BEC商务英语中级考试真题及答案解析（锦集10篇）由网友“lazarul”投稿提供，下面是小编为大家整理后的BEC商务英语中级考试真题及答案解析，以供大家参考借鉴!
篇1：BEC商务英语中级考试真题及答案解析
一、
1 This businessman has successfully targeted a different group of consumers.
2 With careful forward planning, this businessman is helping the company survive a difficult period.
3 The company is now more open to change because of this businessman's way of thinking.
4 This businessman has made and implemented certain decisions despite opposition to them.
5 This businessman has achieved some success by misleading people about his intentions.
6 The abilities of this businessman were previously doubted by the company that employs him.
7 This businessman is admired for his ability to manage a number of business interests.
'Businessman of the Year' Award
A James King: Chief Executive of Fentons Finance
King was nominated for the quality of his leadership, with the judges claiming that the Fentons Finance boss is almost revered by his team. He is credited with reinventing Fentons Finance - revitalising its culture of inflexibility, removing outdated pre-merger barriers and playing a brilliant tactical game. He led everyone to believe he was opposed to large mergers and then jumped on the Westcombe Bank opportunity at just the right moment. History will be the judge, but for now the markets consider King to be a star.
B Keith Nash: Chief Executive of Hamley's Supermarkets
Nash took over as CEO when Hamley's systems and distribution were out of date and the brand badly needed freshening up. He began refocusing the brand at the higher quality end of the food market and launched several own-brand initiatives for the health conscious. As a result, the share price has gone up nearly 80 per cent. This should be extremely satisfying for Nash, who had left the retailer in 1986, disappointed after failing to secure the top job.
C Jorge Marquez: Chairman of the Kenwick Group
Marquez was a popular choice for his achievements at Kenwick. The judges say he has been courageous in pushing through the appointment of controversial or inexperienced chief executives to companies within the group, and then sponsoring them as they transformed their businesses. He operates as a 'virtual' chairman, without a permanent office in any one company. He phones his CEOs regularly, and several of them have acknowledged the vital contribution he makes to their effectiveness. Everyone is impressed at how he also finds the time to be chairman of two other large companies.
D Richard Jenkins: Finance Director of Centron Advertising
Labouring in the shadow of a high-profile boss can sometimes draw attention away from the finance director, and the judges considered it was high time Jenkins got that attention. The CEO may be the public face of Centron, but Jenkins is the one who makes it run smoothly. Behind the scenes, he is constantly demonstrating that budgets and forecasts are what is needed to make a company successful, particularly now that the advertising market has been hit by recession. It is largely thanks to him that Centron is in much better shape than its rivals.
《‘Businessman of the Year' Award》年度企业家奖。分别介绍了这个奖项的四个候选人的英雄事迹。
第一题，这个企业家成功的定位了不同的消费群体。答案在B段：He began refocusing the brand at the higher quality end of the food market and launched several own-brand initiatives for the health conscious。他开始将品牌定位在高质量的食品市场并且发起了几项注重健康的自主品牌的运动。Health conscious是指注重健康的。一个是高质量的食品市场，一个是注重健康的，联合起来，就是瞄准了不同的消费市场，即不同的消费群体。
第二题，通过小心的前进计划，这个企业家帮助公司度过了一个困难时期。答案是D段的这么一句：budgets and forecasts are what is needed to make a company successful, particularly now that the advertising market has been hit by recession.。预算和预告正是使得公司可以成功的，尤其当现在整个广告市场被衰退袭击的时候。Budgets and forecast就是题干中说的careful forward planning，successful对应于survive，a different period对应于the market has been hit by recession。
第三题，因为这个企业家的思维方式，公司对待变化更加开明了。答案是A段的这么一句：He is credited with reinventing Fentons Finance - revitalising its culture of inflexibility。他以重塑了Fentons Finance而受到嘉奖——给了固定守旧的文化以新的生命。more open to change就可以对应于revitalising its culture of inflexibility。revitalising是give new life to的意思。
第四题，尽管有反对意见，这个企业家还是制定并执行了某些决定。答案是C段的这么一句：he has been courageous in pushing through the appointment of controversial or inexperienced chief executives to companies within the group在推动某些争议性的或者是经验不足的执行官的任命时他很有勇气。从controversial和courageous可以看出来，这些任命时不完全被接受的，有反对意见(opposition)，但他还是坚持了。
第五题，这个企业家通过让人们误会自己的意图而取得某些成功。答案是A段的这么一句：He led everyone to believe he was opposed to large mergers and then jumped on the Westcombe Bank opportunity at just the right moment他让所有人相信他是反对大的并购的，然后在最佳时期跳上Westcombe银行的机会(即收购了这个银行)。let everyone believe，也就是misleading people about his intentions。
第六题，这个企业家的能力最初在雇佣他的公司里受到了怀疑。答案是B段最后一句，稍微隐晦点：This should be extremely satisfying for Nash, who had left the retailer in 1986, disappointed after failing to secure the top job.因为无法得到高层的职位而失望离开，结果因为他的决策，公司股价上升了，让他很满足。意思就是本来以这个人的能力是可以胜任高层的工作的，但是他却没有得到。
第七题，这个企业家因为处理一些商业利益的能力而受到仰慕。答案在C段。C段最后说这个人在不同的公司担任要职(be chairman)，不同的公司会有商业利益的冲突，而他却能好好处理(manage)，所以答案选C。
二、
Achieving a successful mergerHowever attractive the figures may look on paper, in the long run the success or failure of a merger depends on the human factor. When the agreement has been signed and the accountants have departed, the real problems may only just be beginning. If there is a culture clash between the two companies in the way their people work, then all the efforts of the financiers and lawyers to strike a deal may have been in vain.
According to Chris Bolton of KS Management Consultants, 70% of mergers fail to live up to their promise of shareholder value, riot through any failure in economic terms but because the integration of people is unsuccessful. Corporates, he explains, concentrate their efforts before a merger on legal, technical and financial matters. They employ a range of experts to obtain the most favourable contract possible. But even at these early stages, people issues must be taken into consideration. The strengths and weaknesses of both organisations should be assessed and, if it is a merger of equals, then careful thought should be given to which personnel, from which side, should take on the key roles.
This was the issue in when the proposed merger between two pharmaceutical companies promised to create one of the largest players in the industry. For both companies the merger was intended to reverse falling market share and shareholder value. However, although the companies' skill bases were compatible, the chief executives of the two companies could not agree which of them was to head up the new organisation. This illustrates the need to compromise if a merger is to take place.
But even in mergers that do go ahead, there can be culture clashes. One way to avoid this is to work with focus groups to see how employees view the existing culture of their organisation. In one example, where two global organisations in the food sector were planning to merge, focus groups discovered that the companies displayed very different profiles. One was sales-focused, knew exactly what it wanted to achieve and pushed initiatives through. The other got involved in lengthy discussions, trying out options methodically and making contingency plans. The first responded quickly to changes in the marketplace; the second took longer, but the option it eventually chose was usually the correct one. Neither company's approach would have worked for the other.
The answer is not to adopt one company's approach, or even to try to incorporate every aspect of both organisations, but to create a totally new culture. This means taking the best from both sides and making a new organisation that everyone can accept. Or almost everyone. Inevitably there will be those who cannot adapt to a different culture. Research into the impact of mergers has found that companies with differing management styles are the ones that need to work hardest at creating a new culture.
Another tool that can help to get the right cultural mix is intercultural analysis. This involves carrying out research that looks at the culture of a company and the business culture of the country in which it is based. It identifies how people, money and time are managed in a company, and investigates the business customs of the country and how its politics, economics and history impact on the way business is done.
13 According to the text, mergers can encounter problems when
A contracts are signed too quickly.
B experts cannot predict accurate figures.
C conflicting attitudes cannot be resolved.
D staff are opposed to the terms of the deal.
14 According to Chris Bolton, what do many organisations do in preparation for a merger?
A ensure their interests are represented
B give reassurances to shareholders
C consider the effect of a merger on employees
D analyse the varying strengths of their staff
15 The proposed merger of two pharmaceutical groups failed because
A major shareholders were opposed.
B there was a fall in the demand for their products.
C there were problems combining their areas of expertise.
D an issue of personal rivalry could not be resolved.
16 According to the text, focus groups can help companies to
A develop new initiatives.
B adopt contingency plans.
C be decisive and react rapidly.
D evaluate how well matched they are.
17 Creating a new culture in a newly merged organisation means that
A management styles become more flexible.
B there is more chance of the merger working.
C staff will find it more difficult to adapt to the changes.
D successful elements of the original organisations are lost.
18 According to the text, intercultural analysis will show
A what kind of benefits a merger can lead to.
B how the national context affects the way a company is run.
C how long it will take for a company culture to develop.
D what changes companies should make before a merger takes place.
《Achieving a successful merger》，实现一个成功的并购。文章没有从技术和经济效益的角度来分析并购成功的因素，而是强调了一个在并购中容易被忽视的重要因素：文化冲突。不同的企业文化走到了一起，能否兼容是并购能否成功的关键因素。一个比较著名的例子是当年惠普与康柏的并购。
第十三题，问什么情况下并购会遇到麻烦。答案是A段的最后一句，关键词是culture clash：如果两个公司的员工在工作方式上存在文化冲突，那么金融专家和律师们为了达成交易所做的一切努力都是徒劳的。所以选C：冲突性的态度无法得到解决。Conflicting attitude对应于culture clash。attitude具体指公司员工做事情的方式和态度。
第十四题，问很多机构为并购所做的准备是什么。答案是第二段的这么一句话：Corporates, he explains, concentrate their efforts before a merger on legal, technical and financial matters。公司都把精力集中在法律、技术和金融事务上了。也就是更多的看重经济等方面的利益，而忽视了人的因素。选A：确保他们的利益得到很好的反映，也就是自己的利益有保障。represent在这里的意思是be present or found in something, especially to a particular degree。
第十五题，问这俩医药公司并购失败的原因是什么。答案是第三段的倒数第二句：the chief executives of the two companies could not agree which of them was to head up the new organisation.在谁来领导新的机构的问题上无法达成一致。所以选D：人员竞争问题无法得到解决。Personal rivalry就是指两个领导谁也不服谁。
第十六题，问focus group可以帮助公司干什么。先弄明白focus group的意思，看剑桥高阶的解释：a group of people who have been brought together to discuss a particular subject in order to solve a problem or suggest ideas。处理问题的团体。答案在第四段。这一段是举例说明两个合并公司的文化兼容性问题。经过focus group的调查，这两个公司的做事方式有很大差别，不能兼容。所以这一题的答案是选D：评估他们能否匹配。
第十七题，问在一个新合并的公司里创造新的文化意味着什么。答案是第五段的这么一句：This means taking the best from both sides and making a new organisation that everyone can accept。吸取双方的优点，创造一个所有人都能接受的新组织。每个人都能接受，那么合并成功的可能性会大大增加。选B：合并起作用的几率增加了。
第十八题，跨文化分析能够表明什么。答案是最后一段的最后一句：how its politics, economics and history impact on the way business is done.看看这个国家的政治、经济和历史是怎么影响商业行为的。也就是考察宏观的国家背景对微观的经济个体的影响。选B：国家背景怎样影响公司的运行方式。
三、
Setting up an appraisal scheme
Appraisals can be a wonderful opportunity for your staff to focus on their jobs and make plans to develop their unused potential. (0) ..........So, if you have decided that an appraisal scheme should be set up in your company, you need to establish some formal procedures and make some decisions before you begin. Even if your company already has a scheme, you need to consider what you want to achieve and how you are going to do this.
First of all, you need to decide on your key objectives and the real purpose of your scheme.(8).............A scheme should never be introduced at a time of redundancies, or simply for profit or competitive edge, because this will create fear and alienate staff. The next step is to decide how the scheme can most successfully be managed. It is essential that all senior staff are committed to the process and willing to make a positive contribution.
The person given responsibility for designing the scheme and the appraisal forms needs to have knowledge of all roles within the organisation. He or she must also be aware of employees' potential needs. (9).............It should be someone who is trusted and whom staff will turn to if they are concerned about their appointed appraiser or the appraisal interview. The design of the scheme should indicate who will be appraising whom. This needs great tact and sensitivity. First, remember that no manager can effectively appraise more than seven or eight people. It is equally important to remember that, if significant numbers of staff are appraised by someone they dislike, or by a person whose values they do not share, the success of your scheme may be threatened.(10) ............. So bear this in mind from the beginning and, if necessary, establish an appeals procedure.
Having decided on your policy and who will appraise which members of staff, you need to communicate this in the simplest possible way. Avoid lengthy documents - few people will read them. (11).............Most organisations choose a person's line manager to be the appraiser. This can be seen as an opportunity or a threat, so be ready to consider alternatives if necessary.
Once you have established the appraisal process, make sure that appraisal interviews take place at a convenient time, and ideally on neutral ground. It should be borne in mind that some appraisals may involve the disclosure of confidential information. (12) .............These will show the decisions that were taken during the interview and will also indicate any new performance targets that have been agreed.
A It is important to select a manager who can deal effectively with any suspicions staff may have about appraisals.
B Such a measure can also reduce insecurity and unite staff in recognising the positive elements of appraisal.
C Having even one staff member in such a position may affect how others respond to the process.
D Ideally, this should be to provide a supportive framework that aids staff development.
E Simply make sure that staff know who will appraise them and why, and what form the interview will take.
F It is therefore important to decide who will have access to written records of the appraisal.
G They can also be a means of getting the best out of staff, both as individuals, and as team members.
《Setting up an appraisal scheme》，制定评估计划。
第八题，前面说做评估最重要的是决定关键的目标，以及计划的真正目的。那么接着应该说的就是这个计划的目的是什么。符合这一条件的是D：理想的说，这是为了提供一个帮助员工发展的支持性框架。
第九题，这一段是讲选人的重要。空格前面说要挑选一个了解各个员工潜在需求的人，后面说这个人要能被大家信任，这样当员工有什么疑问时才会转向他。从上下文看，第九空仍然是和选人有关。A最符合这个特点，有两个关键地方。select a manager和deal with any suspicions，分别可以和上下文对应。Select a manager可以对应于前面的 the person given responsibility，deal with any suspicions可以对应于后文的staff will turn to if they are concerned.
第十题，前面说让员工被自己不喜欢的或者是价值观不认同的人来评估的话，评估计划的成功会打折扣。所以这个第十空的讲的还是关于选人的。C可以填在这里，C选项的in such a position是个暗示：让即使只有一个员工处在这样的位置上都会影响他人的反应。意思是不能让一个被大家不喜欢的人处在评估人的位置上。
第十一题，这段讲评估的形式要尽可能的简单，避免冗长的文件。能接上的是E：只需要让员工知道谁来评估，为什么评估，以及评估的形式就行了。没有必要弄那些复杂的没人愿意读的文件。
第十二题，前面说评估可能会涉及到一些机密信息的披露。后面说这些会展现一些访谈的决定。关键要理解空格后面的these代表什么。能够show the decisions that were taken during the interview，一般是文字材料。空格12应该填入F，written records是个关键暗示：因此决定谁来接触这些文字材料是很重要的。
四、
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 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 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.
14 According to the writer, Smithson's profits started rising three years ago because of
A 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 that
A 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 because
A 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 that
A 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.
《Department store magic》，字面上是百货公司的魔力。讲的是英国的一个百货公司如何摆脱困境。第一段是点明公司所遭遇的困境，接着第二段讲一个女CEO上台开始转变局面，第三段和第四段具体讲这位女CEO的应对措施，最后一段总结：革命尚未成功，同志仍需努力。
13题，问在90年代中期这个百货公司的情况是什么样的。答案是第一段的最后一句：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.这个题目的答案有相当的迷惑性。整个句子都是在讲客户购买的越来越少，偏好更多的时尚品牌。所以很容易误选A，但实际上这里并没有说亏损。关键是这个地方：its own-brand products, the major part of its business。自由品牌仍然是公司业务的主要部分。所以应该选D：主要销售Smithson名下的产品。Under the Smithson’s name也就是its own brand products。
14题，问Smithson的利润从三年前开始增长，原因是什么。答案是第二段的这么一句：she took the bold decision to invite one of Europe's most exciting interior designers to develop the fashion area她做出了一个大胆的决定，邀请了欧洲最刺激的室内设计师来开发时尚领域。后面紧接着就说This very quickly led to rising sales，所以答案选C：Rowena Baker的设计师选择。
15题，问当Rowena Baker加入时公司面临的一个问题是什么。这题的关键是要理解一个句子中一个词的含义：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.。它提供的传统服务目标人群是中年中等收入者，这些人已经在那购物多年。并且客户基数逐渐减少。Contracting:缩小，收缩的意思。所以答案选A。
16题，问很多员工反对Baker计划的原因是什么。答案是这么一句：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。不愿意被说服他们以前做事情的方式有什么问题。意思也就是不愿意改变他们工作的方式。选A。
17题，问Baker改变员工政策的原因是什么。答案在第四段，Baker的原话：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。你怎么能穿着黑西服卖牛仔?Smithson有一个新的身份，这些必须对客户很明确。也就是C选项说的“客户必须能辨别出服务他们的员工”，A不对，没有提到改善公司形象，B和C在原文没有提到。
18题，问John认为Smithson面临的问题是什么。答案是最后一段的最后一句：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.事实上除非她尽快的开更多的店，Smithson的利润将会减少因为现有商店的营业额将不可避免的开始下降。也就是B所说的除非扩张，公司的利润才会继续增长。
篇2：BEC商务英语中级考试真题
BEC真题一
1 the failure of a company to set its prices appropriately
2 a context that makes it difficult to increase prices
3 the consequences of companies trying to conceal their approach to pricing
4 the means by which a company ensured precision in the prices it offered
5 the fact that companies can learn about the effects of a price reduction
6 the first sector to price products according to how much customers were prepared to spend
7 the widespread use of rough guidelines to determine prices
Getting the price right
A、
Chief executives need to pay more attention to pricing, according to Roberto Lippi of the Apex Group, a consultancy that offers advice on pricing strategy. He accepts that low inflation figures in many industrialised countries makes raising prices tough, but argues that this should not necessarily deter companies. He gives the example of the airlines, which, with their minimum stay requirements and massive premiums for flexibility, led the way in sorting customers into categories, based on their willingness to pay.
B、
The key to pricing is to avoid alienating customers. As Lippi points out, once a bad price has been established, it can be very difficult to turn the situation around. He gives the example of a consumer goods company that went bankrupt largely because it did not price its digital cameras properly. In contrast, he cites the case of a Swiss drug company that introduced software for every sales representative's laptop, enabling them to provide consistent and accurate price quotes. To help staff with this innovation, the company also created a new post of director of pricing strategy.
C、
Many of today's managers have the benefit of modern technology to help them with pricing. Supermarket chains, for example, can easily track customers' 'elasticity' - how their buying habits change in response to a price rise or a discount. But although a company can now measure this sort of thing in a more sophisticated way, following basic rules is still the most common way of setting prices. Most bosses still worry more about their costs than the prices they charge; one recent survey found that they spend as little as 2% of their time on pricing.
D、
One popular approach to pricing is illustrated by the car companies that charge extra for product add-ons such as electric windows, instead of offering them as part of the standard price. Although many customers are prepared to pay extra, Lippi recommends that companies make sure that price differences reflect real differences in the product, either in quality or in the extra service on offer. The worst approach is to try to keep the pricing structure secret from customers. Nowadays, that is more likely to lead to lost contracts than large profits.
这篇文章主要是关于定价(pricing)的。题目算是阅读第一部分里比较隐晦的了。四个部分分别介绍了影响定价的一些因素。
第一题，公司没有合理定价。答案是B段引用的一个例子：He gives the example of a consumer goods company that went bankrupt largely because it did not price its digital cameras properly.因为没有对数码相机合理定价，所以一个消费品公司破产了。和第一题吻合。
Consumer goods: goods such as food, clothing, etc. bought and used by individual customers消费品。
第二题，大环境使得涨价很困难。答案是A段，有点不太明显，甚至可能需要点经济学基础：He accepts that low inflation figures in many industrialised countries makes raising prices tough, but argues that this should not necessarily deter companies。很多工业国家的低通货膨胀率使得涨价变得困难。通货膨胀率是衡量一国宏观经济的重要指标，也就是这题所说的context。低通货膨胀率，说明经济不太景气，涨价会很困难。
deter: to make sb decide not to do sth or continue doing sth阻碍
eg: The price did not deter most customers
第三题，公司隐瞒定价策略的后果。答案是D段的最后一句：The worst approach is to try to keep the pricing structure secret from customers. Nowadays, that is more likely to lead to lost contracts than large profits.最坏的方法是试图让定价结构对消费者保密。今天，它更有可能导致失去合同而不是大的利润。
第四题，一个公司确保定价准确的方式。答案是B段的这么一句：a Swiss drug company that introduced software for every sales representative's laptop, enabling them to provide consistent and accurate price quotes。一个瑞士的医药公司为每一位销售代表的手提电脑引进了软件，确保他们提供持续准确的定价。这里的accurate对应于precision，引进的软件就是方式(means)。
第五题，公司了解降价的后果。答案在C段，但是不那么明显：Supermarket chains, for example, can easily track customers' 'elasticity' - how their buying habits change in response to a price rise or a discount.大的超市可以轻易追踪客户的弹性—他们的购买习惯是如何对涨价或打折做出反应的。这个题需要理解一个常见的经济学术语：弹性。
elasticity ：the extent to which people want to buy more or less of a product or service when its price changes。
这个术语的概念基本吻合第五题所说的。能够了解客户的需求弹性，也就了解了涨价或者降价的效果。
第六题，对产品定价首要的是根据客户所愿意支付的。答案是A的最后一句：based on their willingness to pay.。集于他们的支付意愿。这里的based on对应于the first sector。
第七题，粗糙的定价准则的广泛应用。答案在C段，有点隐晦：But although a company can now measure this sort of thing in a more sophisticated way, following basic rules is still the most common way of setting prices.虽然公司可以用一种更复杂的方式来衡量，遵守基本的规则仍然是定价的最普遍的方式。BUT是个信号。rough可以从反面对应于sophisticated,,the most common way对应于widespread use。
BEC真题二
Lebrun Steel Facing up to Tough Times
0 After 98 years of trading, the steel manufacturer Lebrun knows from experience as how
00 difficult fluctuations in the economic cycle can be for suppliers such as themselves.
34 Since many of the nation's largest production companies which are its customers,
35 Lebrun is adversely affected by any change for the worse in the economy. Yet Lebrun
36 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 five
38 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, and
40 his strategy is already becoming clear to those industry observers. In February of
41 this year, the company acquired Bronson pic, additionally a one-time competitor.
42 This merger will greatly expand the size of both Lebrun's labour force, and
43 Griffith estimates it will boost its revenue by nearly 50%, while too increasing
44 the number of plants and R&D centres in much a similar way. Griffith is
45 optimistic that while the steel industry is about to pull out of recession, and he wants Lebrun to be ready for this.
这篇文章是介绍一个生产商面临的困境及所采取的措施。
34题，这个句子并不是定语从句，主谓宾都很齐全，主语companies，谓语are，宾语its customers.所以which是多余的
35题，正确的
36题，keep on doing继续做什么，接名词的话直接用keep，keep sales steady保持销售平稳，on多余。
37题，正确的
38题，but和despite不能同时使用，必须去掉一个。but后面要接完整的句子，这个后面不是句子，是名词性成分，所以保留despite，去掉but。
39题，turn… into 变为，成为。固定词组。turning survival into growth变生存为增长。Up多余。
40题，句子前后并没有指代的含义，代词those多余。
41题，a one-time competitor是修饰前面的Bronson pic ，additionally是另外的，附加的意思，用在这里意思和用法都不通，所以去掉。
42题，both表并列，而这个句子前后是没有并列的含义的，只说了扩展规模。所以both多余。
43题，too是副词，在这里用法不对
44题，in a similar way固定用法，much多余
45题，while用来引导时间状语从句，而很明显这个句子并不是，只是由that引导的从句，句子成分很齐全。去掉while。
BEC真题三
Fighting Fit
Fine Fitness, the health and fitness club operator, announced an impressive set of results yesterday: (19) a 38-per-cent jump in annual pre-tax profits, the company claimed that it had (20) none of the problems (21) last week by its rival, Top Fit .According to Samantha Collier,the chief executive, Fine Fitness (22) strong and is on (23) to reach its target of 100 clubs within three years, its strategy unaffected by the apparent (24) down of the economy.
The company opened 12 new clubs in the past year; (25) its total to 51. They have (26) to be highly successful, with people joining in large numbers, especially in the 25-to-40 age range. Even the more (27) clubs are still seeing sales growth, along with rising retention (28) of more than 70 per cent. This can be seen as clear (29) of the appeal of Fine Fitness.
Ms Collier admitted that as there were (30) too many companies competing with one another; there would almost certainly be (31) in the health-and-fitness-club sector of the market She predicted that, within a relatively short time, there might be only about three major companies still in (32).However, she declined to say which these were likely to be.
Profits rose by ￡6.3 million, although there was a fall in gross margins from 31 per cent to 28.6 per cent because of higher insurance premiums, extra management costs and start-up expenses for the company's new (33) in Spain.
19 A Stating B Reporting C Remarking D Informing
20 A taken B felt C experienced D caught
21 A released B issued C opened D revealed
22 A stays B remains C maintains D keeps
23 A track B direction C way D line
24 A falling B breaking C cutting D slowing
25 A bringing B putting C getting D mounting
26 A shown B resulted C proved D demonstrated
27 A installed B formed C established D confirmed
28 A rates B standards C proportions D volumes
29 A witness B sign C display D evidence
30 A purely B merely C simply D barely
31 A union B consolidation C alliance D combination
32 A trade B office C commerce D business
33 A trial B venture C proposal D speculation
文章介绍了一个经营健康俱乐部的公司的情况，依旧是形势喜人。
19题，一句话包含三个空，联系在一起做。昨天开会，宣布了一系列结果。报告税前收益增长了38%，公司并没有经历它的竞争对手所暴露的问题。19题选report，20题experienced，21题，revealed by its rival，被竞争对手暴露的问题。
22题，remains strong保持强劲;单看单词的意思，貌似keep也可以(不过说实话，如果不是有同学提醒，我压根想不到会填keep)联系此句上下文，提到了在对手出现问题时这个公司表现依然强劲remain在英文词典的解释是：continue to exist, especially after other similar or related people or things have ceased to exist 在相似或者相关人和事出现状况时仍然存在，所以，remain更符合这个题目的条件
23题，on track 步入正轨。公司正在实现目标的正道上。这个词在其他完型也出现过，不过不是正确答案。
24题，slow down放缓，固定用法。经济放缓。
25题，bring to，使总数达到51，这个题怕是要靠语感。put肯定不对，get to到达，mount在这里用法不对。
26题，proved to be证明是，固定用法
27题，这里填入的词要和前文对照，前面说新开了12家新的俱乐部，这里的空格前有个even和more，所以应该是填入与new相对应的词。established是已确立的(If you use established to describe something such as an organization, you mean that it is officially recognized or generally approved of because it has existed for a long time. )
28题，retention rate保留率，专有名词(Retained earnings divided by total after-tax earnings, expressed as a percentage)，指公司税后收益所保留的那一部分。
29题，公司吸引力的证据。clear evidence明显的证据。不选sign，sign只是迹象。
30题，simply修饰too many从用法和意思上都对，在这里就是表强调的，意思是公司太多了。
31题，consolidation强化、合并(To consolidate a number of small groups or firms means to make them into one large organization.)，有很多的公司相互竞争，所以需要进行一个整合。这是商英里的固定说法。
32题，in business在经营。是说很快这个市场上的公司会淘汰的只剩下三个。
33题，理解了venture的意思就不难做出选择，在这里是指商业冒险，也是商英地道说法。公司要在西班牙进行一些投机活动，因此增加了额外的管理费用。
BEC真题四
Critical Path
When David Hayden realised his company was heading for trouble, he took drastic measures to get it back on track
David Hayden founded his company, Critical Path, an email provider, in to take advantage of the boom in email traffic. Critical Path became a public company two years later, and Hayden took the opportunity to step down from his executive position in order to work on personal projects. At the same time, he agreed to stay with the company as Chairman, but the business was put in the hands of new managers by its investors. With sector-leading products and an expanding market, the company seemed to be on the up and up. However, by early 2001, it was in trouble. Shares that had been worth $26 in , when they were first sold, were down to a mere 24 cents.
Called in by a panicking board, Hayden found himself back in charge as Executive Chairman, trying desperately to rescue what he could. The 1,100 staff had lost confidence in the company and did not know what was going to happen to them. And, as Hayden discovered, the management team was incompetent. Those guys didn't understand the product or the sector,' says Hayden. The heads of department didn't communicate and they didn't lead.' But what was worse, Critical Path had lost the goodwill of its investors.
Hayden knew that bringing the figures under control would be a vital step in the company's turnaround. 'You've got to sort out the finances. For me, that meant getting back the goodwill of the investors. That was tough, after what had happened. But although they were angry with the company, they didn't have bad feelings about me. I told them that I knew I could get the company on its feet again.' He was authorised to make whatever changes were required, and his first act was to find people within the company he could trust and put them in charge.
The next thing Hayden had to tackle was morale. 'Everyone left the office at five on the dot - they couldn't get away quickly enough. To get the buzz back and win the staff over, I had to prove my own commitment and put in the extra hours with them.' In return, it was assumed that nobody would ask for overtime pay until the company was on its feet again. Contrary to normal practice, Hayden was reluctant to lay people off, and apart from not replacing people as they reached retirement age, he left the workforce largely unchanged, although he did identify key people throughout the company who were given more responsibility.
But, as Hayden insists, before a company reaches such a crisis, there are warning signs that any financial director or accountant should take note of. 'A business that has an unrealistic pricing policy or has to negotiate extended credit with its suppliers is in trouble,' is his message. 'Or if you often have to apply for your overdraft limit to be raised or have trouble paying tax on time, something needs to be done.'
By , the company was healthy again, with reasonably stable finances and a modest but steady share price of $1.60. 'One thing that helped save us was that our technology worked,' says Hayden. 'With 20 million email accounts, we never lost a single major client because the product kept on working.' With ideas for a fresh venture demanding his attention elsewhere, Hayden has moved on. 'It was time to go,' he says. 'I'm not a turnaround specialist. I prefer start-ups.'
13 What event coincided with Critical Path becoming a public company?
A Hayden became the Executive Director of Critical Path.
B Investors hired a replacement team to run Critical Path.
C Critical Path launched a successful new product on the market.
D Critical Path was floated on the Stock Exchange at 24 cents per share.
14 Which of the following situations did Hayden face at Critical Path in 2001?
A The employees were worried about job security.
B The investors were calling for changes to the company structure.
C The management was misleading the staff about the company's position.
D The board of directors did not realise the scale of the company's problems.
15 One reason Hayden was able to turn Critical Path around was that
A he managed to find new investors.
B the financial situation was not as bad as he had thought.
C he had built up a good relationship with the management team.
D he was given the support that he needed.
16 What was Hayden's policy regarding the staff of Critical Path?
A He paid overtime to everybody who worked outside office hours.
B He reduced the workforce by operating an early retirement scheme.
C He gave key staff the opportunity to help him set goals for the company.
D He restored motivation by showing willingness to work alongside staff.
17 According to Hayden, what could indicate that a business is in trouble?
A problems keeping accounts up to date
B suppliers refusing to offer new credit terms
C a frequent need to increase the amount borrowed
D difficulties in getting payment from customers on time
18 Hayden left Critical Path after he had rescued the company because
A he wanted to develop the technology for a new internet service.
B he wanted to concentrate on founding a new enterprise.
C he had been offered a job with a major internet company.
D he decided to go into partnership with a major client.
这篇文章名为《Critical Path》，字面上理解是关键路径，但在此文中是指一个公司的名字。整篇文章都是围绕这个公司遭遇的困境，以及这个公司的执行主席是如何力挽狂澜、扭转乾坤的。BEC考试阅读文章的一大特点是逻辑性强，层次分明，读完不会有找不着北的感觉。
13题，题目问当Critical Path成为上市公司时还发生了什么事。
A不对，原文说的很明白：Hayden took the opportunity to step down from his executive position。抓住机会从总裁的位置上退下来。
B项正确。原文说the business was put in the hands of new managers by its investors。业务被投资者交给了新的经理。和B选项的“投资者雇佣了一个替代团队来运营Critical Path”说的是一个意思。
C不对，原文说的是sector-leading products，行业领先的产品，的确是C选项所说的successful，但是new不对。
D不对，首先时间上不吻合，不是Critical Path成为上市公司时的事，其次这一句的描述也不对，只是说股价跌倒了24美分，不是float。
Public company：a company whose shares can be bought and sold on the stock market, etc.上市公司。
14题，题目问在的Critical Path,这个Hayden面临着什么样的情况。答案在第二段找。
A段说员工们担心工作保障。原文中说“The 1,100 staff had lost confidence in the company and did not know what was going to happen to them”，1100号员工对公司失去了信心，不知道将会发生什么。和A的意思吻合。
B、C、D在原文中都没有提到。
这个题目关键是能理解job security的意思，它是商务英语里地道常见的用法(同样的还有employment security)：
job security：a situation where a job is likely to last for a long time and you will keep the job if you do what you are expected to
eg: Consumers have cut back on their spending because of worries about job security.
常见搭配(完形填空可能会遇到)
a high/low level of job security to have/improve/increase/provide job security
15题，题目问Hayden能够扭转局面的一个原因。答案在第三段找，并不很直接，需要一点概括。这一段先说了下公司的一些难处，比如投资人很生气，后果很严重。所幸的是投资人对Hayden并不反感：He was authorised to make whatever changes were required，他被授权进行一切需要的改变，也就是D选项所说的得到了需要的支持。
A不对，不需要找新的投资者，原文说的是“getting back the goodwill of the investors”，挽回投资人的好感。
B不对，财政状况的确很坏。
C在原文没有提到。原文的最后一句说在公司寻找可以信赖的人并让他们负责，不是说和管理层建立好关系。
16题，问针对Critical Path的员工采取的政策是什么。答案是第四段的第一句话：The next thing Hayden had to tackle was morale。需要解决的是士气问题。也就是D段所说的restored motivation。这一段是讲Hayden如何与员工站在一起。
A不对，原文说的很清楚：it was assumed that nobody would ask for overtime pay until the company was on its feet again。任何人不得索取加班补偿。
B不对，原文是apart from not replacing people as they reached retirement age。
C也不对，原文是who were given more responsibility，被赋予了更多的责任，不是“help him set goals”。17题，题目问什么可以表明一个公司陷入了困境。答案是第五段的这么一句：A business that has an unrealistic pricing policy or has to negotiate extended credit with its suppliers is in trouble。有一个不现实的定价政策或者需要和供货商谈判提高贷款。
Credit是很眼熟的单词，用法很多，让人晕头转向。这里的意思是：
money that financial institutions lend to businesses, governments and people
eg：It is unlikely that the bank will extend additional credit to the firm.
18题，题目问扮演了救世主角色之后的Hayden为什么选择离开。
答案是最后一段：“With ideas for a fresh venture demanding his attention elsewhere”和“I'm not a turnaround specialist. I prefer start-ups.”需要一个崭新的需要他的注意力的企业。也就是B选项所说的想要一个新的企业。
篇3：BEC商务英语中级考试真题
1.The bank with ideas
With several hundred years of history behind it, the APL Bank has few problems in convincing businesses that it is reputable and secure__21__ of a range of banking serving. Now, it is demonstrating to business customers that it is flexible and responsive enough to ___22___ their changing needs in the 21st century.
Based in London, APL offers banking services to businesses throughout the UK via its branch __23___. Most customer service provision is ___24_ out by personal account managers based in local branches, together with ___25__ staff at company headquarters.
An important ___26__for APL has been to make it easy for customers to __27__business with the bank. They can contact their account manager by direct line or email; if the manager is on holiday, a carefully chosen colleague becomes the ‘account contact’ and ___28__with the customer during the manager’s ___29___. In addition, for those who want ___30__ to their bank at any time of day or night there is now a 24-hour phone-based service.
In order to remain competitive and build customer loyalty, the bank guarantees to turn around urgent loan___31__within 24 hours. This focus on the customer has also been a driving __32__in APL’s recruitment and development policy. For example, newly inducted staff ___33__a ‘customer service review’ to find out what it is like to be on the other side of the desk, asking to borrow money.
Together, these ___34__in banking have achieved excellent results. The customer__35___is growing fast, and last year the bank gained 36,000 new business accounts.
正确答案为橙色字体
21. A. producer B. supplier C. provider D. giver
22. A achieve B. reach C meet D. assist
23. A. system B. web C. grid D. network
24. A. taken B. brought C. carried D. put
25. A. aid B. support C. guidance D. backing
26. A. objective B. purpose C. direction D. scheme
27. A do B. run C. make D. have
28. A copes B. arranges C. handles D. deals
29. A vacancy B. departure C. absence D. retirement
30. A access B. entrance C. approach D. opening
31. A. demands B. applications C. proposals D. orders
32. A power B. strength C. force D. pressure
33. A take over B. go through C. set down D. put up
34. A. innovations B. adaptations C. revisions D. modernization
35. A. source B. base C. centre D. foundation
网友提问：
Most customer service provision is carried out by personal account managers based in local branches, together with __________ staff at company headquarters.
1. aid
2. support
3. guidance
4. backing
为什么用support，不用backing?两者有什么区别么?
解答：
这里不能选择backing。back有支持的意思，但是backing表支持时却是名词
(support or help, especially with money。
查了朗文词典和剑桥词典，backing做形容词时只在朗文词典里有一种解释：backing singers
意思应该是背景歌手或者是伴唱歌手。
所以给出的空里不能选backing.
support staff可以说是一种固定的用法，意思是支持人员，或者是后勤人员、运维人员，填入这个句子的空格处正好合适。
这是《金融时报》词典的解释：Employees whose work is helping a company or organization to operate, for example technical or administrative workers
橙色标注的几个空将做重点解答
21、争议的焦点可能在B和C之间，supplier 还是provider。
supplier更侧重于提供某种产品(朗文：a company or person that provides a particular product)
provider强调提供某种服务(朗文：a company or person that provides a service)
联系这个空后面的banking serving，这里应该选择provider。
23、network 相互关系(配合)的系统
branch network 由分支机构构成的网络。
这个词很好理解，看一遍就会了。如果是第一次选，没准会选中system
28、cope with后接事 deal with可接人和事
handle是及物动词，后面直接接人和事，相当于deal with
31、loan application 贷款申请
apply for loan 固定用法
33、go through 仔细的查看，后面正好和customer service review搭配。
driving force和customer base属于固定用法
2.Chairman's Report
I am pleased to report that, although we had been expecting poor results for this half year because of slow growth in the world economy, the company has performed very satisfactorily.Operating profits for this first half are in fact very much (19) with those for the corresponding (20) last year. Profits reached ￡l 15 million before tax, compared with ￡l 16.3 million last year. Much of our success in the last six months can be (21) to the fact that all our major construction projects remained on schedule. Particularly pleasing was the early (22)of a major building contract in Canada.
The company has made good progress with the initiatives announced at the Annual General Meeting. The majority of shareholders (23) the Board's decision to sell the company's loss-making engineering (24). It was the Board's belief that the company would (25) most benefit by (26) its resources on the expansion of its construction activities. Negotiations with a potential buyer began in February and are now at a critical (27).However, we feel that we are not as yet in a (28) to comment on what the outcome is likely to be.
In June, we made a successful (29) for the Renishaw Construction Company of Hong Kong SAR, in order to give us greater (30) to markets in South East Asia. We still have sufficient resources to pursue our growth (31) and are at present (32) several other business opportunities which, like Renishaw Construction, would (33) new markets to us.
19.A in order B on track C in line D on target
20.A session B term C season D period
21.A attributed B referred C assigned D designated
22.A termination B ending C completion D finalising
23.A confirmed B maintained C agreed D supported
24.A portion B component C sector D division
25.A have B gain C find D earn
26.A focusing B directing C pointing D strengthening
27.A height B step C edge D stage
28.A condition B point C position D capacity
29.A request B price C demand D bid
30.A access B approach C admission D entrance
31.A strategy B process C promotion D system
32.A inquiring B deliberating C exploring D searching
33.A send B open C provide D give
文章是一篇报告，介绍了公司某段时间的发展状况，总体的势头是良好的，积极向上。
19和20题需要在一起考虑，从整体上把握句子的意思。in line with与....一致;on track ：doing or saying things that are likely to be successful or correct步入正轨;on target(射击)准。20空选词关键要将空格前面的those for the corresponding和前面的for this first half对应，这里空格填入的词要能和this first half相匹配，表示时间段，时期，所以是period。因为是半年，所以不选season。整个句子的意思是这半年的营业利润(operating profit)实际上是与去年同期相一致的。
21题，attribute to，表原因，联系整个句子不难做出选择。designate是委任、指派
22题，意思是完成了一个主要的建筑合同，从一个pleasing可以看出感情基调，A和B肯定不选，不是终止也不是结束，finalise最后定下来，定案。
23题，大部分股东都支持、赞同董事会的决定，选support，如果是agree的话后面需要with。
24题，董事会的决定是卖掉公司亏损的工程部。A、B首先排除，做完形填空最忌讳的是把汉语思维和汉语含义带入英文语境中，有的时候宁可选自己从来没有见过的用法，也不要从汉语意思出发强塞一个英文单词进去。sector是(尤指一国经济的)部门、行业，division是(一个机构的)部门。
25和26题，句子的意思是公司将通过把资源集中在建筑活动的扩张上来获得大部分的收益。25题的A和C容易排除，关键是看gain还是earn。earn是通过努力挣到一笔钱(to receive a particular amount of money for the work that you do)，gain是获得或者实现什么(to obtain or achieve something you want or need)，因为是公司的战略，所以用gain更合适一些。
27题，at a critical stage，在一个关键的阶段。
28题，in a position to do sth.能够做某事。固定搭配
29题，成功招标，bid
30题，give us greater access to markets给我们更大的市场准入
31题，growth strategy，增长策略，追求我们的增长策略。
32题，探索更多的商业机会。inquire询问;deliberate仔细考虑，深思熟虑;
33题，为我们开放新的市场。provide后需要加wit
3.Achieving a successful merger
However attractive the figures may look on paper, in the long run the success or failure of a merger depends on the human factor. When the agreement has been signed and the accountants have departed, the real problems may only just be beginning. If there is a culture clash between the two companies in the way their people work, then all the efforts of the financiers and lawyers to strike a deal may have been in vain.
According to Chris Bolton of KS Management Consultants, 70% of mergers fail to live up to their promise of shareholder value, riot through any failure in economic terms but because the integration of people is unsuccessful. Corporates, he explains, concentrate their efforts before a merger on legal, technical and financial matters. They employ a range of experts to obtain the most favourable contract possible. But even at these early stages, people issues must be taken into consideration. The strengths and weaknesses of both organisations should be assessed and, if it is a merger of equals, then careful thought should be given to which personnel, from which side, should take on the key roles.
This was the issue in when the proposed merger between two pharmaceutical companies promised to create one of the largest players in the industry. For both companies the merger was intended to reverse falling market share and shareholder value. However, although the companies' skill bases were compatible, the chief executives of the two companies could not agree which of them was to head up the new organisation. This illustrates the need to compromise if a merger is to take place.
But even in mergers that do go ahead, there can be culture clashes. One way to avoid this is to work with focus groups to see how employees view the existing culture of their organisation. In one example, where two global organisations in the food sector were planning to merge, focus groups discovered that the companies displayed very different profiles. One was sales-focused, knew exactly what it wanted to achieve and pushed initiatives through. The other got involved in lengthy discussions, trying out options methodically and making contingency plans. The first responded quickly to changes in the marketplace; the second took longer, but the option it eventually chose was usually the correct one. Neither company's approach would have worked for the other.
The answer is not to adopt one company's approach, or even to try to incorporate every aspect of both organisations, but to create a totally new culture. This means taking the best from both sides and making a new organisation that everyone can accept. Or almost everyone. Inevitably there will be those who cannot adapt to a different culture. Research into the impact of mergers has found that companies with differing management styles are the ones that need to work hardest at creating a new culture.
Another tool that can help to get the right cultural mix is intercultural analysis. This involves carrying out research that looks at the culture of a company and the business culture of the country in which it is based. It identifies how people, money and time are managed in a company, and investigates the business customs of the country and how its politics, economics and history impact on the way business is done.
13 According to the text, mergers can encounter problems when
A contracts are signed too quickly.
B experts cannot predict accurate figures.
C conflicting attitudes cannot be resolved.
D staff are opposed to the terms of the deal.
14 According to Chris Bolton, what do many organisations do in preparation for a merger?
A ensure their interests are represented
B give reassurances to shareholders
C consider the effect of a merger on employees
D analyse the varying strengths of their staff
15 The proposed merger of two pharmaceutical groups failed because
A major shareholders were opposed.
B there was a fall in the demand for their products.
C there were problems combining their areas of expertise.
D an issue of personal rivalry could not be resolved.
16 According to the text, focus groups can help companies to
A develop new initiatives.
B adopt contingency plans.
C be decisive and react rapidly.
D evaluate how well matched they are.
17 Creating a new culture in a newly merged organisation means that
A management styles become more flexible.
B there is more chance of the merger working.
C staff will find it more difficult to adapt to the changes.
D successful elements of the original organisations are lost.
18 According to the text, intercultural analysis will show
A what kind of benefits a merger can lead to.
B how the national context affects the way a company is run.
C how long it will take for a company culture to develop.
D what changes companies should make before a merger takes place.
《Achieving a successful merger》，实现一个成功的并购。文章没有从技术和经济效益的角度来分析并购成功的因素，而是强调了一个在并购中容易被忽视的重要因素：文化冲突。不同的企业文化走到了一起，能否兼容是并购能否成功的关键因素。一个比较著名的例子是当年惠普与康柏的并购。
第十三题，问什么情况下并购会遇到麻烦。答案是A段的最后一句，关键词是culture clash：如果两个公司的员工在工作方式上存在文化冲突，那么金融专家和律师们为了达成交易所做的一切努力都是徒劳的。所以选C：冲突性的态度无法得到解决。Conflicting attitude对应于culture clash。attitude具体指公司员工做事情的方式和态度。
第十四题，问很多机构为并购所做的准备是什么。答案是第二段的这么一句话：Corporates, he explains, concentrate their efforts before a merger on legal, technical and financial matters。公司都把精力集中在法律、技术和金融事务上了。也就是更多的看重经济等方面的利益，而忽视了人的因素。选A：确保他们的利益得到很好的反映，也就是自己的利益有保障。represent在这里的意思是be present or found in something, especially to a particular degree。
第十五题，问这俩医药公司并购失败的原因是什么。答案是第三段的倒数第二句：the chief executives of the two companies could not agree which of them was to head up the new organisation.在谁来领导新的机构的问题上无法达成一致。所以选D：人员竞争问题无法得到解决。Personal rivalry就是指两个领导谁也不服谁。
第十六题，问focus group可以帮助公司干什么。先弄明白focus group的意思，看剑桥高阶的解释：a group of people who have been brought together to discuss a particular subject in order to solve a problem or suggest ideas。处理问题的团体。答案在第四段。这一段是举例说明两个合并公司的文化兼容性问题。经过focus group的调查，这两个公司的做事方式有很大差别，不能兼容。所以这一题的答案是选D：评估他们能否匹配。
第十七题，问在一个新合并的公司里创造新的文化意味着什么。答案是第五段的这么一句：This means taking the best from both sides and making a new organisation that everyone can accept。吸取双方的优点，创造一个所有人都能接受的新组织。每个人都能接受，那么合并成功的可能性会大大增加。选B：合并起作用的几率增加了。
第十八题，跨文化分析能够表明什么。答案是最后一段的最后一句：how its politics, economics and history impact on the way business is done.看看这个国家的政治、经济和历史是怎么影响商业行为的。也就是考察宏观的国家背景对微观的经济个体的影响。选B：国家背景怎样影响公司的运行方式。
4.Issues in the recruitment world
In the competitive world of investment banking, good senior executives are not easy to find. So what should the industry's hard-pressed directors do when they need to find senior staff? Increasingly, they decide to call in the headhunters. These are busy and profitable times for the recruitment agencies that dominate the world of executive search and selection.
(0) .....They needed new people to revitalise their operations, and the result has been a boom in the recruitment market. Pinnacle, a leading recruitment agency, has helped various UK investment banks to rebuild their entire senior management teams. It is hard to overstate the significance of this. (8)............
But now everything has changed, and Pinnacle is not the only major player in the field. Some analysts believe that rival recruitment specialists ALT Associates has a larger share of the market. However, there is little doubt that over its 13-year history, Pinnacle and its chairman, Matthew Edwards, have built up an impressive reputation.
Edwards estimates that his company controls between 10 and 15 per cent of the headhunting market for senior investment banking jobs in the UK. (9)............Rather, it is the high-calibre jobs and people that Pinnacle deals with that define the company's success. For example, the company was recently commissioned to find a new chairman for NBS Bank, a vacancy that was one of the most talked about in the banking world.
Most HR directors recognise that headhunters such as Pinnacle play a valuable role in the recruitment process.(10)............Some are concerned that a few companies, including Pinnacle, have too much power over high-level recruitment.(11)............As Tim Davidson, HR Director at Cawfield Bank, explains, They can be kingmakers. These are the people who decide who gets a future and who doesn't. If Edwards forms a view about an individual, it can affect their ability to get a particular job. That view could just have been formed on a bad day.' (12)............ Final decisions in the selection process are always taken by his clients, he says, whoever they are.
The role of headhunters should not be exaggerated. Many companies never use them. But as top executives are hard to find, there will always be a role for people like Matthew Edwards.
A Although others may put it lower, it is important to remember that the company's reputation is not based on market share alone.
B Their chief worry is that the headhunters can now make or break managerial careers.
C According to Edwards, this is a further indication that the way Pinnacle searches for a candidate tends to favour a certain type of manager.
D But this acceptance does not mean they are universally happy, either with the state of the market or with Pinnacle's role within it.
E Until a few years ago, even the biggest companies were unlikely to use headhunters to fill more than one or two jobs a year.
F Edwards objects to this suggestion, claiming that all he does is find candidates and encourage them to apply for a particular post.
G A number of big investment banks recently decided to make changes to their management boards after disappointing end-of-year results.
《Issues in the recruitment world》，招聘世界里的话题。围绕猎头公司(headhunter)展开，说明了猎头公司的发展和重要性，以及用人单位对猎头公司的一些疑问。第一段引出话题，说现在正是猎头公司占领市场的时候。接下来几段顺序介绍了猎头市场的发展阶段，从起步阶段(第二段的内容)，到逐步发家(第三段)，当中列举了一个猎头公司的情况加以说明(第四段)，然后第五段介绍了用人单位对猎头公司的一些质疑。最后一段是总的概括。做这种题一定要理清文章的逻辑顺序，从整体上把握文章脉络。
第八题，第二段的最后一句。第二段是简单引出猎头公司的起步，起步阶段并没有多少公司认识到猎头公司的重要性，就如第八题前面的一句话所说：It is hard to overstate the significance of this。很难高估这个的重要性，也就是说猎头公司的作用并没有被完全的认识到。后面的空格应该相应的填入猎头公司不太被重视的句子。E选项正好满足这个特点：直到几年前，甚至最大的公司都不可能一年利用猎头公司来填补一两个职位。
第九题，主要是介绍Pinnacle这个猎头公司的情况。前面说这个公司的市场份额在10%到15%，空格后面一个rather(相反)，说定义公司成功的应该是公司所处理的高质量的工作和客户。中间应填入一个表转折意思的句子，并且可能和公司的市场份额有关。A句满足这个要求：虽然其他人可能把它(指市场份额)估计得更低，但一个公司的名声不仅仅是建立在市场份额基础上的。
第五段，集中填入三个句子，所以一定要从意思上进行把握。这一段是用人单位对猎头公司的一些质疑，然后猎头公司Pinnacle的主席Edwards进行了一些反驳。
这一段第一句话说人力资源部经理认为Pinnacle发挥了很重要的作用，接着空格后面说的是Some are concerned that…也就是一些人提出了担心，所以中间的第十题应该填入表示转折意思的句子，而且可能是对猎头公司发挥的作用的消极看法。D满足这一要求：但是这种认可不代表他们完全的高兴。BUT是个关键的信号，acceptance是指代前面人力资源经理们对猎头公司发挥作用的认可。
第十一题，前面的句子是对猎头公司发挥作用的担心，认为它们权力过大了。这一题后面的句子是引用一个人力资源经理的解释，进一步说明猎头公司的影响力太大。所以十一题也应该与此相关。B符合：他们首要担心的是猎头公司会创造或者破坏管理职业生涯。Worry是关键词，同前面的concern相对应，make or break managerial careers也就是上下文所说的权利过大，简直拥有生杀大权。
第十二题，理解了前面的，不难做出选择。这里很明显就是猎头公司为自己辩护。前面指责猎头公司的评价会影响个人的选择。而空格后面是Edwards的解释，说最终的决定权是掌握在客户自己手中。所以这一题很明显应该填入对前面表示反驳的句子，也就是F，object to，非常明显的信号：Edwards反对这种说法，声称他所做的无非就是寻找候选人然后鼓励他们去申请某个特定的职位。
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篇4：BEC商务英语中级考试真题
BEC真题一
1 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 manager
A
Too 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.
B
Listening 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.
C
The 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.
D
Above 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 are getting 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.
这篇文章讲的是倾听(listening)的重要性。一个好的管理者必然是一个好的倾听者，所以要讲究倾听的艺术。
第一题，有时坚持进一步的解释是很有必要的。答案是B段的这么一句：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它可能意味着为了进一步的信息和说明去询问说话的人——问总比不顾情况的继续并且把事情办错的好。这里的additional information对应于further explanation.
第二题，不能在别人还在说的时候就开始关注自己的回应。答案是C段的第一句：The 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。我们最常见的坏习惯就是在讲话者远还没结束的时候就开始思考我们将对这个话题说些什么。这里的before the other speaker has finished就是others are still speaking，focus on your response就是start thinking of what we are going to say about the subject。
第三题，人们不愿意承认自己没有听好。答案是A段的第一句：Too 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。我们经常指责别人没有好好听，假装我们自己是无可指责的，其实在我们心里知道，很多我们所犯的错误都是由于听的不够仔细。这句的意思就是说我们心里知道什么原因，但是口头上喜欢指责别人。也就是第三题题干说的不愿意承认。
第四题，从说话者的视角去考虑问题是有好处的。答案是D段的这么一句：Equally importantly you should put yourself in the other person's place, both intellectually and emotionally。同样重要的是你必须把自己置于别人的位置上，既是智力上的也是情感上的。这里的put yourself in other person’s place就是seeing things from the speaker’s perspective。
第五题，对说话者的敏锐观察可以提高倾听技巧。答案是D段的这么一句：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。记住说话人的移动方式和姿势是很有用的，这些可以揭示出很多他们所说话的信息。连说话的姿势都要记住，当然是keen observation了，helpful可以对应于support。
第六题，当别人在说话的时候去想着另外一件事是很危险的。答案是B段的这么一句：if you allow your mind to wander onto something else, even for a few minutes, you'll miss what the speaker is saying如果你让自己走神了，哪怕是仅有的几分钟，你也将错过别人所说的话。allow your mind wander onto something else也就是think about a different issue.
第七题，人们不介意听到他们自己的观点被总结。答案是C段的这么一句：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事实上在作出自己观点之前往往很值得解释下刚刚所听到内容的主要观点。没有人会被这个所冒犯。explaining the main idea of what you have just been told也就是hearing their own views summarised。do not mind也就是nobody is offended by this。
BEC真题二
0 Regular meetings with clients are important to a healthy collaboration. They
00 may be set up by the client, for example to review with the progress of current
34 projects, to give new instructions that may have lead to a contract variation
35 or to discuss any concerns. The client meeting which can also be arranged
36 by you or another member of your company to attract from new business, to
37 address a problem unless that needs to be solved or to give an update or status
38 report on current business ventures. Your part is in these meetings will dictate
39 the kind of information you need and how you should prepare for them. If you
40 will be responding to questions put by your client, the material you present
41 should deal in specifically with the request that was made. The meeting should not
42 only move off the agenda without the permission of the person you are meeting.
43 If you have prepared properly, you should be able to anticipate both questions and
44 to respond properly. If you are put on the spot and asked for details you do not
45 have, respond honestly - do not speak about matters as you are not familiar with.
一般短文改错常出现的错误有短语搭配、语法，还有根据上下文含义选出不合适的词。所以想做好改错，要有一定的语言基础，还得从整体上把握整篇文章。
34题，如果这里有have，那么后面的lead应用分词形式led(may have done)，而且考虑这里的时态，并不是已经完成，而是表示可能导致的结果。所以去掉have。
35题，这里的which必须去掉，如果不去的话，这个句子就缺少谓语动词。
36题，attract是及物动词，后面不需要from。
37题，根据前后文的意思，unless是多余的。
38题，“your part...”这个句子里有两个谓语动词，必须去掉it。
39题是对的，不知会不会有人认为这里的how可以去掉。从语法上说how去留都行，但是从后面的意思看，每个人必须根据自己的角色来做准备工作，所以how必须保留。
41题，deal with是固定短语，in是多余的。
42题，从整个句子的意思和语法上看，only都是多余的。
43题，如果both要保留，and后面的内容就必须与questions并列，可这里and后面的内容是与前面的to anticipate并列，所以both去掉。
45题，后面的you are not familiar with是修饰matters的，as在这里很多余。
BEC真题三
Summary of annual progress
0 I am pleased to report another year of progress by the company. This
00 performance has been achieved in the most toughest market conditions we have
34 seen for many years yet. It reflects the effort over the past five years that has
35 gone into transforming of our company into a highly competitive world-class
36 business. Since , we have managed to improve almost double our profits, and this
37 increase in profitability has been placed us at the top of the global glass industry.
38 We have managed to succeed this in difficult trading conditions for a number of
39 reasons, the most important of which has been from our ability to stay ahead
40 of our competitors. We have refused to allow stand still and have continued to bring
41 out a number of new products, most of which are already on the sale in our key
42 markets. All this goes to confirm that the company's position as the recognised
43 industry leader in technical innovation. We realise that there is still much more to
44 be done, but we believe that we know precisely what extra this is and we have
45 already put into place organisational and technical changes to bring this about.
《Summary of annual progress》，年度进步总结。应该是公司领导在年度总结大会上做的报告，比较简短。
34题，yet一般用在否定句的句尾，而此句是肯定句，yet多余
35题，transform into，词组搭配，表示把…..转变成。of多余。
36题，we have managed to improve almost double our profits，这个句子有两个谓语动词，improve和double，所以有一个多余。保留improve的话，almost的位置不对，所以应该去掉improve，直接用double表示加倍。
37题，这个句子的意思是说利润的增长已经将我们公司置于全球玻璃行业顶尖的位置。强调的动作的完成，如果用has been就是强调动作的一直持续。所以been多余。
38题，succeed in固定搭配，this多余
39题，最重要的原因是我们的能力一直领先于对手。定语从句的成分很齐全，不需要介词from。
40题，又是两个动词同时使用，重复了，必须去掉一个。句子的意思是我们拒绝原地踏步，stand still是原地踏步。所以去掉allow。
41题，on sale，固定搭配，降价的意思。去掉the。
42题，如果用that，后面应该接从句。而这句的后面不是从句。直接是comfirm as，表示确认公司作为行业领头羊的地位。
43题，正确的
44题，what this is，我们明确的知道这些是什么，extra多余。
45题，正确的
BEC真题四
1 A cautious approach can be used when calculating what a company is worth.
2 Consider personnel issues so that you have sufficient resources to fulfill your objectives.
3 In order to know if you can make a return on your investment, assess how you can add to the company you are buying.
4 Providing sufficient support for staff during the acquisition process can have a favourable outcome.
5 Take into account your long-term requirements to ensure you have the resources you need.
6 Even after investing some effort in the acquisition, it may still be necessary to withdraw.
7 Terms initially negotiated can be changed after the acquisition.
Mergers and Acquisitions
As Finance Director of plastics manufacturer VKT, Yvonne Maynart has overseen many successful takeovers
A
It is essential to build up a team to handle the acquisition so that your existing business can continue uninterrupted during the deal. It also helps to operate with spare capacity so that you can transfer people during the initial stages. A key person should be driving the acquisition process forward, although one person alone cannot assume responsibility for a large deal. It is clearly vital to do thorough research when identifying potential targets - but do not be afraid to walk away from a deal if you become aware of serious difficulties with a company you are targeting.
B
To decide on the value of any target business, you must first determine what contribution your acquisition can make to it. For example, you may be able to increase revenue through a more focused management team, or improve margins through greater purchasing power and lower costs. At VKT, we base our valuations on conservative assumptions - we also add in the risk element. This approach may be best, and it's worth remembering that with listed companies, shareholders tend to have higher risk/reward expectations.
C
Developing relationships with finance providers is a key part of the finance director's role. It is important to draw up a good business plan to ensure backing from lenders in the early stages of the acquisition. Your loan application needs to be supported by detailed profit and cashflow projections. Make sure you factor in sufficient finance to let the business develop over time, and allow for reinvestment. Here at VKT, we usually finance acquisitions with bank debt in the form of a 364-day loan, which can then be refinanced at a lower interest rate later.
D
If an acquisition is large, it can take years for companies to integrate. At VICT, we monitor all acquisitions closely for at least two years, and the most important lesson I've learned is that a deal is only good if it is beneficial for both vendor and acquirer. Change causes confusion, so it needs to be handled carefully. In order to protect profits and grow the business, you need to minimise the impact of change and help the people affected feel comfortable about it. When this is done properly, it can really boost morale.
这篇文章是关于收购的一些建议。一位专家针对收购可能出现的情况给出了自己的看法。A段是说要专门建立一个团队来处理收购事宜，要有一个关键的人来推动收购的进行。同时还要对潜在的目标进行深入研究，如果发现了问题便及时抽身。B段是讲要想评估目标收购企业的价值，首先得决定你的收购能为它做出什么样的贡献。可以通过一个更加专注的管理团队来提高收益，也可以通过提高购买力和降低成本来改进利润。C段讲的是要和资金提供方建立良好的关系，并谈到了资金借贷方面的一些情况。D段是讲收购进行后的一些影响。对于出现的相关变化，要妥善处理。处理的好的话会提高士气。
第一题，当计算一个公司的价值时可以采用谨慎的方法。B段是和评估企业价值相关的内容，所以答案在B段中找。是原文的这么一句：we base our valuations on conservative assumptions。我们的价值评估是建立在保守的假设基础之上的。这里的conservative对应于cautious，base our valuations也就是计算公司的价值。
第二题，考虑人员问题(personnel issues)使得你有足够的资源来达成目标。A段是讲收购中的人员问题的，但答案不是那么明显。主要是要理解A段开头的两句话：It is essential to build up a team to handle the acquisition so that your existing business can continue uninterrupted during the deal. It also helps to operate with spare capacity so that you can transfer people during the initial stages。有必要建立一个团队来处理收购使得在交易期间现行的商业可以不间断的继续。它也帮助处理闲置生产能力于是你可以在初始阶段转移人员。说到底，这句话的意思就是要合理的安排人员，从而充分利用资源来实现目标。这题需要深入理解。
第三题，要想知道你能从投资上获得多少回报，评估你能给购买的公司增加什么。这一题答案很明显，B段的第一句话：To decide on the value of any target business, you must first determine what contribution your acquisition can make to it.同样的意思。
第四题，在收购过程中对员工提供足够的支持可以产生良好的结果。这题答案也稍显隐晦，答案是D段的后面几句：help the people affected feel comfortable about it. When this is done properly, it can really boost morale.帮助受影响的人感觉到舒服一些。当这些被妥善处理了，可以真正提升士气。
第五题，将长期的需要考虑在内以确保你得到所需要的资源。答案是C段的这么一句：Make sure you factor in sufficient finance to let the business develop over time, and allow for reinvestment.确保你将企业长时间发展所需要的充足的资金也纳入在内，并且允许再投资。这里的take into account对应于factor in，develop over time对应于long-time requirement。
第六题，即便是在对收购投入了大量的努力之后，也仍然可能有必要退出。答案是A段的最后一句：do not be afraid to walk away from a deal if you become aware of serious difficulties with a company you are targeting。如果你清楚了目标公司的严重困难，不要害怕从这桩交易上走开。这里的walk away from对应于withdraw。
第七题，原本协商好的条款在收购后可以改变。答案也有些隐晦，是C段的最后一句：we usually finance acquisitions with bank debt in the form of a 364-day loan, which can then be refinanced at a lower interest rate later.我们通常使用364天银行贷款利率来提供贷款，日后的再贷款可以用一个更低的利率。意思是一样的，但是需要适当理解才能做答。
疑似生词：
Spare capacity：When a business is operating at less than 100% capacity, it is said to have “spare capacity”。闲置生产能力。
Listed companies：a listed company is one whose shares may be bought and sold on a stock exchange.
上市公司。
e.g: Our shares are now listed and traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange.
Factor in:将….纳入、列入重要因素。
Withdraw(这词用法多，让人混淆，把常用的列出来)：
1、to take money out of a bank account, etc
e.g: You can use the card to withdraw money from cashpoints all over the world.
2、to stop giving or offering sth to sb
e.g: The drug was withdrawn from sale after a number of people suffered serious side effects.
3、to stop taking part in an activity or being a member of an organization
e.g: There have been calls for Britain to withdraw from the EU.
4、to say that you no longer believe that sth you previously said is true
e.g: The newspaper withdrew the allegations the next day.
篇5：BEC商务英语中级考试改错题真题
1.Dealing with Expenses
0 Most companies use forms or spreadsheets to process travel and entertainment
00 expenses claims. As a result, it can be difficult to control over spending across the
34 organisation, and unfortunately when data often needs to be processed again and entered
35 into the firm's other such accounting systems. One solution is an automated expenses
36 management system. But if there are various measures you can implement to make
37 your existing procedures more efficient. Firstly, try ensure that all expenses claims are
38 independently been authorised. Who approves senior managers' claims, for example?
39 Don't waste time for reviewing all expenses claims; only look in detail at a sample, but
40 regularly up date the firm's expenses policy, and query with all claims that fall outside it. You
41 should also avoid duplicating effort; if line managers check expenses, there is little point
42 in the accounts department are doing so. You could try to cut down on cash advances and
43 corporate credit cards; making staff to use their own credit cards encourages them
44 to submit claims on time. It is also a good idea to identify and remind staff who do not
45 submit or approve claims promptly. Finally, aim to recharge every expenses to customers where your business model allows.
《Dealing with Expenses》，处理花费。
34题，一个完整的句子，数据需要被处理，句子成分很齐全，不是when引导的时间状语从句，when是多余的
35题，前后没有用such指代的意思，就是说公司的其他的会计系统。Such多余。
36题，不是从句，不需要if来引导。从there开始也是一个完整的句子，成分很齐全。
37题，try在这里从意思上和用法上都不通。没有尝试的意思，就是要确保(ensure)，而且就算要用try，后面也不能直接跟ensure，好歹用个try to，可惜BEC里没有这种改法。只能把try去掉。
38题，前面有了谓语动词are，后面冒出一个been，这是什么用法，直接用are authorised，表示被授权。
39题，waste time doing，把时间浪费在什么上面，固定搭配，for多余。
40题，query是询问、质问，及物动词，后面直接跟宾语，不用with.
41题，正确的
42题，谓语动词重复。There is little point in doing so，做什么没有意义，常见的说法，are是多余的。
43题，make sb. do sth. 固定搭配，to多余
44题，正确的
45题，every后面不能直接跟名词的复数，除非
是every four minutes这样的用法，所以去掉
BEC商务英语中级考试真题：改错题
2.The Career Forum
0 If you work in the city centre then a visit to the Career Forum, is the
00 city's most successful recruitment exhibition, will give you the information
34 you need to determine whether you are making up the most of yourself.
35 Currently, there are advertising many new vacancies on the job market.
36 With good skills and a healthy work record in greater demand than ever, it is
37 the ideal time to ensure that your career is being on the right track. The Career
38 Forum has been responsible for helping many thousands of the people
39 improve their job potential, and it can do something the same for you.
40 Some of the best jobs in town never reach out the advertising pages, so
41 to be considered for one of these top jobs as they become available,
42 you will need to make closely contact with the employers' agents. The Career
43 Forum is making the perfect opportunity. It is set in an informal atmosphere
44 and there is no pressure put; you can choose which agents you talk to.
45 So if you are looking for a new job, come and join us at the Career Forum.
《The Career Forum》，职业论坛。这篇文章其实是一则广告，为这个什么职业论坛做宣传的。
34题，make the most of yourself，固定说法。貌似爱默生的名言：Make the most of yourself,for that is all there is of you。这里UP是多余的。
35题，advertising在这里明显多余。很完整的句子，there主语，are谓语，many new vacancies是宾语，没有多余的位置给advertising。
36题，正确的
37题，be on the right track，在正确的轨道上。Being多余。
38题，帮助成千的人找到工作。people这里不是特指，前面不需要定冠词the。
39题，do the same for you，固定的说法，为你做同样的。something是多余的。
40题，reach out是伸出援助之手的意思，在这个句子里不是这个意思，只是说好的工作从未到达广告页，所以去掉out。
41题，正确的
42题，make contact with，如果要用也是用close，不能用closely，去掉
43题，making在这里很别扭，一个完整的主谓宾齐全的句子，forum是主语，is是谓语，opportunity是宾语，没有多余的地方给making。
44题，put在这里也是明显的多余，放在一个完整的句子后面充当什么成分呢，不伦不类。放在一个不正式的气氛下，没有压力。Put多余。
45题，正确的。
3.商务英语BEC考试中改错题常见错误汇总
对立性词语在句子中同时出现
在中文里，我们可以把“虽然”“但是”放在一起，也可以将“因为”“所以”放在一起，而在英语中，我们用了although/though就不可以用but (但是可以用yet)，用了because/since/as就不可以用so。另外。在句子中一般不可以同时出现以下的词语： how与well ， only与hardly ，serve与for ，reach与at/in ，rise与up ，most与best ， must与have to ，another与other(s) ，marry与 with ，repeat与again (但可以与again and again连用)，return 与 back等等。
例如： How do you get on well with the staff. (这句话中，well实际上回答了how， 所以well是多余的。又如serve for our customs 中for也是多余的，因为serve是及物动词，本身已经含有for的意思，再用for就造成了意思上的重复。)
词性的误用
由于词性的误用而造成的单词多余在BEC短文改错中也是经常可以碰到的。特别是对动词的考查，如及物和不及物的混用等等。
例如：Their backgrounds are vary from arts to sciences (vary是动词，因此，are是多余的。又如：But Garrard is going to be relax. 一句，relax是动词，be是多余的。 又如：Rather than waste of time in traffic jams.中的of 是多余的，因为waste是及物动词;又如：...,where executives fly them in and out the same day. 中them是多余的，因为fly是不及物动词。)
又如：In addition to have formal lessons, participants have the opportunity to learn in social situations with trainers and fellow students. (In addition to中to是介词，后面要接上名词或动名词，不可以接上动词原形。所以应该去掉have )
宾语从句中that与what或that 与if / whether的同时出现
在宾语从句中，我们不可以用两个连词来连接同一个句子。出题者往往会在宾语从句中同时使用that和what或that和if / whether来考查学生是否掌握好基本的语法知识。
例如：It really doesn’t matter that what we pay for an investment. (在这句话中就同时用了两个连词。我们知道，pay是一个及物动词，要求接上宾语，what在这里充当pay的宾语，而that仅仅是起到连接的作用，没有实在的意义，所以 that是多余的。)
又如：They understand that if the really price of not training is the company failing behind as a result. (在这句话中同时使用了两个连词that和if ,根据句子的意思，我们可以判断出不含有“是否”之意，所以句中的if是多余的。)
抽象名词被可数化
抽象名词被可数化主要是指在不可数名词的前面用了不定冠词a 或an ，使不可数名词被当作可数名词使用。这主要考查考生对词性的把握能力。这类题目的解决方法就是平时学习过程中多注意积累，有些名词，如bread , paper , chalk在中文里是可数的，但是在英文里是比可数的。当然，对于一个不熟悉的名词，在考试中就只有通过逻辑来判断了。
例如：A poor financial management is one of the main reasons why business fails . (management是一个抽象名词，所以它属于不可数名词，前面的a是多余的)
又如：If you would like to receive a further information on working overseas, please do not hesitate to contact us. (information是不可数名词，不可以用a修饰，所以a是多余的。)
意义上重复造成的多余
这类词的考查主要集中在含有“极端”意义或绝对概念的形容词或副词上，也就是本身含有“最”的意义的形容词或副词，如：comparative , relative , absolute , entire , excellent , perfect , total , through , utter , whole , complete , full , empty等，这些词语都没有比较等级，所以前面不可以用more , most来修饰这些词语。
例如：He is the most excellent worker of the company . (这句话中的excellent 已经含有“最”的意义，不需要再用most来修饰，所以most是多余的。)
构建虚假的定语从句
这类题目在BEC考题中会经常出现。出题者往往在一个简单句的谓语前加上一个which或that来构建一个虚假的定语从句。对于这类题目的解决方法就是分析句子成分，我们知道，定语从句中的that或which都是充当一定语法成分的，如果句子不缺少语法成分，那么句子中的that或which就是多余的。
例如：This experience which will also give you a chance to widen your outlook on life, encounter cultural differences and develop new skills. (在这个句子中，主语是this experience,谓语是give，后面的是give的宾语。所以，句子不缺少语法成分，which是多余的。)
又如：Staying with a host family that gives participants even more time to practise English. (在这个句子中，用了动名词做主语，谓语动词是give，后面的其它是宾语成分。句子主谓宾成分都不残缺，所以that是多余的，应该删去。)
4.商务英语考试短文改错题指导
篇6：BEC商务英语中级考试真题精选篇
真题一
Dealing with Expenses
0 Most companies use forms or spreadsheets to process travel and entertainment
00 expenses claims. As a result, it can be difficult to control over spending across the
34 organisation, and unfortunately when data often needs to be processed again and entered
35 into the firm's other such accounting systems. One solution is an automated expenses
36 management system. But if there are various measures you can implement to make
37 your existing procedures more efficient. Firstly, try ensure that all expenses claims are
38 independently been authorised. Who approves senior managers' claims, for example?
39 Don't waste time for reviewing all expenses claims; only look in detail at a sample, but
40 regularly up date the firm's expenses policy, and query with all claims that fall outside it. You
41 should also avoid duplicating effort; if line managers check expenses, there is little point
42 in the accounts department are doing so. You could try to cut down on cash advances and
43 corporate credit cards; making staff to use their own credit cards encourages them
44 to submit claims on time. It is also a good idea to identify and remind staff who do not
45 submit or approve claims promptly. Finally, aim to recharge every expenses to customers where your business model allows.
《Dealing with Expenses》，处理花费。
34题，一个完整的句子，数据需要被处理，句子成分很齐全，不是when引导的时间状语从句，when是多余的
35题，前后没有用such指代的意思，就是说公司的其他的会计系统。Such多余。
36题，不是从句，不需要if来引导。从there开始也是一个完整的句子，成分很齐全。
37题，try在这里从意思上和用法上都不通。没有尝试的意思，就是要确保(ensure)，而且就算要用try，后面也不能直接跟ensure，好歹用个try to，可惜BEC里没有这种改法。只能把try去掉。
38题，前面有了谓语动词are，后面冒出一个been，这是什么用法，直接用are authorised，表示被授权。
39题，waste time doing，把时间浪费在什么上面，固定搭配，for多余。
40题，query是询问、质问，及物动词，后面直接跟宾语，不用with.
41题，正确的
42题，谓语动词重复。There is little point in doing so，做什么没有意义，常见的说法，are是多余的。
43题，make sb. do sth. 固定搭配，to多余
44题，正确的
45题，every后面不能直接跟名词的复数，除非是every four minutes这样的用法，所以去掉。
真题二
The Career Forum
0 If you work in the city centre then a visit to the Career Forum, is the
00 city's most successful recruitment exhibition, will give you the information
34 you need to determine whether you are making up the most of yourself.
35 Currently, there are advertising many new vacancies on the job market.
36 With good skills and a healthy work record in greater demand than ever, it is
37 the ideal time to ensure that your career is being on the right track. The Career
38 Forum has been responsible for helping many thousands of the people
39 improve their job potential, and it can do something the same for you.
40 Some of the best jobs in town never reach out the advertising pages, so
41 to be considered for one of these top jobs as they become available,
42 you will need to make closely contact with the employers' agents. The Career
43 Forum is making the perfect opportunity. It is set in an informal atmosphere
44 and there is no pressure put; you can choose which agents you talk to.
45 So if you are looking for a new job, come and join us at the Career Forum.
《The Career Forum》，职业论坛。这篇文章其实是一则广告，为这个什么职业论坛做宣传的。
34题，make the most of yourself，固定说法。貌似爱默生的名言：Make the most of yourself,for that is all there is of you。这里UP是多余的。
35题，advertising在这里明显多余。很完整的句子，there主语，are谓语，many new vacancies是宾语，没有多余的位置给advertising。
36题，正确的
37题，be on the right track，在正确的轨道上。Being多余。
38题，帮助成千的人找到工作。people这里不是特指，前面不需要定冠词the。
39题，do the same for you，固定的说法，为你做同样的。something是多余的。
40题，reach out是伸出援助之手的意思，在这个句子里不是这个意思，只是说好的工作从未到达广告页，所以去掉out。
41题，正确的
42题，make contact with，如果要用也是用close，不能用closely，去掉
43题，making在这里很别扭，一个完整的主谓宾齐全的句子，forum是主语，is是谓语，opportunity是宾语，没有多余的地方给making。
44题，put在这里也是明显的多余，放在一个完整的句子后面充当什么成分呢，不伦不类。放在一个不正式的气氛下，没有压力。Put多余。
45题，正确的。
真题三
Chairman's Report
I am pleased to report that, although we had been expecting poor results for this half year because of slow growth in the world economy, the company has performed very satisfactorily.Operating profits for this first half are in fact very much (19) with those for the corresponding (20) last year. Profits reached ￡l 15 million before tax, compared with ￡l 16.3 million last year. Much of our success in the last six months can be (21) to the fact that all our major construction projects remained on schedule. Particularly pleasing was the early (22)of a major building contract in Canada.
The company has made good progress with the initiatives announced at the Annual General Meeting. The majority of shareholders (23) the Board's decision to sell the company's loss-making engineering (24). It was the Board's belief that the company would (25) most benefit by (26) its resources on the expansion of its construction activities. Negotiations with a potential buyer began in February and are now at a critical (27).However, we feel that we are not as yet in a (28) to comment on what the outcome is likely to be.
In June, we made a successful (29) for the Renishaw Construction Company of Hong Kong SAR, in order to give us greater (30) to markets in South East Asia. We still have sufficient resources to pursue our growth (31) and are at present (32) several other business opportunities which, like Renishaw Construction, would (33) new markets to us.
19.A in order B on track C in line D on target
20.A session B term C season D period
21.A attributed B referred C assigned D designated
22.A termination B ending C completion D finalising
23.A confirmed B maintained C agreed D supported
24.A portion B component C sector D division
25.A have B gain C find D earn
26.A focusing B directing C pointing D strengthening
27.A height B step C edge D stage
28.A condition B point C position D capacity
29.A request B price C demand D bid
30.A access B approach C admission D entrance
31.A strategy B process C promotion D system
32.A inquiring B deliberating C exploring D searching
33.A send B open C provide D give
文章是一篇报告，介绍了公司某段时间的发展状况，总体的势头是良好的，积极向上。
19和20题需要在一起考虑，从整体上把握句子的意思。in line with与....一致;on track ：doing or saying things that are likely to be successful or correct步入正轨;on target(射击)准。20空选词关键要将空格前面的those for the corresponding和前面的for this first half对应，这里空格填入的词要能和this first half相匹配，表示时间段，时期，所以是period。因为是半年，所以不选season。整个句子的意思是这半年的营业利润(operating profit)实际上是与去年同期相一致的。
21题，attribute to，表原因，联系整个句子不难做出选择。designate是委任、指派
22题，意思是完成了一个主要的建筑合同，从一个pleasing可以看出感情基调，A和B肯定不选，不是终止也不是结束，finalise最后定下来，定案。
23题，大部分股东都支持、赞同董事会的决定，选support，如果是agree的话后面需要with。
24题，董事会的决定是卖掉公司亏损的工程部。A、B首先排除，做完形填空最忌讳的是把汉语思维和汉语含义带入英文语境中，有的时候宁可选自己从来没有见过的用法，也不要从汉语意思出发强塞一个英文单词进去。sector是(尤指一国经济的)部门、行业，division是(一个机构的)部门。
25和26题，句子的意思是公司将通过把资源集中在建筑活动的扩张上来获得大部分的收益。25题的A和C容易排除，关键是看gain还是earn。earn是通过努力挣到一笔钱(to receive a particular amount of money for the work that you do)，gain是获得或者实现什么(to obtain or achieve something you want or need)，因为是公司的战略，所以用gain更合适一些。
27题，at a critical stage，在一个关键的阶段。
28题，in a position to do sth.能够做某事。固定搭配
29题，成功招标，bid
30题，give us greater access to markets给我们更大的市场准入
31题，growth strategy，增长策略，追求我们的增长策略。
32题，探索更多的商业机会。inquire询问;deliberate仔细考虑，深思熟虑;
33题，为我们开放新的市场。provide后需要加with
真题四
The bank with ideas
With several hundred years of history behind it, the APL Bank has few problems in convincing businesses that it is reputable and secure__21__ of a range of banking serving. Now, it is demonstrating to business customers that it is flexible and responsive enough to ___22___ their changing needs in the 21st century.
Based in London, APL offers banking services to businesses throughout the UK via its branch __23___. Most customer service provision is ___24_ out by personal account managers based in local branches, together with ___25__ staff at company headquarters.
An important ___26__for APL has been to make it easy for customers to __27__business with the bank. They can contact their account manager by direct line or email; if the manager is on holiday, a carefully chosen colleague becomes the ‘account contact’ and ___28__with the customer during the manager’s ___29___. In addition, for those who want ___30__ to their bank at any time of day or night there is now a 24-hour phone-based service.
In order to remain competitive and build customer loyalty, the bank guarantees to turn around urgent loan___31__within 24 hours. This focus on the customer has also been a driving __32__in APL’s recruitment and development policy. For example, newly inducted staff ___33__a ‘customer service review’ to find out what it is like to be on the other side of the desk, asking to borrow money.
Together, these ___34__in banking have achieved excellent results. The customer__35___is growing fast, and last year the bank gained 36,000 new business accounts.
21. A. producer B. supplier C. provider D. giver
22. A achieve B. reach C meet D. assist
23. A. system B. web C. grid D. network
24. A. taken B. brought C. carried D. put
25. A. aid B. support C. guidance D. backing
26. A. objective B. purpose C. direction D. scheme
27. A do B. run C. make D. have
28. A copes B. arranges C. handles D. deals
29. A vacancy B. departure C. absence D. retirement
30. A access B. entrance C. approach D. opening
31. A. demands B. applications C. proposals D. orders
32. A power B. strength C. force D. pressure
33. A take over B. go through C. set down D. put up
34. A. innovations B. adaptations C. revisions D. modernization
35. A. source B. base C. centre D. foundation
Most customer service provision is carried out by personal account managers based in local branches, together with __________ staff at company headquarters.
1. aid
2. support
3. guidance
4. backing
为什么用support，不用backing?两者有什么区别么?
解答：
这里不能选择backing。back有支持的意思，但是backing表支持时却是名词
(support or help, especially with money。
查了朗文词典和剑桥词典，backing做形容词时只在朗文词典里有一种解释：backing singers
意思应该是背景歌手或者是伴唱歌手。
所以给出的空里不能选backing.
support staff可以说是一种固定的用法，意思是支持人员，或者是后勤人员、运维人员，填入这个句子的空格处正好合适。
这是《金融时报》词典的解释：Employees whose work is helping a company or organization to operate, for example technical or administrative workers
橙色标注的几个空将做重点解答
21、争议的焦点可能在B和C之间，supplier 还是provider。
supplier更侧重于提供某种产品(朗文：a company or person that provides a particular product)
provider强调提供某种服务(朗文：a company or person that provides a service)
联系这个空后面的banking serving，这里应该选择provider。
23、network 相互关系(配合)的系统
branch network 由分支机构构成的网络。
这个词很好理解，看一遍就会了。如果是第一次选，没准会选中system
28、cope with后接事 deal with可接人和事
handle是及物动词，后面直接接人和事，相当于deal with
31、loan application 贷款申请
apply for loan 固定用法
33、go through 仔细的查看，后面正好和customer service review搭配。
driving force和customer base属于固定用法
真题五
Achieving a successful merger
However attractive the figures may look on paper, in the long run the success or failure of a merger depends on the human factor. When the agreement has been signed and the accountants have departed, the real problems may only just be beginning. If there is a culture clash between the two companies in the way their people work, then all the efforts of the financiers and lawyers to strike a deal may have been in vain.
According to Chris Bolton of KS Management Consultants, 70% of mergers fail to live up to their promise of shareholder value, riot through any failure in economic terms but because the integration of people is unsuccessful. Corporates, he explains, concentrate their efforts before a merger on legal, technical and financial matters. They employ a range of experts to obtain the most favourable contract possible. But even at these early stages, people issues must be taken into consideration. The strengths and weaknesses of both organisations should be assessed and, if it is a merger of equals, then careful thought should be given to which personnel, from which side, should take on the key roles.
This was the issue in when the proposed merger between two pharmaceutical companies promised to create one of the largest players in the industry. For both companies the merger was intended to reverse falling market share and shareholder value. However, although the companies' skill bases were compatible, the chief executives of the two companies could not agree which of them was to head up the new organisation. This illustrates the need to compromise if a merger is to take place.
But even in mergers that do go ahead, there can be culture clashes. One way to avoid this is to work with focus groups to see how employees view the existing culture of their organisation. In one example, where two global organisations in the food sector were planning to merge, focus groups discovered that the companies displayed very different profiles. One was sales-focused, knew exactly what it wanted to achieve and pushed initiatives through. The other got involved in lengthy discussions, trying out options methodically and making contingency plans. The first responded quickly to changes in the marketplace; the second took longer, but the option it eventually chose was usually the correct one. Neither company's approach would have worked for the other.
The answer is not to adopt one company's approach, or even to try to incorporate every aspect of both organisations, but to create a totally new culture. This means taking the best from both sides and making a new organisation that everyone can accept. Or almost everyone. Inevitably there will be those who cannot adapt to a different culture. Research into the impact of mergers has found that companies with differing management styles are the ones that need to work hardest at creating a new culture.
Another tool that can help to get the right cultural mix is intercultural analysis. This involves carrying out research that looks at the culture of a company and the business culture of the country in which it is based. It identifies how people, money and time are managed in a company, and investigates the business customs of the country and how its politics, economics and history impact on the way business is done.
13 According to the text, mergers can encounter problems when
A contracts are signed too quickly.
B experts cannot predict accurate figures.
C conflicting attitudes cannot be resolved.
D staff are opposed to the terms of the deal.
14 According to Chris Bolton, what do many organisations do in preparation for a merger?
A ensure their interests are represented
B give reassurances to shareholders
C consider the effect of a merger on employees
D analyse the varying strengths of their staff
15 The proposed merger of two pharmaceutical groups failed because
A major shareholders were opposed.
B there was a fall in the demand for their products.
C there were problems combining their areas of expertise.
D an issue of personal rivalry could not be resolved.
16 According to the text, focus groups can help companies to
A develop new initiatives.
B adopt contingency plans.
C be decisive and react rapidly.
D evaluate how well matched they are.
17 Creating a new culture in a newly merged organisation means that
A management styles become more flexible.
B there is more chance of the merger working.
C staff will find it more difficult to adapt to the changes.
D successful elements of the original organisations are lost.
18 According to the text, intercultural analysis will show
A what kind of benefits a merger can lead to.
B how the national context affects the way a company is run.
C how long it will take for a company culture to develop.
D what changes companies should make before a merger takes place.
《Achieving a successful merger》，实现一个成功的并购。文章没有从技术和经济效益的角度来分析并购成功的因素，而是强调了一个在并购中容易被忽视的重要因素：文化冲突。不同的企业文化走到了一起，能否兼容是并购能否成功的关键因素。一个比较著名的例子是当年惠普与康柏的并购。
第十三题，问什么情况下并购会遇到麻烦。答案是A段的最后一句，关键词是culture clash：如果两个公司的员工在工作方式上存在文化冲突，那么金融专家和律师们为了达成交易所做的一切努力都是徒劳的。所以选C：冲突性的态度无法得到解决。Conflicting attitude对应于culture clash。attitude具体指公司员工做事情的方式和态度。
第十四题，问很多机构为并购所做的准备是什么。答案是第二段的这么一句话：Corporates, he explains, concentrate their efforts before a merger on legal, technical and financial matters。公司都把精力集中在法律、技术和金融事务上了。也就是更多的看重经济等方面的利益，而忽视了人的因素。选A：确保他们的利益得到很好的反映，也就是自己的利益有保障。represent在这里的意思是be present or found in something, especially to a particular degree。
第十五题，问这俩医药公司并购失败的原因是什么。答案是第三段的倒数第二句：the chief executives of the two companies could not agree which of them was to head up the new organisation.在谁来领导新的机构的问题上无法达成一致。所以选D：人员竞争问题无法得到解决。Personal rivalry就是指两个领导谁也不服谁。
第十六题，问focus group可以帮助公司干什么。先弄明白focus group的意思，看剑桥高阶的解释：a group of people who have been brought together to discuss a particular subject in order to solve a problem or suggest ideas。处理问题的团体。答案在第四段。这一段是举例说明两个合并公司的文化兼容性问题。经过focus group的调查，这两个公司的做事方式有很大差别，不能兼容。所以这一题的答案是选D：评估他们能否匹配。
第十七题，问在一个新合并的公司里创造新的文化意味着什么。答案是第五段的这么一句：This means taking the best from both sides and making a new organisation that everyone can accept。吸取双方的优点，创造一个所有人都能接受的新组织。每个人都能接受，那么合并成功的可能性会大大增加。选B：合并起作用的几率增加了。
第十八题，跨文化分析能够表明什么。答案是最后一段的最后一句：how its politics, economics and history impact on the way business is done.看看这个国家的政治、经济和历史是怎么影响商业行为的。也就是考察宏观的国家背景对微观的经济个体的影响。选B：国家背景怎样影响公司的运行方式。
篇7：BEC商务英语中级考试阅读真题
BEC真题一
Read the article below about the changing role of human resources departments.
The best person for the job
Employees can make a business succeed or fail, so the people who choose themhave a vital role to play.
Employees 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 realise that recruiting the best recruiters is the key to success.
Sarah Choi, Head of HR at Enco pic, believes that thinking commercially is a key quality in HR. Every decision an HR manager makes needs to be relevant to advancing the business. (8) ...C.....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).....F... 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 profession are attracted by a long-term goal.(10)....D......Nothing happens in the company which isn't affected by or doesn'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 journal received comments such as “What do they actually contribute?”(11).....A..... 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)...E......However, a lack of training and development is a more significant factor. These days, good professional development opportunities are considered an essential part of an attractive package,Choi explains.
A But rising levels of remuneration demonstrate that the profession's growing importance is widely recognised.
B At 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 purely administrative role.
D Since it's one of the few areas where you can see the whole operation, it can lead to an influential 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.
这篇文章的标题有些misleading，“The best people for the job”，还以为是招人的标准。其实这篇文章是关于Human resource的，所以还是要适当关注文章前的说明：the article below about the changing role of human resources departments.
第八题，空格后面的“That's no longer the case”是很重要的提示。由于空格前面一直在强调commercial和business，所以在空缺的地方应该是和另一个方面相关的内容。选项C的administrative role正好满足这个要求。前后文意思搭配在一起完全吻合。
第九题，后面的for example的很关键，是对前面的补充说明。“For example,a chief executive will expect the HR department to advise on everything from the headcount to whether to proceed with an acquisition.”总裁希望人力资源经理对一切事情提出建议，从人数统计到是否进行收购。这种要求就需要人力资源经理具备很多才能。所以F的句子填在这里最合适。
第十题，答案稍微不那么明显，不过D句中的an influential role可以和第十题的空格后的a crucial part相对应，算是答案信号。要从整体上把握第三段，这里认为HR manager 的影响是全局的、长期的，所以D句的“see the whole operation”符合情况。
第十一题，理解前后文的意思，前面说过去的operational managers不那么认可HR manager的作用，后面指出HR managers挣得多，所以中间是转折的意思。A句的But是个信号，“上涨的薪酬水平意味着这个职位逐渐增加的重要性得到了广泛的认可。”意思和前后都吻合，所以是正确答案。
第十二题，空格前说HR managers觉得自己的作用被低估了，所以leaving。空格后一个However，所以空格处应该还是和leaving有关的，为什么离职。E句的意思是“被视作仅仅对别人的离开和生病的日子划勾的人是没法帮助建立忠诚感的。”填入此处正好。
BEC真题二
Look at the statements below and the advice to businesses on the opposite page about using other companies to run their IT services.
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 draw 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 familiarising themselves with various details of the business
7、problems being 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.
A.Gianluca Tramcere, Silica Systems
An outsourced IT service is never a fully independent entity. It is tied to the home company's previous and continuing systems of working. But despite the added responsibility of managing new ways of working, many businesses ignore the integration process. They fail to establish contracts that define the ways in which the two companies will work alongside one another, and focus solely on the technological aspects of service delivery.
B.Kevin Rayner, Domola
Businesses need to build integration competency centres dedicated to managing the integration effort. It is critical to have an individual in charge to check that the external and internal business operations work together. Although companies often think of outsourcing as a way of getting rid of people and assets, they need to remember that, at the same time, outsourcing involves gaining people. Because there is a new operation being carried out in a different way outside of the home business, this creates a training element.
C.Clayton Locke, Digital Solutions
Communication is the key to success, and outsourcing to other regions or countries can lead to a range of problems. For any such initiative, it is necessary to create a team where there is good, open communication and a clear understanding of objectives and incentives. Bringing people to the home location from the outsourced centre is necessary, since it can aid understanding of the complexities of the existing system. To integrate efficiently, outsourcing personnel have to talk to the home company's executives and users to understand their experiences.
D.Kim Noon, J G Tech
One 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.
这篇文章讲的是外购(outsourcing),分别有四位专家就这个问题给出了自己的看法。A段的专家强调建立合同的重要性，B段专家认为要派专人负责，C段专家讲外派人员和本公司之间要有一个互动，D段专家讲如果与外包商(outsourcer)组成联合企业的话可能带来的一系列问题。如果对文章有个大概、基本的了解，很多题目不用细看就可以得出结论。
第一题的答案稍微有些隐晦，在B段的最后一句。“Because there is a new operation being carried out in a different way outside of the home business, this creates a training element.”因为新的操作是在本公司以外的地方以一种新的方式被执行，所以产生了培训成分。这里的training对应第一题的“teach skills to employees”。
第二题的答案在D段中间: companies should be careful not to lose sight of the original rationale for outsourcing.这里的rationale是基本原理、根本原因的意思。
第三题的答案在A段，非常明显的“establish contracts”。
第四段的答案是C段的最后一句话，outsourcing personnel have to talk to the home company's executives and users to understand their experiences.这里的talk to对应address，向....谈话。第四题的意思是“说明在远址工作的外购人员的事情”，也就是C段最后一句说的外购人员向公司汇报他们的经历。
第五段的答案在B段，相当明显：It is critical to have an individual in charge to check that the external and internal business operations work together。需要派专人负责integration。
第六题说“外派人员要熟悉自身工作的不同细节”，对应C段的“create a team where there is a clear understanding of objectives and incentives.”打造一个对目标和动机都有清晰理解的团队。
第七题稍微绕一点。题目里的“an alternative to outsourcing”指的是D段里的“create a joint-venture company with the outsourcer”，建立一个联合企业。D段里的专家一直在强调联合企业的麻烦和复杂性(joint ventures bring potential troubles)，所以是正确答案。
BEC真题三
The secret of success in electronic commerce lies in placing a new emphasis on a well-established area. That area is customer service, which is now the only point of (19) between a business and the buying public.
There are a number of factors in a real-world shop that (20) people's perceptions of a business: these (21)the location and the appearance of the premises,the quality and the pricing of the merchandise or services’and the behaviour of the staff.
However, if a company is trying to make a good impression with online customers,most of these factors do not (22) a part. In the (23) of these factors, the way customers are (24) when they have a reason to call has a fundamental effect on a company's ability to retain them as customers. Even more than regular telephone or in-person customers, web customers are impatient，easily frustrated and always conscious that they have other places where they can (25) their business.Preventing them from doing that means meeting them on their own(26)and providing them with what they want.
This necessity, in(27)，means that companies that sell over the net must get back-end functions right. Imposing(28) requirements on customers will not work; a business that (29) on customers emailing for assistance instead of using the phone, for example, will lose repeat custom.
If the phone is used, it must be answered (30), and the staff should look for ways of helping even the most awkward customers(31), as is more usual,trying to find some(32) to blame the customer for any problem.
An important，final point is that it is vital that all addresses，web links and phone numbers work properly and efficiently. This ought to (33) without saying.Experience，however, shows that it does not.
19、A relationship B association C. meeting D contact
20、A force B determine C decide D fix
21、A enclose B consist C include D contain
22、A get B run C play D have
23、A absence B lack C need D scarcity
24、A cared B treated C dealt D considered
25、A deliver B bring C move D take
26、A policies B standards C terms D conditions
27、A turn B sequence C line D order
28、A dense B rigid C deep D solid
29、A demands B insists C expects D instructs
30、A punctually B precisely C promptly D presently
31、A apart from B other than C except for D rather than
32、A case B excuse C fault D purpose
33、A do B make C go D come
我个人认为，完形填空这种题型属于BEC阅读里相对不容易把握的。其他几个部分多参照原文就能找到答案，而完形填空的答案有的时候靠分析是得不出结果的，因为会考到一些固定用法，而且是商务英语里的固定用法。固定用法一时半会是无法积累的。要想做好BEC里的完形填空，一是要掌握一定的解题技巧(比如排除法和猜题)，二是要培养商务英语的感觉。感觉的培养也有两种途径，一个是多读原版商业英语文章，另一个就是把历年BEC真题里的完形填空原文填上空缺的单词反复朗读。
这篇名为《电子商务成功秘诀》的文章主要分析了从事电子商务必须考虑的几个factor。重点考虑的是如何服务客户，不是在线的，而是电话。
19题首先考的就是一个固定的商务英语用法。Point of contact,接触点。商业词典的解释：Person or a department serving as the coordinator or focal point of an activity or program.英文WIKI的解释：A point of contact (POC, also single point of contact or SPOC) is the identification of, and means of communication with, person(s) and organizations(s) associated with the resource(s).
26题，on one's own terms,根据某人自己的主张。联系此句上下文，是说电子商务的客户不好伺候，得按照他们的意思来提供他们想要的。所以后面的28题应该选择rigid，僵硬的。意思是不能把一些僵硬的要求强加在客户的身上。
27题，in turn相应的;in sequence按顺序，依次;in line成一直线;in order整齐，秩序井然。
31题，后面的as is more usual是插入语，在这里完全可以忽略不计，联系整个句子的意思。是说员工应该想办法对付哪怕是最难对付的客户，而不是找借口去指责客户。所以应选rather than (而不是)。apart from相当于except for，除了…外(都),other than相当于except，除…以外。
32题，理解了上下文，应该选excuse。与fault相关的短语是find fault with
33题，go without saying固定用法，不言而喻的意思。
BEC真题四
Fighting Fit
Fine Fitness, the health and fitness club operator, announced an impressive set of results yesterday: (19) a 38-per-cent jump in annual pre-tax profits, the company claimed that it had (20) none of the problems (21) last week by its rival, Top Fit .According to Samantha Collier,the chief executive, Fine Fitness (22) strong and is on (23) to reach its target of 100 clubs within three years, its strategy unaffected by the apparent (24) down of the economy.
The company opened 12 new clubs in the past year; (25) its total to 51. They have (26) to be highly successful, with people joining in large numbers, especially in the 25-to-40 age range. Even the more (27) clubs are still seeing sales growth, along with rising retention (28) of more than 70 per cent. This can be seen as clear (29) of the appeal of Fine Fitness.
Ms Collier admitted that as there were (30) too many companies competing with one another; there would almost certainly be (31) in the health-and-fitness-club sector of the market She predicted that, within a relatively short time, there might be only about three major companies still in (32).However, she declined to say which these were likely to be.
Profits rose by ?6.3 million, although there was a fall in gross margins from 31 per cent to 28.6 per cent because of higher insurance premiums, extra management costs and start-up expenses for the company's new (33) in Spain.
19 A Stating B Reporting C Remarking D Informing
20 A taken B felt C experienced D caught
21 A released B issued C opened D revealed
22 A stays B remains C maintains D keeps
23 A track B direction C way D line
24 A falling B breaking C cutting D slowing
25 A bringing B putting C getting D mounting
26 A shown B resulted C proved D demonstrated
27 A installed B formed C established D confirmed
28 A rates B standards C proportions D volumes
29 A witness B sign C display D evidence
30 A purely B merely C simply D barely
31 A union B consolidation C alliance D combination
32 A trade B office C commerce D business
33 A trial B venture C proposal D speculation
文章介绍了一个经营健康俱乐部的公司的情况，依旧是形势喜人。
19题，一句话包含三个空，联系在一起做。昨天开会，宣布了一系列结果。报告税前收益增长了38%，公司并没有经历它的竞争对手所暴露的问题。19题选report，20题experienced，21题，revealed by its rival，被竞争对手暴露的问题。
22题，remains strong保持强劲;单看单词的意思，貌似keep也可以(不过说实话，如果不是有同学提醒，我压根想不到会填keep)联系此句上下文，提到了在对手出现问题时这个公司表现依然强劲remain在英文词典的解释是：continue to exist, especially after other similar or related people or things have ceased to exist 在相似或者相关人和事出现状况时仍然存在，所以，remain更符合这个题目的条件
23题，on track 步入正轨。公司正在实现目标的正道上。这个词在其他完型也出现过，不过不是正确答案。
24题，slow down放缓，固定用法。经济放缓。
25题，bring to，使总数达到51，这个题怕是要靠语感。put肯定不对，get to到达，mount在这里用法不对。
26题，proved to be证明是，固定用法
27题，这里填入的词要和前文对照，前面说新开了12家新的俱乐部，这里的空格前有个even和more，所以应该是填入与new相对应的词。established是已确立的(If you use established to describe something such as an organization, you mean that it is officially recognized or generally approved of because it has existed for a long time. )
28题，retention rate保留率，专有名词(Retained earnings divided by total after-tax earnings, expressed as a percentage)，指公司税后收益所保留的那一部分。
29题，公司吸引力的证据。clear evidence明显的证据。不选sign，sign只是迹象。
30题，simply修饰too many从用法和意思上都对，在这里就是表强调的，意思是公司太多了。
31题，consolidation强化、合并(To consolidate a number of small groups or firms means to make them into one large organization.)，有很多的公司相互竞争，所以需要进行一个整合。这是商英里的固定说法。
32题，in business在经营。是说很快这个市场上的公司会淘汰的只剩下三个。
33题，理解了venture的意思就不难做出选择，在这里是指商业冒险，也是商英地道说法。公司要在西班牙进行一些投机活动，因此增加了额外的管理费用。
篇8：BEC剑桥商务英语中级考试真题
BEC真题一
Market Entry —The Pioneer
Marc Crystal discusses the 'be first to market’principle
The timing of market entry is critical to the success of a new product. A company has two alternatives: it can compete to enter a new product market first - otherwise known as 'pioneering' - or it can wait for a competitor to take the lead, and then follow once the market has been established. Despite the limitations of existing research, nobody denies that there are advantages to being a pioneering company. Over the years, there has been a good deal of evidence to show a performance advantage for pioneers.
For many new products, customers are initially unsure about the contribution of product characteristics and features to the product's value. Preferences for different characteristics and their desired levels are learned over time. This enables the pioneering company to shape customer preferences in its favour. It sets the standard to which customers refer in evaluating followers' products. The pioneering product can become the classic or 'original' product for the whole category, opening up a flood of similar products onto the market, as exemplified by Walkman and Polaroid.
The pioneering product is a bigger novelty when it appears on the market, and is therefore more likely than those that follow to capture customer and distributor attention. In addition, a pioneer's advertising is not mixed up with competitors' campaigns. Even in the long term, followers must continue to spend more on advertising to achieve the same effect as pioneers. The pioneers can set standards for distribution, occupy the best locations or select the best distributors, which can give them easier access to customers. For example, in many US cities the coffee chain Starbucks, as the first to market, was able to open coffee bars in better known locations than its competitors. In many industrial markets, distributors are not keen to take on second and third products, particularly when the product is technically complex or requires large inventories of spare parts.
'Switching costs' arise when investments are required in order to switch to another product. For example, many people have developed skills in using the traditional 'qwerty' keyboard. Changing to the presumably more efficient 'dvorak' keyboard would require relearning how to type, an investment that in many cases would exceed the expected benefits in efficiency. Switching costs also arise when the quality of a product is difficult to assess. People who live abroad often experience a similar 'cost' when simple purchase decisions such as buying detergent, toothpaste or coffee suddenly become harder because the trusted brand from home is no longer available. Pioneering products have the first chance to become this trusted brand. Consequently, the companies that follow must work hard to convince customers to bear the costs and risks of switching to an untried brand of unknown quality.
Unlike other consumer sectors, the value to customers of many high technology products relies not only on their features but also on the total number of users. For example, the value of a videophone depends on the number of people using the same or a compatible system. A pioneer obviously has the opportunity to build a large user base before competitors enter the market. This reduces followers' ability to introduce differentiated products. There are other advantages of a large user base, such as the ability to share computer files with other users. Thus, software companies are often willing to give away products to build the market quickly and set a standard.
13 In the first paragraph, the writer points out that
A there is general agreement on the benefits of pioneering products.
B companies are still uncertain about how to market new products.
C most companies prefer to market new products independently.
D there are now guidelines to help those who wish to pioneer.
14 According to the information in the second paragraph, how do customers approach new products?
A They take some time to develop a liking for them.
B They make comparisons with other new products.
C They need some persuasion to purchase them.
D They consider cost an important feature.
15 The writer refers to Walkman and Polaroid because they were
A better than any of their followers.
B copied many times by their followers.
C quickly accepted by consumers.
D designed for a particular market.
16 When pioneering products are promoted, the writer notes that
A a heavy financial investment is required.
B a wide variety of advertising methods must be used.
C a clear message is likely to be communicated.
D a long campaign is usually necessary.
17 In the keyboard example, the 'costs' the writer is referring to are concerned with
A the price of the products.
B the quality of the products.
C the need for user training.
D the lack of useful information.
18 According to the final paragraph, the high technology market differs from other consumer markets in that
A it is still a relatively new area of consumerism.
B it is not dependent on product characteristics alone.
C there are so many different types of product on the market.
D there is such a great demand for high technology products.
《Market Entry—The Pioneer》，市场准入，先行者。这篇文章讲的就是经济学里提到的“先行者优势”。在一个市场上抢占了先机，给了消费者先入为主的印象，后来者想要占领市场就会比较困难。
13题，问第一段作者指出了什么观点。第一段是引出全文，说明了做先行者的优势。答案是despite后面的一句：Despite the limitations of existing research, nobody denies that there are advantages to being a pioneering company。没有人会否认做先驱公司有很多的优势。所以这题的答案是A：对于先驱产品的好处已经达成了共识。nobody denies也就是there is general agreement，advantages to being a pioneering company对应于the benefits of pioneering products。
14题，问根据第二段的信息，消费者是怎么处理新产品的。Approach在这里是处理的意思：to start dealing with a problem, task, etc. in a particular way:。答案是这一句：Preferences for different characteristics and their desired levels are learned over time对不同特性的喜爱以及他们预期的水平是要通过时间来培养的。也就是答案A所说的他们需要时间来培养喜欢。
15题，问作者列举walkman和Polaroid的原因是什么。作者是在第二段的最后一句话里列举他俩的：The pioneering product can become the classic or 'original' product for the whole category, opening up a flood of similar products onto the market, as exemplified by Walkman and Polaroid.这些先驱产品变成了全部目录里德经典或者原版产品，引发了一系列相似产品涌进市场。所以答案选B：被追随者抄袭了无数次。Similar products其实就是copy的含蓄说法。
16题，有待斟酌~
17题，问在键盘的例子中，作者提到的成本是同什么相关联的。答案在第四段：For example, many people have developed skills in using the traditional 'qwerty' keyboard. Changing to the presumably more efficient 'dvorak' keyboard would require relearning how to type。很多人已经培养出了使用传统键盘的技巧，换做可能更有效的键盘需要重新学习怎么样打字。也就是这题的答案选C：使用者需要重新训练。
18题，问在最后一段中，高科技市场同其他消费者市场相区别的地方在哪里。答案是最后一段的这么一句：the value to customers of many high technology products relies not only on their features but also on the total number of users不仅依赖于高科技产品的特征还有使用者的总人数。答案选B：不仅仅只依赖于产品的特性。
BEC真题二
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 confidence. 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 per cent to ?4.2 million.
Total group sales (22) by five per cent to ?155 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 final quarter.
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 A commitments B interests C responsibilities D benefits
20 A row B series C line D sequence
21 A completing B closing C finalising D ending
22 A extended B lifted C expanded D climbed
23 A display B production C performance D demonstration
24 A conditions B features C states D aspects
25 A part B division C component D side
26 A certainty B thought C belief D idea
27 A caring B dealing C providing D treating
28 A inform B notify C comment D report
29 A source B base C foundation D origin
30 A support B favour C assistance D service
31 A up B back C on D over
32 A winning B gaining C achieving D earning
33 A dividend B recompense C return D interest
这是一篇总结性的文章，讲述了一个公司一年的业绩状况，形势喜人。
19题，interests在这里的用法比较特殊，不是兴趣，而是股权，权益的证明：
1)Something in which such a right, claim, or share is held:
权益、债权或股权的证明：
has interests overseas.
有海外产权
2)A person or group of persons holding such a right, claim, or share:
持有此种权益、债权或股权的人或集团：
a petroleum interest.
石油业者
20题，很显然意思是连续五年利润创记录，in a row是固定短语，连续几次的，连续不断的;in a line是成一排。
21题，年税前收益截至3月31日增长了24%，达到了420万英镑。the year ending March 31，表示以3月31日结束
22题，意思很明显，销售增长了5%。climb有一种用法是指数量或水平的增长(to increase in number, amount, or level)。例句：The temperature has climbed steadily since this morning.
23和24题，虽然整个行业的贸易状况很困难，但是agricultural business创造了另一个创纪录的表现。
25题，garden equipment division 园林设备部。截至目前所做的解析，这个division已经是第二次在完形填空里出现了。
26和27题，It is my belief that 我相信。我相信是因为好好对待了客户所以我们才会持续增长。
28题，很高兴报告客户基数的持续增长。从意思上看可以排除C，A和B都是比较正式的通知，选D，报告。
29题，customer base客户基数，这也已经是第二次考到了。
30题，典型的客套话，感谢客户的支持。
31题，新增了58位新员工。take up占据，拿起，继续，开始从事等等;take back拿回，收回;take on一般做呈现讲，有雇佣的意思(朗文：to start to employ someone)，例句：We're taking on 50 new staff this year.take over接管。
32题，付出了持续不断的努力实现了这些结果。achieve是最地道的。
33题，只需要理解dividend的意思就行了，因为后面有share(股份)，dividend是红利。recompense是给….以补偿。
疑问：
23题为什么不能选D做“示范”讲?
先从文章的内容来理解的话，23这个空说的是agricultural business的业绩好，表现好，用performance是很完美合适的
具体说这个demonstration,的确有“示范”的意思，但在英英词典是这么解释的：
“an act of explaining and showing how to do something or how something works”,中文做“演示”讲
所以用在这里是不合适的，并没有进行业绩演示
你理解的“示范”，应该是那种带有榜样性质的示范。单看中文意思很容易混淆
BEC真题三
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 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 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.
14 According to the writer, Smithson's profits started rising three years ago because of
A 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 that
A 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 because
A 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 that
A 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.
《Department store magic》，字面上是百货公司的魔力。讲的是英国的一个百货公司如何摆脱困境。第一段是点明公司所遭遇的困境，接着第二段讲一个女CEO上台开始转变局面，第三段和第四段具体讲这位女CEO的应对措施，最后一段总结：革命尚未成功，同志仍需努力。
13题，问在90年代中期这个百货公司的情况是什么样的。答案是第一段的最后一句：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.这个题目的答案有相当的迷惑性。整个句子都是在讲客户购买的越来越少，偏好更多的时尚品牌。所以很容易误选A，但实际上这里并没有说亏损。关键是这个地方：its own-brand products, the major part of its business。自由品牌仍然是公司业务的主要部分。所以应该选D：主要销售Smithson名下的产品。Under the Smithson’s name也就是its own brand products。
14题，问Smithson的利润从三年前开始增长，原因是什么。答案是第二段的这么一句：she took the bold decision to invite one of Europe's most exciting interior designers to develop the fashion area她做出了一个大胆的决定，邀请了欧洲最刺激的室内设计师来开发时尚领域。后面紧接着就说This very quickly led to rising sales，所以答案选C：Rowena Baker的设计师选择。
15题，问当Rowena Baker加入时公司面临的一个问题是什么。这题的关键是要理解一个句子中一个词的含义：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.。它提供的传统服务目标人群是中年中等收入者，这些人已经在那购物多年。并且客户基数逐渐减少。Contracting:缩小，收缩的意思。所以答案选A。
16题，问很多员工反对Baker计划的原因是什么。答案是这么一句：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。不愿意被说服他们以前做事情的方式有什么问题。意思也就是不愿意改变他们工作的方式。选A。
17题，问Baker改变员工政策的原因是什么。答案在第四段，Baker的原话：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。你怎么能穿着黑西服卖牛仔?Smithson有一个新的身份，这些必须对客户很明确。也就是C选项说的“客户必须能辨别出服务他们的员工”，A不对，没有提到改善公司形象，B和C在原文没有提到。
18题，问John认为Smithson面临的问题是什么。答案是最后一段的最后一句：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.事实上除非她尽快的开更多的店，Smithson的利润将会减少因为现有商店的营业额将不可避免的开始下降。也就是B所说的除非扩张，公司的利润才会继续增长。
BEC真题四
Lucy Robertson started working at a takeaway food business to supplement her income during her student days at Edinburgh University, Several years later she had bought the business and now, 17 years on, she owns Grapevine Caterers, probably Scotland's leading independent caterers, with a turnover of almost ￡6m.
She had never planned to own a business, and had certainly never considered a career in catering. (0)... ... . However, her unplanned career began in 1985, when she returned to Edinburgh and discovered that the takeaway she had worked in was up for sale. On impulse, she bought it, but admits that at the time she knew nothing about catering. (8).........It was a difficult time, but essential in terms of gaining the experience she needed. The late 1980s boom was good for business, with large numbers of office workers wanting takeaway food for their lunches. (9)........'At one point there were 26 food outlets within a 5-kilometre radius,' Robertson recalls. As the economy changed and the once packed office blocks started to become vacant, it became clear that Robertson would need to diversify.(10)........It changed the direction of the company for good.
As Robertson began to win catering contracts, she decided that the company would have to move to larger premises. In 1994, the move was made when she bought another catering business that already had a number of profitable contracts for boardroom lunches.
Meanwhile, Robertson's main competitor, the oldest catering company in Edinburgh, was causing her some anxiety. 'Customer loyalty is not to be underestimated,' she warns. But Robertson is not someone who is easily put off.(11)........Partly as a result of this, turnover doubled, and having outgrown another site, Robertson bought a city-centre location for the group's headquarters.
By now, Grapevine's main competitor was a new catering company called Towngates. Although Robertson tried to raise enough money to buy Towngates, she did not succeed.Then luck intervened and Towngates went bankrupt. (12)........Many accepted and the company's turnover went from ￡700,000 to ￡l .5 million almost overnight.
However, the company's growth was not as smooth as it sounds in retrospect. Robertson admits, 'We were close to the edge during the growth period. Like many under-capitalised companies trying to grow, it might easily have collapsed.' But that, she feels, is the challenge of developing your own business.
A But there are plenty of similar contracts to be won in the east of Scotland before Robertson turns her attention elsewhere.
B Her way round this particular problem was to recruit the catering manager of the rival company.
C But this demand was short-lived, and before long, increasing competition made it harder to make a profit.
D 'It was a dramatic learning curve and very small amounts of money were earned at first,’says Robertson.
E She decided that the solution, since many companies required working lunches for meetings with clients, was to prepare and deliver meals to business premises.
F On hearing this, Robertson immediately contacted all of their clients and offered the services of Grapevine Caterers.
G Instead, she studied accountancy after leaving university, and a steady if unspectacular professional path seemed set.
《Buffet Zone》，自助餐区域，在这篇文章里的意思应该是自助餐领域，讲的是一个在自助餐领域取得了惊人成绩的杰出女性创业的故事。这套题目不难，尤其比起第四辑的题目。文章本身有很清晰的故事发展脉络，选项和原文的对应也比较明显。文章的几个段落是按照时间先后、故事发生的先后进行的，很明确。第一段是总括，第二段是讲的创业起步阶段的一些困难以及应对困难的对策，第三段是公司好转后的办公室重置(relocation)，第四、五段是公司的竞争情况，最后一段总结。
第八题，前面说一时冲动她买下了这个外卖餐馆(takeaway)，事实上那个时候她对餐饮业一无所知。空格后面说的是这段时间很困难，但是对获得所需要的经验却是很有必要的。所以第八题的空格部分应该填入跟学习、积累经验有关的内容。D选型最吻合，It was a dramatic learning curve，这里的learning是关键词，很明显的答案信号。还有very small amounts of money were earned at first，at first也是关键词。
第九题，空格前面说large numbers of office workers wanting takeaway food for their lunches，大量的办公室员工需要外卖食品做午饭，这里的wanting是个很关键的词。空格后面话锋一转，说曾经一度5公里内有26家食品商店，但是经济转变了，一条街都空了(blocks started to become vacant)。从上下文来分析，第九空的内容应该和办公室员工的外卖需求有关，同时带有转折意思。C选项完全符合这一条件：但是这种需求是短暂的，不久，逐渐增长的竞争使得赢得利润变得更加困难。
第十题，上文说经济形势转变了，所以Robertson决定从事多样化的经营。后面说这种做法永远的改变了公司的经营方式。所以第十空应该填入相应的对策，怎么样来应对经济形势的转变。符合这一条件的是B和E，都是关于解决问题的，但是B选项所说的招募竞争对手的餐厅经理在上下文内容中没有提到。应该选D，为商业大厦送饭，正好对应下一段所说的。
第十一题，这一题才应该选B，前面说竞争对手给自己造成了很大的困扰。但是Robertson却不是那么容易屈服的人。后面说部分原因是这个，营业额翻倍了。所以中间应该也是填入对策。和竞争对手有关的，应该选B，B的particular是个关键词，rival company也很明显。
第十二题，前面说Robertson想收购一个竞争对手，但是没成功，结果人家公司自己破产倒闭了。后面来了一个many accepted，可以看出这中间应该填入的是人家公司破产后Robertson的一些举措。F满足这一条件：一听到这些，Robertson马上联系他们的客户并且提供了自己公司的服务。 疑似生词和句子：
1、buffet: a meal at which people serve themselves from a table and then stand or sit somewhere else to eat 自助餐
2、takeaway
a、a restaurant that cooks and sells food that you take away and eat somewhere else 外卖餐馆
b、a meal that you buy at this type of restaurant 外卖的饭菜;外卖食物
3、in retrospect: thinking about a past event or situation, often with a different opinion of it from the one you had at the time 回顾
4、under-capitalised: (about a business) not having enough money (capital) to be able to operate normally, pay debts and grow 资金不足。
5、Instead, she studied accountancy after leaving university, and a steady if unspectacular professional path seemed set.
这个句子里if的用法比较少见，参见朗文的解释：used when adding one criticism of a person or thing that you generally like
e.g: Lunch was a grand if rather noisy affair.
所以G选项的意思就是：然而，离开大学后她学的是会计，一个平淡无奇的职业道路似乎已经铺就
BEC真题五
B 1 It would be advisable for Flacks to consult customers before developing a new product.
D 2 Producing goods for specialist markets might increase Flacks' profits.
C 3 Flacks may need to change the function of one of its facilities.
A 4 Flacks should utilise its current expertise to enter a different market.
B 5 Flacks may need to consider closing its current production facility.
C 6 Flacks should develop the connections it has established with leading retailers.
A 7 Expanding the product range would not be a problem for the workforce.
Flacks is a UK-based company that produces fashion accessories for women. How can it continue to grow its business?
A Susan Falmer
Faced with a shrinking market, cheap imports and competitive pricing, Flacks will have to work hard to increase its margins. They need to move into a more promising market, one where demand is growing and where the company can exploit existing skills and contacts. They could think about brand extension - this would not be a giant leap and the sales force would take it in its stride. Also, they wouldn't need to re-equip their factory and could use non-UK sourcing if facilities here are in short supply.
B Mesut Guzel
They have the fundamentals of a survival strategy in a market where outsourced manufacture and brand differentiation hold the key to success. I think they should initially locate some of their production in another country, where manufacturing quality tends to be better and it is easier to meet changing customer demands. But they should also regularly monitor production in Britain and think about outsourcing all this work abroad at some point if they need it done faster. The company should continue to work on innovative products, and thorough market research will help to ensure any new ideas are well received.
C Gary Wilmot
In order to beat their rivals in a highly competitive market, Flacks should ensure their products are attractive and build on their relationships with the big stores rather than trying to go it alone and market directly. They should also consider refocusing production by using their UK factory for high-specification products. They could eventually build more production overseas in a cycle of continuous development.
D Michal Kaminski
The demand for fashion accessories is relatively flat and the company should consider exploiting niche markets to improve its margins. But even within these, Flacks must distinguish its goods from those of its rivals in terms of quality, performance and design. Innovative sales, marketing and PR are vital to exploit these niche products. One competitive advantage that Flacks does have is production times. Many retail chains now have two-tier supply chains and Flacks could focus on top-up orders. They might also investigate other sales channels such as mail order.
这篇文章是关于一个女性时尚饰品公司——Flacks的发展战略问题，四个专家给出了自己的建议。这套题目的答案稍微有些隐晦。
第一题，说在开发新产品前咨询客户的意见对于Flacks来讲是很明智的。答案是B段的最后一句：thorough market research will help to ensure any new ideas are well received.彻底的市场调查能够确保新的思想很好的被接受。Market research，市场调查，在很大程度上就是咨询客户的意见(consult customers)，any new ideas可以对应于developing a new product,能够well received，那么对于公司来讲当然就是advisable了。选B。
第二题，说为专业市场生产产品可以增加利润。答案是D段的这么一句：the company should consider exploiting niche markets to improve its margins这题关键是要理解一个市场的含义：niche market。看英英解释：a small area of trade within the economy, often involving specialized products。improve its margins也就是increase profits，选D。
第三题，说Flacks可能需要改变它的一个设备的功能。这里答案不是太明显，是C段的这么一句：They should also consider refocusing production by using their UK factory for high-specification products。他们也需要考虑通过利用英国工厂生产高规格产品来调整生产焦点。也就是说，英国工厂原来不是生产高规格产品的，即题目说的改变它的一个设备的功能。
第四题，说Flacks可以利用现有的技能来进入一个新的市场。答案是A段的这么一句：They need to move into a more promising market, one where demand is growing and where the company can exploit existing skills and contacts。他们需要进入一个更有发展前景的市场，一个需求增长并且公司可以利用现有技能和合同的市场。exploit existing skills也就是utilise its current expertise。
第五题，说Flacks可以考虑关闭现有的生产设备。这题也有些隐晦，答案是这么一句：think about outsourcing all this work abroad。关键就在于outsource这个词的意思：turn to outside suppliers or manufacturers外购。既然是要考虑outsource——turn to outside manufactures，那么也就是可以考虑关闭自己的生产设备了。选B。
第六题，说Flacks应该考虑发展同领先的连锁商已经建立起来的关系。答案在C段：build on their relationships with the big stores发展他们同大商店的关系。
第七题，说扩展产品范围对劳动力来讲不是问题。答案在A段：They could think about brand extension - this would not be a giant leap and the sales force would take it in its stride.他们可以考虑品牌扩张——这不是一个巨大的跳跃，在销售力量的步调范围之内。言下之意，不是问题。选A。
篇9：BEC剑桥商务英语中级考试真题
真题一
When to Recruit?
0 In a small business, deciding when to take on new staff is a delicate calculation. On
00 the one hand, if you are increase your workforce, you might find it difficult to cover
34 for the increased costs straight away. On the other hand, extra staff could
35 enable you to spend more time on activities such as marketing, which in the
36 end should meanthe increased profits. A useful way of deciding when to increase
37 your workforce is to ask yourself if you can make enough of extra sales to meet
38 the cost of taking on with an extra employee. But even if you are not able to
39 increase your sales immediately you may still be able to employ someone.
40 In this such case, however, you must keep your business going until you have built
41 your sales up to the new level you need. If in the end you are clever enough to
42 get your timing so right, you will not want to throw away your advantage by
43 employing the wrong type person. The whole process of advertising and
44 interviewing can take around many months, so finding you made a mistake and
45 need to recruit again it can have a very serious impact on the future of your business.
《When to recruit?》，何时招人?文章是讲的小公司招人的一些注意事项，应该如何判断招人的时机。
34题，cover是及物动词，后面直接接宾语，不需要用for。cover在此处的含义是“to be enough money to pay for something”。
35题，正确的。
36题，这句的意思是说招人可以反过来增加收益。mean (the) increased profits，意味着增加的收益。并不是特别指代，不需要使用定冠词the。
37题，make是及物动词，直接后面接名词，make enough extra sales，不需要of。
38题，take on是雇佣的意思。看韦氏词典的解释：If you take someone on, you employ them to do a job.后面不需要with。
39题，正确的。
40题，in this case: in this situation, if so, if we consider this situation 在这种情况下，such多余。
41题，正确的。
42题，timing是时机掌握的意思：the choice, judgement, or control of when something should be done。这个句子的意思是如果你够聪明，把握好了正确的时机。直接用get sth. right，so是多余的。
43题，招到了错误的人，形容词wrong后面直接接名词person，type是多余的。
44题，take在这里是及物动词，指耗费了多少时间和精力，直接用动词take就能表示这个意思，around是多余的
45题，整个句子finding you made a mistake and need to recruit again(it) can have a very serious impact 成分很完整。finding you made a mistake and need to recruit again是主语，have是谓语，impact是宾语，it在这里多余。
真题二
Business Meetings
It is important that ideas and suggestions tabled at formal meeting are voiced at the (0) time. This is achieved by keeping to the (19)....... shown on the agenda. For example, there is no (20).......in discussing ideas to do with item six on the agenda when item two has not yet been (21)........Such deviations from the agenda may (22)....... in confusion among the people at the meeting; they may also (23)....... concentration if they see something as irrelevant.
To make certain that the meeting proceeds in an orderly fashion, it is therefore useful to (24)....... some ground rules. First, everyone will need to understand that they must (25).......their comments to the topic under discussion. The Chair can then encourage one person to speak at a (26)....... , so that any ideas offered can be discussed and (27)........Once that person has finished, someone else can put (28).......their ideas and so on. If this procedure is adopted, the participants will be able to follow the various issues in a consistent manner, which will help with the decision-making (29)....... later on. It will also (30).......that the quiet people at meetings get a chance to (31).......their say, rather than just their more outspoken colleagues. In (32)....... , it is often the quiet people at meetings who generate the best ideas, because they are in the (33).......of thinking before they speak.
19 A structure B direction C order D arrangement
20 A point B worth C need D reason
21 A brought in B dealt with C catered for D taken off
22 A appear B produce C arise D result
23 A lose B fail C miss D drop
24 A form B establish C design D settle
25 A contain B reserve C check D restrict
26 A turn B time C moment D sequence
27A noted B written C regarded D remarked
28 A down B through C away D forward
29 A path B course C process D method
30 A ensure B secure C allow D permit
31 A give B make C have D put
32 A part B reality C contrast D case
33 A custom B routine C practice D habit
《Business Meeting》，商业会议。文章一共两段，第一段说开会要按照日程安排来进行，第二段说开会要尽量让大家发言，尤其是在会议上沉默寡言的人。
19题，这一题可能会选择arrangement。order和arrangement的中文意思也的确很相像。只有看英文的意思来进行理解。Order:A sequence or arrangement of successive things.一系列连续事情的安排。因为这里的意思是保持日程表上的安排，日程表上的安排井井有条且有秩序，应该选择order，比arrangement更合适。
20题，there is no point in doing sth.做什么事情没有意义。
21题，目录2上的事情还没有处理就谈论日程表上的目录6是没有意义的。选dealt with。cater for是迎合的意思。
22题，这种偏差(指前面说的目录2没完就讨论目录6)会导致开会的人产生混乱。选result in，导致。
23题，如果他们认为什么是不相关的，就会注意力不集中。lose concentration是地道标准的说法，参考一个例句：I was absent minded and lose concentration very easily.
24题，建立一些基本规则。地道的用法就是establish the rules。form rules是指表单规则，design rules是指设计规则。
25题，把自己的评论限制在讨论的话题之下。restrict to限制
26题，主席可以鼓励每个人分别说一会。重点在于理解词组at a time的含义：separately in the specified groups or numbers。看一个例句：He took the stairs two at a time.
27题，这里考察的是note一个不太常见的用法：to give your attention to something by discussing it or making a written record of it。正好和前面动词discuss相对应，而且做笔记这一点也符合会议的特点。不选remark，因为是开会，更多的是发言、讨论、记笔记，而不是评论。
28题，put forward: suggest, propose 提出。
29题，decision-making process，做决定的过程。
30题，这样可以确保沉默的人在会上也能有发言权。用ensure。不是allow和permit，一直都是允许的，只是没有一个保证的程序。
31题，拥有发言权。say在这里是发言权的意思，动词用have。参考牛津高阶词典上的例句：Can't you keep quiet for a minute and let me have my say? / The judge usually has the final say.
have a say in: To have the right to express one's opinion or cast a vote in a pending matter.
e.g.: Our boss is friendly and democratic; he always encourages us to have a say in what we will do next.
32题，in reality在现实中。in contrast对比，in case万一。
33题，往往会上沉默的人能想出好点子，因为他们养成了开口前思考的习惯。in the habit of有什么习惯。固定搭配。
真题三
The Myth of the Paperless Office
0 The concept of a paperless office grew with the advance of technology. It was
00 widely been claimed that as email became commonplace, people would stop
34 writing memos, keeping bulky files and bringing piles of paper to the meetings.
35 But the reality has in fact been quite the reverse, and paper, having already
36 survived five thousand years of technological change, and has proved remarkably
37 resilient. Worldwide, the amount of paper used for each year continues to
38 rise up, although statistics now show a slight reduction in the amount
39 it consumed in the UK. So, has technology failed in its aim to end the use of
40 paper? Max Bray, a business lecturer, thinks office workers still distrust computers.
41 ‘Technology is unreliable in most of people's eyes,’ he says. 'If you are sent an
42 important email, you are likely to print it, because there is always the
43 fear that it might have get deleted.’ In contrast, Paul Blunt, a marketing
44 manager for desktop products, who says there has been significant progress in
45 automating a wide range of tasks, even though the transition between has been more of an evolution than a revolution.
《The Myth of the Paperless Office》，无纸化办公室神话。讲的是新技术对现代办公的影响。
34题，meeting在这里不是特殊指代，只是叙述的一般情况。不需要使用定冠词the。
35题，正确的
36题，和上面的部分联系起来作为一个整体来考虑。paper, having already survived five thousand years of technological change, and has proved remarkably resilient.中间的部分是插入语，可以不考虑，所以完整的应该是paper has proved remarkably resilient。主谓宾非常齐全，and是多余的。resilient是适应力强的，有弹力的。
37题，used在这里是后置定语，修饰前面的paper，意思是每年使用的纸的总数，不需要for。
38题，持续增长，用rise，rise up是起义的意思。
39题，the amount consumed in the UK，consumed也是后置定语，表示英国的消费总量。it多余。
40题，正确的
41题，in most people’s eyes在大多数人的眼里，of多余。
42题，正确的
43题，might have done表示可能已经做了某事，而这里的意思是指电子邮件等可能会被删除，不用have，去掉。
44题，Paul Blunt, a marketing manager for desktop products, who says there has been significant progress。中间的部分是插入成分，不予考虑。完整的是Paul Blunt (who) says there has been significant progress.主语是人，谓语是says，后面是宾语，成分齐全，who是多余的。
45题，the transition between has been more of an evolution than a revolution.依然是一个完整的句子，成分齐全，transition是主语，has been是谓语，between是多余的。
真题四
Managing 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 report
20 A unite B contact C handle D deal
21 A promotes B presses C advertises Dconvinces
22 A clearer B deeperCsmarter Dfuller
23 A respect B fashion Cpart D means
24 A leader B supporter C adviser D helper
25 A courseB line C path Droute
26 A factors B aspects Ccauses D topics
27 A put B see C keep D take
28 A specify B identify C indicate D refer
29 A giving B operating C reacting D co-operating
30 A run B forward C move D make
31 A appraisal B value C appreciation D regard
32 A advantage B benefit C side D behalf
33 A posts B roles C positions D acts
Managing upwards，打理同上司的关系。
19题，report to，对什么。。。负责，隶属;从属。用在这里句子意思正好：处于上升阶段的个人需要同他们所从属的人处理好关系。A、B的词后面都接of，account to 是解释的意思，用在这里意思不对。
20题，联系此空上下文，应该是说处理与下属的关系。deal with后接somebody是表示处理和某人的关系。A、B意思不对，C是及物动词，后面不需要with。
21题，promote促进，推动。promote the idea，推动某个想法。
22题，根据意思选词。处理与上司的关系不需要比上司更聪明。其他几个词用在此处的话都有些怪异，很容易排除。
23题，respect，指方面。与aspect同义。常见的用法。
24题，这个空要联系上下文，并且参考后面的guide。“ he or she may have taught you almost everything you know”，也就是说TA会对你的工作进行很多指导，因为有taught，所以不是supporter或者helper，选leader又感觉拉远了距离，因此选adviser。
25题，一个让人头疼的商业英语固定词组。line of business，有业务和经营产品的意思。提供几个例句就很好理解含义了：
We specialize in this line of business我们专门经营此项服务;
Does this item come under your line of business? 我想知道这种产品属您经营的范围吗?
You meet some very interesting people in my line of business干我们这行，你会遇到很多有趣的人。
26题，根据前后文意思，选factors，因素。
27题，put off一般表示延迟，但它还有一个不太出名的意思是阻碍。see off，送行;keep off,远离;take off，起飞。
28题，根据意思选refer to，提及，描述。
29题，react to，固定搭配，对什么作出反应。用在这里意思也吻合。
30题，the most successful way to (30) your working life，意思上应该填入表示经营、管理等的意思，run有这个意思。C和D 用法不对，forward something是指转发邮件。
31题，appreciation，，表示感激之情。
32题，on one’s behalf，站在某人的立场上，为某人的利益。此处的意思是对他为你所做出的努力表示感激。
33题，role，职能，角色。为经理腾出空来扮演其他的角色。position是位置，位置一直是经理，没别的;act是行为，法案。
真题五
Speaking Your Customers' Language
Modern international trading practices are highlighting the growing importance of language training
Modern-day business really does transcend national barriers. Thanks to sophisticated IT and communications systems, businesses can now market their products on a truly global scale. The world is indisputably becoming a smaller place, as service and manufacturing companies search the international marketplace for new suppliers and clients. Businesses must, however, be aware that once they expand the area in which they operate, they face increased competition. The standard and quality of their goods become increasingly important in keeping up with competitors. But most of all, it is the service element accompanying the goods which is crucial to a company's success in a particular market. This new philosophy has led to many companies, some of which have even offered products of a lesser quality, gaining success overseas.
Although globalisation may, in some senses, have brought national economies closer together, societies around the world still have radically different expectations, processes and standards. These are not a function of economic change, but are more deep-rooted and difficult to alter. They can be a major problem for businesses expanding abroad, with the greatest obstacle of all being the language barrier. If you have to deal with clients, suppliers and distributors in a range of countries, you will not only need the skills to communicate with them, you will also need to reconcile any national biases you have with the diverse ways of doing business that exist around the globe.
The value of effective communication is not to be underestimated. New technology such as videoconferencing and email has played a part in making the communication process easier, and it may also be possible that the introduction of language interpretation software will help with some global communications problems. But, of course, it is the human element of the communication process that is so vital in business, especially in negotiations, presentations and team-building. It is essential for managers to meet regularly with staff, customers and partners, so that issues can be discussed, messages communicated and feedback obtained.
The value of well-organised language training is immense, and can bring benefits to all levels and departments within a multinational organisation. Unfortunately, however, many organisations have a very narrow view when it comes to training of any kind. Often, an urgent requirement has to be identified before training is authorised. Then, a training company is employed or a programme is developed in-house, the team is trained, and that is seen as the end of the matter. However, the fact remains that training programmes are effective only if they are relevant to a company's broader, long-term needs. They should be regarded as an investment rather than a cost.
Changes in expectations and attitudes are certain to continue for companies that trade globally. Although such companies are not yet faced with their international partners and clients demanding that business be conducted in their mother tongue, they realise that overseas competition is increasing fast. If these companies want to continue to achieve success on the international trading circuit, they must be prepared to adapt to situations and speak the local language. If not, someone else will.
13 According to the first paragraph, improved communications have enabled companies to
A offer a wider variety of products and services.
B expand beyond their domestic markets.
C perform better than their international competitors.
D open more manufacturing facilities abroad.
14 Some companies have succeeded at an international level even though they have
A produced inferior goods.
B failed to adapt products for local markets.
C ignored the standards set by their competitors.
D reduced the standard of the service they offer.
15 Approaches to doing business vary between countries because of
A local economic considerations.
B the existence of cultural differences.
C strong wishes to remain independent.
D regulations about business practices.
16 The writer thinks that the use of modern technology will
A speed up the process of language interpretation.
B never replace the need for face-to-face interaction.
C help solve the problems involved in maintaining strong teams.
D not lead to greater communication between companies and clients.
17 A common weakness of training courses is that they
A are developed by the wrong team.
B do not give good value for money.
C are provided only if there is an immediate need.
D do not deal with a company's specific requirements.
18 Why should companies do business in the language of the countries they are operating in?
A to prevent other companies taking their business
B to help them find new international partners
C to meet clients' current expectations
D to become more aware of their competitors' activities
《Speaking Your Customers' Language》，说客户的语言。这篇文章强调了开发海外市场时说当地语言的重要性，层次清楚，答案也很明确。
13题，问根据第一段，改善的沟通能力可以使公司怎么样。答案是第一段的第二句话：Thanks to sophisticated IT and communications systems, businesses can now market their products on a truly global scale.感谢精密的IT和沟通系统，企业现在可以在一个真正的全球规模上开发它们的产品的市场。Globe是个关键的暗示，可以联想到海外市场。13题的B选项符合这个意思：在国内市场以外的地方扩张。A和C都没有提到，D不对，只说了可以在海外扩张，没有提到开更多的生产设备。
14题，说一些公司可以在国际水平上成功，即便是它们怎么样了。答案在第一段的最后几句：This new philosophy has led to many companies, some of which have even offered products of a lesser quality, gaining success overseas.这种新的哲学导致很多公司获得了海外的成功，它们当中的一些甚至提供了一些较差质量的产品。这里新的哲学是指前面提到的在特定市场上服务伴随产品才是至关重要的。答案A跟这一句的信息相吻合：成产次品。这里的inferior goods也就是原文的products of a lesser quality。
15题，问在不同国家做生意的方法不同的原因是什么。答案是第二段开头一段话：Although globalisation may, in some senses, have brought national economies closer together, societies around the world still have radically different expectations, processes and standards.世界各地有着极端不同的期望、过程和标准。后面又提到了一句“You will also need to reconcile any national biases you have with the diverse ways of doing business that exist around the globe.” 你需要用不同的做生意的方式来与民族偏见和解。这一段整体讲的就是要克服沟通上的障碍，理解了内容不难作答，选B，原因是文化差异的存在。
16题，问作者认为现代技术的使用会怎么样。这题可能会选A，事实上这一题需要理解第三段的意思，答案不是某句话能简单概括的。前面介绍说新技术，比如视频会议和电子邮件，会使沟通过程更简单。并且语言翻译软件(language interpretation software)会帮助解决一些国际沟通问题。后面一个BUT，才真正揭示了答案，说在沟通过程中人的作用是至关重要的。“It is essential for managers to meet regularly with staff, customers and partners”，经理们定期会见员工、客户和合作伙伴是很有必要的，从这一句可以看出作者的真正态度，是B选项所说的“现代技术永远也无法替代面对面互动的需要”。不选A，是因为BUT后面才算是作者的根本观点，而且A的speed up并不能算是很准确。
17题，问培训课程的一个常见弱点是什么。答案在第四段：Often, an urgent requirement has to be identified before training is authorised.确认有迫切的需要时培训才会被批准。从这一段后面的文字可以看出，作者认为很多公司的培训有些急功近利，可培训只有在和公司的长远需要相关时才是有效的。所以选C，作者认为缺点是只有马上需要时才会提供培训。这里的immediate need也就是前面说的urgent requirement。
18题，问为什么公司需要用他们工作所在国家的语言来做生意。答案在最后一段，也很明显：demanding that business be conducted in their mother tongue, they realise that overseas competition is increasing fast.。客户要求他们使用母语，这些公司也意识到海外竞争逐渐激烈。还有最后一句：If not, someone else will.如果他们不说当地的语言，其他人会说的。意思就是如果你不使用当地的语言做生意，其他人会取而代之的。A选项完全符合这个意思：防止其他公司占领了他们的业务。
篇10：BEC中级阅读真题答案解析
BEC中级阅读真题答案解析
1 the contact between coach and employee not solving all difficulties at work
2 the discussion of how certain situations could be better handled if they occur again
3 a coach encouraging an employee to apply what has been taught to routine work situations
4 coaching providing new interest to individuals who are unhappy in their current positions
5 coaching providing a supportive environment to discuss performance
6 employees being asked to analyse themselves and practise greater self-awareness
7 coaching enabling a company to respond rapidly to a lack of expertise in a certain area
Coaching
A
Coaching involves two or more people sitting down together to talk through issues that have come up recently at work, and analysing how they were managed and how they might be dealt with more effectively on subsequent occasions. Coaching thus transfers skills and information from one person to another in an on-the-job situation so that the work experience of the coach is used to advise and guide the individual being coached. It also allows successes and failures to be evaluated in a non-threatening atmosphere.
B
Coaching means influencing the learner's personal development, for example his or her confidence and ambition. It can take place any time during an individual's career. Coaching is intended to assist individuals to function more effectively, and it is a powerful learning model. It begins where skills-based training ends, and helps individuals to use formally learnt knowledge in day-to-day work and management situations. Individuals being coached are in a demanding situation with their coach, which requires them to consider their own behaviour and question their reasons for doing things.
C
The coach professionally assists the career development of another individual, outside the normal manager/subordinate relationship. In theory, the coaching relationship should provide answers to every problem, but in practice it falls short of this. However, it can provide a space for discussion and feedback on topics such as people management and skills, behaviour patterns, confidence-building and time management. Through coaching, an organisation can meet skills shortages, discuss targets and indicate how employees should deal with challenging situations, all at short notice.
D
Effective coaches are usually those who get satisfaction from the success of others and who give time to the coaching role. Giving people coaching responsibilities can support their development, either by encouraging management potential through small-scale one-to-one assignments, or by providing added job satisfaction to managers who feel they are stuck in their present jobs. A coach is also a confidential adviser, accustomed to developing positive and effective approaches to complex management, organisational and change problems.
这篇文章讲的是培训(coaching)的作用。培训对一个公司的发展和员工的成长都是至关重要的。文章的内容比较泛，但是题目的答案比较明显。
第一题，教练和员工之间的接触不能解决工作中的所有困难。答案是C段的这么一句：In theory, the coaching relationship should provide answers to every problem, but in practice it falls short of this.理论上，培训可以提供所有问题的答案。但是实践中达不到这样。Fall short of是关键词。
第二题，讨论某些情况如果再度出现的话怎么样可以处理的更好。答案是A段的这么一句：analysing how they were managed and how they might be dealt with more effectively on subsequent occasions.分析应该如何进行处理并且在接下来的情况下怎样可以处理的更有效。这里的dealt with more effectively对应于题干中的better handled，on subsequent occasions.也就是occur again。
第三题，教练鼓励员工将所学应用到日常的工作中。答案是B段的这么一句：helps individuals to use formally learnt knowledge in day-to-day work and management situations.帮助个人将学到的正式知识用在日常工作和管理情况下。这里的day-to-day work and management situations就是题干中的routine work situations，what has been taught也就是formally learnt knowledge。
第四题，培训为在现有岗位上不高兴的个人提供了新的兴趣。答案是D段的这么一句：providing added job satisfaction to managers who feel they are stuck in their present jobs。对感觉自己在现有岗位上受困的经理们提供附加的工作满足感。这里的stuck in their present jobs就是题干中的unhappy in their current position，added job satisfaction可以对应于题干中的new interest。
第五题，培训提供了一个有力的、支持性的讨论工作表现的环境。答案是A段的：It also allows successes and failures to be evaluated in a non-threatening atmosphere.它允许成功和失败在一个没有威胁的气氛下被评估。成功和失败也就是performance，supportive environment可以对应于non-threatening atmosphere。
第六题，员工被要求分析他们自己并且培养出更强的自知。有必要理解下self-awareness的含义，不能简单的从中文理解成自我意识，看英文解释：knowledge and understanding of yourself。所以答案是B段的这么一句：requires them to consider their own behaviour and question their reasons for doing things.要求他们考虑自己的行为并且思考这么做的理由。consider their own behaviour可以对应于题干中的analyse themselves，思考这么做的理由也是为了进一步增进对自己的认识。
第七题，培训可以使得公司对某个领域的技术缺失迅速做出反应。答案是C段的最后一句：indicate how employees should deal with challenging situations, all at short notice.指出员工怎样处理有挑战性的情况，在短时间内。At short notice是一接到通知就，短时间内的意思,可以对应这一题的respond rapidly，challenging situations可以指代题干中的a lack of expertise in a certain area.
揭秘BEC：详解中级和高级的区别
一、中级 PK 高级
比较含金量的话，肯定是高级完胜中级。高级的价值会让你收获更多的认同感。如果想用BEC作为求职敲门砖的话，小编建议大家一定要去考BEC高级。Do nothing but the best!
二、中级VS高级
中级和高级难度跨越大吗?确实有一些学员，中级考了A，高级fail了。可见在难度上，高级确实是“高”!那么，“高”在哪里?大家可以比较一下：
1、话题
中级和高级覆盖到的话题90%是相似的。比如HR management，sales and marketing，purchase，management，small business，几乎是中高级都必考的点，但高级也会涉及到Macro economy，finance这样相对专业的话题。那既然话题类似，高级难在哪儿呢?1)话题的深度不一样。比如同样是sales and marketing，中级可能会谈到泛泛的概念，而高级则会涉及到brand stretching，marketing and ethics这样具体的、相对更深入的话题;2)语言的难度不一样。高级的词汇量和句式复杂度更大。比如，高级会有这样的句子出现：Current thinking indicates that, asa society, we are beginning to appreciate more fully that there must be limits to our consumption of natural resources, and that business activities must take greater account of this impact on society and economies, as well as the environment in which we live.宾语从句嵌套宾语从句，又嵌套并列句，再嵌套定语从句，而且类似句子的比例是很大的。
2、题量
整体来说，高级的题量比中级大，主要体现在阅读和写作上。阅读匹配和填空各多了一道题，另外，还多了一个单词填空题型，但这个题，只要做过准备，基本算是加分的，因为考查的都是介词、连词等虚词。阅读题量变大了，但做题时间依然是1个小时，这就要求的做题速度要提升，速度提升靠的就是语言的熟练度和敏感度，大量的输入训练必不可少。写作主要是有更高的字数要求，基本多了200 字，但时间也多了25分钟。
3、考点
除了话题和题量上的区别，高级相对于中级来说，在考查的能力侧重点上是不同的，或者说要求是更高的，尤其是听力和写作。听力部分，高级的语速明显比中级要快。而且高级听力part1和part2均变成了一篇长听力，这对短时记忆能力，以及捕捉关键信息的能力要求高了，因为你错过一个空，后面的也许就跟不上了。听力也是难度差别比较大的一个部分。写作部分，高级要求有图表描述的能力，但是这个部分是完全可以模式化，比较容易备考。Part2表面上看，是字数要求变高，但实际上，这是对要商务知识和思维提出了更高的要求，因为你要有话可说，而且要言之有理。另外，高级要求写作中使用的词汇和句式要更具多样性。
三、中级→高级
如何实现从中级到高级的跨越?对于低分飘过中级的同学来说，至少需要有4-5个月的准备时间。高级的语言难度变大了，教材学习对这部分同学来说，依然是必须的。对于语言功底不错的同学来说，备考高级会相对轻松，可以选择教材中和中级不同的章节，进行选择性的学习。同时大家要坚持每天在听写酷做一次听写训练，注意不要一个字一个字的听写，要听完一整个句子，进行回忆默写，训练理解和短时记忆的能力。而写作和口试可以在考前2个月进行集中训练，这部分的备考，没有所谓的捷径，就是要要动手动口，同时积累常用句式、套路，这点非常关键。
BEC商务英语考试：BEC报名所使用的证件有何要求?
关于证件使用方面，剑桥商务英语证书考试在报名和考试时规定考生可以使用的有效的证件：
· 中国大陆考生必须使用有效中华人民共和国居民身份证
· 香港、澳门地区考生必须使用有效香港、澳门身份证;台湾地区考生必须使用有效台湾居民往来大陆通行证
· 外国籍考生必须使用有效护照
考生报名时须如实、准确提交身份证信息，包括：证件类型、证件号码、姓名、拼音姓名、性别和出生日期，确认提交后，不得更改，并将打印在准考证上;考生在考试日须携带与准考证信息一致的有效身份证原件。
出现下列情况之一，考点将拒绝考生入场，并不予改期考试或退还考费：
· 抵达考点与网上报名所选考点不一致;
· 未携带准考证或规定的有效身份证件;
· 所携身份证件的有效性未通过核验;
· 身份证件类型和号码与所持准考证显示信息不符;
· 身份证件相片与本人明显不符;
· 未按准考证规定时间到达考场;
· 不服从监考人员的管理，扰乱考场秩序。
bec英语考试：BEC商务英语考试费用(最新)
2018-2019年度剑桥商务英语证书考试(BEC)报名费标准
(单位：人民币元)
BEC初级(BEC Preliminary)：530元
BEC中级(BEC Vantage)： 660元
BEC高级(BEC Higher)：825元
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