I So your employer doesn’t mind.M No.It means the company saves money on office space and as long as I get the work done,they’re happy.Sometimes I still fo into work to meet clients and so on.For example,I’m going in nearly every day this week because we have visitors from another company and I can’t really invite them over to my house.Besides,the gossip and the news with my colleagues.I miss that side of going into work every day.I Is there anything else you miss?M Ermm.No,not really.And I’ll tell you what I really don’t miss and that’s having to spend two hours commuting on the bus and train every day. . .1.2 Starting a conversation (page 11)Conversation 1R=Richard W=Woman M=MarekR Hello?W Hello,Richard.I’d like to introduce you to Marek.R Oh,yes.Hello,Marek.How do you do?Nice to meet you at last.M Hello,Richard.Pleased to meet you too.W Oh,do you two know each other already?M Well,we’ve spoken on the phone a few times.R But we’ve never actually met.Anyway,take a seat.Would you both like a coffee?Conversation 2A Would you like a coffee?B Oh,thanks.A Milk?B Yes,please,and a sugar…thanks.A So have you enjoyed this morning?B Yes,it was very interesting.The first speaker was particularly good.A Is this your first time at one of these events?B Yes,it is.And you?A No,I’ve been coming for years.The company pays and if the location is good then I come.I remember the best year we had was in Monaco…Conversation 3M=Marie W=WomanM May I join you?W Sure.M You’re a colleague of Martin Obach,aren’t you?W That’s right He works in our Barcelona office.How do you know him?M We were both at Elcotil together.He left about a year before me.W Oh,are you Mandy?M Marie.W Marie.That’s right.Sorry,I knew it began with an M.Yes,Martin said you were doing this course and that I should say hello…Conversation 4A Well,this is nice.B Well,it’s quite simple but the food is vey traditional and it’s popular with the locals.On Sundays I often bring the family here.A That’s nice.How many children do you have?B Two.Twinks.A boy and a girl.They’ve just started school.A Wow.Twinks.B And you?A No,not yet.And have you always lived in Lille?B Yes,most of my life.I worked in Paris for a while and in your country,of course.But all my relatives are here.What about your family?A Oh,they’re spread out.I see my parents from time to time but my sister lives in Norway with her husband so we don’t get together much.Anyway,I know your company is looking for a partner on this Thai project.B Yes.Is that something you might be interested in…1.3 Exam spotlight (page 15)E=Examiner C=CandidateE And where do you live exactly?C I’m from a small town in northern Switzerland but at the moment I’m studying for a business degree so I live in Zurich.E What types of business are most successful in your town?C Err,well,I suppose that tourism is quite important to the area andthere are many small farms so agriculture also.Zurich,where I study,is more famous of course for banking and financial services.E How is working life changing in your country?C Sorry,can you repeat the question,please?E Yes,how is working life changing in your country?C I think that more and more people are moving to the cities or they are commuting in every day.In my opinion, the biggest change has come from technology-but then that’s probably true everywhere,not just in my country…Module 22.1 Benefits and incentives (page 16)Speaker 1 It’s great because usually it means my wife can use the one at home and we even take mine away at weekends.I work for quite a relaxed company and they don’t seem to mind how I use it for leisure.Speaker 2 I thought it wouldn’t change the way I worked after the first six months but as they got older it actually became more complicated with getting them to school or if they wanted to do activities in the afternoon.But my boss has been really good about it and some days I can do a half a day if I want and then I might work later on other days-or I take work home,which I don’t like doing,but it’s the only way…Speaker 3 It’s actually the law now so they had to let me have it. It was only two weeks but at least I had time to help my wife out.Mind you,after all the late nights and crying I was really happy to get back to work for a while and have a rest!Speaker 4 I’ve just been promoted from Assistant IT Technician to Chief Operational Network Administrator.It means I get a bit of a pay rise and new business cards with my name on.I’m not sure if I get my own office though.Speaker 5 The problem for me is that I won’t have enough to live in。
BEC中级真题(第二辑)答案及听力原文
BEC中级真题（第二辑）答案及听力原文ReadingWriting ----Part 1To: P. JonesFrom: Luisa GambonDate: 21 November 2002Subject: LatenessMr Jones,I have noticed that you often arrive late for work, especially on Monday mornings. As your colleagues are starting to complain about that, you understand that unless this habit changes, I will take disciplinary action against you. ComePart 2 -------Report on customer complaintsINTRODUCTIONThis report has the purpose of presenting the reasons for customer complaints in 2002.FIELDINGSThe customer complaints received in 2002 were 300 in January. Then they increased to 540 in February because of the computer system's breakdown.In March they fell to 230 because an improved order system was introduced.The reasons for complaints from January to March were analysed:●firstly the companv received complaints for incorrect orders delivered. These errors were fewer in March.●secondly the time taken to deliver is too high. but the company has planned to recruit new agents.●Finally customers complain for the poor product quality. In order to solve this problem more quality controls aremaking.CONCLUSIONSListening Test 1Conversation One.Questions 1 to 4.Woman: Personnel . . .Man: Hello, it's Tim here, from Finance.Woman: Hi, Tim.Man: I've had a letter from the tax office about a student who worked here last summer –I wonder if you could look him up in your records.Woman: Sure, what's the name?Man: The surname's Jaye. First name Stephen.Woman: How does he spell his surname?Man: J-A-Y-E. Got that?Woman: Oh yes, here we are . . . lives at a hundred and eighty-three School Road,Barnfield . . .Man: Yes, that's the one.Woman: And you say he was working in Finance?Man: Uhm, Customer Services, actually.Woman: Aah - they had lots of students working for them last summer.Man: Well, the tax people want to know his exact job title - I'm not sure why.Woman: Mm, let me see . . . He was an office assistant.Man: Right, got that. They also want to know about his monthly earnings.Woman: Let's have a look . . . five hundred and thirty-eight pounds seventy a month . . . Oh, sorry, he was a scale one, so that's four hundred and fifty-seven pounds sixty. Anything else?Man: That's fine, thanks. I'll send them the information today . . .Now listen to the recording again.Conversation Two. Questions 5 to 8.Woman: Hello, Blackwell Printers. Julie Davidson speaking. How may I help you?Man: Hello. This is Mark Jones from Europe Holidays. I was hoping to speak to Steven Kirby about the stationery you're printing for us.Woman: I'm afraid Steven's away until Friday.Man: Oh - you see I'm not very happy with the business cards and I wanted to see if I could make a couple of changes to the paper too.Woman: Would you like me to pass on a message?Man: Yes, please. The thing is, I've just received your proofs - the cards themselves are fine, but you seem to have misunderstood the quantities. I'm sure I asked for five hundred for each of the marketing executives and seven hundred and fifty for me but you've put everyone down for seven hundred and fifty.Woman: Right, I've made a note of that. Is there anything else?Man: Yes, well this is my mistake really. Could you ask Steven to move the company logo further to the left? It's too close to the address at the moment. I think that's all for now. Thanks.Conversation Three. Questions 9 -12Woman: Geoff?Man: Y es?Woman: I just want to finalise the preparations for the delegation next week.Man: Certainly. It's Thursday, isn't it?Woman: Yes. Now, can you make sure that each of them gets a name badge and an information pack. The badges are done, but you'll need to prepare the packs with all the relevant information.Man: Ok, that shouldn't take too long. What about catering?Woman: Coffee's organised for eleven and three, but lunch - it's at one - we need to reserve it for twelve people . . .The office restaurant is closed next week . . . can you ring the Park Hotel? The Grand Hotel was a bit disappointing last time.Man: I'll get onto that.Woman: Now, they'll be coming straight from the station, and their taxi will bring them to the front gate, so make sure you're there to greet them. That'll be about ten.Man: Ten. And then . . .Woman: Into Reception, I think. Make sure the new designs are on display, I want them to see those first.Man: OK.Woman: Let me know when it's all finalised. Bye.Woman: Well no wonder the bank's returned it unpaid. Look, the figures don't match the amount in words. I expect someone was filling it in in too much of a hurry. Let's see, we'd better issue another one straight away to pay Mrs Burton, because it'll be another three weeks if we wait for the next cycle of payments. Her expenses on that sales trip were pretty high, and it wouldn't be fair to keep her waiting much longer.fourteenMan: Some of the suppliers are already asking about the increases. I'll check, but I seem to remember from last week's meeting that in the end we agreed on three per cent. So what I'll do is go down each column and calculate the new amounts, and then it can be printed in time to be inserted into the new brochures. Can you check the figures for me, though, before it goes to the printers?fifteenWoman: We've just received the paperwork from you about cleaning our premises, and I have to say that it doesn't reflect what we agreed in our conversation last week. For one thing, it says that we have to supply our security code, and for another it specifies monthly payment in advance, and I told you both of those were out of the。
中级 新编剑桥商务英语听力部分
LISTENING SCRIPTSModule 11.1 Working from home (page 8)I=Interviewer M=MichelaI OK,Michela.You work from home now.Can you tell me about a typical day?M Sure, I always get up around seven and the first thing I do is get the kids ready for school.I take them at eight thirty and thin I always start work at nine.I Do you ever have a day where you decide to have the morning off and start work later?M No,you can’t do that.It’s important with home-working to have a timetable and stick to it.If you end up watching TV or doing the cleaning then it isn’t for you.So I have lunch at twelve and finish work at two thirty to get the children.I Was that why you gave up your office job?M Yes,I wanted to spend more time with the children.It gives me more flexibility.Sometimes I need to work in the evening but usually it isn’t a problem.I So how long have you been doing this kind of work?M For about five years.I’ve been with the same company since I left school but with the Internet and technology it’s easy now to be at home.I So your employer doesn’t mind.M No.It means the company saves money on office space and as long as I get the work done,they’re happy.Sometimes I still fo into work to meet clients and so on.For example,I’m going in nearly every day this week because we have visitors from another company and I can’t really invite them over to my house.Besides,the gossip and the news with my colleagues.I miss that side of going into work every day.I Is there anything else you miss?M Ermm.No,not really.And I’ll tell you what I really don’t miss and that’s having to spend two hours commuting on the bus and train every day. . .1.2 Starting a conversation (page 11)Conversation 1R=Richard W=Woman M=MarekR Hello?W Hello,Richard.I’d like to introduce you to Marek.R Oh,yes.Hello,Marek.How do you do?Nice to meet you at last.M Hello,Richard.Pleased to meet you too.W Oh,do you two know each other already?M Well,we’ve spoken on the phone a few times.R But we’ve never actually met.Anyway,take a seat.Would you both like a coffee? Conversation 2A Would you like a coffee?B Oh,thanks.A Milk?B Yes,please,and a sugar…thanks.A So have you enjoyed this morning?B Yes,it was very interesting.The first speaker was particularly good.A Is this your first time at one of these events?B Yes,it is.And you?A No,I’ve been coming for years.The company pays and if the location is good then I come.I remember the best year we had was in Monaco…Conversation 3M=Marie W=WomanM May I join you?W Sure.M You’re a colleague of Martin Obach,aren’t you?W That’s right He works in our Barcelona office.How do you know him?M We were both at Elcotil together.He left about a year before me.W Oh,are you Mandy?M Marie.W Marie.That’s right.Sorry,I knew it began with an M.Yes,Martin said you were doing this course and that I should say hello…Conversation 4A Well,this is nice.B Well,it’s quite simple but the food is vey traditional and it’s popular with the locals.On Sundays I often bring the family here.A That’s nice.How many children do you have?B Two.Twinks.A boy and a girl.They’ve just started school.A Wow.Twinks.B And you?A No,not yet.And have you always lived in Lille?B Yes,most of my life.I worked in Paris for a while and in your country,of course.But all my relatives are here.What about your family?A Oh,they’re spread out.I see my parents from time to time but my sister lives in Norway with her husband so we don’t get together much.Anyway,I know your company is looking for a partner on this Thai project.B Yes.Is that something you might be interested in…1.3 Exam spotlight (page 15)E=Examiner C=CandidateE And where do you live exactly?C I’m from a small town in northern Switzerland but at the moment I’m studying for a business degree so I live in Zurich.E What types of business are most successful in your town?C Err,well,I suppose that tourism is quite important to the area and there are many small farms so agriculture also.Zurich,where I study,is more famous of course for banking and financial services.E How is working life changing in your country?C Sorry,can you repeat the question,please?E Yes,how is working life changing in your country?C I think that more and more people are moving to the cities or they are commuting in every day.In my opinion, the biggest change has come from technology-but then that’s probably true everywhere,not just in my country…Module 22.1 Benefits and incentives (page 16)Speaker 1 It’s great because usually it means my wife can use the one at home and we even take mine away at weekends.I work for quite a relaxed company and they don’t seem to mind how I use it for leisure.Speaker 2 I thought it wouldn’t change the way I worked after the first six months but as they got older it actually became more complicated with getting them to school or if they wanted to do activities in the afternoon.But my boss has been really good about it and some days I can do a half a day if I want and then I might work later on other days-or I take work home,which I don’t like doing,but it’s the only way…Speaker 3 It’s actually the law now so they had to let me have it.It was only two weeks but at least I had time to help my wife out.Mind you,after all the late nights and crying I was really happy to get back to work for a while and have a rest!Speaker 4 I’ve just been promoted from Assistant IT Technician to Chief Operational Network Administrator.It means I get a bit of a pay rise and new business cards with my name on.I’m not sure if I get my own office though.Speaker 5 The problem for me is that I won’t have enough to live in when I’m 60 and I can’t afford a private plan.So I’ll probably try and keep working for a few more years,and anyway,I heard the government is planning to raise the age of retirement…2.2 Presentations (page 20)Extract 1 Good morning and thanks for coming.Today I’d like to tell you about the world’s largest document management company.With a turnover of nearly sixteen billion dollars the Xerox Corporation develops and markets innovative technologies with products and solutions that customers depend upon to get the best results for their business.In my brief presentation we’ll begin by looking at some of the key figures behind the company’s success and how the company is structured.Then I’ll give an overview of Xerox around the world and finally I’d like to talk about some of the trends affecting our market and its future growth.If you have any questions,I’ll be happy to answer them at the end.So,here you can see,the turnover for last year was nearly sixteen billion dollars,with a final income of 978 million dollars.We operated from our v headquarters in Rochester New York State in 160 countries with 55,000 employees,with over half of those in the USA.This next chart shows you how the corporation is split into four divisions.First of all,there’s Xerox Global Services…Extract 2 And finally there’s Xerox Innovation with five centres in the United States,Canada and Europe.Note that six percent of revenue was dedicated to researchand development last year as the key part of our mission statement is,and I quote,`to help people find better ways to do great work.`OK,let’s move on to look at Xerox around the world in a little more detail.Take a look at this chart,which shows revenue by region.So about half our revenue is from the US market.Then Europe with over two.One thing I’d like to point out is…Extract 3 Finally,how is the market for the document industry looking?Well,it would be unrecognisable to the people who founded the original company in 1906 and even compared to the second half of the twentieth century.More and more offices are moving from black and white printing to colour and from paper documents to electronic documents.These are clearly the future opportunities and areas of growth in what is a total market worth an estimated 112 billion dollars…So that brings me to the end of my presentation.Thanks for listening.I hope it’s been of interest.Are there any questions?2.3 Pausing (page 21)Presenter Good morning/and thanks for coming./Today/I’d like to tell you about/the world’s/largest/document/management/company./With a turnover of nearly sixteen billion dollars/the Xerox Corporation develops /and markets/innovative technologies/with products and solutions/that customers depend upon to get the best results/for their business./In my brief presentation/we’ll begin by looking at/some of the key figures/behind the company’s success/and how the company is structured./Then/I’ll give an overview of Xerox around the world/and finally/I’d like to talk about some of the trends/affecting our market/and its future growth./If you have any questions,/I’ll be happy to answer them at the end./2.4 Intonation and stress (page 21)Presenter Good morning/and thanks for coming./Today/I’d like to tell you about/the world’s/largest/document/management/company./With a turnover of nearly sixteen billion dollars/the Xerox Corporation develops /and markets/innovative technologies/with products and solutions/that customers depend upon to get the best results/for their business./In my brief presentation/we’ll begin by looking at/some of the key figures/behind the company’s success/and how the company is structured./Then/I’ll give an overview of Xerox around the world/and finally/I’d like to talk about some of the trends/affecting our market/and its future growth./If you have any questions,/I’ll be happy to answer them at the end.Module 33.1 advice on franchisesT= Trainer M=ManT So. That’s the end of my talk. Are there any question? Yes?M Thanks for your talk. It was very interesting. I’ve been thinking of starting my own business and I wondered what you thought of franchises.T That’s a good question. In general it’s important when you are thinking of becoming a franchisee to someone who likes to follow rules and have support from others. Entrepreneurs tend to be people who don’t like following tried and tested routes, so if you don’t like doing what other people want, then franchising isn’t for you.Secondly, I’d say make sure that the brand is strong and that it’s something you are interested in. For example, making and selling pizzas might be profitable but do you want to be doing it for the next five years? I also think you need to like hard work. People shouldn’t think that running a franchise is less work that being a sole trader.Finally, there’s the money. You still need start-up capital. This can be as low as five thousand pounds and as high as two hundred and thirty thousand pounds for a well-known brand like Domino’s Pizza…3.2 Planning a seminarRecorded message Thank you for calling Business Circle Conferencing. Please state your name and address. Then give the name of the event you’d like information on and we will send it to you immediately. Please speak after the tone.Ray Hello. This is Mr Ray Naunton. That’s N-A-U-N-T-O-N. I’m coming to the event next week called ‘Launching your business online’ and so you’ve already got my details. Anyway ,the reason I’m calling is that I won’t be able to arrive in time for registration and the buffet on the Sunday evening. My train doesn’t arrive until nine fifteen, so I’m going to take a taxi straight to the hotel. So I probably won’t get to the training centre until Monday morning. I hope that’s OK. Anyway it’s just to confirm that I will be there for the course. Oh, and could someone send me the schedule for the two days? You can email it to me at r dot naunton at worldsyouroyster dot com. Worldsyouroyster is all one word. That’s w-o-r-l-d-s-y-o-u-r-o-y-s-t-e-r. And all in lower case. Thank you.3.3 Planning a seminarKirsten Hello, Kirsten speakingVanessa Hi, Kirsten. It’s Vanessa. I’m just calling to check details for the group on Sunday evening.Kirsten Sure. Security are opening the room at three. Is that early enough?Vanessa Yes, the buffet won’t be setting up until four thirty so that’s plenty of time. I’ll get there at four and I don’t think anyone will be arriving before five. According to my records, we have twelve. Is that right?Kirsten Yes. Everyone has confirmed. Oh, that reminds me. We’ve had a message from Mr Naunton to say he won’t be here until after nine, so he’s checking straight into the hotel. There’s no point in inviting him to come after then, is there? I mean, I assume that we’ll have finished by nine.Vanessa By seven, I hope. Well, I hope they’ll have gone by then! If they want to get to know each other any longer, they can use the hotel bar.Kirsten Fine. I think that’s everything, then. Do you need me to be there?Vanessa No. There’s no point in both of us interrupting our weekend. It doesn’t need two of us.Kirsten Great. See you on Monday. Bye.Vanessa Bye.3.4 Leaving messageCall 1Hi, Vanessa. It’s Ralph again. Sorry, I forgot to ask earlier if you can send me details of next month’s seminars. I’ve got two people who really need some help with spreadsheets and accounting software. I remember you said that you had some computer courses planned. Anyway, send me details on those and anything else you have coming up. Thanks. Oh. You can email it to me if that’s easier. It’s R for Ralph. Dot. Hensher. At Henckel. That’s H-E-N-C-K-E-L dot D-E. Thanks. Bye.Call 2Hello. My name is Maria Monblot. The reason I’m calling is that I have a booking for next week’s business breakfast meeting. I’m afraid I won’t be able to attend but I would like to come to next month’s instead. I assume it is on the last Wednesday of the month as usual. Please confirm this. You’ve already got my number but just in case, it’s 768 4556.Call 3Hello. This is Jochen Anderson. I am booked in to run the seminar on design on the 25th. I’ve just received the schedule for the day and it appears that I am speaking at nine thirty. That isn’t what I agreed with you. We said I would be at eleven and that I would have ninety minutes, not one hour. You ‘ve also described it as a talk but I’m giving a workshop. Please get back to me about this as soon as possible. I’ll be in my office between two and five o’clock.Call 4Hi, Vanessa. It’s Kirsten. Just to let you know that Jochen Anderson is trying to get hold of you. He left message on my home number to say he isn’t happy about the schedule for the 25th.I haven’t got the details with me so I can’t help really. I’m sorry, but can you call him back? He only needs the time changing and something about title. I’m sure one of the other speaker won’t mind changing. You know what he’s like. See you tomorrow.Call 5Hello. This is Bryan in security. I’m returning your call about having the building open on Sunday. I’m just calling to say that’s fine. I’ll be here at midday anyway so it’ll be OK for three o’clock. If there’s anything else you can call me any time on my mobile. It’s 07786 678 8890.3.5 Taking notes and messagesVanessa Hello, Business Circle Conferencing.Jochen Hello. Can I speak to Kirsten, please?Vanessa I’m sorry, she’s not here today. My name’s Vanessa. Can I help you?Jochen This is Jochen Anderson.Vanessa Oh, hello, Mr Anderson. Kirsten said you phoned and I tried calling you at your office. Jochen Well, I’m on my mobile. Anyway, it’s about the schedule for the training event. It isn’t what we agreed.Vanessa Sorry, let me check. So that’s the event on the 25th.Jochen That’s right. And it says I’m speaking at nine thirty.Vanessa And you’re supposed to be speaking at eleven. Yes, well I’m sure we can change it. Jochen Yes, but actually I think the afternoon would be better. After lunch. Can I speak at two pm? Then I can arrive in the morning.Vanessa I see. So that’s two in the afternoon. I’ll have to check with another presenter and then call you back. Could you give me your mobile number?Jochen Certainly. It’s 0778 890 8895.Vanessa Let me read that back to you. 0778 890 8895.Jochen That’s right.Vanessa I’ll call you back in about an hour.Jochen Good. Thank you.3.6 Exam spotlightN=Narrator M=Man W=WomanN Part one. Question 1-12.You will hear three telephone conversations or messages. Write one or two words or a number in the numbered spaces on the notes or forms below. You will hear each recording twice. Conversation One. Question 1-4.Look at the form below. You will hear a woman telephoning about a problem with her subscription to a business magazine. You have fifteen seconds to read through the form. Now listen, and fill in the spaces.M Thank you for calling Business Monthly. Please state your name, the name of your company or organisation and your address. If you already have a subscription with us please give your subscription number and the reason for your call.W Hello. This is Cynthia Perkins – that’s P-E-R-K-I-N-S. I’m the research manager at RAVE solution. That’s R-A-V-E solutions. You’ve got our address on record. I’m calling about our current subscription. The number is IL0378JUL. We paid for twelve issues but we’ve only received eleven. Please send the June edition of the magazine. Thank you very much.N Now listen to the recording again.3.7 Exam spotlightN=Narrator T= Tom M=MariN Conversation Two. Questions 5-8.Look at the form below. You will hear a man telephoning a product company about a training video. You have fifteen seconds to read through the form. Now listen, and fill in the spaces.T Hello, this is Tom Yishan from Bright Star publishing. Could I speak to Mari Jones-Lumley, please?M Speaking. Hello, Tom. How are you?T Fine, thanks. Look, Mari, it’s about this training video you’re making for us.M Oh no, what’s happened?T No, don’t worry. Everything’s fine. It’s just that you know you wanted to film in the printing factory, if you could. Well, I spoke to the manager and that’s OK with them expect that the dates we agreed aren’t convenient for them. They want to know if you can put it back by ten days.M I’d normally say yes, Tom, but we’ve already postponed this twice. I can’t go on telling my team to cancel. Anyway, I think we have another project then.T I’m really sorry, Mari, but it’s out of my control.M OK. Can you check with the printing manager if two weeks later would be OK and I’ll have to with my people.T Two weeks? So that’s the 25th.M Right.T No problem. I’ll try and call him now and get back to you to confirm.N Now listen to the recording again.3.8 Exam spotlightN=Narrator P=Personnel Assistant R=RachelN Conversation three. Question 9-12Look at the form below. You will hear a woman telephoning another department in her company about a job applicant. You have fifteen seconds to read through the message pad. Now listen, and fill in the spaces.P Hello. Personnel.R Hello, this is Rachel in IT. It’s about the application of that new graduate which Michale sent over. Can I have a word with him?P Sorry Rachel, he won’t be in till tomorrow, but you can leave him a message.R Thanks. I’m afraid I’ve got a problem with the application form. Rufus has done his diploma in IT at the local college but he hasn’t filled in the section on references. I really need to speak to his tutor. Can Michael get hold of the contact details for him – his telephone number or email will do.P OK. Is that all then?R Err, I also need to know when Michael has scheduled him for interview. I think it might be tomorrow but I’m not sure. If it is tomorrow, has somebody confirmed that with Rufus because when I spoke to him briefly yesterday, he didn’t seem to know anything about it.P Oh, dear. Well, I’ll give Michael your message and let you know.R Well, I’ll be in a meeting for the rest of the day so leave me a message about tomorrow, and someone had better ring Rufus and tell him he has an interview. And let me know long he thinks it will take. I’m pretty busy.P Right. Will do.N Now listen to the recording again.Module 44.1 Advertising on the webSpeak Imagine you have new product or new service and you want the world to know about it. One way would be to write the advertisement onto ten or a hundred or thousand pieces of paper and drop them from the sky over your town or city. Someone on the ground might pick one up and read it. Maybe two or three people. On the other hand the wind might blow them away.Now imagine doing the same thing but this time throwing them into the air with adverts for every other product or service in the world. You probably wouldn’t do it, would you? Well,unfortunately, that’s what it’s like to advertise on the Internet.Trying to make your product, service or website known to the rest of Internet community can be very, very frustrating. Not only making it known, but getting visitors to actually visit the site can seem impossible. But there are ways to overcome the impossible when advertising on the Internet, as long as you follow three rules.So, rule number one. The first is to remember that people use search engines. So whenever someone types in a keyword linked to your business, your site needs to appear in the top 50 or so listings in all of the major search engines. Any lower and no one will ever find you.My second rule is that it’s a good idea to spend some useful time and effort on getting your links on other sites. This is an excellent, though very time-consuming way to increase visitors. You can do this by sharing links with other companies, so they have a link on your site and you put one on theirs. Or perhaps through a site review which recommends your products. Also remember that the more links you have elsewhere, the more likely people are to find you through a search engine.My third trip is never to pay for advertising on the web. I think that unless you have a very good reason, it’s a waste of money. With so many ways to get free advertising, I’ve found very little reason to pay for things like banners to promote my site.So those are my three starting points for anyone thinking of web advertising. Before we finish don’t forget that a memorable domain name that people can easily type will help. Email campaigns can work and are an easy way to get traffic to the site, though it doesn’t last long. What might be better is to have a monthly newsletter, which people sign up for. I’ve found this to be very effective and more positive than sending spam. Then there are contest with prizes or anything free – maybe some software or cool graphics.Once you’ve got people visiting the site, keep statistics on how may people visit per day and how often people return to the site. In other words, find out who they are. How old they are. Where they come from. What they like doing in their free time. You can get this kind of information by asking them to subscribe to your newsletter, for example …4.2 A bad delegatorManager Hi, Harry. Sorry to bother you but I’m so busy. Could you help me? I know you’re busy too, but I have a meeting with the managing director tomorrow and I don’t have time to do the schedules for next week. I know you did them last time I was off sick, so I thought you could do them again. I don’t want to give you anything too difficult, do I? so if I give you this … sorry , I haven’t had time to sort through it but you’ll work it out. Ok, great. Sorry, must go. If you have any questions … err, ask Mary. I think she did the schedules last time I was on holiday so she can help too. Fine. Bye!4.3 Sentence stressCan I borrow your expertise in something?I’ve asked you because …Let me know how it’s going once a week, please.I’ll need a report on this with your findings and your recommendations.So, let’s go through this one more time to check it’s clear.One thing you might want to think about is …You’ve done a great job on this!I’ve got a job here that will really interest you …I’d like you to be in charge of all of it.What are you going to do?Feel free to call me if you have any questions.Can you give this priority because they need it as soon as possible?The deadline for this is next Thursday.Module 55.1 An interview with an art consultant(1)I I’d like to begin by asking you to imagine that I’ve been asked to find some art for my company’s offices .Where would I started ?AC Well,the first stage in selecting art is normally for one of our art consultants to visit you on site to assess the location,the size of the area and the style of the building ,and so on.I How much difference does it make where I actually put the paintings?AC A great deal.Art needs to be placed taking into account the function of a space.Different types of art are appropriate for different areas.Once we have an idea about what kind of work it is you do and how the space is used,then we begin to find artworks and present a selection of art for your business and building .We can do this on-site or you can visit our galleries.The whole thing is a two-way collaborative process.I So you already have the painting?AC Yes,or we can ask an artist to create works for your specific space.In this case,the client has some input but it’s important to remember when choosing workplace art that art is not your brand .If you ask the artist to emphasise your company image in some way,you’ll just end up with bad art.Either way ,you have an art consultant who oversees and project manages the production of any commissioned artwork,and makes sure it’s completed and installed on time and within budget.And that also includes fitting appropriate lighting and any other maintenance and fitting…\5.2 An interview with an art consultant(2)I One thing I don’t understand is how a company ever decides what to choose .I mean ,art is such a personal thing .How does anyone ever agree?AC Well,that’s true.I think it’s important that you don’t set up committees or anything .If you have a workforce of 300 and you ask everyone ,you’ll get 300 different answers.No,you need to keep it small.Just one or two people .But choosing art for your offices isn’t necessarily about choosing what the individual likes.The real benefits for a business are that the artwork gives a positive image to clients.I So what’s a typical type of art?AC It’s so varied but in general I suggest something strong and bold.If it’s just light colours that no one can really see,it’s pointless.You need art which shows your clients you have good taste and that you are successful.I I often go into buildings and look at modern art and think,’What is that?It isn’t of anything.No people .Nothing .’Why do so many companies choose it?AC There are a number of reasons ,other than the fact that the managing director might like it.You don’t want art that will offend anyone .So a painting of a man and a woman with no clothes on is a bad idea .Similiarly,a landscape or a painting of the countryside is the sort of thing you have in your living room at home and doesn’t look very corporate .Also the art needs to say what kind of company you are. Most companies want to give clients the message that says we’re modern and we’re planning for the future .A classical painting says we’re old and traditional .A painting by a young ,modern painter gives a more positive image .And remember ,it doesn’t have to be a painting .A sculpture in the reception area can be very effective ,for example.I Finally,all this must be very expensive .How does a company justify thousands of pounds on this kind of thing?AC It can be expensive but of course many people rent works from us-as little as ten pounds a week.It also means that if you change your mind after a year or so,it’s easy to change the piece .I That sounds like a good idea..5.3 Some opinions on artSpeaker 1 But what is it? Is that a head?Or is it an animal? I can’t see how that is art.I mean,it doesn’t look like anything real.Speaker 2 I agree with you that this is nice. It reminds me of being in a café in somewhere like Paris but if you put it here no one will see it.It isn’t bold enough for this area.No ,we need something else.Speaker 3 This is beautiful but perhaps it would look better in someone’s office.It’s the sort of painting to help you relax.Speaker 4 Well,I’m not really the right person to ask . I never go to art galleries but this looks like what you see in cathedrals .It doesn’t tell you what our company is about.When people come into reception,they’ll think it’s a Roman temple ,not a hi-tech business.Let’s have something up-to-date.Speaker 5 This is quite good for reception because it shows a man thinking ,which is quite a good image for our company .It says to the visitor that this is a company with ideas .That we’re constantly considerating the future…5.4 Report on a meetingRS OK.Point one is about the conference,It starts on the 8th but I think someone should go out early on the 6th.What do you think ,Hugo?HS Sorry,but I did that last year and sat around for a day .There was a really nothing to do.I think if we go early it shouldn’t be until the 7th.It really isn’t worth it.RS OK,that’s fine ,Do you agree,Dahlia ?。
BEC中级真题第二辑TEST 2
第二辑TEST 2PART 1 listening1 Sometimes it is necessary to insist on further explanation.2 You shouldn't focus on your response while others are still speaking.3 People are reluctant to admit that they don't listen well.4 There are benefits in seeing things from the speaker's perspective.5 Keen observation of the speaker can support our listening skills.6 It is risky to think about a different issue while someone is speaking.7 People do not mind hearing their own views summarised.Good listener, better managerAToo often we accuse others of not listening, pretending that we ourselves are faultless, yet in our hearts we know that many of the mistakes we make come about because we haven't listened carefully enough. We get things wrong because we haven't quite understood what someone meant when they were talking to us. Anyone who has ever taken the minutes of a long meeting will know how hard it is to remember - despite the benefit of notes - exactly what everyone said. But success depends on getting things right - and that means listening.BListening is not the same thing as hearing; it is not an effortless activity. It demands attention and concentration. It may mean quizzing the speaker for additional information or for clarification - it is always better to ask than to continue regardless and get things wrong. However, if you allow your mind to wander onto something else, even for a few minutes, you'll miss what the speaker is saying - probably at the very moment when he or she is saying something critical. And not having heard, you won't know you've missed anything until it's too late.CThe most common bad habit we have is to start thinking of what we are going to say about the subject long before the other speaker has finished. We then stop listening. Even worse, this often adds rudeness to inattentiveness, as once you have decided what to say there is a fair chance you will interrupt to say it. Good listeners don't interrupt. In fact it is often worth explaining the main idea of what you have just been told before going on to make your own points. Nobody is offended by this and it shows that you have listened well.DAbove all be patient and accept that many people are not very good communicators. It's helpful to remember that the ways people move and position themselves while they are speaking can reveal a great deal about what they are saying. Equally importantly you should put yourself in the other person's place, both intellectually and emotionally; it will help you to understand what they aregetting at and form a response. But don't be too clever. Faced with a know-all, many people keep quiet because they see no point in continuing.PART 2 Finding the right peopleFinding the right peopleWhen a small company grows, managers must take on many new roles. Besides the day-to-day running of the business, they find themselves responsible for, among other things, relations with outside investors, increased levels of cashflow and, hardest of all, recruitment.For most managers of small and medium-sized enterprises, the job of searching for, interviewing and selecting staff is difficult and time-consuming. (0) ... .G... . Interviewing, for example, is a highly skilled activity in itself.'We have found the whole process very hard,' says Dan Baker, founding partner of a PR company. 'In seven years we have grown from five to eighteen staff, but we have not found it easy to locate and recruit the right people.' (8).........As Dan Baker explains, 'We went to one for our first recruitment drive, but they took a lot of money in advance and didn't put forward anybody suitable. In the end we had to do it ourselves.'Most recruitment decisions are based on a pile of CVs, a couple of short interviews and two cautious references. David Rowe, a business psychologist, studied how appointments were made in five small companies. He claims that selection was rarely based on clear criteria. (9).........This kind of approach to recruitment often has unhappy consequences for both employers and new recruits.Small companies often know what kind of person they are looking for. (10)......... According to David Rowe, this means that small company managers themselves have to devote more time and energy to recruitment. It shouldn't be something that is left to the evenings or weekends.Many companies start the recruitment process with over-optimistic ideas about the type of person that will fit into their team. 'It's very easy to say you must have the best people in the top positions,' says Alex Jones, managing partner of an executive recruitment company. 'But someone who is excellent in one company may not do so well in another environment.(11).........You can never guarantee a successful transfer of skills.'Whatever the candidate's qualifications, their personal qualities are just as important since they will have to integrate with existing members of staff. This is where, the recruitment industry argues, they can really help.According to Alex Jones, 'A good recruitment agency will visit your company and ask a lot of questions. (12).........They can ask applicants all sorts of questions you don't like to ask and present you with a shortlist of people who not only have the skills, but who are likely to fit in with your company's way of doing things.'A finance director in a big company, for example, will often make a terrible small company finance director because he or she is used to having a team doing the day-to-day jobs.B More often than not, the people making the choice prioritised different qualities in candidates or relied on guesswork.C Recruitment would seem an obvious task to outsource, but the company's experience of recruitment agencies was not encouraging.D They need paying for that, of course, but you will have them working for you and not for the candidate.E They are usually in very specific markets and the problem they face is that recruitment agencies may not really understand the sector.F This means that companies cannot spend more than the standard ten minutes interviewing each applicant.G Yet few are trained and competent for all aspects of the task.PART 3Department Store MagicDepartment Store MagicFor most of the 20th century Smithson's was one of Britain's most successful department stores, but by the mid-1990s, it had become dull. Still profitable, thanks largely to a series of successful advertising campaigns, but decidedly boring. The famous were careful not to be seen there, and its sales staff didn't seem to have changed since the store opened in 1908. Worst of all, its customers were buying fewer and fewer of its own-brand products, the major part of its business, and showing a preference for more fashionable brands.But now all this has changed, thanks to Rowena Baker, who became Smithson's first woman Chief Executive three years ago. Since then, while most major retailers in Britain have been losing money, Smithson's profits have been rising steadily. When Baker started, a lot of improvements had just been made to the building, without having any effect on sales, and she took the bold decision to invite one of Europe's most exciting interior designers to develop the fashion area, the heart of the store. This very quickly led to rising sales, even before the goods on display were changed. And as sales grew, so did profits.Baker had ambitious plans for the store from the start. 'We're playing a big game, to prove we're up there with the leaders in our sector, and we have to make sure people get that message. Smithson's had fallen behind the competition. It provided a traditional service targeted at middle-aged, middle-income customers, who'd been shopping there for years, and the customer base was gradually contracting. Our idea is to sell such an exciting variety of goods that everyone will want to come in, whether they plan to spend a little or a lot.' Baker's vision for the store is clear, but achieving it is far from simple. At first, many employees resisted her improvements because they just wouldn't be persuaded that there was anything wrong with the way they'd always done things, even if they accepted that the store had to overtake its competitors. It took many long meetings, involving the entire workforce, to win their support. It helped when they realised that Baker was a very different kind of manager from the ones they had known.Baker's staff policies contained more surprises. The uniform that had hardly changed since day one has now disappeared. Moreover, teenagers now get young shop assistants, and staff in the sports departments are themselves sports fans in trainers. As Baker explains, 'How can you sell jeans if you're wearing a black suit? Smithson's has a new identity, and this needs to be made clear to the customers.' She's also given every sales assistant responsibility for ensuring customer satisfaction, even if it means occasionally breaking company rules in the hope that this will help company profits.Rowena Baker is proving successful, but the City's big investors haven't been persuaded. According to retail analyst, John Matthews, 'Money had already been invested in refurbishment of the store and in fact that led to the boost in sales. She took the credit, but hadn't done anything to achieve it. And in my view the company's shareholders are not convinced. The fact is that unless she opens several more stores pretty soon, Smithson's profits will start to fall because turnover at the existing store will inevitably start to decline.'13 According to the writer, in the mid-1990s Smithson's department storeA was making a loss.B had a problem keeping staff.C was unhappy with its advertising agency.D mostly sold goods under the Smithson's name.14 According to the writer, Smithson's profits started rising three years ago because ofA an improvement in the retailing sector.B the previous work done on the store.C Rowena Baker's choice of designer.D a change in the products on sale.15 According to Rowena Baker, one problem which Smithson's faced when she joined was thatA the number of people using the store was falling slowly.B its competitors offered a more specialised range of products.C the store's prices were set at the wrong level.D customers were unhappy with the service provided.16 According to the writer, many staff opposed Baker's plans becauseA they were unwilling to change their way of working.B they disagreed with her goals for the store.C they felt they were not consulted enough about the changes.D they were unhappy with her style of management.17 Baker has changed staff policies because she believes thatA the corporate image can be improved through staff uniforms.B the previous rules were not fair to customers.C customers should be able to identify with the staff serving them.D employees should share in company profits.18 What problem does John Matthews think Smithson's is facing?A More money needs to be invested in the present store.B The company's profits will only continue to rise if it expands.C The refurbishment of the store is proving unpopular with customers.D Smithson's shareholders expect a quick return on their investments.PART 4Managing a career on the way upManaging a career on the way up is quite different from managing one at the top of an organisation. Individuals on the way up have to build relationships with the people they (19)……….to.They usually have to (20) ……….with subordinates in addition to people at the same level as themselves. The most senior staff only have those under them to relate to. This book (21) ……….the idea that all working relationships, including the relationship with one's boss, can and should be managed.You do not have to be (22) ………. than your manager in order to manage the relationship. Nor do you have to be better than your manager in any (23) ………..Your manager may well be your career (24) ……….and guide: he or she may have taught you almost everything you know about your(25) ………. of business - and may continue to teach you more. You may be planning to remain under his or her guidance in the future. None of these (26) ……….should alter your relationship with your manager or (27) ………. you off 'managing upwards'. I use this phrase to (28) ………. to the management of one's boss because, for many people on the way up, it is the first relationship they have to get right.You can, of course, get on at work just by (29) ………. positively to your manager, but that is not likely to be the most successful way to (30) ………. your working life. An active policy of managing upwards will make you more successful and, at the same time, make the business of going to work more enjoyable. It can also be a way to show (31) ………. to your manager for the efforts he or she has made on your (32) ………. Finally, managing upwards will make it easier for your manager to manage you,leaving him or her more time for other (33) and tasks.19 A notify B inform Caccount D report20 A unite B contact C handle D deal21 A promotes B presses C advertises Dconvinces22 A clearer B deeper Csmarter Dfuller23 A respect B fashion Cpart D means24 A leader B supporter C adviser D helper25 A course B line C path Droute26 A factors B aspects Ccauses D topics27 A put B see C keep D take28 A specify B identify C indicate D refer29 A giving B operating C reacting D co-operating30 A run B forward C move D make31 A appraisal B value C appreciation D regard32 A advantage B benefit C side D behalf33 A posts B roles C positions D actsPART 5 Personal Assistant of the YearPersonal Assistant of the Year0 Anne-Marie Garrard was shocked when it was announced that she had won the00Personal Assistant of the Year award. ‘T he other candidates seemed me34 to be very strong, and I have to say I found that the selection procedure really35 hard,' she says. 'I didn't think I had any chance of winning. When I heard my36 name, my legs were so weak I could only hardly stand up,' she laughs. So37 how is 'the best' personal assistant chosen from a group of so extremely good38 and very different individuals? The final decision was reached after a39 day-long session of the tests, interviews and exercises. Garrard believes40 the skills she uses in her job helped her how to perform well. For instance, although41 most of her work is for her company's Managing Director, she works for six bosses42 in all, so she always tries out to be prepared for anything that might happen.43 As for the future, her firm has closed for its summer break now; as soon as44 they will open again, there is a pay rise waiting for her. But Garrard is not45 going to be relax. She says, 'There's always room for personal development.You must keep trying to improve.。
最新BEC中级真题(第二辑)答案及听力原文
BEC中级真题（第二辑）答案及听力原文Test 1ReadingPart 11 C2 A3 B4 D5 A 6.B 7 CPart 28 D 9 C 10 E 11B 12 FPart 313 D 14 A 15 C 16 B 17.B 18.CPart 419B 20 A 21 D 22 A 23 C 24 C 25 D 26 A 27 B 28 C29 D 30 B 31 C 32 B 33 BPart534 ITSELF 35 IN 36 CORRECT 37.WHILE 38 SEEN 39 FROM 40 CORRECT 41 THOSE 42 FOR 43 WITH 44 THAT45 CORRECTWritingPart 1To: P. JonesFrom: Luisa GambonDate: 21 November 2002Subject: LatenessMr Jones,I have noticed that you often arrive late for work, especially on Monday mornings. As your colleagues are starting to complain about that, you understand that unless this habit changes, I will take disciplinary action against you. Come and see me tomorrow at 9 a.m. in my office. Thank youPart 2Report on customer complaintsINTRODUCTIONThis report has the purpose of presenting the reasons for customer complaints in 2002. FIELDINGSThe customer complaints received in 2002 were 300 in January. Then they increased to 540 in February because of the computer system's breakdown.In March they fell to 230 because an improved order system was introduced.The reasons for complaints from January to March were analysed:●firstly the companv received complaints for incorrect orders delivered. These errorswere fewer in March.●secondly the time taken to deliver is too high. but the company has planned to recruitnew agents.●Finally customers complain for the poor product quality. In order to solve this problemmore quality controls are making.CONCLUSIONSAt the moment all customers aren't satisfied but many measures have been taken to improve their satisfaction.ListeningPart 11. JAYE2. CUSTOMER SERVICES3. OFFICE ASSISTANT4. 457.605. EUROPE HOLIDAYS6. BUSINESS CARDS7. MARKETING EXECUTIVES8 (THE) (COMPANY) EOGO9 INFORMATION PACK10. PARK HOTEL11. FRONT GATE12. NEW DESIGNSPart 213 E 14 B 15 G 16 F 17 A 18 C 19 G 20 H21 E 22. BPart323 B 24 B 25 C 26 A 27 C28 B 29 A 30 CTapescriptListening Test 1This is the Business English Certificate Vantage 2, Listening Test 1.Part One. Questions 1 to 12.You will hear three telephone conversations or tnessages.Write one or two u'ords or a number in the numbered spaces on the notes or formsbelow.After you have listened once, replay each recording.Conversation One.Questions 1 to 4.Look at the form below.You will hear a man asking a colleague for information about a former employee.You have 15 second's to read through the form.[pause]Now listen, and fill in the spaces.Woman: Personnel . . .Man: Hello, it's Tim here, from Finance.Woman: Hi, Tim.Man: I've had a letter from the tax office about a student who worked here last summer – I wonder if you could look him up in your records.Woman: Sure, what's the name?Man: The surname's Jaye. First name Stephen.Woman: How does he spell his surname?Man: J-A-Y-E. Got that?Woman: Oh yes, here we are . . . lives at a hundred and eighty-three School Road, Barnfield . . .Man: Yes, that's the one.Woman: And you say he was working in Finance?Man: Uhm, Customer Services, actually.Woman: Aah - they had lots of students working for them last summer.Man: Well, the tax people want to know his exact job title - I'm not sure why.Woman: Mm, let me see . . . He was an office assistant.Man: Right, got that. They also want to know about his monthly earnings.Woman: Let's have a look . . . five hundred and thirty-eight pounds seventy a month . . .Oh, sorry, he was a scale one, so that's four hundred and fifty-seven pounds sixty.Anything else?Man: That's fine, thanks. I'll send them the information today . . .[pause]Now listen to the recording again.[pause]Conversation Two.Questions 5 to 8.Look at the note below.You will hear a man describing a problem with an order.You have 15 seconds to read through the note.[pause]Now listen, and fill in the spaces.Woman: Hello, Blackwell Printers. Julie Davidson speaking. How may I help you?Man: Hello. This is Mark Jones from Europe Holidays. I was hoping to speak to Steven Kirby about the stationery you're printing for us.Woman: I'm afraid Steven's away until Friday.Man: Oh - you see I'm not very happy with the business cards and I wanted to see if I could make a couple of changes to the paper too.Woman: Would you like me to pass on a message?Man: Yes, please. The thing is, I've just received your proofs - the cards themselves are fine, but you seem to have misunderstood the quantities. I'm sure I asked for fivehundred for each of the marketing executives and seven hundred and fifty for me but you've put everyone down for seven hundred and fifty.Woman: Right, I've made a note of that. Is there anything else?Man: Yes, well this is my mistake really. Could you ask Steven to move the company logo further to the left? It's too close to the address at the moment. I think that's all for now.Thanks.[pause]Now listen to the recording again.[pause]Conversation Three. Questions 9 -12Look at the notes below.You will hear a woman making the arrangements for a delegation who are going to visit her company.You have 15 seconds to read through the notes.[pause]Now listen, and fill in the spaces.Woman: Geoff?Man: Yes?Woman: I just want to finalise the preparations for the delegation next week.Man: Certainly. It's Thursday, isn't it?Woman: Yes. Now, can you make sure that each of them gets a name badge and an information pack. The badges are done, but you'll need to prepare the packs with all the relevant information.Man: Ok, that shouldn't take too long. What about catering?Woman: Coffee's organised for eleven and three, but lunch - it's at one - we need to reserve it for twelve people . . . The office restaurant is closed next week . . . can you ring the Park Hotel? The Grand Hotel was a bit disappointing last time.Man: I'll get onto that.Woman: Now, they'll be coming straight from the station, and their taxi will bring them to the front gate, so make sure you're there to greet them. That'll be about ten.Man: Ten. And then . . .Woman: Into Reception, I think. Make sure the new designs are on display, I want them to see those first.Man: OK.Woman: Let me know when it's all finalised. Bye.[pause]Now listen to the recording again.[pause]That is the end of Part One. You now have 20 seconds to check your answers. [pause]Part Two. Questions 13 to 22.Section One. Questions 13 to 17.You will hear five short recordings[pause]Now listen to the recording again.[pause]That is the end of Part One. You now seconds to check your answers.[pause]Part Two. Questions 13 to 22. Section One.Questions 13 to 17.You will hear five short recordings.For each recording, decide which type of document the speaker is talking about.Write one letter (A-H) next to the number of the recording.Do not use any letter more than once.After you have listened once, replay the recordings.You have 15 seconds to read the list A-H.[pause]Now listen, and decide which type of document each speaker is talking about. [pause] ThirteenWoman: Well no wonder the bank's returned it unpaid. Look, the figures don't match the amount in words. I expect someone was filling it in in too much of a hurry. Let's see, we'd better issue another one straight away to pay Mrs Burton, because it'll be another three weeks if we wait for the next cycle of payments. Her expenses on that sales trip were pretty high, and it wouldn't be fair to keep her waiting much longer. [pause] fourteenMan: Some of the suppliers are already asking about the increases. I'll check, but I seem to remember from last week's meeting that in the end we agreed on three per cent. So what I'll do is go down each column and calculate the new amounts, and then it can be printed in time to be inserted into the new brochures. Can you check the figures for me, though, before it goes to the printers?[pause] fifteenWoman: We've just received the paperwork from you about cleaning our premises, and I have to say that it doesn't reflect what we agreed in our conversation last week. For one thing, it says that we have to supply our security code, and for another it specifies monthly payment in advance, and I told you both of those were out of the question. I'm afraid I really can't sign this. Could you send me a revised one?[pause] SixteenMan: Of course, this only gives a very general picture. But as you can see, cash is a particularly healthy area. That's even when we take into account regular outgoings on loans and leasing equipment, which are included in the final totals. And even more significantly, unpaid orders are actually excluded from the final calculation. These represent a sum of approximately thirty thousand pounds. With that in mind, we can say that the company's overall position is still strong.[pause] SeventeenWoman: I've just asked the Arden Conference Centre about availability for our next training seminar, and they said they still haven't been paid for the one before last, which should have been dealt with six months ago. I've had to ask them to send a duplicate! We really must be careful. Arden give us very favourable prices, but we haven't got a contract with them - Can you deal with it straight away so we stay in their good books? [pause].Vow listen to the recordings again.[pause]Section Two. Questions 18 to 22.You will hear another five recordings.For each recording, decide what the speaker's purpose is.Write one letter (A-H) next to the number of the recording.Do not use any letter more than once.After you have listened once, replay the recordings.You have 15 seconds to read the list A-H.[pause]Now listen, and decide what each speaker's purpose is.[pause] EighteenMan: Hello. This is Guy Cooper from Centron Electronics here. I believe you rang for some advice about your alarm system, which isn't functioning properly. The message I got said you weren't sure if you needed someone to come and sort it out, or if we could advise you over the phone. Well perhaps you'd like to get back to me as soon as it's convenient and tell me exactly what the problem is, and I'll see what I can do. [pause] NineteenWoman: Well, as you say, Redlon has been supplying us for years but, quite honestly, two-thirds of the complaints we receive about our products are actually due to faults in components we've had from Redlon. So I talked to the Production Manager and he agreed that I should look at some alternatives. Future World's range is fine for us, and one of their customers who I spoke to recommended them highly, so that's why we've changed to using them.[pause] TwentyWoman: The competition's getting tougher, and you know we're facing serious problems.We need to see more benefit from the undeniably hard work we're putting in, and this means saying no to jobs which aren't profitable. It would be much more beneficial to put all our efforts into winning higher-margin contracts. So the way I feel you can help most is by identifying the types of contacts which will bring in the income we need in order to ensure our future.[pause] Twenty-oneMan: John Woods here, phoning about the project we discussed earlier. Could you give me a ring so that we can talk about it a bit more? I've done a few calculations and I'm beginning to wonder whether it's really a practical proposition. 1 still think the project's got potential, but there are significant additional costs which we hadn't taken into account. So could you get back to me as soon as you can, please?[pause] Twenty-twoWoman: Hello, Sally here, from Pagwell Paints, returning your call. I'm very sorry you aren't happy with the latest consignment you've had from us. It's rather strange, because following your complaint about the last delivery, we did in fact take action to change the specifications in the way you suggested. So it isn't quite fair to say that we ignored your advice. I know it's important to achieve the consistency that you require, but perhaps your recommendation wasn't exactly what's needed.[pause]Now listen to the recordings again.[pause]This is the end of Part Two.[pause]Part Three. Questions 23 to 30.You will hear the chairman of a business institute making a speech about new business awards that his institute has sponsored.For each question 23-30. mark one letter (A, B or C) for the correct answer.After you have listened once, replay the recording.You have 45 seconds to read through the questions.[pause]Now listen, and mark A, 6 or C.[pause]Man: Who are the managers of the best innovation developments in British industry? That was the question which the first Business Today Innovation Awards set out to answer. This project is all about rewarding good practice and performance. So, rather than simply recognising excellence in the design of specific products, or analysing their financial impact on profits, the awards set out to take an objective look at exactly how companies manage the development process itself.Over three hundred and fifty organisations entered the competition and were initially reduced to about forty. Then, after further careful checking, a short list of just fourteen of them was arrived at. These finalists, all manufacturers, were then visited by the competition judges, a panel of four chief executives from leading companies. The panel toured the finalists' facilities, received presentations on the companies and their projects, and interviewed the key development team members. The products varied enormously in their scale, function and degree of technology - from bread for a supermarket chain to a printer inside an automatic cash dispenserInitially the organisers were concerned that this range could create difficulties in the assessment process. But this fear proved baseless, as most elements in the innovation process are shared by all manufacturers.Interestingly, the finalists broke down into two distinct and equal groups: large firms with one thousand employees or more and small firms with two hundred and fifty employees or fewer. With both groups the judges decided to concentrate on two of the clearest indicators of a successful innovation process, which are: how well the new product is combined with the company's existing business, and secondly, how-well the innovation methods are recorded and understood. Small firms naturally tend to do well in the first category since they have fewer layers of management and thus much shorter communication lines. But they seem to put less emphasis on creating formal development methods which would be repeatable in future innovations.Large firms, on the other hand, have difficulty integrating the new development within their existing business for reasons of scale. But they tend to succeed in achieving well-documented and repeatable development methods. This is because larger companies, with their clear emphasis on training, fixed management structure and administrative systems, require more formal, daily record-keeping from their staff.So what were the key questions the judges had in mind when assessing the finalists? One of the most important areas concerned how thoroughly a company checks what is happening in other fields in order to incorporate new ideas into the development process. Many of the finalists impressed in the area. Xatura, for example, had demonstrated genuine energy in searching for new ways of producing their range of specialitv breads. They had looked at styles of home cooking in different countries, as well as the possibility of exploiting new production technologies in order to achieve equally good results but on a high-volume production line.What then occupied much of the judges' thoughts was the quality of the links which the development team established with senior management, suppliers, the market and manufacturing. The best examples of the first category were found in small firms, where the individual entrepreneur at the top was clearly driving the innovation forwardLinks with suppliers were also seen as an important factor, but not all supplier experiences were positive. Occasionally serious problems had to be solved where suppliers were working hard to meet specifications, but the companies that the suppliers were using to adapt their machinery were not so efficient. This, led to disappointing faults or fluctuations in quality.But in conclusion the awards demonstrate that innovation isn't just for high-tech internet companies. You can also be successful in mature markets with determination and skill. [pause]Now listen to the recording again.[pause]That is the end of Part Three. You now have ten minutes to transfer your answers to your Answer Sheet.Note: Teacher, stop the recording here and time ten minutes. Remind students when there is one minute remaining.[pause]That is the end of the test.Test 2ReadingPart 1I. B 2 C 3 A 4 D 5 D 6 B 7 CPart 28 C 9 B 10 E 11 A 12 DPart 313 D 14 C 15 A 16 A 17 C 18.BPart 419.D 20 D 21 A 22 C 23 A 24 C 25 B 26 A27 A 28 D 29 C 30 A 31 C 32 D 33 BPart 534 THAT 35 CORRECT 36 ONLY 37 SO 38 CORRECT 39THE 40 HOW 41 CORRECT 42 OUT 43 CORRECT 44 WILL 45 BETest 2 WritingPart 1To: All StaffFrom: Managing DirectorDate: 7 DecemberSubject: Staff rewardI would like to thank you for the contribution in increasing the company's profit. The profit increased due to very hard work and long working hours. Each of the staff will receive an envelope with a reward on Tuesday. The reward is a trip to Hawaii, and I hope that this will be the perfect reward. Enjoy!Thank youPart 2Introduction.The purpose of this report is to assess and recomend a taxi firm that will become our regular transporter. We will need them especially during next year trade fair and conferences. There are two firms to assess.Findings:As regards to Telecars we have a good references on them. It is very experienced traditional firm and is also very reliable. They provide 24-hours service that is useful during night meetings and negotiations. StreetlightCabs is brand new company and there are no references on them. But they provide long distance routes which we usevery often and they are also cheaper. On the other hand they don't have web page and so internet booking isn't available.Conclusion:I recommend to choose Telecars because of their reliability, long tradition and well trained staff.ListeningPart 11TAKING MINUTES213(TH) OCTOBER3CERTIFICATE4CUSTOMER SERVICE5WORLDNET/WORLD NET6OUTSIDE LINES7TRANSFER CALLS8(THE) EQUIPMENT9. TRADE FAIR10AFTER LUNCH11REVISED BUDGETS12HEAD OFFICEPart 213 H 14 E 15 F 16 A 17 D 18 G19 E 20 C 21 B 22 HPart323 C 24 A 25 A 26 C 27 A 28 C 29 B 30 BTapescriptListening Test 2This is the Business English Certificate Vantage 2, Listening Test 2.Part One. Questions 1 to 12.You will hear three telephone conversations or messages.Write one or two words or a number in the numbered spaces on the notes or forms below.After you have listened once, replay each recording.Conversation One. Questions 1 to 4.Look at the form below.You will hear a woman calling about training courses.You have 15 seconds to read through the form. [pause]Now listen, and fill in the spaces.Man: Good morning, Oakleaf Business Training. How can I help you?Woman: Hello, my name's Enid Stevens, of Appleyard Smith. I've booked two one-day courses, but now I need to change one of them.Man: Let me get your details up on the screen. Right, you've booked Report Writing next month . . .Woman: Yes, that one's OK. It's Taking Minutes that I can't manage, on the eighth of July.Do you know when it's running again?Man: Let me see. Not until the eighteenth of September, I'm afraid.Woman: That sounds fine. Oh, I think I'll be abroad then.Man: Then there's the first and the thirteenth of October.Woman: I'd like the later date, please.Man: Fine, I'll change your booking.Woman: Another thing; it says in your brochure, everyone attending a course gets a certificate, but I haven't received one from a course I took last January.Man: I'm sorry about that. Which course was it?Woman: Something to do with dealing with the public . . . ?Man: That must have been Customer Service.Woman: Sounds familiar.Man: OK, I'll put it in the post today.Woman: Thank you very much. Goodbye.Man: Goodbye.[pause]Now listen to the recording again.[pause]Conversation Two. Questions 5 to 8.Look at the note below.You will hear a woman ringing about problems with a new telephone system.You have 15 seconds to read through the note.[pause]Now listen, and fill in the spaces.Man: Hello, Swinburn Telecoms.Woman: I'd like to speak to Tony Wilson, please.Man: I'm afraid Tony isn't available. Can I take a message?Woman: Yes please. I'm Sheila Dallas, from Worldnet.Man: Right.Woman: I'm ringing about the telephone system your firm installed here yesterday. We're not happy with it.Man: Oh dear. What seems to be the problem?Woman: First of all, your engineer said that with the number of extensions we've got, six outside lines would be enough, but we asked for eight, and anyway you've charged us for the larger system.Man: Right, we'll look into that.Woman: Then, whenever we try to transfer calls from one extension to another we lose them. We're following the instructions, but it just doesn't work.Man: I see.Woman: And finally, could you ask Tony to check the invoice, please? He promised us a discount on installation, which is shown, and one on the equipment, but that isn't there.Man: Right. I'm sorry about all that. I'll get Tony to contact you as soon as he's free. Woman: Thank you. Goodbye. Man: Goodbye.[pause]Now listen to the recording again.[pause]Conversation Three. Questions 9 to 12.Look at the note below.You will hear a woman calling about the arrangements for a meeting.You have 15 seconds to read through the note.[pause]Now listen, and fill in the spaces.Man: Good morning. Marketing Department. Peter Menzies speaking.Woman: Hello. Could I speak to John Fitzgerald, please?Man: I'm afraid he's not in the office at the moment.Woman: Well, this is Elizabeth Parnell calling. I wanted to talk to John about the meeting next week. You see, I only get back on Tuesday night from a trade fair in the States. Man: So, would you like me to give him a message?Woman: Yes, could you ask him if we can postpone Wednesday's meeting? Till after lunch.That would be easier. It was originally going to be at ten a.m.Man: OK. I'll ask him to change it. I'll get back to you with a time.Woman: Thanks. And could you also ask him to add another item for discussion at the meeting? I thought we were going to talk about the revised budgets - but I can't see this on the agenda.Man: OK. I'd better ask him to call you . . .Woman: Yes, please. I'm at Head Office at the moment. Can he phone me here today - I won't be back at my own desk until tomorrow afternoon.Man: Right, I'll give him the message.Woman: Thanks.Man: Bye.Woman: Goodbye.[pause]Now listen to the recording again.[pause]That is the end of Part One. You now have 20 seconds to check your answers. [pause]Part Two. Questions 13 to 22.Section One. Questions 13 to 17.You will hear five short recordings. Five people are talking about different business books they have read.for each recording, decide which book the speaker is talking about.Write one letter (A-Hi next to the number of the recording.Do not use any letter more than once.After you have listened once, replay the recordings.You have 15 seconds to read the list A-H.[pause]Note listen, and decide winch book each speaker is talking about.[pause] ThirteenWoman: Yes, it was interesting . . . some of it was rather obvious, of course, like dressing smartly, making sure you arrive on time, that sort of thing . . . but there was also quitea lot I'd never really considered . . . like ways to interpret what the advertisement isreally asking for, reading between the lines . . . and a section which lists some of the harder questions they tend to ask you, with effective answers you can give [pause] FourteenMan: Invaluable, I'd say . . . certainly helps prevent you making some of the moreembarrassing mistakes. It gives you a kind of timescale to follow through. For example, they stress that you need to get publicity up and running a good six months before you want to stage the event. And get your main speakers booked earlier than that. They say you must make sure you've got a good assistant to support you, check the details.[pause] FifteenWoman: Actually, although it was a bit long, it was definitely useful. The trouble often is, when the management take on new staff, they don't necessarily really know what skills or qualities are needed. I want someone who's more than just a secretary typing out letters every day . . . I'm looking for a right hand, someone to do everything . . . and this book spells out what that means . . . it's helped me to draw upa job description.[pause] SixteenMan: Well, I wish I'd read it years ago! That would have saved me from some of my worst inefficiencies. I'd recommend it to anyone. It shows you how to produce a perfect schedule for getting through your workload . . . Once you've got yourself organised, made lists of tasks and priorities, you can make best use of each and every day . . .otherwise you're just constantly confusing your PA with endless requests, all terribly urgent . . .[pause] SeventeenWoman: Certainly, a lot of the book was very specialised . . . but it did give me an idea of how7 the agencies do the job. Of course, they're the people with the creative ideas, the expertise, so I'm happy to trust the image development work to them . . . but I read the book so I could talk to them on equal terms about what we're trying to do, and how it fits in with our overall business strategy.[pause]Now listen to the recordings again.[pause]Section Two. Questions 18 to 22.You will hear another five recordings, five people are talking about why they decided to use a particular company to supply their officeequipment.for each recording, decide what reason each person gives.Write one letter (A-H) next to the number of the recording.Do not use any letter more than once.After you have listened once, replay the recordings.You have 15 seconds to read the list A-H.[pause].Vow listen, arid decide what reason each person gives.[pause] EighteenMan: We were having problems with the company we normally use so we looked at a number of other companies and decided to give this one a try. They're just new in the business and we were impressed as they promised they would deliver the goods we wanted within two days and they did. We had to pay more than we would have liked but the results were worth it. Since then, I've told a lot of other people about them.。
剑桥2test2听力section4原文(整理过一页纸)
SECTION 4I hope that this first session, which I’ve called An Introduction to British Agriculture, will providea helpful background to the farm visits you’ll be doing next week.I think I should start by emphasizing that agriculture still accounts for a very important part of this country’s economy. We are used to hearing the UK’s society and economy described as being ‘industrial’or even ‘post-industrial’, but we mustn’t let this blind us to the fact that agriculture are its supporting industries still account for around 20% of our Gross National Product.This figure is especially impressive, I think, when you bear in mind how very small a percentage of the UK workforce is employed in agriculture. This is not a recent development – you would have to go back to 1750 or so to find a majority of the workforce in this Country working in agriculture. By the middle of the next century, in 1850 that is, it had fallen sharply to 10%, and then to 3% by the middle of the twentieth century.And now just 2% of the workforce contribute 20% of GNP. How is this efficiency achieved? Well, my own view is that it owes a great deal to a history, over the last 50 or 60 years, of intelligent support by the state, mainly taking the form of helping farmers to plan ahead. Then the two other factors I should mention, both very important, are the high level of training amongst the agricultural workforce. And secondly, the recognition by farmers of the value of investing in technology.Now, although the UK is a fairly small country, the geology and climate vary a good deal from region to region. For our purposes today we can divide the country broadly into three – I’ve marked them on the map here (indicates map).The region you’ll get to know best, of course, is the north, where we are at present. The land here is generally hilly, and the soils thin. The climate up here, and you’ve already had evidence of this, is generally cool and wet. As you will see next week, the typical farm here in the North is a small, family-run concern, producing mainly wool and timber for the market.If we contrast that with the Eastern region, over here, the east is flatter and more low-lying, with fertile soils and a mixed climate. Average farm-size is much bigger in the east, and farms are likely to be managed strictly on commercial lines. As for crops, well, the east is the UK’s great cereal-producing region. However, increasingly significant areas are now also given over to high quality vegetables for supply direct to the supermarkets.The third broad region is the west, where it’s a different story again. The climate is warmer than in the north and much wetter than in the east. The resulting rich soils in the west provide excellent pasture, and the farms there are quite large, typically around 800 hectares. The main products are milk, cheese and meat.So, clearly, there are marked differences between regions. But this does not prevent quite a strong sense of solidarity amongst the farming community as a whole, right across the country. This solidarity comes in part from the need to present a united front in dealing with other powerful interest-groups, such as government or the media. It also owes something to the close co-operation between all the agriculturaltraining colleges, through which the great majority of farmers pass at the beginning of their careers. And a third factor making for solidarity is the national structure of the Farmers’ Union, of which virtually all farmers are members.。
剑桥商务英语 中级真题 2-4辑听力文本
剑桥商务英语中级真题集听力原文目录BEC中级真题集听力原文(2010版) (1)TEST 1 (1)TEST 2 (6)TEST 3 (12)TEST 4 (18)TEST 5 (23)TEST 6 (29)TEST 7 (34)TEST 8 (40)TEST 9 (45)TEST 10 (50)TEST 11 (55)TEST 12 (61)BEC中级真题集听力原文(2010版)TEST 1Part One. Questions 1 to 12You will hear three telephone conversations or messages.Write one or two words or a number in the numbered spaces on the notes or forms below.After you have listened once, replay each recording.Conversation One.Questions 1 to 4Look at the form below.You will hear a man asking a colleague for information about a former employee.You have 15 seconds to read through the form.[Pause]Now listen, and fill in the spaces.Woman: Personnel…Man: Hello, it's Tim here, from Finance.Woman: Hi, Tim.Man: I've had a letter from the tax office about a student who worked here last summer – I wonder if you could look him up in your records.Woman: Sure, what's the name?Man: The surname's Jaye. First name Stephen.Woman: How does he spell his surname?Man: J-A-Y-E. Got that?Woman: Oh yes, here we are… lives at a hundred and eighty-three School Road, Barnfield…Man: Yes, that's the one.Woman: And you say he was working in Finance?Man: Uhm, Customer Services, actually.Woman: Aah - they had lots of students working for them last summer.Man: Well, the tax people want to know his exact job title - I'm not sure why. Woman: Mm, let me see... He was an office assistant.Man: Right, got that. They also want to know about his monthly earnings. Woman: Let's have a look... five hundred and thirty-eight pounds seventy a month... Oh,sorry, hewas a scale one, so that's four hundred and fifty-seven pounds sixty. Anything else?Man: That's fine, thanks. I'll send them the information today...[Pause]Now listen to the recording again.[Pause]Conversation Two.Questions 5 to 8.Look at the note below.You will hear a man describing a problem with an order.You have 15 seconds to read through the note.[Pause]Now listen, and fill in the spaces.Woman: Hello, Blackwell Printers. Julie Davidson speaking. How may I help you?Man: Hello. This is Mark Jones from Europe Holidays. I was hoping to speak to StevenKirby about the stationery you're printing for us.Woman: I'm afraid Steven's away until Friday.Man: Oh - you see I'm not very happy with the business cards and I wanted to see if I could make a couple of changes to the paper too.Woman: Would you like me to pass on a message?Man: Yes, please. The thing is, I've just received your proofs - the cards themselves are fine, but you seem to have misunderstood the quantities. I'm sure I asked for five hundredfor each of the marketing executives and seven hundred and fifty for me but you'veput everyone down for seven hundred and fifty.Woman: Right, I've made a note of that. Is there anything else?Man: Yes, well this is my mistake really. Could you ask Steven to move the company logo further to the left? It's too close to the address at the moment. I think that's all for now.Thanks.[Pause]Now listen to the recording again.[Pause]Conversation Three.Questions 9 to 12.Look at the notes below.You will hear a woman making the arrangements for a delegation who are going to visit her company.You have 15 seconds to read through the notes.[Pause]Now listen, and fill in the spaces.Woman: Geoff?Man: Yes?Woman: I just want to finalise the preparations for the delegation next week.Man: Certainly. It's Thursday, isn't it?Woman: Yes. Now, can you make sure that each of them gets a name badge and an information pack. The badges are done, but you'll need to prepare the packs with all the relevantinformation.Man: Ok, that shouldn't take too long. What about catering?Woman: Coffee's organised for eleven and three, but lunch - it's at one - we need to reserve it for twelve people... The office restaurant is closed next week... can you ring the ParkHotel? The Grand Hotel was a bit disappointing last time.Man: I'll get onto that.Woman: Now, they'll be coming straight from the station, and their taxi will bring them to the front gate, so make sure you're there to greet them. That'll be about ten.Man: Ten. And then...Woman: Into Reception, I think. Make sure the new designs are on display, I want them to see those first.Man: OK.Woman: Let me know when it's all finalised. Bye.[Pause]Now listen to the recording again.[Pause]That is the end of Part One. You now have 20 seconds to check your answers.[Pause]Part Two. Questions 13 to 22.Section One.Questions 13 to 17.You will hear five short recordings .For each recording, decide which type of document the speaker is talking about.Write one letter (A-H) next to the number of the recording.Do not use any letter more than once.After you have listened once, replay the recordings.You have 15 seconds to read the list A-H.[Pause]Now listen, and decide which type of document each speaker is talking about.[Pause]ThirteenWoman: Well no wonder the bank's returned it unpaid. Look, the figures don't match the amount in words. I expect someone was filling it in in too much of a hurry. Let's see,we'd better issue another one straight away to pay Mrs Burton, because it'll be anotherthree weeks if we wait for the next cycle of payments. Her expenses on that sales tripwere pretty high, and it wouldn't be fair to keep her waiting much longer. [Pause]FourteenMan: Some of the suppliers are already asking about the increases. I'll check, but I seem to remember from last week's meeting that in the end we agreed on three per cent. Sowhat I'll do is go down each column and calculate the new amounts, and then it can beprinted in time to be inserted into the new brochures. Can you check the figures forme, though, before it goes to the printers?[Pause]FifteenWoman: We've just received the paperwork from you about cleaning our premises, and I have to say that it doesn't reflect what we agreed in our conversation last week. Forone thing, it says that we have to supply our security code, and for another it specifiesmonthly payment in advance, and I told you both of those were out of the question.I'm afraid I really can't sign this. Could you send me a revised one?[Pause]SixteenMan: Of course, this only gives a very general picture. But as you can see, cash is a particularly healthy area. That's even when we take into account regular outgoings onloans and leasing equipment, which are included in the final totals. And even moresignificantly, unpaid orders are actually excluded from the final calculation. Theserepresent a sum of approximately thirty thousand pounds. With that in mind, we cansay that the company's overall position is still strong.[Pause]SeventeenWoman: I've just asked the Arden Conference Centre about availability for our next training seminar, and they said they still haven't been paid for the one before last, whichshould have been dealt with six months ago. I've had to ask them to send a duplicate!We really must be careful. Arden give us very favourable prices, but we haven't got acontract with them - Can you deal with it straight away so we stay in their goodbooks?[Pause]Now listen to the recordings again.[Pause]Section Two.Questions 18 to 22.You will bear another five recordings.For each recording, decide what the speaker's purpose is.Write one letter (A-H) next to the number of the recording.Do not use any letter more than once.After you have listened once, replay the recordings.You have 15 seconds to read the list A-H.[Pause]Now listen, and decide what each speaker's purpose is.[Pause]EighteenMan: Hello. This is Guy Cooper from Centron Electronics here. I believe you rang for some advice about your alarm system, which isn't functioning properly. The message I gotsaid you weren't sure if you needed someone to come and sort it out, or if we couldadvise you over the phone. Well perhaps you'd like to get back to me as soon as it'sconvenient and tell me exactly what the problem is, and I'll see what I can do. [Pause]NineteenWoman: Well, as you say, Redlon has been supplying us for years but, quite honestly, two-thirds of the complaints we receive about our products are actually due to faultsin components we've had from Redlon. So I talked to the Production Manager and heagreed that I should look at some alternatives. Future World's range is fine for us, andone of their customers who I spoke to recommended them highly, so that's why we'vechanged to using them.[Pause]TwentyWoman: The competition's getting tougher, and you know we're facing serious problems. We need to see more benefit from the undeniably hard work we're putting in, and thismeans saying no to jobs which aren't profitable. It would be much more beneficial toput all our efforts into winning higher-margin contracts. So the way I feel you canhelp most is by identifying the types of contacts which will bring in the income weneed in order to ensure our future.[Pause]Twenty-oneMan: John Woods here, phoning about the project we discussed earlier. Could you give mea ring so that we can talk about it a bit more? I've done a few calculations and I'mbeginning to wonder whether it's really a practical proposition. I still think theproject's got potential, but there are significant additional costs which we hadn't takeninto account. So could you get back to me as soon as you can, please?[Pause]Twenty-twoWoman: Hello, Sally here, from Pagwell Paints, returning your call. I'm very sorry you aren't happy with the latest consignment you've had from us. It's rather strange, becausefollowing your complaint about the last delivery, we did in fact take action to changethe specifications in the way you suggested. So it isn't quite fair to say that we ignoredyour advice. I know it's important to achieve the consistency that you require, butperhaps your recommendation wasn't exactly what's needed.[Pause]Now listen to the recordings again.[Pause]That is the end of Part Two.[Pause]Part Three. Questions 23 to 30.You will hear the chairman of a business institute making a speech about new business awards that his institute has sponsored.For each question 23-30, mark one letter (A, B or C) for the correct answer.After you have listened once, replay the recording.You have 45 seconds to read through the questions.[Pause]Now listen, and mark A, B or C.[Pause]Man: Who are the managers of the best innovation developments in British industry? That was the question which the first Business Today Innovation Awards set out to answer.This project is all about rewarding good practice and performance. So, rather thansimply recognising excellence in the design of specific products, or analysing theirfinancial impact on profits, the awards set out to take an objective look at exactly howcompanies manage the development process itself. Over three hundred and fiftyorganisations entered the competition and were initially reduced to about forty. Then,after further careful checking, a short list of just fourteen of them was arrived at.These finalists, all manufacturers, were then visited by the competition judges, a panelof four chief executives from leading companies. The panel toured the finalists'facilities, received presentations on the companies and their projects, and interviewedthe key development team members. The products varied enormously in their scale,function and degree of technology - from bread for a supermarket chain to a printerinside an automatic cash dispenser. Initially the organisers were concerned that thisrange could create difficulties in the assessment process. But this fear proved baseless,as most elements in the innovation process are shared b; all manufacturers.Interestingly, the finalists broke down into two distinct and equal groups: large firmswith one thousand employees or more and small firms with two hundred and fiftyemployees or fewer. With both groups the judges decided to concentrate on two of theclearest indicators of a successful innovation process, which are: how well the newproduct is combined with the company's existing business, and secondly, how well theinnovation methods are recorded and understood. Small firms naturally tend to dowell in the first category since they have fewer layers of management and thus muchshorter communication lines. But they seem to put less emphasis on creating formaldevelopment methods which would be repeatable in future innovations. Large firms,on the other hand, have difficulty integrating the new development within theirexisting business for reasons of scale. But they tend to succeed in achievingwell-documented and repeatable development methods. This is because largercompanies, with their clear emphasis on training, fixed management structure andadministrative systems, require more formal, daily recordkeeping from their staff. Sowhat were the key questions the judges had in mind when assessing the finalists? Oneof the most important areas concerned how thoroughly a company checks what ishappening in other fields in order to incorporat new ideas into the developmentprocess. Many of the finalists impressed in the area. Natura, for example, haddemonstrated genuine energy in searching for new ways of producing their range ofspeciality breads. They had looked at styles of home cooking in different countries, a:well as the possibility of exploiting new production technologies in order to achieveequally good results but on a high-volume production line. What then occupied muchof the judges' thoughts was the quality of the links which the development teamestablished with senior management, suppliers, the market and manufacturing. Thebest examples of the first category were found in small firms, where the individualentrepreneur at the top was clearly driving the innovation forward. Links withsuppliers were also seen as an important factor, but not all supplier experiences werepositive. Occasionally serious problems had to be solved where suppliers wereworking hard to meet specifications, but the companies that the suppliers were usingto adapt their machinery were not so efficient. This, led to disappointing faults orfluctuations in quality. But in conclusion the awards demonstrate that innovation isn'tjust for high-tech internet companies. You can also be successful in mature marketswith determination and skill.[Pause]Now listen to the recording again.[Pause]That is the end of Part Three.You now have ten minutes to transfer your answers to your Answer Sheet.Note: Teacher, stop the recording here and time ten minutes. Remind students when there is one minute remaining.[Pause]That is the end of the test.TEST 2Part One. Questions 1 to 12.You will hear three telephone conversations or messages.Write one or two words or a number in the numbered spaces on the notes or forms below.After you have listened once, replay each recording.Conversation One.Questions 1 to 4.Look at the form below.You will hear a woman calling about training courses.You have 15 seconds to read through the form.[Pause]Now listen, and fill in the spaces.Man: Good morning, Oakleaf Business Training. How can I help you?Woman: Hello, my name's Enid Stevens, of Appleyard Smith. I've booked two one-day courses, but now I need to change one of them.Man: Let me get your details up on the screen. Right, you've booked Report Writing next month...Woman: Yes, that one's OK. It's Taking Minutes that I can't manage, on the eighth of July. Do you know when it's running again?Man: Let me see. Not until the eighteenth of September, I'm afraid.Woman: That sounds fine. Oh, I think I'll be abroad then.Man: Then there's the first and the thirteenth of October.Woman: I'd like the later date, please.Man: Fine, I'll change your booking.Woman: Another thing; it says in your brochure, everyone attending a course gets a certificate, but I haven't received one from a course I took last January.Man: I'm sorry about that. Which course was it?Woman: Something to do with dealing with the public ?Man: That must have been Customer Service.Woman: Sounds familiar.Man: OK, I'll put it in the post today.Woman: Thank you very much. Goodbye.Man: Goodbye.[Pause]Now listen to the recording again.[Pause]Conversation Two.Questions 5 to 8.Look at the note below.You will hear a woman ringing about problems with a new telephone system.You have 15 seconds to read through the note.[Pause]Now listen, and fill in the spaces.Man: Hello, Swinburn Telecoms.Woman: I'd like to speak to Tony Wilson, please.Man: I'm afraid Tony isn't available. Can I take a message?Woman: Yes please. I'm Sheila Dallas, from Worldnet.Man: Right.Woman: I'm ringing about the telephone system your firm installed here yesterday. We're not happy with it.Man: Oh dear. What seems to be the problem?Woman: First of all, your engineer said that with the number of extensions we've got, six outside lines would be enough, but we asked for eight, and anyway you've charged usfor the larger system.Man: Right, we'll look into that.Woman: Then, whenever we try to transfer calls from one extension to another we lose them.We're following the instructions, but it just doesn't work.Man: I see.Woman: And finally, could you ask Tony to check the invoice, please? He promised us a discount on installation, which is shown, and one on the equipment, but that isn'tthere.Man: Right. I'm sorry about all that. I'll get Tony to contact you as soon as he's free.Woman: Thank you. Goodbye. Man: Goodbye.[Pause]Now listen to the recording again.[Pause]Conversation Three.Questions 9 to 12.Look at the note below.You will hear a woman calling about the arrangements for a meeting.You have 15 seconds to read through the note.[Pause]Now listen, and fill in the spaces.Man: Good morning. Marketing Department. Peter Menzies speaking.Woman: Hello. Could I speak to John Fitzgerald, please?Man: I'm afraid he's not in the office at the moment.Woman: Well, this is Elizabeth Parnell calling. I wanted to talk to John about the meeting next week. You see, I only get back on Tuesday night from a trade fair in the States. Man: So, would you like me to give him a message?Woman: Yes, could you ask him if we can postpone Wednesday's meeting? Till after lunch.That would be easier. It was originally going to be at ten a.m.Man: OK. I'll ask him to change it. I'll get back to you with a time.Woman: Thanks. And could you also ask him to add another item for discussion at the meeting?I thought we were going to talk about the revised budgets - but I can't see this on theagenda.Man: OK. I'd better ask him to call you...Woman: Yes, please. I'm at Head Office at the moment. Can he phone me here today - I won't be back at my own desk until tomorrow afternoon.Man: Right, I'll give him the message.Woman: Thanks.Man: Bye.Woman: Goodbye.[Pause]Now listen to the recording again.[Pause]That is the end of Part One. You now have 20 seconds to check your answers.[Pause]Part Two. Questions 13 to 22.Section One.Questions 13 to 17.You will hear five short recordings. Five people are talking about different business books they have read.For each recording, decide which book the speaker is talking about.Write one letter (A-H) next to the number of the recording.Do not use any letter more than once.After you have listened once, replay the recordings.You have 15 seconds to read the list A-H.[Pause]Now listen, and decide which book each speaker is talking about.[Pause]ThirteenWoman: Yes, it was interesting... some of it was rather obvious, of course, like dressing smartly, making sure you arrive on time, that sort of thing... but there was also quite alot I'd never really considered... like ways to interpret what the advertisement is reallyasking for, reading between the lines... and a section which lists some of the harderquestions they tend to ask you, with effective answers you can give.[Pause]FourteenMan: Invaluable, I'd say... certainly helps prevent you making some of the more embarrassing mistakes. It gives you a kind of timescale to follow through. Forexample, they stress that you need to get publicity up and running a good six monthsbefore you want to stage the event. And get your main speakers booked earlier thanthat. They say you must make sure you've got a good assistant to support you, checkthe details.[Pause]FifteenWoman: Actually, although it was a bit long, it was definitely useful. The trouble often is, when the management take on new staff, they don't necessarily really know whatskills or qualities are needed. I want someone who's more than just a secretary typingout letters every day... I'm looking for a right hand, someone to do everything... andthis book spells out what that means... it's helped me to draw up a job description. [Pause]SixteenMan: Well, I wish I'd read it years ago! That would have saved me from some of my worst inefficiencies. I'd recommend it to anyone. It shows you how to produce a perfectschedule for getting through your workload... Once you've got yourself organised,made lists of tasks and priorities, you can make best use of each and every day...otherwise you're just constantly confusing your PA with endless requests, all terriblyurgent. . .[Pause]SeventeenWoman: Certainly, a lot of the book was very specialised... but it did give me an idea of how the agencies do the job. Of course, they're the people with the creative ideas, theexpertise, so I'm happy to trust the image development work to them... but I read thebook so I could talk to them on equal terms about what we're trying to do, and how itfits in with our overall business strategy.[Pause]Now listen to the recordings again.Section Two.Questions 18 to 22.You will hear another five recordings. Five people are talking about why they decided to use a particular company to supply their office equipment.For each recording, decide what reason each person gives.Write one letter (A—H) next to the number of the recording.Do not use any letter more than once.After you have listened once, replay the recordings.You have 15 seconds to read the list A-H.[Pause]Now listen, and decide what reason each person gives.[Pause]EighteenMan: We were having problems with the company we normally use so we looked at a number of other companies and decided to give this one a try. They're just new in thebusiness and we were impressed as they promised they would deliver the goods wewanted within two days and they did. We had to pay more than we would have likedbut the results were worth it. Since then, I've told a lot of other people about them. [Pause]NineteenWoman: Apparently they're an established company in Scotland with an excellent reputation, but I didn't know that at the time. I found them through the internet. I was justbrowsing through the list of suppliers one day and I noticed their name. I looked themup and found that they had this fantastic discount available that particular month. Weordered various things and the quality was so good we've continued using them. [Pause]TwentyMan: We like to try out different suppliers to make sure we're always getting the best deal.This particular company was running a big publicity campaign. I'd seen the ads on TVand they really put me off. I just couldn't see the appeal. But then someone I met at atraining day told me we should use them. His company had used their service foryears with no complaints so we followed his advice.[Pause]Twenty-oneWoman: We'd looked round the market to find the cheapest deal possible but to be honest there wasn't much to choose, in terms of cost, between any of the local suppliers. However,we had a visit from a sales representative from one company and we asked him tomake up some complimentary printed letterheads for us. They were exactly what wewanted so that was the deciding factor. I think that personal touch gives a companyfar better results than advertising ever can.[Pause]Twenty-twoMan: Obviously there are many different factors to consider when you choose a new supplier. We always used a local company because they were relatively near and wecould even pick things up ourselves if necessary. But unfortunately they just becametoo expensive. Now that express delivery services are widely available, distance is nolonger a consideration and we've been able to choose someone who can give us thebest package for the lowest cost.[Pause]Now listen to the recordings again.[Pause]That is the end of Part Two.[Pause]Part Three. Questions 23 to 30.You will hear a radio report about the London stock market.For each question 23-30, mark one letter (A, B or C) for the correct answer.After you have listened once, replay the recording.You have 45 seconds to read through the questions.[Pause]Now listen, and mark A, B or C.[Pause]Woman: Hello. I'm Jane Bowen with our regular Friday look at the week just finished on the London stock market. The general picture is pretty mixed. Shares in the major banksare trading down, while mining companies have surprised analysts with a small rise.Overall, it's been a week of considerable movement, with the highest level reached atthe close two days ago and a sharp fall yesterday. A strong recovery saw most ofthose losses being made up today, but the closing figure still fell short of Wednesday's.Now here's Charles Wrighton with some company news.Man: Thanks Jane. And first, clothing retailer, Brownlow. Having finally found a buyer for their loss-making sports footwear subsidiary, Hi-form, they've rejected a take-over bidfrom a leading French retail chain which has been looking to buy into the Britishmarket for some time. This activity has moved Brownlow's shares up by twenty percent to ninety-six pence. There's a lot of interest in the Lek energy group, whichrecently bought Westwales Electricity. To the relief of Westwales managers, Lekhaven't brought in their own people to run the company. Despite predicted job cuts ofsomething like a third of the engineering staff, no announcement has been made, andindeed, Lek's comprehensive training scheme has been opened to all grades of staff inWestwales. Back to you, Jane.Woman: We've had a number of emails from investors asking what to do with their shares in gas and electricity companies after their consistently poor performance recently.Many of you might be thinking of getting rid of yours as quickly as possible. Butfinancial experts are fairly optimistic about the outlook for the power sector, andinvestors may do better to see what happens over the next few months. With so manyother investors deciding to cut their losses and sell now, interest in this sector mayincrease, and that, of course, would push share prices up. Pharmaceutical companieshave done well today. Recently we've seen several periods of rapid expansion in thissector, only for it to be overtaken a short time later by the strong financial institutions.But I actually think the recent performances of pharmaceuticals companies has hiddena steep drop in the share prices of many other companies. All other sectors have lostconsiderable amounts, but this simply has not been reflected in the overall value ofthe market, because pharmaceuticals companies are keeping the value high. Lookingnext at the sectors whose troubles have been in the news recently: supermarkets,having suffered a downturn in business for over a year, at last have some reason foroptimism. The leisure industry, which has suffered even more than supermarkets, isalso showing signs of a turnaround. The same cannot be said of the building sector,though, which expects little relief for at least another six months. Charles...Man: One company in the news is Freewaves, which owns a chain in internet cafes. Like other new companies, Freewaves has tended to pay low dividends to investors,preferring to re-invest profits in research and development. Although Freewaves wasable to turn in a healthy profit in the first quarter, taking everyone by surprise, thecompany has now declared operating losses close to a million pounds. This, of course,will make shareholders think about whether to keep their shares. And news fromSimpson's, the big retail group. For years Simpson's have been acquiring other chains,。
中级 新编剑桥商务英语听力部分
LISTENING SCRIPTSModule 11.1 Working from home (page 8)I=Interviewer M=MichelaI OK,Michela.You work from home now.Can you tell me about a typical day?M Sure, I always get up around seven and the first thing I do is get the kids ready for school.I take them at eight thirty and thin I always start work at nine.I Do you ever have a day where you decide to have the morning off and start work later?M No,you can’t do that.It’s important with home-working to have a timetable and stick to it.If you end up watching TV or doing the cleaning then it isn’t for you.So I have lunch at twelve and finish work at two thirty to get the children.I Was that why you gave up your office job?M Yes,I wanted to spend more time with the children.It gives me more flexibility.Sometimes I need to work in the evening but usually it isn’t a problem.I So how long have you been doing this kind of work?M For about five years.I’ve been with the same company since I left school but with the Internet and technology it’s easy now to be at home.I So your employer doesn’t mind.M No.It means the company saves money on office space and as long as I get the work done,they’re happy.Sometimes I still fo into work to meet clients and so on.For example,I’m going in nearly every day this week because we have visitors from another company and I can’t really invite them over to my house.Besides,the gossip and the news with my colleagues.I miss that side of going into work every day.I Is there anything else you miss?M Ermm.No,not really.And I’ll tell you what I really don’t miss and that’s having to spend two hours commuting on the bus and train every day. . .1.2 Starting a conversation (page 11)Conversation 1R=Richard W=Woman M=MarekR Hello?W Hello,Richard.I’d like to introduce you to Marek.R Oh,yes.Hello,Marek.How do you do?Nice to meet you at last.M Hello,Richard.Pleased to meet you too.W Oh,do you two know each other already?M Well,we’ve spoken on the phone a few times.R But we’ve never actually met.Anyway,take a seat.Would you both like a coffee? Conversation 2A Would you like a coffee?B Oh,thanks.A Milk?B Yes,please,and a sugar…thanks.A So have you enjoyed this morning?B Yes,it was very interesting.The first speaker was particularly good.A Is this your first time at one of these events?B Yes,it is.And you?A No,I’ve been coming for years.The company pays and if the location is good then I come.I remember the best year we had was in Monaco…Conversation 3M=Marie W=WomanM May I join you?W Sure.M You’re a colleague of Martin Obach,aren’t you?W That’s right He works in our Barcelona office.How do you know him?M We were both at Elcotil together.He left about a year before me.W Oh,are you Mandy?M Marie.W Marie.That’s right.Sorry,I knew it began with an M.Yes,Martin said you were doing this course and that I should say hello…Conversation 4A Well,this is nice.B Well,it’s quite simple but the food is vey traditional and it’s popular with the locals.On Sundays I often bring the family here.A That’s nice.How many children do you have?B Two.Twinks.A boy and a girl.They’ve just started school.A Wow.Twinks.B And you?A No,not yet.And have you always lived in Lille?B Yes,most of my life.I worked in Paris for a while and in your country,of course.But all my relatives are here.What about your family?A Oh,they’re spread out.I see my parents from time to time but my sister lives in Norway with her husband so we don’t get together much.Anyway,I know your company is looking for a partner on this Thai project.B Yes.Is that something you might be interested in…1.3 Exam spotlight (page 15)E=Examiner C=CandidateE And where do you live exactly?C I’m from a small town in northern Switzerland but at the moment I’m studying for a business degree so I live in Zurich.E What types of business are most successful in your town?C Err,well,I suppose that tourism is quite important to the area and there are many small farms so agriculture also.Zurich,where I study,is more famous of course for banking and financial services.E How is working life changing in your country?C Sorry,can you repeat the question,please?E Yes,how is working life changing in your country?C I think that more and more people are moving to the cities or they are commuting in every day.In my opinion, the biggest change has come from technology-but then that’s probably true everywhere,not just in my country…Module 22.1 Benefits and incentives (page 16)Speaker 1 It’s great because usually it means my wife can use the one at home and we even take mine away at weekends.I work for quite a relaxed company and they don’t seem to mind how I use it for leisure.Speaker 2 I thought it wouldn’t change the way I worked after the first six months but as they got older it actually became more complicated with getting them to school or if they wanted to do activities in the afternoon.But my boss has been really good about it and some days I can do a half a day if I want and then I might work later on other days-or I take work home,which I don’t like doing,but it’s the only way…Speaker 3 It’s actually the law now so they had to let me have it. It was only two weeks but at least I had time to help my wife out.Mind you,after all the late nights and crying I was really happy to get back to work for a while and have a rest!Speaker 4 I’ve just been promoted from Assistant IT Technician to Chief Operational Network Administrator.It means I get a bit of a pay rise and new business cards with my name on.I’m not sure if I get my own office though.Speaker 5 The problem for me is that I won’t have enough to live in when I’m 60 and I can’t afford a private plan.So I’ll probably try and keep working for a few more years,and anyway,I heard the government is planning to raise the age of retirement…2.2 Presentations (page 20)Extract 1 Good morning and thanks for coming.Today I’d like to tell you about the world’s largest document management company.With a turnover of nearly sixteen billion dollars the Xerox Corporation develops and markets innovative technologies with products and solutions that customers depend upon to get the best results for their business.In my brief presentation we’ll begin by looking at some of the key figures behind the company’s success and how the company is structured.Then I’ll give an overview of Xerox around the world and finally I’d like to talk about some of the trends affecting our market and it s future growth.If you have any questions,I’ll be happy to answer them at the end.So,here you can see,the turnover for last year was nearly sixteen billion dollars,with a final income of 978 million dollars.We operated from our v headquarters in Rochester New York State in 160 countries with 55,000 employees,with over half of those in the USA.This next chart shows you how the corporation is split into four divisions.First of all,there’s Xerox Global Services…Extract 2 And finally there’s Xerox Innovation with five centres in the United States,Canada and Europe.Note that six percent of revenue was dedicated to researchand development last year as the key part of our mission statement is,and I quote,`to help people find better ways to do great work.`OK,let’s move on to look at Xerox around the world in a little more detail.Take a look at this chart,which shows revenue by region.So about half our revenue is from the US market.Then Europe with over two.One thing I’d like to point out is…Extract 3 Finally,how is the market for the document industry looking?Well,it would be unrecognisable to the people who founded the original company in 1906 and even compared to the second half of the twentieth century.More and more offices are moving from black and white printing to colour and from paper documents to electronic documents.These are clearly the future opportunities and areas of growth in what is a total market worth an estimated 112 billion dollars…So that brings me to the end of my presentation.Thanks for listening.I hope it’s been of interest.Are there any questions?2.3 Pausing (page 21)Presenter Good morning/and thanks for coming./Today/I’d like to tell you about/the world’s/largest/document/management/company./With a turnover of nearly sixteen billion dollars/the Xerox Corporation develops /and markets/innovative technologies/with products and solutions/that customers depend upon to get the best results/for their business./In my brief presentation/we’ll begin by looking at/some of the key figures/behind the company’s success/and how the company is structured./Then/I’ll give an overview of Xerox around the world/and finally/I’d like to talk about some of the trends/affecting our market/and its future growth./If you have any questions,/I’ll be happy to answer them at the end./2.4 Intonation and stress (page 21)Presenter Good morning/and thanks for coming./Today/I’d like to tell you about/the world’s/largest/document/management/company./With a turnover of nearly sixteen billion dollars/the Xerox Corporation develops /and markets/innovative technologies/with products and solutions/that customers depend upon to get the best results/for their business./In my brief presentation/we’ll begin by looking at/some of the key figures/behind the company’s success/and how the company is structured./Then/I’ll give an overview of Xerox around the world/and finally/I’d like to talk about some of the trends/affecting our market/and its future growth./If you have any questions,/I’ll be happy to answer them at the end.Module 33.1 advice on franchisesT= Trainer M=ManT So. That’s the end of my talk. Are there any question? Yes?M Thanks for your talk. It was very interes ting. I’ve been thinking of starting my own business and I wondered what you thought of franchises.T That’s a good question. In general it’s important when you are thinking of becoming a franchisee to someone who likes to follow rules and have support from others. Entrepreneurs tend to be people who don’t like following tried and tested routes, so if you don’t like doing what other people want, then franchising isn’t for you.Secondly, I’d say make sure that the brand is strong and that it’s something you are interested in. For example, making and selling pizzas might be profitable but do you want to be doing it for the next five years? I also think you need to like hard work. People shouldn’t think that running a franchise is less work that being a sole trader.Finally, there’s the money. You still need start-up capital. This can be as low as five thousand pounds and as high as two hundred and thirty thousand pounds for a well-known brand like Domino’s Pizza…3.2 Planning a seminarRecorded message Thank you for calling Business Circle Conferencing. Please state your name and address. Then give the name of the event you’d like information on and we will send it to you immediately. Please speak after the tone.Ray Hello. This is Mr Ray Naunton. That’s N-A-U-N-T-O-N. I’m coming to the event next week called ‘Launching your business online’ and so you’ve already got my details. Anyway ,the reason I’m calling is that I won’t be able to arrive in time for registration and the buffet on the Sunday evening. My train doesn’t arrive until nine fifteen, so I’m going to take a taxi straight to the hotel. So I probably won’t get to the training centre until Monday morning. I hope that’s OK. Anyway it’s just to confirm that I will be there for the course. Oh, and c ould someone send me the schedule for the two days? You can email it to me at r dot naunton at worldsyouroyster dot com. Worldsyouroyster is all one word. That’s w-o-r-l-d-s-y-o-u-r-o-y-s-t-e-r. And all in lower case. Thank you.3.3 Planning a seminarKirsten Hello, Kirsten speakingVanessa Hi, Kirsten. It’s Vanessa. I’m just calling to check details for the group on Sunday evening.Kirsten Sure. Security are opening the room at three. Is that early enough?Vanessa Yes, the buffet won’t be setting up until four thirty so that’s plenty of time. I’ll get there at four and I don’t think anyone will be arriving before five. According to my records, we have twelve. Is that right?Kirsten Yes. Everyone has confirmed. Oh, that reminds me. We’ve had a mess age from Mr Naunton to say he won’t be here until after nine, so he’s checking straight into the hotel. There’s no point in inviting him to come after then, is there? I mean, I assume that we’ll have finished by nine.Vanessa By seven, I hope. Well, I ho pe they’ll have gone by then! If they want to get to know each other any longer, they can use the hotel bar.Kirsten Fine. I think that’s everything, then. Do you need me to be there?Vanessa No. There’s no point in both of us interrupting our weekend. It doesn’t need two of us.Kirsten Great. See you on Monday. Bye.Vanessa Bye.3.4 Leaving messageCall 1Hi, Vanessa. It’s Ralph again. Sorry, I forgot to ask earlier if you can send me details of next month’s seminars. I’ve got two people who re ally need some help with spreadsheets and accounting software. I remember you said that you had some computer courses planned. Anyway, send me details on those and anything else you have coming up. Thanks. Oh. You can email it to me if that’s easier. It’s R for Ralph. Dot. Hensher. At Henckel. That’s H-E-N-C-K-E-L dot D-E. Thanks. Bye.Call 2Hello. My name is Maria Monblot. The reason I’m calling is that I have a booking for next week’s business breakfast meeting. I’m afraid I won’t be able to attend but I would like to come to next month’s instead. I assume it is on the last Wednesday of the month as usual. Please confirm this. You’ve already got my number but just in case, it’s 768 4556.Call 3Hello. This is Jochen Anderson. I am booked in to run the seminar on design on the 25th. I’ve just received the schedule for the day and it appears that I am speaking at nine thirty. That isn’t what I agreed with you. We said I would be at eleven and that I would have ninety minutes, not one hour. You ‘ve also described it as a talk but I’m giving a workshop. Please get back to me about this as soon as possible. I’ll be in my office between two and five o’clock.Call 4Hi, Vanessa. It’s Kirsten. Just to let you know that Jochen Anderson is trying to get hold of y ou. He left message on my home number to say he isn’t happy about the schedule for the 25th.I haven’t got the details with me so I can’t help really. I’m sorry, but can you call him back? He only needs the time changing and something about title. I’m sure one of the other speaker won’t mind changing. You know what he’s like. See you tomorrow.Call 5Hello. This is Bryan in security. I’m returning your call about having the building open on Sunday. I’m just calling to say that’s fine. I’ll be here at midday anyway so it’ll be OK for three o’clock. If there’s anything else you can call me any time on my mobile. It’s 07786 678 8890.3.5 Taking notes and messagesVanessa Hello, Business Circle Conferencing.Jochen Hello. Can I speak to Kirsten, please?Vanessa I’m sorry, she’s not here today. My name’s Vanessa. Can I help you?Jochen This is Jochen Anderson.Vanessa Oh, hello, Mr Anderson. Kirsten said you phoned and I tried calling you at your office. Jochen Well, I’m on my mobile. Anyway, it’s about the schedule for the training event. It isn’t what we agreed.Vanessa Sorry, let me check. So that’s the event on the 25th.Jochen That’s right. And it says I’m speaking at nine thirty.Vanessa And you’re supposed to be speaking at eleven. Yes, well I’m sure we can change it. Jochen Yes, but actually I think the afternoon would be better. After lunch. Can I speak at two pm? Then I can arrive in the morning.Vanessa I see. So that’s two in the afternoon. I’ll have to check with another presenter a nd thencall you back. Could you give me your mobile number?Jochen Certainly. It’s 0778 890 8895.Vanessa Let me read that back to you. 0778 890 8895.Jochen That’s right.Vanessa I’ll call you back in about an hour.Jochen Good. Thank you.3.6 Exam spotlightN=Narrator M=Man W=WomanN Part one. Question 1-12.You will hear three telephone conversations or messages. Write one or two words or a number in the numbered spaces on the notes or forms below. You will hear each recording twice. Conversation One. Question 1-4.Look at the form below. You will hear a woman telephoning about a problem with her subscription to a business magazine. You have fifteen seconds to read through the form. Now listen, and fill in the spaces.M Thank you for calling Business Monthly. Please state your name, the name of your company or organisation and your address. If you already have a subscription with us please give your subscription number and the reason for your call.W Hello. This is Cynthia Perkins – that’s P-E-R-K-I-N-S. I’m the research manager at RA VE solution. That’s R-A-V-E solutions. You’ve got our address on record. I’m calling about our current subscription. The number is IL0378JUL. We paid for twelve issues but we’ve only received eleven. Please send the June edition of the magazine. Thank you very much.N Now listen to the recording again.3.7 Exam spotlightN=Narrator T= Tom M=MariN Conversation Two. Questions 5-8.Look at the form below. You will hear a man telephoning a product company about a training video. You have fifteen seconds to read through the form. Now listen, and fill in the spaces.T Hello, this is Tom Yishan from Bright Star publishing. Could I speak to Mari Jones-Lumley, please?M Speaking. Hello, Tom. How are you?T Fine, thanks. Look, Mari, it’s about this training video you’re making for us.M Oh no, what’s happened?T No, don’t worry. Everything’s fine. It’s just that you know you wanted to film in the printing factory, if you could. Well, I spoke to the ma nager and that’s OK with them expect that the dates we agreed aren’t convenient for them. They want to know if you can put it back by ten days.M I’d normally say yes, Tom, but we’ve already postponed this twice. I can’t go on telling my team to cancel. Anyway, I think we have another project then.T I’m really sorry, Mari, but it’s out of my control.M OK. Can you check with the printing manager if two weeks later would be OK and I’ll haveto with my people.T Two weeks? So that’s the 25th.M Right.T No problem. I’ll try and call him now and get back to you to confirm.N Now listen to the recording again.3.8 Exam spotlightN=Narrator P=Personnel Assistant R=RachelN Conversation three. Question 9-12Look at the form below. You will hear a woman telephoning another department in her company about a job applicant. You have fifteen seconds to read through the message pad. Now listen, and fill in the spaces.P Hello. Personnel.R Hello, this is Rachel in IT. It’s about the application of that new graduate which Michale sent over. Can I have a word with him?P Sorry Rachel, he won’t be in till tomorrow, but you can leave him a message.R Thanks. I’m afraid I’ve got a problem with the application form. Rufus has done his diploma in IT at t he local college but he hasn’t filled in the section on references. I really need to speak to his tutor. Can Michael get hold of the contact details for him – his telephone number or email will do.P OK. Is that all then?R Err, I also need to know when Michael has scheduled him for interview. I think it might be tomorrow but I’m not sure. If it is tomorrow, has somebody confirmed that with Rufus because when I spoke to him briefly yesterday, he didn’t seem to know anything about it.P Oh, dear. Well, I’ll give Michael your message and let you know.R Well, I’ll be in a meeting for the rest of the day so leave me a message about tomorrow, and someone had better ring Rufus and tell him he has an interview. And let me know long he thinks it will take. I’m pretty busy.P Right. Will do.N Now listen to the recording again.Module 44.1 Advertising on the webSpeak Imagine you have new product or new service and you want the world to know about it. One way would be to write the advertisement onto ten or a hundred or thousand pieces of paper and drop them from the sky over your town or city. Someone on the ground might pick one up and read it. Maybe two or three people. On the other hand the wind might blow them away.Now imagine doing the same thing but this time throwing them into the air with adverts for every other product or service in the world. You probably wouldn’t do it, would you? Well, unfortunately, that’s what it’s like to advertise on the Internet.Trying to make your product, service or website known to the rest of Internet community can be very, very frustrating. Not only making it known, but getting visitors to actually visit the site can seem impossible. But there are ways to overcome the impossible when advertising on the Internet, as long as you follow three rules.So, rule number one. The first is to remember that people use search engines. So whenever someone types in a keyword linked to your business, your site needs to appear in the top 50 or so listings in all of the major search engines. Any lower and no one will ever find you.My second rule is that it’s a good idea to spend some useful time and effort on getting your links on other sites. This is an excellent, though very time-consuming way to increase visitors. You can do this by sharing links with other companies, so they have a link on your site and you put one on theirs. Or perhaps through a site review which recommends your products. Also remember that the more links you have elsewhere, the more likely people are to find you through a search engine.My third trip is never to pay for advertising on the web. I think that unless you have a very good reason, it’s a waste of money. With so many ways to get free advertising, I’ve found very little reason to pay for things like banners to promote my site.So those are my three starting points for anyone thinking of web advertising. Before we finish don’t forget that a memorable domain name that people can easily type will help. Email campaigns can work and are an easy w ay to get traffic to the site, though it doesn’t last long. What might be better is to have a monthly newsletter, which people sign up for. I’ve found this to be very effective and more positive than sending spam. Then there are contest with prizes or anything free – maybe some software or cool graphics.Once you’ve got people visiting the site, keep statistics on how may people visit per day and how often people return to the site. In other words, find out who they are. How old they are. Where they come from. What they like doing in their free time. You can get this kind of information by asking them to subscribe to your newsletter, for example …4.2 A bad delegatorManager Hi, Harry. Sorry to bother you but I’m so busy. Could you help me? I know you’re busy too, but I have a meeting with the managing director tomorrow and I don’t have time to do the schedules for next week. I know you did them last time I was off sick, so I thought you could do them again. I don’t want to give you anything too difficult, do I? so if I give you this … sorry , I haven’t had time to sort through it but you’ll work it out. Ok, great. Sorry, must go. If you have any questions … err, ask Mary. I think she did the schedules last time I was on holiday so she can help too. Fine. Bye!4.3 Sentence stressCan I borrow your expertise in something?I’ve asked you because …Let me know how it’s going once a week, please.I’ll need a report on this with your findings and your recommendations.So, let’s go through this one more time to check it’s clear.One thing you might want to think about is …You’ve done a great job on this!I’ve got a job here that will really interest you …I’d like you to be in charge of all of it.What are you going to do?Feel free to call me if you have any questions.Can you give this priority because they need it as soon as possible?The deadline for this is next Thursday.Module 55.1 An interview with an art consultant(1)I I’d like to begin by asking you to imagine that I’ve been asked to find some art for my company’s offices .Where would I started ?AC Well,the first stage in selecting art is normally for one of our art consultants to visit you on site to assess the location,the size of the area and the style of the building ,and so on.I How much difference does it make where I actually put the paintings?AC A great deal.Art needs to be placed taking into account the function of a space.Different types of art are appropriate for different areas.Once we have an idea about what kind of work it is you do and how the space is used,then we begin to find artworks and present a selection of art for your business and building .We can do this on-site or you can visit our galleries.The whole thing is a two-way collaborative process.I So you already have the painting?AC Yes,or we can ask an artist to create works for your specific space.In this case,the client has some input but it’s important to remember when choosing workplace art that art is not your brand .If you ask the artist to emphasise your company image in some way,you’ll just end up with bad art.Either way ,you have an art consultant who oversees and project manages the production of any commissioned artwork,and makes sure it’s completed and installed on time and within budget.And that also includes fitting appropriate lighting and any other maintenance and fitting…\5.2 An interview with an art consultant(2)I One thing I don’t understand is how a company ever decides what to choose .I mean ,art is such a personal thing .How does anyone ever agree?AC Well,that’s true.I think it’s important that you don’t set up committees or anything .If you have a workforce of 300 and you ask everyone ,you’ll get 300 different answers.No,you need to keep it small.Just one or two people .But choosing art for your offices isn’t necessarily about choosing what the individual likes.The real benefits for a business are that the artwork gives a positive image to clients.I So what’s a typical type of art?AC It’s so varied but in general I suggest something strong and bold.If it’s just lightcolours that no one can really see,it’s pointless.You need art which shows your clients you have good taste and that you are successful.I I often go into buildings and look at modern art and think,’What is that?It isn’t of anything.No people .Nothing .’Why do so many companies choose it?AC There are a number of reasons ,other than the fact that the managing director might like it.You don’t want art that will offend anyone .So a painting of a man and a woman with no clothes on is a bad idea .Similiarly,a landscape or a painting of the countryside is the sort of thing you have in your living room at home and doesn’t look very corporate .Also the art needs to say what kind of company you are. Most companies want to give clients the message that says we’re modern and we’re planning for the future .A classical painting says we’re old and traditional .A painting by a young ,modern painter gives a more positive image .And remember ,it doesn’t have to be a painting .A sculpture in the reception area can be very effective ,for example.I Finally,all this must be very expensive .How does a company justify thousands of pounds on this kind of thing?AC It can be expensive but of course many people rent works from us-as little as ten pounds a week.It also means that if you change your mind after a year or so,it’s easy to change the piece .I That sounds like a good idea..5.3 Some opinions on artSpeaker 1 But what is it? Is that a head?Or is it an animal? I can’t see how that is art.I mean,it doesn’t look like anything real.Speaker 2 I agree with you that this is nice. It reminds me of being in a caféin somewhere like Paris but if you put it here no one will see it.It isn’t bold enough for this area.No ,we need something else.Speaker 3 This is beautiful but perhaps it would look better in someone’s office.It’s the sort of painting to help you relax.Speaker 4 Well,I’m not really the right person to ask . I never go to art galleries but this looks like what you see in cathedrals .It doesn’t tell you what our company is about.When people come into reception,they’ll think it’s a Roman temple ,not a hi-tech business.Let’s have something up-to-date.Speaker 5 This is quite good for reception because it shows a man thinking ,which is quite a good image for our company .It says to the visitor that this is a company with ideas .That we’re constantly considerating the future…5.4 Report on a meetingRS OK.Point one is about the conference,It starts on the 8th but I think someone should go out early on the 6th.What do you think ,Hugo?HS Sorry,but I did that last year and sat around for a day .There was a really nothing to do.I think if we go early it shouldn’t be until the 7th.It really isn’t worth it.RS OK,that’s fine ,Do you agree,Dahlia ?DZ Sure .Do you want me to go?。
bec中级听力真题(汇总5篇)
bec中级听力真题（汇总5篇）1.bec中级听力真题第1篇Hints:Healthway plc,Chief Executive, Lynne Trencher,Robert Henlow,well-lovedtown-centrehigh-marginout-of-townChief Executive, Charles Hamilton,downside: veryITover-optimisticdid: helarge-store英式拼写对话人之间以换行区分Next week, Healthway plc, the health and beauty chain, gets a new Chief Here's our reporter, Lynne Trencher, to tell us why many people regard the job as one of the most difficult in Hello, No, it isn't an enviable Robert Henlow, Healthway's new CEO, is taking control of a company which may have been a well-loved and trusted retail brand for many years, but its core business is mature, and successive managements simply haven't come up with a winning formula to deliver dynamic sales And the shareholders see Henlow as Healthway's last The company faces stiff competition, doesn't it? That's In fact, most town-centre health and beauty chains are feeling the pinch, with few planning to Unlike food,it's a high-margin business, which gives supermarkets, particularly those on out-of-town sites, scope to sell similar products for considerably Even the development of online shopping hasn't yet outweighed the convenience of out-of-town Robert Henlow is coming from a company with a very different sort of culture from Healthway, isn't he? Yes, he's moving from a firm that's very open, with plenty of staff coming in from other companies, or indeed Healthway, on the other hand,has a culture where people join the group and either leave quickly, or not until they It's famous for breeding its own managers, and outsiders have traditionally not been Healthway's financial strategy has been criticised in recent years, I Under the last Chief Executive, Charles Hamilton, Healthway concentrated on the bottom line, with the aim of supporting the share Even the one acquisition that the company made had that same But this strategy had its downside: very few improvements were made within the business, so their IT, for instance, is now severalyears out of Wasn't it Charles Hamilton who started Healthway's beauty treatment centres? Yes, almost his first major action as Chief Executive was to set up a separate chain of stores that, in addition to selling health and beauty products, provided massage and other This ranalongside the existing But even at the outset, few investors were takenin by his over-optimistic forecasts, and the doubters were proved Just before he left the company, he closed the centres and admitted his Hamilton also made drastic staffing changes, didn't he? He certainly did: he slimmed down the head office, he undertook a complete overhaul of the top management team and tidied up the company's international Of course, there was a danger that in changes on that scale, mistakes would be made and the company would lose individuals, or even whole departments, thatit He managed to avoid that, but he was quite unable to communicate the reasons behind the changes, so he created an enormous amount of ill Has Robert Henlow announced any plans yet? When he starts work next Monday, he'll find a report from consultants, advising the disposal of several underperforming stores that are too small ever to do However, they do think the current total should be maintained, which would be achieved by ploughing money into more profitable large-store Even though this means adding to the payroll, the consultants say the increased profitability will make it So, all in all, it's quite a challenge for Robert It certainly is, not least because he's never run a quoted company of this size before, and he's one of the youngest chief executives of a business like He's taking a huge step from his previous position, though at least the health and beauty sector isn't entirely new to He's not going tofind it at all easy to tackle all Healthway's Lynne, thank2.bec中级听力真题第2篇Hints:MDstate-of- the-artMinistry of IndustryWorld Bank英式拼写最后一句到then截止,后面不写As you know, the main supplier of our components announced suddenly last month that they were closing down shortly, leaving us in a verydifficult I shortlisted four potential replacement suppliers, and have visited them I'll report on each, though I've only found one companythat meets our needs Initially, I was optimistic about the first company I I was given an enthusiastic welcome and generous hospitality by the MD, but when he took me on a tour of the factory, I began to have a few doubts about his commercial The factory is enormous, a convertedaircraft shed, I think, almost too big to be There is certainly enough machinery to produce the quantities we need, and that, of course, is However, I had one main The company has recently invested heavily in state-of- the-art production equipment and in a comprehensive training programme for machine But I was surprised to see that half the factory wasn't in use because several important customers had cancelled I was reassured that orders are dispatched quickly, and delivery times are impressive, and distribution isn't a problem, but I'd need to inspect their products more closely to see if the quality's what we The second company looked promising too, because they are based in the region that produces the natural resources to make our Everything needed for their activities is available on their They have a good working relationship with the local mine owners, who are known to have good safety During my visit, the company went into great detail about the quality inspections carried out on the material before it leaves the This company seemed to have no problems with transport, until I looked more The factory is in a very mountainous region, about 600 kilometres from the capital Passenger flights are fairly frequent, taking under two hours, but the journey by road can take The roads are really The whole infrastructure needs massive There is a seaport just over the border with the neighbouring country, which would certainly cut down on distance, but, as far as Ican see, it might also bring other Now we simply can't risk depending on such fragile The third company I looked at, on the other hand, is on the coast, with good access to the main Transport and shipping of goods are well organised and, in fact, they own a haulage company as one of their The production unit is new, built and equipped with the help of investment from the Ministry of What's more, company workers areinvolved in decision-making, and industrial relations are Perfect so Unfortunately, though, their finished products are not of the quality weThe specifications are right for our components, so no modifications in design would be But when I did a quick inspection, I found a higher percentage of faults than we'd be prepared to If we chose them, we'd certainly have to negotiate longer warranties than those they'reoffering at The final company I visited seems to have everything, It's ten years old, well established, located between the capital and a major The company has grown rapidly and has just modernised its factory,thanks to a loan from the World Bank, which has enabled it to installthe most up-to-date equipment available on the The production unit is now fully automated, and efficiency is the company's great This company has a well-deserved reputation for the quality of its finished Giventheir high standard, it's not surprising that the costs are considerable, and they're asking higher prices than the other companies I But I'm confident we'll be able to negotiate on The key point in their favour,in my opinion, is their ability to meet deadlines for the duration of a long-term It's easy to meet one deadline, of course, the difficult thing is to do it all the To sum up, th3.bec中级听力真题第3篇Hints:Ah, Gareth,Trident Applianceshands-offlong-termdoing: justengineers: what'sParts Services Departmentcall-outsChief Executiveold-fashionedthem; the layout —— ~~~~(>_<)~~~~ 我没听到the的说╮(╯▽╰)╭叹气、哼哼等没有hints的语气词不用写的说英式拼写对话人之间以换行区分Ah, Gareth, do sit Thank Now, presumably you've considered this case study about Trident Appliances? Well, let's start with the present Trident manufactures photocopiers, which they sell in bulk to retailers and large Now, why do you think they're having trouble selling them?It's strange, because there's a big demand for photocopiers, andTrident's are competitively But the specifications just don't compare with what's expected these It's a shame, because they've got plenty of technical expertise in their engineering support Now, the company is owned by a large How do they see Trident? Well, the group is largely in the mining sector, and Trident doesn't fit in with that, so you'd expect the parent company to want to sell Or alternatively to be active, say by helping it to expand its But really it seems quite content to take a hands-off approach, as long as Trident is generating some There'sclearly poor morale among the Why do you think that is? Well, weak line managers are often a reason, but I can't find any evidence for that And even the recent changes, like the cut in bonuses, have been acceptedfairly I think it reflects people's uncertainty about their long-term prospects with the What would you say about the sales staff? There's alot about them in the case They're doing the best they can in theThere's a system for helping them to develop their selling skills, and that's The way customers are allocated to each salesperson could be improved maybe, to reduce unnecessary But they're getting contradictory signals about what they're supposed to be doing: just responding to enquiries, or going out looking for new And what about the service engineers: what's the main weakness in that department? They seem tomiss a lot of When they visit a customer to install or repair a photocopier, it's their chance to look at all the equipment there and suggest how Trident could supply the company's needs Then there's their problem with spares, the Parts Services Department keeps stocks low, for financial reasons, but that means the engineers often can't get theparts they need for call-outs, and the customer has to Now, what about communications within the company? I'm sure you'll agree they're not as good as they could Why do you think that is? Well, I was a bit surprised, because, in fact, middle managers hold regular meetings with their But that's because they're given information by the top management about policy issues and plans, for instance, which they have to pass But I have to say that some of them don't seem to think their staff can have anything to say that's worth And, of course, this creates ill Now, ifyou think about the Chief Executive's problems for a moment, what do you think he needs to tackle first? There are so many problems! Something needs to be done about the workforce, because some departments employ staff without the necessary In the long term, of course, they need to develop the photocopiers But the priority must be to reverse the fall in revenue, even if it means cutting prices, in order to increase the sales Unless they do that, they'll go out of business very And what abouttheir advertising? Well, they're using modern media, like the Internet, and targeting their advertising more than they used to, for instance by moving from magazine ads to direct mailshots to But these have an old-fashioned feel to them; the layout and graphics don't seem to have changed for 20 Now, let's go on【BEC中级真题听力】第四辑Test 3 - Test4相关4.bec中级听力真题第4篇Hints:Janet EdwardsNick BrownNewcastleclue - we're'Innovations'.'Better Sales Techniques',forward-lookingtoo - Daniel'unusual'?英式拼写对话人之间以换行区分New Vision, Conference Department, Janet Edwards This is Nick Brown from Business I hear you're running a rather special conference in You mean our event on the tenth of October? Can you tell me something about it, so I can mention it in our paper? The name should give you a clue -we're calling it 'Innovations'. Not the usual 'Better Sales Techniques', That sounds very I assume it's about new developments in technology? We thought there were too many seminars on We're focusing on human resources New ways of approaching it, I Interesting! So, who have you got to lead it? Well, this is a little different, too - Daniel Is he the man from Cambridge Business School who's just written that book on incentive schemes? I believe teamwork is actually his So, for example, the way people Any other special features? We're planning some practical and very unusual workshops about I think that'll cause a few How'unusual'? Come and see for I'll send you a complimentary Thank I5.bec中级听力真题第5篇Some people tell you that what a dissatisfied customer really wantsis to have the opportunity to spend his money You may have to resort tothis, a refund or perhaps some form of However, this may lose a customer and will certainly lose that particular Try a bit of Remind your customer why he chose your product in the first place, give him a new one and save him the trouble of making further 19 It's often the case that a complaint about faulty equipment really means the customer is doing something Of course, considerable tact is called for when this Don't make them feel What they need is some guidance, and this should be provided without further Make sure any damage done has been put right, and then set up the familiarisation Problem solved, customer happy, equipment saved from any more 20 When a customer complains, it's important to be sympathetic, but business-like as Do apologise, of course, and then, taking a personal interest in the way the equipment will be used, suggest a newer, more recent model rather than simply replacing the original This is often a good solution, because it not only deals with the complaint, but also the client feels they've got away with a bit extra to make up for the 21 I don't think all complaints can be dealt with in the same Basically, you've got to solve the immediate problem to try to keep the customer's Sometimes guaranteeing your product for a longer period can be a good way to do Fix what's wrong as quickly as possible and show you're prepared to do so a second time if Point out that the customer won't have any worries, at least not until they need an 22 It's a good idea to let the customer know why there's been a It shows you are prepared to be honest, and you might win a bit of They realise that things don't always go right for the supplier But the most satisfactory thing to do is to offer a Then, of course, they are more likely to deal with you again when they need a。
(完整word版)剑桥商务英语(BEC)中级第二、三、四辑口语真题范例
第二辑Test 1Topic A: WHAT IS IMPORTANT WHEN ……?Entertaining clients●Types of activities●Cost[思路点拨]【词汇＆短语】促销赠品Complimentary presents 迎宾室Hospitality room招待费Entertainment allowance 定制Customize针对个人Personalize 有目的的Purposeful商业目的Business objectives 客户需求Customer demand 包间Compartment 舒适的Cozy【句型点击】●间歇、停顿How shall I put it? 怎么说呢？Well, what I trying to say is…….. 我想说的是……..I’d like to begin by……●个人想法In my opinion, I’d say that…..The point is that…….Well, we should….【参考范例】Entertaining clients is not an easy job and should be handling appropriately and enjoyably. It contains more than just a wonderful meal, a sightseeing tour or a shopping trip. Good hospitality events can impress clients in a unique manner in and outside of the office.When entertaining clients, we should decide the types of activities according to their interest and favorites. Moreover, these activities should help us achieve our business objectives, for example, we can have an intimate discussion about business with our clients during a meal in a cozy compartment where both where both sides tend to be more relaxed. In addition, we have to mix business with pleasure effectively so our clients won’t feel that we are too purposeful.Cost is anther important factor when designing activities for clients. Higher expenses don’t necessarily to greater satisfaction, and in some cases, the clients will be overwhelmed with our kindness. Therefore, when entertaining clients, sincerity appears to be more important, upon which a long and a steady business relationship is based.Topic B: WHAT IS IMPORTANT WHEN ……?Choosing retail premises to rent●Location●Length of contract【词汇&短语】房东landlord 利润空间profit margin租户tenant 房屋结构building structure可持续发展sustainable development 合同到期exploration of contract繁荣boom prosperity 续签合同renew the contract租金rent 押金deposit【句型点击】●观点阐述Well, it seems to me that…….That’s true, but on the other hand…..●追加观点That’s just what/all I was thinking…..Well, the point I’m trying to make it that……Another thing I want to mention is……【参考范例】When aiming to choose retail premises, you should always put the location on the top of your list. An ideal retail premises should be situated in the downtown district or a big residential area where the sources of the customers is guaranteed, in China, A lot of businessman believe in Fengshui and they think a good location is vital to the success of business.Besides, the length of contract is also an important factor in choosing retailpremises because the retailer need time to develop market and customers. A steady and uninterrupted business environment is most desired, and a long-term contract will ensure the retailer’s sustainable development.What’s more, rent and means of payment should never be overlooked, retailers in general have a big cash flow, therefore, a reasonable rent and flexible means of payment are good for their capital turnover. A cooperative landlord is preferred and necessary for a win-win situation.Topic C: WHAT IS IMPORTANT WHEN ……?Deciding on packaging for products●Image●Production process【词汇&短语】包装材料wrapper，packaging material 不可再生资源non-renewable resources包装设计package design 有利环境的environmental-friendly顾客的青睐customer favor 肤浅的，表明的superficial【句型点击】●自然过渡How shall I put it? 怎么说呢？Actually…..That’s just how I see it …..●个人观点Personally, I think…..Frankly, I think….【参考范例】Packing of products concerns the fate of products because it arouses people’s desire for purchase. When deciding on packaging for products, we should take several things into consideration.First of all, the image catches the eye of potential customers, people are sometimes skin deep when surrounded by a variety of products, their decisions are simply based upon the packaging, therefore a thoughtful design in color, shape and packaging materials is crucial in winning customer’s favor.On the other hand, the cost of packaging should be carefully dealt with because it is contained in the prices of the products. Increased price will make the products less competitive in a buyer’s market. After all, in comparison with packaging, people are more sensitive to price.Last but not least, our resources are limited and some are even non-renewable. Once the products are opened up, the wrapper are useless, so it is expected that designers can develop further uses of packaging materials or at least make them environmental-friendly.Test 2Topic A: WHAT IS IMPORTANT WHEN ……?Selecting staff for promotion●Attitude to work●Current performance【词汇&短语】空缺职位vacancy 人事部personnel行政管理部administration 公关public relations总部head office 工资wages and salaries管理技能managerial skill 职业前景career prospect人力资源部human resources 团队协作teamwork【句型点击】●常用开始语Thank you for your questionThe answer is…Let me start with….In my viewIt is very likely that….●表达观点常用句What I am thinking is….Let me make my point very clear.It is crystal clear that…..There is no doubt that…..I am into the first opinion..【句型点击】When selecting staff for promotion, several factors should be taken into consideration, to begin with, the attitude to the work is one of the most fundamental elements. I believe attitude is everything. It is not uncommon to findworkers who have great talents but are reluctant to make full contribution in their position, the point is, you have to love what you are doing and you have to try your utmost and reserve no effort to do it.Secondly, current performance is also very important, because it is obvious that attitude and effort have to be measured in a certain way so that you can know everyone’s capability.Thirdly, you can’t ignore career potential and adaptability, almost in every company, we can find employees who are excellent individuals but fail to cooperate in a team, these elements are all very essential in one’s career. Admittedly, it is not very likely to find all of them in one person, and then you have to consider about the specific position and grant priority to one of them.Topic B: WHAT IS IMPORTANT WHEN ……?Considering a career change●Further study or training●Opportunities for future promotion【词汇&短语】实际工资real wages 合并merger最终目标ultimate goal 个人收入personal income坏的影响adverse effect 工资价格螺旋上升wage-price spiral精明的讨价还价交易horse-trading 无形资产intangible assets资格qualification 投资回报return on investment【句型点击】●更倾向于某一个选项I would take …….. as my priority 我会把……..作为我的首选项。
剑桥商务英语(BEC)中级第二、三、四辑口语真题范例
第二辑Test 1Topic A: WHAT IS IMPORTANT WHEN ……?Entertaining clients●Types of activities●Cost[思路点拨][词汇＆短语]促销赠品Complimentary presents 迎宾室Hospitality room招待费Entertainment allowance 定制Customize针对个人Personalize 有目的的Purposeful商业目的Business objectives 客户需求Customer demand包间Compartment 舒适的Cozy[句型点击]●间歇、停顿How shall I put it? 怎么说呢？Well, what I trying to say is…….. 我想说的是……..I’d like to begin by……●个人想法In my opinion, I’d say that…..The point is that…….Well, we should….[参考例]Entertaining clients is not an easy job and should be handling appropriately and enjoyably. It contains more than just a wonderful meal, a sightseeing tour or a shopping trip. Good hospitality events can impress clients in a unique manner in and outside of the office.When entertaining clients, we should decide the types of activities according to their interest and favorites. Moreover, these activities should help us achieve our business objectives, for example, we canhave an intimate discussion about business with our clients during a meal in a cozy compartment where both where both sides tend to be more relaxed. In addition, we have to mix business with pleasure effectively so our clients won’t feel that we are too purposeful.Cost is anther important factor when designing activities for clients. Higher expenses don’t necessarily to greater satisfaction, and in some cases, the clients will be overwhelmed with our kindness. Therefore, when entertaining clients, sincerity appears to be more important, upon which a long and a steady business relationship is based.Topic B: WHAT IS IMPORTANT WHEN ……?Choosing retail premises to rent●Location●Length of contract[词汇&短语]房东landlord 利润空间profit margin租户tenant 房屋结构building structure可持续发展sustainable development 合同到期exploration of contract繁荣boom prosperity 续签合同renew the contract租金rent 押金deposit[句型点击]●观点阐述Well, it seems to me that…….That’s true, but on the other hand…..●追加观点That’s just what/all I was thinking…..Well, the point I’m trying to make it that……Another thing I want to mention is……[参考例]When aiming to choose retail premises, you should always put the location on the top of your list. An ideal retail premises should be situated in the downtown district or a big residential area where the sources of the customers is guaranteed, in China, A lot of businessman believe in Fengshui and they think a good location is vital to the success of business.Besides, the length of contract is also an important factor in choosing retail premises because the retailer need time to develop market and customers. A steady and uninterrupted business environment is most desired, and a long-term contract will ensure the retailer’s sustainable development.What’s more, rent and means of payment should never be overlooked, retailers in general have a big cash flow, therefore, a reasonable rent and flexible means of payment are good for their capital turnover. A cooperative landlord is preferred and necessary for a win-win situation. Topic C: WHAT IS IMPORTANT WHEN ……?Deciding on packaging for products●Image●Production process[词汇&短语]包装材料wrapper，packaging material 不可再生资源non-renewableresources 包装设计package design 有利环境的environmental-friendly顾客的青睐customer favor 肤浅的，说明的superficial[句型点击]●自然过渡How shall I put it? 怎么说呢？Actually…..That’s just how I see it …..●个人观点Personally, I think…..Frankly, I think….[参考例]Packing of products concerns the fate of products because it arouses people’s desire for purchase. When deciding on packaging for products, we should take several things into consideration.First of all, the image catches the eye of potential customers, people are sometimes skin deep when surrounded by a variety of products, their decisions are simply based upon the packaging, therefore a thoughtful design in color, shape and packaging materials is crucial in winning customer’s favor.On the other hand, the cost of packaging should be carefully dealt with because it is contained in the prices of the products. Increased price will make the products less competitive in a buyer’s market. After all, in comparison with packaging, people are more sensitive to price.Last but not least, our resources are limited and some are even non-renewable. Once the products are opened up, the wrapper are useless, so it is expected that designers can develop further uses of packaging materials or at least make them environmental-friendly.Test 2Topic A: WHAT IS IMPORTANT WHEN ……?Selecting staff for promotion●Attitude to work●Current performance[词汇&短语]空缺职位vacancy 人事部personnel行政管理部administration 公关public relations总部head office 工资wages and salaries管理技能managerial skill 职业前景career prospect人力资源部human resources 团队协作teamwork[句型点击]●常用开始语Thank you for your questionThe answer is…Let me start with….In my viewIt is very likely that….●表达观点常用句What I am thinking is….Let me make my point very clear.It is crystal clear that…..There is no doubt that…..I am into the first opinion..[句型点击]When selecting staff for promotion, several factors should be taken into consideration, to begin with, the attitude to the work is one of the most fundamental elements. Ibelieve attitude is everything. It is not uncommon to find workers who have great talents but are reluctant to make full contribution in their position, the point is, you have to love what you are doing and you have to try your utmost and reserve no effort to do it.Secondly, current performance is also very important, because it is obvious that attitude and effort have to be measured in a certain way so that you can know everyone’s capability.Thirdly, you can’t ignore career potential and adaptability, almost in every company, we can find employees who are excellent individuals but fail to cooperate in a team, these elements are all very essential in one’s career. Admittedly, it is not very likely to find all of them in one person,and then you have to consider about the specific position and grant priority to one of them.Topic B: WHAT IS IMPORTANT WHEN ……?Considering a career change●Further study or training●Opportunities for future promotion[词汇&短语]实际工资real wages 合并merger最终目标ultimate goal 个人收入personal income坏的影响adverse effect 工资价格螺旋上升wage-price spiral精明的讨价还价交易horse-trading 无形资产intangible assets资格qualification 投资回报return on investment[句型点击]●更倾向于某一个选项I would take …….. as my priority 我会把……..作为我的首选项。
剑桥商务英语 中级真题 2-4辑听力文本
剑桥商务英语中级真题集听力原文目录BEC中级真题集听力原文(2010版)TEST 1Part One. Questions 1 to 12You will hear three telephone conversations or messages.Write one or two words or a number in the numbered spaces on the notes or forms below.After you have listened once, replay each recording.Conversation One.Questions 1 to 4Look at the form below.You will hear a man asking a colleague for information about a former employee.You have 15 seconds to read through the form.[Pause]Now listen, and fill in the spaces.Woman: Personnel…Man: Hello, it's Tim here, from Finance.Woman: Hi, Tim.Man: I've had a letter from the tax office about a student who worked here last summer – I wonder if you could look him up in your records.Woman: Sure, what's the name?Man: The surname's Jaye. First name Stephen.Woman: How does he spell his surname?Man: J-A-Y-E. Got that?Woman: Oh yes, here we are… lives at a hundred and eighty-three School Road, Barnfield…Man: Yes, that's the one.Woman: And you say he was working in Finance?Man: Uhm, Customer Services, actually.Woman: Aah - they had lots of students working for them last summer.Man: Well, the tax people want to know his exact job title - I'm not sure why. Woman: Mm, let me see... He was an office assistant.Man: Right, got that. They also want to know about his monthly earnings. Woman: Let's have a look... five hundred and thirty-eight pounds seventy a month... Oh,sorry, hewas a scale one, so that's four hundred and fifty-seven pounds sixty. Anything else?Man: That's fine, thanks. I'll send them the information today...[Pause]Now listen to the recording again.[Pause]Conversation Two.Questions 5 to 8.Look at the note below.You will hear a man describing a problem with an order.You have 15 seconds to read through the note.[Pause]Now listen, and fill in the spaces.Woman: Hello, Blackwell Printers. Julie Davidson speaking. How may I help you?Man: Hello. This is Mark Jones from Europe Holidays. I was hoping to speak to StevenKirby about the stationery you're printing for us.Woman: I'm afraid Steven's away until Friday.Man: Oh - you see I'm not very happy with the business cards and I wanted to see if I could make a couple of changes to the paper too.Woman: Would you like me to pass on a message?Man: Yes, please. The thing is, I've just received your proofs - the cards themselves are fine, but you seem to have misunderstood the quantities. I'm sure I asked for five hundredfor each of the marketing executives and seven hundred and fifty for me but you'veput everyone down for seven hundred and fifty.Woman: Right, I've made a note of that. Is there anything else?Man: Yes, well this is my mistake really. Could you ask Steven to move the company logo further to the left? It's too close to the address at the moment. I think that's all for now.Thanks.[Pause]Now listen to the recording again.[Pause]Conversation Three.Questions 9 to 12.Look at the notes below.You will hear a woman making the arrangements for a delegation who are going to visit her company.You have 15 seconds to read through the notes.[Pause]Now listen, and fill in the spaces.Woman: Geoff?Man: Yes?Woman: I just want to finalise the preparations for the delegation next week.Man: Certainly. It's Thursday, isn't it?Woman: Yes. Now, can you make sure that each of them gets a name badge and an information pack. The badges are done, but you'll need to prepare the packs with all the relevantinformation.Man: Ok, that shouldn't take too long. What about catering?Woman: Coffee's organised for eleven and three, but lunch - it's at one - we need to reserve it for twelve people... The office restaurant is closed next week... can you ring the ParkHotel? The Grand Hotel was a bit disappointing last time.Man: I'll get onto that.Woman: Now, they'll be coming straight from the station, and their taxi will bring them to the front gate, so make sure you're there to greet them. That'll be about ten.Man: Ten. And then...Woman: Into Reception, I think. Make sure the new designs are on display, I want them to see those first.Man: OK.Woman: Let me know when it's all finalised. Bye.[Pause]Now listen to the recording again.[Pause]That is the end of Part One. You now have 20 seconds to check your answers.[Pause]Part Two. Questions 13 to 22.Section One.Questions 13 to 17.You will hear five short recordings .For each recording, decide which type of document the speaker is talking about.Write one letter (A-H) next to the number of the recording.Do not use any letter more than once.After you have listened once, replay the recordings.You have 15 seconds to read the list A-H.[Pause]Now listen, and decide which type of document each speaker is talking about.[Pause]ThirteenWoman: Well no wonder the bank's returned it unpaid. Look, the figures don't match the amount in words. I expect someone was filling it in in too much of a hurry. Let's see,we'd better issue another one straight away to pay Mrs Burton, because it'll be anotherthree weeks if we wait for the next cycle of payments. Her expenses on that sales tripwere pretty high, and it wouldn't be fair to keep her waiting much longer. [Pause]FourteenMan: Some of the suppliers are already asking about the increases. I'll check, but I seem to remember from last week's meeting that in the end we agreed on three per cent. Sowhat I'll do is go down each column and calculate the new amounts, and then it can beprinted in time to be inserted into the new brochures. Can you check the figures forme, though, before it goes to the printers?[Pause]FifteenWoman: We've just received the paperwork from you about cleaning our premises, and I have to say that it doesn't reflect what we agreed in our conversation last week. Forone thing, it says that we have to supply our security code, and for another it specifiesmonthly payment in advance, and I told you both of those were out of the question.I'm afraid I really can't sign this. Could you send me a revised one?[Pause]SixteenMan: Of course, this only gives a very general picture. But as you can see, cash is a particularly healthy area. That's even when we take into account regular outgoings onloans and leasing equipment, which are included in the final totals. And even moresignificantly, unpaid orders are actually excluded from the final calculation. Theserepresent a sum of approximately thirty thousand pounds. With that in mind, we cansay that the company's overall position is still strong.[Pause]SeventeenWoman: I've just asked the Arden Conference Centre about availability for our next training seminar, and they said they still haven't been paid for the one before last, whichshould have been dealt with six months ago. I've had to ask them to send a duplicate!We really must be careful. Arden give us very favourable prices, but we haven't got acontract with them - Can you deal with it straight away so we stay in their goodbooks?[Pause]Now listen to the recordings again.[Pause]Section Two.Questions 18 to 22.You will bear another five recordings.For each recording, decide what the speaker's purpose is.Write one letter (A-H) next to the number of the recording.Do not use any letter more than once.After you have listened once, replay the recordings.You have 15 seconds to read the list A-H.[Pause]Now listen, and decide what each speaker's purpose is.[Pause]EighteenMan: Hello. This is Guy Cooper from Centron Electronics here. I believe you rang for some advice about your alarm system, which isn't functioning properly. The message I gotsaid you weren't sure if you needed someone to come and sort it out, or if we couldadvise you over the phone. Well perhaps you'd like to get back to me as soon as it'sconvenient and tell me exactly what the problem is, and I'll see what I can do. [Pause]NineteenWoman: Well, as you say, Redlon has been supplying us for years but, quite honestly, two-thirds of the complaints we receive about our products are actually due to faultsin components we've had from Redlon. So I talked to the Production Manager and heagreed that I should look at some alternatives. Future World's range is fine for us, andone of their customers who I spoke to recommended them highly, so that's why we'vechanged to using them.[Pause]TwentyWoman: The competition's getting tougher, and you know we're facing serious problems. We need to see more benefit from the undeniably hard work we're putting in, and thismeans saying no to jobs which aren't profitable. It would be much more beneficial toput all our efforts into winning higher-margin contracts. So the way I feel you canhelp most is by identifying the types of contacts which will bring in the income weneed in order to ensure our future.[Pause]Twenty-oneMan: John Woods here, phoning about the project we discussed earlier. Could you give mea ring so that we can talk about it a bit more? I've done a few calculations and I'mbeginning to wonder whether it's really a practical proposition. I still think theproject's got potential, but there are significant additional costs which we hadn't takeninto account. So could you get back to me as soon as you can, please?[Pause]Twenty-twoWoman: Hello, Sally here, from Pagwell Paints, returning your call. I'm very sorry you aren't happy with the latest consignment you've had from us. It's rather strange, becausefollowing your complaint about the last delivery, we did in fact take action to changethe specifications in the way you suggested. So it isn't quite fair to say that we ignoredyour advice. I know it's important to achieve the consistency that you require, butperhaps your recommendation wasn't exactly what's needed.[Pause]Now listen to the recordings again.[Pause]That is the end of Part Two.[Pause]Part Three. Questions 23 to 30.You will hear the chairman of a business institute making a speech about new business awards that his institute has sponsored.For each question 23-30, mark one letter (A, B or C) for the correct answer.After you have listened once, replay the recording.You have 45 seconds to read through the questions.[Pause]Now listen, and mark A, B or C.[Pause]Man: Who are the managers of the best innovation developments in British industry? That was the question which the first Business Today Innovation Awards set out to answer.This project is all about rewarding good practice and performance. So, rather thansimply recognising excellence in the design of specific products, or analysing theirfinancial impact on profits, the awards set out to take an objective look at exactly howcompanies manage the development process itself. Over three hundred and fiftyorganisations entered the competition and were initially reduced to about forty. Then,after further careful checking, a short list of just fourteen of them was arrived at.These finalists, all manufacturers, were then visited by the competition judges, a panelof four chief executives from leading companies. The panel toured the finalists'facilities, received presentations on the companies and their projects, and interviewedthe key development team members. The products varied enormously in their scale,function and degree of technology - from bread for a supermarket chain to a printerinside an automatic cash dispenser. Initially the organisers were concerned that thisrange could create difficulties in the assessment process. But this fear proved baseless,as most elements in the innovation process are shared b; all manufacturers.Interestingly, the finalists broke down into two distinct and equal groups: large firmswith one thousand employees or more and small firms with two hundred and fiftyemployees or fewer. With both groups the judges decided to concentrate on two of theclearest indicators of a successful innovation process, which are: how well the newproduct is combined with the company's existing business, and secondly, how well theinnovation methods are recorded and understood. Small firms naturally tend to dowell in the first category since they have fewer layers of management and thus muchshorter communication lines. But they seem to put less emphasis on creating formaldevelopment methods which would be repeatable in future innovations. Large firms,on the other hand, have difficulty integrating the new development within theirexisting business for reasons of scale. But they tend to succeed in achievingwell-documented and repeatable development methods. This is because largercompanies, with their clear emphasis on training, fixed management structure andadministrative systems, require more formal, daily recordkeeping from their staff. Sowhat were the key questions the judges had in mind when assessing the finalists? Oneof the most important areas concerned how thoroughly a company checks what ishappening in other fields in order to incorporat new ideas into the developmentprocess. Many of the finalists impressed in the area. Natura, for example, haddemonstrated genuine energy in searching for new ways of producing their range ofspeciality breads. They had looked at styles of home cooking in different countries, a:well as the possibility of exploiting new production technologies in order to achieveequally good results but on a high-volume production line. What then occupied muchof the judges' thoughts was the quality of the links which the development teamestablished with senior management, suppliers, the market and manufacturing. Thebest examples of the first category were found in small firms, where the individualentrepreneur at the top was clearly driving the innovation forward. Links withsuppliers were also seen as an important factor, but not all supplier experiences werepositive. Occasionally serious problems had to be solved where suppliers wereworking hard to meet specifications, but the companies that the suppliers were usingto adapt their machinery were not so efficient. This, led to disappointing faults orfluctuations in quality. But in conclusion the awards demonstrate that innovation isn'tjust for high-tech internet companies. You can also be successful in mature marketswith determination and skill.[Pause]Now listen to the recording again.[Pause]That is the end of Part Three.You now have ten minutes to transfer your answers to your Answer Sheet.Note: Teacher, stop the recording here and time ten minutes. Remind students when there is one minute remaining.[Pause]That is the end of the test.TEST 2Part One. Questions 1 to 12.You will hear three telephone conversations or messages.Write one or two words or a number in the numbered spaces on the notes or forms below.After you have listened once, replay each recording.Conversation One.Questions 1 to 4.Look at the form below.You will hear a woman calling about training courses.You have 15 seconds to read through the form.[Pause]Now listen, and fill in the spaces.Man: Good morning, Oakleaf Business Training. How can I help you?Woman: Hello, my name's Enid Stevens, of Appleyard Smith. I've booked two one-day courses, but now I need to change one of them.Man: Let me get your details up on the screen. Right, you've booked Report Writing next month...Woman: Yes, that one's OK. It's Taking Minutes that I can't manage, on the eighth of July. Do you know when it's running again?Man: Let me see. Not until the eighteenth of September, I'm afraid.Woman: That sounds fine. Oh, I think I'll be abroad then.Man: Then there's the first and the thirteenth of October.Woman: I'd like the later date, please.Man: Fine, I'll change your booking.Woman: Another thing; it says in your brochure, everyone attending a course gets a certificate, but I haven't received one from a course I took last January.Man: I'm sorry about that. Which course was it?Woman: Something to do with dealing with the public ?Man: That must have been Customer Service.Woman: Sounds familiar.Man: OK, I'll put it in the post today.Woman: Thank you very much. Goodbye.Man: Goodbye.[Pause]Now listen to the recording again.[Pause]Conversation Two.Questions 5 to 8.Look at the note below.You will hear a woman ringing about problems with a new telephone system.You have 15 seconds to read through the note.[Pause]Now listen, and fill in the spaces.Man: Hello, Swinburn Telecoms.Woman: I'd like to speak to Tony Wilson, please.Man: I'm afraid Tony isn't available. Can I take a message?Woman: Yes please. I'm Sheila Dallas, from Worldnet.Man: Right.Woman: I'm ringing about the telephone system your firm installed here yesterday. We're not happy with it.Man: Oh dear. What seems to be the problem?Woman: First of all, your engineer said that with the number of extensions we've got, six outside lines would be enough, but we asked for eight, and anyway you've charged usfor the larger system.Man: Right, we'll look into that.Woman: Then, whenever we try to transfer calls from one extension to another we lose them.We're following the instructions, but it just doesn't work.Man: I see.Woman: And finally, could you ask Tony to check the invoice, please? He promised us a discount on installation, which is shown, and one on the equipment, but that isn'tthere.Man: Right. I'm sorry about all that. I'll get Tony to contact you as soon as he's free.Woman: Thank you. Goodbye. Man: Goodbye.[Pause]Now listen to the recording again.[Pause]Conversation Three.Questions 9 to 12.Look at the note below.You will hear a woman calling about the arrangements for a meeting.You have 15 seconds to read through the note.[Pause]Now listen, and fill in the spaces.Man: Good morning. Marketing Department. Peter Menzies speaking.Woman: Hello. Could I speak to John Fitzgerald, please?Man: I'm afraid he's not in the office at the moment.Woman: Well, this is Elizabeth Parnell calling. I wanted to talk to John about the meeting next week. You see, I only get back on Tuesday night from a trade fair in the States. Man: So, would you like me to give him a message?Woman: Yes, could you ask him if we can postpone Wednesday's meeting? Till after lunch.That would be easier. It was originally going to be at ten .Man: OK. I'll ask him to change it. I'll get back to you with a time.Woman: Thanks. And could you also ask him to add another item for discussion at the meeting?I thought we were going to talk about the revised budgets - but I can't see this on theagenda.Man: OK. I'd better ask him to call you...Woman: Yes, please. I'm at Head Office at the moment. Can he phone me here today - I won't be back at my own desk until tomorrow afternoon.Man: Right, I'll give him the message.Woman: Thanks.Man: Bye.Woman: Goodbye.[Pause]Now listen to the recording again.[Pause]That is the end of Part One. You now have 20 seconds to check your answers.[Pause]Part Two. Questions 13 to 22.Section One.Questions 13 to 17.You will hear five short recordings. Five people are talking about different business books they have read.For each recording, decide which book the speaker is talking about.Write one letter (A-H) next to the number of the recording.Do not use any letter more than once.After you have listened once, replay the recordings.You have 15 seconds to read the list A-H.[Pause]Now listen, and decide which book each speaker is talking about.[Pause]ThirteenWoman: Yes, it was interesting... some of it was rather obvious, of course, like dressing smartly, making sure you arrive on time, that sort of thing... but there was also quite alot I'd never really considered... like ways to interpret what the advertisement is reallyasking for, reading between the lines... and a section which lists some of the harderquestions they tend to ask you, with effective answers you can give.[Pause]FourteenMan: Invaluable, I'd say... certainly helps prevent you making some of the more embarrassing mistakes. It gives you a kind of timescale to follow through. Forexample, they stress that you need to get publicity up and running a good six monthsbefore you want to stage the event. And get your main speakers booked earlier thanthat. They say you must make sure you've got a good assistant to support you, checkthe details.[Pause]FifteenWoman: Actually, although it was a bit long, it was definitely useful. The trouble often is, when the management take on new staff, they don't necessarily really know whatskills or qualities are needed. I want someone who's more than just a secretary typingout letters every day... I'm looking for a right hand, someone to do everything... andthis book spells out what that means... it's helped me to draw up a job description. [Pause]SixteenMan: Well, I wish I'd read it years ago! That would have saved me from some of my worst inefficiencies. I'd recommend it to anyone. It shows you how to produce a perfectschedule for getting through your workload... Once you've got yourself organised,made lists of tasks and priorities, you can make best use of each and every day...otherwise you're just constantly confusing your PA with endless requests, all terriblyurgent. . .[Pause]SeventeenWoman: Certainly, a lot of the book was very specialised... but it did give me an idea of how the agencies do the job. Of course, they're the people with the creative ideas, theexpertise, so I'm happy to trust the image development work to them... but I read thebook so I could talk to them on equal terms about what we're trying to do, and how itfits in with our overall business strategy.[Pause]Now listen to the recordings again.Section Two.Questions 18 to 22.You will hear another five recordings. Five people are talking about why they decided to use a particular company to supply their office equipment.For each recording, decide what reason each person gives.Write one letter (A—H) next to the number of the recording.Do not use any letter more than once.After you have listened once, replay the recordings.You have 15 seconds to read the list A-H.[Pause]Now listen, and decide what reason each person gives.[Pause]EighteenMan: We were having problems with the company we normally use so we looked at a number of other companies and decided to give this one a try. They're just new in thebusiness and we were impressed as they promised they would deliver the goods wewanted within two days and they did. We had to pay more than we would have likedbut the results were worth it. Since then, I've told a lot of other people about them. [Pause]NineteenWoman: Apparently they're an established company in Scotland with an excellent reputation, but I didn't know that at the time. I found them through the internet. I was justbrowsing through the list of suppliers one day and I noticed their name. I looked themup and found that they had this fantastic discount available that particular month. Weordered various things and the quality was so good we've continued using them. [Pause]TwentyMan: We like to try out different suppliers to make sure we're always getting the best deal.This particular company was running a big publicity campaign. I'd seen the ads on TVand they really put me off. I just couldn't see the appeal. But then someone I met at atraining day told me we should use them. His company had used their service foryears with no complaints so we followed his advice.[Pause]Twenty-oneWoman: We'd looked round the market to find the cheapest deal possible but to be honest there wasn't much to choose, in terms of cost, between any of the local suppliers. However,we had a visit from a sales representative from one company and we asked him tomake up some complimentary printed letterheads for us. They were exactly what wewanted so that was the deciding factor. I think that personal touch gives a companyfar better results than advertising ever can.[Pause]Twenty-twoMan: Obviously there are many different factors to consider when you choose a new supplier. We always used a local company because they were relatively near and wecould even pick things up ourselves if necessary. But unfortunately they just becametoo expensive. Now that express delivery services are widely available, distance is nolonger a consideration and we've been able to choose someone who can give us thebest package for the lowest cost.[Pause]Now listen to the recordings again.[Pause]That is the end of Part Two.[Pause]Part Three. Questions 23 to 30.You will hear a radio report about the London stock market.For each question 23-30, mark one letter (A, B or C) for the correct answer.After you have listened once, replay the recording.You have 45 seconds to read through the questions.[Pause]Now listen, and mark A, B or C.[Pause]Woman: Hello. I'm Jane Bowen with our regular Friday look at the week just finished on the London stock market. The general picture is pretty mixed. Shares in the major banksare trading down, while mining companies have surprised analysts with a small rise.Overall, it's been a week of considerable movement, with the highest level reached atthe close two days ago and a sharp fall yesterday. A strong recovery saw most ofthose losses being made up today, but the closing figure still fell short of Wednesday's.Now here's Charles Wrighton with some company news.Man: Thanks Jane. And first, clothing retailer, Brownlow. Having finally found a buyer for their loss-making sports footwear subsidiary, Hi-form, they've rejected a take-over bidfrom a leading French retail chain which has been looking to buy into the Britishmarket for some time. This activity has moved Brownlow's shares up by twenty percent to ninety-six pence. There's a lot of interest in the Lek energy group, whichrecently bought Westwales Electricity. To the relief of Westwales managers, Lekhaven't brought in their own people to run the company. Despite predicted job cuts ofsomething like a third of the engineering staff, no announcement has been made, andindeed, Lek's comprehensive training scheme has been opened to all grades of staff inWestwales. Back to you, Jane.Woman: We've had a number of emails from investors asking what to do with their shares in gas and electricity companies after their consistently poor performance recently.Many of you might be thinking of getting rid of yours as quickly as possible. Butfinancial experts are fairly optimistic about the outlook for the power sector, andinvestors may do better to see what happens over the next few months. With so manyother investors deciding to cut their losses and sell now, interest in this sector mayincrease, and that, of course, would push share prices up. Pharmaceutical companieshave done well today. Recently we've seen several periods of rapid expansion in thissector, only for it to be overtaken a short time later by the strong financial institutions.But I actually think the recent performances of pharmaceuticals companies has hiddena steep drop in the share prices of many other companies. All other sectors have lostconsiderable amounts, but this simply has not been reflected in the overall value ofthe market, because pharmaceuticals companies are keeping the value high. Lookingnext at the sectors whose troubles have been in the news recently: supermarkets,having suffered a downturn in business for over a year, at last have some reason foroptimism. The leisure industry, which has suffered even more than supermarkets, isalso showing signs of a turnaround. The same cannot be said of the building sector,though, which expects little relief for at least another six months. Charles...Man: One company in the news is Freewaves, which owns a chain in internet cafes. Like other new companies, Freewaves has tended to pay low dividends to investors,preferring to re-invest profits in research and development. Although Freewaves wasable to turn in a healthy profit in the first quarter, taking everyone by surprise, thecompany has now declared operating losses close to a million pounds. This, of course,will make shareholders think about whether to keep their shares. And news fromSimpson's, the big retail group. For years Simpson's have been acquiring other chains,。
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剑桥商务英语中级真题集听力原文目录BEC中级真题集听力原文(2010版) (1)TEST 1 (1)TEST 2 (7)TEST 3 (13)TEST 4 (19)TEST 5 (25)TEST 6 (31)TEST 7 (36)TEST 8 (42)TEST 9 (48)TEST 10 (54)TEST 11 (60)TEST 12 (65)BEC中级真题集听力原文(2010版)TEST 1Part One. Questions 1 to 12You will hear three telephone conversations or messages.Write one or two words or a number in the numbered spaces on the notes or forms below.After you have listened once, replay each recording.Conversation One.Questions 1 to 4Look at the form below.You will hear a man asking a colleague for information about a former employee. You have 15 seconds to read through the form.[Pause]Now listen, and fill in the spaces.Woman: Personnel…Man: Hello, it's Tim here, from Finance.Woman: Hi, Tim.Man: I've had a letter from the tax office about a student who worked here last summer – I wonder if you could look him up in your records.Woman: Sure, what's the name?Man: The surname's Jaye. First name Stephen.Woman: How does he spell his surname?Man: J-A-Y-E. Got that?Woman: Oh yes, here we are…lives at a hundred and eighty-three School Road, Barnfield…Man: Yes, that's the one.Woman: And you say he was working in Finance?Man: Uhm, Customer Services, actually.Woman: Aah - they had lots of students working for them last summer.Man: Well, the tax people want to know his exact job title - I'm not sure why.Woman: Mm, let me see... He was an office assistant.Man: Right, got that. They also want to know about his monthly earnings. Woman: Let's have a look... five hundred and thirty-eight pounds seventy a month...Oh,sorry, he was a scale one, so that's four hundred and fifty-seven poundssixty. Anything else? Man: That's fine, thanks. I'll send them the informationtoday...[Pause]Now listen to the recording again.[Pause]Conversation Two.Questions 5 to 8.Look at the note below.You will hear a man describing a problem with an order.You have 15 seconds to read through the note.[Pause]Now listen, and fill in the spaces.Woman: Hello, Blackwell Printers. Julie Davidson speaking. How may I help you? Man: Hello. This is Mark Jones from Europe Holidays. I was hoping to speak to Steven Kirby about the stationery you're printing for us.Woman: I'm afraid Steven's away until Friday.Man: Oh - you see I'm not very happy with the business cards and I wanted to see if I could make a couple of changes to the paper too.Woman: Would you like me to pass on a message?Man: Yes, please. The thing is, I've just received your proofs - the cards themselves are fine, but you seem to have misunderstood the quantities. I'msure I asked for five hundred for each of the marketing executives and sevenhundred and fifty for me but you've put everyone down for seven hundredand fifty.Woman: Right, I've made a note of that. Is there anything else?Man: Yes, well this is my mistake really. Could you ask Steven to move the company logo further to the left? It's too close to the address at the moment.I think that's all for now. Thanks.[Pause]Now listen to the recording again.[Pause]Conversation Three.Questions 9 to 12.Look at the notes below.You will hear a woman making the arrangements for a delegation who are going to visit her company.You have 15 seconds to read through the notes.[Pause]Now listen, and fill in the spaces.Woman: Geoff?Man: Yes?Woman: I just want to finalise the preparations for the delegation next week.Man: Certainly. It's Thursday, isn't it?Woman: Yes. Now, can you make sure that each of them gets a name badge and an information pack. The badges are done, but you'll need to prepare the packswith all the relevant information.Man: Ok, that shouldn't take too long. What about catering?Woman: Coffee's organised for eleven and three, but lunch - it's at one - we need to reserve it for twelve people... The office restaurant is closed next week...can you ring the Park Hotel? The Grand Hotel was a bit disappointing lasttime.Man: I'll get onto that.Woman: Now, they'll be coming straight from the station, and their taxi will bring them to the front gate, so make sure you're there to greet them. That'll beabout ten.Man: Ten. And then...Woman: Into Reception, I think. Make sure the new designs are on display, I want them to see those first.Man: OK.Woman: Let me know when it's all finalised. Bye.[Pause]Now listen to the recording again.[Pause]That is the end of Part One. You now have 20 seconds to check your answers. [Pause]Part Two. Questions 13 to 22.Section One.Questions 13 to 17.You will hear five short recordings .For each recording, decide which type of document the speaker is talking about.Write one letter (A-H) next to the number of the recording.Do not use any letter more than once.After you have listened once, replay the recordings.You have 15 seconds to read the list A-H.[Pause]Now listen, and decide which type of document each speaker is talking about. [Pause]ThirteenWoman: Well no wonder the bank's returned it unpaid. Look, the figures don't match the amount in words. I expect someone was filling it in in too much of ahurry. Let's see, we'd better issue another one straight away to pay MrsBurton, because it'll be another three weeks if we wait for the next cycle ofpayments. Her expenses on that sales trip were pretty high, and it wouldn'tbe fair to keep her waiting much longer.[Pause]FourteenMan: Some of the suppliers are already asking about the increases. I'll check, but I seem to remember from last week's meeting that in the end we agreed onthree per cent. So what I'll do is go down each column and calculate thenew amounts, and then it can be printed in time to be inserted into the newbrochures. Can you check the figures for me, though, before it goes to theprinters?[Pause]FifteenWoman: We've just received the paperwork from you about cleaning our premises, and I have to say that it doesn't reflect what we agreed in ourconversation last week. For one thing, it says that we have to supply oursecurity code, and for another it specifies monthly payment in advance, andI told you both of those were out of the question. I'm afraid I really can'tsign this. Could you send me a revised one?[Pause]SixteenMan: Of course, this only gives a very general picture. But as you can see, cash isa particularly healthy area. That's even when we take into account regularoutgoings on loans and leasing equipment, which are included in the finaltotals. And even more significantly, unpaid orders are actually excludedfrom the final calculation. These represent a sum of approximately thirtythousand pounds. With that in mind, we can say that the company's overallposition is still strong.[Pause]SeventeenWoman: I've just asked the Arden Conference Centre about availability for our next training seminar, and they said they still haven't been paid for the onebefore last, which should have been dealt with six months ago. I've had toask them to send a duplicate! We really must be careful. Arden give us veryfavourable prices, but we haven't got a contract with them - Can you dealwith it straight away so we stay in their good books?[Pause]Now listen to the recordings again.[Pause]Section Two.Questions 18 to 22.You will bear another five recordings.For each recording, decide what the speaker's purpose is.Write one letter (A-H) next to the number of the recording.Do not use any letter more than once.After you have listened once, replay the recordings.You have 15 seconds to read the list A-H.[Pause]Now listen, and decide what each speaker's purpose is.[Pause]EighteenMan: Hello. This is Guy Cooper from Centron Electronics here. I believe you rang for some advice about your alarm system, which isn't functioning properly.The message I got said you weren't sure if you needed someone to come andsort it out, or if we could advise you over the phone. Well perhaps you'd liketo get back to me as soon as it's convenient and tell me exactly what theproblem is, and I'll see what I can do.[Pause]NineteenWoman: Well, as you say, Redlon has been supplying us for years but, quite honestly, two-thirds of the complaints we receive about our products are actually dueto faults in components we've had from Redlon. So I talked to theProduction Manager and he agreed that I should look at some alternatives.Future World's range is fine for us, and one of their customers who I spoketo recommended them highly, so that's why we've changed to using them. [Pause]TwentyWoman: The competition's getting tougher, and you know we're facing serious problems. We need to see more benefit from the undeniably hard workwe're putting in, and this means saying no to jobs which aren't profitable. Itwould be much more beneficial to put all our efforts into winninghigher-margin contracts. So the way I feel you can help most is byidentifying the types of contacts which will bring in the income we need inorder to ensure our future.[Pause]Twenty-oneMan: John Woods here, phoning about the project we discussed earlier. Could you give me a ring so that we can talk about it a bit more? I've done a fewcalculations and I'm beginning to wonder whether it's really a practicalproposition. I still think the project's got potential, but there are significantadditional costs which we hadn't taken into account. So could you get backto me as soon as you can, please?[Pause]Twenty-twoWoman: Hello, Sally here, from Pagwell Paints, returning your call. I'm very sorry you aren't happy with the latest consignment you've had from us. It's ratherstrange, because following your complaint about the last delivery, we did infact take action to change the specifications in the way you suggested. So itisn't quite fair to say that we ignored your advice. I know it's important toachieve the consistency that you require, but perhaps your recommendationwasn't exactly what's needed.[Pause]Now listen to the recordings again.[Pause]That is the end of Part Two.[Pause]Part Three. Questions 23 to 30.You will hear the chairman of a business institute making a speech about new business awards that his institute has sponsored.For each question 23-30, mark one letter (A, B or C) for the correct answer.After you have listened once, replay the recording.You have 45 seconds to read through the questions.[Pause]Now listen, and mark A, B or C.[Pause]Man: Who are the managers of the best innovation developments in British industry? That was the question which the first Business Today InnovationAwards set out to answer. This project is all about rewarding good practiceand performance. So, rather than simply recognising excellence in thedesign of specific products, or analysing their financial impact on profits,the awards set out to take an objective look at exactly how companiesmanage the development process itself. Over three hundred and fiftyorganisations entered the competition and were initially reduced to aboutforty. Then, after further careful checking, a short list of just fourteen ofthem was arrived at. These finalists, all manufacturers, were then visited bythe competition judges, a panel of four chief executives from leadingcompanies. The panel toured the finalists' facilities, received presentationson the companies and their projects, and interviewed the key developmentteam members. The products varied enormously in their scale, function anddegree of technology - from bread for a supermarket chain to a printerinside an automatic cash dispenser. Initially the organisers were concernedthat this range could create difficulties in the assessment process. But thisfear proved baseless, as most elements in the innovation process are sharedb; all manufacturers. Interestingly, the finalists broke down into twodistinct and equal groups: large firms with one thousand employees or moreand small firms with two hundred and fifty employees or fewer. With bothgroups the judges decided to concentrate on two of the clearest indicatorsof a successful innovation process, which are: how well the new product iscombined with the company's existing business, and secondly, how well theinnovation methods are recorded and understood. Small firms naturally tendto do well in the first category since they have fewer layers of managementand thus much shorter communication lines. But they seem to put lessemphasis on creating formal development methods which would berepeatable in future innovations. Large firms, on the other hand, havedifficulty integrating the new development within their existing business forreasons of scale. But they tend to succeed in achieving well-documentedand repeatable development methods. This is because larger companies,with their clear emphasis on training, fixed management structure andadministrative systems, require more formal, daily recordkeeping from theirstaff. So what were the key questions the judges had in mind when assessingthe finalists? One of the most important areas concerned how thoroughly acompany checks what is happening in other fields in order to incorporat newideas into the development process. Many of the finalists impressed in thearea. Natura, for example, had demonstrated genuine energy in searchingfor new ways of producing their range of speciality breads. They had lookedat styles of home cooking in different countries, a: well as the possibility ofexploiting new production technologies in order to achieve equally goodresults but on a high-volume production line. What then occupied much ofthe judges' thoughts was the quality of the links which the developmentteam established with senior management, suppliers, the market andmanufacturing. The best examples of the first category were found in smallfirms, where the individual entrepreneur at the top was clearly driving theinnovation forward. Links with suppliers were also seen as an importantfactor, but not all supplier experiences were positive. Occasionally seriousproblems had to be solved where suppliers were working hard to meetspecifications, but the companies that the suppliers were using to adapttheir machinery were not so efficient. This, led to disappointing faults orfluctuations in quality. But in conclusion the awards demonstrate thatinnovation isn't just for high-tech internet companies. You can also besuccessful in mature markets with determination and skill.[Pause]Now listen to the recording again.[Pause]That is the end of Part Three.You now have ten minutes to transfer your answers to your Answer Sheet.Note: Teacher, stop the recording here and time ten minutes. Remind students whenthere is one minute remaining.[Pause]That is the end of the test.TEST 2Part One. Questions 1 to 12.You will hear three telephone conversations or messages.Write one or two words or a number in the numbered spaces on the notes or forms below.After you have listened once, replay each recording.Conversation One.Questions 1 to 4.Look at the form below.You will hear a woman calling about training courses.You have 15 seconds to read through the form.[Pause]Now listen, and fill in the spaces.Man: Good morning, Oakleaf Business Training. How can I help you?Woman: Hello, my name's Enid Stevens, of Appleyard Smith. I've booked two one-day courses, but now I need to change one of them.Man: Let me get your details up on the screen. Right, you've booked Report Writing next month...Woman: Yes, that one's OK. It's Taking Minutes that I can't manage, on the eighth of July. Do you know when it's running again?Man: Let me see. Not until the eighteenth of September, I'm afraid.Woman: That sounds fine. Oh, I think I'll be abroad then.Man: Then there's the first and the thirteenth of October.Woman: I'd like the later date, please.Man: Fine, I'll change your booking.Woman: Another thing; it says in your brochure, everyone attending a course gets a certificate, but I haven't received one from a course I took last January. Man: I'm sorry about that. Which course was it?Woman: Something to do with dealing with the public ?Man: That must have been Customer Service.Woman: Sounds familiar.Man: OK, I'll put it in the post today.Woman: Thank you very much. Goodbye.Man: Goodbye.[Pause]Now listen to the recording again.[Pause]Conversation Two.Questions 5 to 8.Look at the note below.You will hear a woman ringing about problems with a new telephone system.You have 15 seconds to read through the note.[Pause]Now listen, and fill in the spaces.Man: Hello, Swinburn Telecoms.Woman: I'd like to speak to Tony Wilson, please.Man: I'm afraid Tony isn't available. Can I take a message?Woman: Yes please. I'm Sheila Dallas, from Worldnet.Man: Right.Woman: I'm ringing about the telephone system your firm installed here yesterday.We're nothappy with it.Man: Oh dear. What seems to be the problem?Woman: First of all, your engineer said that with the number of extensions we've got, six outside lines would be enough, but we asked for eight, and anywayyou've charged us for the larger system.Man: Right, we'll look into that.Woman: Then, whenever we try to transfer calls from one extension to another we lose them. We're following the instructions, but it just doesn't work.Man: I see.Woman: And finally, could you ask Tony to check the invoice, please? He promised usa discount on installation, which is shown, and one on the equipment, butthat isn't there.Man: Right. I'm sorry about all that. I'll get Tony to contact you as soon as he's free. Woman: Thank you. Goodbye. Man: Goodbye.[Pause]Now listen to the recording again.[Pause]Conversation Three.Questions 9 to 12.Look at the note below.You will hear a woman calling about the arrangements for a meeting.You have 15 seconds to read through the note.[Pause]Now listen, and fill in the spaces.Man: Good morning. Marketing Department. Peter Menzies speaking.Woman: Hello. Could I speak to John Fitzgerald, please?Man: I'm afraid he's not in the office at the moment.Woman: Well, this is Elizabeth Parnell calling. I wanted to talk to John about the meeting next week. You see, I only get back on Tuesday night from a tradefair in the States.Man: So, would you like me to give him a message?Woman: Yes, could you ask him if we can postpone Wednesday's meeting? Till after lunch. That would be easier. It was originally going to be at ten a.m. Man: OK. I'll ask him to change it. I'll get back to you with a time.Woman: Thanks. And could you also ask him to add another item for discussion at the meeting? I thought we were going to talk about the revised budgets - but Ican't see this on the agenda.Man: OK. I'd better ask him to call you...Woman: Yes, please. I'm at Head Office at the moment. Can he phone me here today- I won't be back at my own desk until tomorrow afternoon.Man: Right, I'll give him the message.Woman: Thanks.Man: Bye.Woman: Goodbye.[Pause]Now listen to the recording again.[Pause]That is the end of Part One. You now have 20 seconds to check your answers. [Pause]Part Two. Questions 13 to 22.Section One.Questions 13 to 17.You will hear five short recordings. Five people are talking about different business books they have read.For each recording, decide which book the speaker is talking about.Write one letter (A-H) next to the number of the recording.Do not use any letter more than once.After you have listened once, replay the recordings.You have 15 seconds to read the list A-H.[Pause]Now listen, and decide which book each speaker is talking about.[Pause]ThirteenWoman: Yes, it was interesting... some of it was rather obvious, of course, like dressing smartly, making sure you arrive on time, that sort of thing... butthere was also quite a lot I'd never really considered... like ways tointerpret what the advertisement is really asking for, reading between thelines... and a section which lists some of the harder questions they tend toask you, with effective answers you can give.[Pause]FourteenMan: Invaluable, I'd say... certainly helps prevent you making some of the more embarrassing mistakes. It gives you a kind of timescale to follow through.For example, they stress that you need to get publicity up and running agood six months before you want to stage the event. And get your mainspeakers booked earlier than that. They say you must make sure you've got agood assistant to support you, check the details.[Pause]FifteenWoman: Actually, although it was a bit long, it was definitely useful. The trouble often is, when the management take on new staff, they don't necessarilyreally know what skills or qualities are needed. I want someone who's morethan just a secretary typing out letters every day... I'm looking for a righthand, someone to do everything... and this book spells out what thatmeans... it's helped me to draw up a job description.[Pause]SixteenMan: Well, I wish I'd read it years ago! That would have saved me from some of my worst inefficiencies. I'd recommend it to anyone. It shows you how toproduce a perfect schedule for getting through your workload... Once you'vegot yourself organised, made lists of tasks and priorities, you can make bestuse of each and every day... otherwise you're just constantly confusing yourPA with endless requests, all terribly urgent. . .[Pause]SeventeenWoman: Certainly, a lot of the book was very specialised... but it did give me an idea of how the agencies do the job. Of course, they're the people with thecreative ideas, the expertise, so I'm happy to trust the image developmentwork to them... but I read the book so I could talk to them on equal termsabout what we're trying to do, and how it fits in with our overall businessstrategy.[Pause]Now listen to the recordings again.Section Two.Questions 18 to 22.You will hear another five recordings. Five people are talking about why they decided to use a particular company to supply their office equipment.For each recording, decide what reason each person gives.Write one letter (A—H) next to the number of the recording.Do not use any letter more than once.After you have listened once, replay the recordings.You have 15 seconds to read the list A-H.[Pause]Now listen, and decide what reason each person gives.[Pause]EighteenMan: We were having problems with the company we normally use so we looked at a number of other companies and decided to give this one a try. They'rejust new in the business and we were impressed as they promised theywould deliver the goods we wanted within two days and they did. We had topay more than we would have liked but the results were worth it. Since then,I've told a lot of other people about them.[Pause]NineteenWoman: Apparently they're an established company in Scotland with an excellent reputation, but I didn't know that at the time. I found them through theinternet. I was just browsing through the list of suppliers one day and Inoticed their name. I looked them up and found that they had this fantasticdiscount available that particular month. We ordered various things and thequality was so good we've continued using them.[Pause]TwentyMan: We like to try out different suppliers to make sure we're always getting the best deal. This particular company was running a big publicity campaign. I'dseen the ads on TV and they really put me off. I just couldn't see the appeal.But then someone I met at a training day told me we should use them. Hiscompany had used their service for years with no complaints so we followedhis advice.[Pause]Twenty-oneWoman: We'd looked round the market to find the cheapest deal possible but to be honest there wasn't much to choose, in terms of cost, between any of thelocal suppliers. However, we had a visit from a sales representative fromone company and we asked him to make up some complimentary printedletterheads for us. They were exactly what we wanted so that was thedeciding factor. I think that personal touch gives a company far betterresults than advertising ever can.[Pause]Twenty-twoMan: Obviously there are many different factors to consider when you choose a new supplier. We always used a local company because they were relativelynear and we could even pick things up ourselves if necessary. Butunfortunately they just became too expensive. Now that express deliveryservices are widely available, distance is no longer a consideration andwe've been able to choose someone who can give us the best package forthe lowest cost.[Pause]Now listen to the recordings again.[Pause]That is the end of Part Two.[Pause]Part Three. Questions 23 to 30.You will hear a radio report about the London stock market.For each question 23-30, mark one letter (A, B or C) for the correct answer.After you have listened once, replay the recording.You have 45 seconds to read through the questions.[Pause]Now listen, and mark A, B or C.[Pause]Woman: Hello. I'm Jane Bowen with our regular Friday look at the week just finished on the London stock market. The general picture is pretty mixed. Shares inthe major banks are trading down, while mining companies have surprisedanalysts with a small rise. Overall, it's been a week of considerablemovement, with the highest level reached at the close two days ago and asharp fall yesterday. A strong recovery saw most of those losses being madeup today, but the closing figure still fell short of Wednesday's. Now here'sCharles Wrighton with some company news.Man: Thanks Jane. And first, clothing retailer, Brownlow. Having finally found a buyer for their loss-making sports footwear subsidiary, Hi-form, they'verejected a take-over bid from a leading French retail chain which has beenlooking to buy into the British market for some time. This activity has movedBrownlow's shares up by twenty per cent to ninety-six pence. There's a lot ofinterest in the Lek energy group, which recently bought WestwalesElectricity. To the relief of Westwales managers, Lek haven't brought intheir own people to run the company. Despite predicted job cuts ofsomething like a third of the engineering staff, no announcement has beenmade, and indeed, Lek's comprehensive training scheme has been opened toall grades of staff in Westwales. Back to you, Jane.Woman: We've had a number of emails from investors asking what to do with their shares in gas and electricity companies after their consistently poorperformance recently. Many of you might be thinking of getting rid of yoursas quickly as possible. But financial experts are fairly optimistic about theoutlook for the power sector, and investors may do better to see whathappens over the next few months. With so many other investors deciding tocut their losses and sell now, interest in this sector may increase, and that,of course, would push share prices up. Pharmaceutical companies have donewell today. Recently we've seen several periods of rapid expansion in thissector, only for it to be overtaken a short time later by the strong financialinstitutions. But I actually think the recent performances of pharmaceuticalscompanies has hidden a steep drop in the share prices of many othercompanies. All other sectors have lost considerable amounts, but this simplyhas not been reflected in the overall value of the market, becausepharmaceuticals companies are keeping the value high. Looking next at thesectors whose troubles have been in the news recently: supermarkets,having suffered a downturn in business for over a year, at last have somereason for optimism. The leisure industry, which has suffered even morethan supermarkets, is also showing signs of a turnaround. The same cannotbe said of the building sector, though, which expects little relief for at leastanother six months. Charles...Man: One company in the news is Freewaves, which owns a chain in internet cafes.Like other new companies, Freewaves has tended to pay low dividends toinvestors, preferring to re-invest profits in research and development.Although Freewaves was able to turn in a healthy profit in the first quarter,taking everyone by surprise, the company has now declared operating lossesclose to a million pounds. This, of course, will make shareholders thinkabout whether to keep their shares. And news from Simpson's, the big retailgroup. For years Simpson's have been acquiring other chains, giving them astrong market position, and they now sell everything from make-up tocomputers. But today Simpson's announced that they are to consolidatetheir three home improvement chains into one, under the Fresca name. Woman: Now for the figures...[Pause]Now listen to the recording again.[Pause]That is the end of Fart Three. You now have ten minutes to transfer your answers to your Answer Sheet.[Pause]。