單項選擇題
1、根據(jù)下面資料，回答題
Another Successful Year
The UK-based agricultural and garden equipment group PLT has had another successful year and is looking forward to the future with (0).....B.....The group, which also has distribution and fuel (19)......has enjoyed record profits for the fifth year in A．(20)......
Pre-tax profits for the year (21) March 31 rose by 24 percent to ε 4.2 million.Total group sales (22)...... by five per cent to ε155 million, with the agricultural business delivering yet another record (23)......despite the somewhat difficult trading (24)......in the industry. Sales in the garden equipment (25).....were slow in the early months of the year but increased dramatically in the finalquarter.
Chairman Suresh Kumar said, "It is my (26)......that we have continued to grow by(27).....our customers well. I am delighted to (28).....the continued development of our customer (29)......and I would like to thank all our customers for their (30).....As well as an increase in customers, our staff numbers also continue to grow. During the year
we have taken (31).....58 new employees so that our total workforce now numbers in excess of 700. All of the staff deserve my praise for their dedication and continued efforts in(32).....these excellent results".
The group has proposed A．final (33).... of 9.4p per share, bringing the total to 13p for the year.
（19）應(yīng)選
A．commitments
B．interests
C．responsibilities
D．benefits
2、根據(jù)下面資料，回答題 Sell, Sell, Sell Last year over ε 13bn was spent on advertising in the UK and research indicates that most people will have seen 2m sales messages by the time they are 30. Advertising is big business and often acts as the interface between commerce and culture. While there are many adverts that just irritate, there are some that are miniature works of art. (0).. G... The advertisers themselves believe they are delivering an important message because they are protecting and promoting a client's brand and extending greater choice to the consumer. (8)Instead of being free, many TV channels would only be available on subscription packages of about ε 500 per month and newspapers might cost six times more than their present cover pdce.There are many different models of advertising practice, but no one is precisely sure what makes a good advert. (9) While some try to get you to buy a product, others, such as anti- smoking campaigns, aim to get you not to do something. Some adverts are not aimed at consumers at all, but at retailers, shareholders or employees. For example, manufacturers often advertise their products in trade magazines to reassure retailers that a new brand will be widely promoted. Petrol companies often choose to emphasize how environmentally friendly they are; this is to offset any negative public perceptions of the industry rather than to persuade consumers to buy an individual brand of petrol. (10) This is because petrol is regarded, in advertising terms, as a distress purchase. We get it because we can't do without it, not because we really want it. In general, however, the main aim of advertising is to attribute emotional qualities to a product in order to create an individual brand that the consumer can associate with. Working out whether an advert has been successful is extremely difficult. (11) For example, what persuaded them to buy a car? You cannot be sure whether it was the advertising, the price, the opposition's distribution, changes in the law or changes in consumer attitudes that was the determining factor. What advertising can't do is make consumers buy something they don't want. It can perhaps persuade you to try something once, but if you don't like what you get, you won't try it again, (12) In other words, where there is no emotional engagement, such as a consumer's feelings about a bag of peas, beliefs are much harder to shift. A．Moreover, it is almost impossible to get people to change the way they view things they are indifferent to. B．Over the last ten years, other forms of advertising, such as direct marketing, have become increasingly popular as well as scientific. C．They don't, as the industry well knows, care enough to be brand loyal to such a product. D．Whether you accept this argument or not, you have to recognize that without advertising our world would be very different. E．The problem lies in isolating precisely what motivates people to behave in a particular way. F．This is partly because not all advertisements are designed to do the same thing. G．The production costs involved in these can reach higher figures than those for the average movie.
(8)應(yīng)選
3、根據(jù)下面內(nèi)容，回答題 Evaluating the Performance of the Board Few employees escape the annual or twice-yearly performance review．(0) ...G ... The answer is not a great number．And the smaller the company, the fewer checks there are on how well the directors are doing．Some of the largest companies formally assess the performance of their board, but very few new or growing companies have managed to get round to establishing any such procedure. Many business experts believe, however, that it is important for all companies to review the performance of the board．(8)....．Another reason is that the board itself needs information on how well it is doing, just as much as other employees do．For the chief executive, appraisal of some sort is absolutely essential for his or her own sake and for the good of the company．Indeed, many of those who have reached this level remark on how lonely the job of chief executive is and how few opportunities they get to discuss issues relating to it. There is some evidence to show that once smaller companies put a board appraisal process in place, they find this process relatively easy to operate．(9)....． Their counterparts in larger organizations, however, are often afraid that appraisals could be a challenge to their status. So, how should companies assess their board? (10).....At a very basic level, this could simply mean getting all the directors to write down what they have achieved and how they can improve on it．At the other end of the scale is the full "360-degree" appraisal．Here, each director is appraised in a systematic manner by a combination of the chairman and fellow directors. In the largest companies there are many methods for assessing the board．A number of such companies have self-assessment schemes．The chairman may meet each board member individually to ask how things are going, in a fairly informal way．The whole board might also meet to talk about its progress in open session．(11).....These might ask for people's opinions on the board's main tasks or on how well the committees are working. Research indicates there has been some improvement in the way the appraisal of board members is conducted．(12)......The chairman will have been involved directly or indirectly in the appraisal of all members of the board．Whose job is it, then, to appraise the chairman? A.It is often the case that the directors of such companies are even happy to receive criticism, as this can prevent them from making basic mistakes. B.The rest of the workforce sees it as unfair if the directors are the only members of thecompany to escape appraisal. C.These are encouraging as they put a limit on the power of the chairman to assess fellow directors. D.Alternatively, questionnaires might be distributed to directors, forming the basis for future discussion. E.One issue remains, however, when all the others have been dealt with． F.It is generally agreed that it is the chairman's responsibility to ensure the regular appraisal of each member of the board. G.However, one wonders how many companies have in place a formal appraisal process for their board of directors.
（8）應(yīng)選
4、根據(jù)下面內(nèi)容，回答題： Department Store Magic For 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 l908． 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 buildin9，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，wh0’d been shopping there for years， and the customer base was gradually contractin9．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 unifbrm that had hardly changed since day one has now disappeared．Moreover，teenagers now get young shop assistants，and staff in the spots 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 of the existing store will inevitably start to decline." According to the writer, in the mid-1990s Smithson's department store_______ A． 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
填空題 5、 Questions 8-12 ·Read this memorandum. ·Choose the best sentence from the list A – I to fill each of the blanks. ·For each blank (8 - 12) mark one letter (A - I) on your Answer Sheet. ·De not mark any letter twice. ·One answer has teen given as an example.
MEMORANDUM To: Filma Williams, school of Architecture From: Ram S. Johnson, Physical Plant Operations Subject: Air-conditioning Installation Costs for East Hall. Date: 4.4.94 As you requested in your memo of March 15, we have studied the costs of installing air conditioning for the seven offices and two studio classrooms in East Hall ____ Example ____ Office and Classroom installation Estimates were obtained from three contractors on the costs of covering the offices and classrooms ____ 8 ____ The work would take about three weeks. Because the central unit would be installed on the roof, some noise problems might occur during a four-or five-day period ____ 9 ____ Sheet metal work to build out lest in the classes could be dine on weekends, and the overtime labour costs of about $ 1,500 have been included in the estimates. Arrangements were not made to do the office space installation on weekends … 10 … Additional Installation Because a larger installation, including a more powerful central unit, would be necessary to handle the halls and stairways, an additional $6,000 would be required for the equipment. ____ 11 ____ If this additional work were delayed until a later time, a new central unit would be required along with changes in the pipe way ____ 12 ____ Summary The total job for the building would be about $ 35,000 if done at one time. A two-stage installation would cost about $55,000. I can get official bids at your request.
Example: A A.As you suggested, we also sought information on the additional cost of air conditioning in the entrance halls and stairways. B.All these three were in the $ 20,000 to $ 25,000 range. C.This later installation would cost about $20,000. D.However, class interruption should be minimal. E.In the same way, each of these three would take at least one month. F.Therefore, the total cost was this $6,000 plus another $5,000. G.Labour costs would be an additional S 5,000, bringing the total cost of the addition to $11,000. H.Each faculty member could expect to have workers in office for about one day. I.So faculty members can continue their office work as usual.
6、 Questions 8-12 ·Read the text below about career planning. ·Choose the best sentence from the list on the opposite page to fill each of the gaps. ·For each gap 8-12, mark one letter (A-I) on your Answer sheet. ·Do not use any letter more than once.
Career Planning For many employees, automatic promotion up the ranks of a company is becoming increasingly rare. A new study suggests that, in response, employers need to consider how they can help staff develop their careers. Employers need to rethink their approach to career management completely, according to the latest research by the Institute of Employment Studies. The new study finds that in fact there is little opportunity for individual career development in many large organisations. (example)____.The Institute of Employment Studies makes it clear that it is not good practice for companies to hand over career development to individual employees and then simply leave them to get on with it. (8) ____. So how should employers help their staff develop a career? Most employees have come to accept that career development is not always the same thing as upward promotion and a higher salary. (9) ____.They must also ensure that these opportunities are extended to all their staff and not just to selected individuals. Nick Bridges, who is Director of Human Resources Policy at the Bank of Eastern England, believes there is more talk than action in this area. (10) ____. One way, he believes, for companies to show how serious they are about individual learning is to make it an official part of company practice, as the Bank of Eastern England has done. (11)____. This document, he points out, has made the role of managers clear, and the company has also invested huge amounts of money educating managers so that they can then train their staff. Another company, British Chemicals, has contracted an independent organisation to help staff with confidential career advice. According to John Yates, the head of Individual Learning and Development at British Chemicals, there is an important role for outside agencies to play in the career management process. He adds that it is company policy for managers to give all staff ‘roadmaps’ which show possible career routes within the company structure. (12)____. This has worked especially well, he says, for staff who are used to depending on their line managers for guidance. Many large organisations now recognise that career development cannot be regarded in isolation, and must be part of an overall business strategy. Human Resources has a real role to play in building a strong workforce which meets a company’s long-term business needs and makes it more competitive.
AIts policy statement says that by 2006, eighty per cent of its staff will have a professional qualification. BHis recommendations go even further than that, and he has called for a national debate on the issue of what should be regarded as a career in the future. CThis change of attitude means employers need to place more emphasis on giving staff the chance to develop a range of skills through horizontal job moves. DIt points out that employees need to know what the overall company vision is in order to achieve many of these. EThe problem that often arises is that, while they are increasingly encouraged to manage their own careers, they are not provided with the knowledge and training to do this. FThey are able to see that, contrary to expectations, jobs in different fields are similar, and they can also see how it is possible to cross over to other areas. GIts employees are no longer motivated by these factors alone, and the problem today is matching a person’s motivation with the right job. HHe argues that while Human Resources managers are saying the way forward is through self-managed learning and self-development, they are still failing to provide adequate learning resources. IThe main reasons for this, it concludes, are the recent cuts in the number of middle-management posts, and the changes that have taken place in the responsibilities of personnel departments.
7、 Questions 8-12 ·Read this text on Dave’s dream. ·Choose the best sentence from the Opposite page 68 to fill each of the gaps. ·For each gap 8-12, mark one letter A - I on your Answer Sheet. ·Do not mark any letter twice.
Icon Acoustics: Bypassing Tradition Like most entrepreneurs, Dave Fokos dreams a lot. He imagines customers eagerly phoning Icon Acoustics in Billerica, Massachusetts, to order his latest, custom-made stereo peakers ____example____ Like most entrepreneurs, Dave has taken a long time to develop his dream. ____(8)____ Dave discovered that he had a strong interest in studio engineering, He took independent-study courses in this area and by graduation had designed and built a pair of marketable stereo speakers. Following graduation, Dave pursued his interest in audio engineering. He landed a job as a loudspeaker designer with Conrad-Johnson, a high-end audio-equipment manufacturer headquarters in Fairfax, Virginia ____(9)____ Dave identified a market niche that he felt other speaker firms had overlooked ____(10)____These affluent, well-educated customers are genuinely obsessed with their stereo equipment. ‘They’d rather buy a new set of speakers than eat,’ Dave observes. Dave faced one major problem---how to distribute Icon’s products. He had learned from experience at Conrad-Johnson that most manufacturers distribute their equipment primarily through stereo dealers. Dave did not hold a high opinion of most such dealers; he felt that they too often played hardball with manufacturers, forcing them to accept thin margins. ____(11)____This kept those firms that offered more customized products from gaining access to the market. Perhaps most disturbing, Dave felt that the established dealers often sold not what was best for customers, but whatever they had in inventory that month. Dave dreamed of offering high-end stereo loudspeakers directly to the audio-obsessed, bypassing the established dealer network. ____(12)____ “My vision for the future is one where a
2、根據(jù)下面資料，回答題 Sell, Sell, Sell Last year over ε 13bn was spent on advertising in the UK and research indicates that most people will have seen 2m sales messages by the time they are 30. Advertising is big business and often acts as the interface between commerce and culture. While there are many adverts that just irritate, there are some that are miniature works of art. (0).. G... The advertisers themselves believe they are delivering an important message because they are protecting and promoting a client's brand and extending greater choice to the consumer. (8)Instead of being free, many TV channels would only be available on subscription packages of about ε 500 per month and newspapers might cost six times more than their present cover pdce.There are many different models of advertising practice, but no one is precisely sure what makes a good advert. (9) While some try to get you to buy a product, others, such as anti- smoking campaigns, aim to get you not to do something. Some adverts are not aimed at consumers at all, but at retailers, shareholders or employees. For example, manufacturers often advertise their products in trade magazines to reassure retailers that a new brand will be widely promoted. Petrol companies often choose to emphasize how environmentally friendly they are; this is to offset any negative public perceptions of the industry rather than to persuade consumers to buy an individual brand of petrol. (10) This is because petrol is regarded, in advertising terms, as a distress purchase. We get it because we can't do without it, not because we really want it. In general, however, the main aim of advertising is to attribute emotional qualities to a product in order to create an individual brand that the consumer can associate with. Working out whether an advert has been successful is extremely difficult. (11) For example, what persuaded them to buy a car? You cannot be sure whether it was the advertising, the price, the opposition's distribution, changes in the law or changes in consumer attitudes that was the determining factor. What advertising can't do is make consumers buy something they don't want. It can perhaps persuade you to try something once, but if you don't like what you get, you won't try it again, (12) In other words, where there is no emotional engagement, such as a consumer's feelings about a bag of peas, beliefs are much harder to shift. A．Moreover, it is almost impossible to get people to change the way they view things they are indifferent to. B．Over the last ten years, other forms of advertising, such as direct marketing, have become increasingly popular as well as scientific. C．They don't, as the industry well knows, care enough to be brand loyal to such a product. D．Whether you accept this argument or not, you have to recognize that without advertising our world would be very different. E．The problem lies in isolating precisely what motivates people to behave in a particular way. F．This is partly because not all advertisements are designed to do the same thing. G．The production costs involved in these can reach higher figures than those for the average movie.
(8)應(yīng)選
3、根據(jù)下面內(nèi)容，回答題 Evaluating the Performance of the Board Few employees escape the annual or twice-yearly performance review．(0) ...G ... The answer is not a great number．And the smaller the company, the fewer checks there are on how well the directors are doing．Some of the largest companies formally assess the performance of their board, but very few new or growing companies have managed to get round to establishing any such procedure. Many business experts believe, however, that it is important for all companies to review the performance of the board．(8)....．Another reason is that the board itself needs information on how well it is doing, just as much as other employees do．For the chief executive, appraisal of some sort is absolutely essential for his or her own sake and for the good of the company．Indeed, many of those who have reached this level remark on how lonely the job of chief executive is and how few opportunities they get to discuss issues relating to it. There is some evidence to show that once smaller companies put a board appraisal process in place, they find this process relatively easy to operate．(9)....． Their counterparts in larger organizations, however, are often afraid that appraisals could be a challenge to their status. So, how should companies assess their board? (10).....At a very basic level, this could simply mean getting all the directors to write down what they have achieved and how they can improve on it．At the other end of the scale is the full "360-degree" appraisal．Here, each director is appraised in a systematic manner by a combination of the chairman and fellow directors. In the largest companies there are many methods for assessing the board．A number of such companies have self-assessment schemes．The chairman may meet each board member individually to ask how things are going, in a fairly informal way．The whole board might also meet to talk about its progress in open session．(11).....These might ask for people's opinions on the board's main tasks or on how well the committees are working. Research indicates there has been some improvement in the way the appraisal of board members is conducted．(12)......The chairman will have been involved directly or indirectly in the appraisal of all members of the board．Whose job is it, then, to appraise the chairman? A.It is often the case that the directors of such companies are even happy to receive criticism, as this can prevent them from making basic mistakes. B.The rest of the workforce sees it as unfair if the directors are the only members of thecompany to escape appraisal. C.These are encouraging as they put a limit on the power of the chairman to assess fellow directors. D.Alternatively, questionnaires might be distributed to directors, forming the basis for future discussion. E.One issue remains, however, when all the others have been dealt with． F.It is generally agreed that it is the chairman's responsibility to ensure the regular appraisal of each member of the board. G.However, one wonders how many companies have in place a formal appraisal process for their board of directors.
（8）應(yīng)選
4、根據(jù)下面內(nèi)容，回答題： Department Store Magic For 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 l908． 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 buildin9，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，wh0’d been shopping there for years， and the customer base was gradually contractin9．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 unifbrm that had hardly changed since day one has now disappeared．Moreover，teenagers now get young shop assistants，and staff in the spots 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 of the existing store will inevitably start to decline." According to the writer, in the mid-1990s Smithson's department store_______ A． 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
填空題 5、 Questions 8-12 ·Read this memorandum. ·Choose the best sentence from the list A – I to fill each of the blanks. ·For each blank (8 - 12) mark one letter (A - I) on your Answer Sheet. ·De not mark any letter twice. ·One answer has teen given as an example.
MEMORANDUM To: Filma Williams, school of Architecture From: Ram S. Johnson, Physical Plant Operations Subject: Air-conditioning Installation Costs for East Hall. Date: 4.4.94 As you requested in your memo of March 15, we have studied the costs of installing air conditioning for the seven offices and two studio classrooms in East Hall ____ Example ____ Office and Classroom installation Estimates were obtained from three contractors on the costs of covering the offices and classrooms ____ 8 ____ The work would take about three weeks. Because the central unit would be installed on the roof, some noise problems might occur during a four-or five-day period ____ 9 ____ Sheet metal work to build out lest in the classes could be dine on weekends, and the overtime labour costs of about $ 1,500 have been included in the estimates. Arrangements were not made to do the office space installation on weekends … 10 … Additional Installation Because a larger installation, including a more powerful central unit, would be necessary to handle the halls and stairways, an additional $6,000 would be required for the equipment. ____ 11 ____ If this additional work were delayed until a later time, a new central unit would be required along with changes in the pipe way ____ 12 ____ Summary The total job for the building would be about $ 35,000 if done at one time. A two-stage installation would cost about $55,000. I can get official bids at your request.
Example: A A.As you suggested, we also sought information on the additional cost of air conditioning in the entrance halls and stairways. B.All these three were in the $ 20,000 to $ 25,000 range. C.This later installation would cost about $20,000. D.However, class interruption should be minimal. E.In the same way, each of these three would take at least one month. F.Therefore, the total cost was this $6,000 plus another $5,000. G.Labour costs would be an additional S 5,000, bringing the total cost of the addition to $11,000. H.Each faculty member could expect to have workers in office for about one day. I.So faculty members can continue their office work as usual.
6、 Questions 8-12 ·Read the text below about career planning. ·Choose the best sentence from the list on the opposite page to fill each of the gaps. ·For each gap 8-12, mark one letter (A-I) on your Answer sheet. ·Do not use any letter more than once.
Career Planning For many employees, automatic promotion up the ranks of a company is becoming increasingly rare. A new study suggests that, in response, employers need to consider how they can help staff develop their careers. Employers need to rethink their approach to career management completely, according to the latest research by the Institute of Employment Studies. The new study finds that in fact there is little opportunity for individual career development in many large organisations. (example)____.The Institute of Employment Studies makes it clear that it is not good practice for companies to hand over career development to individual employees and then simply leave them to get on with it. (8) ____. So how should employers help their staff develop a career? Most employees have come to accept that career development is not always the same thing as upward promotion and a higher salary. (9) ____.They must also ensure that these opportunities are extended to all their staff and not just to selected individuals. Nick Bridges, who is Director of Human Resources Policy at the Bank of Eastern England, believes there is more talk than action in this area. (10) ____. One way, he believes, for companies to show how serious they are about individual learning is to make it an official part of company practice, as the Bank of Eastern England has done. (11)____. This document, he points out, has made the role of managers clear, and the company has also invested huge amounts of money educating managers so that they can then train their staff. Another company, British Chemicals, has contracted an independent organisation to help staff with confidential career advice. According to John Yates, the head of Individual Learning and Development at British Chemicals, there is an important role for outside agencies to play in the career management process. He adds that it is company policy for managers to give all staff ‘roadmaps’ which show possible career routes within the company structure. (12)____. This has worked especially well, he says, for staff who are used to depending on their line managers for guidance. Many large organisations now recognise that career development cannot be regarded in isolation, and must be part of an overall business strategy. Human Resources has a real role to play in building a strong workforce which meets a company’s long-term business needs and makes it more competitive.
AIts policy statement says that by 2006, eighty per cent of its staff will have a professional qualification. BHis recommendations go even further than that, and he has called for a national debate on the issue of what should be regarded as a career in the future. CThis change of attitude means employers need to place more emphasis on giving staff the chance to develop a range of skills through horizontal job moves. DIt points out that employees need to know what the overall company vision is in order to achieve many of these. EThe problem that often arises is that, while they are increasingly encouraged to manage their own careers, they are not provided with the knowledge and training to do this. FThey are able to see that, contrary to expectations, jobs in different fields are similar, and they can also see how it is possible to cross over to other areas. GIts employees are no longer motivated by these factors alone, and the problem today is matching a person’s motivation with the right job. HHe argues that while Human Resources managers are saying the way forward is through self-managed learning and self-development, they are still failing to provide adequate learning resources. IThe main reasons for this, it concludes, are the recent cuts in the number of middle-management posts, and the changes that have taken place in the responsibilities of personnel departments.
7、 Questions 8-12 ·Read this text on Dave’s dream. ·Choose the best sentence from the Opposite page 68 to fill each of the gaps. ·For each gap 8-12, mark one letter A - I on your Answer Sheet. ·Do not mark any letter twice.
Icon Acoustics: Bypassing Tradition Like most entrepreneurs, Dave Fokos dreams a lot. He imagines customers eagerly phoning Icon Acoustics in Billerica, Massachusetts, to order his latest, custom-made stereo peakers ____example____ Like most entrepreneurs, Dave has taken a long time to develop his dream. ____(8)____ Dave discovered that he had a strong interest in studio engineering, He took independent-study courses in this area and by graduation had designed and built a pair of marketable stereo speakers. Following graduation, Dave pursued his interest in audio engineering. He landed a job as a loudspeaker designer with Conrad-Johnson, a high-end audio-equipment manufacturer headquarters in Fairfax, Virginia ____(9)____ Dave identified a market niche that he felt other speaker firms had overlooked ____(10)____These affluent, well-educated customers are genuinely obsessed with their stereo equipment. ‘They’d rather buy a new set of speakers than eat,’ Dave observes. Dave faced one major problem---how to distribute Icon’s products. He had learned from experience at Conrad-Johnson that most manufacturers distribute their equipment primarily through stereo dealers. Dave did not hold a high opinion of most such dealers; he felt that they too often played hardball with manufacturers, forcing them to accept thin margins. ____(11)____This kept those firms that offered more customized products from gaining access to the market. Perhaps most disturbing, Dave felt that the established dealers often sold not what was best for customers, but whatever they had in inventory that month. Dave dreamed of offering high-end stereo loudspeakers directly to the audio-obsessed, bypassing the established dealer network. ____(12)____ “My vision for the future is one where a