商务英语期末试卷

石家庄铁道大学2011-2012学年第2学期

全院选修课期末考试试卷(2012.6)

课程名称：商务英语任课教师：赵振宇考试时间：分钟

学号：姓名：班级：

考试性质：开卷考试（）缓考补考（）重修（）提前修读（）

试卷一

Ⅰ. Business Case (30%)

A Niche Player

Most of the washing machines in China’s cities have been in use for over 7 years, and it is estimated that about 40% of them will be replaced with new ones in the next 3 years. This is why China’s major washing mac hine manufacturers have been busy developing new models to attract customers.

Tianhua Co. has been a new comer to the market and Li Hao, General Manager of the company, knows that it would be suicidal for Tianhua to compete with the big guys head – on. Instead, Tianhua must be a niche player and come up with a model with some unique features. Answer the following questions:

1.Why cannot Tianhua compete with the big companies head-on?

2.What kind of niche would you suggest for Tianhua in the washing machine market?

Ⅱ. Cultural Analysis (30%)

American: Mr. Sugimoto, I have noticed that you are doing an excellent job on the assembly line. I hope that the other workers notice how it should be done.

Japanese: (He is uneasy.) Praise is not necessary. I am only doing my job. (He hopes that the other Japanese workers do not hear.)

American: You are the best and most dedicated worker we have ever had at the Jones Corporation.

Japanese: (He blushes and nods his head several times, and keeps working.)

Ame rican: Well, are you going to say “Thank you”, Mr. Sugimoto, or just remain silent? Japanese: Excuse me, Mr. Jones. May I take leave for five minutes?

American: Sure. (He is annoyed and watches Sugimoto exit.) I can’t believe how rude some Japanese workers are. They seem to be disturbed by praise and don’t answer you … just remain

silent.

Answer the following questions:

1.Why was the conversation between Mr. Jones and Mr. Sugimoto not so pleasant? Please

explain the underlying cultural reasons.

2.If you were Mr. Jones, how would you deal with the situation more appropriately?

Ⅲ. Translation (40%)

Section A. English to Chinese (20%)

Translate the following text into Chinese.

Right now, the New York Stock Exchange has billions of dollars changing hands every day, with thousands of companies being traded, and millions of people being affected. If we trace the roots of the New York Stock Exchange to its beginning, we would find that it started out as dirt path in front of Trinity Church in East Manhattan 200 years ago. At that time, there was no paper money changing hands, or even the idea of stocks. Rather, they traded silver for papers saying they owned shares in cargo, that was coming in on ships every day. The trade flourished.

During the American Revolution, the Colonial Government needed money to fund its wartime operations. One way they did this was by selling bonds. Bonds are pieces of paper a person buys for a set price, knowing that after a certain period of time, they can exchange their bonds for a profit. Along with bonds, the first of the nation's banks started to sell parts or shares of their own companies to people in order to raise money. In essence they sold off part of the company to whomever wanted to buy it, which is the essence of the modern day stock market.

The 1900s brought the Industrial Revolution, and along with it, a boom in Wall Street. Everybody wanted a piece of the action, and Wall Street grew. The New York Stock Exchange was not the only way to buy stocks at that time. Many stocks that were deemed not good enough for the NYSE, were traded outside on the curbs. This so called "curb trading," has now become the American Stock Exchange (AMEX).

Today, the New York and the American Stock Exchanges, have been joined by the NASDAQ, and hundreds of local and international Stock Exchanges, that all play a part in the national and global economy.

Section B. Chinese to English (20%)

Translate the following text into English.

在过去15年里世界经济经历了深刻的结构性变革。信息技术革命已远远超出了高科技产业的范畴。信息技术革命已撼动了旧产业和职业秩序的根基，重新定义了创新精神和竞争，并为许多新产品和服务创造不断全球化的市场。简言之，一种新经济已经出现。

这种新经济是以知识和思想为基础的，在新经济中提高生活水平和创造就业机会的关键在于能在多大程度上将创新思想和技术融入到服务、产品和生产工序中去。在新经济中风险、不确定和不断变化是常规，而不是例外；等级式机构被网络化的学习机构代替。

但最重要的是，新经济是促进进步的力量：提高生产力、增加收入、使工作更依赖知识、增强工人的自尊自主、扩大股东人数以及公民获取更大知情权。