剑桥BEC高级真题第三辑TEST1

Test 1

READING

1 hour

PART ONE Questions 1-8

? Look at the statements below and at the five extracts on the opposite page from an article giving advice to people setting up a business.

? Which extract (A, B, C, D or E) does each statement (1-8) refer to?

? For each statement (1-8), mark one letter (A, B, C, D or E) on your Answer Sheet. ? You will need to use some of these letters more than once. ? There is an example at the begining, (0).

Example: 0 Not everyone has the skills required to manage a company.

A B C D E

1 You should plan ahead in case a founder of the company chooses to leave it.

2 A company which is expanding today may not always continue to do so.

3 The distribution of equity among the founders can affect the smooth runhing of the business.

4 Your function in the organisation is different from that of the other managers.

5 Your method of running the business will have to be modified as your company develops.

6 Your business may evolve into a form that you are not satisfied with.

7 Delay offering employees a financial stake in the company.

8 You need to identify your personal strengths and weaknesses.

A

So you think you’re an entrepreneur, and you want to start up a company. First, be sure you’re really an entrepreneur, and not an inventor. Inventors come up with ideas, entrepreneurs make a business out of them: it’s important to know where your abilities lie, as inventors can fail miserably at running a business. Also, you need to be confident that you can adapt your management style to meet new demands if your company is a success. Leading the management team of a growing business is very different from leading a newly founded company. B

If your company proves successful, it will probably change out of all recognition, and may seem to possess a life of its own, with institutional shareholders, regulators and employees to consider as well as customers and bank managers. That is the time to consider how far the aspirations of the business you founded still mirror your own. If they have diverged widely, and you feel you have built just the sort of business that you perhaps tried to escape from in the first place, it may be time to leave. C

Bringing an idea to life requires an organisation. If you are going into business with your friends, make sure you treat them as professionally as you would your arms-length business partners, because the odds are that you’ll fall out with them. It may not seem important at the start, but it will strengthen the company if you ensure that its constitution documents are designed with your specific business and circumstances in mind, and that they clearly establish what will happen in the event of a withdrawal from the business by one of the founding shareholders.

D

Think carefully about the capital structure of the business. You could be storing up a problem for the company in the future - for example, by allocating shares to founders in a way that could lead to a stand-off if they refuse to see eye to eye on key issues. Similarly, when you eventually recruit new senior team members, think carefully about what to offer them. Don’t give away share options too early. As a rule of thumb, cash is sufficient reward

for knowledge and skill. Keep equity up your sleeve for rewarding commitment.

E

As your business grows, you need to keep the right balance between management control and entrepre-neurial spirit. Too much control, and the business will ultimately cease to grow. Too little, and growth could be unsustainable. You’ll need to employ managers, but remember that their job is to build the infrastructure to underpin a business that until now may have run on the basis of your salesmanship and excitement. The risk is to bring in managers who are too much like you, without the necessary experience of nursing a newly founded business through its evolution.

PART TWO Questions 9-14

? Read this text taken from an article about marketing.

? Choose the best sentence from the opposite page to fill each of the gaps. ? For each gap (9-14), mark one letter (A—H) on your Answer Sheet. ? Do not use any letter more than once. ? There is an example at the beginning, (0).

沪江 BEC：http://www.hjenglish.com/bec/ How effective is your marketing ? Gone are the days when companies had departments full of staff whose role nobody understood.(0)....H.....And rightly so. But when it comes to marketing, what is effectiveness, how do you measure it, and why is its measurement so important?

Businesses are starting to recognise the key marketing questions. Are we providing the right products

Example: A B C D E F G H

A Having done that, next comes establishing what it is that marketing activities should be achieving. B Because of this, you may want to generate return on investment, perhaps by raising the quality of your brand. C This shift in focus will be taken as read by the most successful businesses. D Addressing such issues should mean thatprofits take care of themselves.

E Concerning the latter, it may be tempting to be seduced by efforts that yield quick results and satisfy investor pressure for immediate returns. F These should be precise and based on empirical data. G Good strategies are not necessarily linked to production or sales figures. H Today we are all accountable and have to be able to demonstrate the value of our contribution to our businesses. PART THREE Questions 15-20

? Read the following article about recruitment in the UK and the questions on the opposite page.

? For each question (15-20), mark one letter (A, B, C or D) on your Answer Sheet.

Graduate recruitment has a growing role. But companies need to know whether their recruitment staff who interview candidates for jobs really know what they’re doing.

Carl Gilleard, chief executive of the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR), acknowledges that in a perfect world. the people who recruit graduates would have been in the role for some time building up workplace knowledge. He says the reality is that the high turnover of graduate recruitment managers in most blue chips means there is little continuity in how companies operate. ‘There’s the difficulty in maintaining important contact with university careers departments, for example,’he explains. ‘You need a depth of understanding to appreciate where the company is coming from and how it‘s progressing.’

We can identify two specialisms within the recruiter's role.Those that work on the recruitment and selection side need traditional human resources (HR) skills such as good interviewing technique, observation, common sense, objectivity patience and listening skills. But increasingly there are those who take a strategic view and look more widely at how their company is represented in the marketplace. lt's a clear advantage if you can identify with your target audience.

Many young members of middle management are seconded into HR for a year because their firms feel they can identify with job—seeking graduates.Yet in an industry that has been revolutionised by the internet, privatised career services and rocketing numbers in higher education, it is questionable how relevant these managers` experiences are. Some high—fliers see a secondment to HR as a sideways move; a firm’s HR func- tion might not carry the same kudos as, say the finance department, although obviously the recruitment and retention of staff is of crucial importance.

Georgia de Saram, specialising in graduate recruitment at a law Erm, is one of a new breed of young dynamic recruiters who see HR as their vocation ratherthan a transitory career move. ‘I was attracted to the profession because I enjoy working with people and it's an obvious follow-on from my anthropology degree.’ she says. ‘In this capacity you get to know people and they know you even though they might not know other people in the firm.’ As a recruiter, she sees herself as the interface between graduates and the firm that’s looking to attract them.‘It's such a tug of war between law firms for the best trainees - often they’ll turn you down in favour of an offerthey’ve received from elsewhere.You need to be good at marketing your firm, to know what interests graduates and how you can reach potential employees, whether that`s through virtual law fairs or magazines.’

A recent AGR survey suggests that the sectors in which there is less turnover of graduate recruitment managers are more successful in recruiting the graduates they want. The legal sector’s sophisticated understanding of the market, for example, means they manage to recruit exactly the right number of trainees despite intense competition and thousands of applications. The people recruiting seem to build up a specialism and then pass on their knowledge and expertise to those new to the graduate recruitment sector

Jackie Alexander: an HR partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers, feels that HR professionals are finally reaching board level and receiving the sort of acknowledgement they deserve. ‘They are judged by the value they add to the business,' she says,'and, as a professional services firm, the right people are our biggest asset.’ As Georgia de Saram points out: ‘From our company’s point of view, if I can’t establish a rapport with a candidate and bring out their best, it might not be just their future but also ours that is at stake.’

15 According to Carl Gilleard, many recruiters lack

A detailed knowledge of their sector.

B appropriate academic qualifications.

C understanding of graduates’ expectations. D experience of the companies they work for.

16 What change in the recruitment process is mentioned in the third paragraph?

A Recruitment staff are re-training.

B Broader approaches are being adopted.

C Traditional abilities are being given less value. D Different interview processes are being— used.

17 On what grounds are certain managers seconded to HR departments?

A It is believed that they will relate to potential recruits.

B It is thought that they will benefit most from new developments. C It is assumed that they will be able to apply specialised knowledge.

D lt is expected that they will take advantage of new promotion opportunities.

18 Which of the following areas does Georgia de Saram mention as an aspect of her work?

A representing her company effectively to its recruits B increasing recruitment numbers at her company C encouraging a wide range of company recruits D influencing her company's recruitment policy 19 What was revealed about law firms in a survey?

A They are competing more effectively than before against other sectors. B They prefer to retain trainees for extended periods wherever possible. C They have managed to employ particularly knowledgeable HR staff. D They appeal to those HR managers who are keen for promotion. 20 What point is made about recruitment in the final paragraph?

A New levels of qualification are being developed for it. B lt is now being perceived as key to increased profitability. , C Higher numbers of managers are being attracted to it. D It is becoming central to a business’s survival.

PART FOUR

Questions 21-30

? Read the article below about job satisfaction.

? Choose the correct word to fill each gap from A, B, C or D on the opposite page. ? For each question (21-30), mark one letter (A, B, C or D) on your Answer Sheet. ? There is an example at the beginning, (0).

How important is job satisfaction? At its most basic, a job is (0) ........ a collection of tasks and duties. An employee’s enjoyment of his or her job will thus (21) ........ depend upon whether or not he or she is happy with the particular mix of tasks and duties (22) ........ to that position. Naturally, each and every member of staff is different- some employees want to do easy, (23) ........ tasks without any responsibilities at all, whilst others prefer challenging, varied ones and are pleased to accept any additional responsibilities offered to them. Of course, with a job there are more (24) ........ in play than this: work 沪江 BEC：http://www.hjenglish.com/bec/ conditions, pay, working relations and future prospects are (25) ........ too. Nevertheless, tasks and duties are the central feature, and should therefore be considered as a separate (26) ........ in themselves.

So, how important is an employee’s enjoyment of his or her individual (27) ........ of

Example: A quite

B even C just D yet A B C D

21 A highly

22 A devoted

23 A customary

24 A pieces

25 A connected

26 A result

27 A set

28 A insist

D B largely C extensively

B intended C identified D

D B habitual C usual

B roles C factors D

D B relevant C appropriate

B effect C issue D

D B order C rank

B accentuate D C reiterate

B demonstrate C unmask D

沪江 BEC：http:// ww B ensure C convince w.hjenglish.com/ bec/ D

widely allocated routine parts related outcome line assent manifest assure

29 A uncover 30 A confirm

PART FIVE

Ouestions 31-40

? Read the text below from a brochure.

? For each question (31-40), write one word in CAPITAL LETTERS on your Answer Sheet. ? There is an example at the beginning, (0).

Example: 0 A

Paragon: great business space

A new concept for the twenty-first century, Paragon is (0) ....... totally unique showpiece development of high-quality office and call centre buildings, hotel and leisure facilities. Many cities find (31) ........ increasingly difficult to allocate office space, but the city of Wakefield is already ahead (32) ....... the game with Paragon.

Paragon offers an extensive parkland setting with low-density buildings, and room to expand in the future. Yet, (33) ....... the vast majority of business parks, Paragon has not been exiled to the distant edges of the city. Instead, this large site is only I km from the centre of Wakefield. This offers massive advantages: employees can easily walk or cycle to work, saving stress and pollution, and significantly cutting (34) ....... on commuting time. There is (35) ....... more driving along the motorway to distant outposts of business empires for the Paragon worker But Paragon's location sacrifices nothing (36) ....... terms of communications. It is perfectly placed for road and rail networks.

A further attraction of Wakefield for Paragon is the ready availability of a skilled workforce. (37) ....... are more than 233,000 people available for work within an hour's journey, and an enormous catchment population of 20 million within two hours' travel. The city has a long history (38) ....... an administrative centre, and its recent success in attracting top-name companies is evidence of its solid business credentials. Figures from the developers suggest that up (39) ....... 5,000 jobs could be available in the initial phase of its development, with more to follow, making it (40) ....... of the most significant areas of employment in the region.

PARTSIX

Questions 41-52

? Read the text below about IT training.

? In most of the lines (41-52) there is one extra word. It is either grammatically incorrect or does not fit in with the sense of the text. Some lines, however, are correct. ? lf a line is correct, write CORRECT on your Answer Sheet.

? lf there is an extra word in the line, write the extra word in CAPITAL LETTERS on your Answer

Sheet. ? The exercise begins with two examples, (0) and (00).

Examples:

0 0 C T O H R A R T E C T

IN-HOUSE IT TRAINING 0 One of the most important things you should consider before implementing 00 an IT training program is whether that the content is current, accurate 41 and easily be understood by trainees. In general, you should look 42 for a training program that has done an affiliation with industry 43 leaders. For example, a course on Windows 2000 should at least , 44 be approved by Microsoft. A course that has been co-developed in 45 this way ensures so that trainees will study relevant and correct 46 information. Also, take into your account the availability of practical 47 exercises. Many off-site, instructor-led programs which provide learning 48 labs for trainee practice, but take good on-site training courses can 49 include hands-on simulations that resemble to an actual networking 50 or desktop environment. This supply allows trainees to interact with 51 the programs without crashing down a live system. It also means that 52 trainees can study while at work so that less time is going missed, and 沪江 BEC：http://www.hjenglish.com/bec/ production schedules are not interrupted.

WRITING

1 hour 10 minutes

PART ONE Question 1

? The graph below shows the turnover for three kinds of retail outlet, all owned by the same company, during a three-year period.

? Using the information from the graph, write a short report comparing the changes in turnover in the company’s three types of outlet. ? Write 120-140 words.

PART TWO

Write an answer to one of the questions 2-4 in this part. Write your answer in 200-250 words.

Question 2

? Your company would like to break into a new overseas market with your new range of sports goods. You have been asked by the Marketing Director to investigate ways of doing this.

? Write a report for the Marketing Director, including the following information: ? how you carried out your research into the market ? the existing competition ? your target customers

? ways of promoting the products in the new market. Question 3

? Recently you have become unhappy with a service that has been provided to your company for a number of years. You have decided to write a letter of complaint to the service provider.

? Write your letter to the company that provides the service, including the following information:

? which service you are complaining about ? why you are dissatisfied with the service

? what action you want the service provider to take

? what you will do if there is no improvement in the service.

Question 4

? Your Managing Director is considering how to improve the company's internal communications, and has asked you to write a short proposal giving your views on communication within your department.

? Write the proposal for the Managing Director:

? describing how communication currently takes place within your department ? pointing out the weaknesses of the present situation

? recommending one or two improvements that should be made.

LISTENING

Approximately 40 minutes (including 10 minutes’ transfer time)

PART ONE

Questions 1-12

? You will hear the founder of a company called Manshee talking to business students about its development.

? As you listen, for questions 1-12, complete the notes, using up to three words or a number. ? After you have listened once, replay the recording.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF MANSHEE 1 The speaker had a problem finding ............................................................................. for his computer. 2 Initially, the speaker bought from ........................................................................................businesses. 3 4 5 6 Four years after its launch, Manshee’s .................................................................................. was ￡6 m. 沪江 BEC：http://www.hjenglish.com/bec/ The company grew rapidly without having ........................................................................................... . The main factor in the company's decisions was the current month’s .................................. ................ ...................................................................................................................fell as a result of competition.

PART TWO

Questions 13-22

? You will hear five different people talking about problems and responses to them in the companies where they work.

? For each extract there are two tasks. For Task One, decide which problem each speaker mentions from the list A-H. For Task Two, decide which response the company made to the problem from the list A-H.

? After you have listened once, replay the recording.

Task One - Problems

? For questions 13-17, match the extracts with the problems, listed A-H. ? For each extract, decide which problem for the company is mentioned. , ? Write one letter (A-H) next to the number of the extract.

13 ................................. A The directors’ experience was narrow.

B Certain products went out of fashion. 沪江 BEC： http:

14 ................................. 15 .................................

C There was a reliance on poor-quality supplies. D There were conflicts between directors.

E Too many new products were launched at the

same time

//www.hjenglish.com/bec/

Task Two - Responses

? For questions 18-22, match the extracts with the responses, listed A-H.

? For each extract, decide which response the company made to the problem. ? Write one letter (A-H) next to the number of the extract.

18 ................................. 19 .................................

20.................................

21 .................................

22 .................................

A B C D E F G H Large severance payments were made. New shares were issued. A takeover bid was accepted.

Low-cost products were introduced. A partnership abroad was formed. One division was sold off.

Some products were rebranded.

A cost reduction programme was introduced.

PART THREE Questions 23-30

? You will hear a discussion between two senior managers, John and Deborah, about an assistant manager, Colin, who has applied for a new post.

? For each question (23-30), mark one letter (A, B or C) for the correct answer. ? After you have listened once, replay the recording.

23 The new post is being created as a result of A plans to change corporate culture. _ B criticisms of management practice.

C changes to overall company structure. 24 What reason has Colin given for applying?

A to have a more challenging role B to make full use of his qualifications C to raise his profile within the company

25 John was particularly impressed by the way Colin

A treated a dissatisfied client.

B responded to an unreliable supplier. C dealt with an inefficient member of staff.

26 What current strength of Co|in’s does Deborah commend?

A his analytical skills B his product knowledge C his flexible approach

27 On a recent sales trip, Colin succeeded in

A improving the terms of a contract. B identifying a new method of selling. C making a number of new contacts.

28 In what area did Colin excel during recent training?

A teamworking B report writing C prioritising

29 What does Co|in's reference say?

A He expects too much of others. B His confidence will grow in time. C He sometimes lacks objectivity.

30 What support will the successful candidate receive?

A contact with an in—house advisory body B performance appraisal meetings C coaching from a consultant

That is the end of the Listening test. You now have ten minutes to transfer your answers to your Answer Sheet.

SPEAKING

16 minutes

SAMPLE SPEAKING TASKS

PART ONE

In 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 TWO

In 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 to prepare your ideas.

A Customer relations: the importance to a company of reliable customer opinions of products ·

B Staff development: the importance to a company of developing effective career plans for staff

C Business strategy: how to maintain the confidence of company shareholders

PART THREE

In this part of the test, you are given a discussion topic. You have 30 seconds to look at the task prompt, an example of which is below, and then about three minutes to discuss the topic with your partner. After that, the examiner will ask you more questions related to the topic.

For two candidates

Travelling to Work

Your company’s location in a busy city centre means that staff often complain about the time taken to get to work. You have been asked to make some recommendations. Discuss and decide together: ? whether it would be better for staff to use public or private transport ? what the effects might be of allowing staff to work flexible hours.

For three candidates

Travelling to Work Your company’s location in a busy city centre means that staff often complain about the time taken to get to work. You have been asked to make some recommendations. Discuss and decide together: ? whether it would be better for staff to use public or private transport ? what the effects might be of allowing staff to work flexible hours ? what other measures the company could take to deal with the situation.

Follow-on questions

? Would you be willing to spend a long time travelling to work every day? (Why?/Why not?) ? Should companies provide staff with financial assistance if they have long journeys to work? (Why?/Why not?) ? What do you think influences a company’s decision to be located in a busy city centre? (Why?) 沪江 BEC：http://www.hjenglish.com/bec/ ? What effect do you think technology will have in the future on where people do their work? (Why?) ? What could be the long-term effects of changes in the hours people work

and where they work? (Why?)

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