bec中级真题 BEC中级考试真题精选篇【3篇】
bec真题是我们备考bec的重要材料，下面是书包范文为小伙伴们整理的BEC中级考试真题精选篇【3篇】，希望能够对您的写作有一些帮助。
BEC商务英语中级考试真题 篇一
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。
BEC剑桥商务英语中级考试真题 篇二
BEC真题一
Customer Services Director
0 Our client is well known as a producer of branded products in the home
00 improvement sector. The business is experiencing a period of such significant
34 volume and profit growth and as a result is now looking to appoint itself a
35 Customer Services Director. This position involves in reporting directly to the
36 Managing Director and key responsibilities include the control and development
37 of the process for ordering goods. While through the management and
38 motivation of twenty staff, you will be seen the focal point of managing
39 customers' expectations, from keeping them up to date at all times with the
40 progress of their orders. This role is a challenging one and calls for an individual
41 with those top-level interpersonal and communication skills and a good
42 understanding of process management. In return for the company offers the
43 right candidate with a highly competitive salary and benefits package. Assistance
44 with relocation expenses, if appropriate, that is also available. If you feel you have
45 the qualifications for this exciting role and are looking for a challenge, please write in confidence to:
这篇文章是一则招聘启事，招的是客户服务总监(customer services director)。简单介绍了一下公司的情况以及这个工作的职责。
34题，appoint是及物动词，后面直接接人，表示任命，itself在这里多余；
35题，involve doing，in多余，这是常见的地道的表述。看个例句：What do research jobs involve doing?
36题，正确
37题，这行要联系下一行，从整体上来体会句子的含义。介词through表方式，连词while是多余的。这句的意思是通过对20个员工的管理和激励，你会成为管理客户期望的焦点。
38题，be和seen在这里谓语动词重复了，必须去掉一个。从意思上看，是说你可以成为什么，而不是你可以看见什么。所以用you will be,seen多余。
39题，keeping them up to date …..现在分词作伴随状语，是对前面的补充说明。介词from在这里是多余的。
40题，正确
41题，with后面直接接宾语，代词those是多余的
42题，in return是固定搭配，表示相应的，反过来，for多余
43题，offer sb. sth固定搭配，with多余。offer与with搭配时是offer sth. with sb.
44题，中间的if appropriate是插入语，可以不予考虑，整个句子就是assistance with relocation expenses是主语，is是谓语，后面是宾语，主谓宾都很齐全，that是多余的
45题，正确。这一行有个词组，in confidence，是in secrecy的意思。
BEC真题二
Human Resources Policy
CBA Bank was the largest financial institution to sign the employers' 'People Come First' code of practice in the early 1990s. In doing so, it committed itself to the highest (0) in human resources practices such as the communication of company(19)....... to employees, the setting of individual training and personal (20).......plans, and the holding of regular performance (21)....... for all staff.
Like other organisations, CBA is replacing the traditional hierarchy with a flatter organisational structure which gives employees more broadly defined (22) .......within the company. The change is offering employees greater opportunities for work in cross-disciplinary project teams. As a result, interpersonal (23) ....... are extremely important.
The policy seems to be working. There is a great deal of goodwill among employees, who (24).......the fact that customer satisfaction is the organisation's chief aim. CBA claims to pursue this aim for its own (25)....... , rather than as a means of earning profits for shareholders.
An ability to relate to all kinds of people is the most important attribute CBA looks for in (26).......recruits. Graduates are (27)....... for a two-year period and exposed to all (28)....... of retail financial services. By the end of this training period, they will have taken their Institute of Banking examination and, if they have (29)....... their performance targets, they will have (30)....... a job at the bank.
'On the whole, we are not looking for people straight out of college,' says human resources manager Maiy Kemp. 'We would prefer that they had (31).......some experience of life and had taken a year out between school and college to travel or do some kind of work.'
The company has recently introduced a new policy on pay, and it is now (32).......to performance through bonus schemes, with the objective being to (33) ....... employees for their achievements and effort.
19 A designs B purposes C ends D objectives
20 A continuation B extension C development D advancement
21 A reviews B trials C revisions D judgements
22 A capacities B parts C roles D elements
23 A abilities B talents C assets D skills
24 A recommend B honour C respect D obey
25A sake B reason C behalf D cause
26 A expected B intended C potential D eventual
27 A taken on B written in C put on D drawn in
28 A fields B areas C regions D parts
29 A arrived B done C passed D met
30 A secured B reached C confirmed D fixed
31 A gained B won C earned D realised
32 A attached B linked C combined D joined
33 A return B reward C recompense D refund
《Human Resource Policy》，人力资源政策。主要是讲的CBA银行的人力资源政策，。先简单介绍了这个银行的管理结构，是扁平化的组织结构(flatter organizational structure)，而不是等级制公司(hierarchy)。总体原则是不招应届的刚出校门的毕业生，而要有一定的生活经验或者是工作经验。
第19、20、21题，这几空都是举例说明前面提到的human resources practices。19空是说的将公司的发展目标传达给员工。公司目标，用objective。purpose是指具体做某件事情的意图。这里有必要区分一下objective和purpose，看英文解释。
purpose: the reason you do something, and the thing you want to achieve when you do it
objective: something that you are working hard to achieve, especially in business or politics
第20题，个人培训和发展计划的制定。个人发展计划，personal development plans，选C。
第21题，定期的表现回顾。用review。hold在这个句子里是举行的意思。the holding of regular performance review，定期举行员工的表现回顾。
第22题，说扁平化的组织结构可以给员工更加定义广泛的角色。broadly defined roles,选C。
第23题，人际交往技巧是很重要的。interpersonal skills,是地道的说法。参见一个例句：you will need good interpersonal skills.
第24题，这一句的意思很好理解，是说员工们越来越看重或者说是承认一个事实：顾客的满意是组织的主要目标。recommend是推荐、建议，后面不接the fact(事实)，honour是敬重，obey是遵守，这里应该选择respect。respect这里是重视或者接受的意思，看英英词典上的解释：to accept that something which is established or formally agreed is right or important and not to attempt to change it or harm it。所以这一空应该选择respect the fact，表示接受这个事实。
第25题，CBA银行追求这个目的是为着自己的利益，而不是为股东挣利润的工具。for the sake of something 或 for something's sake：for the purpose of; in the interest of; in order to achieve or preserve 为了…目的；为了…的利益；为了。。。固定用法，选A。
第26题，寻找潜在的新成员。地道的词是potential，比如potential recruits, potential staff, potential candidates.
第27题，考察的是短语take on的一个用法，雇佣：If you take someone on, you employ them to do a job.;write in：to write a letter to a newspaper, television company or other organization, to state an opinion or ask something以群众来信的形式表达的意见。
第28题，把毕业生分配在各个连锁金融服务领域。用area。field做领域、范围讲的时候是指的研究、活动，region是指的具体的地区，parts是部分，应该用area。
第29题，完成目标，met the targets。
第30题，完成了目标就可以得到工作。secure：to get possession of; acquire:
第31题，招的人已经具有了一定的生活经验。gain：to obtain something that is useful, that gives you an advantage, or that is in some way positive, especially over a period of time
eg: After you've gained some experience teaching abroad you can come home and get a job.
第32题，薪酬现在和业绩挂钩。link to，联系。
第33题，reward sb.奖励某人。reward employees for their achievements and effort，因为功劳而奖励员工。
BEC真题三
BRITISH COMPANIES CROSS THE ATLANTIC
Next month a large group of British business people are going to America on a venture which may generate export earnings for their companies' shareholders in years to come. A long list of sponsors will support the initiative, which will involve a ￡3-million media campaign and a fortnight of events and exhibitions. The ultimate goal is to persuade more Americans that British companies have something to interest them.
While there have been plenty of trade initiatives in the past, the difference this time round is that considerable thinking and planning have gone into trying to work out just what it is that Americans look for in British products. Instead of exclusively promoting the major corporations, this time there is more emphasis on sup www.shubaoc.com porting the smaller, more unusual, niche businesses.
Fresh in the memories of all those concerned is the knowledge that America has been the end of many a large and apparently successful business. For Carringtons, a retail group much respected by European customers and investors, America turned out to be a commercial disaster and the belief that they could even show some of the great American stores a retailing trick or two was hopelessly over-optimistic.
Polly Brown, another very British brand that rode high for years on good profits and huge city confidence, also found that conquering America, in commercial and retailing terms, was not as easy as it had imagined. When it positioned itself in the US as a niche, luxury brand, selling shirts that were priced at $40 in the UK for $125 in the States, the strategy seemed to work. But once its management decided it should take on the middle market, this success rapidly drained away. It was a disastrous mistake and the high cost of the failed American expansion plans played a large role in its declining fortunes in the mid-nineties.
Sarah Scott, managing director of Smythson, the upmarket stationer, has had to think long and hard about what it takes to succeed in America and she takes it very seriously indeed. 'Many British firms are quite patronising about the US,' she says. They think that we're so much more sophisticated than the Americans. They obviously haven't noticed Ralph Lauren, an American who has been much more skilled at tapping into an idealised Englishness than any English company. Also, many companies don't bother to study the market properly and think that because something's successful in the UK, it's bound to be successful over there. You have to look at what you can bring them that they haven't already got. On the whole, American companies are brilliant at the mass, middle market and people who've tried to take them on at this level have found it very difficult.'
This time round it is just possible that changing tastes are running in Britain's favour. The enthusiasm for massive, centralised retail chains has decreased. People want things with some sort of individuality; they are fed up with the banal, middle-of-the-road taste that America does so well. They are now looking for the small, the precious, the 'real thing', and this is precisely what many of the companies participating in the initiative do best.
13 The main reason that the British business people are going to America is to
A encourage American consumers to buy their products.
B analyse how American companies attract media coverage.
C look for financial backing from American investors and banks.
D investigate how British and American companies could form partnerships.
14 In the writer's opinion, the proposed venture will be different to previous ones because
A fewer British business leaders will be making the trip.
B less well-known companies will be better represented.
C the larger companies have decided they will not be participating.
D it involves research into how British companies market themselves.
15 The writer states that Carringtons was wrong to
A be cautious about trading in America.
B borrow money from its European investors.
C assume it was superior to American rivals.
D ignore the advice of its American managers.
16 According to the writer, Polly Brown's mistake occurred when it
A continued to trade despite making a loss.
B attempted to attract a different type of customer.
C tried to break into too many markets at the same time.
D expected American consumers to pay British prices for goods.
17 Sarah Scott states that British companies hoping to succeed in America should
A focus on a gap in the market.
B be less concerned with their image.
C concentrate on selling products in the mid-price range.
D carry out research into the pricing policies of American companies.
18 The writer suggests that success in America depends upon
A adopting a more American approach to marketing.
B persuading the mid-range consumer to pay for quality.
C copying the strategies of American companies.
D building a reputation as a supplier of unique goods.
《British companies across the Atlantic》，跨洋英国公司。有一批在本土干的不错的英国公司，雄心勃勃的要在大洋彼岸的美国去大展拳脚，结果遭遇了滑铁卢。文章根据这些公司的经验和教训，说明了去海外开拓市场的注意事项。
13题，问英国商人去美国的主要原因是什么。答案是第一段的最后一句话：The ultimate goal is to persuade more Americans that British companies have something to interest them.终极目标是是更多的美国人信服英国公司有可以吸引他们的地方。说的这么婉转动听，其实意思就是：要美国人买他们英国人的产品。答案是A。ultimate goal可以对应于main reason。
14题，说在作者的观点里，所推荐的企业(proposed是recommended的意思)不同于上次的一批，原因是什么。答案是第二段的最后的一句：Instead of exclusively promoting the major corporations, this time there is more emphasis on supporting the smaller, more unusual, niche businesses.这次的重点更多的在于支持规模小一些的特色企业，而不是单独促进大公司。也就是说这次和上次的区别在于重点扶植的对象不同。选B：less well-known companies will be better represented。不那么出名的一些公司将得到更好的展现。represented在这里的意思是be present to a particular degree.看一个例句：Abstraction is well represented in this exhibition.
15题，问作者认为Carringtons错误的地方在哪。答案是第三段的最后一句：the belief that they could even show some of the great American stores a retailing trick or two was hopelessly over-optimistic.认为自己可以给一些大的美国商店玩一下连锁的戏法，结果杯具了。也就是答案C所说的认为他们强于美国对手。Show some of the great American stores a retailing trick是关键点，理解了这个就好做出答案。
16题，问依作者之见，Polly Brown的错误在什么时候发生的。答案在第四段，前面说当这个公司将自己定位于一个特殊的奢侈品牌时，战略似乎是奏效的。但是当管理层决定去攻占中级市场时，成功的果实很快被榨干了。所以答案是B：试图去吸引一个不同类型的消费群体。a different type of customer可以对应于take on the middle market。take on在这里是occupy的意思。
17题，问Sarah Scott说英国公司要想在美国成功必须怎么样，答案在第五段。这个人在第五段前面讲了很多英国公司的缺点，比如自以为是。最关键的句子是这么一个：You have to look at what you can bring them that they haven't already got.给他们带来他们现在还没有得到的一些东西。也就是说要填补现有市场上的一些空白。选A。
18题，在美国成功取决于什么。答案在第六段。说人们需要有一点个性的东西，而这正好是从事于这个领域的很多公司可以做的。答案选D：建立一个独特商品提供者的名声。unique goods是关键词，可以对应things with some sort of individuality。
BEC真题四
1 Genuine feedback would release resources to be used elsewhere.
2 Managers are expected to enable their staff to work effectively.
3 Experts are unlikely to facilitate a move to genuine feedback.
4 There are benefits when methods of evaluating performance have been negotiated.
5 Appraisals tend to focus on the nature of the face-to-face relationship between employees and their line managers.
6 The idea that employees are responsible for what they do seems reasonable.
7 Despite experts’ assertion, management structures prevent genuine feedback
8 An increasing amount of effort is being dedicated to the appraisal process.
A
Performance appraisal is on the up and up. It used to represent the one time of year when getting on with the work was put on hold while enormous quantities of management hours were spent in the earnest ritual of rating and ranking performance. Now the practice is even more frequent. This of course makes it all the more important how appraisal is conducted. Human resources professionals claim that managers should strive for objectivity and thus for feedback rather than judgement. But the simple fact of the matter is that the nature of hierarchy distorts the concept of feedback because performance measure are conceived hierarchically. Unfortunately, all too many workers suffer from the injustices that this generates.
B
The notion behind performance appraisal- that workers should be held accountable for their performance-is plausible. However, the evidence suggests that the premise is wrong. Contrary to assumptions appraisal is not an effective means of performance improvement- it is judgement imposed rather than feedback, a judgement imposed by the hierarchy. Useful feedback , on the other hand, would be information that told both the manager and worker how well the work system functioned, and suggested ways to make it better.
C
Within the production system at the car manufacturer Toyota, there is nothing that is recognizable as performance appraisal. Every operation in the system has an associated measure. The measure has been worked out between the operators and their manager. In every case, the measure is related to the purpose of the work. That measure is the basis of feedback to the manager and worker alike. Toyota’s basic idea is expressed in the axiom “bad news first” . Both managers and workers are psychologically safe in the knowledge that it is the system- not the worker –that is the primary influence on performance. It is management’s responsibility to ensure that the workers operate in a system that facilitates their performance.
D
In many companies , performance appraisal springs from misguided as assumptions. To judge achievement, managers use date about each worker’s activity, not an evaluation of the process or system’s achievement of purpose. The result is that performance appraisal involves managers’ judgement overruling their staff’s, ignoring the true influences on performance. Thus the appraisal experience becomes a question of pleasing the boss, particularly in meetings, which is psychologically unsafe and socially driven, determining who is “in” and who is “ out”。
E
When judgement is replaced by feedback in the true sense, organizations will have a lot more time to devote to their customers and their business. No time will be wasted in appraisal . This requires a fundamental shift in the way we think about the organization of performance appraisals, which almost certainly will not be forthcoming from the human resources profession.
关于员工评估和反馈的文章。一个组织内部的上下级沟通真的太重要了。
第一题，说真正的反馈可以释放用在别处的资源。意思上真正的反馈可以让人腾出精力。答案是E段的第一句：When judgement is replaced by feedback in the true sense, organizations will have a lot more time to devote to their customers and their business。这题的意思还算比较明显，feedback in the true sense，就是genuine feedback，devote to their customers and the business,就是把资源释放在别的地方。
第二题，说经理们是被期望着使员工工作得更有效率。答案是C段的最后一句：It is management’s responsibility to ensure that the workers operate in a system that facilitates their performance.经理们的责任，也就是managers are expected to，有利于他们的表现，就是enable their staff to work effectively。
第三题，说专家不大可能有利于真正反馈的进程。答案是E段的最后一句：which almost certainly will not be forthcoming from the human resources profession。人力资源专家，就是experts。需要理解下这里的forthcoming的含义：willing to divulge information. (人)愿意透露消息的。专家们不愿意透露消息，也就是不能指望专家来facilitate。
第四题，说商讨评估表现的方法是有利的。答案是在C段，有点分散。前面说The measure has been worked out between the operators and their manager。这个措施是在操作者和经理们之间拟定的。between the operators and managers，也就是评估表现的方法是被商讨了的。后面介绍的情况都是这个measure有多么的好：is the basis of feedback。综合起来，就是选项说的，商讨是有好处的。
第五题，说评估倾向聚焦于员工和他们直属经理们之间面对面关系的性质。这个选项可能会弄的人一头雾水，首先得弄明白这里的面对面关系指的是什么。员工和直属经理的关系，就是上下级的关系，过分看重这个关系，那么在评估过程中就会有顾虑，谁还敢揭自己上司的短？所以这个句子的意思是说评估过程中有顾忌，无人敢说真话。答案是D段的这么一句：Thus the appraisal experience becomes a question of pleasing the boss。评估过程成了讨好自己的老板，说的就是这个意思。
P.S：这是我个人对这道题的理解，大家有异议，可以提。
第六题，说员工对他们所作负责的想法听起来很合理。答案是B段的第一句：The notion behind performance appraisal- that workers should be held accountable for their performance-is plausible。这里的accountable就是负有责任。Plausible是貌似真实的，也就是seems reasonable。
第七题，说虽然有专家们的主张，管理层的结构阻止了真正的反馈。答案是A段的这么一句：the simple fact of the matter is that the nature of hierarchy distorts the concept of feedback。管理层的机构，就是这句里提到的the nature of hierarchy，等级制的性质。这个单词在BEC阅读里常出现。distort，扭曲，就是选项里的prevent。
第八题，说在评估过程中投入了更多的努力。答案是A段的这么一句，有点隐晦：Now the practice is even more frequent. This of course makes it all the more important how appraisal is conducted.这个句子是紧跟上文的，the practice指的就是appraisal。评估的更频繁，评估是怎么进行的显得更加重要。认为更加重要了(makes it all the more important)，就会投入更多努力了。综合起来，这些的意思就是评估过程投入了更多的努力。不太容易看出来。
BEC真题五
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。
BEC商务英语中级考试真题 篇三
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 , 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。
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